Waitlisted for a cabin category?

[cawhite]

Hi everyone,

 

Well, I finally made the decision for which cruise to take for our spring 2006 cruise. Today I called, with credit card in hand, ready to make the reservation. But the TA told me that all the balconies, which were available just a few days ago, are now SOLD OUT for the particular cruise date!

 

The TA mentioned something about getting a reservation for another cabin category and getting on a waitlist for a balcony. Has anyone done this with any success? What's the likelihood of someone cancelling and my getting the cabin category I want? And if I do, will I will pay the price at the time the reservation is changed (which could be weeks or months from now, when the rates are much higher)?

 

Thanks for your help!

[lephysteria]

Sorry to hear that. I've actually never been waitlisted for a balcony. I'm hoping that others will be able to shed more light on your situation.

 

We have been assigned a guarantee category (balcony guarantee, outside guarantee), but each cabin has been in that stateroom category. We never paid for an inside and got an outside cabin out of the upgrade.

 

If you actually do get the cabin, I can't imagine that you'd pay the higher rate, but this IS a question (and a hypothetical situation) you should pose to your TA, and get her response ... especially if it is in your favor ... in writing so there is no dispute later.

 

What ship/sailing date are you looking at? Hopefully your TA will be able to help pull some strings for you. Sorry I couldn't be of more help :)

[Guest cruzr44]

Hi everyone,

 

Well, I finally made the decision for which cruise to take for our spring 2006 cruise. Today I called, with credit card in hand, ready to make the reservation. But the TA told me that all the balconies, which were available just a few days ago, are now SOLD OUT for the particular cruise date!

 

The TA mentioned something about getting a reservation for another cabin category and getting on a waitlist for a balcony. Has anyone done this with any success? What's the likelihood of someone cancelling and my getting the cabin category I want? And if I do, will I will pay the price at the time the reservation is changed (which could be weeks or months from now, when the rates are much higher)?

 

Thanks for your help!

 

I would search on-line agencies to see if anyone has availibility and even go to RC web site. Is it a popular date (spring break, etc)? Definitely there will be cancellations, but you will pay the price at the time of the change. You probably want a specific ship, but have you tried other ships? Good luck.

[cruisinisforme]

I just did it. I was looking to book the October Mariner and same thing, all the balconies were gone, so I booked an inside and waitlisted myself for a balcony. I then went to RCCL's site every day and one day they opened up a guarantee balcony, I called my TA, they made the switch and I had a guarantee. Last week they assigned my cabin to me, I didnt like the cabin they assigned to I called my TA again, she called RCCL and now I am on deck 9 midship. I would suggest looking at that site every day, even though they have you on a wait list, they didnt contact me, we contacted them, I dont know how long it takes them to catch up, but chances are a balcony will open up, sometimes a lot of the larger travel agencies will book blocks of cabins just to hold them and then as it gets closer to the sailing, as in my case, a bunch will open up, last week there were no balconies availalbe, and this week there are over a dozen, good luck.

[Nyco]

Has anyone done this with any success? What's the likelihood of someone cancelling and my getting the cabin category I want? And if I do, will I will pay the price at the time the reservation is changed (which could be weeks or months from now, when the rates are much higher)?

Been on the wait list 2 times first it payed off no price change as just a room switch. Been on the list for my feb 06 since feb 05 not looking good but it will be a category change, i would assume rates are much higher now then then and will have to pay going rate.

[zebra36]

I have only tried this once without any success. My take is that the cruise line would rather sell a cabin to a new customer. Cruiseinisforme(?) looks like they really took matters into their own hands and really did not rely on the waitlist. Good luck with your plans.

 

Frank

[cruisinisforme]

Frank, I did, once youve had a balcony, its hard to go to an inside cabin, I would have even settled for an outside cabin, and the same thing happned to be as the the original poster, one day there were balconies, I call a couple days later to book and they were all gone. I had a bunch of friends on the cruise who had a balcony so I would have settled for the inside, but determination made me check every day, and they never contacted us to let us know a guarantee was available so if I hadnt checked I am not sure how long it would have taken them to contact me, possible they would have only done it if a real cabin opened up not a guarantee. That was also the first time I took a guarantee, and when I saw the first cabin choice they gave me, its was awful I was disappointed, but then I went to the reservation system again and found all the other balconies and called again.

 

I guess it depends on what the OP wants, for me it was the balcony, some people do a wait list for other reasons, I just cant imagine cruising without a balcony anymore!

[threeofus]

cawhite...when and where are you going...we are also going spring 2006.

 

Booked ours several months ago and my family thought I was crazy...but we got shut out last spring break. We were able to get a room but only for two people...they had rooms but were getting too close to their passenger limit. Our choice was to book a second room for our DD - (yeah right - single passenger)

[lrovnan]

I have cabin 7320 on Voyager and I know the E2 category is sold out on my cruise. If there is a wait list for that category would we possibly get an upgrade? Will they contact you or your TA if this happens? Just wondering.

[cawhite]

Thanks everyone!

 

Well, I went ahead and booked an oceanview today and requested the TA call RCI and wait list us for a balcony. The TA then called RCI who told my TA that they couldn't wait list a specific cabin category... only a specific cabin.

 

That makes no sense! The likelihood that I select the exact cabin that will get cancelled is extremely small I'm sure. Please let me know if you think the RCI person gave my TA bogus info... my TA said that all of the other cruiselines let you wait list a cabin category.

 

Anyway... I'm going to do what cruisinisforme suggested (in fact I was already planning on doing so)! I'm going to check 3-4 X per day for the next few days. RCI told me that TAs have 7 days, once booked, to come up with the down payment for a client. Since balconies were available 3 or 4 days ago, I'm hoping one of these reservations "drops out" in the next few days.

 

By the way, for this cruise I tried to book early dining (which I strongly prefer because of my kids), but it is also full! And they've even closed out the wait list for early dining, because it is maxed out!!

[cruisinisforme]

I know for fact they gave your wrong information, because when they wanted to wait list me they told me you can only be on a wait list for one type of cabin, (I had told my TA I would take an outside if I couldnt get a balcony) so we choose the wait list for the balcony, and I called RCCL a few times about it too and the person who I spoke to said the same thing, I think they are confused, sounds like they have it backwards.

[cawhite]

Thanks Janet.

 

It sounds like I need to call RCI again. I guess I should feel lucky to have gotten an oceanview however... those were also almost all gone on the Enchantment!

 

At least I have something booked... I'm still contemplating switching to the Voyager of the Seas (especially if my balcony doesn't come through ;) ).

 

Carole

[cawhite]

OK... it's squared away now. The 1st RCI rep. was incorrect and now I am on the D1 balcony waiting list... with crossed fingers!

[MoreCruisesNow]

Actually, they didn't get it wrong....

 

You can't waitlist for a balcony, any more than you can waitlist for an outside stateroom or an inside stateroom (or a triple or a quad, for that matter).

 

As you pointed out, you are now waitlisted for a D1. You can waitlist a category that HAS balconies, but that's different than just waitlisting for a balcony.

[cawhite]

Thanks MoreCruisesNow... guess I had the terminology down incorrectly previously! :)