Questions about NCL GTY Cabins

[Stockjock]

Was looking at a GTY cabin well into the future and I asked NCL if one could get a full refund of deposit if they didn't like their cabin assignment.  She assured me that one could indeed get all of their deposit money back, as long as the cancellation was outside of the 120 day window.

Does this seem accurate to you?

Does NCL assign outside of that window, or do they wait to lock you in?

Do they seem to stick to their GTY category, or is it not uncommon for a bit of an upgrade?

TIA!

Edited July 24, 2020 by Stockjock

[dexddd]

You'd be able to cancel and get back whatever the terms were when you booked.  120 days does sound right but when I tried to double check, the web page had taken a vacation.

 

We've only booked one GTY way back and got an assignment almost immediately well over a year in advance.  And others report much closer to cruise.  Upgrades are pretty much now all handled through a bidding system handled by a third party.

 

Deciding to stray from MSC?

[Stockjock]

2 minutes ago, dexddd said:

Deciding to stray from MSC?

I mostly do MSC, as I think you get a lot for your money.  That said, I've cruised NCL, Carnival, RCCL, Celebrity, Pullmantur/CDF, Princess, etc and am always looking for a good deal. 🙂

[ray98]

Good luck getting a GTY assignment that far out.

[bravestwj]

We are over a year out on our OX guarantee cabin and have already been assigned an OB category cabin.  NCL would call that an upgrade because it isn't on the lowest deck.

[Budget Queen]

Flip a coin.    Of course-  IF your assignment is prior to final payment you may be able to get refunds 

 

BUT-   If you are already concerned about a random assignment,   Then frankly this type of booking may not be for you.    You HAVE to be accepting of any cabin.      

 

I book mostly guarantees and simply don’t care what I end up with.   I have gotten some undesirable cabins.  (I have a good data base of 59 cruises since 1-2017).   

[MeHeartCruising]

On non-suite cabins, you can cancel for refund up to 120 days out.  So that is accurate. 
 

NCL is all over the board on when they actually assign a Guaranty cabin.  My experience has been that when I book far out, I usually get One assigned shortly after booking. When I book inside the 120 window, it’s usually been assigned in the last few weeks prior to sailing. 
 

As mentioned above, NCL now has an automated system for bidding on upgrades.  With that, you will most likely get only the category you paid for.  But you never know.  Then you might be offered a chance to bid on an upgrade.  

[tomk3212]

We've been cruising NCL for 15 years (see signature) and we've almost ALWAYS booked a GTY cabin; usually Inside GTY.  You'll get the lowest price then available in that cabin category.  We almost always book last minute (except our European cruises) so once we get the cabin assignment we're pretty much stuck with it & live with it.   As to when we've gotten our cabin assigned; it can be up to a month in advance of sailing (had that several times) or, literally, the night before we sailed (we used the NYC hotel's printer to print out our luggage tags!!).  It's a real crap shoot!

 

 When we first started cruising on NCL our cabins were located on the lower decks (4-6) but as we advanced up the Latitudes scale our GTY Inside cabins were more likely located on the upper decks.  So in general the higher the Latitudes category you belong to the better the cabin you'll get at the GTY rate (we're now Platinum Plus).

 

GTY cabins are NOT for families travelling who require adjacent cabins; there's absolutely no guarantee you'll get adjacent cabins.  As an example we booked a cruise with our grown kids (ages 18-23 at that time) and booked GTY Inside for both cabins.  Our PCC said he'd try & get them as close as possible & he did a pretty good job.

 

GTY category cabins are NOT for everybody; you have to be willing to accept whatever cabin you end up with.  Also if you're booking very far in advance the GTY cabins may not be available then.  Even so if you do book a GTY cabin a year in advance I doubt very much if you'll get your cabin assignment within the 120 day cancellation limit.

 

Good luck!

 

 

[complawyer]

my understanding of the gty category is that ncl can wait until the last minute to assign a cabin (way past the time to cancel).

personally, i really wouldnt want to wait that long. they also dont sent your documents until a cabin is assigned. imagine putting on your luggage tags at the port.

 

i would much rather pick out the cabin i want in the exact location i want it and pay a little more $$$.

 

peace of mind is worth the extra bucks

[Budget Queen]

1 hour ago, tomk3212 said:

 

 

 When we first started cruising on NCL our cabins were located on the lower decks (4-6) but as we advanced up the Latitudes scale our GTY Inside cabins were more likely located on the upper decks.  So in general the higher the Latitudes category you belong to the better the cabin you'll get at the GTY rate (we're now Platinum Plus).

 

 

 

 

What are you basing this claim on?     I disagree-   I certainly have not experienced this.   More likely based on supply and timing.   

[hladygirl]

I booked a gty inside cabin once on NCL last minute. I am platinum. This cruise was really empty. I got assigned literally the worst cabin on the ship. All the way forward on deck eight. The motion and noise of crashing waves was unbelievable. I met a few people who booked the same as I did but later than I did and they got great locations. These people also had no or little latitude status. Just goes to show that latitude status does not matter.

[complawyer]

im sorry you were disappointed with your cabin but ncl makes it very clear if you book a gty you take your chances. that's why the fares are lower, also i dont believe latitude status even comes into play when they select a cabin for you.

 

if i'm going to spend 1000's of dollars on a cruise, i want to be the one picking out the cabin and its location

 

always better to pay a little more to get exactly what you want and where you want it.

 

by the way, what ship were you on? usually the cabins at  the extreme forward part of the ship is a suite

[Budget Queen]

1 hour ago, complawyer said:wouldnt want to wait that long. they also dont sent your documents until a cabin is assigned. imagine putting on your luggage tags at the port.

 

This is not true.   Your documents absolutely do get sent-   They have gty. on them 

 

I never bother with luggage tags anyway.   If I don’t know my cabin I simply go to a porter-  who has the manifest list and looks it up.    They have tags.   
 

A couple times I’ve had to be escorted to another desk but I’ve always had a cabin and got on the ship.   

[Budget Queen]

12 minutes ago, complawyer said:

 

 

if i'm going to spend 1000's of dollars on a cruise, i want to be the one picking out the cabin 

Good point-   But with last minute guarantees. I’ve never spent “thousands.   🤩.   

[tomk3212]

@Budget Queen Based on OUR experience and about 18 cruises on NCL, steadily progressing from Bronze newbs up to our present Platinum Plus status.  Based on your # of posts here on CC you've obviously had much more cruising experience than DW & moi so if that wasn't the case for you I "bow" to your greater experience...lol. I'm just sayin' in OUR case we got better GTY Inside cabins as we progressed up the Latitudes food chain to where we are now.

Edited July 26, 2020 by tomk3212

[complawyer]

guess we just have different tastes, but that's ok. that's what makes the world go round.

 

ever if youve booked a mid ship mini suite, or now a club suite (which is just a fancy name for the same category cabin) youre still looking at $2500-3500 per couple and that's just for the cabin unless you get the free at sea with dinner an liquor.my wife and i got spoiled afew years back when the dollars involved between the mini suite and a suite (including the goodies) were just about 1000 more so we opted for the suite. we got the dinners, the liquor, pre paid gratuities etc and the 24hr on call butler and concierge. my grandson who was about 12 at the time thought having the butler was great. they became great friends

 

now we try and book a suite or a haven whenever possible. i find that having the concierge being able to getus of the ship and on our way within 15 minutes, worth the price of admissions

[Budget Queen]

5 minutes ago, tomk3212 said:

@Budget Queen Based on OUR experience and about 18 cruises on NCL, steadily progressing from Bronze newbs up to our present Platinum Plus status.  Based on your # of posts here on CC you've obviously had much more cruising experience than DW & moi so if that wasn't the case for you I "bow" to your greater experience...lol. I'm just sayin' in OUR case we got better GTY Inside cabins as we progressed up the Latitudes food chain to where we are now.

I speculate it was pure chance.   But yes I have a bigger data base for my claims-   (59 cruises since 1-2017 as example).    My assignments have been average with a few dogs thrown in.   🤩🤩🤩.    

[tomk3212]

@Budget Queen Holy Cow!  You must be going through major "cruise withdrawal" syndrome right now...😢

 

I certainly wouldn't be shocked if our progression was random chance.  We've also had a couple of "dogs" for cabins but nothing truly horrible.  The worst was when I booked online a last-minute GTY Inside cabin out of NYC and not through our PCC.  She was rather miffed & I swear we got a crappy cabin location because of that!  I can't prove anything (and she's no longer with NCL) but that's how I'd bet.

 

Question: do you always book the GTY rate?  We've done mostly last minute, GTY Inside cabin rate, out of NYC (we used to live in NJ so it was easy to get to NYC) and we are also very "budget" minded also.  Any tips or inside (pun INtended) knowledge you can share?

[Budget Queen]

3 hours ago, tomk3212 said:

Question: do you always book the GTY rate?  We've done mostly last minute, GTY Inside cabin rate, out of NYC (we used to live in NJ so it was easy to get to NYC) and we are also very "budget" minded also.  Any tips or inside (pun INtended) knowledge you can share?

Yes,  I most always book  Sail Away Rates,   last minute-  typically less than a week prior.      Flexibility is essential.    If you have  limits,  that cuts down on the opportunities.    I have extremely few limits-   a few times-  dates conflicted,   but,  I cruise based on itinerary priority.,  and from multiple ports.    You need to be quick,  well organized and ready to go.   I've  booked (with no intention )  arranged my transit,  lodging and packing-  and left-  all within a few hours.     I've decided,  on the way home from a cruise-  at a connecting airport to book another cruise-  and get in a flight for a cruise the next day.    as example.     

 

My deal opportunites have been especially good,  last several years.   I'm glad I picked up any cruise I wanted.   

 

I don't know what the marketing will be in the future.   It would not surprise me-  if NCL eliminates  the last minute dumps.       All that can be done, at this time-  is wait and see.    

[hladygirl]

11 hours ago, complawyer said:

im sorry you were disappointed with your cabin but ncl makes it very clear if you book a gty you take your chances. that's why the fares are lower, also i dont believe latitude status even comes into play when they select a cabin for you.

 

if i'm going to spend 1000's of dollars on a cruise, i want to be the one picking out the cabin and its location

 

always better to pay a little more to get exactly what you want and where you want it.

 

by the way, what ship were you on? usually the cabins at  the extreme forward part of the ship is a suite

I was on the Gem. The only reason I booked this cruise was for a last minute getaway. It was my first time cruising by myself. It cost me $260 total to board the ship. I could careless where my cabin was. I was just trying to point out that latitude status doesn’t always get you a better guarantee cabin.

[bones774]

hi budget queen, I've followed you here for awhile and know you live in central NY but doesn't your cruise savings lose their value as you book last minute ($$$) air line connections?

 

[Budget Queen]

1 hour ago, bones774 said:

hi budget queen, I've followed you here for awhile and know you live in central NY but doesn't your cruise savings lose their value as you book last minute ($$$) air line connections?

 

I have the fortune benefit of being a nonrrev traveler.     But.   I have no problem finding reasonable,  last minute short revenue flights.   Picked those up several times over the past year-   in Europe,  South America.    Cheap inter Island Hawaii I took advantage of as well.    

[vswan]

I've booked quite a few qty rooms over the years - both inside and outside rooms. Have had a few duds, but know that going in. The savings is worth the chance I take. We generally book about a month out and you take what you get. One year we got an inside handicapped room which was the largest room we ever had. One year we got a strangely shaped front of the ship room with four separate beds and an anchor dropping in the morning. This past year I booked a qty room well in advance and the room was assigned immediately - one of the worst I've seen. Think they had just a couple of rooms they set aside as qty and we must have been one of the first to book one, so they assigned immediately. When the price of the cruise dropped I called and was upgraded to a balcony several steps up from qty with all of the perks for about $10 more for both of us, not PP. Overall it's a chance you take. The people who book qty fill in the empty cabins throughout the ship - some are open due to upgrades and are good cabins.

 

[bones774]

1 hour ago, Budget Queen said:

I have the fortune benefit of being a nonrrev traveler.     But.   I have no problem finding reasonable,  last minute short revenue flights.   Picked those up several times over the past year-   in Europe,  South America.    Cheap inter Island Hawaii I took advantage of as well.    

I thought you were gonna say that, very good deal.

[complawyer]

this thread is specifically for and in response to hlady girl. i  tried to respectfully and intelligently answer you original question. (at this point without any intention of being argumentative) why did you 1st complain about how horrible your cabin assignment was, then when i responded that the gty cabins are really "you pays your money and you takes yer choice" you send a reply indicating you really didnt care about the cabin. if you didnt care about the cabin, why did you make such a big  fuss in your original inquiry?

 

latitude status will not necessarily get you a better cabin or location. that's the downside of the gty option.

 

if you would have booked a regular cabin, paid a little bit more, you could have had your pick of availability

 

sometimes the old adage "beggars cant be choosers" although harsh is oftentimes the truth.