Guarantee Room Frustration!

[ighten]

Our last experience was a GU room on Epic.. Never done it before with any cruise line but the price was so cheap it was "Ill take whatever"..

 

So we booked a GU Inside.. When we got the room number they gave us a balcony :)

[weltek]

Good question to ask, and glad the other posters gave you good advice.

 

As for comparing to another cruise line, just know that NCL is really variable. Some get their assignments a few hundred days out, right after they make the reservation, others get it at embarkation. I don't understand all the factors. I'm guessing your other line probably does the same thing.

 

Hope you get a pleasant upgrade. :-)

[mking8288]

Read (re-read) OP's post - they are booked in an OC category as GTY, not in OX or OK, as those are the lower categories within, and OV porthole is OG or OF - NCL guarantees that they will be assigned OC or higher, which would be OB (Deck 5), OA (Deck 8) or O1 (better location on Deck 5 ... closer to elevators ??)

 

Or, give them a balcony or even higher, somewhere on the Pearl, at no extra charge if they are done assigning and upsell & have no availability, etc.

[hawkeyetlse]

Read (re-read) OP's post - they are booked in an OC category as GTY, not in OX or OK, as those are the lower categories within, and OV porthole is OG or OF

I was reponding to pterp, who was the one who brought up porthole OV cabins. I think the OP's concerns have been adequately addressed.

[pterp]

I was reponding to pterp, who was the one who brought up porthole OV cabins. I think the OP's concerns have been adequately addressed.

 

Sorry, I wasn't trying to take over the thread, just wanted to offer what we are looking at right now so OP could see they are not alone. I am in OX (unlike the OP it seems who has a higher guarantee).

Edited August 17, 2016 by pterp

[zqvol]

Hi,

 

I just want to get feedback from anyone who has had a guarantee cabin in the past. I have only done this once (on Carnival) and been assigned a cabin about 6 weeks prior. As of now, I'm 26 days out, edocs are ready, and STILL no assigned room. I've been in contact with my PCC several times, who tried to stall me by saying that they may be doing upsell calls(I'm in an oceanview OC category). However, now the ship is completely sold out, so the likelihood of an upsell is gone, but still no room.

 

I called again tonight, and even spoke to a supervisor(politely) and verbalized my concerns of the ship being overbooked and either not getting a room or getting downgraded. I know, it seems unlikely, but call me paranoid-I read the horror story of someone on an Alaskan cruise whom they had no record of, and everything was screwed up.

 

The supervisor did reassure me that I would get a cabin, and would be an unobstructed oceanview. I asked about how luggage would get to the right cabin if the cabin was to be "assigned at the pier", and she danced around it for a minute but finally said that we would have to cart the bags INSIDE the terminal with us to check in, then BACK outside once we got the assignment.

 

Has anyone ever done this?? At Seattle?? I'm traveling with my elderly mother, who isn't frail, but still don't want her to have to haul her bag all around the terminal b/c they are taking their time assigning cabins!!! Any suggestions on how to make this process easier? Is she able to wait outside with luggage while I check us in to get the cabin?(still a pain, but at least we avoid hauling the bags around).

 

Thanks for any feedback. Believe me, I will never go guarantee again-too much stress, but this cruise was already a hefty ticket price, and I figured booking it 5 mos in advance that I would certainly get a cabin assigned well before the cruise!

 

Stacey

 

The porters have a list of all cabin assignments when you arrive. Even if you don't know your cabin assignment they will. They will tag your luggage for you. You don't have to take it in and then back out.

 

Nothing at all to worry about.

[sunbird21]

Wow, I am surprised by the number of replies!! But, I am quite appreciative of everyone who took time to share their experience and advice, and I thank you all for giving it without criticism:)

 

Yes, I did book OC category, Oceanview also has an OX guarantee category, hence the promise of an "unobstructed oceanview." I would actually be OK with a porthole vs a view of the lifeboat. But we'll see. I would be ABSOLUTELY thrilled if we ended up with a balcony, but don't know how likely that is-I'm only a silver Latitudes, so I won't hold my breath.

 

I am glad to hear that the luggage scenario won't be as the NCL supervisor described-I was telling my mom what she had said and she was already throwing a fit about dragging it around.

 

No problem pterp or whomever it was that asked their own question-I'm willing to share the thread if anyone has similar questions. It's how we learn!

 

 

I'll (semi) relax now and return o the rest of my cruise planning..

 

Stacey

[cruiseelady]

Wow, I am surprised by the number of replies!! But, I am quite appreciative of everyone who took time to share their experience and advice, and I thank you all for giving it without criticism:)

 

Yes, I did book OC category, Oceanview also has an OX guarantee category, hence the promise of an "unobstructed oceanview." I would actually be OK with a porthole vs a view of the lifeboat. But we'll see. I would be ABSOLUTELY thrilled if we ended up with a balcony, but don't know how likely that is-I'm only a silver Latitudes, so I won't hold my breath.

 

I am glad to hear that the luggage scenario won't be as the NCL supervisor described-I was telling my mom what she had said and she was already throwing a fit about dragging it around.

 

No problem pterp or whomever it was that asked their own question-I'm willing to share the thread if anyone has similar questions. It's how we learn!

 

 

I'll (semi) relax now and return o the rest of my cruise planning..

 

Stacey

 

It does not matter if you are silver or higher in the latitudes. I was silver as well when I booked balcony guarantee and was given family mini suite with balcony.

[mbarnaby99]

I book guarantee a lot because the location is not important to me. On one of my cruises I was not assigned a cabin until 2 days before the cruise and that was changed the day of. I just happened to look at my NCL account online that morning and saw the change. It was a change for the good since they moved me up to a better room.

[Zigggypup]

Wow, I am surprised by the number of replies!! But, I am quite appreciative of everyone who took time to share their experience and advice, and I thank you all for giving it without criticism:)

 

Yes, I did book OC category, Oceanview also has an OX guarantee category, hence the promise of an "unobstructed oceanview." I would actually be OK with a porthole vs a view of the lifeboat. But we'll see. I would be ABSOLUTELY thrilled if we ended up with a balcony, but don't know how likely that is-I'm only a silver Latitudes, so I won't hold my breath.

 

I am glad to hear that the luggage scenario won't be as the NCL supervisor described-I was telling my mom what she had said and she was already throwing a fit about dragging it around.

 

No problem pterp or whomever it was that asked their own question-I'm willing to share the thread if anyone has similar questions. It's how we learn!

 

 

I'll (semi) relax now and return o the rest of my cruise planning..

 

Stacey

 

I wouldn't sweat it. I am sure you will at least get what you paid for. Who knows, maybe even a surprise upgrade. I never booked a GTY cabin just because I like to know exactly where I will be. I am picky that way.

[dogboy]

My best upgrade was last year on Breakaway, I paid for balcony guarantee and when my room was assigned a day before sailing I found out they gave me a family mini suite with balcony and I was sailing solo. So that was a great surprise. However my last guarantee room was nightmare. I had done about 10-12 guarantee rooms and every one of them was fine except the last one. So I will continue with guarantee cabins.

 

What Happened on the last guarantee room that was a nightmare?:confused:

[Crusin'Cousins]

We occasionally do the guaranty cabin selection too... Never been too disappointed at all.

 

I've researched before, and again today, and can't seem to find an answer... but, since it seems that some with good knowledge/opinions are posting to this thread, thought I would throw this question out there and see if any one knows or has any understanding.

 

If the cabin category price goes either up or down by several hundred dollars from the amount originally paid for the guarantee, does that seem to have any impact the cabin assignment? In other words, if the price right before sailing went down several hundred dollars, would NCL be more inclined to assign a better cabin? Conversely, if the price went up significantly, would NCL be inclined to minimize the likelihood of a significant upgrade? Just curious if anyone has experience relative to that situation... Thank you.

 

Happy cruising everyone!

[MikeBTN]

We occasionally do the guaranty cabin selection too... Never been too disappointed at all.

 

I've researched before' date=' and again today, and can't seem to find an answer... but, since it seems that some with good knowledge/opinions are posting to this thread, thought I would throw this question out there and see if any one knows or has any understanding.

 

If the cabin category price goes either up or down by several hundred dollars from the amount originally paid for the guarantee, does that seem to have any impact the cabin assignment? In other words, if the price right before sailing went down several hundred dollars, would NCL be more inclined to assign a better cabin? Conversely, if the price went up significantly, would NCL be inclined to minimize the likelihood of a significant upgrade? Just curious if anyone has experience relative to that situation... Thank you.

 

Happy cruising everyone![/quote']

 

Price has absolutely nothing to do with your assignment. Each passenger on board "costs" something. It doesn't matter whether you're in an inside, OV, or balcony (suites/Haven probably costs a little more because of extra staff, but not significantly much more). They already have your money, so your costs or covered. Whether you're in a minisuite or an inside makes no difference to them, money-wise, except for the lost revenue they could have gotten by selling someone else the higher-priced stateroom.

[travelady65]

Hi,

 

I just want to get feedback from anyone who has had a guarantee cabin in the past. I have only done this once (on Carnival) and been assigned a cabin about 6 weeks prior. As of now, I'm 26 days out, edocs are ready, and STILL no assigned room. I've been in contact with my PCC several times, who tried to stall me by saying that they may be doing upsell calls(I'm in an oceanview OC category). However, now the ship is completely sold out, so the likelihood of an upsell is gone, but still no room.

 

I called again tonight, and even spoke to a supervisor(politely) and verbalized my concerns of the ship being overbooked and either not getting a room or getting downgraded. I know, it seems unlikely, but call me paranoid-I read the horror story of someone on an Alaskan cruise whom they had no record of, and everything was screwed up.

 

The supervisor did reassure me that I would get a cabin, and would be an unobstructed oceanview. I asked about how luggage would get to the right cabin if the cabin was to be "assigned at the pier", and she danced around it for a minute but finally said that we would have to cart the bags INSIDE the terminal with us to check in, then BACK outside once we got the assignment.

 

Has anyone ever done this?? At Seattle?? I'm traveling with my elderly mother, who isn't frail, but still don't want her to have to haul her bag all around the terminal b/c they are taking their time assigning cabins!!! Any suggestions on how to make this process easier? Is she able to wait outside with luggage while I check us in to get the cabin?(still a pain, but at least we avoid hauling the bags around).

 

Thanks for any feedback. Believe me, I will never go guarantee again-too much stress, but this cruise was already a hefty ticket price, and I figured booking it 5 mos in advance that I would certainly get a cabin assigned well before the cruise!

 

Stacey

 

Stacey if ncl has not given to you a room assignment as yet, when you get to the pier, you go over to a porter to check in your lugguage...he will have a manifest sheet of everyone name and cabin number...your name and your mom's name and cabin number will be on that sheet...what the porter does..is tag your luggage with your cabin number, tip him, and you are all set to go...no problems..you will see your luggage at your cabin door, sometime in the afternoon before sailing.... no big deal.

[lori_leanne2000@yahoo.com]

I had an inside stateroom booked on Carnival Glory for Sept. 3, 2016 since this past April. I kept calling every week to check the prices for Balconies. Finally August 8th, I decided to gamble with a balcony guarantee. My room was assigned on August 11th. I was in the same catagory I booked but instead of an 8A I was in an 8C and it was a good location.

[AtlantaCruiser72]

OP stated that they booked an OC gty - so they should receive at least a category OC, to my knowledge all OC cabins have a picture window and no view obstruction. If for any reason the room assigned is in a lower category, they or their travel agent should push very hard for compensation.

 

All cruises lines will hold back inventory for gty rooms - so even though a sailing, or category, shows sold out, there is still inventory to cover gty rooms. In the odd chance of an oversell they try to target local clients nearer the departure port with "move over" offers to an alternate ship/date before non-locals. That's very rare though.

Edited August 22, 2016 by AtlantaCruiser72

[Budget Queen]

I just about always book guarantees, based on lowest, inside, price only. :) I don't care where the cabin is. I usually get the cabin category booked, only Twice have been given a balcony, out of 114 cruises. I am upper tier on Princess, Carnival, NCL, RCI, Celebrity. Hasn't made one bit of difference. :) I go on at least 6 cruises/year, usually more. My cruise last week, had my room assignment 4 days before sailing.

[pterp]

I forgot to post earlier, but we got our room assigned 13 days out (ended up with one of those porthole rooms which disappeared from site a few days before). I ended up just upgrading to a BD gty balcony (yay for free wifi and sc!), so we are waiting yet again with 10 days out.

 

Enjoy planning the rest of your trip, and wake up one day to see the room assigned on NCL :).

[sunbird21]

Thank you guys again for the feedback, I'm feeling a lot better!! 18 days out, no news yet. Good luck on your balcony pterp!!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[IsanTom]

Be patient!

[Unkle Fred]

We sailed on the Breakaway from Aug 14-21 with a guaranteed balcony. We received our cabin assignment 10 days out and were upgraded to a mini-suite with an extended balcony. We couldn't have picked a better cabin. Patience works sometimes. :)

[sunbird21]

Thank you, I'm trying. 13 days....

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[travelady65]

Hi i wish i found this room sooner...but anyway i booked a gty. balcony from a studio cabin.... had to give up my perks which were UBP and UDP...as it was a guarantee upgrade... I rebooked a 3 night dining plan....this was rebooked last thursday.... i will be going on the Escape September 10th...my question is...when they send the cabin assignment, does it come to your email address, or is it just on the EDOCS? Also do you receive the cabin assignment before the day of the cruise, as i am leaving on September 8th to stay in Fort Lauderdale for 2 nights before the cruise...

 

Also the guarantee balcony...can it be anywere on the ship, or just in the BX category...

[sfaaa]

What does the word Guarantee mean? Of course you will get a cabin even if the ship is oversold.

[Casino Comp Chick]

What does the word Guarantee mean? Of course you will get a cabin even if the ship is oversold.

 

It is a cheaper category within a category. You are guaranteed a room but people have scored good upgrades booking them but most times people will get the rooms left over that no one wants i.e. Under nightclubs, theatres, noisy or bumpy areas.