BX category

[sugarnyc]

I went to price a cruise on the Getaway in a balcony stateroom. The date I choose only had BX balconies available and the other categories say sold out. So what does that mean exactly?

[cruisecritiquer]

It means the only balconies available at this time are guarantee cabins (meaning you won't know your cabin number until they assign it to you). You cannot pick a specific cabin number under this category apparently. I'm no expert but the fact that all the other balconies are sold out sounds like upgrade potential to me. :)

[sugarnyc]

It means the only balconies available at this time are guarantee cabins (meaning you won't know your cabin number until they assign it to you). You cannot pick a specific cabin number under this category apparently. I'm no expert but the fact that all the other balconies are sold out sounds like upgrade potential to me. :)

 

Thanks for your quick response! Your last sentence is what I was hoping I might hear. I know about the guarantee category but I never booked a cruise that way before. And this is the first time I went to price a cruise and all but guarantee balconies were sold out.

[biker@sea]

I have booked a lot of GTYs .

You do agree to accept what-ever cabin NCL assigns to you . It can be the worst cabin in the category .

You Do Not get the option to change cabins .

[CruzLover80]

I went to price a cruise on the Getaway in a balcony stateroom. The date I choose only had BX balconies available and the other categories say sold out. So what does that mean exactly?

 

In preparation of a guarantee room, I say look for what "they" call the worst balcony cabin on the ship, put that in your head as what your going to get... and be happy when/if you get something better! I booked a BX on the Epic, I have it in my head that I'm going to be in a hull balcony AND/OR looking out at the top of lifeboats. I'm not sure who "they" are, but "they" always have an opinion of good/bad cabins. IMO, a good cabin is the one your in on vacation! Happy sailing!

[Starry Eyes]

In preparation of a guarantee room, I say look for what "they" call the worst balcony cabin on the ship, put that in your head as what your going to get... and be happy when/if you get something better! I booked a BX on the Epic, I have it in my head that I'm going to be in a hull balcony AND/OR looking out at the top of lifeboats. I'm not sure who "they" are, but "they" always have an opinion of good/bad cabins. IMO, a good cabin is the one your in on vacation! Happy sailing!

Before booking a gty, I always try to figure out the worst (for me) cabin I could get. Then I decide if I could live with that "worst" cabin at that price. When I did that for Epic, like you, I thought about a hull balcony AND/OR looking out at the top of lifeboats; I decided for the price difference I could live with that. So we did a BX gty; we ended up with a delightful aft balcony. It worked out well that time. OTOH on Jewel we did get the worst possible balcony; we were fine in it, too.

 

OP, when is the cruise? Especially if it is a long way off, odds are you will get a balcony, as balcony cabins will likely be returned to inventory (released holds or cancellations). Even if the cruise is closer, they may have inventory of balconies that they are not showing you on the web. Do not excpect an upgrade; be sure you can be content in any balcony or do not book gty. We take the gamble a lot, but we are flexible, mobile and are not noise senstive.

[CruzLover80]

For me the $600. price difference made the decision for me, LOL. I paid off my cruise and gratuities and still had some $ refunded to me. I agree, if a person will be happy with the "worst" cabin, then a guarantee is the way to go. I'm just happy to be on a ship!

[Starry Eyes]

For me the $600. price difference made the decision for me, LOL. I paid off my cruise and gratuities and still had some $ refunded to me. I agree, if a person will be happy with the "worst" cabin, then a guarantee is the way to go. I'm just happy to be on a ship!

That's the spirit that makes gty work!

A week in any balcony on GA beats any week at home in my book.

[sugarnyc]

Thank you all for your responses.

 

The cruise I looked at is in November.

 

Yes, I understand you take a gamble with location, etc.... and that is why it is cheaper. I just never saw all balconies sold out before except for the BX category.

[Starry Eyes]

Thank you all for your responses.

 

The cruise I looked at is in November.

 

Yes, I understand you take a gamble with location, etc.... and that is why it is cheaper. I just never saw all balconies sold out before except for the BX category.

November...hmm, so probably now within weeks of final payment. The cruiseline may anticipate getting balcony cabins back into inventory soon; they just do know which ones. Solution..sell BX gty.

[CruzLover80]

November...hmm, so probably now within weeks of final payment. The cruiseline may anticipate getting balcony cabins back into inventory soon; they just do know which ones. Solution..sell BX gty.

 

Didn't think about that. My Epic sailing in November shows all guarantee balconies for all balcony categories under BD, including mini-suites, but not sold out.

 

I am 7 days out from the date of final payment, so maybe a change in inventory next week (and price)? Maybe I can upgrade...

[Starry Eyes]

Didn't think about that. My Epic sailing in November shows all guarantee balconies for all balcony categories under BD, including mini-suites, but not sold out.

 

I am 7 days out from the date of final payment, so maybe a change in inventory next week (and price)? Maybe I can upgrade...

Around final payment is a good time to watch cabin availability. Sometimes somebody in a primo cabin cancels rather than making final payment.

 

Price drops are notorious unpredictable, so I watch all the time. Still, I have not gotten a lot of price drops the week before final payment. I have the impression they watch the final payment rate and may even give a few days for straggling payments to be completed, then re-assess pricing in the following weeks. That is just my impression; I'll be delighted if you refute it by catching a price drop or cheap upgrade opporunity in the next 7-14 days:).

[CruzLover80]

I am positive that there is no way that I will be able to upgrade, considering I paid ridiculously low prices. $1300 (incl. tax & charges) for 3 in a balcony .. the week of Thanksgiving, plus somewhere around $250. in OBC and perks. I highly doubt it'll get that low, but that doesn't mean I stopped looking, LOL. My Mom booked two inside guarantee cabins, so hopefully she will be able to bump up to pick the room or at least one balcony.

[cruisecritiquer]

We would have booked a balcony if it wasn't for the fact that I needed to be as close as possible to the interior corridor since the kids are staying in their own cabin. The closest cabins to the interior corridor were mini-suites.

[Fstlmn]

I booked a BX on the Dawn last week. Today they posted my cabin which is BC for the cruise in February. I'm happy.