GTY Cabin

[robinbird62]

Please excuse me if this has been posted before - we have a GTY BD balcony cabin booked - just wondered when NCL assign these cabins. I have been on there website to do a search for this grade cabin for our cruise ( 26 May 13 on Epic) and there are none showing. When we have done this before on other cruise lines the cabin is usally assigned within a couple of weeks of booking.

[johnql]

Guarantees can be assigned anytime after booking - from soon after booking to right up to check-in at the pier (unlikely but possible). Very unpredictable. That's why cruise lines offer guarantees - it gives them lots of flexibility in assigning cabins, shuffling people around if need be. No way to know for sure when you will be assigned. Sorry.

[www3traveler]

Guarantees can be assigned anytime after booking - from soon after booking to right up to check-in at the pier (unlikely but possible). Very unpredictable. That's why cruise lines offer guarantees - it gives them lots of flexibility in assigning cabins, shuffling people around if need be. No way to know for sure when you will be assigned. Sorry.

The last time I had a gty with Norwegian, it was about two weeks before the date of the cruise before I knew.

[robinbird62]

Thank You

[BillK400]

I am on the Jade, 4/6/13 sailing, and have a GTY cabin, but as of yet no assigned cabin #. I guess I will become more concerned with 10 day to go if no assigned cabin. I sure don't want to be traveling half way around the world not knowing if I really have a cabin or not.....

[mom2tcdx2]

I think they have no idea how they assign them. We booked 3 cabins OV guarantee, and two were assigned a day apart over 75 days from sailing. The third had not been assigned, for quite some time after that.

[Shelli]

I was assigned my GTY cabin about a month out.

[WaldosPepper]

I am on the Jade, 4/6/13 sailing, and have a GTY cabin, but as of yet no assigned cabin #. I guess I will become more concerned with 10 day to go if no assigned cabin. I sure don't want to be traveling half way around the world not knowing if I really have a cabin or not.....

 

No worries. You really do have a cabin, regardless of whether one has been assigned or not. In some very rare cases, these don't get assigned until the day before sailing, or even the day of sailing. Relax, and go enjoy your cruise. :)

[trvl_fanatic]

Not to scare the OP, but there were recent posts on the forum & I think an article as well on cruisecritic re: overbooking of cabins. I know some of the situations were in regards to double booking when it becomes a chartered ship.

 

I like the idea of guarantee option, as it's usually the cheaper option, but does the cruise line cancel the guarantees 1st in the cases of overbooking? (which seems rare, but i figured i'd ask)

[robinbird62]

Not to scare the OP, but there were recent posts on the forum & I think an article as well on cruisecritic re: overbooking of cabins. I know some of the situations were in regards to double booking when it becomes a chartered ship.

 

I like the idea of guarantee option, as it's usually the cheaper option, but does the cruise line cancel the guarantees 1st in the cases of overbooking? (which seems rare, but i figured i'd ask)

 

I read that post they got moved on 2 weeks but that would be of no use to us a we have to go in school holidays as we have a 13yrs old. If not assigned by 10days to go will be pestering our TA. :confused:

[artvlay]

How high up do they normally give you? Meaning do they usually give you the category you pay for? If you are given one cabin can you switch it for a cabin in the same category? Thanks

[johnql]

How high up do they normally give you? Meaning do they usually give you the category you pay for? If you are given one cabin can you switch it for a cabin in the same category? Thanks

Again, very unpredictable. I'm sure that it varies from sailing to sailing depending on how fully booked the ship is. I've read reports here on CC of Inside Gtys being upgraded to Balconies (skipping over Oceanviews). That is atypical but can happen. More often than not, you end up in the category that you booked, sometimes one category higher, and very occasionally better than that. Once you've been assigned, you can always try to get it changed but the cruise line is under no obligation to honor your request since that's the whole point of a Gty booking. As long as they assign you to the Gty's category (or higher), they have fulfilled their obligation.

 

Since it doesn't hurt to repeat the old mantra: Never book a guarantee if you're not willing to take the worst cabin in that category. Plus, study the deck plans of the higher categories, too (at least the ones that you might possibly get assigned) because sometimes there are cabins that are categorized as "better" cabins (i.e., in higher categories) that you still wouldn't want. For instance, you book an Inside Gty and you get assigned to an Oceanview that's on a low deck right next to the noise of the anchor. Bottom line: If you don't want to risk being assigned an undesirable (to you) cabin, do NOT book a GTY.

[toberman]

Don't worry about it.

If you have a GTY category cabin at a fixed price, it only means there are no cabins avbl in the category that you booked - but they will assign a cabin to you.. Guaranteed!!

 

You will pay what you expected to pay, but can be assigned any cabin on the ship that is at least as good as, or better than what you booked. No Science involved.

 

Mostly it involves getting assigned a cabin in a higher cat than you booked - really meaning, a different placement on the ship... same cabin, different place. Don't expect to get a Mini-Suite for the price of a balcony.

 

That being said.. It has happened - got a Mini once when all the balconies were sold out!! :)

Good Luck... and don't worry - takes time.

[Starry Eyes]

I read that post they got moved on 2 weeks but that would be of no use to us a we have to go in school holidays as we have a 13yrs old. If not assigned by 10days to go will be pestering our TA. :confused:

 

Sadly, pestering is unlikely to help. Whenever one decides to book a gty, one agrees to take any cabin in that category or higher, one agrees to let the cruiseline choose that cabin, and one agrees to potentially wait until sailing to get a cabin assignment. I take gty cabins fairly regularly on different cruiselines. So far, I have not had to wait until embarkation day to discover my cabin number, but I know it could happen. And I'd have no recourse.

 

I will add that my best assignments have come closer to sailings. So, when holding a gty booking, I remind myself every day I wait for an assignment is another day hoping for a nice upgrade. hang on there and hope for a nice assignment.

[Da-Painter]

We booked a GTY, for our April 17, 12 day Med cruise.

I originally booked the lowest balcony, a BD back in October, for $1799 pp.

Then in December, they offered a BX, balcony with an upgrade to a BD for $1599 PP.

Then, on March 18 they assigned us a cabin, BA catagory, # 10630. There were plenty of cabins available in B3, BA, and lots of oceanview and insides.

 

Then on March 19, Carnival cancelled their Sunshine 12 day Med cruise scheduled on April 11. By the end of the day all cabins on the ship were sold out, as folks on that cruise booked all the rooms that were available.

 

So I guess sometimes waiting to book at the last minute, looking for bargains, can evaporate, for unseen circumstances like this.

 

We have had balcony GTY's before, and have always been happy with our results.

 

We sometimes book the lowest price balcony, with the idea to watch for suites to go on sale. Or if we get assigned, we can always upgrade the cabin.

 

But on the Spirit, all the balconys are the same, 201 sq ft, just the locations are different.

 

As long as you understand what you may end up with, GTY's can work out well. :)

[robinbird62]

thank you everyone for your responses - lookinf forward to the cruise and as long as I have a balcony I do not mind where it is.:)