Guarantee assignment

[FetaCheese]

33 minutes ago, jonthomas said:

Let us know how you do.

We booked the second leg many months ago, when all was available. I am hoping that because of that, they would assign cabins based on whose money they have had the longest. Yeah right, wishful thinking.

Yes, I will report back.

 

Because I booked on ESS, Cat. D, and only 4 O cruises to date, don't think I have a high priority for an upgrade.

 

Putting my faith in Jan to use her influence!

Edited August 26, 2023 by FetaCheese
Addl info

[jonthomas]

Yes we did as well and also have an inside guarantee.

 

Did you do it with a TA?

The only influence we have is ourselves but that's OK. I don't owe anyone any thanks.

We have 10 future cruises with O, until May of 2025 but was told that has no merit.

Will see how we do, may never book a guarantee again.

 

Edited August 27, 2023 by jonthomas

[ToxM]

On 8/27/2023 at 1:07 AM, jonthomas said:

Yes we did as well and also have an inside guarantee.

 

Did you do it with a TA?

The only influence we have is ourselves but that's OK. I don't owe anyone any thanks.

We have 10 future cruises with O, until May of 2025 but was told that has no merit.

Will see how we do, may never book a guarantee again.

 

 

It’s a dark art, I had a bad experience, and learned from it. I suppose I would do a try again IF it was a very very good late deal, but apart from that not worth the gamble, I am a pot odds kinda girl. 

[flyer79]

Just got my assignment this morning for a sailing that departs on Saturday.  Fine cabin, no upgrade. Looking forward to our first O cruise after many with Hal and Viking. 

[ToxM]

10 minutes ago, flyer79 said:

Just got my assignment this morning for a sailing that departs on Saturday.  Fine cabin, no upgrade. Looking forward to our first O cruise after many with Hal and Viking. 

Have a fabulous time!

[LHT28]

11 minutes ago, flyer79 said:

Just got my assignment this morning for a sailing that departs on Saturday.  Fine cabin, no upgrade. Looking forward to our first O cruise after many with Hal and Viking. 

Enjoy

[jonthomas]

We had an inside guarantee, we're given an ocean view with port hole on deck 3, just above water line. Would have preferred am inside on higher deck. Will not do a guarantee again.

[Sthrngary]

1 hour ago, jonthomas said:

We had an inside guarantee, we're given an ocean view with port hole on deck 3, just above water line. Would have preferred am inside on higher deck. Will not do a guarantee again.

@jonthomas I believe if I remember correctly, your guarantee was because that is what was left for the cruise you wanted. You got what some would consider an upgrade with a ocean view.  I fully understand you will not do a guarantee again. However, if any of us had a choose, it would be an assigned stateroom unless it was not available. Cost the same because Oceania does not discount to do a guarantee. 
 

I am quite sure you will have a grand time. You previous post clearly show you love cruising.

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

[jonthomas]

The cruise is over. I do not consider that cabin an upgrade, even though we had a porthole,  it felt like we were in the dungeon.

Did our best to spend as little time in the cabin as possible.

Yes it was a good cruise.

An inside would have been preferred as they are all on higher floors and mid ship.

 

 

[LHT28]

2 hours ago, jonthomas said:

We had an inside guarantee, we're given an ocean view with port hole on deck 3, just above water line. Would have preferred am inside on higher deck. Will not do a guarantee again.

This  why we never book GTY

I like to know where we will be sleeping

 You took a chance   & did not like the  outcome  🙄

 

[shepherd really]

14 minutes ago, jonthomas said:

The cruise is over. I do not consider that cabin an upgrade, even though we had a porthole,  it felt like we were in the dungeon.

Did our best to spend as little time in the cabin as possible.

Yes it was a good cruise.

An inside would have been preferred as they are all on higher floors and mid ship.

 

 

you pays your money and you takes your choice! - Mark Twain

[jonthomas]

Yup agree with the above. 

[AMHuntFerry]

3 hours ago, jonthomas said:

The cruise is over. I do not consider that cabin an upgrade, even though we had a porthole,  it felt like we were in the dungeon.

Did our best to spend as little time in the cabin as possible.

Yes it was a good cruise.

An inside would have been preferred as they are all on higher floors and mid ship.

 

 

Well, at least you got a discounted price to find out that you didn't like it (my Pollyanna is showing...watched it onboard). This is a good example that in addition to food tastes varying, so do cabin tastes. We adored the deck 3 cabins (quiet!! and never rolled out of bed in wavy-water). The only advantage (to us!) of higher cabins is if views (bigger window or balcony) from cabin are desirable or if there is an upgrade sale. For a TA I'd choose deck 3 every time.

[GeezerCouple]

5 hours ago, jonthomas said:

The cruise is over. I do not consider that cabin an upgrade, even though we had a porthole,  it felt like we were in the dungeon.

Did our best to spend as little time in the cabin as possible.

Yes it was a good cruise.

An inside would have been preferred as they are all on higher floors and mid ship.

 

I'm curious about how the "guarantees" work, but it's not for our personal use.  We *always* want to select our specific cabin/suite, and if we are working with a TA or any agent, we tell them NOT to accept any "upgrade" on our behalf (or not unless it is X or Y, which is unlikely to happen anyway).  We select a category and location that we are already happy to have.

 

However, in a case like what jonthomas had, presumably there would have been at least some others (at least one?) who would have preferred a porthole/OV to an inside, including with the deck differences.

 

Is it possible, for a "guarantee", to request NOT getting "something better"?  That is, a "guarantee at inside"... keeps an inside *unless* there simply are not any "insides" and no "inside passenger" wanting an upgrade?

 

It just seems there would have (should have?) been a way to make jonthomas happy and also make someone else happy/happier by giving them a porthole/OV instead of an inside... ??

 

GC

[jonthomas]

It was a fully booked ship, otherwise perhaps we could have been accommodated with an inside cabin.

[AMHuntFerry]

19 minutes ago, GeezerCouple said:

 

It just seems there would have (should have?) been a way to make jonthomas happy and also make someone else happy/happier by giving them a porthole/OV instead of an inside... ??

 

From what I've experienced, upgrades (or other) offers are made to full-categories (e.g., inside cabins) that O wants for some reason, but the upgrade (usually) costs extra...sometimes a deal, other times not so much.

For example, if jonthomas was the only inside guarantee booking and someone who already had an inside took an upgrade (e.g., to the D that jonthomas had), then that would have opened up an inside for jonthomas. Either O didn't offer and inside-to-D upgrade or an upgrade was offered but no one took it.

[jonthomas]

Yes we were definitely willing to upgrade, but ship was fully booked, there was not anything they could do for us.

What made it worse, we went from concierge level for the Alaska portion to what we called "the dungeon" for the next 7 day segment. 

But hey, very good cruise and chalk it up to an experience.

[Sthrngary]

I started to do Guarantee's decades ago.  But every cruise brand is different.  For some, the Guarantee WAS a big saving.  Years ago, when I used to cruise HAL, I would find a deal on what I think was called an "SS" suite.  I could have those letters off.  It was one of their bigger suites with a huge balcony.  My wife and I loved them especially if we were traveling with family.  When the suite cleared, usually a week or so before the cruise left, we were always happy because most of the time, we got a nice suite better then the price we paid.  That was then and now is NOW.

 

Oceania approaches a Guarantee much differently.  Our friends ( we had the same suite but upgraded with a paid client upgrade) have a PH3 Guarantee.  How we got there was the promotion was a four category upgrade at the time. So a PH3 Guarantee was the lowest cost Penthouse maximizing the fare with the Four Category Upgrade. If the PH3 Category would have been available, I would have chosen a specific suite.  The key is the PH3 Guarantee and a specific PH3 suite cost the same. No price benefit. 

 

Now your question was, could you have simply stayed in the "Inside Cabin" and not taken the "Ocean View" upgrade.  No idea.  Logic tells me Oceania likes to put the Guarantees where they have space and be done with it.  Having Guarantees for Oceania is like over booking a flight.  The guest has no control other then the class of service the Guarantee is in.  In my case PH3 for my friends.

 

If you go back on this thread, many very wise frequent Oceania Cruises explained what has happened in the past.  A very interesting read.  To paraphrase using my situation for my friends of a PH3 Guarantee.  If all the PH categories are completely sold out, Oceania provides offers for folks to give up their PH suite so they can fill in their guarantees. That is why so many past Oceania guest have suggested, if you want an Paid Client Upgrade, tell your Travel Agent to tell Oceania.  That is what I did on my reservation.  The harder it is for Oceania to fill their guarantees, the longer it takes to find out what your cabin number will be.  Again, for my simple mind, it is like there is one seat leave in coach, you can have it but that is your only choice.  I am over simplifying  it I am sure.

 

The bottom line, when you do a Guarantee, you get what you get and you need to know that is what you get. You will get what your Guarantee was based on or in a VERY RARE occasion, you might be offered something else like a category upgrade but DON'T COUNT ON IT.  The complementary upgrade Fairy is on vacation most of the time. So want flexibility and choices, DON'T DO A Guarantee. 

 

That is what I have learned on this board from the Oceania Faithful.

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

[jonthomas]

Yes and I had hoped to get the inside I paid for and nothing more. Obviously they had NO insides.

[RD64]

@Sthrngary - thank you for a well thought out (and rational) response on this topic.

[Sthrngary]

2 minutes ago, RD64 said:

@Sthrngary - thank you for a well thought out (and rational) response on this topic.

 

2 minutes ago, RD64 said:

@Sthrngary - thank you for a well thought out (and rational) response on this topic.

@RD64 Thank you but you are giving me way to much credit.  Everything I said, the order in which I said it.  All of it was learned on this board.  Part of the reason I try new brands like Oceania is to educate myself on what they do differently.  This has been a real EDUCATION. More then I expected.

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

[FetaCheese]

I booked a GTY cat D. on JT's Regatta 1st leg. At the time of booking, it was not discounted, just available as a GTY.

 

However, most or all cats. were on the ESS sale during summer.  Booked in early June.  Wanted a lower price on OS, not IS.  The cat. D was only offered as GTY, so that's what I booked.

[LHT28]

44 minutes ago, FetaCheese said:

I booked a GTY cat D. on JT's Regatta 1st leg. At the time of booking, it was not discounted, just available as a GTY.

 

Not that I book GTY  but I do not think Oceania gives a discount  like some other lines do

You get what you pay for   or  a upgraded category  (even if you do not think it is an upgrade)

JMO

[Sthrngary]

10 hours ago, LHT28 said:

Not that I book GTY  but I do not think Oceania gives a discount  like some other lines do

You get what you pay for   or  a upgraded category  (even if you do not think it is an upgrade)

JMO

@LHT28 My earlier example was to show the approach other brands use on GTY is much different then Oceania.  It was initially confusing to me and then I got clear.  I want to support what you are saying on one very important point.  There is no financial benefit to do a GTY with Oceania.  

 

If one does do a GTY, they should have a very good reason to do so.  Many have been discussed their reasons.  However, ALL that choose this approach need to know they gave their rights away to choosing the stateroom, location, deck.  What you are assigned is at the sole discretion of Oceania.  You will most likely get the category you are GTY in like PH3 Guarantee.  If it is your strategy to do this GTY to gain a complementary upgrade, careful what you wish for. You might get it and regret it. So when any of us, myself included do a GTY, that means in my book, NO complaining.  You knew the rules to the game and you selected to go down this path.  

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

 

 

[pinotlover]

43 minutes ago, Sthrngary said:

 

 

If one does do a GTY, they should have a very good reason to do so.  Many have been discussed their reasons.  However, ALL that choose this approach need to know they gave their rights away to choosing the stateroom, location, deck.  What you are assigned is at the sole discretion of Oceania.  You will most likely get the category you are GTY in like PH3 Guarantee.  If it is your strategy to do this GTY to gain a complementary upgrade, careful what you wish for. You might get it and regret it. So when any of us, myself included do a GTY, that means in my book, NO complaining.  You knew the rules to the game and you selected to go down this path.  

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

 

 

And so it likewise is utilizing Oceania Air. You choose them, you get what they give you. Fairly simple.

 

Now for the “ No complaining “ part! 😂