Advice on GUARANTEE reservations

[MnDAL]

I am considering the 10/20/23 Riviera Departure. They are offering an A4 guarantee. I had decided to book A category and A3 is the only cat available - with 2 mediocre cabins left. To me, it seems like an A4 guarantee means the worst that can happen would be a A4 on same deck as an A3 and the upside is good (better cabin and/or better category). Do you agree? 

 

I have some questions on how a guarantee booking affects a reservation:

 

Could you share your experiences of when cabins were assigned if you booked a guarantee reservation? Where you upgraded?

Any difference on O-Life amenities?

Can you book specialty restaurants without a cabin assignment? ( I assume your advance timing is based on your GTD cat.)

If you don't like your cabin assignment, can you upgrade yourself (ie pay the difference between the GTD rate and the new cat) at that point?

Are there any other downsides to a GTD booking that I should think about? Any input is appreciated.

 

 

 

[LHT28]

You may not get assigned a cabin until check in at the port

you probably will not be able to upgrade at that point

 with a GTY  you will be on the ship

 Personally I try to avoid GTY  bookings

 YMMV

[FeliciaLee]

15 minutes ago, MnDAL said:

Could you share your experiences of when cabins were assigned if you booked a guarantee reservation? Where you upgraded?

We were upgraded from G to C.

15 minutes ago, MnDAL said:

Can you book specialty restaurants without a cabin assignment? ( I assume your advance timing is based on your GTD cat.)

Yes, we were able to book them, no problem.

15 minutes ago, MnDAL said:

If you don't like your cabin assignment, can you upgrade yourself (ie pay the difference between the GTD rate and the new cat) at that point?

At first we thought we might upgrade due to being at the front of the ship, but then found we liked it there compared to Seabourn, so we canceled our upgrade request (second day of the cruise).

15 minutes ago, MnDAL said:

Are there any other downsides to a GTD booking that I should think about? Any input is appreciated.

We have had great experiences with guaranteed cabins, save one time in over 25 cruises. If you are easygoing they are a bargain.

[shepherd really]

21 minutes ago, FeliciaLee said:

If you are easygoing they are a bargain.

On Oceania you pay full fare for a guarantee cabin, no discounts, no savings. 

[FeliciaLee]

5 minutes ago, shepherd really said:

On Oceania you pay full fare for a guarantee cabin, no discounts, no savings. 

Really? Wow, I had no idea. And here I thought we got a great deal :)

[shepherd really]

Just now, FeliciaLee said:

Really? Wow, I had no idea. And here I thought we got a great deal 🙂

If you are happy with what you got for the price you paid then it was a good deal for you, but there is no savings on Oceania for booking a GTD cabin.

[LHT28]

2 minutes ago, FeliciaLee said:

Really? Wow, I had no idea. And here I thought we got a great deal 🙂

if you pay for  a lower  cabin category like G  & get  a C yes it is  a better deal IMO 😃

[MnDAL]

6 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

if you pay for  a lower  cabin category like G  & get  a C yes it is  a better deal IMO 😃

Absolutely. It's all in how you look at it. You get a guaranteed cabin at a cat rate that is not available (better than a waitlist) and a possible up grade into a higher cat. The underlying rate you pay is not discounted, but the upside could be substantial - as was the case with Felicia.

[lj77346]

We booked guarantee cabins twice, both times B4 guarantees.  For one of the cruises we didn't get the cabin assignment until the day before embarkation, but it was a great upgrade as we got a penthouse.  The other time we got a cabin assigned about 3 weeks before embarkation and got a small upgrade from B4 to B3.  You can book specialty dining and the timing for when you can make reservations is based on your guarantee category.

[MnDAL]

2 minutes ago, lj77346 said:

We booked guarantee cabins twice, both times B4 guarantees.  For one of the cruises we didn't get the cabin assignment until the day before embarkation, but it was a great upgrade as we got a penthouse.  The other time we got a cabin assigned about 3 weeks before embarkation and got a small upgrade from B4 to B3.  You can book specialty dining and the timing for when you can make reservations is based on your guarantee category.

All good input. Thank you!

[osandomir]

43 minutes ago, shepherd really said:

If you are happy with what you got for the price you paid then it was a good deal for you, but there is no savings on Oceania for booking a GTD cabin.

Unlike some other cruise lines Oceania guarantee cabins available on the category that is almost sold out for the ships that are mostly fully booked. Why one would expect to pay lower price for the last cabin on the ship not even mentioned the upgrades.

[Sthrngary]

3 hours ago, shepherd really said:

On Oceania you pay full fare for a guarantee cabin, no discounts, no savings. 

@shepherd really, here is my situation.  I booked a PH3 Guarantee as part of the Labor day sale.  This allowed me to upgrade using the four category upgrade promotion. to the lowest PH category.  

 

In this case, my worse case situation is a PH3 which is sold out on this cruise at this time. In my opinion, that would be some what of a nice situation taking the promotion and guarantee together. 

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

[edgee]

1 hour ago, Sthrngary said:

@shepherd really, here is my situation.  I booked a PH3 Guarantee as part of the Labor day sale.  This allowed me to upgrade using the four category upgrade promotion. to the lowest PH category.  

 

In this case, my worse case situation is a PH3 which is sold out on this cruise at this time. In my opinion, that would be some what of a nice situation taking the promotion and guarantee together. 

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

Yes, but you still lose control of your location. IMHO the worst you could do is get a PH 1 under the pool deck, Waves, or the Terrace. 

[Sthrngary]

20 minutes ago, edgee said:

Yes, but you still lose control of your location. IMHO the worst you could do is get a PH 1 under the pool deck, Waves, or the Terrace. 

@edgee You are absolutely correct.  You have NO control of the stateroom or location.  They can put you anywhere from PH3 through PH1 in my case.  Understanding the risk and willing to take what ever I get.  I have been in some of the best suites and the worst suites on many brands.  Some were better then other, but all were acceptable.  

 

Everyone has their own tolerance level.  I call this realistic expectations and you will hear no complaints from me regardless of where the staterooms.  I know the risks.  Other have to have the same attitude if you do a Guarantee Stateroom. 

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

[shepherd really]

3 minutes ago, Sthrngary said:

@edgee You are absolutely correct.  You have NO control of the stateroom or location.  They can put you anywhere from PH3 through PH1 in my case.  Understanding the risk and willing to take what ever I get.  I have been in some of the best suites and the worst suites on many brands.  Some were better then other, but all were acceptable.  

 

Everyone has their own tolerance level.  I call this realistic expectations and you will hear no complaints from me regardless of where the staterooms.  I know the risks.  Other have to have the same attitude if you do a Guarantee Stateroom. 

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

You seem quite good at managing your expectations which is essential in preventing unrealistic or unreasonable expectations to ruin your travel.  Many lack that ability.  Enjoy your cruise, honestly in a Marina penthouse things would have to go really sideways to spoil your cruise.  I assign a very low probability for that to happen. 

[edgee]

2 hours ago, Sthrngary said:

@edgee You are absolutely correct.  You have NO control of the stateroom or location.  They can put you anywhere from PH3 through PH1 in my case.  Understanding the risk and willing to take what ever I get.  I have been in some of the best suites and the worst suites on many brands.  Some were better then other, but all were acceptable.  

 

Everyone has their own tolerance level.  I call this realistic expectations and you will hear no complaints from me regardless of where the staterooms.  I know the risks.  Other have to have the same attitude if you do a Guarantee Stateroom. 

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

Well stated. I am somewhat less flexible and make decisions accordingly. For example, I am booked on the very popular trans canal cruise on Vista in November. Happy to have an A4 booked but have wait listed a PH. However, I have only waitlisted PH3 and PH2, categories, as most PH1s are beneath traffic areas rather than cabins and I would rather stay in a "regular" cabin than even be tempted to accept a PH in a location where I am not comfortable. In any case I know I will spend 16 wonderful days on the new Vista. Very excited!

[PirateShark]

We could only book an A3 gty for our August 2023 Vista cruise when bookings opened.  We just got our cabin assignment in an A3 in a nice location.  Since the cruise is port intensive, we're happy.  I'm sure there are a lot of variables as to when the cabin is assigned for guarantees.  Good luck and enjoy your cruise.

[ToxM]

We booked a guarantee once. Never again. Connecting door and the noise leak from the next door cabin was considerable. 

 

I prefer to choose my own location. 

 

 

[ORV]

20 hours ago, shepherd really said:

On Oceania you pay full fare for a guarantee cabin, no discounts, no savings. 

I’ve heard stories of people booking an inside guarantee and getting a B4. Seems to be a savings to me. 

[shepherd really]

35 minutes ago, ORV said:

I’ve heard stories of people booking an inside guarantee and getting a B4. Seems to be a savings to me. 

Or luck, but I prefer not to bet against the house.  

[ORV]

3 minutes ago, shepherd really said:

Or luck, but I prefer not to bet against the house.  

I’m pretty sure luck had nothing to do with this situation. 

[shepherd really]

Just now, ORV said:

I’m pretty sure luck had nothing to do with this situation. 

A management decision to upgrade someone based on availability is not luck, except the availability part, which they don't have total control over.  

 

So luckish.

[Tranquility Base]

22 hours ago, MnDAL said:

am considering the 10/20/23 Riviera Departure. They are offering an A4 guarantee. I had decided to book A category and A3 is the only cat available - with 2 mediocre cabins left. To me, it seems like an A4 guarantee means the worst that can happen would be a A4 on same deck as an A3 and the upside is good (better cabin and/or better category). Do you agree? 

Are you looking at the 20 day ?

Would they permit you book both 10 day segments ?

Yes, higher cost, but if you can get the cabin(s) you wish ???

Plus I think the 2nd segment still has O life ultimate attached to it.

So, overall it may work; if permitted to book.

[MnDAL]

Looking at 10 day, but thanks

[Tranquility Base]

4 minutes ago, MnDAL said:

Looking at 10 day, but thanks

Rome - Trieste ?

Are you sure A4 doesn't have cabin availability ?