How is it possible that suites are gone almost a year in advance?

[CruisinShips]

Trying to book a cruise (on the Freedom) for next October (2017) and the RCI website shows only Jr. Suites and Owner's Suites as available. Do they hold some back for later release, or is it really feasible that there are no GS left at this point?

 

I suppose it's likely some will come back closer to payment date...is there a point in calling and seeing if they have any, or is the website a pretty true indicator?

 

Thanks

[Clarea]

It's entirely feasible that certain categories are sold out. I'd call to be sure, but I suspect the website is accurate in this case. Good idea to check again close to final payment date.

Edited November 16, 2016 by clarea

[danp]

I would call and if not,call every week or so

[George C]

Trying to book a cruise (on the Freedom) for next October (2017) and the RCI website shows only Jr. Suites and Owner's Suites as available. Do they hold some back for later release, or is it really feasible that there are no GS left at this point?

 

I suppose it's likely some will come back closer to payment date...is there a point in calling and seeing if they have any, or is the website a pretty true indicator?

 

Thanks

 

I have seen same thing booking a year in advance got almost last GS on both Liberty and Navigator, now Navigator only list JS and below for a cruise a year away. Keep on checking , but GS seem to be popular.

[blackshirt]

Not just GS, sometimes all suites. I booked a JS on Freedom last Feb for Mar, 2017. When I checked prices this past April, the entire suite category was sold out.

[CruisinShips]

Just to follow-up, I just called and was told they do appear to be sold out, but apparently they can add you to a wait list. We shall see.

 

I'll try to come back to this thread and update what happens if something changes over the next year.

[Richst48]

If you look at numbers there are a lot more JS than GS or OS. If I counted correctly 73% of the suites in these 3 categories on Freedom are JS. And from what I've read on here there are a lot of people who stay in suites prefer the GS.

[MikeBTN]

Also remember Freedom-class doesn't have nearly as many suites as Oasis or Quantum classes.

 

For our May Anthem sailing, one or two suites came available a week or so ago after having been completely sold out for a while.

[ATLgirl15]

I've noticed this trend too and not just on Royal. The ships are huge but there aren't many suites. I think since deposits are so cheap, people reserve far in advance even if they aren't sure they will really go. Keep checking back, especially close to the "final payment due" date. I'm sure suites will open up. We had this happen on Independence a few years ago.

[suesnake2002]

I booked my suite almost 2 years in advance,so I'm guilty. I need time to pay it off.

[davekathy]

We always book early to ensure we get the room of our choice. I guess there are a lot of other Cruisers that do the same.

[sellwingri]

Just to follow-up, I just called and was told they do appear to be sold out, but apparently they can add you to a wait list. We shall see.

 

I'll try to come back to this thread and update what happens if something changes over the next year.

 

I've been on a wait list before and they do absolutely nothing. Ive always checked the website at least once a week and have always been successful eventually booking a GS. Some people book multiple cruises and as the narrow their search, drop some.

[wolfganghowell]

Check on a regular basis - and definitely check daily around the time of final payment. We've booked JS a few times and then always been able to get a GS.

[atnolan94]

Not sure if there is any validity to this, but it seems that suites are a lower percentage of the cabin categories on the freedom class. I've always noticed suites are HARD to get on them!

[kalliekae]

We were booking a cruise 14 months in advance and wanted a JS on the hump. Nothing was showing on the website so I called Royal. They had several JS on the hump cabins available for the cruise we wanted to book. So give Royal a call. They do not list every available cabin on their website.

[Ery]

We tried booking a suite on Freedom for 10/22/17 transatlantic they were sold out when we were at the next cruise desk in Royal 4 weeks ago [emoji20]

 

 

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[LilBlackDress]

We booked our suite on Harmony April of 2015 for Feb 2017 and booked our suite on Liberty April 2016 for Jan 2018...

 

Our reasons for booking early is we can watch for price drops, like in June 2015 for HOTS and we like our options of to pick the suite we want vs what they have left

[Ery]

We normally would have booked early, but it was one of those on board "oh!!! Let's do that one" type things"

 

 

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[Theresa522]

I think since deposits are so cheap, people reserve far in advance even if they aren't sure they will really go.

 

That is exactly why..

[RFerrington]

The first staterooms to go are the very least the xpensive and the most important xpensive.

[BillOh]

I would call and if not,call every week or so

 

This is a good tip, I know and have read where a bunch of people book way ahead and then change their minds or other events come up forcing them to change. I joined my current roll call 730 days ahead and 5 people were already there. All 5 of them have seen rescheduled. (If I was paranoid, I would think its me)

[Marine7]

clarea,

 

Bob how far in advance can a TA book a Grand Suite?

 

Thanks

[Clarea]

clarea,

 

Bob how far in advance can a TA book a Grand Suite?

 

Thanks

As soon as the sailing is open for bookings.

[troykahack]

Trying to book a cruise (on the Freedom) for next October (2017) and the RCI website shows only Jr. Suites and Owner's Suites as available. Do they hold some back for later release, or is it really feasible that there are no GS left at this point?

 

I suppose it's likely some will come back closer to payment date...is there a point in calling and seeing if they have any, or is the website a pretty true indicator?

 

Thanks

 

We see the same issue often. Many book and hold cabins and some cancel before or near final payment. Maybe book another cabin type and wait till a GS opens after final payment.

 

The Presidents Cruise is on Freedom mid September. We booked a GS as CEO announced live online and by the end of that day, all Suites were full.

 

We booked our 11 day cruise on Serenade a year in advance. No GS were available so we booked Balcony and we requested to be wait listed for a GS. I watched the cabins weekly. Near final payment, about half the GS opened up and we upgraded.

 

We see this issue on MJ, during the Summer months, it is rare to find a GS or JS about 4-6 months out. However, I have seen several open up around final payment time. Some people book and hold cabins at low deposits and later transfer their deposits to another booking.

[troykahack]

Just to follow-up, I just called and was told they do appear to be sold out, but apparently they can add you to a wait list. We shall see.

 

I'll try to come back to this thread and update what happens if something changes over the next year.

 

We wait listed in the past but I always found open Suites online and called them to upgrade to GS. We were not called by Royal but maybe it takes some time to process the wait list.