Stuart Suss Posted March 17, 2016 #1 Share Posted March 17, 2016 This is not a typo. I would be happy to downgrade my cabin. I purchased an Oceanview Guarantee on the Gem. As best I can tell I have been given a lifeboat obstructed oceanview on deck 5. If I could recoup the price difference, I would be happy to trade down to an interior cabin. With all of the passengers who ask for upgrades, is the ship looking for passengers like me who are willing to downgrade? Are there any official channels by which I present myself as a passenger willing to accept a downgrade? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demonyte Posted March 17, 2016 #2 Share Posted March 17, 2016 Lifeboats on Jewel class ships are intended outside deck 8. On deck 5 there is no obstruction. And yes, you can downgrade until final payment, but after that you're out of (at least some) money as downgrading would still be cancellation and rebooking and normal penalty fees would apply. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casofilia Posted March 17, 2016 #3 Share Posted March 17, 2016 You could ask NCL and they may move you to an Inside but I would very much doubt that they would refund any money or even give you some OBC. When you take a "guarantee" you get it at a cheaper rate knowing that you could be put anywhere. That means that you are likely to get cabins that no one else wants and which TAs and PCC do not try to sell. You can only try. Caveat emptor; "you pays your money and you takes your chance". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luvtheships Posted March 17, 2016 #4 Share Posted March 17, 2016 There are lifeboats on deck 5 on the gem? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demonyte Posted March 17, 2016 #5 Share Posted March 17, 2016 There are lifeboats on deck 5 on the gem? As I stated on my post earlier in this thread, no there are not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare mking8288 Posted March 17, 2016 #6 Share Posted March 17, 2016 Deck 5 on the GEM is fine - OP didn't provide his/her stateroom/cabin #, but my guess is that it is an oceanview, typically upgraded from obstructed lifeboat category to Forward, porthole OV and is a higher category. It's possible for getting assigned to a rectangular & bigger "window" OV category. Regardless, more natural lights into the cabin. The only possible downside, a little more motion (vertical & lateral) if sea conditions are rough - but, really better than further higher up on deck 8 with lifeboats outside. We booked a similar OV GTY on the GEM in 2012 and were "upgraded" to deck 4 Fwd, portside OV - IMO, if we're to do it again, would definitely keep it instead of trading or taking an Inside (some of them are below the gallery area with ... noises) Of course, YMMV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luvtheships Posted March 17, 2016 #7 Share Posted March 17, 2016 As I stated on my post earlier in this thread, no there are not. But you arent the op are you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demonyte Posted March 17, 2016 #8 Share Posted March 17, 2016 But you arent the op are you No, I'm right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peg013 Posted March 17, 2016 #9 Share Posted March 17, 2016 But you arent the op are you What does that have to do with the fact that there are NO lifeboats obstructing Deck 5? OP is incorrect whether he is the OP or not. Either OP is not on Deck 5 or does not have lifeboat obstructions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LrgPizza Posted March 17, 2016 #10 Share Posted March 17, 2016 Perhaps the OP means the view will be obstructed for a minute should a lifeboat be lowered in an emergency. :D yeah, that's it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ready2cruzagain Posted March 17, 2016 #11 Share Posted March 17, 2016 Perhaps the OP means the view will be obstructed for a minute should a lifeboat be lowered in an emergency. :D yeah, that's it Okay, now that is just funny! Thanks for the laugh!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare kjquilts Posted March 17, 2016 #12 Share Posted March 17, 2016 (edited) Here are some videos from youtube of NCL Gem (and one Jade) oceanview staterooms 5544 Category OB https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cvakv852loI 5552 Category OB (this one has no pullman bed) Sister ship Jade 5512 Category 01 Family Oceanview and because there are a few porthole oceanview staterooms on deck 5 here is an example from deck 4 Category OF I could live with the porthole but not with sleeping four with this configuration. There's a photo floating out there with the floor beds in a horseshoe shape that made it a little better Edited March 17, 2016 by kjquilts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Suss Posted March 17, 2016 Author #13 Share Posted March 17, 2016 I am the original poster. I was aware of the risk of a guarantee cabin, and I will live with the consequences. You have now explained to me that a downgrade would require a rebooking and is subject to the deadline which has now passed. Furthermore, a downgrade would not be accompanied by a refund or by onboard credit. I have an OX category cabin on Deck 5. According to this site, http://www.cruisestateroom.com/decks.php?ship=Norwegian%20Gem "Category OK and OX cabins have obstructed or partially obstructed view by lifeboats." If that site's information is incorrect, and posters on this board are able to provide correct information, then I thank you for doing so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeyPorter Posted March 17, 2016 #14 Share Posted March 17, 2016 If that site's information is incorrect, and posters on this board are able to provide correct information, then I thank you for doing so. What is your cabin number? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Suss Posted March 17, 2016 Author #15 Share Posted March 17, 2016 I am reluctant to post a cabin number on a public message board. Any general information you can provide regarding Deck 5, Forward, on the Gem will be appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawkeyetlse Posted March 17, 2016 #16 Share Posted March 17, 2016 (edited) I have an OX category cabin on Deck 5. According to this site, http://www.cruisestateroom.com/decks.php?ship=Norwegian%20Gem "Category OK and OX cabins have obstructed or partially obstructed view by lifeboats." If that site's information is incorrect, and posters on this board are able to provide correct information, then I thank you for doing so. The site's information is not really incorrect, but NCL's handling of this category confuses many people. If you look at the deck plans on NCL's site, you can see that there are only 4 cabins that actually belong to the category OX. They are the pink cabins on Deck 8, and they are obstructed view cabins. Those cabins tend to sell out quickly, but NCL continues to offer the category as a guarantee booking. And people book that category thinking that they will be assigned an obstructed OV on Deck 8, but that is not what usually happens. They usually end up on Deck 4 or 5 (and many people find that location undesirable). If you search the archives here, you will find many other people who were in your exact situation, and were also unhappy about it. If you find your assigned cabin on the deck plan for Deck 5, you will see that it actually belongs to a higher category, like OF or OG. Sometimes this in indicated in your Vacation Summary as (OX - OG), in other words, you booked an OX GTY but you were assigned an OG, which is an upgrade. Edited March 17, 2016 by hawkeyetlse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeyPorter Posted March 17, 2016 #17 Share Posted March 17, 2016 I am by no means an expert. But, it looks to me like there aren't any actual OK or OX cabins on deck 5. OKs are all on deck 8 and OX is just a booking category that designates a GTY, but could actually be assigned any other oceanview cabin. It looks to me, from the deck plans, that all of the forward cabins on deck 5 are either OG, OC or O1 I think what might be happening is that you booked OX and so your reservation still shows that category, but you have been assigned an OG, OC or O1. I think you're in pretty good shape! If you look at Norwegian's deck plan here: https://www.ncl.com/cruise-ship/gem/deck-plans#dsr4 and then compare the color of your assigned room to the chart on the left, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. I hope your trip is wonderful! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare kjquilts Posted March 17, 2016 #18 Share Posted March 17, 2016 Maybe photos of the outside of the ship will help. These photos are of the sister ship Pearl. You can see the lifeboats hanging above promenade deck 7. The big windows below the promenade deck are deck 6 which has no staterooms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demonyte Posted March 17, 2016 #19 Share Posted March 17, 2016 (edited) OKs are all on deck 8 and OX is just a booking category that designates a GTY, but could actually be assigned any other oceanview cabin. That's not true, OX cabins do exist as other poster before you said. But they do sell out fast due to small amount of them and the lowest subcategory is usually used as GTY after that subcategory is sold out - in this case as GTY oceanview. In other words, OX does not mean guarantee. OX GTY means "guaranteed cabin in category OX or higher". Edited March 17, 2016 by Demonyte Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawkeyetlse Posted March 17, 2016 #20 Share Posted March 17, 2016 The problem is that NCL's own descriptive name for category OX is "Guarantee Oceanview", and they give the location as Decks 4, 5, 8. See here for example. Maybe this has changed recently, because I have certainly booked a non-guarantee OX in the past. And it is strange of them to say that this category is available on decks 4 and 5 when there aren't actually any OX cabins on those decks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeyPorter Posted March 17, 2016 #21 Share Posted March 17, 2016 (edited) That's not true, OX cabins do exist as other poster before you said. But they do sell out fast due to small amount of them and the lowest subcategory is usually used as GTY after that subcategory is sold out - in this case as GTY oceanview. In other words, OX does not mean guarantee. OX GTY means "guaranteed cabin in category OX or higher". You're right of course, I should have been clearer. I simply meant to illustrate that even on the deck plans, OX is referred to as "Guarantee Oceanview" When I booked an MX on the Breakaway, I was told at booking that even though I was being assigned an actual MX cabin at the time of booking, the category was a guarantee and I could be bumped up. I thought that explanation was more convoluted than it needed to be. Edited March 17, 2016 by HeyPorter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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