Celebrity Guaranteed Suite

[abbydancer2003]

16 minutes ago, SbbquilterUT said:

Yes.  Was not originally part of the plan, but when hearing of 12 nights around beautiful NZ it seemed like a great use of the long flight down (or so I told DH).

We're on that as the second of our B2B.  We did Singapore to Sydney to Honolulu to Vancouver on the Solstice earlier this year, so we'll fly back from Sydney.

[jamacka]

21 hours ago, abbydancer2003 said:

In April, we booked two cruises on the Beyond in June.  On one, the only option was the Suite Guarantee, and on the other we saved some money.  Within a week we had S1 on Deck for one, and an AS on Deck 10 for the other.

 

The AS is the most forward room on 10, and is technically listed as obstructed, because it's just below and behind the bridge.  We had it on the Apex (fairly last minute booking there too and all that was available), and we were happy with it,   So happy with both.

 

The biggest issue is changing rooms, but we'd have to do that anyway.

My sister had the Celebrity suite directly behind the bridge (11101) on the Apex.  We had the one next to her... second Celebrity Suite from the bow (11103). They had to keep their curtains closed much of the time because the folks on the bridge could look in at them. 😄  Our cabin was fine though.

[jamacka]

2 hours ago, RichYak said:

 

I've never been in one, but I only ever recall reading negative comments about them, like water everywhere in the bathroom when one showers. I also overheard a woman vehemently complaining to one of the Retreat concierges on embarkation day trying to get assigned to a different sky suite from the accessible one she suddenly realized she had.

Oh... The showers are barrier-free so if there's no shower door or if the door doesn't seal at the bottom I suppose water would go everywhere.  Pack extra socks.😄

[leaveitallbehind]

4 hours ago, jamacka said:

Our problem is we're on a B2B2B. The longer we wait to find out our cabin assignment the less likely there will be other cabins available for all three legs of our trip. While moving to a different cabin isn't unheard of, we'd rather just be settled.  

Makes complete sense.  With that many successive cruises getting the same stateroom for all three with normal bookings can be a challenge!  Forget those odds with GTY's on a B2B2B!

[jamacka]

1 hour ago, Team Stag said:

We have booked suite GTY twice on E-Class ships as the prices started to rise.  The rooms were assigned in a couple weeks and neither were for the Magic Carpet.  Those suites have seemed to build their own following are rather popular.  

My wife loves the Thermal Suite; so we were going to add that to one of our cruises.  By the time we factor that price in & a price drop; we were able to upgrade to an Aqua Class Suite for less than the Thermal Suite price so we ended up moving from one on of the rooms.  The other was fine - it was an S1 on the 10 floor in about 10 rooms towards the bow from the Magic Carpet Suites.  

What's a Thermal Suite?  

[jamacka]

1 hour ago, abbydancer2003 said:

Just curious, would you have been able, for a bit more money, book the same room for all three?  

 

On our first B2B2B we had three different rooms.  The first was an AS the other two were SS.  I was able to move the 2nd and 3rd to the same room, but I couldn't move the first without losing tips and OBC because it was in a different category.  So we moved once.

 

On our upcoming cruises, by the time we booked, we couldn't get the same room, so we went with the guarantee for both.

Yes.. absolutely. Here's what happened.  Sunday we called to inquire about the cruises because we actually had those cruises booked for this past spring but had to cancel due to a family emergency. The agent we spoke to Sunday gave us a courtesy hold with the Guaranteed Suite.  
Monday we called back to confirm and asked if we could actually choose our room and the agent yesterday said we could. So, first we had the agent price out a Sunset Sky Suite and after some consideration like distance to the Retreat and price (because we're paying in Canadian $) we decided to have her price out a regular SkySuite and that's when she said she couldn't for some reason. Some policy or something. That's what's weird about it.  We could have books a Sunset SS but not an ordinary SS.

[jamacka]

1 hour ago, chemmo said:

It is simple supply and demand…

 

Those who pay full price choose their preferred type of suite in their preferred location.
 

Then some people near to cruise time will offer amounts they are willing to pay to upgrade to specific suites aware their may or not get an upgrade.

 

You have paid to be guaranteed a suite. Your suite will be allocated based on the consequences of the purchases of others…

 

 

Yes.. but we'd like to pay for the room we want now.  We shouldn't be locked into the Guaranteed thing if we'd prefer to pay more to book the cabin of our choice.

[jamacka]

1 hour ago, SbbquilterUT said:

Looks like we will be sailing with you if it is the Edge though not in the Retreat.  Are you staying on for the 3 night sailing between NZ and departing on the transpacific?  We are going to stay in Sydney for those three days, an extra treat for this trip.  

Oh... I should check the papers.  I thought it was B2B2B but maybe there is a 3 day cruise in there in which case we are not doing that one.

 

We're in Nova Scotia and so far the plan is to fly to Vancouver for a few days to visit family and get a little jet lag out of the way.  Then fly to Sydney a week ahead of the 1st cruise to recover from the rest of the jet lag and to see a bit of Australia. When we had the cruise planned for this past spring we were only going to do 2 legs.... New Zealand on the Edge and then a few days later do the transpacific to Hawaii on the Solstice. We were planning on spending a few days in Waikiki before flying home.  This time we've just decided to stay on to Vancouver. 

It's fun to meet somebody already booked on the same cruise!!!

[jamacka]

1 hour ago, abbydancer2003 said:

We're on that as the second of our B2B.  We did Singapore to Sydney to Honolulu to Vancouver on the Solstice earlier this year, so we'll fly back from Sydney.

We were supposed to be on that Solstice cruise as far a Hawaii, except for the family emergency that sidelined us.

[jamacka]

1 hour ago, abbydancer2003 said:

Is that the 4/5/25 NZ cruise?

12 night NewZealand on April 5 - 17/ 2025

18 night Tahitian Treasure (Hawaii) April 20 - May 8

9 night Hawaii (Vancouver) May 7 - 18 


And so yea.. we have a few days between New Zealand and the cruise to Hawaii.

Weird that the date on the ticket info has the cruise to Vancouver leaving the day before the ship arrives in Honolulu. The paperwork says differently though
 

[jamacka]

59 minutes ago, leaveitallbehind said:

Makes complete sense.  With that many successive cruises getting the same stateroom for all three with normal bookings can be a challenge!  Forget those odds with GTY's on a B2B2B!

HAha.. just confirmed there is a 3 night cruise in between the New Zealand and the one to Hawaii.  Thanks folks.  We totally forgot.  LOL

I wonder if the ship will let us leave our big suitcase in storage during that 3 days we're not on the ship so we only need to take an overnight bag when we disembark from that first cruise.

[abbydancer2003]

15 minutes ago, jamacka said:

12 night NewZealand on April 5 - 17/ 2025

18 night Tahitian Treasure (Hawaii) April 20 - May 8

9 night Hawaii (Vancouver) May 7 - 18 


And so yea.. we have a few days between New Zealand and the cruise to Hawaii.

Weird that the date on the ticket info has the cruise to Vancouver leaving the day before the ship arrives in Honolulu. The paperwork says differently though
 

It's because you cross the dateline and repeat a date. Ours did.   And by the way, you'll probably have to contact Captains Club after getting to Hawaii because they will not credit you for the repeated date automatically.

 

 

[Georgia_Peaches]

1 hour ago, jamacka said:

What's a Thermal Suite?  

The place where you’ll find the heated stone loungers, sauna, steam room, snow room etc. Celebrity fails in this area imo compared to MSC or NCL where ther thermal suite also includes a therapy pool and whirlpool depending on the ship. 

[Blueseas109]

I have a gty suite booked for next January on Ascent and have already been assigned a MC suite deck 11.  I’m fine with that but then Celebrity had a sale and the price of the sky suite was the same as the gty rate. I called to inquire and was told I could book it but I would lose all the OBC I received for booking on board.  I don’t think the change is worth giving up $250. 

 

 

 

 

[abbydancer2003]

6 minutes ago, Blueseas109 said:

I have a gty suite booked for next January on Ascent and have already been assigned a MC suite deck 11.  I’m fine with that but then Celebrity had a sale and the price of the sky suite was the same as the gty rate. I called to inquire and was told I could book it but I would lose all the OBC I received for booking on board.  I don’t think the change is worth giving up $250. 

 

 

 

 

I thought you could refare without losing the book on board, just maybe any perks you booked with, for example, tips.

[Blueseas109]

2 minutes ago, abbydancer2003 said:

I thought you could refare without losing the book on board, just maybe any perks you booked with, for example, tips.

I’m going to call again before final payment. Maybe I’ll get a different answer. 

[jamacka]

2 hours ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

The place where you’ll find the heated stone loungers, sauna, steam room, snow room etc. Celebrity fails in this area imo compared to MSC or NCL where ther thermal suite also includes a therapy pool and whirlpool depending on the ship. 

Oh in the spa.   We very much enjoy the steam room.  Last June we did a back to back Iceland and then Norway cruise on the Apex.  There were a few chilly excursions and coming back and sitting in the steam room and also the sauna were glorious.

[mauimary]

8 hours ago, jamacka said:

Just to follow up on more details.
The reason I'm nervous about not knowing where we'll be is because we're on a B2B2B.

12 night New Zealand, 18 night Sydney - Hawaii, 9 night Hawaii - Vancouver 

 

39 days is a long time to be in a cabin we're not happy with.  The reason I don't want a Magic Carpet suite is because I like to be able to go out on the balcony and look forward and back and I believe the orange tracks for the Magic Carpet will obstruct our view. 

What I don't understand is if Magic Carpet suites are so wonderful why are they delegated to the people who pay less? Shouldn't they sell those Suites at full price and give us regular Sky Suites elsewhere? To me, this process make me feel like Magic Carpet suites are not as desirable and don't sell as quickly as regular suites so they unload them on us cheap folk.

We are on a b2b2b2b2b on the same itinerary in reverse in the Fall.   We’re not thrilled but we are changing staterooms twice. Although on one of  them is only next door. 
 

April/May 2023 Capt Kate was on the Beyond traveling as a passenger for part of the summer. She was in a Magic Carpet Suite so it couldn’t have been too bad. 

Edited June 11 by mauimary

[jamacka]

29 minutes ago, mauimary said:

We are on a b2b2b2b2b on the same itinerary in reverse in the Fall.   We’re not thrilled but we are changing staterooms twice. Although on one of  them is only next door. 
 

April/May 2023 Capt Kate was on the Beyond traveling as a passenger for part of the summer. She was in a Magic Carpet Suite so it couldn’t have been too bad. 

We were thinking of the fall cruises but couldn't get it together. 

[wineoclock]

We had a gty on our October cruise last year on beyond. We loved it - magic carpet far more than our CS the year before. Next year we’ve booked the MC again. 

[Lolou127]

7 hours ago, Blueseas109 said:

I have a gty suite booked for next January on Ascent and have already been assigned a MC suite deck 11.  I’m fine with that but then Celebrity had a sale and the price of the sky suite was the same as the gty rate. I called to inquire and was told I could book it but I would lose all the OBC I received for booking on board.  I don’t think the change is worth giving up $250. 

 

 

 

 

Blueseas, I’ve just had that experience with X when I wanted to upgrade our stateroom, eventually they conceded and gave us $200 OBC as a gesture of goodwill, be persistent and polite, it’s a stupid rule they have especially when the current offer includes OBC it’s discriminatory against existing customers in my opinion!

[jamacka]

We got our cabin assignments and every single one was a MC Suite right next to the giant orange pillars that hold the Magic Carpet. Three separate cruises.... three different MC cabins requiring we move between our B2B cruise. One was on Deck 12 where the view was going to be oppressive and obstructed by the bottom of the Magic Carpet itself.  

So we called Celebrity and had a great agent who managed to find us a Sky Suite on Deck 10 that we will have for both the Sydney to Hawaii cruise and the following Hawaii to Vancouver cruise for only a few Hundred $ per cruise.  We decided to stick with the MC Suite for the New Zealand cruise just to see what it's like.  It is, I believe, on Deck 10.

[chemmo]

1 hour ago, jamacka said:

We got our cabin assignments and every single one was a MC Suite right next to the giant orange pillars that hold the Magic Carpet. Three separate cruises.... three different MC cabins requiring we move between our B2B cruise. One was on Deck 12 where the view was going to be oppressive and obstructed by the bottom of the Magic Carpet itself.  

So we called Celebrity and had a great agent who managed to find us a Sky Suite on Deck 10 that we will have for both the Sydney to Hawaii cruise and the following Hawaii to Vancouver cruise for only a few Hundred $ per cruise.  We decided to stick with the MC Suite for the New Zealand cruise just to see what it's like.  It is, I believe, on Deck 10.

So pleased the agent was able to sort you out so satisfactorily! Sincere best wishes for a wonderful cruise!

[Blueseas109]

7 hours ago, jamacka said:

We got our cabin assignments and every single one was a MC Suite right next to the giant orange pillars that hold the Magic Carpet. Three separate cruises.... three different MC cabins requiring we move between our B2B cruise. One was on Deck 12 where the view was going to be oppressive and obstructed by the bottom of the Magic Carpet itself.  

So we called Celebrity and had a great agent who managed to find us a Sky Suite on Deck 10 that we will have for both the Sydney to Hawaii cruise and the following Hawaii to Vancouver cruise for only a few Hundred $ per cruise.  We decided to stick with the MC Suite for the New Zealand cruise just to see what it's like.  It is, I believe, on Deck 10.

Congrats! After reading favorable reviews about the MC suites I am going to stay put for now. Enjoy your cruise.

[jamacka]

6 hours ago, chemmo said:

So pleased the agent was able to sort you out so satisfactorily! Sincere best wishes for a wonderful cruise!

Celebrity agents are truly the best. I don't think we've ever had a bad experience on a Celebrity cruise.  It always goes smoothly in the end.