Category IF cabin

[krufrank]

We booked a last minute cruise to Alaska on the Ruby - incredible price for a category IF cabin.  Just wondering when will Princess let us know what cabin we will be in so we can print our luggage tags?

[Kingofcool1947]

1 minute ago, krufrank said:

We booked a last minute cruise to Alaska on the Ruby - incredible price for a category IF cabin.  Just wondering when will Princess let us know what cabin we will be in so we can print our luggage tags?

 

What is an IF cabin?

Enjoy your cruise.

Edited July 21, 2019 by Kingofcool1947

[krufrank]

Princess chooses cabin for you.  You start with an inside cabin but supposedly give you an upgrade when available.  The deal was so good because the cruise still is not sold out.

[Colo Cruiser]

21 minutes ago, krufrank said:

We booked a last minute cruise to Alaska on the Ruby - incredible price for a category IF cabin.  Just wondering when will Princess let us know what cabin we will be in so we can print our luggage tags?

Could be up to 24 hours prior.

You can access the cruise personalizer up to sailing day and check the travel summary and or bag tags to get your cabin number.

Some get to the check in desk at the port and think it was assigned there when it was listed in the personalizer the day or evening before.

 

At the port the porters will have a current passenger list and tags that you can fill out and put on.

[caa]

We booked an IF at the last minute on the Ruby back in May and got our cabin assignment and upgrade to category IB on the Monday or Tuesday before our Sunday departure. An inside is an inside, an IB is the same size as an IF, they're just in nicer locations. We ended up on Caribe deck with neighbors on only one side. It was a partially accessible cabin though, so we had the folded stool in the shower which took up some space and caused a couple of bruises as I kept forgetting it was there. Ruby is a nice ship, we really enjoyed it.

[richmke]

When we booked a Guaranteed Cabin category, and received a cabin assignment about 35 days prior to departure. The boards here say that the cabin assignment could change. Mine did not. Worst case, you will get an assignment a few days prior to departure.

[Bwana Tom]

We booked a guaranteed 1F cabin on the Royal Princess for Alaska and received our cabin assignment 22 days before departure for a 1A cabin. On this particular cruise the 1F cabins were almost all far forward and the 1A that they assigned us was mid-ship.

[krufrank]

Thanks folks.  I appreciate the info.

[Jeter02]

1 hour ago, Kingofcool1947 said:

 

What is an IF cabin?

Enjoy your cruise.

Guaranteed inside

[jkocpa]

I have a guarantee IF on the Emerald leaving in 5 days and still no cabin! The cruise has been sold out for months. I know that I will get a cabin, but it is frustrating to wait. This was my first guarantee cabin ever (and I have cruised 63 times with Princess) and it will probably be the only time I do it. I am prepared to leave for Rome in 4 days and hope I can print the luggage tags before I go.

[Jeter02]

11 minutes ago, jkocpa said:

I have a guarantee IF on the Emerald leaving in 5 days and still no cabin! The cruise has been sold out for months. I know that I will get a cabin, but it is frustrating to wait. This was my first guarantee cabin ever (and I have cruised 63 times with Princess) and it will probably be the only time I do it. I am prepared to leave for Rome in 4 days and hope I can print the luggage tags before I go.

I've even had guarantees where you don't know your cabin assignment until after you check it. I know it's frustrating. I used to do the guarantees when I first started cruising and now I don't even bother now I hand-selected my cabin for example I love being on the emerald deck so I always make sure I get what I want.

[cherylandtk]

IF is the designation of the cabin grade. I=inside, F=location within the grade.  On the Ruby, the IF cabins are forward on the Emerald and Plaza decks.   In general, the A cabins are better located than B, B is better than C, etc. Princess chooses these location designations and not everyone agrees with what is ‘better’.  

 

Princess does not use a unique identifier to designate a Guarantee cabin as some lines do. 

[CineGraphic]

IF = Inside Forward

[Jeter02]

40 minutes ago, cherylandtk said:

IF is the designation of the cabin grade. I=inside, F=location within the grade.  On the Ruby, the IF cabins are forward on the Emerald and Plaza decks.   In general, the A cabins are better located than B, B is better than C, etc. Princess chooses these location designations and not everyone agrees with what is ‘better’.  

 

Princess does not use a unique identifier to designate a Guarantee cabin as some lines do. 

Yup. Been saying this for years. What one person considers prime real estate may not be the same for the next guy. Which is why I have my TA uncheck the box for upgrades, as I like to handpick my deck and cabin.

[Steelers36]

Often Category IF is sold/bought as a GTY because there are few of them on most ships.  There are actual cabins in the IF category, not just GTY.  It is definitely the "entry-point" price - if available.  Although they are pretty much universally forward (the "poorest" aft inside cabins are IE), the "F" doesn't stand for forward - although it is a convenient allegory to understand the location.

 

[Bwana Tom]

1 hour ago, steelers36 said:

Often Category IF is sold/bought as a GTY because there are few of them on most ships.  There are actual cabins in the IF category, not just GTY.  It is definitely the "entry-point" price - if available.  Although they are pretty much universally forward (the "poorest" aft inside cabins are IE), the "F" doesn't stand for forward - although it is a convenient allegory to understand the location.

 

That is exactly correct. While IF is usually forward cabins; they are the lowest classification by the cruse line's standards, which may not be the same as your standards or preferences. While the IF cabins are usually the lowest class, the IA are usually the highest class (again by their judgement) and are often mid ship.

Bwana 

[richmke]

5 hours ago, jkocpa said:

I have a guarantee IF on the Emerald leaving in 5 days and still no cabin! The cruise has been sold out for months. I know that I will get a cabin, but it is frustrating to wait.

 

I would guess that the longer you have to wait, the higher the likelihood of getting an upgrade. If they had excess inside cabins, I am sure you would have received one by now. If they are out of Inside Cabins, then they will have to give you what is left in the Ocean View, Balcony, or Suites. They could also be actively trying to upsell to free up an inside cabin, and then give that to you.

[krufrank]

Update.  Got our cabin placement today - FREE UPGRADE!!!

 

Paid $435 per person for a guarantee IF (inside) and got a balcony - albeit a partial obstruction view on Emerald Deck - Ruby Princess.  Super stoked.

[wallyj]

Congrats on your upgrade but if you are on Emerald deck of the Ruby, there are no OBS Balcony cabins, so I assume you were upgraded to a partial OBS Oceanview cabin, which is still a nice upgrade from IF.

[geoherb]

There are just two balcony cabins on the Emerald Deck, and they're Cat. B4 at the aft.

 

I booked a Cat. IF guarantee for my Island Princess cruises to Alaska earlier this summer. I got upgraded to a Cat. OB, which was great. We're currently waiting for our cabin assignment on the Crown's transatlantic in September. Once again, I booked a Cat. IF. We had one on the Royal's transatlantic last year and it was fine. The cabin next door was classified as a Cat. IC, which shows how crazy the categories can be.