Guaranteed cabins

[OzKiwiJJ]

3 minutes ago, icat2000 said:

I cannot choose the cabin number. I get the cabin category. But what is I want Cabin 1234. And you cannot do that without having to pay more.

I don't understand what you mean. Which category is the cabin you want? Why do you think you have to pay more? If cabin 1234 is a IF or BF, ie the lowest category, then from what I've seen you won't be able to select that cabin as it would be block from selection and reserved for "Princess chooses" bookings. If it isn't one of the lowest category cabins then you would pay exactly the same as you would if the lowest category was able to be selected. If you believe differently then give an exact example from an actual cruise with pricing.

[OzKiwiJJ]

9 minutes ago, icat2000 said:

I cannot choose the cabin number. I get the cabin category. But what is I want Cabin 1234. And you cannot do that without having to pay more.  NOTE: It says ALL including some in the best location. So for me to choose what cabin I want you pay more per guest. That my point. 

 

Look I've paid the guaranteed cabin game before but for me its got to be cheap as chips.  

 

Sarah, give me an exact cabin number for that cruise. 

[icat2000]

9 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

I don't understand what you mean. Which category is the cabin you want? Why do you think you have to pay more? If cabin 1234 is a IF or BF, ie the lowest category, then from what I've seen you won't be able to select that cabin as it would be block from selection and reserved for "Princess chooses" bookings. If it isn't one of the lowest category cabins then you would pay exactly the same as you would if the lowest category was able to be selected. If you believe differently then give an exact example from an actual cruise with pricing.

Not category. Cabin Number. Like L237 (Grand Princess - that was our last cabin number and I chose it for that booking.). Well that annoys me. As I like to slump it on the Lido deck in an inside cabin. So I like to choose that cabin number and deck location There no way by picking a guaranteed cabin I get that location even if it is the lowest category cabin.

 

I just checked on another Grand Princess itinerary and you cannot select either way by picking guaranteed price (cause its a lottery) or paying MORE for picking it yourself. 

Edited April 18, 2023 by icat2000

[OzKiwiJJ]

4 minutes ago, icat2000 said:

Not category. Cabin Number. Like L237 (Grand Princess - that was our last cabin number and I chose it for that booking.). Well that annoys me. As I like to slump it on the Lido deck in an inside cabin. So I like to choose that cabin number and deck location There no way by picking a guaranteed cabin I get that location even if it is the lowest category cabin.

 

I just checked on another Grand Princess itinerary and you cannot select either way by picking guaranteed price (cause its a lottery) or paying MORE for picking it yourself. 

L237 is an IF category. If you really look at what the select-your-own options are on any cruise you will find that IF's are no longer able to be selected, they are only sold as "Princess chooses". The first available category to select will be IE unless they are sold out. IE is always more expensive than IF so, yes, it looks like you are paying more to choose your cabin but in reality you aren't. 

 

However you are one of the people who will find this new and very stupid concept of Princess' to be very annoying as you will never be able to choose the cabin you actually want. 

 

However there are a few cabins on Grand on the Lido deck that are IC's and if you get in early enough you might be able to book one of those instead. But some ships may only have IFs on the Lido deck so that would be a big problem for you.

[OzKiwiJJ]

Oddly enough there doesn't seem to be any discussion about this on the main Princess forum, unless I missed it. Given the amount of discussion about it here I expected the main forum to be in an uproar about it.

 

I wonder if they're trialling it in our region only. Hopefully one of our overseas friends can check this and report back.

[Cruise Junky]

20 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Oddly enough there doesn't seem to be any discussion about this on the main Princess forum, unless I missed it. Given the amount of discussion about it here I expected the main forum to be in an uproar about it.

 

I wonder if they're trialling it in our region only. Hopefully one of our overseas friends can check this and report back.

The last  couple of weeks there’s been a few threads. It’s annoying as hell.  

[Ondine]

21 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Oddly enough there doesn't seem to be any discussion about this on the main Princess forum, unless I missed it. Given the amount of discussion about it here I expected the main forum to be in an uproar about it.

 

I wonder if they're trialling it in our region only. Hopefully one of our overseas friends can check this and report back.

 

The following is one of the sites that I found when I was researching it.  They also seem to have the problem of non-refundable deposits in the US.  Not happening here yet.  I hope that Princess changes this policy because it is definitely not very popular and I can't see what benefit it gives them.

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com.au/topic/2924089-new-all-guarantee-cabins-non-refundable/

 

[OzKiwiJJ]

I just spotted a thread this morning. Yes, it sounds like they are non-refundabke bookings in the US. Seriously? Princess expects people to book a guarantee cabin which will probably end up being an "F" category cabin at the same price "F" category cabins used to be and it's a non-refundable? Whoever came up with that idea must be away with the fairies!

[arxcards]

4 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

I just spotted a thread this morning. Yes, it sounds like they are non-refundabke bookings in the US. Seriously? Princess expects people to book a guarantee cabin which will probably end up being an "F" category cabin at the same price "F" category cabins used to be and it's a non-refundable? Whoever came up with that idea must be away with the fairies!

It is nothing new for entry level cabins here, but the US won't cop this. Refundable deposits will still exist for the better categories. The non-refundable stuff is about preventing the queue of price-match bookings any time a sale comes along. In a way, they have been doing it here for years on lots of their promo fares. So, 

- you book a guarantee, which as a balcony is a BF,

- you find they have allocated you a BD or BE balcony, and you laud them with praise for your complimentary upgrade,

- a promotional fare (read sale) is announced for the entry level BF guarantee cabins, for considerably less than you paid,

- you try to get the lower price, but it is only in BF and not for your dearer BE cabin. Next option is to cancel/rebook, but you will lose your initial deposit in the process and be giving up your potentially better located cabin for another BF guarantee.

 

We booked a few cabins on reduced deposits last year ($99), and these were all non-refundable even for the cabins we could pick.