Why do you not choose a cabin when booking

[rocsailor]

I have sailed with Hal and have always selected a cabin when booking, Many times I have received an offer for an up grade and have rejected some but also have taken what is offered so my question is why book a guarantee to start with?

[ellieanne]

We only book guarantees when our preferred cabins are not available, and only on itineraries where location will not be as important. We prefer particular cabins but it they are not available, we are willing to take a gamble on a guarantee. We always select the lowest cabin category that has an unobstructed view, because that is important to us and we know that we may very well end up with that cabin category. But if location is not terribly important, we're okay with the guarantee.

[CruiserBruce]

Sometimes, due to overlapping B2Bs, only GTYs are the only thing offered. Sometimes, due to cheaper pricing, GTYs are a good way into a higher category, without paying a significantly higher price.

 

Sometimes, GTYs are how they finish filling a ship.

 

Many reasons for booking a GTY.

[Crew News]

Choosing a "guarantee" stateroom usually saves a few hundred dollars with a higher chance of a free upgrade than passengers choosing a specific stateroom.

[ellieanne]

Choosing a "guarantee" stateroom usually saves a few hundred dollars with a higher chance of a free upgrade than passengers choosing a specific stateroom.

 

Not necessarily a HIGHER chance. And I think too many people book guarantee cabins in order to get a free upgrade, without realizing that the chances are they will get what they paid for; then complain that their cabin was bad because they booked the lowest priced guarantee and got an obstructed view cabin rather than a free upgrade to a balcony cabin or a suite.

 

Guarantee cabins mean that you will not be assigned a cabin in a lower category than the one you guaranteed. It does not mean you will automatically get a free upgrade, or even that you have a chance at a free upgrade.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Not necessarily a HIGHER chance. And I think too many people book guarantee cabins in order to get a free upgrade, without realizing that the chances are they will get what they paid for; then complain that their cabin was bad because they booked the lowest priced guarantee and got an obstructed view cabin rather than a free upgrade to a balcony cabin or a suite.

 

Guarantee cabins mean that you will not be assigned a cabin in a lower category than the one you guaranteed. It does not mean you will automatically get a free upgrade, or even that you have a chance at a free upgrade.

 

 

Exactly right!!

That is why we prefer to book as early as possible and get the cabin we know we will be happy with.

[jenp123]

Sometimes a gty is the only thing available

[LocoLoco1]

As 4-STAR Mariners we've never been offered an Upgrade or even an 'Upsell'. Sometimes we went with a Guarantee..other times a specific Cabin booked well in advance. Go figure....

[DaveOKC]

Not necessarily a HIGHER chance. And I think too many people book guarantee cabins in order to get a free upgrade, without realizing that the chances are they will get what they paid for; then complain that their cabin was bad because they booked the lowest priced guarantee and got an obstructed view cabin rather than a free upgrade to a balcony cabin or a suite.

 

Guarantee cabins mean that you will not be assigned a cabin in a lower category than the one you guaranteed. It does not mean you will automatically get a free upgrade, or even that you have a chance at a free upgrade.

 

Good points!

 

HAL has changed the ways they fill cabins, primarily by using the "paid upgrade" (upsell). This way they are able to generate more revenue (the name of the game now).

 

Because of this, IMO guarantees are not the great deal they used to be, as HAL most times sells the upgrade cabins to the people in lower categories who are willing to pay the upsell fee. Whenever we have taken an upsell, we have been able to select our cabin from the appropriate new category inventory, so naturally this makes one of the "better" cabins unavailable to be assigned to a guarantee booking. This may very well be the reason we are hearing of more people booking quarantees not getting an upgrade.

 

If available I normally select my cabin and mark it "do not upgrade", as most times HAL's idea of an upgrade does not match mine and I do not want to end up in a less desirable cabin. Of course I pay a bit more (most times but not always), but to me it is worth it.

[Aquahound]

I have sailed with Hal and have always selected a cabin when booking, Many times I have received an offer for an up grade and have rejected some but also have taken what is offered so my question is why book a guarantee to start with?

 

Price.

[RocketMan275]

I think some choose a guarantee because they enjoy the thrill, the excitement, of the possibility of getting an upgrade. Very much like why some people enjoy the casino. Note: I said "some". I didn't say "all". YMMV.

[navybankerteacher]

Sometimes a gty is the only thing available

 

I do not think this is the case. The reason lines offer guarantees is because there are cabins which have NOT been selected and the line wants to get the highest price possible for them. A gty might be the only thing offered, but, if you insisted, they would have something available for you - just perhaps not at the price you want to pay for it.

[Roz]

I do not think this is the case. The reason lines offer guarantees is because there are cabins which have NOT been selected and the line wants to get the highest price possible for them. A gty might be the only thing offered, but, if you insisted, they would have something available for you - just perhaps not at the price you want to pay for it.

 

I respectfully disagree with you. I often do the Pacific Coastal cruises offered by HAL, and in every instance, only guarantees were available in every category.

 

Roz

[catl331]

Not necessarily a HIGHER chance.

Well, we got free upgrades on all 9 of our guarantee bookings. Most were 3 to 5 steps up the scale in the same general class, but once we "hit the jackpot", booking a fully obstructed HH, first given a C, and then reassigned to a deck 8 V (now VA) on the Nieuw A.

... or even that you have a chance at a free upgrade.

All bookings have a chance at a free upgrade unless you specifically say "Do Not Upgrade" (Except PS!)

[Alberta Quilter]

We booked a Med Collector's Cruise for 2013 and could only book a guarantee. I believe we booked a VF and got a VA handicap accessible suite. We would have preferred a regular suite but thems the breaks.

[kazu]

I do not think this is the case. The reason lines offer guarantees is because there are cabins which have NOT been selected and the line wants to get the highest price possible for them. A gty might be the only thing offered, but, if you insisted, they would have something available for you - just perhaps not at the price you want to pay for it.

 

I join with Roz in disagreeing. See below.

 

I respectfully disagree with you. I often do the Pacific Coastal cruises offered by HAL, and in every instance, only guarantees were available in every category.

 

Roz

 

I agree Roz. And, often on the World Cruise segments and the Grand Voyage segments only a guarantee is available. Only those on the entire thing can select cabins. There are probably other scenarios as well but along with the one that you cited, those are 2 more examples I am aware of.

[igraf]

Guaranteed cabins usually remain within a given type of cabins. For example, if one books a guaranteed ocean view cabin then it is unlikely (never say never!) that one will be given a suite. Having said that, the price difference between the categories within a cabin type can be substantial.

 

I disagree with your last statement. There is always a chance of a free upgrade (within a type) when one books a guaranteed cabin. On the other hand, if I pay for a specific cabin then upgrades usually are only offered at additional cost.

 

igraf

 

 

 

Not necessarily a HIGHER chance. And I think too many people book guarantee cabins in order to get a free upgrade, without realizing that the chances are they will get what they paid for; then complain that their cabin was bad because they booked the lowest priced guarantee and got an obstructed view cabin rather than a free upgrade to a balcony cabin or a suite.

 

Guarantee cabins mean that you will not be assigned a cabin in a lower category than the one you guaranteed. It does not mean you will automatically get a free upgrade, or even that you have a chance at a free upgrade.

[3rdGenCunarder]

I join with Roz in disagreeing. See below.

 

 

 

I agree Roz. And, often on the World Cruise segments and the Grand Voyage segments only a guarantee is available. Only those on the entire thing can select cabins. There are probably other scenarios as well but along with the one that you cited, those are 2 more examples I am aware of.

 

When we booked our first Alaska cruise we added the coastal to San Francisco. We could only book a guarantee.

 

I used to think a guarantee was cheaper, but lately when I check "let us choose your cabin" the price for the guarantee is the same as the price to choose a cabin for yourself. It's only the upgrade the that makes the guarantee cheaper. In some categories there are very few of the lowest price cabins, so if you take that guarantee you're likely to get something a bit better. The Vistas have very few SC Neptune Suites, for example. They tend to disappear from the online booking inventory, but HAL continues to sell SC guarantees. So somebody is going to get an SB or an SA for the price of an SC.

[idiebabe]

All bookings have a chance at a free upgrade unless you specifically say "Do Not Upgrade" (Except PS!)

 

For our 18 Nite, Circle Hawaii on Westerdam last February we had our Balcony marked "No Upgrade". When we arrived at the Pier and Checked-in we found out they upgraded us to a Signature Suite. Wonderful surprise! :) It can happen although rare.

[KroozNut]

Not necessarily a HIGHER chance. And I think too many people book guarantee cabins in order to get a free upgrade, without realizing that the chances are they will get what they paid for; then complain that their cabin was bad because they booked the lowest priced guarantee and got an obstructed view cabin rather than a free upgrade to a balcony cabin or a suite.

 

Guarantee cabins mean that you will not be assigned a cabin in a lower category than the one you guaranteed. It does not mean you will automatically get a free upgrade, or even that you have a chance at a free upgrade.

 

.... Or even that you'll actually LIKE the cabin location you're eventually assigned and/or 'upgraded' to. Too many reasons NOT to roll the dice by booking a guarantee IMHO.

[cruisemom42]

I am the rare bird that honestly does not care where my cabin is located. Sometimes the category I'm looking at isn't available other than by booking a guarantee -- so I'll do that.

[SilvertoGold]

Choosing a "guarantee" stateroom usually saves a few hundred dollars with a higher chance of a free upgrade than passengers choosing a specific stateroom.

 

Precisely, Crew News........and get a surprise!.........take a chance........live dangerously!...........don't agonizing over choosing "the perfect cabin" and then, find it is not so great and it is your fault because you chose it.

 

LOVE guarantees! Book them always and our results range from good to excellent. Never been assigned the category we booked (yet!). Get upsells like those who book specific cabins, so good to go with those, too. We see guarantees as a win-win situation.

 

Disclaimer: Once had a not-so-great cabin, but a great price, considering we booked a K and got an E for that one. We've flexible people, so it works for us, although we can understand absolutely that this isn't for everyone.

[catl331]

LOVE guarantees! Book them always and our results range from good to excellent.

What's your batting average on upgrades?

Disclaimer: Once had a not-so-great cabin, but a great price, considering we booked a K and got an E for that one. We've flexible people, so it works for us, although we can understand absolutely that this isn't for everyone.

Only once in our 9 upgrades was DH somewhat unhappy with the cabin. It was fine by me! Before we discovered CC we had little idea about the pros and cons of various cabins, so we would choose a price level and say "put us anywhere" as a way to get some experience. Now we are set in our preferences and don't book gty anymore. Another reason that we don't book gty anymore is that since the mass re-categorization a few years back we disagree with HAL's ranking of the VQ and V as the best choices, and any Vx gty could result in one.

[AryMay]

Sometimes booking a specific cabin is important to us...sometimes it isn't.

 

Our goal in booking our upcoming cruise on the Zaandam was to do it as cheap as possible so we picked an inside guarantee in the lowest category available (MM). We might end up in a cabin in that category, but if not, anything else we get will be an upgrade!

[SilvertoGold]

What's your batting average on upgrades?

Only once in our 9 upgrades was DH somewhat unhappy with the cabin. It was fine by me! Before we discovered CC we had little idea about the pros and cons of various cabins, so we would choose a price level and say "put us anywhere" as a way to get some experience. Now we are set in our preferences and don't book gty anymore. Another reason that we don't book gty anymore is that since the mass re-categorization a few years back we disagree with HAL's ranking of the VQ and V as the best choices, and any Vx gty could result in one.

 

Not sure what you mean by "batting average". Please explain and I'll be happy to let you know.