Guarantee balcony

[ash713]

Can anyone tell me about any experiences you've had with guarantee cabins? Right now, we have an onceanview cabin in a decent location. This will be our honeymoon cruise and I really think my husband (we got married in April and due to work, we had to wait to schedule our honeymoon) would love a balcony but he won't admit it because it's more expensive. I'm considering upgrading to a guarantee balcony because it's only $100 more right now. I'm just worried about getting stuck above or below a club or some nonsense like that. Please help!! Thank you!

[Micahs Grandad]

Can anyone tell me about any experiences you've had with guarantee cabins? Right now, we have an onceanview cabin in a decent location. This will be our honeymoon cruise and I really think my husband (we got married in April and due to work, we had to wait to schedule our honeymoon) would love a balcony but he won't admit it because it's more expensive. I'm considering upgrading to a guarantee balcony because it's only $100 more right now. I'm just worried about getting stuck above or below a club or some nonsense like that. Please help!! Thank you!

 

With a guarantee you will be getting a balcony but no telling where it might be.

 

We have done it with good success but there is a chance you might not.

 

However if you will be up till late in the evening might not matter being below a club.

[True Texan]

We got a balcony guarantee on the Triumph about 5 years ago. We ended up with an aft extended It was great. We have purchased another one on the Breeze for Sept 4 2016. We have no idea where we will be. You have be ready to take whatever they give you. But it is worth the savings. Depending on where our balcony is savings will be anywhere from $150 to $350.

[ash713]

How long does it take to get your assignment? We are sailing on the Glory on 9/3/16 and have FTTF does that matter at all?

[True Texan]

How long does it take to get your assignment? We are sailing on the Glory on 9/3/16 and have FTTF does that matter at all?

 

They say it can be as late as the day of sailing but from what I have read most get their assignments about 30 days out. It might also depend on how quickly your ship is filling up. I also have FTTF but don't think it matters.

[Stallion]

check your ship to see how they are selling on that date. Glory is out of Miami right? I've done it about 4 times and it always turned out great for me with the caveat I always cruise in last week of August or first week of September when capacity and rates drop because kids are back in school. I'd definitely do it for $100 and your honeymoon

Edited July 9, 2016 by Stallion

[ash713]

Yeah it's out of Miami. And I know it was filling up pretty fast before final payment but either a lot of people didn't pay or they just opened up a bunch of rooms cause it looks like there's a lot more rooms available now.

[Stallion]

a personal contact with Carnival might prioritize you because you are going on your honeymoon

 

You are on a good cruise for an upgrade-a quick search on one site revealed about 110 balconies left not including the Suites, Afts etc.. That's a very high number from my experience with 7 weeks to go

Edited July 9, 2016 by Stallion

[ash713]

Yeah I just called and spoke with them and I'll lose the onboard credit I have and I just don't if it's worth it. I thought maybe playing the honeymoon card would help, but no such luck. 😰

[Stallion]

I've done that before and they said no but I guess put me on a list-and called back with a better deal closer to the cruise

[Micahs Grandad]

How long does it take to get your assignment? We are sailing on the Glory on 9/3/16 and have FTTF does that matter at all?

 

FTTF will not matter.

[Micahs Grandad]

I would take a chance and do the guarantee.

[happy traveler69]

I would also take that chance. a balcony is great to have! I won't book anything less (except on a disney cruise! there, an outside is good enough)! our last two cruises were guarantees and we lucked out with great cabins! on was a forward cabin, higher deck on the conquest and the other was midship on another cruise line. no issue with location. for $100, I'd do it!

 

 

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[Luluwa]

on Pride we had a guarantee balcony and got deck 7 right above the atrium, it was loud at times bit not too bad.

[originalgeek]

We booked a guarantee balcony in March for the Conquest sailing in 2 weeks and I got my room assigned 2 months ago..got 8237 which is forward and with cabins above and below. I think it's great!

 

Congrats on your honeymoon! Well be celebrating our 30th anniversary on our cruise.

[cruizergal70]

Not to derail but can someone explain this guarantee stuff?

 

On my first Carnival cruise I went to the cabin chart and chose the specific balcony cabin that I wanted. I did the same for my upcoming cruise.

 

Is it cheaper or something to not pick your own cabin?

[SeagoingMom]

Not to derail but can someone explain this guarantee stuff?

 

On my first Carnival cruise I went to the cabin chart and chose the specific balcony cabin that I wanted. I did the same for my upcoming cruise.

 

Is it cheaper or something to not pick your own cabin?

Yep! having the cruise line assign you a cabin rather than choosing it yourself is usually a good bit cheaper. You are "guaranteed" a cabin of the class you have paid for or above. You may not know what cabin you get until you step on board, though you might know sooner.

[doconner]

There is a thread that is full of guarantee cabin results of what people booked. ended up with, and when they were assigned.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2115887

[Micahs Grandad]

Yep! having the cruise line assign you a cabin rather than choosing it yourself is usually a good bit cheaper. You are "guaranteed" a cabin of the class you have paid for or above. You may not know what cabin you get until you step on board, though you might know sooner.

 

That spells it out very well

[quickrate]

We changed to a guaranteed balcony for our Vista cruise in Oct. when the price for a guarantee was $1,000 less than our booked price!:eek: Still don't know which cabin we will have.

Pat

[cruizergal70]

How does one go about getting one of these guarantee cabins? Are they cheaper than the advertised price at the Carnival site or the other travel sites?

[Micahs Grandad]

How does one go about getting one of these guarantee cabins? Are they cheaper than the advertised price at the Carnival site or the other travel sites?

 

Look for it in the booking area. Do not always offer better price for them picking your cabin.

[originalgeek]

How does one go about getting one of these guarantee cabins? Are they cheaper than the advertised price at the Carnival site or the other travel sites?

 

I got mine through carnival. When I was on the site booking my cruise during the part where you pick what kind of cabin you want it came up as an option. It was less expensive enough that I went for it. It's my first time so I wouldn't have known what cabin I wanted anyway. I just knew I wanted a balcony.

[Stallion]

while other internet sites do for same cruise. Hmm-never noticed that before because I thought Carnival guaranteed lowest prices in recent years-but apparently not guaranteed for a guarantee. I have noticed sometimes on Carnival.com the guarantee is sometimes hidden on second page after the past passenger special offer-but on a cruise I'm looking at now-it ain't there

Edited July 10, 2016 by Stallion

[SeagoingMom]

We have not cruised extensively, but our experience has been that the option to book a guarantee is not always available on the "choose your cabin" page online. When "guarantee" does show as an option, it is cheaper than the spot price for choosing your own cabin. (Sometimes the "select your cabin" page will not use the word "guarantee," but will say something like, "Let us choose," or "We'll choose for you." ) Of course the price for both guarantees and passenger-selected cabins can change as time goes on, going either up or down depending on demand. I believe if the price of a cruise you have booked goes down, you can often get the difference either as a refund or as onboard credit, but I have little experience with that.