Who books a specific cabin?

[cruiseguy1016]

Let me start by saying we always book through a TA. Most of the time when we book a cruise we try to book a specific cabin i.e. corner aft (9256 on Radiance class) or center hump (6318 on Voyager class). Once in while it really doesn't matter what cabin we have so we'll ask for a general area of the ship i.e. deck 7 aft of the elevators or deck 6 forward of the elevators. How many of you ask for a specific cabin when you book? Does any just ask for, for instance, a balcony cabin, anywhere on the ship?

[nelblu]

4 minutes ago, cruiseguy1016 said:

Let me start by saying we always book through a TA. Most of the time when we book a cruise we try to book a specific cabin i.e. corner aft (9256 on Radiance class) or center hump (6318 on Voyager class). Once in while it really doesn't matter what cabin we have so we'll ask for a general area of the ship i.e. deck 7 aft of the elevators or deck 6 forward of the elevators. How many of you ask for a specific cabin when you book? Does any just ask for, for instance, a balcony cabin, anywhere on the ship?

 

I first look for any Hump Cabins availability, preferably upward of deck 8.  Second choice is a balcony cabin near elevator.  First time on our upcoming Aug. 29 Anthem cruise opted for a balcony guarantee due to lack of balcony cabins.  Hoping for a decent location.

[cruzincanuck]

We love the aft cabins and so that is our 1st choice however this is getting difficult as they require minimum 3 passengers.  I do keep an eye out as sometimes they do open them up to 2 passengers.  Our 2nd choice is hump cabins.  We also prefer higher decks.

[island lady]

I do my homework before booking, with most of those bookings being on board with next cruise.  I tell the agent what cabin I want, and book as early as possible to get preferred cabin locations.   

Edited April 7, 2019 by island lady

[ONECRUISER]

Would rather take different Cruise then not have one of my Cabins...

[OCruisers]

Having the type of cabin in the location we want is very important to us so we pick our own ... and get our TA to book it for us.  

[orville99]

We generally book on board so we always try and get the same cabin. We used to try for the aft cabins (i.e. 1700 or 1702 on Freedom class) until RCL made those unbookable unless you had 4 passengers in them. Now we always book on the hump, and the only concession we make to "same cabin" is we like to switch between port and starboard from time to time.

[Cruz Crazi]

We have to book an accessible cabin, since my husband needs to use a scooter, and I like a balcony. So we book an accessible balcony cabin. Since we live in Florida unfortunately we can't take advantage of last minute deals, since there are never accessible cabins available. So we have to decide early.

[mugtech]

2 hours ago, nelblu said:

 

I first look for any Hump Cabins availability, preferably upward of deck 8.  Second choice is a balcony cabin near elevator.  First time on our upcoming Aug. 29 Anthem cruise opted for a balcony guarantee due to lack of balcony cabins.  Hoping for a decent location.

Expect deck 6 with a view cut in half by a life boat.

[mugtech]

We usually book a year ahead of time, the advantage being we can pick the best cabin available, so we do.  Just got a balcony on the Quantum close to the forward elevators on deck 9 with cabins above us and below us, important to us for location and peace.

[davekathy]

We always book a specific cabin. Doubly important for us when we are doing B2B cruises. 

[OCruisers]

5 minutes ago, davekathy said:

We always book a specific cabin. Doubly important for us when we are doing B2B cruises. 

 

Absolutely!  The same cabin for both legs is a must for us.

[Nextcruise42]

Our first choice is always aft facing, followed by hump or cabin with larger balcony. Then I go through TA with my pick.  I have never been declined because of number in my party and room capacity. Is this something new.?

[jdg623]

I believe the new policy on afts is for JS and above. We also prefer afts and have several currently booked, including 9256 on an upcoming Serenade, just booked last week. We've sailed JS afts in the past but last year when trying to book another were told they were now only for 3 pax or more. So we went for a hump - our second choice. 

[SG65CB]

I always book a cabin in a specific area for reasons that might not matter to others but matter to me. You might even laugh and say "why would you possibly care about that" if I were to tell you. 

 

This area is the same on port or starboard but I have been on the port side so many times that I would get turned around and lost trying to find my cabin if I booked starboard side. 

[cruiseguy1016]

54 minutes ago, Nextcruise42 said:

Our first choice is always aft facing, followed by hump or cabin with larger balcony. Then I go through TA with my pick.  I have never been declined because of number in my party and room capacity. Is this something new.?

 

Within the last year. Most aft facing cabins will accommodate 3 or 4 passengers. RCI will no longer book only two people into them. If you book 3 just get the cabin and then cancel the third person at final payment, so as not have the additional expense, there is a chance that Royal will move you to a two person cabin so they can book three in the one you wanted.

Edited April 7, 2019 by cruiseguy1016

[island lady]

1 hour ago, davekathy said:

We always book a specific cabin. Doubly important for us when we are doing B2B cruises. 

 

Totally agree on that one.  I won't book a B2B unless we get to keep same cabin.  Makes turn around day the "aaahhh...relaxing...already unpacked" day.  🙂 

[dani negreanu]

I like the "hump" location and try to book only those cabins, decks 8-10.

I'm picking the cabin # and then email my TA.

[cruisegirl1]

We’ve been in many wonderful cabins (center aft, corner  wraparound aft, center hump etc.) so now if we can’t get one of our favorites, the price is often more important than the location. We like a specific category but will often  take a guarantee in that category  if the difference is significant.     If no guarantee is available  or the price savings is not significant, we will take a general  section of the ship that we like or is close to the venues we frequent, and if we have the option on ships that have differences in bed placement, we like a cabin that has the bed by the balcony door.  Generally the deck doesn’t matter. 

 

 We sail B2B almost exclusively, and while we prefer the same cabin for both legs, or even all three legs, we often have to change.    Luckily we’ve never had to change three times on a B2B2B. As I said, we prefer the same cabin, but changing  cabins is not a dealbreaker.     We even had to change categories, a Junior suite on the first leg ( because the price was so fantastic.) to a balcony on the second cruise ( because for some reason the cruise was so expensive.). Yes, the turnaround day is much more relaxing when you don’t have to unpack, but it is not a big deal.  On the example above, we saved $1,500 by moving to a balcony on the second week. That was worth 30 minutes of packing and then 30 minutes of unpacking.    Plus, we get a nice new fresh clean room and enough  savings for another cruise!!!  I would never give up a B2B because we had to change cabins. 

 

 I’m often amazed, even amazed at myself, that we worry so much about picking a cabin on a cruise ship. When I do a land vacation that may be for a week or more, I seem to be assigned a room by the front desk and that is really all.    Perhaps I have pre-selected Cityview or oceanview in my  reservation, but I generally just take what they give me as long as it is my booking preference. 

 

I’ve taken lots of cruises and have never met a cabin I didn’t like

 

m

 

 

Edited April 7, 2019 by cruisegirl1

[Bee Guy]

1 hour ago, cruiseguy1016 said:

 

Within the last year. Most aft facing cabins will accommodate 3 or 4 passengers. RCI will no longer book only two people into them. If you book 3 just get the cabin and then cancel the third person at final payment, so as not have the additional expense, there is a chance that Royal will move you to a two person cabin so they can book three in the one you wanted.

 

 We just booked an aft facing balcony on the Serenade for the 4/21 TA, changed our minds and called RCI they switched us to a corner aft balcony on the Radiance, also for 4/21, no questions asked.  Two passengers in both cases.

 

Edit to add:  In fact we have a total of 9 aft facing balconies booked on a number of ships.  All with only two passengers.

Edited April 7, 2019 by Bee Guy

[cruiseguy1016]

7 minutes ago, Bee Guy said:

 

 We just booked an aft facing balcony on the Serenade for the 4/21 TA, changed our minds and called RCI they switched us to a corner aft balcony on the Radiance, also for 4/21, no questions asked.  Two passengers in both cases.

 

The aft cabins on Radiance class ships do not have 3 berths, only two. This would explain why a party of two can book them.

Edited April 7, 2019 by cruiseguy1016

[Bloodgem]

Any accessible cabin that sleeps 3. Would prefer a balcony but will settle for any 3 person accessible cabin. 

[gatour]

Recently I have either booked online using RCCL website or calling them.  However in the past I have used a TA for additional benefits.

 

In all three cases, I am not married to a specific cabin.  However I have a "checklist" I go through before either booking through the website or engaging a real person.

 

1.  Will this trip be an inside cabin, ocean view balcony, or a Central Park balcony.  A cabin with just a window is a non-starter.

2.  I want a cabin on a deck that has cabins above and below me.

3.  I want a cabin close to an elevator bank but not too close.

4.  For certain class of ships there could be additional considerations in the equation

 

All of the above is based on my "budget" and other considerations (things like if this is get away cruise vs a bucket list cruise)

If I am booking with a real person either a RCCL rep or a TA I will have the deck plans pulled up before I make the call.

 

I let them know what deck(s) I am looking for, and the general location.  They then toss out what cabins are available, and looking at the deck plans I make my decision.

 

For a B2B.  I have only done two.  The first one required a cabin change (due to the late decision to add the second leg) and the second one based on my experience of the first one, I knew I wanted the same cabin for both legs, so compromised a bit on the cabin location.

[Ashland]

5 hours ago, cruzincanuck said:

We love the aft cabins and so that is our 1st choice however this is getting difficult as they require minimum 3 passengers.  I do keep an eye out as sometimes they do open them up to 2 passengers.  Our 2nd choice is hump cabins.  We also prefer higher decks.

Luckily not all true aft's require 3..it varies by ship and sometimes itinerary/date.

[cb at sea]

We always book a specific cabin....I like to be able to choose my deck and location.