"Guarantee" Bookings

[tombo]

I recently booked The March 2010 transatlantic (Ft. Lauderdale to Monte Carlon) on Regent Mariner. Having read much commentary about Mariner and about "Guarantee" bookings, I booked an H-GTY cabin figuring that an H cabin (the least expensive and which is midships on Deck 7) would be fine and if I got an upgrade, then great.

 

About a week after making the booking and the deposit payment, I received an email notifying me that I had been upgraded to a G category and assigned to cabin 779, the aft-most G cabin on Deck 7. I personally don't consider this an upgrade although I know that all the cabins are the same. I phoned Regent and the operator seemed surprised that the inventory department had made this assignment more than 9 months prior to the sailing date. I'd have preferred the H cabin, but they're sold out and, he explained, taking the "guarantee" means taking what's available.

 

Is this how it usually works? Nine months out? Are they just selling as many cabins as they can at their lowest price point and then filling their least desirable higher category cabins first? I'm pretty sure this sailing is wide open from a booking perspective.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Often it doesn't happen that early, but these are extraordinary times.

 

I was hankering after that H GTY, but I see they are gone now. Oh well.

 

Yes, I think they are doing what you said--filling as many cabins as possible. But I've been told there is no bad cabin on Mariner.

 

If I were you I'd see if you can get waitlisted for a more midship cabin, if that's your concern.

[janisegn]

wendy -

i was just on the Regent website and category H's are still available as a guarantee - i've booked one myself! -

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Hmm, I still see H as being Closed. But that's for FLL-MC. Was it perhaps FLL-Funchal that you booked? I see that it still has an H GTY. The weird thing is I don't see a Funchal-MC segment listed, don't know how that works.

 

Oh, I found it, the Funchal-MC segment.

[janisegn]

sorry Wendy - you are right - we booked the FLL - Funchal - have you decided to book? -

[Wendy The Wanderer]

No, probably won't, might, you know how it is...we'll have an OBC coming up in December, if we don't book another cruise it will be the first time we haven't done so. I see it's $300 for the FLL-MC trip.