Cabin selection good news or bad?

[caterpa]

I am on the encore July 21-28. We have 2 inside guarantee cabins as that was all that was left when we booked late. 

 

Yet our cabins haven't been assigned yet. We also put in for upgrades on upgrade advantage.  

 

This cruise appears sold out.   Is the fact we don't yet have a cabin assigned probably good or bad news on our cabin location and/or for an upgrade?     We bid in the 'good' range in case that matters. 

 

[gizfish]

No news is no news.  Maybe you will end up in a higher category.  Maybe they will bump someone out of an interior to a higher category and put you in their now available cabin.  The upgrade advantage program is not administered by NCL, and it's algorithm hasn't been definitively figured out.  So, the chances you will be assigned to a cabin before getting on the ship is 100%.  Other than that, unfortunately there is no predicting anything else.

[schmoopie17]

We never do the upgrade game, so can't say for sure, but...if the cruise is truly sold out, where would they move you?

[caterpa]

Yesh I get that.  But it seems like the sales/supply process isnt super clear and how they arrive at the sold out decision. 

 

Then there are frequently last minute cancellations for 'x' reason....

 

 

[omahabob]

42 minutes ago, caterpa said:

Yesh I get that.  But it seems like the sales/supply process isnt super clear and how they arrive at the sold out decision.....

 

Welcome to Norwegian.

[The Traveling Man]

Unfortunately there have been some recent reports on Cruise Critic of passengers with "Guaranteed" staterooms being bumped at the pier.  I never have seen this happen, but it has been reported on this forum, so I suppose it is possible.  If it is true, then "guarantee" really is not a guarantee.  We have received notification of our stateroom number as late as 24 hours prior to departure time, so let's hope it works out for you.  In any case, you probably should not expect your two staterooms to be adjacent or even close to each other.

[julig22]

1 hour ago, The Traveling Man said:

Unfortunately there have been some recent reports on Cruise Critic of passengers with "Guaranteed" staterooms being bumped at the pier.  I never have seen this happen, but it has been reported on this forum, so I suppose it is possible.  If it is true, then "guarantee" really is not a guarantee.  We have received notification of our stateroom number as late as 24 hours prior to departure time, so let's hope it works out for you.  In any case, you probably should not expect your two staterooms to be adjacent or even close to each other.

I believe it was 1 report (regarding NCL anyway) and it involved a very last-minute booking (ship had previously been listed as sold out), that passenger did not stick around to see if there were any last minute cancellations which would have resolved the issue. According to that same report, there was also another family - I've never seen any follow-up so guessing they found a cabin for them.

 

[caterpa]

Boy I sure hope that isn't a thing that happens much  

 

Our cabins being close isn't any issue at all thankfully as we are family but all adults. 

[mjkacmom]

46 minutes ago, caterpa said:

Boy I sure hope that isn't a thing that happens much  

 

Our cabins being close isn't any issue at all thankfully as we are family but all adults. 

It doesn’t, I saw one report here over years.

[tomk3212]

We've sailed NCL for over 20 years & almost always book an Inside GTY cabin.  We've gotten our cabin assigned anywhere from 2 months prior to sailing (a TA to Europe) or, literally, the night before departure; we had to use the hotel we were staying at the night before sailing's printer to print our luggage tags!  So you never really know when you might get your cabin assignment.  So far as an upgrade is concerned if you haven't heard by now my guess is your bid wasn't accepted.

 

My 2 cents.  In any event, hope you have a great cruise!

[caterpa]

1 hour ago, tomk3212 said:

We've sailed NCL for over 20 years & almost always book an Inside GTY cabin.  We've gotten our cabin assigned anywhere from 2 months prior to sailing (a TA to Europe) or, literally, the night before departure; we had to use the hotel we were staying at the night before sailing's printer to print our luggage tags!  So you never really know when you might get your cabin assignment.  So far as an upgrade is concerned if you haven't heard by now my guess is your bid wasn't accepted.

 

My 2 cents.  In any event, hope you have a great cruise!

Thank you.  

Wow you have quite the cruise history. I'm jealous. 

Have you always gotten an inside?  Good ship locations?  Undesirable ones?   Free upgrades?  Bid on higher categories?  
I only chose this booking category as that was all that was left at the late date we booked a few weeks ago....normally I like to have more control over my booking so this is kinda driving me nuts.  But as you say....we are going no matter so we will enjoy it!  

Edited July 10 by caterpa

[tomk3212]

@caterpaLocations got steadily better as we advanced up the Latitudes ladder from Bronze up to where we are now.  We've been fairly successful at bidding on higher categories; 2 of our last 4 bids were successful to a balcony from a GTY Inside.  Not too shabby!  We've also been upgraded a couple of times by our PCC for a price differential instead of $$ which I'd MUCH rather have!  We're also both 70yo so we've had LOTS of time to amass the number of cruises we've taken so don't be TOO jealous...lol

 

Yeah, don't blame ya for wanting to be in control but remember that ANY day on ANY cruise ship in ANY location is BETTER than a day at home or work...lol

 

Have a great cruise!

Edited July 10 by tomk3212

[caterpa]

So, update.....

 

I am now 6 days from the cruise and still am showing a guaranteed inside cabin and no assignment.  

 

If we didn't get an upgrade bid accepted, would we get an email saying we didn't get one accepted?

 

The cruise is reportedly sold out.  Do we stand a poor chance of getting lucky on a good cabin or are we likely to get a bad one at this point?  

 

Is NCL holding out on assigning to see if the cruise has any last minute no shows or cancellations?

 

Anyone with any insight or history of similar circumstances?

 

I am glad wee have reservations on this cruise.  I wish we'd have booked earlier so I wouldnt be in this anxiety inducing cabin guarantee we were forced to choose due to the cruise nearing sold out status.

 

We did this only once prior, decades ago, on my wife and my engagement cruise in 1997.

Edited July 16 by caterpa

[cruiseny4life]

11 hours ago, caterpa said:

If we didn't get an upgrade bid accepted, would we get an email saying we didn't get one accepted?

Yes, you'll receive an email after you've embarked stating that your bid was not accepted. Given your description of a sold out ship, I'm going to wager a guess that you'll not win. Good luck, though!!

[caterpa]

OK makes sense.  I thought perhaps if my bid was rejected we might get an email before embarkation.  So it sounds like it isnt certain where I stand yet.  

 

I simply can't figure out why we haven't been given an assignment yet on a guarantee inside cabin....seems like they'd assign one and if we get our upgrade bid accepted then they'd change us. 

Edited July 16 by caterpa

[mjkacmom]

59 minutes ago, caterpa said:

OK makes sense.  I thought perhaps if my bid was rejected we might get an email before embarkation.  So it sounds like it isnt certain where I stand yet.  

 

I simply can't figure out why we haven't been given an assignment yet on a guarantee inside cabin....seems like they'd assign one and if we get our upgrade bid accepted then they'd change us. 

You can find out your assignment at the port sometimes.

[zqvol]

1 hour ago, caterpa said:

OK makes sense.  I thought perhaps if my bid was rejected we might get an email before embarkation.  So it sounds like it isnt certain where I stand yet.  

 

I simply can't figure out why we haven't been given an assignment yet on a guarantee inside cabin....seems like they'd assign one and if we get our upgrade bid accepted then they'd change us. 

They are waiting to process all the upgrades, then they will assign your inside cabin. The odds of you getting anything other than an inside cabin at this late date are very slim (not impossible), but you should not count on it. 
 

BTW the email saying you did not get an upgrade will come after boarding has closed, and maybe even after sailaway. 

Edited July 16 by zqvol