Guarantee 'ocean view'

We're booked on the Journey b2b August 8 and 20 in an OV guarantee. The price difference between the guarantee and a balcony was approximately $2000 per person per cruise, for a total of $8,000. For us, that's a significant amount of money. It will pay for another cruise. So we decided to take the chance.

That is a significant amount. If you book a GTY, don't you have to wait for a while for them to assign a cabin number?

We booked a Balcony guarantee under the previous double upgrade offer. Our cabin, 6087, almost at the aft, was assigned within 3 weeks. We would have preferred closer to mid ship and deck 7 but did not have a choice under that offer.

Incidentally lots of superior position cabins were available. We were told it was not possible to change. Can't wait to go though!

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When we booked the promo in Sept. (double upgrade, plus $1,000 Choice Air Credit) I was allowed to choose our cabin through my TA. The price wasn't any higher than if I'd booked a GTY. After going back and forth with ACC, he was able to keep me in the same cabin for our B2B. At first they told him it wasn't available. :confused: :rolleyes:

Next time I book a cruise, I'm going to see what the cost difference is in a GTY as opposed to me choosing our own cabin.

I'm on the same guarantee OV - Journey aug 8th - MidWestChick ....fingers crossed we do OK! Anyone know if Azamara take account of previous cruises etc. in any allocations?

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That is a significant amount. If you book a GTY, don't you have to wait for a while for them to assign a cabin number?

This is our first time booking a guarantee. We're usually in a balcony or a suite. I've read that people have been assigned a cabin within a few days, while others got their cabin assignments very close to sailing. I'm hoping that someone at headquarters looks at our history, realizes we've been sailing with Azamara since 2008, and that these are cruises # 15 and 16. Perhaps loyalty and longevity will count for something. I'll also be celebrating my birthday during the cruise. With all that, I know we could still wind up behind a lifeboat.:o

I'm well aware that a guarantee is a crapshoot. But there are tons of open cabins right now so it could work out.

This is our first time booking a guarantee. We're usually in a balcony or a suite. I've read that people have been assigned a cabin within a few days, while others got their cabin assignments very close to sailing. I'm hoping that someone at headquarters looks at our history, realizes we've been sailing with Azamara since 2008, and that these are cruises # 15 and 16. Perhaps loyalty and longevity will count for something. I'll also be celebrating my birthday during the cruise. With all that, I know we could still wind up behind a lifeboat.:o

 

I'm well aware that a guarantee is a crapshoot. But there are tons of open cabins right now so it could work out.

Yes, I've read it's a crapshoot. I believe those that I have read usually get assigned later than sooner.

May I ask, how are you seeing which cabins are open? I'm curious to see what's available on our cruises, since the roll calls are not very active.

I think I've asked this before...if I had a site, I did not save it. :o :o

Yes, I've read it's a crapshoot. I believe those that I have read usually get assigned later than sooner.

May I ask, how are you seeing which cabins are open? I'm curious to see what's available on our cruises, since the roll calls are not very active.

I think I've asked this before...if I had a site, I did not save it. :o :o

Sorry I can't help you:(. I use a site in Germany, which a British friend told me about. However, I will be booted off Cruise Critic if I post the name or even give you a broad hint about the name because it is a booking site.

Sorry I can't help you:(. I use a site in Germany, which a British friend told me about. However, I will be booted off Cruise Critic if I post the name or even give you a broad hint about the name because it is a booking site.

Totally understand. I wouldn't want anyone to break the rules and risk their CC account. Maybe I'll look around at tripadvisor and see what I can find.

I assure you all that past cruises and status count for a lot when GTY cabins are being asssigned. No worries for past cruisers because you're assigned the best of what's left first...unless the cruise line sees the possibility of selling the "best" during a later, last minute window at a premium price. As for the rest who might not be past cruisers with status, just remember that your best times onboard probably arent't those spent in your cabin. Only trying to be positive for all parties!

I assure you all that past cruises and status count for a lot when GTY cabins are being asssigned. No worries for past cruisers because you're assigned the best of what's left first...unless the cruise line sees the possibility of selling the "best" during a later, last minute window at a premium price. As for the rest who might not be past cruisers with status, just remember that your best times onboard probably arent't those spent in your cabin. Only trying to be positive for all parties!

I'm going to throw this out there then. If you're Captain's Club status and there are upgrades that have not sold out when you cruise, I wonder what your chances are of getting a free cabin upgrade.

You are correct in saying your best times are not spent in your cabin but some of our best times have been on our verandah, which is why I'm a bit of a snob when it comes to having one. Saying that, I feel our itineraries have also been a deciding factor as far as the verandah is concerned.

Sorry just realised I've mistaken tgg's post for MidWestChick!

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Have booked GTY in the past & have been allocated an obstructed view cabin & been very happy,BUT on my last was allocated "an ocean view "on deck 3 & absolutely hated it ! Tiny porthole,no artwork or mirror on the walls,plain miserable.Paid to be upgraded.Honestly thought those cabins were for crew !

Yes this has happened to me before as well - no good having an ocean view if you can only see a few inches of water, craining your neck to look out the porthole. Give me the art work instead!

When we booked the promo in Sept. (double upgrade, plus $1,000 Choice Air Credit) I was allowed to choose our cabin through my TA. The price wasn't any higher than if I'd booked a GTY. After going back and forth with ACC, he was able to keep me in the same cabin for our B2B. At first they told him it wasn't available. :confused: :rolleyes:

Next time I book a cruise, I'm going to see what the cost difference is in a GTY as opposed to me choosing our own cabin.

Interesting....i booked thru azamara and was not allowed to choose my cabin

I did transfer to my ta eventually ....next time i guess i will try booking directly with them

I'm going to throw this out there then. If you're Captain's Club status and there are upgrades that have not sold out when you cruise, I wonder what your chances are of getting a free cabin upgrade.

You are correct in saying your best times are not spent in your cabin but some of our best times have been on our verandah, which is why I'm a bit of a snob when it comes to having one. Saying that, I feel our itineraries have also been a deciding factor as far as the verandah is concerned.

I'm not sure how RCCL's family of cruise lines operates, but HAL tries to sell upgrades by email right up to the last minute of sailing. Then once onboard, upgrades seem to cost even more. I'm not suggesting that there's never the odd free cabin upgrade, but in my experience it would be more of a compensatory gesture for some previous, major, unsolved problem.

And you make a very good point about 'some' of the best times. Some of ours were on the terrasse of the suite we paid to upgrade to on our transatlantic last Nov, responding to a last minute upsell offer. And then 'some' of our best times were in the obstructed ov cabin we just had on an Azamara transatlantic these past few weeks. Itinerary is ALWAYS the deciding factor for us. As far as the cabin goes, a balcony is great, but depending on availaility and cost, if the price is going to restrict the number of cuises we can do in a given year, we'll settle for a lower category.

Interesting....i booked thru azamara and was not allowed to choose my cabin

 

I did transfer to my ta eventually ....next time i guess i will try booking directly with them

So far, I have only booked using a TA and have always chosen my cabin.

Cruiser Craig....agreed.

Gty cabin are usually okay. I have booked many Gty cabins. While the cabin location was not always the best, the savings was worth it. On some cruise lines, once you are assigned a cabin, you can ask for a different cabin in the same category. If you book in an acceptable category, you will be okay. Never book a low category and expect an upgrade. If you want a balcony, do not book a Gty oceanview or inside.

Yes this has happened to me before as well - no good having an ocean view if you can only see a few inches of water, craining your neck to look out the porthole. Give me the art work instead!

It can be an absolute nightmare this. I remember one year Mr Flite and I took our daughter and her young son on a cruise up from Aberdeen to Reykjavík. He - our grandson - was only a wee lad at the time and obvioudly frantically excited to see as much sea as was possible! But of course the window was so high he had to sit on Mr Flite's shoulders to see anything at all!. Mr Flite's rugger days wre far behind him and after the first couple of days he had put his back out. Well, you weren't about to find Old Miss Flite popping the young bairn on my shoulders! Instead we got some fun nursery prints of the sea from this site here and he was happy as Larry. MF's back soon recovered and after a week or so he was able to sit up again. By the time we saw the white coasts of Iceland the window had been forgotten.