Anthem of the Seas Guarantee Cabin. Need opinions and experiences please

[kruzgal72]

Hi, everyone! Our last cruise was in 2008 and it was a nightmare, hurricane winds for 90% of the cruise. So this time we are going in May to hopefully avoid that! Now my dilemma is we want a balcony cabin for sure and would love to pick our cabin but the guarantee option is $700 cheaper!! I can't justify paying that much more to pick my cabin and I am worried I will end up disappointed. Do they usually stick you in an obstructed view cabin when you do guarantee? Tell me some good stories please! Of course, I am prepared to hear negatives as well. Thanks!

[cruisingsince94]

I would book the guarantee now. They can assign a cabin immediately, or right up until your cruise date. It's usually done sooner rather than later in our experience but it's NOT a certainty.

If they assign one quickly and you don't like the cabin they selected for you, you can call and select any other available cabin in the same category.

[dahirsh]

I can't speak for "usually" but I booked my first gty last month. I booked shortly after final payment was due, I booked a balcony gty and less than 24 hours later was assigned a D4. I'm good with that.

[AdvGirl]

I just got off the Feb 6 sailing. I did Balcony Guarantee and got cabin in middle of ship on deck 11 - I like the cabin and location. I got the cabin assignment in less then two weeks after booking and it never changed. So it worked for me.

[robmtx]

Just got back from the Feb 6 cruise. We did the balcony gty and got a D1 on deck 11. This category is a larger balcony which we were surprised to get. We got the room number a day after booking back in mid November.

 

Hope this helps!

[loudbmw]

We just booked a balcony guarantee on the Anthem. Got a great balcony by the rear elevators as well as an extended balcony. Go for it.

 

If you don't like you assigned location, you can request to be put back into the guarantee pool.

[kruzgal72]

These posts make me feel a lot better! Thanks! I just can't understand why they want $700 more for me to pick. It must be easier for them or something. I guess I will go for it!

[bobbie0253]

We booked a gty and got 12302. At the time we booked it was actually cheaper than an inside gty

[GolfMom321]

I booked a GTY on the January 3 sailing. I booked after final payment, and was on pins and needles waiting for an assignment. (As a solo, I'd actually booked a STUDIO Balcony GTY, No single supplement.) They finally assigned my cabin 2 weeks before sailing--a fabulous D7 on deck 10. Aside from the wait and uncertainty, it was a wonderful experience and outcome.

 

For $700, I'd take the chance!

[Biker19]

I just can't understand why they want $700 more for me to pick.

You answered that yourself in your first post - you are worried about where you will be assigned. For some it is worth $700 for the certainty of the location - for others, they rather save the money and take a chance. BTW, I didn't see it mentioned before, you can move to another cabin in the exact category you were assigned.

 

If you want to gauge the chances of which category you might get, go to the RCI UK site and look at the inventory - the more cabins in a certain category the higher the chance you'll get one of those. If there are 50 D4 and 2 D0 cabins (obstructed) you are very likely going to get a D4.

[Croozin Soozin]

I booked a GTY on the January 3 sailing. I booked after final payment, and was on pins and needles waiting for an assignment. (As a solo, I'd actually booked a STUDIO Balcony GTY, No single supplement.) They finally assigned my cabin 2 weeks before sailing--a fabulous D7 on deck 10. Aside from the wait and uncertainty, it was a wonderful experience and outcome.

 

For $700, I'd take the chance!

 

I'm curious - did you get double points?

 

Susan

[Noreen411]

Delete - sorry, hit reply on wrong thread

Edited February 13, 2016 by Noreen411

[Baron Barracuda]

I have two balcony gtd's booked on a June sailing. My daughter has a solo and they assigned her a DO with extended balcony on deck 6. Found a review of that cabin and it looks a good one with minimal obstruction. I originally booked a D7 for dw and myself but switched to a gty to save $1100. They assigned me a D4 on deck 14 forward. I'm underneath and next to the solarium pool. Not happy. Had TA call Royal and ask to be put back into gty pool. They refused. Said I could only switch to another D4, which are all on deck 14. Read a bunch of reviews and couldn't find anyone who had a good experience on deck 14. Lots of night time noise issues both underneath pool deck and windjammer. Currently waiting for next Royal promo and will likely "upgrade" to a DO. Many of those on deck 6 also have noise and smoke issues, but the ones on decks 7 and 8 forward are minimally obstructed and seem ok. I'd rather pay the money than risk ruining cruise with noise issues.

[QVCMom2]

These posts make me feel a lot better! Thanks! I just can't understand why they want $700 more for me to pick. It must be easier for them or something. I guess I will go for it!

 

 

We always book a guarantee balcony. So much cheaper and we have had no problems. Booked at the end of October for the 1/26/16 cruise to caribbean, Within 1 week we were given Deck 10 Room 712. Great cabin. At the back of the ship but no complaints here. Had to walk a little further to elevators but no weight gain here after 11 day cruise!:D

[GolfMom321]

I'm curious - did you get double points?

 

Susan

 

No, because I booked and paid for a studio. Even though I got the regular balcony, points are based on what you pay for. If you book and pay for a balcony and get upgraded to a suite, you don't get double points either.

[Croozin Soozin]

No, because I booked and paid for a studio. Even though I got the regular balcony, points are based on what you pay for. If you book and pay for a balcony and get upgraded to a suite, you don't get double points either.

 

Thank you! I suspected that that was the answer but wanted to hear it from someone who's been there!

 

I also suspect that they offer the studio guarantee in order to avoid giving double points. There aren't that many studio cabins on board! :)

 

Susan

[emtb12]

I booked a guaranteed balcony for an upcoming June sailing. We got deck 12 forward. Reviews of the room on CC seem great. I say save the $700 and enjoy your vacation.

[rwisles72]

Think I was pretty lucky. Booked balcony guarantee yesterday for April Anthem cruise for 3. Other choices included deluxe obstructed (500 more),ocean view connected (1750 more) and 2 superior ocean view categories(2,000 & 2,100) more. As soon as I made the reservation, it showed up as deluxe obstructed balcony guarantee. I was sure I would get an obstructed balcony view, which I was fine with. With balcony discount it was cheaper than an inside. This morning to my surprise, when I checked it was a superior ocean view, deck 7, 7302.

[kruzgal72]

Well I did the guarantee and got assigned right away a superior deluxe balcony, deck 9 aft. So pretty relieved! Thanks everyone!

[Merion_Mom]

Well I did the guarantee and got assigned right away a superior deluxe balcony, deck 9 aft. So pretty relieved! Thanks everyone!

 

That is a real "win"! Congratulations. (you do mean a D1, don't you?)

[queenL]

I have booked MANY guarantee cabins (Inside, OV and balcony). I can't remember a time when I was unhappy with the cabin. Sometimes we were seriously upgraded. For $700 I'd definitely take my chances. I think if you are really picky, perhaps you should avoid guarantees. If you aren't I think you will be just fine. We booked a balcony guarantee on our upcoming cruise on Anthem. We were bumped up a few categories and assigned a cabin within 24 hrs. We've been happy thus far.

[3poundpuppies]

I know this is an old post, so forgive me. I'm an RCCL newbie. I have a deposit on the Anthem for next July on an interior cabin that I picked myself. When I booked (even today), I saw no options what-so-ever to choose a guarantee. Does that only show up on certain sailings, or certain times of year?

[Merion_Mom]

I know this is an old post, so forgive me. I'm an RCCL newbie. I have a deposit on the Anthem for next July on an interior cabin that I picked myself. When I booked (even today), I saw no options what-so-ever to choose a guarantee. Does that only show up on certain sailings, or certain times of year?

 

Guarantee categories are offered randomly. It's unpredictable.

[cardamon]

Can you tell me how guaranteed balcony works? I never heard of it before so give a thorough explanation please- like "guaranteed balcony for dummies".

[Biker19]

Can you tell me how guaranteed balcony works? I never heard of it before so give a thorough explanation please- like "guaranteed balcony for dummies".

 

Very simple - RCI can assign you to any balcony (D0-D8) if you choose the X GTY rate. The assignment can come anywhere between booking and showing up at the pier (though typically you get it within a few days). If booked under US rules, you can move after the assignment to another available balcony within the same exact category (D6 -> D6).