New to Azamara - guaranty cabin

[Joy R]

We booked our first Azamara cruise four days ago, with a guaranteed balcony cabin. When I went to our booking today on the Azamara website I saw that our cabin number was already given. Is this definite or just a token number, with the possibility that we will be upgraded? I'm not complaining, just wondering?

[excitedofharpenden]

I'd say pretty much definite. Depending upon how you booked you may be able to move cabin within the same category if you aren't happy with the location.

 

Phil

[mara01]

You should be so lucky, we booked a guarantee cabin cruise for next June, the 7 Night Crete, Adriatic & Venice Voyage , a cabin number was allocated fairly quickly (V3) at the front of the ship, we managed to get this changed to a V3 towards the rear through the Captains Club, then strangely it disappeared about 3 weeks ago. Despite our best efforts through both our TA and the Captains Club we still have no room reallocation! All we can find out is that 'it is being dealt with at Miami'.

 

This is getting really frustrating as this cruise is our special Ruby Anniversary holiday which coincides with the actual anniversary date. It's a shame that as is often the case, the shoreside operation does not match the onboard experience.:mad:

[marinaro44]

This is getting really frustrating as this cruise is our special Ruby Anniversary holiday which coincides with the actual anniversary date. It's a shame that as is often the case, the shoreside operation does not match the onboard experience.:mad:

This puzzles me a little. If one wants to be sure of his or her assigned stateroom, one should book a specific stateroom and not a guarantee. With a guarantee, one takes one's chances. That's the way it works.

[malcliz]

Is it right that if you live in the US that you are allowed to change your cabin number if you don't like the guarantee cabin you are given but if you live in the UK, you are not allowed to change? Surely this can't be right as it will mean that the less favoured cabins will be left for those in the UK who can't change them. I know we should only book a guarantee cabin if we would be happy with any cabin but it doesn't seem a very fair system if this is in fact correct.

[mara01]

This puzzles me a little. If one wants to be sure of his or her assigned stateroom, one should book a specific stateroom and not a guarantee. With a guarantee, one takes one's chances. That's the way it works.

 

My reasoning is that we were given a cabin number, which we were happy with but the opportunity arose to change to a different one, what I cannot understand is why we no longer have a cabin number!

 

This is the first time we have booked a guarantee cabin as normally we pre book a specific cabin number. I agree with Malcliz, there seems be be yet again one rule for US and another for UK customers in this case.:mad:

 

However, at the end of the day, at least the onboard experience is exemplary:)

[excitedofharpenden]

You should be so lucky, we booked a guarantee cabin cruise for next June, the 7 Night Crete, Adriatic & Venice Voyage , a cabin number was allocated fairly quickly (V3) at the front of the ship, we managed to get this changed to a V3 towards the rear through the Captains Club, then strangely it disappeared about 3 weeks ago. Despite our best efforts through both our TA and the Captains Club we still have no room reallocation! All we can find out is that 'it is being dealt with at Miami'.

 

This is getting really frustrating as this cruise is our special Ruby Anniversary holiday which coincides with the actual anniversary date. It's a shame that as is often the case, the shoreside operation does not match the onboard experience.:mad:

OK, now you'll have me checking. I booked an "inside for the price of a balcony" for next year and pretty quickly was assigned a V3, the position of which I didn't change because it's toward the aft and to me in a good spot. I will check every so often to see if it has changed. GTYs are a mystery to me at times. Whilst I totally appreciate that you don't have control of where the cabin will be and take pot luck I don't get why they would allocate you a particular cabin in the lowest grade for that type of stateroom and then sometime later change it. Seems a lot of trouble for nothing.

 

Phil

 

Booked onboard BTW, but cabin only allocated when I returned.

Edited August 20, 2013 by excitedofharpenden

[Jem 12]

You should be so lucky, we booked a guarantee cabin cruise for next June, the 7 Night Crete, Adriatic & Venice Voyage , a cabin number was allocated fairly quickly (V3) at the front of the ship, we managed to get this changed to a V3 towards the rear through the Captains Club, then strangely it disappeared about 3 weeks ago. Despite our best efforts through both our TA and the Captains Club we still have no room reallocation! All we can find out is that 'it is being dealt with at Miami'.

 

This is getting really frustrating as this cruise is our special Ruby Anniversary holiday which coincides with the actual anniversary date. It's a shame that as is often the case, the shoreside operation does not match the onboard experience.:mad:

 

 

I don't want to get your hopes up but hopefully they have realised you are celebrating a special Anniversary, Congratulations, and they are going to do something nice for you re your cabin, I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.

[marinaro44]

I don't want to get your hopes up but hopefully they have realised you are celebrating a special Anniversary, Congratulations, and they are going to do something nice for you re your cabin, I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.

 

Me, too. What a nice outcome that would be!

[150edmiston]

OK, now you'll have me checking. I booked an "inside for the price of a balcony" for next year and pretty quickly was assigned a V3, the position of which I didn't change because it's toward the aft and to me in a good spot. I will check every so often to see if it has changed. GTYs are a mystery to me at times. Whilst I totally appreciate that you don't have control of where the cabin will be and take pot luck I don't get why they would allocate you a particular cabin in the lowest grade for that type of stateroom and then sometime later change it. Seems a lot of trouble for nothing.

 

Phil

 

Booked onboard BTW, but cabin only allocated when I returned.

 

 

Phil,

 

Im scratching my head wondering how some folks in the UK managed to even have this dialogue with azamara UK.

 

We booked gteed and were allocated v3 within 48 hrs. Since then, I have tried no less than three times to change the cabin without success, and was reminded of the UK terms where change is not possible, yet it is for our US friends on the same basis.

 

David

 

PS ~ On a side note, our cruise, 17 nts on 17th March 2014 has only @30 cabins left, but when i spoke to azamara when we booked months ago, the ship couldn't have been more than half full.

 

David

[excitedofharpenden]

Phil,

 

Im scratching my head wondering how some folks in the UK managed to even have this dialogue with azamara UK.

 

We booked gteed and were allocated v3 within 48 hrs. Since then, I have tried no less than three times to change the cabin without success, and was reminded of the UK terms where change is not possible, yet it is for our US friends on the same basis.

 

David

 

PS ~ On a side note, our cruise, 17 nts on 17th March 2014 has only @30 cabins left, but when i spoke to azamara when we booked months ago, the ship couldn't have been more than half full.

 

David

Hi David. I'm not sure how useful I'm going to be. As I said I booked next year's cruise on Journey in May when the original balcony offer was available and the Club Voyage/Future Sales Consultant said to me at the time I did it that I could move cabins within the category once assigned (she actually wrote this at the top of the booking form). When I got back to the UK and a couple or so days after the cabin had been assigned I spoke to the Personal Cruise Consultant at RCI/Celebrity/Azamara that I deal with and she said no problem to move. I have booked quite a few cruises with her and she is always very helpful.

 

Having said all of that I will say that my booking of guarantees is limited. I've only done it once before on Celebrity via the UK for a suite guarantee and couldn't move. She did offer to put me back in the guarantee "pot" and try again, but I could have been put back in the same cabin or one in a similar position. I've just done another guarantee on Celebrity for a cruise in September which I booked via a US ta. No problem at all moving within category once assigned.

 

There. I told you I wouldn't be much help!

 

Phil

[Glenndale]

Is it right that if you live in the US that you are allowed to change your cabin number if you don't like the guarantee cabin you are given but if you live in the UK, you are not allowed to change? Surely this can't be right as it will mean that the less favoured cabins will be left for those in the UK who can't change them. I know we should only book a guarantee cabin if we would be happy with any cabin but it doesn't seem a very fair system if this is in fact correct.

This unfortunately is the way things are, and the earlier you book the more likely it is that you will be given a less desirable cabin.

I have no problem with the concept of a guarantee but the rules should be applicable across the board. It is not fair that US guests can change to a more desirable cabin within the grade whilst in the UK you cannot.

[uktog]

This unfortunately is the way things are, and the earlier you book the more likely it is that you will be given a less desirable cabin.

I have no problem with the concept of a guarantee but the rules should be applicable across the board. It is not fair that US guests can change to a more desirable cabin within the grade whilst in the UK you cannot.

 

I totally agree. I have never seen an acceptable reason given as to why this is the case, it's nothing to do with legislation here and if its an IT issue, what's wrong with a manual workaround?

[Grandma Gilly]

This is really interesting as we booked another cruise while onboard last week. We booked a 'pay for inside and get a balcony' cabin. We were told that once our cabin had been allocated we would have the opportunity of changing it. Our TA emailed me today and I have asked her to change the cabin. We will see what happens! Although from the UK, I have used a US travel agent for this booking as there is far more flexibility re cancellation. ( the cruise in question isn't until Nov 2014). Watch this space!

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[Joy R]

By the way, our cruise, booked last week, is in December this year, so it is quite a late booking. The cabin we were allocated is, I believe, a V2, in a good position (deck 6, more or less midship), so we are quite satisfied. Which is just as well, as we are in the UK and now I know we couldn't change it!

[HamburgAvonLady]

When booking in the US ---It is my understanding when booking a "guarantee category" -- once you are assigned a specific cabin --- you MAY be able to refuse it but in doing so -- there are no guarantees you will be happy with the new one (staying within the same price category) !!! I also believe you can only make this request to change ONCE.

[cruisingaussies]

Regurgitating this age-old question. We’re considering booking an ocean view guarantee. I fully understand that a guarantee is pot luck but does anyone know:

 

1. Do Azamara allocate higher grade cabins if there is plenty of availability overall in the guarantee category (in our case, ocean view). Or do they just automatically allocate the lowest grade? There seems to be plenty of o/v availability in all categories at the moment, for a December 2014 sailing.

 

2. Does your status mean you may get assigned a high grade cabin within the guarantee category? We are Discoverer Plus, if that means anything.

 

Appreciate any info/opinions on this.

[procter]

Looks like chickens are starting to flap.

Just seen offer for flights ex UK 2 nights Rome hotel all 3 transfers and 10 nights for £1199.

Given flights hotel and transfers must cost at least £300 looks like Azamara are having to discount to less than £100 per day.

Edited July 7, 2014 by procter
wrong placement

[tgg]

Regurgitating this age-old question. We’re considering booking an ocean view guarantee. I fully understand that a guarantee is pot luck but does anyone know:

 

1. Do Azamara allocate higher grade cabins if there is plenty of availability overall in the guarantee category (in our case, ocean view). Or do they just automatically allocate the lowest grade? There seems to be plenty of o/v availability in all categories at the moment, for a December 2014 sailing.

 

2. Does your status mean you may get assigned a high grade cabin within the guarantee category? We are Discoverer Plus, if that means anything.

 

Appreciate any info/opinions on this.

 

We booked an OV guarantee b2b for August. We wound up with an 04 midship for the first cruise and another 04 a few doors down for the second cruise. There were plenty of balconies available when we booked. Both cruises are now sold out (with some spectacular prices advertised in Europe last week). We are also Discoverer Plus and have cruised with Azamara at least 14 times. From reading about upgrades here on CC, I think the significant upgrades (from OV guarantee to balcony) go to first-time Azamara cruisers, not to those of us who have been with them from the beginning. That said, I'm glad that we didn't wind up behind a lifeboat - or on deck 3. Both of those were also possibilities. No complaint here.:)

[cruisingaussies]

We booked an OV guarantee b2b for August. We wound up with an 04 midship for the first cruise and another 04 a few doors down for the second cruise. There were plenty of balconies available when we booked. Both cruises are now sold out (with some spectacular prices advertised in Europe last week). We are also Discoverer Plus and have cruised with Azamara at least 14 times. From reading about upgrades here on CC, I think the significant upgrades (from OV guarantee to balcony) go to first-time Azamara cruisers, not to those of us who have been with them from the beginning. That said, I'm glad that we didn't wind up behind a lifeboat - or on deck 3. Both of those were also possibilities. No complaint here.:)

Thanks, tgg, very handy info. I'm concerned at ending up behind a lifeboat or on deck 3 (DH on the other hand is so much more relaxed about it! :p) But as you say, they are possibilities so one just has to hope for the best. Deck 4 would be just great, wouldn't dare think about being upgraded to a balcony - but how nice that would be! :)

[HudandPug]

Looks like chickens are starting to flap.

Just seen offer for flights ex UK 2 nights Rome hotel all 3 transfers and 10 nights for £1199.

Given flights hotel and transfers must cost at least £300 looks like Azamara are having to discount to less than £100 per day.

 

 

Wow

 

what date please

 

Yvonne