I need help, advice, suggestions...

[lasvegascruising]

I want to book a cruise, 7 days balcony, the first week of December 2023 which includes December 8(our wedding anniversary).  Panorama looks like the ship for us and we want Lido deck for two.  None left!  I have played around and see cabins for 3 or 4 guests still open on Lido.  Will Carnival, at some point, open up these cabins and let a party of two book one of the cabins that can hold 3 or 4 guests?    

[ninjacat123]

I use a PVP and she will have "insider info" regarding rooms that are available that I can't see on the Carnival website.

[icft]

I think that if you check the prices for those rooms that can hold 3 or 4 guests that the price is based on double occupancy.

[staceyglow]

My advice is to consider being a little more flexible with being on a particular deck.

Will your trip really be that much less fun if you don't get a cabin on Lido?

We are usually on deck 1 or 2, and we still manage to have a great time.

Edited May 5, 2023 by staceyglow

[crooooze]

1 hour ago, lasvegascruising said:

I want to book a cruise, 7 days balcony, the first week of December 2023 which includes December 8(our wedding anniversary).  Panorama looks like the ship for us and we want Lido deck for two.  None left!  I have played around and see cabins for 3 or 4 guests still open on Lido.  Will Carnival, at some point, open up these cabins and let a party of two book one of the cabins that can hold 3 or 4 guests?    

I would call Carnival directly and see if you can just book one of them now.

[lasvegascruising]

Hi Crooooze, I did just that today, no luck.  That is why I thought about cruise critic and asking my question to all of you.  Hi Staceyglow, you are probably right.  We have been on 13 different ships, and all have been in balcony cabins and we just love it.  Last couple of cruises on the Lido deck and love it even more.  I'm still hoping I can snag the cabin we both really want.  Hi ninjacat123, that is my plan for tomorrow.  I need to reach out to a PVP and see what they have to say.  Hi icft, the website will not offer to me a cabin that can hold 3 or 4 guests when I only want to pay for 2.  If I were bleeding cash, I could book a room for three but only have the two of us show up.  Not something I really want to do.  Keep the ideas coming and big thanks to the four of you that offered help.  I really do appreciate the responses.

[Tennessee Rose]

We always check everything out on the website for decks, what is near the cabin we "would" choose, then call our PVP to actually book while asking her if she can see anything that might "be better" for us. As in our "ideal choices".

[lazydayz]

Or just book it for three, then drop the third just before final payment. If I really wanted a balcony cabin on Lido, that’s what I would do once I spoke to my PVP. Of course it is a little bit of a gamble.  

[CruizinSusan70]

Here's two different available options at the top and at the bottom.  The bottom would be a Cove Balcony on deck two, category 7C.  There's 9 available such as 2373.  Another option is at the top, in a Cloud 9 Spa balcony on deck 14, category 8T.  There's 10 cabins available.

[wemjam]

I would book the "second" best room you can find now, and then watch it until sailing.  Pick a room that is at least 1 category lower or equal to the room you want (example 8A), then watch it like a hawk and if they open up upgrade or change rooms.  If it is the same exact category there is no cost for changing room so that would be the best option.  If not, then just pay the difference for the upgrade when the room opens up.

 

Make sure you are not booking an initial room that is a higher category, they let you upgrade but they don't let you downgrade.

 

We do this quite frequently, may book a room months out like an OV and then just a couple months from sailing I will upgrade to a balcony.

[sparks1093]

To answer your basic question, yes, Carnival will release any 3/4 person cabins for 2 people if they haven't been booked by a certain time. Of course they may just sell them all out. I know that I would book a balcony on whatever deck were available if I absolutely needed to sail on a certain sailing.