BC Guarantee question....

[KBella526]

Hi all! This is my first post, so Hello to everyone. I've been lurking the past few days as DH and I just booked the Coral ~ Panama Canal 10 day leaving on Oct 2. Lots of great info here....so thank you!

 

We booked a BC Guarantee, not realizing that one of the possible upgrades could be a Mini-Suite/Oceanview. One of our only firm requirements was that we wanted a balcony and when I asked my TA to explain what guarantee meant, she said that we would get a balcony in BC class or higher. I just called Princess to find out if we could potentially end up in the Ocean View MS, and was told "most-likely not, but possible" and that if that's what we were given, we could not decline it. I asked if there was any way at this point to choose an available cabin and was told no....that they have no control over it and at this point it's just the luck of the draw.

 

Just curious to know why we wouldn't be able to change our booking to an available cabin....anyone have any ideas or suggestions?

 

This will be our second cruise with Princess and we can't wait. We would, however, be really disappointed if we didn't get a balcony.

 

TIA for your responses!

[Toto2Kansas]

Hi all! This is my first post, so Hello to everyone. I've been lurking the past few days as DH and I just booked the Coral ~ Panama Canal 10 day leaving on Oct 2. Lots of great info here....so thank you!

 

We booked a BC Guarantee, not realizing that one of the possible upgrades could be a Mini-Suite/Oceanview. One of our only firm requirements was that we wanted a balcony and when I asked my TA to explain what guarantee meant, she said that we would get a balcony in BC class or higher. I just called Princess to find out if we could potentially end up in the Ocean View MS, and was told "most-likely not, but possible" and that if that's what we were given, we could not decline it. I asked if there was any way at this point to choose an available cabin and was told no....that they have no control over it and at this point it's just the luck of the draw.

 

Just curious to know why we wouldn't be able to change our booking to an available cabin....anyone have any ideas or suggestions?

 

This will be our second cruise with Princess and we can't wait. We would, however, be really disappointed if we didn't get a balcony.

 

TIA for your responses!

 

Welcome to cruise critic.

The only answer I can think of is that there are no BC category staterooms left to book. Otherwise you would be able to choose your stateroom number and then mark your booking as 'no upgrade' to be assured that you will not end up in the balconyless (not a word but you get my drift?) mini suite.

I would check the Princess website to make sure there aren't any specific staterooms in that category available. If there are not, what about a higher category balcony cabin (sometimes not much higher priced than what you booked) or even a lower category balcony cabin?

Mainly since Princess really doesn't save you any money by booking a guarantee status.

[Teetype]

Hi all! This is my first post, so Hello to everyone. I've been lurking the past few days as DH and I just booked the Coral ~ Panama Canal 10 day leaving on Oct 2. Lots of great info here....so thank you!

 

We booked a BC Guarantee, not realizing that one of the possible upgrades could be a Mini-Suite/Oceanview. One of our only firm requirements was that we wanted a balcony and when I asked my TA to explain what guarantee meant, she said that we would get a balcony in BC class or higher. I just called Princess to find out if we could potentially end up in the Ocean View MS, and was told "most-likely not, but possible" and that if that's what we were given, we could not decline it. I asked if there was any way at this point to choose an available cabin and was told no....that they have no control over it and at this point it's just the luck of the draw.

 

Just curious to know why we wouldn't be able to change our booking to an available cabin....anyone have any ideas or suggestions?

 

This will be our second cruise with Princess and we can't wait. We would, however, be really disappointed if we didn't get a balcony.

 

TIA for your responses!

 

 

Now that possibility skipped by me. So far, I have booked the cabin I've wanted on my cruises, but I always figured if an aft corner wasn't available I would simply cook a balcony guarantee. I've turned down a mini-suite upgrade (one with a balcony). It amazes me that they would consider a mini-suite without a balcony as an upgrade to a "B" category. I'd willingly sleep in a closet as long as it had a balcony.

 

Thanks for this post. It looks like it would be only a small possibility to end up without a balcony, but I would be bitterly disappointed to find myself in an OV of any size.

 

Good luck! I do hope this works out the way you want it.

 

Tee

[KBella526]

Now that possibility skipped by me. So far, I have booked the cabin I've wanted on my cruises, but I always figured if an aft corner wasn't available I would simply cook a balcony guarantee. I've turned down a mini-suite upgrade (one with a balcony). It amazes me that they would consider a mini-suite without a balcony as an upgrade to a "B" category. I'd willingly sleep in a closet as long as it had a balcony.

 

Thanks for this post. It looks like it would be only a small possibility to end up without a balcony, but I would be bitterly disappointed to find myself in an OV of any size.

 

Good luck! I do hope this works out the way you want it.

 

Tee

 

 

Thanks for the responses.....

 

Tee ~ I totally agree with you.....I would also sleep in a closet as long as it had a balcony. The strange thing is that the Princess website does show balcony cabins available in that class, so I was surprised that the Princess rep told me there was no way for me to secure one of the available cabins. It also scared me a bit that she said that we couldn't decline the OV mini-suite should it be offered.

 

I guess I will just call my TA on Monday and see what we can do. We would be extremely disappointed to be "balconlyness"

[uk-ladies]

Hi all! This is my first post, so Hello to everyone. I've been lurking the past few days as DH and I just booked the Coral ~ Panama Canal 10 day leaving on Oct 2. Lots of great info here....so thank you!

 

We booked a BC Guarantee, not realizing that one of the possible upgrades could be a Mini-Suite/Oceanview. One of our only firm requirements was that we wanted a balcony and when I asked my TA to explain what guarantee meant, she said that we would get a balcony in BC class or higher. I just called Princess to find out if we could potentially end up in the Ocean View MS, and was told "most-likely not, but possible" and that if that's what we were given, we could not decline it. I asked if there was any way at this point to choose an available cabin and was told no....that they have no control over it and at this point it's just the luck of the draw.

 

Just curious to know why we wouldn't be able to change our booking to an available cabin....anyone have any ideas or suggestions?

 

This will be our second cruise with Princess and we can't wait. We would, however, be really disappointed if we didn't get a balcony.

 

TIA for your responses!

 

KBELLA

I hope you get your balcony but either way I'm sure your cruise will be lovely, we're on the same sailing as you! :D

[RKMJDJ]

We booked a BD guarantee for an upcoming Crown cruise and shortly after making final payment we were assigned our cabin. It was an upgrade to BB category. The only time we do not book a guarantee is when we book a mini suite. We always book well in advance and almost always get at least a 1 cat. upgrade.

[jayevee44]

I asked if there was any way at this point to choose an available cabin and was told no....that they have no control over it and at this point it's just the luck of the draw.

 

 

Apparently, the Princess rep interpreted your question to be, “Can I request a specific category if I am upgraded?” That's what I thought when I read it. The rep's response would then make sense.

 

There are still BC and BE category cabins available, so you should have no problem upgrading to a balcony cabin if you are willing to pay the difference in price.

 

Jim

[KBella526]

KBELLA

I hope you get your balcony but either way I'm sure your cruise will be lovely, we're on the same sailing as you! :D

 

 

Hi UK-Ladies! After talking to my TA today, the likelihood of getting upgraded 3 classes is pretty slim. We would be more than happy to keep our BC class balcony cabin! But, you are so right.....the cruise will be lovely no matter what! We are so looking forward to it!

 

Maybe we'll see you on board! :p;)

[GloriaF]

We took the exact same cruise on the Coral and feel we had the best balcony of all - it was a BE, the last one on Emerald deck on the left side of the ship. The balcony rail curves so you can see both in back and to the side easily. It puts you so close to the locks that you can actually reach out and touch them. I think the number was E727 or 731 or something similar, but going to deck plans to check. Sorry, my computer wouldn't show the diagram just now.

 

As a bonus, a BE might be LESS than a BC. All B category balcony cabins are the same, with differences in size of balcony and location.