Room Gaurentee Is It Worth The Savings??

[browneyedpete]

I'm looking to book in February 2009 and I can save $100 per person by doing room gaurentee is it worth the savings? Has anyone had good or bad luck with t is option?

[waitin4acruise]

Its up to you if you are happy with anywhere on the ship go for it i would and have.;)

[tha sista]

If you care where your cabin is then a guarantee is not for you. If you don't care just as long as you are on the ship, then book a guarantee. Book only what you will be satisfied with!

[jas1178]

Assuming the past guest rate isn't yet available for that sailing? When it is (assuming it is) you will get the guarantee price for at least A category (pick your cabin) Most likely at least a 2 category upgrade too...

 

YMMV

[KenMo]

To me, it would be worth the extra $100 pp to pick my cabin.

 

I'd really hate to be stuck in a cabin I wasn't happy with.

[Wennfred]

We used to always select guarantee and select the lowest possible category like a Cat. 1a or a Cat. 4a but after our Spirit Cruise we will now start selecting our specific cabin.

 

Go here and read about my last Guarantee cabin nightmare :D

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=537710

 

 

 

Fred

[firefly333]

Assuming the past guest rate isn't yet available for that sailing? When it is (assuming it is) you will get the guarantee price for at least A category (pick your cabin) Most likely at least a 2 category upgrade too...

 

YMMV

 

My pvp wouldnt give me the guarantee price, she always said I had to book at least a 4A or a 6A or 8A to get the free upgrade.

 

Either another sign my PVP isnt as good as others, or its because of which ship it is?

[ladybug97]

Our next cruise will make our 7th with Carnival and not until the past three have we taken advantage of the guaranteed cabin. Our last cruise was a European and we opted to do it mainly because it was a savings of $300 per person!!!! The same goes for our cruise we just booked! When you total of $600 savings for just your cabin it's a little hard to pass up. I have been 100% happy with booking in this fashion. We had a PERFECT cabin in Sept. on the Main deck right smack in the middle of the ship! Couldn't have asked for a better location. We do however have a wonderful Repersentive via Carnival who has assisted us in every booking we have ever made. She is wonderful!!! So, I would say, make a request of where you would like to be because it can't hurt and if you get it then great!! But just remember it is only that, a request. Good luck with which ever you decide but I would say for the savings...give it a chance! :D

[ladybug97]

Firefly333 -- I meant to respond to your statement also but forgot in all of my rambling! We did indeed get an upgrade on our last cruise, even with the guarantee cabin. We went from the Riveria to the Upper deck on the Freedom.

[Okie Steve]

For my first cruise, the 4G was the cheapest option available when I booked, about 4 months from cruise date. I ended up with the best interior stateroom on the Conquest according to some - 1052 on the Panorama Deck! I didn't care if I got a broom closet, and I ended up pretty good!

[dec2007w3boys]

We booked an IS on our Valor cruise this past November. We ended up on the Empress deck - we were very pleased. I originally booked another IS for the Freedom this Thanksgiving. With the one day sale last week - I changed and went to a 4G - but I paid for a 4A. I am now on the Lido deck and happy. For my next, I will again start with a IS and go from there. I am all about saving money - but I couldn't pass up the room on the lido. Now I just hope I don't get sea sick. :eek:

[Wennfred]

Thumbs up on Guarantee, until you end up with that Nightmare cabins like I did above. :D

 

Just like playing the Lottery, or opening up that box of chocolates.

 

 

 

Fred

[sassy0930]

We've booked two gaurantees now. I like it, but we aren't picky AT ALL. We like a consistent noise at night (think white noise machine or something) so the last room we had, The farthest aft on the riviera, was great. the humming from the engines was great. no extra noise. And lots of exercise to get anywhere so we didn't gain any weight, hahaha. I do hope we get a higher room this time, but we will take anything as long as we're on the ship.

 

I do hate waiting to know my room though. Can't ask others if they've had ETC...

[FamilyDoc]

Another time the guarantee is great is for a Suite. We are going on the Triumph (8 day) and the Cat 11 doesn't sleep 4. So we get a Suite Guarantee, paying less than a Cat 11 and end up in a Cat 12.

It would be fun to know your room number in advance but doing it this way saves us about 700 per person. :)

 

That being said, we once had a room directly under the Lido pool area and it sounded like a herd of elephants was dancing until about 3-4 am every night.

[VentureMan_2000]

I'd go for a GTY every time.

 

Quite often, Carnival has Past Guest specials where you can book at the GTY price, and they give you the highest upgrade available in your cabin category.

[rockwood84]

I've done guarantee twice, and have been very pleased with our cabin assignment each time. The other times, we've booked during free upgrade periods and chose to go that route.

[stompnizzles]

We used to always select guarantee and select the lowest possible category like a Cat. 1a or a Cat. 4a but after our Spirit Cruise we will now start selecting our specific cabin.

 

Go here and read about my last Guarantee cabin nightmare :D

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=537710

 

 

 

Fred

Sorry to hear about your experience. That is a concern I would have if I was leaving my cabin assignment open. I think I will pick my own cabin in the future.

[jarrettdad]

I didn't know you could book a suite guarantee? You can't on the website.

[KenMo]

I didn't know you could book a suite guarantee? You can't on the website.

 

 

I just tried to fake book a guarantee suite.....no go. It did say that suite guarantees are available. I guess you have to call Carnival??

[jarrettdad]

Still, that seems like a win-win. There are no bad suites right? :D

[browneyedpete]

Thanks for everyones input on this. I think I will take the risk and save the money. Im a very heavy sleeper so as long as I can get to sleep I'll be good.:p

[etwright]

This is only our second cruise and we booked GTY for the first time. We are not picky either as long as we are on the ship. They have already assigned us a room (Paradise Room R298). I see it is next to the elevators, but not too worried. After 22 years in the Navy and sleeping through airplanes landing on my roof, I don't think there is much noise that can keep me awake on a cruise ship. ;)

[big_duck]

Still, that seems like a win-win. There are no bad suites right? :D

 

One trick for newer ships if you have 4 people .... book a suite gty, pay less then a Cat 11 and the minimum they can give you is a Cat 12.

[jarrettdad]

One trick for newer ships if you have 4 people .... book a suite gty, pay less then a Cat 11 and the minimum they can give you is a Cat 12.

 

Awesome BD, I didn't know that one. I'll have 4 next year with my little girl. :D

[CorbinCatFan]

We booked a balcony gty 13 months out. Looked at the worst possible situation and knew for the price, we would be satified.

 

We got our cabin and it was an 8C. At the time, it meant we saved over $350 per person and was in a very good location.;)