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Should I get a "guarantee" room?


bronxlady

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a "gty" means you will get that level of cabin or better. remember their are several levels to just balcony cabins. if looking into a balcony, each level of balcony goes up...meaning better positons on the ship. gty can get tricky, you can end up in a obstructed view/ next to the crew's elevators or in the nicest cabin on the ship.

best cabins for least noise, are the ones between other decks of cabins. cabins above and below MAY be better then being under the buffet (example). for less ship motion, lower decks, center of ship..best for those that suffer from any motion sickness.

yes, gty means you can have the worst or the best cabin in that catagory or you may be bumped up to another catagory of cabin..you have no control. that's why it's less then if you choose your cabin.

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What exactly is a guarantee room on the NCL website? Is it worth taking the gamble - or will I get screwed with a bad room?

 

If I choose my own room - is there any advice as to which parts of the ship are good/bad? Thanks!

 

 

There are several ways to look at this... sometimes you can make out really well, others you can get upgraded to something, but it is in an otherwise undesireable part of the ship, and it feels like a downgrade in the end.

 

But, if you are concerned about where your cabin will end up, I would pick out your own cabin.

 

Good and bad parts of the ship depends on your own preferences and the level of cabin you are booking...

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There are several ways to look at this... sometimes you can make out really well, others you can get upgraded to something, but it is in an otherwise undesireable part of the ship, and it feels like a downgrade in the end.

 

But, if you are concerned about where your cabin will end up, I would pick out your own cabin.

 

Good and bad parts of the ship depends on your own preferences and the level of cabin you are booking...

 

I am inclined to agree with Cliff. On our 2nd cruise we booked a GTY. The cabin we were assigned was "nicer" than the original GTY category BUT I did not like the location. I was able to get a good upsell to a cabin I really liked but it was all time consuming and stressfull. I don't know that I would do it again.

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For our POH cruise next month, I booked us an inside guarantee and guess what, we were assigned an inside cabin on deck 9. No window for us... I was hoping for an upgrade, but no luck. You just have to be willing to be assigned in the lowest grade cabin of the guarantee level you book. I'm just not sure that the hubby and I won't kill each other after 7 days in an inside cabin:rolleyes:

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I have ALWAYS booked a GTY when I could (except for this next cruise, which is special, we booked a mini-suite.)

 

My results have been very good (or lucky, as you wish.) Last cruise on Elation, my GTY inside cheapo cabin magically turned into a nice oceanview. That is the exception rather than the rule.

 

On Valor, I booked an inside lowest level GTY and ended up with a nice inside on the Lido, very close to the pool (but not too close.)

 

The deal is, you get "at least what you pay for" with the possibility of being upgraded to the best available cabin "more than you paid for". You cannot choose a room, just a minimum category.

 

People booking a non-GTY cabin do get to pick the room but they have zero chance to get a better cabin without paying for it. For some people it is a chance worth taking and for others, it is not.

 

I am of the opinion that there are no bad cabins on a cruise ship, because I use my cabin for sleeping and showering (and other things :D, but I digress...), and that is about it. Yes, some locations are better than others, but I would be happy anywhere (I am a galss half full kind of guy.) So for me, a GTY works. If you are particular about where you stay, better book a specific room.

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I have ALWAYS booked a GTY when I could (except for this next cruise, which is special, we booked a mini-suite.)

 

My results have been very good (or lucky, as you wish.) Last cruise on Elation, my GTY inside cheapo cabin magically turned into a nice oceanview. That is the exception rather than the rule.

 

On Valor, I booked an inside lowest level GTY and ended up with a nice inside on the Lido, very close to the pool (but not too close.)

 

The deal is, you get "at least what you pay for" with the possibility of being upgraded to the best available cabin "more than you paid for". You cannot choose a room, just a minimum category.

 

People booking a non-GTY cabin do get to pick the room but they have zero chance to get a better cabin without paying for it. For some people it is a chance worth taking and for others, it is not.

 

I am of the opinion that there are no bad cabins on a cruise ship, because I use my cabin for sleeping and showering (and other things :D, but I digress...), and that is about it. Yes, some locations are better than others, but I would be happy anywhere (I am a galss half full kind of guy.) So for me, a GTY works. If you are particular about where you stay, better book a specific room.

Salty:

Certain cruise lines will upgrade non-GTY cabins. On my first cuise (Celebrity) we received a terrific upgrade, and we were non-GTY. Of course, that is all a function of supply and demand, and luck. It is much less likely to occur at holiday times, etc.

As I understand it, NCL does not upgrade, but rather will offer "upsells".

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You save quite a bit of money booking guaranted too. I'm afraid I will end up with a cabin next to the elevators or an ice machine. Therefore, I tend to book a cabin.

 

 

We love being by the elevators. Very convenient and vary quiet. Why would being by them be a bad thing?

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We love being by the elevators. Very convenient and vary quiet. Why would being by them be a bad thing?

 

WE were by the elevator on a 4 night out of Miami during spring break, and it SUCKed.... drunk university kids being rowdy till 3,4 or 5 in the monring.... just watch your cruise!!

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If you care about where your cabin is, no. If you don't, it can be a cost savings, just don't think you can book an IV & get a suite.

I booked a balcony guarentee last cruise & ended up in a BB cabin. Not the best balcony but the 2nd best. I have no idea what the difference is other than floor (I was also happier on the floor I was on, rather than the higher one).

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probably in my opinion, i'd book the top level oceanview...and hope for the lowest balcony.

 

i think that would work, right? the thing with the gty insides and oceanviews...like others have said...the room itself might be an upgrade...but you still can end up on a much lower deck.

 

but alas...it's driven by what you can afford...then by what would ultimately make you happy.

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probably in my opinion, i'd book the top level oceanview...and hope for the lowest balcony.

 

i think that would work, right? the thing with the gty insides and oceanviews...like others have said...the room itself might be an upgrade...but you still can end up on a much lower deck.

 

but alas...it's driven by what you can afford...then by what would ultimately make you happy.

 

Well, in this case, balconies tend to be on higher decks anyway... You're not going to be much lower. An outside cabin however can be as low as deck 4...

 

I have booked an GTY for the highest level inside and been upgraded to outside, but I think I would have rather had the II inside on deck 11 as opposed to the outside on deck 4.

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Hi ZonePH

 

Nice to see you are still around email me at samthebookity@verizon.net I want to e mail you a couple of photos. Sorry none of them are from the bar

 

Sam

 

 

 

probably in my opinion, i'd book the top level oceanview...and hope for the lowest balcony.

 

i think that would work, right? the thing with the gty insides and oceanviews...like others have said...the room itself might be an upgrade...but you still can end up on a much lower deck.

 

but alas...it's driven by what you can afford...then by what would ultimately make you happy.

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What exactly is a guarantee room on the NCL website? Is it worth taking the gamble - or will I get screwed with a bad room?

 

If I choose my own room - is there any advice as to which parts of the ship are good/bad? Thanks!

 

Hi, and welcome to Cruise Critic! :) Others have answered what a "guarantee" cabin is -- but since you are a first time cruiser, I thought I'd add a few things. First, there is a great article on selecting a cabin (written with first time cruisers in mind) here at CC -- here's the link -- http://www.cruisecritic.com/ftc/articles.cfm?ID=77.

 

What constitutes a "good" or "bad" cabin is something even seasoned cruisers can change their opinions about, depending on the ship. Some think being right beside the elevators is great for ease of transport and less walking -- others remember that late at night folks tend to congregate near the elevators, or take long (loud) farewells nearby, and then there are the kids who "play" on the elevators -- those folks may try to avoid a cabin anywhere near an elevator.

 

So it's helpful to study the deckplans for the ship for your intended trip. Look above the cabin you are thinking about -- look below it. Look beside it -- are there "blank" spaces which could be an ice machine or steward's closet? Is the cabin above or below the disco? The showroom? The galley (might be quiet at night, but they get going for breakfast darned early in the morning!)? The gym (listening to a thump from a treadmill at 6:00 AM could dampen anyone's day unless they were the treadmiller in question)?

 

If there are cabins within your "guarantee" class that you would find completely unacceptable based on your research, you'd be better off deciding on a cabin that does meet your needs/wants. There's an element of "mysticism" in how cruiselines do things -- but it's logical to assume that some percentage of a given cabin class's guarantee bookings will go to the least attractive of that class's cabins (noise, location), and some percentage will go to the least attractive of the next higher class's cabins. The remaining guarantees hopefully will be lucky -- but nobody yet has figured out a way to make sure you are in the "lucky" group! :)

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My experience has been the biggest source of noise I heard in the cabin came from people out in the hall. The doors are not as soundproof as the walls and you can often hear hallway conversations. A point to keep in mind when walking the halls during sleeping hours.

 

Since all cabins have a door, this sort of noise is possible anywhere; however, some locations will have less of it than others.

 

Sometimes, hallways can be a shortcut from point A to point B, and they get a lot more traffic. Other hallways do not lead anywhere except to the cabins, and they will only be used by passengers going to and from their rooms and staff (who are typically quiet as a mouse.)

 

So, when choosing a room, that is something to consider. When choosing a GTY, none of this matters. If you are bothered by noise, you may want to part with the extra $$ and pick the cabin you want.

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We love being by the elevators. Very convenient and vary quiet. Why would being by them be a bad thing?

 

 

HI!!

We are on the Star...and I actually picked our room...and chose the room that is not side side by side but next to the elevators 10151 and is turned sideways. We are on the 10th deck and it looked to be a great spot for us :) Good to know the elevators shouldn't bother us.....I think being close to them is easier. SO.. you CAN"T hear the elevators going up and down etc. right? :)

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What exactly is a guarantee room on the NCL website? Is it worth taking the gamble - or will I get screwed with a bad room?

 

If I choose my own room - is there any advice as to which parts of the ship are good/bad? Thanks!

 

Well, the chance you take with a gty is that you will the worst cabin (location on the ship, deck, etc.) in the category of your gty. If you consider getting the "minimum" you paid for getting "screwed," then you should not book a gty. If you're willing to roll the dice, spin the wheel, or fill-in-the-gambling cliche, then you should. There's no way to get screwed when booking a gty because the cruise line makes it clear that you are paying a (usually) lower fare and will get at least the category you booked in the location of the cruise line's choice with the possibility of being assigned ("upgraded" to) a better category. Often gtys are upgraded within type (gty for lowest category of oceanview; assigned best category of oceanview in a good location). Occassionally you'll get an upgrade of type (gty for oceanview; assigned balcony). Rarely (as in blue moon), you'll get upgraded substantially (gty oceanview; assigned mini-suite or such). It all depends on your risk tolerance.

 

The best locations on the ships are (IMO only) midship with cabins above and below and, for balcony situations only, fully aft.

 

beachchick

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I'm sorry, I have never understood the appeal of guaranteed cabins. It's a gamble, and I see no real price advantage. I, for one, book a cabin knowing exactly where it is. No surprises.
there is a price advantage: guaranteed cabins are always (or I should say 99% of the time) the least expensive. Plus many get upgraded 3,4,5 or even 10 catagories. Is it a gamble? yes, and I am one of those that has never made out by going guaranteed, but I have many clients that have. To me the worst is ended up with a better catagory but worse choise on the ship.

 

If you like to gamble and can accept what you get, go for it, if choosing the location on the ship is very important pay the extra few bucks and choose your cabin.

 

nita

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We chose to go with a GTY cabin for our first cruise (Pearl- Sept24). As first timers we had nothing to gauge it against. We booked a Oceanview Balcony (cat BE, saved $20 pp) and hoped for the best. I had done a fair bit of reading here and elsewhere and the one thing that came across from my research was that there were no hard and fast choices. Everyone has their own opinions, likes and dislikes. I figured that we would just have to find out for ourselves what those were for us.

 

I booked approx 10 days before departure (thru NCL.com) and the next day we got our cabin assignment in cabin 10160 (Cat BB). Six days before departure we got a msg from NCL about an upsell to an AF mini-suite. I called in the next day to find that the mini-suites were all gone and was told that our cabin had been changed and that we had received a complimentary upgrade. Now I have read enough here about GTY upgrades telling me that it is next to impossible to get upgraded from one category to a higher category. Imagine my shock when we were assigned a Penthouse (Cat AB)? Is it a one in a million thing? Perhaps, but it obviously does happen. I work for an airline and am used to standby travel and making last minute plans, so I guess it is easy for me to go with a GTY cabin. Sometimes you get lucky and sometimes you don't, but we always make the most of what we are offered.

 

I have a feeling our cabin assignment may spoil us for future cruises and for all I know our next experience may be totally the opposite, but I will deal with that when and if it happens.

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We chose to go with a GTY cabin for our first cruise (Pearl- Sept24). As first timers we had nothing to gauge it against. We booked a Oceanview Balcony (cat BE, saved $20 pp) and hoped for the best. I had done a fair bit of reading here and elsewhere and the one thing that came across from my research was that there were no hard and fast choices. Everyone has their own opinions, likes and dislikes. I figured that we would just have to find out for ourselves what those were for us.

 

I booked approx 10 days before departure (thru NCL.com) and the next day we got our cabin assignment in cabin 10160 (Cat BB). Six days before departure we got a msg from NCL about an upsell to an AF mini-suite. I called in the next day to find that the mini-suites were all gone and was told that our cabin had been changed and that we had received a complimentary upgrade. Now I have read enough here about GTY upgrades telling me that it is next to impossible to get upgraded from one category to a higher category. Imagine my shock when we were assigned a Penthouse (Cat AB)? Is it a one in a million thing? Perhaps, but it obviously does happen. I work for an airline and am used to standby travel and making last minute plans, so I guess it is easy for me to go with a GTY cabin. Sometimes you get lucky and sometimes you don't, but we always make the most of what we are offered.

 

I have a feeling our cabin assignment may spoil us for future cruises and for all I know our next experience may be totally the opposite, but I will deal with that when and if it happens.

 

Yes, what happened to you is extremely rare. That's why I called it "blue moon" rare. Having a gty go from one type to another is not common, but does happen. I wouldn't have been terribly surprised if they'd assigned you into a mini-suite. Even though that is still not typical, it certainly happens more often than getting assigned into a high level suite. Getting upgraded on your gty from a BE balcony to an AB penthouse is amazing. You'll love it, no doubt. Definitely put this in the super lucky column--and enjoy every minute.:D

 

beachchick

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