Booked a guaranteed junior suite? I have questions

[prmami]

This is the first time that we have booked a guaranteed junior suite and I was just wondering if anyone has had experience with this or should I just go ahead and book my suite without the guarantee?

 

not exactly sure what to expect with a guaranteed suite.

[OCSC Mike]

2 minutes ago, prmami said:

not exactly sure what to expect with a guaranteed suite.

 

Expect the same thing as you would when picking your own JS except Royal will pick one for you and it can be assigned at any time from now up until just before you sail.

 

After you check in, 45 days out, you can usually find your assigned cabin before it is official by doing this...

 

Bar Code Trick

 

Method 1. If you have an Apple device, add your set sail pass to your Apple wallet. Numbers will now appear under your bar code. The numbers after the dash represent your cabin.

 

Method 2. Scan the bar code with a QR scanner from another device and that should also show you the numbers.

 

NOTE: If you see "GTY" instead of numbers, you truly haven't been assigned yet. One tip off is that if you don't see a muster station on your set sail pass then you almost definitely don't have an assignment yet.

 

[neverbeenhere]

Price differential is usually a factor between choosing a suite or booking guaranteed for most people. Look at the worst location of a junior suite on the ship in question, figure you will get that suite. If you get something better you have a small to large win. 

[la_croisiere_s'amuse]

11 minutes ago, prmami said:

This is the first time that we have booked a guaranteed junior suite and I was just wondering if anyone has had experience with this or should I just go ahead and book my suite without the guarantee?

 

My advice would be to look at the deck plan for the ship in question and determine which JS are the least desirable to you. Then ask yourself: if I'm assigned to one of those, will I be okay with that? If not, how bothered would you be, and it is worth the dollar savings?

 

Of course, you could always get lucky, but it's a risk if there are cabins you definitely do not want.

[taglovestocruise]

We have booked a GTY suite twice in the last few years. Both times we were given a JR suite   assignment a month or so after booking.  Both cabins were on a lower deck, both times we were able to switch to another more desirable location.  If you go this route never mention it was a GTY, just ask to be switched to a different cabin. Helps if you know what cabin number you would like to switch too.  This was on Navigator both times.

[leaveitallbehind]

As @taglovestocruise indicates once a GTY is issued, if you don't care for the location, you can switch to any available stateroom in the same sub-category as issued.  All you you have to do is contact whomever you booked through and they can confirm alternate location availability and make the switch at no charge  We have done this a number of times.

 

There is also no reason to avoid mentioning it was a GTY - the cruise line knows that already as it is part of the booking record.  They have no issue moving you as long as there is availability and will willingly do it.  And as mentioned they will confirm alternate locations for you before confirming the move, and will then reissue an updated booking confirmation indicating the new stateroom.  It's done all the time.

Edited July 7 by leaveitallbehind

[la_croisiere_s'amuse]

3 hours ago, taglovestocruise said:

We have booked a GTY suite twice in the last few years. Both times we were given a JR suite   assignment a month or so after booking.  Both cabins were on a lower deck, both times we were able to switch to another more desirable location.  If you go this route never mention it was a GTY, just ask to be switched to a different cabin. Helps if you know what cabin number you would like to switch too.  This was on Navigator both times.

 

3 hours ago, leaveitallbehind said:

As @taglovestocruise indicates once a GTY is issued, if you don't care for the location, you can switch to any available stateroom in the same sub-category as issued.  All you you have to do is contact whomever you booked through and they can confirm alternate location availability and make the switch at no charge  We have done this a number of times.

.

 

It's certainly possible in theory, and very often in practice, as these two testimonies show. 🙂 However, I hesitate to tell people who are on the fence about booking a GTY that they will be able to switch cabins. We don't frequently book GTYs but we've had mixed success with changes, and other people we know have had even less success. I'm sure it depends on a wide variety of factors, but it makes sense that if you're one of the last to be assigned, there might not be anything left to switch to.

[leaveitallbehind]

37 minutes ago, la_croisiere_s'amuse said:

 

 

It's certainly possible in theory, and very often in practice, as these two testimonies show. 🙂 However, I hesitate to tell people who are on the fence about booking a GTY that they will be able to switch cabins. We don't frequently book GTYs but we've had mixed success with changes, and other people we know have had even less success. I'm sure it depends on a wide variety of factors, but it makes sense that if you're one of the last to be assigned, there might not be anything left to switch to.

To be clear I said it was based on availability within the assigned sub-category, which is the only factor I am aware of.  But given available staterooms, they will switch you. Of course if there are none available, they can't move you.

 

We have done it a number of times with RCCL. Typically it was not because the location was bad, but often just to be closer to an elevator bank, or to be closer to others we are traveling with, etc.  We have also done it most recently last week with an upcoming Celebrity cruise, in that case to be more central to the main elevator banks.  I realize that is a different cruise line but their GTY policies are the same as RCCL.

Edited July 8 by leaveitallbehind

[reallyitsmema]

6 hours ago, prmami said:

This is the first time that we have booked a guaranteed junior suite and I was just wondering if anyone has had experience with this or should I just go ahead and book my suite without the guarantee?

 

not exactly sure what to expect with a guaranteed suite.

 

Whether or not I would book a suite guaranty really depends on what ship you are sailing.  I would not book a suite GTY on Voyager or Freedom class ships because the the JS cabins that are center aft facing.  We love an aft facing cabin but not the ones that are way back in the superstructure of the ship.  We would book an suite guaranty on those ships with Royal Suite Class to have access to Coastal Kitchen for at least dinner.

[Ken the cruiser]

On the WOTS cruise we just booked after final payment, the J4 GTY was more than if we booked it ourselves, which we of course did. Any idea why the GTY fare was more?

 

[reallyitsmema]

3 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

On the WOTS cruise we just booked after final payment, the J4 GTY was more than if we booked it ourselves, which we of course did. Any idea why the GTY fare was more?

 

 

No idea but I have seen the same thing in the past.

[OCSC Mike]

48 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

Any idea why the GTY fare was more?

Dynamic pricing generated by an algorithm that occasionally spits out weird prices like that based on inventory.

[Ken the cruiser]

7 minutes ago, OCSC Mike said:

Dynamic pricing generated by an algorithm that occasionally spits out weird prices like that based on inventory.

There you go. I knew there was a simple answer! 😂

[cruisegirl1]

If location is remotely important, do NOT book a guarantee.  We often book guarantees as we want a certain category, but rarely care about the specific location - EXCEPT Quantum class where we would NOT book a Bal Guarantee. 

 

With that said, there are two issues we often face. 

1- There are often NO cabins left in the assigned category so no place to move.  The category I want seems to fill up fast. 

2 - While we sometimes  know the assignment early (bar code trick), it is not on the cruise record yet.   The  agents can't (won't?) move location because they have no official cabin assignment. Then when the assignment finally shows up in the app ( or the cruise planner), it is closer to sail date, and no available cabins to move to (See #1) 

 

M

[Another_Critic]

2 hours ago, cruisegirl1 said:

- EXCEPT Quantum class where we would NOT book a Bal Guarantee. 

I've had good luck with GTYs on Quantum class.  YMMV.

 

Booked inside GTY, assigned NO* Balcony

Booked balcony GTY, assigned NO Balcony

Booked balcony GTY, assigned NO Balcony

Booked inside GTY, assigned Oceanview

Booked balcony GTY, assigned NO Balcony

Booked balcony GTY, assigned NO Balcony

 

* NO = non-obstructed

[RosieRoo]

Depends on the ship. I wouldn’t book a JS guarantee on the Radiance class.  Most of the JS cabins are under the Windjammer and subject to noise issues. 

[njkruzer]

Booked JS gty for Jewel.  Assigned Panoramic suite.  Supposedly an upgrade but no balcony.  Made ta change it.  Don't recall what we finally got as the cruise was cancelled (1/22).

[scooby1]

We booked a JS last year whilst on Anthem. It was only £150 more for JS than a Std balcony and there were no other JS options so it seemed a no brainer to us. Just been allocated the cabin and it’s a great location. Knew it might be in a not ideal place but have done well. 
 

[prmami]

I thank you all for your replies. I booked the guaranteed junior suite when we were on wonder of the seas in May

 

this next cruise will be on Rhapsody of the seas, leaving San Juan, Puerto Rico.

 

It will be three adults. I’m actually thinking about calling Royal Caribbean and just finding my own cabin. I don’t want to fly into Puerto Rico and find out that the ship is full and I have no cabin.

[Another_Critic]

8 hours ago, prmami said:

I’m actually thinking about calling Royal Caribbean and just finding my own cabin. I don’t want to fly into Puerto Rico and find out that the ship is full and I have no cabin.

You are more likely that your flight is cancelled/delayed/involuntarily bumped than you not getting a cabin.

 

Edited July 9 by Another_Critic

[prmami]

I ended up having to call Royal Caribbean anyway due to the fact I had to add another person to our suite. Guaranteed junior suites, I was told is only for double occupancy anything over double occupancy you have to choose your own room.

 

[prmami]

15 hours ago, Another_Critic said:

You are more likely that your flight is cancelled/delayed/involuntarily bumped than you not getting a cabin.

 

And that is why we fly in 2 days prior to embarkation 😉

[Ocean Boy]

On 7/7/2024 at 9:21 PM, reallyitsmema said:

 

No idea but I have seen the same thing in the past.

Same reason that sometimes an interior is priced higher than an OV... who knows?

[LisaLisa87]

1 hour ago, prmami said:

I ended up having to call Royal Caribbean anyway due to the fact I had to add another person to our suite. Guaranteed junior suites, I was told is only for double occupancy anything over double occupancy you have to choose your own room.

 

This must vary by ship (and maybe other factors?). I booked a suite GTY for 3 on Wonder. I had planned to book a JS, but that was not an option for 3 people for our sailing. Needless to say, a suite GTY was much, much cheaper than booking a GS and choosing our room. I checked some other sailings further in the future, and when JS were available for 3, they were considerably more expensive than what we paid. I’ll be happy with whatever we get.

[smokeybandit]

On 7/9/2024 at 4:43 AM, prmami said:

I don’t want to fly into Puerto Rico and find out that the ship is full and I have no cabin.

This is not going to happen.