2 for 1 wave season sales: Have I made a good deal?

Here in Belgium, every year in February, they do 'second person sails for free' promo. This year I took the chance and purchased the 12 day - MSC Fantasia Med round trip leaving 10th of Feb 2016.

However, now the travel agency says I will only know our cabin number during embarkation. Anybody had experience with this? Should I be prepared for a crappy cabin?

Any advise would be great!

Cheers,

Pris

I guess you have booked a guarantee cabin. This means they guarantee you a cabin in at least the category you have booked. For example if you book an ocean view guarantee bella you might get a cabin on that categry or higher. I have made once a good experience under this type of booking because I hace booked an ocean view guarantee fantastica and they gave us a balcony cabin.

They tell you almost inmediately after payment has been made. I do not think you will get a creepy cabin.

Was the price really that good under this 2 for 1 promotion? Our experience under that promotion was that it did not seem to be such a good deal. For example the price of the cruise in Europe would be something like Euro 1000 per person. Under the 2 for 1 promotion the total price would be Euro 2000 for 2. This means no real better deal there.

We twice booked a guarantee cabin on MSC. Once we got a mild upgrade from inside to ocean view, once we exactly got the category we booked and it was perfectly fine.

I've often had guarantee cabins on MSC, the UK office seems to do this a lot.

Never had an upgrade. Never had a bad cabin either but I've usually booked a high grade cabin anyway.

Only once have I not booked a guarantee cabin and only one of those times had I not had an upgrade. Hence I prefer guarantee cabins if ever they are available.

They say the trick to booking a guarantee cabin is be 100% certain that you would be happy with even the worst cabin of the guaranteed category you have booked. If you wouldn't, pay for a higher category and/or specific cabin.

I find an inside guarantee goes well with an all-inclusive package - then there is no need to use your cabin for anything other than sleeping, washing and changing in. Many people get addicted to their balconies and I understand that too. What I would say is that it is always going to be harder to move down a category than be be treated to a free upgrade.

My friend James, who AmoMondo knows, calls this syndrome 'carpet thickness theorem' - one initially appreciates luxurious, thick carpet when walking into a room then one becomes accustomed to it. Stepping back on to thinner carpet is unpleasant. It follows therefore that one must go through life with ever-thicker carpet in order to remain content. The counter-theorem is that one should regularly 'rough-it' to reset unrealistic expectations and appreciate a free upgrade to an obscured view outside cabin when one happens to come along.

I guess you have booked a guarantee cabin. This means they guarantee you a cabin in at least the category you have booked. For example if you book an ocean view guarantee bella you might get a cabin on that categry or higher. I have made once a good experience under this type of booking because I hace booked an ocean view guarantee fantastica and they gave us a balcony cabin.

They tell you almost inmediately after payment has been made. I do not think you will get a creepy cabin.

Was the price really that good under this 2 for 1 promotion? Our experience under that promotion was that it did not seem to be such a good deal. For example the price of the cruise in Europe would be something like Euro 1000 per person. Under the 2 for 1 promotion the total price would be Euro 2000 for 2. This means no real better deal there.

I got a Balcony cabin with Bella experience! They didn't sell it as Guarantee that's why I'm a bit aprehensive with this 'no cabin number until embarkation' thing. Budget wise, I think it was a good price: EUR1300 for the two of us. We'll see, I guess!

Only once have I not booked a guarantee cabin and only one of those times had I not had an upgrade. Hence I prefer guarantee cabins if ever they are available.

 

They say the trick to booking a guarantee cabin is be 100% certain that you would be happy with even the worst cabin of the guaranteed category you have booked. If you wouldn't, pay for a higher category and/or specific cabin.

 

I find an inside guarantee goes well with an all-inclusive package - then there is no need to use your cabin for anything other than sleeping, washing and changing in. Many people get addicted to their balconies and I understand that too. What I would say is that it is always going to be harder to move down a category than be be treated to a free upgrade.

 

My friend James, who AmoMondo knows, calls this syndrome 'carpet thickness theorem' - one initially appreciates luxurious, thick carpet when walking into a room then one becomes accustomed to it. Stepping back on to thinner carpet is unpleasant. It follows therefore that one must go through life with ever-thicker carpet in order to remain content. The counter-theorem is that one should regularly 'rough-it' to reset unrealistic expectations and appreciate a free upgrade to an obscured view outside cabin when one happens to come along.

Thank you for the wise words, I can see myself using the 'carpet thickness theorem' not only in Cruising but at life in general :) Well, I don't mind motion and am not very picky about a particular deck or anything, so if they are handling my Balcony Bella as a guarantee then I guess it will be fine! That's what I keep telling myself, anyway :D

Here in the U.S. we have something called LAS (Lazy Arse Syndrome), and I suspect that it applies globally. In theory, when a passenger books a cabin the TA should have the expertise and put forth the effort to find the best (and avoid the worst) cabins. The best cabin is going to vary as some people prefer to be near elevators, some prefer to be away, want a port side balcony, or whatever. However, you would think that the cabin that is above the washing machines, below the dance floor, and next to the freight elevator would typically be the last one left... yet some TA always grabs that one for their valued customer. :rolleyes:

I'm exaggerating of course, but there are some basic guidelines: generally speaking you want to avoid cabins under public areas, next to blank spaces in the deck map, under the kitchen, etc. It seems like most guarantee cabins would wind up in one of these locations, whether it's in the category you booked or as an upgrade. We've done a couple of GTYs (on Carnival) and just like the others have never had a problem. We've never hit the jackpot either, but I'm glad to hear that some people do.

Anyway, don't worry yourself for the next 11 months. You're still going on a cruise, even if they bunk you in the engine room. :D

We are on the 25th March 2016 trip so I look forward to your review. When I see it I'll know I'll have less than a month till my cruise.

It will be strange this year not having an MSC cruise after two a year for the past two years. But we are trying RCI instead. I hope we don't get hooked on them because they're so much more expensive!

From my ipad

I have booked two inside guarantee cabins for my mother and aunt on MSC. On each occasion they were upgraded to balcony so I think they got a very good deal. I have heard of many more getting balcony on their first cruise so its not a loyalty thing its more like an availability thing so will depend on how full the ship is. You will get the best cabin available and it won't necessarily be under or over or next to noisy areas.

Your "experience" package ie Bella Fantastica or Aurea will remain the same no matter what your cabin category.

We are on the 25th March 2016 trip so I look forward to your review. When I see it I'll know I'll have less than a month till my cruise.

 

It will be strange this year not having an MSC cruise after two a year for the past two years. But we are trying RCI instead. I hope we don't get hooked on them because they're so much more expensive!

 

 

From my ipad

Oh yes, there will be a review! I am curious to see if they will keep 'la Goulette' in the itnerary.....