Should we gamble and switch rooms?

[alina555]

We had a balcony guarantee on JOS and got assigned room 7574 (E3). My husband just learned from our TA that if we are not happy with our assignment we can resubmit for another balcony guarantee and see what new room we end up with. When I look at RCCL's website, for balconies it looks like D1s and E3s available. Should we chance getting another balcony or should we be happy with the one we have? Or should we keep our room and hope for an upgrade at check-in?

[phoenix1181]

Before you go back into the pool, take a good look at the location of 7574. Now look for balcony cabins with locations you consider less desireable and those you consider more desireable. How willing are you to give up 7574 for one of the less desireables? How many of the more desireables do you want to gamble are available? Now make your decision.......

 

The point of a guarantee is you save money while the cruise line puts you in whatever cabin they choose. I can't help but wonder when the cruise line is going to stop allowing changes and/or stop offering reduced rates since the process seems not to be working the way it was intended.

[cb at sea]

What's wrong with the room they gave you? It's about mid-way down the hall-and you got what you paid for, right?

I don't see a problem there.

[FL_Cruiser64]

We had a balcony guarantee on JOS and got assigned room 7574 (E3). My husband just learned from our TA that if we are not happy with our assignment we can resubmit for another balcony guarantee and see what new room we end up with. When I look at RCCL's website, for balconies it looks like D1s and E3s available. Should we chance getting another balcony or should we be happy with the one we have? Or should we keep our room and hope for an upgrade at check-in?

 

If you want a certain room or location pay for it. A guarantee is exactly that: a guarantee.

[robtulipe]

I would go back into the guarantee pool as all E3 cabins except for the hump ones have a large covering restricting your view as shown below. See if any middle hump E3 (probably unlikely) are available as other have posted being able to get specify same category cabin when requesting a change to an guarantee cabin.

 

[cruisePRN]

Keep what you got, you don't know what you could get if you go back in the gty pool.

[BrainChemicals]

Keep what you got, you don't know what you could get if you go back in the gty pool.

I agree, be grateful for your good fortune and don't look for more by examining it to assess its value.

[alina555]

Thanks for the input. This is our very first cruise ever so we don't really know the benefits/cons of each room. I just noticed in another thread someone who had a similar room (deck 7) being encouraged to switch to another one, and I wasn't so keen on having a view of lifeboats, but maybe it's not so bad. Figured if we jumped back into the guarantee pool, worse case scenario we end up with another deck 7 balcony that can't be any worse than what we have. But I'm also not sure about the benefits of being mid-ship vs hump (not even sure what hump means) and what makes one more desireable than the other, so maybe I should just stay to be safe. :)

[robtulipe]

Thanks for the input. This is our very first cruise ever so we don't really know the benefits/cons of each room. I just noticed in another thread someone who had a similar room (deck 7) being encouraged to switch to another one, and I wasn't so keen on having a view of lifeboats, but maybe it's not so bad. Figured if we jumped back into the guarantee pool, worse case scenario we end up with another deck 7 balcony that can't be any worse than what we have. But I'm also not sure about the benefits of being mid-ship vs hump (not even sure what hump means) and what makes one more desireable than the other, so maybe I should just stay to be safe. :)

The hump is the part of the ship's side that has cabins around the atrium (decks 7 to 10) and sticks out as shown in the aft part of my first picture above. The cabins in the middle of the hump offers a better view both towards the front, aft and downward to the water.

What is your sailing date as then I can suggest what I believe to be the best E3 available at this time?

[crusinmama06]

I am not one to gamble (which is why I don't use the GTY) but there was a poster just last week who put their cabin back into the mix and scored a D1. ;)

 

But like you said, this is your first cruise. My first cruise was in an interior on Deck 2 on Sovereign and I thought it was the best cruise ever. :D You have no idea how much I loved my little closet cabin...lol.

 

Good luck with whatever you decide!!!!

[jmezmom]

I say keep it. I think the location is pretty good.

[FL_Cruiser64]

I am not one to gamble (which is why I don't use the GTY) but there was a poster just last week who put their cabin back into the mix and scored a D1. ;)

 

But like you said, this is your first cruise. My first cruise was in an interior on Deck 2 on Sovereign and I thought it was the best cruise ever. :D You have no idea how much I loved my little closet cabin...lol.

 

Good luck with whatever you decide!!!!

 

OP could definitely score a D1 but could also end up in a D1 in the last two cabins on each side which is obstructed by a ladder.

 

In my opinion: if you do a guarantee you take what you paid for.

 

It is totally disrespectful to begin switching around until they got something they like. A guarantee is substantially cheaper than booking into a category. You want a certain cabin, pay for it.

 

Because after all the cuts and extra services in the last few months, which I may not have predicted by line item but just the fact that it will affect all of us one day, I now can safely predict that if the guarantee begins to be abused on a larger scale (and it will) by simply switching until they find something to their liking, the guarantees will eventually totally disappears thus hurting the majority.

[robtulipe]

I say keep it. I think the location is pretty good.

But it has that 10 foot wide lifeboat canopy obstucting the view as shown in my second photo above.

[FL_Cruiser64]

But it has that 10 foot wide lifeboat canopy obstucting the view as shown in my second photo above.

 

But OP also paid probably only half the price (or somewhere around that).

[robtulipe]

OP could definitely score a D1 but could also end up in a D1 in the last two cabins on each side which is obstructed by a ladder.

 

In my opinion: if you do a guarantee you take what you paid for.

 

It is totally disrespectful to begin switching around until they got something they like. A guarantee is substantially cheaper than booking into a category. You want a certain cabin, pay for it.

 

Because after all the cuts and extra services in the last few months, which I may not have predicted by line item but just the fact that it will affect all of us one day, I now can safely predict that if the guarantee begins to be abused on a larger scale (and it will) by simply switching until they find something to their liking, the guarantees will eventually totally disappears thus hurting the majority.

But then they will have a larger D1 with an obstructed view instead of a E3 with an obstucted view.

IMO they should go for a better cabin as currently they have one of the worst balcony cabins.

Offering guarantee cabins works well for RC as they have a booking that can be easily converted to any category above the minimum guaranteed.

From my understanding it is a computer selection that assigns the actual cabin so why not try for a cabin more to your liking if some are available.

[robtulipe]

But OP also paid probably only half the price (or somewhere around that).

So you are saying that the more desirable cabins, if the balcony guarantee if still being offered, should then be left for someone booking later at the same price.

As I stated above the guarantee booking offer the cruiseline flexibility that a selected cabin booking doesn't. I seen many posts on CC re someone being upgraded to a cabin that wasn't desirable to them and having the cruise line change it back to the original selected cabin. I know it happened to us on our first cruise and we didn't find out about the so called upgrade until we were onboard. I now know to have my booking marked "No changes or upgrades" .

[alina555]

The hump is the part of the ship's side that has cabins around the atrium (decks 7 to 10) and sticks out as shown in the aft part of my first picture above. The cabins in the middle of the hump offers a better view both towards the front, aft and downward to the water.

What is your sailing date as then I can suggest what I believe to be the best E3 available at this time?

 

 

Ah!! Thanks for the definition. That makes sense. :)

 

My sailing date is 11/7/08 - JOS. If I am searching RCCL's website correctly, it doesn't look like there are any more balconies other than guarantees? :confused: So I would imagine I would end up getting another E3?

 

We asked our TA what to do, and she said just to keep it and try at check-in. But I'm not sure if it's because it's more work on her part. :o

[FL_Cruiser64]

So you are saying that the more desirable cabins, if the balcony guarantee if still being offered, should then be left for someone booking later at the same price.

As I stated above the guarantee booking offer the cruiseline flexibility that a selected cabin booking doesn't. I seen many posts on CC re someone being upgraded to a cabin that wasn't desirable to them and having the cruise line change it back to the original selected cabin. I know it happened to us on our first cruise and we didn't find out about the so called upgrade until we were onboard. I now know to have my booking marked "No changes or upgrades" .

 

What are you talking about?

 

I am talking about the constant wanting more for the fraction of a price.

 

Subject is: you pay for a guarantee, you get a cabin whatever the cruise line selects for you. And then live with it.

 

What you are describing at the end is when you select the cabin you wanted and you are being upgraded and you don't like the upgrade. Two different things.

[sailinglisa]

Alina - if I were you I would keep that cabin. I had 7560 on the Jewel (just down the hall from your cabin) and was happy with the cabin. The only restricted view is straight down. The covers for the life boats don't impede your view out or to the sides at all. And the restricted view is not that bad. Hopefully my picture will come through so you can actually see what the view is like.

 

 

Sorry the pic is small, but I hope you can see it.

[robtulipe]

Ah!! Thanks for the definition. That makes sense. :)

 

My sailing date is 11/7/08 - JOS. If I am searching RCCL's website correctly, it doesn't look like there are any more balconies other than guarantees? :confused: So I would imagine I would end up getting another E3?

 

We asked our TA what to do, and she said just to keep it and try at check-in. But I'm not sure if it's because it's more work on her part. :o

Yes, you are correct that the only other than X guarantee is an E3 guarantee so you will probably be assign the same or another E3 cabin.

[robtulipe]

What are you talking about?

 

I am talking about the constant wanting more for the fraction of a price.

 

Subject is: you pay for a guarantee, you get a cabin whatever the cruise line selects for you. And then live with it.

 

What you are describing at the end is when you select the cabin you wanted and you are being upgraded and you don't like the upgrade. Two different things.

So you don't request a credit if the price of your cabin category on your future booking goes down or upgrade if there is better cabin category available at a more attractive price if it is allowed. This is also wanting more for a fraction of the original price. IMO if you are allow by the cruise line to improve your booking in any way why not go for it.

If you had read my post properly, my example at the end of my post re my first cruise experience is supporting my comments proceeding it in the same paragraph.