Have you ever booked a "Let Us Choose" room?

[samzgirl84]

When we book our cruises we have always chosen our room. We have a cruise booked for this fall and the "Let Us Choose" bookings are such a good price that I am tempted to rebook and let Royal choose our room. I am just afraid we will get a location that we don't like.

 

I am looking for advice and any information from some who have let Royal book their room. Please tell me about your experience.

[Clarea]

You will see these types of categories called "guarantee". Here are some recent threads on the subject:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2395145

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2389515

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2384045

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2369105

[msmayor]

We use this option on our last Freedom cruise. Our stateroom was assigned about three days after we booked (we booked about 8 months out). We had chosen and inside guarantee and were assigned a room on deck 2.

 

I knew from others on this board that once assigned, if you found a stateroom in the exact same category elsewhere on the ship that was available, you could call RCL and ask to be switched. That's exactly what we did after I found an inside on deck six that I preferred. RCL made the switch and we enjoyed a stateroom that would have cost us an additional $100 each had I chosen it outright.

[Sarah1974]

I've often booked a "guarantee" cabin with Royal Caribbean - in fact my cruise on Independence in a couple of weeks is a guarantee inside. We're members of Crown & Anchor so registered if there are any upgrades available.

 

If you don't mind where you're placed it's fine. We've not had any problems with any of the rooms they've chosen for us.

[IsanTom]

The rooms are usually fine, but if your a light sleeper you might need to choose a quiet room, so no surprises!

[Saab4444]

We use this option on our last Freedom cruise. Our stateroom was assigned about three days after we booked (we booked about 8 months out). We had chosen and inside guarantee and were assigned a room on deck 2.

 

I knew from others on this board that once assigned, if you found a stateroom in the exact same category elsewhere on the ship that was available, you could call RCL and ask to be switched. That's exactly what we did after I found an inside on deck six that I preferred. RCL made the switch and we enjoyed a stateroom that would have cost us an additional $100 each had I chosen it outright.

 

 

As said before this is an option for bookings in North America only, all Europeans have to accept the provided cabin or pay for a change.

 

 

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[kiska]

If a Guarantee room is cheaper, we ALWAYS book it! Only once we got the lowest inside cabin, and it ended up being in a pretty bad (for us) location, but I called them and we got moved to a different location same cheapest category. Other than that we've had a better inside category than one we paid for, a better balcony than we paid for, and once we got bumped up from an OV to a balcony!

[Biker19]

As said before this is an option for bookings in North America only, all Europeans have to accept the provided cabin or pay for a change.

 

Unless you have a cooperative C&A rep who switches you free.;)

[BLAMBKY]

Does Royal still allow a switch to another room in the same category? And if you used a TA wouldn't they have to do that for you?

[Clarea]

Does Royal still allow a switch to another room in the same category? And if you used a TA wouldn't they have to do that for you?

Yes and Yes.

[hallasm]

Yes and Yes.

For Europe there will always be a fee associated with a change - after 42 days before the cruise it's not possible to change - then it will be considered a cancellation. Different rules for different parts of the world.

[Sarah1974]

My understanding was that if you book a "guarantee" you have to put up with what you're given and can't change it - please let me know if I've not understood correctly

[Clarea]

My understanding was that if you book a "guarantee" you have to put up with what you're given and can't change it - please let me know if I've not understood correctly

If you book under US/Canadian rules, Royal usually lets you change a guarantee assignment to another available stateroom in the same exact category that you have been assigned.

 

If you book under other rules, then you probably cannot change your assignment.

[marci22]

I've done this a few times and it has worked out fine, but I've read posts where people have been very disappointed. If the price is really good, and you really don't care where you end up, then I would do it. I did a JS guarantee on one cruise and I wasn't worried because I liked every JS/FJS/SJS location. But a balcony or ocean view guarantee can vary widely; I was lucky those times.

[Roce48]

If a Guarantee room is cheaper, we ALWAYS book it! Only once we got the lowest inside cabin, and it ended up being in a pretty bad (for us) location, but I called them and we got moved to a different location same cheapest category. Other than that we've had a better inside category than one we paid for, a better balcony than we paid for, and once we got bumped up from an OV to a balcony!

 

I didn't have such luck on the one Guarantee booking I selected. When I tried to change it, I was told there were no open rooms left to choose from. I feel that doing my homework to select my cabin is part of my adventure. :)

[Camelia-]

I've done guarantee in the past and have always been satisfied. However for me it depends on the itinerary. If I was booking a caribbean cruise then I would do so because - in terms of ship movement it wouldn't matter very much.If I was booking a transatlantic then I certainly wouldn't leave my cabin location to chance. I would make sure that my cabin was midship while crossing the Atlantic - just in case!! It is nice to have the option though..

 

Camelia

[Arod1313]

For our upcoming Indy cruise, I had originally booked a promenade room in a location I wanted. Then a deal popped up for a guarantee balcony room around a month ago for 20pp more. Was worth the risk for us to have a balcony. Ended up towards the front of the ship in a superior ocean view room on deck 10. Luckily the spa is above us so shouldn't be noisy. I've also done it on the allure inside room to save approx 200pp. Also had a room in the front of the ship--only annoying part was hearing the anchor drop when arriving into ports early in the morning but for the money we saved a minor inconvenience. If the price is right go for it!

 

 

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