Anyone get annoyed waiting for cabin assignment when category is sold out?

Anyone besides me get frustrated waiting for Princess to assign a cabin to a GTY booking when the ship is showing virtually sold out, and especially nothing for sale in your category?

We know they have to have inventory held back, so why not just go ahead and assign it out?

No.

They’ll have a reason if the wait frustrates you don’t book a guarantee.

No not at all. It just adds to the excitement. You already rolled the dice let it ride. It's called guaranteed. Just like those that have a room assignment. You can't do anything until you get there. Stay cool moon doggy.

Not really. It is to be expected when booking GTY cabin

If you are worried about your 60 day Circle South America, Princess is likely holding off assignments to see if there are last-minute bookers out there willing to pay rack rate to get on such a special sailing. And if there are that probably improves the odds of a cabin assignment in a higher category than your guarantee. This is almost certainly going to be a case of more patience turning into bigger reward. (As if a two month cruise isn't reward enough ;))

You agreed to let Princess assign you a cabin up until when you arrive at the pier.

DH and I booked 17 months in advance, a guarantee for Princess' 50th Anniversary Cruise (the one with the cast of the Love Boat aboard for 2 weeks). We found out our cabin assignment the day before the cruise. Out ocean view cabin went up 9 categories to a balcony. It was worth the wait for the eventual cabin assignment!! Many others were also in a guarantee status and, like you, had become a bit antsy wondering why it was taking so long.

As others have mentioned, booking a guarantee means just enjoying the wait for the big reveal!!

Some personalities just can't go with Guarantees. The uncertainty just drives them nuts. That's okay; you learn a lesson to pay for a cabin assignment next time. Just remember that once you're assigned a cabin, if it's something you don't like and there's another cabin in the same category that's available, you can have your TA move you to that cabin instead. Good luck! ;)

Yes, I know what we signed up for (it's just on the first segment as we have a selected cabin for both 2nd and 3rd segments). Have done GTY's before, so I know the game. The GTY for segment 1 was a great deal, so not upset I went that route.

I guess not many folks get antsy about it. It's not like I am worried about not having one at all. I would just like to know sooner. HA HA. Thought there might be some kindred spirits out there. :cool:

Yes, I know what we signed up for (it's just on the first segment as we have a selected cabin for both 2nd and 3rd segments). Have done GTY's before, so I know the game. The GTY for segment 1 was a great deal, so not upset I went that route.

 

I guess not many folks get antsy about it. It's not like I am worried about not having one at all. I would just like to know sooner. HA HA. Thought there might be some kindred spirits out there. :cool:

I'm with you. We know the game, as well. I find it interesting that with only a small of balconies available (no suites and 2-3 mini's) that there is the wait.

If you think Princess takes forever to assign a guarantee don't even think about getting one on Holland America!

I did not get my cabin assignment for an Alaska cruise until I was already in Vancouver -- the assignment came in about 11 p.m. the night before we sailed. I had already printed out my luggage tags with "to be assigned" on them, and did not bother to update them. That might have delayed the delivery of the luggage slightly, but no big deal.

Except for the (possible!) delay of the luggage being delivered to the cabin, the late assignment did not bother me. I know I would be given the cabin I asked for. No upgrade -- I booked a guaranteed balcony and that is exactly what I got.

Doesn’t bother me in the least, comes with the territory. I look at it like a game, checking the Personalizer daily. I’ve never been disappointed, we do guarantees frequently.

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Being frustrated is different from being annoyed.

Yes, I get a bit frustrated ... like a kid waiting for Christmas. :D

No, I don't get annoyed. It's just part and parcel of choosing to book a guarantee cabin.

Being frustrated is different from being annoyed.

 

Yes, I get a bit frustrated ... like a kid waiting for Christmas. :D

 

No, I don't get annoyed. It's just part and parcel of choosing to book a guarantee cabin.

Yes, I agree. I switched to frustrated in my OP, but had already used and saved annoyed in the title. I would say it's more frustration, or perhaps some exasperation, waiting on Princess to capitulate and do something. I guess I am not really annoyed because I know the system already and it isn't like I went into it blind. Just wanted to post and see what others might say.

At least with Princess you can get guarantees in a specific cabin category, not just a cabin class, which gives you a better chance of avoiding cabins in locations you don't like - and if you do end up in one of those locations that probably means you got upgraded.

Yes, I know what we signed up for (it's just on the first segment as we have a selected cabin for both 2nd and 3rd segments). Have done GTY's before, so I know the game. The GTY for segment 1 was a great deal, so not upset I went that route.

Not to drift from the original topic--but if you get assigned a cabin for segment one that you find preferable to the one confirmed for segments two and three the person to see about trying to hang on to that cabin is the Future Cruise Consultant (rather than the Purser's desk). It will take them a day or so to confirm they can stick the person(s) assigned that cabin for the next two segments with an involuntary upgrade--but it is definitely possible and you may be surprised with how little the cost is. (You didn't think I was leading you to believe you can get a free upgrade, no?)

Anyone besides me get frustrated waiting for Princess to assign a cabin to a GTY booking when the ship is showing virtually sold out, and especially nothing for sale in your category?

We know they have to have inventory held back, so why not just go ahead and assign it out?

If it annoys you to wait for a guarantee cabin to be assigned, don't book a guarantee.

Sometimes, on cruise critic, the most obvious is overlooked, just to complain.

Anyone besides me get frustrated waiting for Princess to assign a cabin to a GTY booking when the ship is showing virtually sold out, and especially nothing for sale in your category?

We know they have to have inventory held back, so why not just go ahead and assign it out?

I don't know. Tell me... is it anything like that anxiety you feel when that pretty dress you wanna buy yourself that's too expensive, just doesn't ever seem to get marked down or go on sale?

No, we never get impatient with guarantees. If you can't handle the waiting, simple choose your cabin. As to why they wait, we have been told its for a variety of reasons. But consider that most of the mass market cruise lines (including Princess) now play the "upsell game" which is giving selected passengers an opportunity to upgrade to a higher category....for a price. It is not until they have handled all the upsells, that they finally know what cabins are still unsold...which is when they do the final assignments to the guarantees. On one cruise we did not actually get a cabin assignment until we arrived at the port!

Hank

The great thing about making a booking on a minimum grade guarantee basis is that if all the lower options have been "sold out" you will get something a bit better. The longer you wait the higher the grade you might end up with. This is how it works and hope always remains until you are told the final result.

If you go down to the ship before being advised which cabin you are in, just write "Guarantee not yet assigned" on you bag tabs. The cruise line knows what to do and when you get to the check in counter. It is like unbelievably exciting.

So No.

Regards John

I originally booked an inside cabin I had picked. There was a sale about a month or so ago and I had already made final payment but final payment was not due yet. I saw that a balcony was the same price as my interior cabin so I called and was told I could have a balcony as a guarantee. I took the chance and was assigned by cabin a couple of weeks ago and I love my cabin location! I paid for a BF category and was assigned a BB category! It was worth the wait. :) I will say I did check the website everyday to see if it had been assigned :rolleyes:

The great thing about making a booking on a minimum grade guarantee basis is that if all the lower options have been "sold out" you will get something a bit better. The longer you wait the higher the grade you might end up with. This is how it works and hope always remains until you are told the final result.

 

If you go down to the ship before being advised which cabin you are in, just write "Guarantee not yet assigned" on you bag tabs. The cruise line knows what to do and when you get to the check in counter. It is like unbelievably exciting.

 

So No.

 

Regards John

Perhaps, but they can always upgrade someone else from their lower cabin to something else and then slot the GTY in that spot. No "guarantee" of getting anything better. Last time we did GTY on a B2B, we got a better category of Inside than we booked under - but it was a room for 4 (we were fine for 5 nights). The second one we got exactly the category we had the GTY under even though it had shown sold out.

And you can wait until the pier, but don't have to. Cabin will be in the Personalizer day or two before at latest. Of course a small chance it might change then, but not so much I think.

I originally booked an inside cabin I had picked. There was a sale about a month or so ago and I had already made final payment but final payment was not due yet. I saw that a balcony was the same price as my interior cabin so I called and was told I could have a balcony as a guarantee. I took the chance and was assigned by cabin a couple of weeks ago and I love my cabin location! I paid for a BF category and was assigned a BB category! It was worth the wait. :) I will say I did check the website everyday to see if it had been assigned :rolleyes:

The fastest we ever got a GTY assignment was one time we booked a BF GTY and a day or two later were assigned what was a BA at the time. As I recall, we made the booking right around final payment date (75 days).