vince_g

The terms and conditions say that B of A may issue a 1099 form. I assume that if they say they may, they will. I am wondering what other people's experience is with this. I need to decide whether I want to pursue this. I really am happy with the Citi Dividend and Chase Freedom cards I have, but I figure between the 10,000 mile bonus and the $2,500 dollar balance left on my cruise (which will get me 2 points per dollar spent), I am looking at having an extra $150 onboard credit for my cruise. It would probably be worth the small change it would cause to my taxes.

BX is not necessarily a GTY assignment. You can book a specific BX cabin if available.

 

For an exterior image of balconies see slide #2 here;

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Mz-KRzK40cJ4pJEByzdaMIM0IE6lQBLUZAwQnFLIpto/pub?start=true&loop=true&delayms=5000#slide=id.gd440b78d_2_0

 

from; https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/pub?key=0AkRUeqCmOMnGdFZWTVVzZndrc0NkN1N0TGpZb2ZYU2c&single=true&gid=0&output=html

Yep, I am thrilled with having booked 8710. Thank you for the visual!

On January 24 I booked cabin 8710 for the November 30 sailing, and you posted on January 28, saying the 4 actual BX cabins were gone. Those didn't last long; at my time of booking I believe there were 3 of the 4 actual BX cabins available, so I'm very happy I booked this when I did! I too paid 649, and now I see the balcony guarantee going for 849.

I am thinking it's going to be a fantastic room. The deck plan shows it situated above the backstage area, so I really don't think noise will be a problem. I have read the same cabins on the Epic are over a lounge, so those could have noise issues. A couple table mates on the Carnival Conquest had a balcony guarantee and ended up above the Degas Lounge. They really were not happy with their cabin, so I am reluctant to go the guarantee route.

Being able to select a cabin at a guarantee price plust get a triple sized balcony made me jump on this. Yes, the balcony railing is set back about a foot, so there is no direct downward view to the water, but in my mind that is not a problem. There is still plenty of ocean to take in and some very nice private outdoor space! Perhaps the perception of forward cabins being less desirable is the potential for a rough ride if the weather gets bad. Well there are penthouse suites above my cabin, so I guess being forward cannot be that bad...

I've got to put my cruise out of my mind. The end of November is too far off, and the thought of another winter just nauseates me.

THe BX category on the breakaway is 2 things really (I'll explain how I found this out)

 

first there are 4 balconies (2 on each side) that are all the way forward. Usually forward is cheaper than mid/aft. Also they are ONLY on deck 8. Which might get noise from below? not really sure.

 

The second thing is the BX category is also a Guarentee Balcony Category.

 

So my thought is, if your ok with the placement on deck 8 and all the way forward - even if its a guarentee, it can only get better.

 

 

 

How I found this out - we're book for the Breakaway Nov 30 sailing. We booked a midship inside ($649 each at the time - now 629 with latitudes offer). Saw they were offering $100 obc so I called to see if I could get that added on. While I was on the phone I was looking around and saw the BX category was $649 - our original price and also came with the $100 OBC. When I was talking to the rep they had some issues to get it through and it actually took two calls and them to get a supervisor on the phone to get it to work. At first she said that I'd get a room number but then when they went to book me in the room she couldn't and then it said it was a guarantee balcony. After some hold time they came back with an answer from someone else and what they told me was how its really 2 different things. Looks like the room they wanted to book me in was already selected and the other 3 were already "claimed" and thus I got a guarantee of any balcony.

 

If you have a specific number then you'll be in that room. otherwise it'll say GTY on your invoice/documents.

 

Hope this helps.

 

I've noticed before when we first booked, the BX category was NOT this low. But honestly I'm happy with any balcony for the same price as a midship inside.

NCL does not cruise to Bermuda in November; only through October.

I agree. He should have had to pay his own way home.

Saw this on the NCL board... http://www.rightthisminute.com/video/jumping-ship-puts-man-no-cruise-list

Right this minute is saying that daredevil is going to have to pay for his flight home

To be precise, I believe that C751 on the Crown is a regular balcony, and so the beam is pretty intrusive, whereas C751 on the Caribbean Princess is a suite with double length balcony, and so the beam is more manageable.

 

How confusing this can get! (Someone please post if I am wrong on this ...)

Well that is neither precise nor correct... C751 on the Crown is a premium suite. We checked out that balcony and it was much more cramped than our C749 balcony.

The beam is big...but I would much rather be looking at the beam than the SNOWDRIFT blocking my office window right now;) :eek:

 

:D

You are correct... the beam is big and it's right in the way. The balcony is much smaller too. I tried to tell people I just had C749 on the Crown and the noise isn't that bad. Besides I'm pretty sure C751 can still hear the whooshing sound of the vent. I'd rather take the better balcony any day. And again I reiterate there was no odor of gargbage... maybe a little garlic, but no stench of garbage.

We sailed the Diamond in A VS aft (D739), we had a vent on our deck that made the whole balcony smell like garbage and rendered the balcony useless for 14 days.

Now that would have bothered me. Like I said, we only picked up on a garlic smell one morning, but the Mexican lunch buffet was really good! The vent wasn't quiet that's for sure, but not a deal breaker in my mind. If it had created noise in the suite, that would have been another story.

I chose the suite with the vent over the beam and was sorry that I ever did that. We never sat outside and enjoyed the balcony with our friends due to the constant noise and disgusting smell. We did try sitting as far away from the vent as possible but it's not like the balcony is that big that you can really get far away from it. It's the first time in 10 cruises that I did not spend tons of time out on my balcony.

I know others have not had the same issue we did, but we did have it on the Crown and next time I book a suite it won't be next to the vents but rather with the dreaded beam.

 

Frankly, I think the biggest mistake Princess made with the Grand class ships was taking the suites off the Caribe deck midship because that was the perfect location and the best balcony that I ever had.

I just came off the Crown on Saturday and had C749 (with the dreaded vent). After a few minutes I just blocked out the vent noise. One day (I think when the Cafe Caribe had the Mexican lunch) there was a strong smell of garlic, but all it did was make me hungry. After looking at our neighbors (C751) balcony with the beam, I am glad I chose the dreaded vent. Their balcony was nowhere as deep as ours, and that beam really looks like it blocked the view from the slider in their bedroom area. Their cabin may have had a few square feet more, but they lost it on the balcony.

Would I prefer there was no vent right next door??? Probably, but there's no way I would not book the same suite again.

Just looked at the bottle in my cabinet... it is Palapa. It says coumarine free on the side of the bottle. The 1/4 litre bottle was 3.00 US, and like I said has even a better flavor than any of the pure vanilla extract you can buy in the US grocery stores. This has lasted me quite a while. Last time I was in Barbados I bought some Bajan vanilla and it is somewhat different... not as good I think.

They grow vanilla beans there and make some awesome pure vanilla extract. It is much better than McCormick and you can probably buy a big bottle for the price of a small bottle of McCormick. Buy it at any souvenir stand. As for the tequila, I would ask the locals... who knows more about it than them?? They will be able to steer you in the right direction there.

Never heard of such a thing on any airline or cruisline!

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the Princess mini suites are about the same size as other cruise lines veranda cabin, full width couch like X or Hal, 2 tvs? and a tub. It's just that the standard veranda cabins are small. They charge about $600 more for it.

The standard veranda rooms on the X Constellation are pretty small. The minisuites are at least the size of the sky suites on Constellation.

Thanks Casshew, you know they are!!!!!

I have to agree that you probably won't be bumped up that much. On the Carnival board there was a post where someone was upgraded from an 8A to an 8D... just higher up on the ship. I would think anyone who took a category 9A gty. would get the category 11.

If you really have your heart set on the 11, I'd book that.

6/5/4 QM2 Westbound Transatlantic

11/22/4 Sun Princess Eastern Caribbean