Booking a Balcony Guarantee on large ship - Questions

[PattyW]

I haven't booked a balcony guarantee on a ship with neighborhood balconies before, but I think we are going to roll the dice with Icon and save the $400.

For those who book balcony guarantees on Oasis class ships, do you generally get the lowest cost neighborhood balcony (obstructed view if possible) or do you find yourself slotted randomly?

 

The cheapest balcony cabins on Icon are deck 14 central park balconies (which we are fine with - downside is they are right under the pool deck which I've heard makes for noisy early mornings as crew drag lounge chairs back into place) but there really aren't that many of them in the grand scheme of things (under 50 total cabins), next up are surf side balconies which are much more plentiful and we are also fine with in theory (downside, may be loud at peak times since surf side seems like it will be a destination for active young kids), though there are several obstructed view cabins per deck and we don't really know what that means.  As long as we can actively use the balcony and it's not reduced in size by a giant pastel surf board or palm tree or something, I don't think we care about an obstruction.

 

I also remember reading that it's possible to switch your cabin once assigned to an open cabin of the same category?  I imagine Icon will be sailing sold out, so probably not an option, but is this possible (switch from obstructed to non obstructed if available)?

 

 

[firefly333]

I'm not sure there are obstructed central park balconies. So yes if you get assigned one call and try to get  moved. I have heard higher up you get more pool noise. I got deck 12 last time, higher than I wanted but the cabin I wanted was gone on lower decks. 

 

I would try and move lower if you got assigned deck 14, but who knows. 

[Starry Eyes]

I don’t know if past Oasis class gty assignments will be of much help foretelling your future Icon gty assignment, though I’m happy share my Oasis class assignment memories.  I’ve booked multiple XN over the years and been assigned both Central Park and Boardwalk.  I have not necessarily been assigned the one that was cheaper when I booked or cheaper when cabins were assigned.  Once I thought I’d probably get CP because substantially more were available than BW and CP was cheaper, yet I’d be assigned BW🤷‍♀️.  Usually though if one had far greater availability at assignment time, that’s where I’d land.

I have been allowed to swap cabins within the exact same category one assigned if a cabin I like better is still available.  Lately by the time I am assigned there are often no cabins in my category available, better or worse.

 

Here’s my approach: I picture the absolute worst (for me) balcony cabin assignment; that’s what I paid for with a gty balcony booking.  I accept the idea of that cabin or I need to pay for an upgrade.  If I am assigned that cabin, I got what I paid for.  If I get anything better, even a little better, I remember to be happy.

Edited January 4 by Starry Eyes