Guarantee vs Booked Room

We have our big cruise booked for March break of next year (Boardwalk room on Symphony), but we may do a 'bonus' cruise the end of the summer (bonus as in normally we wouldn't have booked but we were looking for a 4 day holiday before our kids return to school).

Thus, this is a budget cruise for us. When we booked we only had the option of Guarantee for interior on Mariner of the Seas. There are currently lots of staterooms available and it is for last week in August...so not sure the ship will be full?

With the latest 'sales', the interior rooms are now bookable by a selected cabin (i.e. guarantee is no longer showing), but they're $200 more...but with very small OBC. Would you switch so you can select your stateroom, or based on timing of cruise and current availability, would you take your chance?

And if we select a room, is aft better than forward? Not sure if we'll have rougher seas based on the time of year.

I would not pay more for the same category of room. We always book guarantee when available, and have always been happy with the room, as well as the occasional upgrade.

Great. That's very good to hear you have even been upgraded. Didn't even think of that as a possibility.

I've booked guarantee interior on RC three times, and I'm one for three on free upgrades. I got an oceanview on one of the cruises, and a really nice room at that. A good ploy by RC too, as it made me shift my preference from interior to oceanview (though maybe not so clever by them, as I decided oceanview, for me, is nearly as good as a balcony, as what I value most is the natural light and view as opposed to the fresh air or sitting outside).

I've booked guarantee interior on RC three times, and I'm one for three on free upgrades. I got an oceanview on one of the cruises, and a really nice room at that. A good ploy by RC too, as it made me shift my preference from interior to oceanview (though maybe not so clever by them, as I decided oceanview, for me, is nearly as good as a balcony, as what I value most is the natural light and view as opposed to the fresh air or sitting outside).

So great to hear these positive stories of booking guarantees. Think we'll keep ours and take our chance.

I booked a guarantee last Friday (I rarely do guarantees). I got my assignment 4 or 5 days later. I booked a balcony guarantee and if I could have picked almost any balcony stateroom, it would have been the one I got. A hump balcony, larger stateroom. Liberty. For October of this year.

I booked a guarantee last Friday (I rarely do guarantees). I got my assignment 4 or 5 days later. I booked a balcony guarantee and if I could have picked almost any balcony stateroom, it would have been the one I got. A hump balcony, larger stateroom. Liberty. For October of this year.

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We have our big cruise booked for March break of next year (Boardwalk room on Symphony), but we may do a 'bonus' cruise the end of the summer (bonus as in normally we wouldn't have booked but we were looking for a 4 day holiday before our kids return to school).

 

Thus, this is a budget cruise for us. When we booked we only had the option of Guarantee for interior on Mariner of the Seas. There are currently lots of staterooms available and it is for last week in August...so not sure the ship will be full?

 

With the latest 'sales', the interior rooms are now bookable by a selected cabin (i.e. guarantee is no longer showing), but they're $200 more...but with very small OBC. Would you switch so you can select your stateroom, or based on timing of cruise and current availability, would you take your chance?

 

And if we select a room, is aft better than forward? Not sure if we'll have rougher seas based on the time of year.

Never! Hang in there for the bargain. You might be very pleasantly surprised.

Thanks. Fingers crossed we have some of the same luck that others have had.

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We booked guarantee ocean view on Jewel of the Seas and have been assigned deck 2. I'm content with the money saved. We sail in April.

We booked guarantee ocean view on Jewel of the Seas and have been assigned deck 2. I'm content with the money saved. We sail in April.

Once you have been assigned a cabin you are then able to change to any other cabin on the ship in the same category. Try a mock booking to see what is available, if you find a better choice call your TA or the cruise line and ask to be changed to that exact cabin.

Try a mock booking to see what is available, if you find a better choice call your TA or the cruise line and ask to be changed to that exact cabin.

Do that ^ on the RCI UK site for a much more comprehensive listing of available cabins.

LUCRUISE I don't sail until October. I just booked less than 2 weeks ago. This was a "freebie" from the casino so I wasn't expecting a great cabin but I was extremely surprised and pleased.

I was checking every day or so b/c USUALLY if you are finally assigned a cabin and there's one available that you like better in the SAME category, you can call and switch cabins as posted above. But I'm 100% pleased.