What does Category CB Mean?

[scotlady]

Hi. Rebooking a February cruise to a later date and I noticed they now have Category CB - Connecting Ocean View Balcony. They charge more for this than standard balcony. What is the difference?  I’ve never seen a cruise line charge more for rooms just because they connect. I am mostly wondering because I would like to get two cabins next together that allow for opening up the balconies,  but I’m not sure whether you have to book a CB category in order to do this or whether they really are just charging more for connecting rooms now. 

[orville99]

2 minutes ago, scotlady said:

Hi. Rebooking a February cruise to a later date and I noticed they now have Category CB - Connecting Ocean View Balcony. They charge more for this than standard balcony. What is the difference?  I’ve never seen a cruise line charge more for rooms just because they connect. I am mostly wondering because I would like to get two cabins next together that allow for opening up the balconies,  but I’m not sure whether you have to book a CB category in order to do this or whether they really are just charging more for connecting rooms now. 

Whether or not the balcony dividers on adjacent rooms can (or will) be opened depends on which ship, and sometimes on which captain. 

 

[molly361]

I just recently noticed that.  Like Orville said you can't count 100% on the balconies being able to be opened so if it is imperative that you have access to the other stateroom CB is the way to go  They are not the only ones though where you can possible have the dividers opened

Edited June 13, 2020 by molly361

[Biker19]

9 minutes ago, scotlady said:

 I’ve never seen a cruise line charge more for rooms just because they connect.

RCI just started this - squeezing every $ possible.

[John&LaLa]

4 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

RCI just started this - squeezing every $ possible.

 

Personally I think it's long overdue.  Those are desirable cabins often unavailable as a pair because someone accidentally booked one.

[dani negreanu]

2 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

Those are desirable cabins often unavailable as a pair because someone accidentally booked one.

 

I, for one, am avoiding connected rooms, even though sometimes they're in a very desirable location.

[firefly333]

I was noticing on pr cabins on liberty seems like 90% connect. I had trouble finding one that didnt. So last night I looked at some later date sailings and on liberty the connecting pr cabins are almost $100 less ... maybe because there are so darn many of them. 

 

My sailing same price for all pr s but fall 2021, the connecting cabins are all priced lower than non connecting so I guess i got a deal with non connecting. 

[Ocean Boy]

6 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Personally I think it's long overdue.  Those are desirable cabins often unavailable as a pair because someone accidentally booked one.

Seriously? I view them as undesirable. The two times that I took a chance and booked guarentees I got connecting cabins both times. Fortunately, a quick phone call fixed the problem.

[Ourusualbeach]

48 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

Seriously? I view them as undesirable. The two times that I took a chance and booked guarentees I got connecting cabins both times. Fortunately, a quick phone call fixed the problem.

I think a John meant desirable by families looking for the connecting cabins. 

[Sunshine3601]

They are great for obvious reasons but I avoid them as you can hear everything from the connecting room.  The last time I was in one I had some very annoying neighbors watching TV very loud every night till 2 or 3 am.    For newbies...you wont have that noise issue with non connecting cabins.

[Ocean Boy]

3 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

I think a John meant desirable by families looking for the connecting cabins. 

Seems odd that RCI would assign them for guarentees if they are in such demand by families.

[Ourusualbeach]

Just now, Ocean Boy said:

Seems odd that RCI would assign them for guarentees if they are in such demand by families.

Definitely, although now that they will be recategorized as CB I bet that will stop. 

[John&LaLa]

1 hour ago, Ocean Boy said:

Seriously? I view them as undesirable. The two times that I took a chance and booked guarentees I got connecting cabins both times. Fortunately, a quick phone call fixed the problem.

 

Ken is right, they are desireable for families, that's why they exist. I think they get booked by accident. You used to go look for connecting cabins and I swear by all that is holy,  they were always split up with no rhyme or reason. 

 

And as Ken said, hopefully this will stop being a problem

[brillohead]

1 hour ago, Ocean Boy said:

Seems odd that RCI would assign them for guarentees if they are in such demand by families.

The thing is, they're highly desirable by families WHO CAN GET BOTH ROOMS TOGETHER.  

The problem is, when they weren't their own category, people would book a single room just based on location or category or whatever, without noticing it was a connecting room or needing a connecting room.  

Once someone books just one of the two connecting rooms, the other connecting room becomes useless as a connecting room.  And since experienced cruisers tend to avoid connecting rooms, these odd one-off connecting rooms would frequently get assigned to guarantee fares because they are the leftover rooms when it came time to assign the remaining rooms.  

Now that these are a specific category, hopefully they will be available to families wanting/needing connecting rooms.  I've always thought that they should be held aside and only sold in pairs until all other rooms are taken, similar to how handicap-accessible rooms are assigned only to those who meet the requirements, and only released for the general population after final payment.  

[Ocean Boy]

6 minutes ago, brillohead said:

The thing is, they're highly desirable by families WHO CAN GET BOTH ROOMS TOGETHER.  

The problem is, when they weren't their own category, people would book a single room just based on location or category or whatever, without noticing it was a connecting room or needing a connecting room.  

Once someone books just one of the two connecting rooms, the other connecting room becomes useless as a connecting room.  And since experienced cruisers tend to avoid connecting rooms, these odd one-off connecting rooms would frequently get assigned to guarantee fares because they are the leftover rooms when it came time to assign the remaining rooms.  

Now that these are a specific category, hopefully they will be available to families wanting/needing connecting rooms.  I've always thought that they should be held aside and only sold in pairs until all other rooms are taken, similar to how handicap-accessible rooms are assigned only to those who meet the requirements, and only released for the general population after final payment.  

Yes, now it makes sense to me.