How does NCL assign GTY cabins?

How do you get notified that your cabin has been allocated? does it just appear on your My NCL vacation summary page?

I am still waiting to be allocated my BF GTY balcony cabin for October 5th sailing.

No notification.

...it just appeared on MyNCL

I have two GTYs;

Breakaway in September, 2014

and

POA in January, 2015

received both assignments on the same day, a few weeks ago.

No notification.

...it just appeared on MyNCL

 

I have two GTYs;

Breakaway in September, 2014

and

POA in January, 2015

received both assignments on the same day, a few weeks ago.

Guess I will just have to be patient.

I checked My NCL account and we weren't assigned yet for our Nov 30 cruise... I didn't think it would be this early anyway.

Interesting story, my friend booked a specific balcony cabin, not GTY and they were upgraded to a mini-suite on the Breakaway in June. Turns out they were given a cabin over a lounge that played loud music at night. They immediately tried to switch cabins but the ship was filled and said they would ask to play the music lower. Well, that didn't happen and after going back and forth several times (with goodies thrown in for appeasement, wine, chocolate strawberries, free dinner at specialty restaurant) they were given a hefty voucher for their next cruise.

Hence, they are traveling with us on this next cruise but picked a specific cabin. Unfortunately, 'the squeaky wheel gets the oil'... I would have just used earplugs... go figure.

I checked My NCL account and we weren't assigned yet for our Nov 30 cruise... I didn't think it would be this early anyway.

 

Interesting story, my friend booked a specific balcony cabin, not GTY and they were upgraded to a mini-suite on the Breakaway in June. Turns out they were given a cabin over a lounge that played loud music at night. They immediately tried to switch cabins but the ship was filled and said they would ask to play the music lower. Well, that didn't happen and after going back and forth several times (with goodies thrown in for appeasement, wine, chocolate strawberries, free dinner at specialty restaurant) they were given a hefty voucher for their next cruise.

 

Hence, they are traveling with us on this next cruise but picked a specific cabin. Unfortunately, 'the squeaky wheel gets the oil'... I would have just used earplugs... go figure.

Your on the same cruise as us. Son has inside GTY sister has balcony GTY. Let me know when you get your room assignment and I'll do the same. And don't forget to stop by our roll call. Who are you sailing with? Where are you from?

Your on the same cruise as us. Son has inside GTY sister has balcony GTY. Let me know when you get your room assignment and I'll do the same. And don't forget to stop by our roll call. Who are you sailing with? Where are you from?

Good you too... we'll check with each other about the GTY cabins. Haven't made it over to the roll call yet but will do so soon.

We're empty nesters so just DH and I. Another couple is cruising too but they chose an assigned cabin and don't use CC. We live close to NYC so we cruise out of the NY/NJ area most times. We never get tired of cruising locally and it's much better than flying. Where are you all from?

TTYL

Good you too... we'll check with each other about the GTY cabins. Haven't made it over to the roll call yet but will do so soon.

 

We're empty nesters so just DH and I. Another couple is cruising too but they chose an assigned cabin and don't use CC. We live close to NYC so we cruise out of the NY/NJ area most times. We never get tired of cruising locally and it's much better than flying. Where are you all from?

 

TTYL

We are about 30 miles south of NYC in NJ. I agree about being able to cruise basically in your own backyard. Not to much longer to go. I hope everyone gets a nice surprise upgrade.

I got an upgrade. From BX to a B9 Spa Balcony.

That or they throw darts with reservation numbers at boards...

I like this idea...I'd like to apply for this position please! :P

They haven't yet assigned gty cabins for our 5/30 sailing. The upsell fairy must have been active this week as all the Haven/Suite rooms disappeared overnight. Wondering when it will happen... We're now 65 days out.

Ok, now 60ish days out, all Suites show sold out online, and all mini suites (except gty mini suites) show sold out as well. No room assignment yet. What gives ncl? Either give me my suite (hahaha) or assign a room. So weird.

I'm on a May 30 jade ship and booked the mx guarantee and was assigned 2 months prior to final pymt one of the 2 mx rooms was hoping for a suite

Hi all...looking for some input from some of your experiences: I changed my cabin from a BA midship balcony to an MB GTY midship mini suite for our Thanksgiving cruise on the Escape. All above minisuites: M1-6 and MA are showing as sold out on NCL's website, as well as a number of the bigger online TA's. What realistically could I look forward to as far as an assignment? Has anyone done this type of change? Currently 202 days out...paid my deposit and pre-paid gratuities.

Hi all...looking for some input from some of your experiences: I changed my cabin from a BA midship balcony to an MB GTY midship mini suite for our Thanksgiving cruise on the Escape. All above minisuites: M1-6 and MA are showing as sold out on NCL's website, as well as a number of the bigger online TA's. What realistically could I look forward to as far as an assignment? Has anyone done this type of change? Currently 202 days out...paid my deposit and pre-paid gratuities.

So far out there can still be group blocks etc that hold cabins from the public inventory. Realistically you can look forward to MB - if they do not have inventory, they usually will try to upsell higher minisuites to even better minisuites and/or suites in order to free up cabins for GTY bookings.

So far out there can still be group blocks etc that hold cabins from the public inventory. Realistically you can look forward to MB - if they do not have inventory, they usually will try to upsell higher minisuites to even better minisuites and/or suites in order to free up cabins for GTY bookings.

I realize for a "typical cruise" there definitely could be some group blocks held, but this is a Thanksgiving cruise, and it is also only the second 7 night cruise on the Escape. I would think that supply and demand might actually have the majority of those higher mini suites booked by families whose kids are off from school for the holiday? I'm hoping to get lucky based on the particular cruise booked. I would be very content with my MB though either way. We loved the bigger bathroom and walk-in shower in our MB mini suite on the Getaway last August.

I've done lots of research but it seems to be a tight lipped secret! Is it actually totally random or is there a method that NCL uses? I booked a GTY balcony on the POA for next July. By that time I will have had been on one sailing and have 14, latitude points, I have booked early, and I am sailing over my birthday so I hope that moves me up the food chain to get the best available cabin they have when they give out the left over balconies (I'm secretly dreaming of a owner's suite but know that won't happen! Really would like a aft though).

One cruise I got my gty assignment at booking, another is still pending.

We just had a GTY on NCL's Sky. We booked 17 days out and got our cabin assignment within a day or 2. GTY seems to be hit or miss. Got a great cabin on Holland America one time, and Carnival another. This time it wasn't what I would have chosen. We rolled the dice hoping to get a better cabin, but didn't. We were way down the hall from the elevator and had to walk more than we would have liked. Maybe that was good though to walk off some of the calories taken in on the cruise.

It was my birthday too on that cruise. Don't think that did anything to help. Probably the best chance to get a better cabin or location is if you are a very frequent NCL customer. I had 9 days, so I'm thinking that didn't boost us enough to get a better location. Cruise was great, but I don't think I will do the GTY again, unless the only cabin to pre-select is in a bad location.

We just had a GTY on NCL's Sky. We booked 17 days out and got our cabin assignment within a day or 2. GTY seems to be hit or miss. Got a great cabin on Holland America one time, and Carnival another. This time it wasn't what I would have chosen. We rolled the dice hoping to get a better cabin, but didn't. We were way down the hall from the elevator and had to walk more than we would have liked. Maybe that was good though to walk off some of the calories taken in on the cruise.

 

It was my birthday too on that cruise. Don't think that did anything to help. Probably the best chance to get a better cabin or location is if you are a very frequent NCL customer. I had 9 days, so I'm thinking that didn't boost us enough to get a better location. Cruise was great, but I don't think I will do the GTY again, unless the only cabin to pre-select is in a bad location.

If you don't like your GTY, ask for an upgrade at the current rate if that current rate is lower of course at the last minute. Although I picked my AFT in 2017, I see the Spa balcony is already that same price and my cabin dropped ( I'd loose my UBP and UDP if I rebook) but I could upgrade to a spa now... Plenty of time for another drop... But only for a Spa Mini :)

If you don't like your GTY, ask for an upgrade at the current rate if that current rate is lower of course at the last minute. Although I picked my AFT in 2017, I see the Spa balcony is already that same price and my cabin dropped ( I'd loose my UBP and UDP if I rebook) but I could upgrade to a spa now... Plenty of time for another drop... But only for a Spa Mini :)

Thanks for the tip. I appreciate.

We just had a GTY on NCL's Sky. We booked 17 days out and got our cabin assignment within a day or 2. GTY seems to be hit or miss. Got a great cabin on Holland America one time, and Carnival another. This time it wasn't what I would have chosen. We rolled the dice hoping to get a better cabin, but didn't. We were way down the hall from the elevator and had to walk more than we would have liked. Maybe that was good though to walk off some of the calories taken in on the cruise.

 

It was my birthday too on that cruise. Don't think that did anything to help. Probably the best chance to get a better cabin or location is if you are a very frequent NCL customer. I had 9 days, so I'm thinking that didn't boost us enough to get a better location. Cruise was great, but I don't think I will do the GTY again, unless the only cabin to pre-select is in a bad location.

I doubt your birthday or such impacted your assignment, nor are such events likely to help or hurt in the future. As for Latitudes points, I doubt 9 points had any impact on your assignment, good or bad....then again I do not think it would have mattered if you had 109 or 309 points.

As another poster said, you could pay for an upgrade at current rates if that option appeals.

I doubt your birthday or such impacted your assignment, nor are such events likely to help or hurt in the future. As for Latitudes points, I doubt 9 points had any impact on your assignment, good or bad....then again I do not think it would have mattered if you had 109 or 309 points.

 

As another poster said, you could pay for an upgrade at current rates if that option appeals.

Yeah that's what I was referring to the original poster re: their birthday. That wasn't even a thought on my cruise. And with 9 points that wasn't even a thought either. Although for a very frequent NCL cruise customer if there is a tie break process to upgrade anybody it will be to one of their best customers, which it should be.

Hello..We just booked an MC GTY for the Bliss Alaska sailing in 30 days.  Last year we booked a mid-ship mini suite also on Alaska.  Its our second ever cruise (loved Alaska so decided to do it again).  I am curious as to:

1) What cabins would be considered higher than a mid-ship mini suite?  We booked expecting this is what we'd get but don't know if this also means we could be forward or aft?  I assume so.

2) Is any mini-suite considered equal to a mid-ship mini-suite, or would this be a lower level?

Thanks in advance!

On 7/22/2014 at 3:52 PM, Starry Eyes said:

Even "sold out" may not tell the whole tale. From my experience, NCL.com does not always reflect the inventory.

 

For example I once upgraded to a BA gty when no BA or better balcony cabins were shown as available on ncl.com, nor had any shown for a week or more (I'd been watching for upgrade opportunities). I was fine with anything BA or better, but, from what I saw on line, I thought I might get a minisuite. I was promptly assigned a BA cabin. From that I gathered there may be hidden inventory.

 

Right now I am holding a IX (inside gty) for the September 22 Star cruise. Only two inside cabins are shown as available right now, both I1. So maybe I'll get an I1 or maybe an upgrade to an obstructed OV or better. Maybe. While I do hope for an upgrade (or an upsell call), I will not be surprised if I am eventually assigned a lower category inside that is currently shown as "sold out". They may be holding one of those "sold out" for me without yet informing me of such. No matter which cabin, I'll be happy to be on the ship. If the upsell fairy eventually calls with a decent offer, I'll be even happier!

It also usually means SOLD OUT RIGHT NOW.  Upgrades and cancellations will change availability.  That is much more likely than NCL holding back cabins, etc.

10 hours ago, John Cruiser SF said:

Hello..We just booked an MC GTY for the Bliss Alaska sailing in 30 days.  Last year we booked a mid-ship mini suite also on Alaska.  Its our second ever cruise (loved Alaska so decided to do it again).  I am curious as to:

 

1) What cabins would be considered higher than a mid-ship mini suite?  We booked expecting this is what we'd get but don't know if this also means we could be forward or aft?  I assume so.

2) Is any mini-suite considered equal to a mid-ship mini-suite, or would this be a lower level?

 

Thanks in advance!

1) If you look at ncl.com (https://www.ncl.com/cruise-ship/getaway/staterooms/mini-suite) it shows the listing of the mini-suites. I believe they list them from most desirable at the top (Spa Mini-Suite) to least desirable (Sailaway Mini-Suite). For a guarantee cabin you could be forward, mid or aft.

2) Mid-ship Mini-Suites are just above Sailaway Mini-Suites. You have things like mini-suites with larger balconies, aft-facing suites and Family Mini-Suites they are more popular.

11 hours ago, John Cruiser SF said:

Hello..We just booked an MC GTY for the Bliss Alaska sailing in 30 days.  Last year we booked a mid-ship mini suite also on Alaska.  Its our second ever cruise (loved Alaska so decided to do it again).  I am curious as to:

 

1) What cabins would be considered higher than a mid-ship mini suite?  We booked expecting this is what we'd get but don't know if this also means we could be forward or aft?  I assume so.

2) Is any mini-suite considered equal to a mid-ship mini-suite, or would this be a lower level?

 

Thanks in advance!

.

Hello and welcome to Cruise Critic.

This thread is over 5 years old and contains outdated info. If you need to ask a question, it would be better to start a new thread for more current and up to date information. Thanks.

Thanks for the link and information.  Appreciate it.