Choosing a guarantee ocean view stateroom

[kbcruiser10]

I am considering booking a cruise for my husband and me on Azamara.  There is the option to book Ocean view guarantee which is considerably cheaper than choosing our own cabin.   Has anybody had any experience with booking guarantee cabins?

 

[john1970]

We booked an oceanview guarantee once and pretty much straight away got allocated a cabin with a large obstructed view which I knew was a possibility . I thought about it and changed it to a balcony. It depends if you are happy to take the risk. I realised for us we are too fussy for a guarantee!! 

[combine]

Its a bit of a lottery where you will be allocated, which will put many people off this option. If you are prone to sea sickness and mid ship would be preferable, then bear that in mind. We were allocated 4006 on a Christmas cruise. I knew we wouldn't be in the cabin for long periods of time as there was alot going on, so I didn’t worry too much. Yes, we did hear the anchor in the morning but we were up and ready to go onshore anyway.

It is worth a go if you have  a very port intensive cruise and if the location on ship is not important, as time in the cabin may be minimal.

[excitedofharpenden]

I won't do an OV guarantee because invariably you end up either well forward on deck 4 which has more movement and can also be under the show lounge (which is used for afternoon rehearsals as well as the shows) or in one of the sideways facing category 08s which are the smallest on the ship, have no chair or sofa and most of them are obstructed by the lifeboats. If there is a considerable price difference you might think it was worth a go, but for me personally I wouldn't do it. 

 

Phil 

[KirkNC]

6 hours ago, john1970 said:

We booked an oceanview guarantee once and pretty much straight away got allocated a cabin with a large obstructed view which I knew was a possibility . I thought about it and changed it to a balcony. It depends if you are happy to take the risk. I realised for us we are too fussy for a guarantee!! 

Agree completely, we did a guarantee once and had a horrible cabin, never again.

[travelberlin]

I did once a guarantee cabin in Azamara and got a small cabin with completely obstructed view. Besides that, there was always somebody working on the life boats and I did not have any privacy. I rather take an inside cabin than a guarantee ocean view.

Ivi

[Grandma Cruising]

The only time we took a guarantee was a long time ago on HAL. We had a guarantee veranda and were very lucky, getting one of their deluxe verandas, which included breakfast in a speciality restaurant and access to an ‘executive’ lounge. 

[Maya_C]

We booked a guarantee ocean view on Azamara, and were assigned a room just aft of the forward elevators on Deck 4. It was 2 categories above the cheapest ocean view rooms. I asked my TA to see if I could get a cabin farther aft. Azamara was willing to put us in any cabin that was available within that same category, so if you don't like the cabin you're assigned, you might be able to get a different one.  We chose a room halfway between the two sets of elevators on Deck 4. It was really quiet, and we liked Deck 4 for its easy access to the Mosaic cafe and the MDR, both one floor up.  

[BritishLandS]

On 3/21/2022 at 11:10 AM, john1970 said:

We booked an oceanview guarantee once and pretty much straight away got allocated a cabin with a large obstructed view which I knew was a possibility . I thought about it and changed it to a balcony. It depends if you are happy to take the risk. I realised for us we are too fussy for a guarantee!! 

Exactly the same happened to us, I would not do that again!