Princes picks good or bad experiences?

[teddie2]

So we are not bidding whether we should select princess pics in a particular section

Apparently that would be a guaranteed room in the section that we select

 It's wondering if others have done that and if so did you get a decent room or did you get stuck in some place you were not happy with.

 

 

[reedprincess]

Just now, teddie2 said:

So we are not bidding whether we should select princess pics in a particular section

Apparently that would be a guaranteed room in the section that we select

 It's wondering if others have done that and if so did you get a decent room or did you get stuck in some place you were not happy with.

 

 

Yes, I've had great rooms with Guarantee bookings, ie Let Princess Choose stateroom category.

You'll get the category you book or better.

Haven't had a bad room that way yet. 

Then again, I'm not all that picky - I don't choose categories that would have me under the buffet or such. 

[teddie2]

Exactly I am picking mid Aft for interior decks 9 10 or 11 which are all with rooms above and below. I guess I am concerned we will be placed right by the elevator but I guess that is a risk I would have to take.

I just want to be sure I get a room on one of those decks as close to mis ship as possible. There are none mid so best.I can do is mid aft

 

[teddie2]

Just wanted to be sure they put you where you requested 

[NavyVeteran]

9 minutes ago, teddie2 said:

Just wanted to be sure they put you where you requested 

They may not put you on the deck you requested. They will put you in the category you booked or any higher category anywhere on the ship.

[teddie2]

16 minutes ago, NavyVeteran said:

They may not put you on the deck you requested. They will put you in the category you booked or any higher category anywhere on the ship.

 

[teddie2]

So I coukd get stuck on deck 5 aft even though I picked mid ship deck 10?

[reedprincess]

41 minutes ago, teddie2 said:

So I coukd get stuck on deck 5 aft even though I picked mid ship deck 10?

If the deck 5 cabin is a higher category than the one you booked, maybe.

But, unlikely as that's usually not the case. 

[Steelers36]

1 hour ago, teddie2 said:

So I could get stuck on deck 5 aft even though I picked mid ship deck 10?

I agree.  No way is anything on Deck 5 Aft going to be up to level you booked.  What Category did you book the GTY in?  If you don't know, look at your Travel Summary.  The system will have told you the category when pricing.  Did you self-book or use a TA?

[wallyj]

4 hours ago, teddie2 said:

So I coukd get stuck on deck 5 aft even though I picked mid ship deck 10?

The key is the 2 letter category you booked, not necessarily the deck. So if that area/location might have ID’s,  you theoretically could be upgraded to deck 5 in a IC. You need to acquaint yourself the various locations your selected Guaranteed Categories are located thought out the ship and possibly higher ones in case you get upgraded.
 

What you are guaranteed is the Category or higher, not the deck or mid forward or mid aft sections. Normally the higher or closer to A, the second letter of your category, the more mid ship those cabins will be located, of course there are exceptions.

 

 

[teddie2]

Ok it's so confusing

If I selected pick your own room and then select interior cabin mid aft deck 10..it then says no rooms available here at this time  but princess will assign a room in this area before the cruise.   That is different from initially saying let princess pick. Then as I understand it they will put you anywhere. Also the price is higher if you pick your own.  So I was hoping by doing that I would get the decks I want. That's 9 10 or 11

I have no idea what letter category that is. It does not say.

Also I have not booked yet. Is it better to book woth a TA or through a Princess  Cruise planner. One keeps bugging me. I just felt I have more control booking myself

Edited October 18, 2023 by teddie2

[partybarbie]

I used to book my own cabins, because like you, I felt I had more control over the booking. However, the untrained and incompetent employees that work in the Princess call centers have convinced me otherwise. I will only book through a travel agent now. If I experience a problem, or need to change something, my TA takes care of it, saving me time and avoiding the frustration of dealing with the Princess call center. BTW, the agency I use gives extra shipboard credits. On my cruise next week, it’s $300 for the cabin. If I had booked directly with Princess, it would have been zero dollars.

[SCX22]

There is a meta category and location category assigned to your guarantee.  You will be assigned a cabin in that category or higher.

 

22 minutes ago, teddie2 said:

If I selected pick your own room and then select interior cabin mid aft deck 10..it then says no rooms available here at this time  but princess will assign a room in this area before the cruise.

 

Doesn't always work out this way.  If Princess decides to upgrade you, then you could be assigned to another deck/location.

 

23 minutes ago, teddie2 said:

That is different from initially saying let princess pick.

 

This booking type of guarantee book you into the lowest location category and usually is associated with a non-refundable deposit.

 

 

 

 

The above shows all the cabin categories on the Marina Deck and Riviera Deck for the Enchanted Princess.  You could book a category BB guarantee "on the Riviera Deck" (in quotes because decks don't really matter in a guarantee), for example, and still end up on the Marina Deck because this category exists on both decks.  If you book a BA guarantee "on the Riviera Deck,"  you could still end up on the Marina Deck if Princess were, for example, to upgrade you to a DF when assigning your cabin.

 

[teddie2]

Then what is the point of paying extra to pick your own room and selecting a " zone" as the PA called it.  They said I would be assigned in zone I selected.  If I said let princess pick initially for the lesser price then I coukd see being placed wherever. 

 Also website says princess picks is fully refundable

[teddie2]

BTW when I go to select I dint see all that is sown above with the letters

[teddie2]

On the Island princess when I go to book it asks let princess pick or pick your own. When I select pick your own then I pick category interior area mid aft and the go to the decks the drop downs on the decks side have rooms available to pick and some just say we will pick for you later and guaranteed a room in this area. So you are saying that is not the case?  

[SCX22]

13 minutes ago, teddie2 said:

we will pick for you later

 

This part is for sure.

 

13 minutes ago, teddie2 said:

a room in this area

 

This part isn't for sure.  Like I said, you could get an upgrade or the ship on your sailing could run out of cabins in that area.

 

 

Guarantee cabins means that Princess will assign you a cabin in the category/location you paid for or higher.  One pays for passage and the cabin will be assigned before embarkation under Princess' purview.  If not knowing your exact cabin location bothers you, it's best not to book guarantee. 

 

It's a gamble.  I always book guarantee with the mentality that best case scenario, I get an upgrade, or worse case scenario, I get a assigned a cabin in the category I booked.  Ship location doesn't matter to me as time on a cruise is better than being at home.  You can have a different sentiment and that's okay too.

 

[teddie2]

Yes got it. There is something that say this is not refundable

 Too confusing because initially when given a choice it says both are refundable. In any case now when I go into the website there is nothing at all on decks 9 10  or 11 not even they will pick. Only rooms on 8 ND 5 The boat is mostly booked.   My H is a light s

 sleeper and so thst will be an issue.  Just wonder if a TA might have rooms available there. 🤔   Thank you for all the info.

[Cruise Raider]

39 minutes ago, teddie2 said:

Yes got it. There is something that say this is not refundable

 Too confusing because initially when given a choice it says both are refundable. In any case now when I go into the website there is nothing at all on decks 9 10  or 11 not even they will pick. Only rooms on 8 ND 5 The boat is mostly booked.   My H is a light s

 sleeper and so thst will be an issue.  Just wonder if a TA might have rooms available there. 🤔   Thank you for all the info.

 
Holland America had this process for quite some time where you couldn’t pick your room, which is the reason I won’t book with them any longer.  Maybe they’ve changed.  
For us, the cabin we choose is very important in our overall enjoyment of our entire trip.  If you’re sleep deprived, how much fun could that be?  But, some people don’t mind a ship way up forward just above the theater.  These are the ones that do well with booking a guarantee.  
Anyway, after being right under the pool deck on the Crown many years ago, I stopped booking guarantees.  They do seem to put you in the cabins that are leftover, the ones nobody else wants.  
I learned that the rooms are blocked out from view once there are under a certain number of them booked in that category.  Even my travel planner that works for Princess can’t see them.  
 

[teddie2]

Thanks that ls what I was afraid if. We may have to scrap this cruise. The friends waited too long to make a decision.

[MacMadame]

On 10/18/2023 at 6:49 AM, SCX22 said:

Guarantee cabins means that Princess will assign you a cabin in the category/location you paid for or higher.

But she didn't pick a guaranteed cabin. She chose "pick your cabin" but wanted to be in a section with none available. So this is some in-between option between guaranteed and select your own. It sounds like she's on a waitlist of some sort.

 

@teddie2 I would talk to a Princess Vacation Planner and ask them *exactly* how it works.

[teddie2]

They told me I would get something in that "zone" that I selected 

This is the wording

Selecting this option will guarantee a stateroom assignment in this location or a comparable location prior to sailing. Not surexwhat a " comparable location is. Deck is not comparable to 9 10 or 11 to me but the PVP really don't know much frim what I have experienced. They only seem interested in booking you and upselling. I got the same vibe from Norwegian reps. Almost rude.. asked a few questions and they said call me when you are ready to book and we can go over the details and aldonlied about there being do it yourself laundry on board. So I feel these forums are more useful