Option to book a guarantee stateroom?

[bundtkate]

DH and I are looking at booking a Greek Isles cruise on Azamara sometime next year. We'll be booking an inside cabin and, frankly, it makes no difference to us at all where it's located since there's no risk of being stuck above a nightclub on Azamara. Given that, I'd prefer to book a guarantee since it may save a buck and offers some small chance of a free upgrade, but I've noticed this doesn't seem to be an option for every sailing when booking online. Is there some sort of rule that dictates whether or not a guarantee will be an option? Can you maybe book one regardless if you call?

[Travelingwithstyle]

I dont know the answers to the questions you asked but I wanted to let you know that a free upgrade is not always better.  Azamara has an option to upgrade you to the really obstructed ocean view rooms on the sixth floor.

 

These room are smaller than the inside cabin.  They do not have a couch (sitting area) and Azamara personnel can be right outside your window working on the tenders (making noise).   You are right the guarantee can be a very good price but just weigh your options if it is a small amount more to pick your inside cabin.  Best wishes for a wonderful trip.

 

 

[Host Jazzbeau]

The one time we have been unhappy with a cabin was an Inside on an R-ship.  [It was on Oceania, but the insides on deck 7 are identical on all 8 R-ships.]  It was 7040, which is directly opposite a crew service door with a raised threshold – they were banging their metal carts at all hours.

 

So, #1 avoid 7040 at all costs; and #2 since there are other cabins with similar hidden problems, this is another reason to be careful about booking a guarantee rate.

[Baynanno1]

As you say, Azamara does not have a "nightclub" as such and although music from the Living Room on deck 10 is unlikely to disturb your slumber on deck 8, I would not like to be either above or below the Cabaret Lounge.

 

We experienced being above on one occasion thanks to an unwanted "wonderful upgrade" and were not able to be moved back to our booked stateroom of choice. Not only were we subjected to the loud volume of performances, but also rehearsals during the day at a time I was confined to quarters, having eaten something which disturbed the equilibrium of my intestines.

 

That was in the days before the decibel level began it's escalation a few years ago. It was measured up to 100dB, well above the maximum safe level 85dB on our last cruise in February this year.

[bundtkate]

On 5/24/2023 at 6:17 PM, Host Jazzbeau said:

which is directly opposite a crew service door with a raised threshold – they were banging their metal carts at all hours.

 

On 5/25/2023 at 7:10 PM, Baynanno1 said:

Not only were we subjected to the loud volume of performances, but also rehearsals during the day

Both of these sound awful and I definitely appreciate the warning. All the same, I think I'd still prefer a guarantee. I accept that I may regret the choice, but usually this sort of stuff just doesn't end up bothering us. I sleep through near anything and even though my husband is normally a light sleeper, he sleeps so well on ships he gets on my level for the time we're sailing. 😅 We've been right across from a crew access door, close to something that made a loud clanging every time we went into port, and in one of those promenade view rooms on a royal ship that had parties going on outside our window until 1am. The last was the only one that ever bothered us and even then I think I'd have been okay if I weren't on the cruise for work as I'd have still been out at 1am instead of trying to sleep. As a general rule so long as it's quiet for about 30mins around 1-2am, we'll be able to fall asleep and should be good to go . After all, it's an inside stateroom. If I'm not sleeping, I'm not gonna be there.