What's your opinion on Guarantee or "We Pick the Room" Cabins

[RCCL Fan]

I always pick my cabin on the ship and I put thoughts into it.  I prefer  Mid-ship Starboard side  or an aft facing generally.

 

I'm thinking of booking a cruise today and they have a "We Pick the Room" option for a balcony cabin that would save $987 bucks.   It's a huge savings and I'm thinking of doing it.

 

Balcony Guarantee on a Freedom Class ship.     Jump on it? or Run?

[Clarea]

 

If you can live with any balcony on Freedom, then go for it.  I cannot think of a really bad balcony location on Freedom.

[Biker19]

19 minutes ago, RCCL Fan said:

Balcony Guarantee on a Freedom Class ship.     Jump on it? or Run?

Look at the inventory left on RCI's UK page - remember that you can move after assignment to any other same category cabin - that may make your decision a bit easier.

[Edhoff]

Would take a shot and save $987, beside how much time do you really spend in your cabin, unless your a newly wed.

[molly361]

I'd do it for that kind of savings

[sixesandeights]

I dont typically do it, but my savings is usually 2-300 dollars at most.  For $1000 I would let them pick, add the drink package and if there are room issues just drink myself happy 🙂

 

6&8

[HicksRA]

A thousand bucks is a lot of money to save for the possible small imconvenience of a less desirable cabin. And you can always move to any other available room. 

[stevea36]

2 hours ago, RCCL Fan said:

I always pick my cabin on the ship and I put thoughts into it.  I prefer  Mid-ship Starboard side  or an aft facing generally.

 

I'm thinking of booking a cruise today and they have a "We Pick the Room" option for a balcony cabin that would save $987 bucks.   It's a huge savings and I'm thinking of doing it.

 

Balcony Guarantee on a Freedom Class ship.     Jump on it? or Run?

My philosophy:  For $987 I will sleep in a lifeboat !!!

[stevea36]

2 hours ago, Biker19 said:

Look at the inventory left on RCI's UK page - remember that you can move after assignment to any other same category cabin - that may make your decision a bit easier.

 

Although this page does show more than the US page there is always some behind the scenes work with cabins that cannot be seen.   For Instance, I booked a 6D gty on my may sailing on AD.   I have access to the TA site and saw nothing available at all and ended up with a 3D on the hump.   I have 3 clients on the same sailing, in the same 6D gty bucket that have not yet gotten any cabin assignments.  From what I see there are not many balconies available so RCI may be waiting until after they go thru the upgrade process to assign these folks...  Just need to wait and see.   BTW, we saved over $100 per cabin by getting the gty !!

[Biker19]

2 minutes ago, stevea36 said:

Although this page does show more than the US page there is always some behind the scenes work with cabins that cannot be seen.   

That might be true close to sailing when there are few cabins left, but further out, the UK site usually lists many more cabins than the US site.

[Zach1213]

30 minutes ago, Edhoff said:

Would take a shot and save $987, beside how much time do you really spend in your cabin, unless your a newly wed.

 

Plenty of us spend plenty of time and aren’t newlyweds. Need a place to relax away from the people. 

[The Fun Researcher]

How long before sail date do you typically get your cabin assignment?

 

For $987 I would would do a guaranteed room option, or.....

 

...find another cruise that I like with a lower price point with the room I can pick myself.

Dan

[Clarea]

53 minutes ago, The Fun Researcher said:

How long before sail date do you typically get your cabin assignment? ...

 

There's no "typically" for this.  Can be any time up to the day you arrive at the pier.

[The Fun Researcher]

7 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:

 

There's no "typically" for this.  Can be any time up to the day you arrive at the pier.

 

Thanks Bob.  Good to know.  Knowing it can be that close to sailing rules it out more so for me.

 

Dan

Edited February 7, 2019 by The Fun Researcher

[Ronaldo807]

We book guarantee rooms only when we are certain we are going on that cruise given the non-refundable deposit, but each time we have done it we have saved at least a few hundred dollars. We sail mostly interior rooms though so it doesn't make a huge difference for us. I will add in that so far we have been assigned the lowest level of that category when booking the guarantee room. We have also been able to change our room within the category we were assigned. We have a pending room assignment for Harmony in a few months so we will see what that brings.

[transam84]

I recently moved from a JS to a GS guarantee on Radiance Alaska this summer. I was reluctant as we like to pick our cabin and I am picky, but the price was barely more than my JS so I took the risk. Within a week my cabin was assigned and I’m really happy with the location. So for me my one and only experience has been a good one. 

[chrismch]

No matter what the price, I would not do it again! What cured us of booking GTY was when we received a cabin way in the forward section of the ship. Was seasick for 3 days and begged them to put us in any cabin even if it was in the smallest inside stateroom. We were in luck that they could move us to mid-ship in the same category and now that is the only section we want to cruise in.

[pspercy]

Booked balcony GTY on Liberty last December. Got quickly assigned the very last balcony on starboard side. There were others much closer to the stairs/elevators so I called and asked to be moved which they did with no fuss. Saved a few hundred $$, can't remember exactly how much but it was well worth it 🙂

[Hoopster95]

8 hours ago, Ronaldo807 said:

We have also been able to change our room within the category we were assigned. 

 

1 hour ago, pspercy said:

Got quickly assigned the very last balcony on starboard side. There were others much closer to the stairs/elevators so I called and asked to be moved which they did with no fuss. 🙂

 

I too have done exactly what both of you have said, however I think that game has recently changed...

 

There's been many recent threads here on CC regarding GTY assignments. Seems that RCL has begun to get "smarter" with everything these days, including those who want to change their GTY assignments. Recent GTY purchasers are seeing the assigned deck number on their cruise planner, but no cabin number... not even closer to sail date. In other words, I can see RCL selling out cabin categories (or close to it) before releasing specific cabin numbers to anyone's assignment, thus leaving less (or none) "preferred" cabins for those who would want to move after being assigned as there wont be anything left.

 

If it were me and I book a GTY, the second I see the deck number I would look at all available cabins on that specific deck and implore my TA to ask RCL to assign me one of my 3 preferred choices. I wouldn't wait. I wonder of someone would try this if they have a GTY and report back here on this forum.

Edited February 8, 2019 by Hoopster95

[little britain]

So on “we pick your room” under NRD you CAN move it to another one within that category after it is assigned??.  I’m sure someone said you could not..?

[Clarea]

1 hour ago, little britain said:

So on “we pick your room” under NRD you CAN move it to another one within that category after it is assigned??.  I’m sure someone said you could not..?

 

US/Canadian bookings can move.  Don't know about other booking rules.

[kernow]

We are not supposed to be able to move if it's a UK booking. However I didn't think we were supposed to be able to get price drops either but I was able to get one just yesterday so it's always worth a try! 

 

Julie

[Thorben-Hendrik]

51 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:

 

US/Canadian bookings can move.  Don't know about other booking rules.

If you are willing to call the US they will do it... 😁😇

[zap99]

We saved about £1000 EACH by booking a guarantee balcony on our Explorer cruise from Southampton in May. We got a superior balcony on deck 6 forward. No drinks package or OBC. With our £2000 I think we will be able to manage the odd beer😁 . We got a slightly smaller saving , about £750 each by booking for the Greek islands in September from Rome by using the buy one get one 60%off promo but did select our cabin. We have found that if you play the game, you can get some genuine deals

 

Edited February 8, 2019 by zap99
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[Biker19]

3 hours ago, kernow said:

We are not supposed to be able to move if it's a UK booking. However I didn't think we were supposed to be able to get price drops either but I was able to get one just yesterday so it's always worth a try! 

I think that was modified a bit with on board bookings - those are supposed to get price drops.