Guarantee Cruisers

[Linda/Ohio]

I don't usually select a guarantee cabin--but the savings for a JS was over $400 per cabin. We were assigned a cabin number within a few days--a JS in a decent location. Anyone have much experience with a guarantee?

 

1) How quickly have you been assigned a cabin?

 

2) Have you ever been moved from that cabin once assigned?

 

3) Have you ever been bumped to a better category?

 

4) Our friends decided to go with an inside guarantee--anyone get a good bump up with that?

 

Please-no lectures about the choice of a guarantee. I realize they can move me at any time. Just looking to see what others experience has been when they select a guarantee.

[knewcrewzr]

I booked a suite guarantee for the Grandeur instead of the Explorer (that we were going to book) because it was actually less expensive than a balcony room on the Explorer. We live in DE and the drive to either port is almost the same. I was assigned a room within a week and it hasn't changed yet. I keep checking my cruise on the website. My luggage tags were sent with the room on it so I hope we don't get switched (unless it is for a higher level suite-ha ha like that's going to happen!) We were actually assigned a corner aft JS and I am hyped about that because we've never been in an aft anything yet.

 

Can't wait to go!!

 

sue

[Andy C]

I don't usually select a guarantee cabin--but the savings for a JS was over $400 per cabin. We were assigned a cabin number within a few days--a JS in a decent location. Anyone have much experience with a guarantee?

 

1) How quickly have you been assigned a cabin?

 

2) Have you ever been moved from that cabin once assigned?

 

3) Have you ever been bumped to a better category?

 

4) Our friends decided to go with an inside guarantee--anyone get a good bump up with that?

 

Please-no lectures about the choice of a guarantee. I realize they can move me at any time. Just looking to see what others experience has been when they select a guarantee.

 

Linda - first off ignore ALL THE FLAMERS ON THIS BOARD and there are many.

 

I just got off Liberty - booked a balcony guarantee for $1300pp and ended up in a $2200pp balcony 9th floor on the hump looking forward.

 

I was assigned my balcony almost immediately after full payment. I called my TA (who is very good) and she was able to change my cabin to that great location. Use the system to its fullest. Don't give RCI one single red cent more than you have to - lord knows they try to suck it out of you on every turn on those ships.

 

Use a good TA and once you get assigned ask him/her to get you moved. There is no guarantee that it will work, but it did for me and I saved a ton of dough and got my number 1 choice short of a suite. In fact, my location was so perfect that I more than likely would have declined a suite upgrade in favor of the location I had on Liberty.

[Darkwolfe]

Not a thing in the world wrong with a guarantee cabin. First cruise my wife and I took was a guarantee and we hit the jackpot (to us) and got an aft balcony.

 

Naturally that's spoiled us to trying to get an aft balcony for every cruise now, but that's all ok by me.

[Gonzo70]

I have done guarantees twice and it worked out well. Both times I received my assignment within a couple of weeks. The first time I booked a guaranteed inside on Adventure of Seas and was upgraded all the way to a balcony! I first was assigned an Oceanview and a week or two later noticed that I had been changed to a balcony.

 

My second time I booked a guaranteed balcony on Holland America Noordam and was assigned to an aft balcony.

 

So far so good for me and guarantees. Good luck with yours. :)

[Gonzo70]

Use a good TA and once you get assigned ask him/her to get you moved. There is no guarantee that it will work, but it did for me and I saved a ton of dough and got my number 1 choice short of a suite. In fact, my location was so perfect that I more than likely would have declined a suite upgrade in favor of the location I had on Liberty.

 

That is extremely dishonest to book a guarantee with the intention of choosing a specific stateroom. If enough people abused the system like you did they would take away the option of selecting a guarantee. I hope that you are just stirring the pot or making a bad joke and are not being serious. :mad:

[phoenix1181]

First off - I could care less if you think it is dishonest. Second - if given the opportunity to use the system to its fullest I will. Third, Linda is concerned about location and wants to save money - book the guarantee with a good TA and try to change it, you will save money. Fourth - it is not an attempt at a joke - I did it - I loved it and it saved me money (and so did the wine and rum that I smuggled on board).

 

And let us not forget the fees for cash in the casino because that was also abused.............. :mad: Some people just don't know when to keep their mouths shut. If you choose to "use" the system to your advantage, it might be better not to advertise it. You may help a few but hurt the many. (including yourself on a future cruise)

[Seatravelers]

The times we have used the guaranteed options has been for JS and once reserved we were given room assignments and they were never changed. Great way to save some money and well worth the risk, imho.

[whyrlygig]

I have booked our first guaranty and am wondering when we will be assigned a cabin. Will we have to wait until after final payment?

[cruisegirl1]

We’ve ever been as lucky as the rest of you.

 

We booked a guarantee OV and got a cabin way forward on deck 2, basically the worst cabin, but that was the chance we took. I called RCCL to change to another cabin IN THAT SAME CATEGORY, and they would not move me. For a few extra $$ we changed to a cabin we would enjoy. I will most likely never try again unless it is a suite guarantee.

 

Our daughter was assigned a poor cabin and she was able to take herself “out of the guarantee” and try again. The second time (next day) she good a nicer location, still same category, but more mid ship.

 

She is diamond and I am D+ and that does not help at all with a guarantee.

 

Good luck to those who try a guarantee and congrats to those who get lucky.

M

[floatel_lvr]

I have tried to book guarantees on several cruises and often find they are not an available option. Are these only offered on certain dates/ships/itineraries?

 

I think these are a great option.

 

RA

[Gonzo70]

I have booked our first guaranty and am wondering when we will be assigned a cabin. Will we have to wait until after final payment?

 

There is no way to know; you just have to keep checking. Sometimes you will be assigned within hours of booking, sometimes not until you arrive at the ship. Also once you are assigned you may be moved to another room all the way up until boarding the ship (usually when they change your assignment it is an upgrade).

[Gonzo70]

I have tried to book guarantees on several cruises and often find they are not an available option. Are these only offered on certain dates/ships/itineraries?

 

I think these are a great option.

 

RA

 

Yes, they are not standard. Generally a guarantee category becomes listed if a particular category of rooms for a particular cruise is not selling well. They are not offered on every cruise and when they are offered it is generally only for limited stateroom categories. Usually they will not be offered until at least somewhat close to final payment, but there are exceptions (particularly in off season).

[wrp96]

I have had good luck, not so good luck, and great luck booking guarantees. The first two times I booked guarantees I was assigned a cabin almost immediately in a location I was fine with. It wasn't an upgrade but I didn't expect one.

 

The 3rd time I booked a guarantee I ended up with an oceanview (category I booked) on the promenade deck, so I had people walking past my room day and night. I could not move my cabin to a better location. It was still a fine cruise but I know now NOT to book a guarantee on the Sovereign class, unless it is a suite guarantee.

 

Last time I booked a suite guarantee and ended up with an Owner's Suite and not even one of the connecting Owner's Suites that were still open.

 

In my case, twice I was assigned a cabin within 24 hours of booking, and the other times within 2 weeks of booking - final payment was not required. Other people haven't found out their guarantee assignments until they got to the pier.

 

Basic advice with a guarantee is if you are willing to accept any cabin in that category or a higher category then it can be worth it. You may get lucky and be able to switch cabins if you do get assigned to a bad location, but I would not book a guarantee on the assumption you can as I was not able to move to a different room when assigned a location I didn't like.

[Linda/Ohio]

We were assigned to a cabin within a few days. Not a bad location of a JS on deck 10. Of course, I am waiting for that call that says "Linda, dahling, The Royal Suite is open and we are holding it for you, isn't that marvelous".

 

We usually book a JS or above. So--if nothing else I am getting what I paid for--and paying $400 less than others in a JS.