Allowing RC to Choose Balcony Room - Question

[chicy724]

Hello,

We were thinking of booking on Odyssey next time and are considering letting RC choose our room to save some $. We would choose Balcony category-- but my question is, what are the chances they would give us an obstructed balcony room? To my understanding those are their own category, but I do not see a category provided when I choose to allow them to book our room. 

 

We usually choose our own, and prefer a higher deck but decided we will be happy with a lower deck for the money saved. Last cruise we had a Central Park room to save some $ and it was acceptable. So, we are not super duper picky, but don't really want obstructed, however. 

 

Any idea? Thank you! 

[Sunshine3601]

Yes, it is possible you could end up with an obstructed.  There are some obstructed that arent a problem but there are some that are horrible.

What is the price difference?  I havent seen a big spread in the guarantee rate vs you pick rate for most sailings.

[chicy724]

It is $600 difference. CP balcony that we booked last time was $700 less than standard so it was worth it to us. But it wasn't obstructed..

[Ourusualbeach]

14 minutes ago, chicy724 said:

Hello,

We were thinking of booking on Odyssey next time and are considering letting RC choose our room to save some $. We would choose Balcony category-- but my question is, what are the chances they would give us an obstructed balcony room? To my understanding those are their own category, but I do not see a category provided when I choose to allow them to book our room. 

 

We usually choose our own, and prefer a higher deck but decided we will be happy with a lower deck for the money saved. Last cruise we had a Central Park room to save some $ and it was acceptable. So, we are not super duper picky, but don't really want obstructed, however. 

 

Any idea? Thank you! 

While the obstructed view balcony is indeed a separate category it is still a balcony and you most certainly can be assigned that category. 

[chicy724]

Also - When do they assign the room? Is it a wait-and-see until the last minute situation? 

[Ourusualbeach]

13 minutes ago, chicy724 said:

Also - When do they assign the room? Is it a wait-and-see until the last minute situation? 

It can be anytime from the time you book to finding out at the pier. Lately though it is after final payment  in most cases. 

Edited May 3, 2021 by Ourusualbeach

[Jimbo]

Book a regular balcony now for the extra $600..................keep an eye on available balconies, hopefully prices will go down and you can call and either get a price reduction for your cabin or closer to the sailing before final payment down grade to another balcony category that the price is lower.

 

I wouldn't let them pick my cabin.

 

[yogimax]

1 minute ago, Jimbo said:

Book a regular balcony now for the extra $600..................

I wouldn't let them pick my cabin.

 

Respectfully disagree.

 

$600 is $600.  You can always change their choice for a different cabin in the same category.  In addition, as far as I know, there are no obstructed view Central Park balcony cabins.

[chicy724]

@yogimax The Central Park Balcony I mentioned was for our last cruise we took on Harmony, not the one I am looking for with Odyssey 🙂 

 

Edited May 3, 2021 by chicy724

[little britain]

When I booked a balcony gty on Odyssey the RCI confirmation clearly said XB 0% obstruction.  Sadly my June sailing was cancelled before I ever found out what room I had got! 

[CaroleC]

7 hours ago, Jimbo said:

 

I wouldn't let them pick my cabin.

 

Neither would I, too much of a lottery. Knowing my luck, I would end up with the worst one on the ship!

[little britain]

1 hour ago, CaroleC said:

Neither would I, too much of a lottery. Knowing my luck, I would end up with the worst one on the ship!

At least when you book via the USA you are allowed to change to another cabin within the same category once the room has been allocated; for some strange reason they refuse to allow this in the UK.   Hence my Gty bookings are usually made via the USA for this reason. 

[Seamingo]

If you book the guarantee now, you’ll have a price you like. Now remember prices go up and prices go down. If a lower price on your preferred cabin category comes along, switch to that. But it could also sell out by then. In the past they would allow available upgrades (as long we spend more money) even after final payment. I once booked a guarantee and assigned cabin was fine. Then a better guarantee price came along so I rebooked the new guarantee price. Lost first cabin and got new cabin which was also fine. Just because you are guarantee doesn’t mean you can’t still be flexible.
 

Now really think about you. You say you are low maintenance but you wouldn’t be happy unless you get what you want. I get it. Me, too. Maybe book the assigned cabin you want now then watch for lower prices to adjust the rate. That’s my usual plan. Less stress that way.

[Biker19]

14 minutes ago, Seamingo said:

In the past they would allow available upgrades (as long we spend more money) even after final payment.

RCI calls that Royal Up now.

[LuCruise]

10 hours ago, yogimax said:

Respectfully disagree.

 

$600 is $600.  You can always change their choice for a different cabin in the same category.  

We've done this in the past and had no issue changing to another location of the same category room.  Worked out well for us (but it wasn't a ship with obstructed).  We don't book guarantee now only because the only option is non-refundable.  Otherwise, we would consider guarantee.

[kelbell]

Our DD booked an obstructed balcony for the Alaskan cruise, same ship.  When they

offered Royal up for a non OBstr. Balcony she bid and won. Still saving $$$. It was a

gamble, we all  cruise enough to know the price most likely will go down, or

R. U will come into play.  Keep in mind still a gamble.

[kelbell]

Sorry she took Oasis.

[Ashland]

I've noticed lately on some itineraries the price was the same for either option.

Actually there's been a couple that the pick-your-own was cheaper...So you never know.

[Sunshine3601]

7 minutes ago, Ashland said:

I've noticed lately on some itineraries the price was the same for either option.

Actually there's been a couple that the pick-your-own was cheaper...So you never know.

Yes, I have seen that on many sailings even for odyssey that op is booking.  Maybe they are doing a holiday week

[Another_Critic]

I almost always book guarantee.  I don't recall ever getting a cabin that wasn't satisfactory.

 

Plus, if I pick a cabin that turns out bad, it's my fault.  If they assign me a bad cabin, it's their fault.  😀

[chicy724]

6 hours ago, Sunshine3601 said:

Yes, I have seen that on many sailings even for odyssey that op is booking.  Maybe they are doing a holiday week

 

Yes, it is a holiday week. 

We wound up taking the gamble and did GTY to save the $. We will see what happens! 

[little britain]

12 hours ago, Ashland said:

I've noticed lately on some itineraries the price was the same for either option.

Actually there's been a couple that the pick-your-own was cheaper...So you never know.

I’ve noticed that Pick your Own are almost always cheaper than GTYs now... very odd! 🤷‍♀️

[cublet]

Hello,

 

And I have just discovered, if you are a single party, you can be allocated one of the studio cabins - as I have discovered to my cost.

 

Never having cruised on a ship with single cabins before this has never been an issue but with Anthem now it is so I won't be doing it in future.

 

Regards,

 

Cublet

 

 

[firefly333]

15 minutes ago, cublet said:

Hello,

 

And I have just discovered, if you are a single party, you can be allocated one of the studio cabins - as I have discovered to my cost.

 

Never having cruised on a ship with single cabins before this has never been an issue but with Anthem now it is so I won't be doing it in future.

 

Regards,

 

Cublet

 

 

I've been told as a solo I cant even book a gty cabin. Maybe there are some solo gty on solo cabins just not on my ships. I've tried several times and always told like of course solo cant book gty, you know that. Seems unfair to solo to me. 

 

Yes I know I can book a fake person. 

[Junkhouse]

I look at rooms like buying a house. I would rather have the least expensive versus the most expensive in a neighborhood.