No Cat W available for party of 3, but 3-pax suites are available?

[milton333]

We are cruising with my parents in September. In my cabin, myself, DS, and DH. My parents in a separate cabin.

 

In checking current pricing on the website, I priced out for my parents and saw that a Cat W (guaranteed deluxe room/suite) was available for them to book. When I priced it out for my family, no Cat W, even though there are numerous 3-pax capacity suites available in each category. I'd be interested in paying for an upgrade if the Cat W was available for our room.

 

Do you think there's any point in calling to see if we can get a Cat W? It doesn't make sense to me that it would not be available for us, since there are 3-pax suites available, and I'm not sure if the fact that these don't show for me is because of website problems or some sort of policy to not make them available. Any insights?

 

(And I've had the devil of a time with the website over the past couple of weeks, including things like if I specify over 55 on the first page of the advanced search page, it tells me that there are no available sailings on Freedom in September. If I drop that check, it shows 4.)

[Merion_Mom]

We are cruising with my parents in September. In my cabin, myself, DS, and DH. My parents in a separate cabin.

 

In checking current pricing on the website, I priced out for my parents and saw that a Cat W (guaranteed deluxe room/suite) was available for them to book. When I priced it out for my family, no Cat W, even though there are numerous 3-pax capacity suites available in each category. I'd be interested in paying for an upgrade if the Cat W was available for our room.

 

Do you think there's any point in calling to see if we can get a Cat W? It doesn't make sense to me that it would not be available for us, since there are 3-pax suites available, and I'm not sure if the fact that these don't show for me is because of website problems or some sort of policy to not make them available. Any insights?

 

(And I've had the devil of a time with the website over the past couple of weeks, including things like if I specify over 55 on the first page of the advanced search page, it tells me that there are no available sailings on Freedom in September. If I drop that check, it shows 4.)

 

A guarantee for a party of three is VERY rare. When they offer you a guarantee, it is so that they can put you in any cabin that they wish. If there are three of you, that limits the cabins that can be assigned. Guarantee rates are all about giving the cruise line flexibility, not about giving YOU something. :)

 

Oh, and don't use the Advanced Search page. It's the most messed-up part of the website. ;)

[Ocean Boy]

You could call and see if they will let you book. Sometimes they will not book passengers to a cabin even though the cabin can accommodate three. It all depends on how the cruise is selling. Since RCI can only book so many passengers into the ship it make more financial sense for them to book two cabins as doubles or one double and one single cabin. In those cases all the passengers are paying full price. Booking three to a room one person is sailing at a reduced rate.

 

If they sell too many 3 & 4 person cabins they could reach maximum sailing capacity and some cabins may have to remain empty. That means a lot of people sailing at reduced rates along with some empty cabins with no one in them to tip the staff that would have been assigned to those cabins.

 

I hope that made sense.:o

[milton333]

I do understand the financial sense, sort of. DS is a year old, so he won't be in his own cabin. But if I'm willing to pay to upgrade, we're past final payment date, and they've got lots of 3-pax suites available, I guess I don't see why they wouldn't let us, since it seems like there's a risk of being able to only book 2 pax into a 3-pax capacity suite, kwim?

 

I may call, or maybe wait a bit closer to sail date to see what's still available.

[Clarea]

I do understand the financial sense, sort of. DS is a year old, so he won't be in his own cabin. But if I'm willing to pay to upgrade, we're past final payment date, and they've got lots of 3-pax suites available, I guess I don't see why they wouldn't let us, since it seems like there's a risk of being able to only book 2 pax into a 3-pax capacity suite, kwim?

 

I may call, or maybe wait a bit closer to sail date to see what's still available.

If a suite is available, they will let you upgrade, however you would most likely be required to pay the JS price, not the W price.