Letting cruise line pick the balcony cabin

I saw a cruise we like to take and the lowest advertised price is if we let Carnival pick the balcony cabin the day of boarding, does anyone cares to share their experience good and bad letting them choose. The savings are around $200 for both of us.

Booking a guarantee is a great way to save money as long as you are not particular about where you are located on the ship. And sometimes you get a nice upgrade.

We did guarantee balcony on our July 13th cruise we got cabins on the 8th deck midship !

Booked a balcony guarantee and got an Owner's Suite (on RCL).

Friends recently booked on Carnival and got an Ocean Suite.

You just never know and if you really don't care, go for it! You can't get less than a balcony.

Booked a balcony guarantee and got an Owner's Suite (on RCL).

 

Friends recently booked on Carnival and got an Ocean Suite.

 

You just never know and if you really don't care, go for it! You can't get less than a balcony.

wow

Search the boards and find what most consider to be the worst balcony on the ship. Assess if you are willing to pay the rate they quote you for a balcony guarantee for that cabin.

Be pleasantly surprised if you receive an "upgrade" to a better balcony from the one you thought you might get. Don't whine if you do get the balcony you thought you might get.

Generally, you will get a better balcony but there is the possibility you could get that "gem" of a balcony like rolling a 7 at the craps table.

I avoid balcony guarantees, pay a small premium, to be sure I get an acceptable cabin. I only book a balcony guarantee if that is the only rate left.

we have done a guaarantee cabin about 5x now with 2 more coming up and we have always gotten at least what we paid for.

For $ 200 will do g in heartbeat. Than again how much time will you really spend in cabin?

Changed from ES/Mil rate with an IS cabin to the pack-n-go rate and BL guarantee. We have gone over the deck plans, and there's really no bad balcony (IMO). I like to choose my own room and location, but am willing to take a gamble this time. We're not in the room much anyway, except for maybe a nap early evening before dinner, and after the club/disco closes, so if we get a room over a venue, its not going to be a big deal. Hopefully, we'll get a nice upgrade to a Spa BL, but I'm sure I'll be satisfied with what I get. Happy sailing!!!!:)

we have done a guaarantee cabin about 5x now with 2 more coming up and we have always gotten at least what we paid for.

 

For $ 200 will do g in heartbeat. Than again how much time will you really spend in cabin?

I've never done a guarantee. As far as time spent on one, sometimes it not hours on end. It does provide peace of mind to have an area to escape to. I've had a few insides when I had to choose to cruise or not, but those insides drive me right out of the cabin.:mad: I must travel solo, so cost is prohibited unless I have a cabin share.

Never done an assigned cabin OP, but from everything I see on here, folks seems to be more happy than not with what they get. I would go for it and save the money.

Never done an assigned cabin OP, but from everything I see on here, folks seems to be more happy than not with what they get. I would go for it and save the money.

OK going with the majority and keeping my fingers crossed, will report when we get back about what balcony cabin we got.

Thanks to all!

Booked a balcony guarantee and got an Owner's Suite (on RCL).

 

Friends recently booked on Carnival and got an Ocean Suite.

 

You just never know and if you really don't care, go for it! You can't get less than a balcony.

Very cool!

I always say I am going to be "brave" and try it, but I always wimp out!:o

We book 8-12 months out ES. We're very selective with our balcony location, deck 7 or 8 midships on the port side. Don't think a GTY would work for us. Might save a few $'s but we'd probably end up under Lido or AFT/FWD.

We had a GTY balcony for our Honeymoon. We weren't particularly bothered by where we could be put (at least, at the balcony category). We went in expecting an obstructed view balcony, but were pleasantly surprised to be assigned an aft-extended view balcony. The cost savings was nearly $450 over what we would've paid by picking it ourselves.

Since trying a Balcony, I'm spoiled now and Love my Lido Balcony. I am however contemplating try the Gt. Balcony. I must admit I'm kinda nervous that I'd be the one to get the Crappy Cabin. I hear the Good stories about the upgraded balconies.

I could only Pray that I would be that Lucky.

I have a balcony guarantee on my upcoming vacation. Can anyone share information on when Carnival informed them on the cabin assignment? I am just curious.

I have a balcony guarantee on my upcoming vacation. Can anyone share information on when Carnival informed them on the cabin assignment? I am just curious.

We booked six weeks before sailing and got our assignment three weeks before sailing. With GTYs they can keep you in the dark until you get to the port.

I have a balcony guarantee on my upcoming vacation. Can anyone share information on when Carnival informed them on the cabin assignment? I am just curious.

According to the website it is assigned on boarding day, it is understandable since they want to keep all available cabins for the customers who want to pay extra to pick their cabin.

I have to pick my room.

Good info. Thanks for the responses. I'll just let the suspense build.

I have a balcony guarantee on my upcoming vacation. Can anyone share information on when Carnival informed them on the cabin assignment? I am just curious.

Just do what I did for my last cruise I called and said ( is there any chance of knowing my room number yet ) within a few minutes I knew. Maybe, I just got lucky but what do you have to loose?? Go on call....

We are having to move a sailing in September up by two weeks and will be doing our first balcony guarantee. I really wanted a cove. :( Hopefully we won't get Vista deck.

We've done this several times and haven't been disappointed.

Just do what I did for my last cruise I called and said ( is there any chance of knowing my room number yet ) within a few minutes I knew. Maybe, I just got lucky but what do you have to loose?? Go on call....

Good idea; I'll try this about 10 days before the cruise. After all, I just cannot print luggage tags without room numbers:p

We are having to move a sailing in September up by two weeks and will be doing our first balcony guarantee. I really wanted a cove. Hopefully we won't get Vista deck.

Good luck; I poke around the booking site as if I am a new customer to see which balconies are still available for cruisers willing to select their own cabin. A thought if you are interested in seeing what is available for your vacation. I do not know if this correlates to anything yet.

We've done this several times and haven't been disappointed.

I'm sure I won't be disappointed. I went into this with my eyes open. It is a balcony and a cruise, that usually equals a good vacation.

Thanks for the comments.

" ... balcony and a cruise, ...". I feel the same way. :)