Booked Guarantee/No Cabin Assignment

We have sailed on over 30 cruises and book guarantee on many, and are sailing the Caribbean Princess on Apr 26th. This is the first time we have not been given a cabin assignment until we check in. When we check Princess' website for this cruise the only cabins not sold out are the Balconies and Suites. We are Platinum and scheduled to celebrate our 20th Wedding Anniversary. What are everyone's thoughts? Possible upgrade? :)

Anything is possible. Every now and then someone gets lucky.

The fact that cabin categories show as sold out, doesn't mean they are all assigned.

Princess has this down to a science, don't overthink it. :D

Unless anyone can report differently, it is my undersatanding that you are unlikely to be upgraded if, on a previous cruise, you have paid for a higher grade than you have booked on this cruise.

The logic of this is, I believe, is that far from seeing upgrading as a reward for regular passengers, they instead see upgrading as a marketing tool and a tempter to introduce folks to a higher grade of cabin in the hope that, next time, they will book and pay for a higher grade.

As someone else has already said, they have this down to a science and there is a lot of logic in this approach, which is why, if you are staying on for the next cruise, on changeover day, you can always get the future cruise manager to show you the higher grade 'cabins'.

We have sailed on over 30 cruises and book guarantee on many, and are sailing the Caribbean Princess on Apr 26th. This is the first time we have not been given a cabin assignment until we check in. When we check Princess' website for this cruise the only cabins not sold out are the Balconies and Suites. We are Platinum and scheduled to celebrate our 20th Wedding Anniversary. What are everyone's thoughts? Possible upgrade? :)

When you book a "guaranteed" cabin you accept the fact you will be assigned a cabin anywhere from the time you book up to pier check-in. If you don't like that possibility then don't book a guaranteed cabin. It's no different then check-in at a hotel. Your actual room assignment and key is given at check-in. Usually the cruise line berth cabins 7-10 day prior to departure - maybe soon; maybe later. It could be there are no cabins available to assign at this point or the ship's dispatcher hasn't yet assigned cabins to all GTYs. Cruise line routinely "oversell" because people cancel for many reason up to departure and cruise line want the ship to sail full. No different then the airlines. If not enough people cancel then the cruise line start "buying off" people to other ships or other sailing dates with refunds, OBC and upgrades. They can always find takers. Once the "moveover" is taken place - available cabins open and assigned to GTY. Sometimes people are "no-shows" at the pier and the ship will actually sails with empty cabins. I know it frustrating, but you have to be patient. You will be sailing with always a nice probability of a cabin upgrade.

We sailed on the Caribbean Princess at the end of March. We did not receive our room assignments until 4 days prior to the cruise. We did end up with an upgrade from an inside to an unobstructed OV. Good Luck!!

Keep your fingers crossed! :D

We booked a balcony GTY ( as we usually have done for most of our cruises) for the April 28th sailing of the Coral Princess. We still don't have a cabin assignment either. This is the closest to sailing that we have ever waited but I have no problem with that. This won't stop me from booking a GTY again because in the past we have been upgraded, not to a mini suite or better but a better cabin that we paid for...

Unless anyone can report differently, it is my undersatanding that you are unlikely to be upgraded if, on a previous cruise, you have paid for a higher grade than you have booked on this cruise.

 

The logic of this is, I believe, is that far from seeing upgrading as a reward for regular passengers, they instead see upgrading as a marketing tool and a tempter to introduce folks to a higher grade of cabin in the hope that, next time, they will book and pay for a higher grade.

 

As someone else has already said, they have this down to a science and there is a lot of logic in this approach, which is why, if you are staying on for the next cruise, on changeover day, you can always get the future cruise manager to show you the higher grade 'cabins'.

DH and I have booked minis, balconys, OV, and interior.

We'd booked a guaranteed inside recently and received our assignment shortly after, and. then, two weeks before sailing we were upgraded to a Caribe balcony.

We were very pleased since we never expected to see it happen. We always just book where we know we'll be comfortable for that particular sailing.

Is that what you meant?

Unless anyone can report differently, it is my undersatanding that you are unlikely to be upgraded if, on a previous cruise, you have paid for a higher grade than you have booked on this cruise.

 

The logic of this is, I believe, is that far from seeing upgrading as a reward for regular passengers, they instead see upgrading as a marketing tool and a tempter to introduce folks to a higher grade of cabin in the hope that, next time, they will book and pay for a higher grade.

 

As someone else has already said, they have this down to a science and there is a lot of logic in this approach, which is why, if you are staying on for the next cruise, on changeover day, you can always get the future cruise manager to show you the higher grade 'cabins'.

Totally disagree. Book guarantee quite frequently and usually end up with an upgrade to the highest level in that particular category ex: IF to IA. I am 13 days out from a cruise on the Royal (4/27) and have not received a cabin yet either. This is one of the latest assignments I've had in a while.

We have sailed on over 30 cruises and book guarantee on many, and are sailing the Caribbean Princess on Apr 26th. This is the first time we have not been given a cabin assignment until we check in.

Chances are you will receive your cabin assignment in the next 7 days and not have to wait until check-in.

Whether the assignment will be in the GTY category booked or in a higher category is up to the upgrade fairy.

Totally disagree. Book guarantee quite frequently and usually end up with an upgrade to the highest level in that particular category ex: IF to IA. I am 13 days out from a cruise on the Royal (4/27) and have not received a cabin yet either. This is one of the latest assignments I've had in a while.

Sorry phrased my comment very badly. I agree it is common to get placed in a higher level in the booked category.

I was referring to upgrades to higher catergories, like balcony to mini-suite, etc. Also, if you are going to get inside to oceanview, or oceanview to balcony they will say so at the time of sale by offering 'balcony for the price of oceanview'.

Sorry if my reply was not clear. You were right to correct me.

Having said that, it would appear that sssteele has frequently beaten my perception of the 'rules', so maybe I do have it wrong. It has just never happened to me when we make a late booking a guaranteed balcony (normally when we are booked in either a full suite or mini-suite on the following cruise)

Leventurian (aka Corfe Mixture)

It looks as if whoever assigns Princess GTY cabins might be off cruising and took the upgrade fairy along!!!

We received our assignment three days before departure. Allocated exactly what we booked for.

Thanks for all of the replies. We will enjoy our cruise regardless of our cabin assignment. :)

Our only real upgrades have been from obstructed view cabins to unobstructed ones. Once it was to a deluxe ocean view, which is a cabin with a balcony that's only partially usable and can't be sold as a balcony cabin.

Once we were booked in cat BB balcony. For $50 more I gambled and upgraded to a BA guarantee, hoping that being in the highest balcony category, perhaps we'd be assigned a mini-suite. Luck prevailed and that's exactly what happened. Not really strategy on my part, more luck than anything else. Just about the best $50 I ever spent, however. This was on Sea Princess, who's mini-suites were what many today would classify as full suites.

Our only real upgrades have been from obstructed view cabins to unobstructed ones. Once it was to a deluxe ocean view, which is a cabin with a balcony that's only partially usable and can't be sold as a balcony cabin.

What ship and cabin # has this category?

Thanks

Once we were booked in cat BB balcony. For $50 more I gambled and upgraded to a BA guarantee, hoping that being in the highest balcony category, perhaps we'd be assigned a mini-suite. Luck prevailed and that's exactly what happened. Not really strategy on my part, more luck than anything else. Just about the best $50 I ever spent, however. This was on Sea Princess, who's mini-suites were what many today would classify as full suites.

Yes mini's on the Sea Princess/Dawn Princess/Sun Princess are the same as suites on the Grand Class ships as well as the Island/Coral.

Totally disagree. Book guarantee quite frequently and usually end up with an upgrade to the highest level in that particular category ex: IF to IA. I am 13 days out from a cruise on the Royal (4/27) and have not received a cabin yet either. This is one of the latest assignments I've had in a while.

I've recorded over 200 upgrades from this forum. The average cabin category upgrade is about 4 categories. Most of the cabin 'types' have at least 4 or more categories in them. For most cruisers (not folks on here who pay attention to cabin locations), an inside is an inside, a ov is an ov, etc and book the category for their desired cabin type since it will be the least money. So thats why most upgrades are from inside to inside etc.

Sorry phrased my comment very badly. I agree it is common to get placed in a higher level in the booked category.

 

I was referring to upgrades to higher catergories, like balcony to mini-suite, etc. Also, if you are going to get inside to oceanview, or oceanview to balcony they will say so at the time of sale by offering 'balcony for the price of oceanview'.

 

Sorry if my reply was not clear. You were right to correct me.

 

Having said that, it would appear that sssteele has frequently beaten my perception of the 'rules', so maybe I do have it wrong. It has just never happened to me when we make a late booking a guaranteed balcony (normally when we are booked in either a full suite or mini-suite on the following cruise)

 

Leventurian (aka Corfe Mixture)

yes, i agree with you there.

What ship and cabin # has this category?

Diamond and Sapphire have Premium Oceanview cabins like this.

B100, B101, B102, B103, B105

C100, C101, C102, C103, C105

We were assigned yesterday to Caribe Deck 10 Aft Inside. 4 days until we will be enjoying our 7 day vacation. :):):)