Cat A Guarantee Bookings

Has anyone had experience of these guarantee bookings? Are there any cabins which are to be avoided location-wise?

I've booked Category A twice but each time I have been upgraded, yay. I have read elsewhere on this board that the only Category A suites to be avoided are the two that are far forward as they have an awkward configuration. Otherwise all the suites are the same. Have a look at the deck plans on the Seabourn website.

We like the "awkward configuration" of these suites so please don't let that put you off. The only thing we found was the noise of the anchor first thing on a morning but hey we needed to be up for BREAKFAST!!! There was certainly more room to walk around the end of the bed without falling over each other! Just go for it, there are no bad suites on Seabourn, just some a little better than others.

Have a great cruise!

Daneite

Since Cat. A is usually reserved for guest entertainers, lecturers, etc., a Cat. A gurantee will usually be upgraded. We did one once but only went to A1, which was fine with us as we usually book midship A1 suites. It is doubtful you will be upgraded to a balcony suite, however.

We've had the same experience as Winner, and a balcony suite is indeed unlikely, however, it's only a balcony and not a verandah. The only suggestion I have is to let your TA know if a bathtub is important to you. We once were assigned a cabin with a shower, and asked to have it changed, which was no problem.

Denyse

Denyse,

Very good point. If that bathtub with the wonderful Molton-Brown bath products are important you really need to make that noted in the booking process.

mcboo:):):)

Don't let the shower-only suites frighten you. My partner and I prefer them as they are the same size as the tubs and we never use bathtubs.

We were upgraded from Cat. A guarantee to B3, which is a balcony suite, in December on the Panama Canal cruise.

Sailor's ~~~as to Suites 100 and 101 (Deck 4) I have friends that prefer these

quarters. I personally would avoid them on "the Northern Crossing".......would be a 'lit rough for me. But, in the Caribbean or the Med. they both would be great!

Happy Trails and Sails

MB

Don't let the shower-only suites frighten you. My partner and I prefer them as they are the same size as the tubs and we never use bathtubs.

If you like to take baths, however, a shower-only configuration will disappoint. This is particularly true, as McBoo pointed out, if you like having the Moulton Brown baths onboard, which are totally fabulous.

Since there are so few disabled suites onboard ship, the problem is unlikely to occur, however, if it does, it's usually easy to remedy.

Denyse

Many thanks to everyone for all the advice.

We have gone ahead and booked the Cat A guarantee on the April 24 cruise Barcelona to Monte Carlo and have asked our travel agent to request a cabin with bath. Those Molton Brown baths sound far too good to miss out on....:)

cruiserbunny~~~your bath menu is located in the mirrored cabinet on the wall.

Sometimes guests miss this as they forget to take a peek on the opposite wall.

Yes, the luxurious Molton Brown bath is the "piece de' resistance"......sipping on a flute of champagne!

My favorite is the fragrant eucalyptus! Absolutely heavenly!

Enjoy!

MB

...How you DO LIVE sooooo well!

Good morning....

Rotty, the 'ole West Texas saying goes like this....."Good girls have to stay home......but, the Bad girls, they get to go EVERYWHERE!" (My Mother would kill me, if she knew I posted such an outrageous statement!!! hahaha)

Have you fixed any good 'ole snow ice cream? Don't forget, ALOT of Mexican vanilla!

Have fun!

Martita B.

Hi all, just me again. When my final documents arrive will my gty cabin be assigned or will I not know until I reach the ship? :confused:

Thank you in advance!

Matt, usually you will know, but occasionally they fail to print it on your luggage tags. If the latter happens, have your TA contact Seabourn for the suite assignment.

Again, usually it's printed on your docs and luggage tags, but since the Cunard move to Santa Clarita, the front office has been a little unpredictable.

Denyse

Thanks Denyse :) I actually booked direct with Seabourn.

Matt, since you booked directly with Seabourn, you will likely receive your docs a little sooner than those of us who used TA's, as they're sent out at the same time. You'll thus have plenty of time to react if the suite assignment is missing.

Also, since you're dealing with them directly, you can always give Seabourn a call in a few weeks and ask them if your suite has been assigned. Usually, they can tell you within a month of sailing, although again, the front office is much smaller now that Cunard is gone so I can't speak from recent experience.

Denyse

cruisinmatt- why would you book with them directly? I have saved so much money and got great service when bking with my TA- what are the advantages of bking directly?

g2cruise, for this particular cruise I did ask a few agents for some quotes and a few were actually higher than what Seabourn was offering direct, so I went with them. I normally use a travel agent and this will be the first time I have not done so.

Matt,

Next time check out a TA who is allied with the Virtuoso Travel Group. (They have a website,). They do 'high-end' trips, cruises and often have special deals. One added benefit, on the longer Seabourn cruises they sponsor a 'free' event which is always lovely. In Copenhagen it was a day trip, city tour and lunch in the country. One time in St Barts it was an island tour with a lovely lunch at a harbour restaurant. If there are not many onboard, sometimes it's just another shipboard party. Many Seabournites use agents with this group.

Jane in PHL (who is buying gear for the QM2 Pirates Ball in March)

PS: I am one who never looked behind me in the bathroom and never found the cabinet with the Moulton Brown goodies!! Thanks to our Martha, I am much more in the know, now.

Thanks Jane, I've learned so much here in regards to Seabourn and I am very appreciative! :)

Hey Matt~~~I like your 'lit Islands Man!

I have good friends in New York that always call Blue Lagoon to book. They say they have always received exactly what they want......and always the passage fare is right! They also book their air with Seabourn.

I have a 6* Travel Agent that I wouldn't part with, but YES, Blue Lagoon Dr. does indeed offer good rates.

Have fun!

MB

You may want to be cautious of a TA that says they organize free tours. On Seabourn on virtually every cruise they offer an "event" as part of the cruise whether it be a Caviar in the Surf picnic or a private concert at Ephesus.

1. Seabourn insists they have no fares for direct booking that are better than what are available to travel agents. Sometimes there can be a lag, though. Agents could be quoting from an out-of-date notice of some sort when a better special offer is available. The best agents always check before they quote to you.

2. The Virtuoso Voyage Club events are legitimate and fine quality. They always check so that they don't conflict wiht the Seabourn free event. Virtuoso clients get both.

bgood