Guarantee Room Frustration!

[GUT2407]

It is a cheaper category within a category. You are guaranteed a room but people have scored good upgrades booking them but most times people will get the rooms left over that no one wants i.e. Under nightclubs, theatres, noisy or bumpy areas.

 

Yep, why I no longer book them.

[cruisencrazy]

Hi i wish i found this room sooner...but anyway i booked a gty. balcony from a studio cabin.... had to give up my perks which were UBP and UDP...as it was a guarantee upgrade... I rebooked a 3 night dining plan....this was rebooked last thursday.... i will be going on the Escape September 10th...my question is...when they send the cabin assignment, does it come to your email address, or is it just on the EDOCS? Also do you receive the cabin assignment before the day of the cruise, as i am leaving on September 8th to stay in Fort Lauderdale for 2 nights before the cruise...

 

Also the guarantee balcony...can it be anywere on the ship, or just in the BX category...

 

We just got our cabin assignment last Thursday for the Sept 17 Escape sailing. It was in our cruise summary and not our email. We had a bf guarantee and got a bb. It's all good.

[bigfoot88]

My best upgrade was last year on Breakaway, I paid for balcony guarantee and when my room was assigned a day before sailing I found out they gave me a family mini suite with balcony and I was sailing solo. So that was a great surprise. However my last guarantee room was nightmare. I had done about 10-12 guarantee rooms and every one of them was fine except the last one. So I will continue with guarantee cabins.

 

The last two GTY on the BA, Mid ship balcony,,, turned into Spa Balconies.

[All-ready2cruise]

Just to be clear for OP and NCL newbies, NCL rarely, if ever, emails your cabin assignment when it's a GTY. As has been advised previously, check your NCL account for updates. Keeping expectations in check...

 

Good luck, hope everyone gets their dream cabin :D

[sunbird21]

I have been checking daily- I don't expect a balcony upgrade at all, I've listed my concerns before so I won't repeat. As long as I get my full ocean view and don't have to drag bags through terminal, I'm good[emoji2]

 

 

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[sunbird21]

Btw trip lady, kudos to you- I love balconies but not sure I would've given up UDP and UBP for it, esp since NCL gouges price for UBP-$80/day!!! I hope you have a good balcony though!!

 

 

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[travelady65]

I am hoping that i get a good guarantee balcony upgrade...even though if i get one of the BX Category upgrade balcony, that would be fine with me...i had looked the category up on you tube...and the room looks real nice, with a nice deep balcony that holds two louge chairs...a table..and two regualar chairs... As far as the UBP...i really am only a social drinker, so i know for a fact i wouldn't be drinking 5 to 6 drinks per day...had this last year on the Gem cruise and sometimes i would have two drinks...other days...maybe just soda..other days nothing...so we will see how this works out for me....but what i am going to do is i am bringing two bottles of wine onboard with me, as i do like to have a glass or two of wine before and after dinner...and when i get onboard...i am going to buy a bucket of beer....as i like to have a beer in the afternoons...as far as frozen cocktails go....i just have one day..if i feel like it...

 

Just hopefully i get my cabin assignment soon, as i would like to have everything printed out before i fly down to fort lauderdale with my luggage tags....

[tinkr2]

I am hoping that i get a good guarantee balcony upgrade...even though if i get one of the BX Category upgrade balcony, that would be fine with me...i had looked the category up on you tube...and the room looks real nice, with a nice deep balcony that holds two louge chairs...a table..and two regualar chairs... As far as the UBP...i really am only a social drinker, so i know for a fact i wouldn't be drinking 5 to 6 drinks per day...had this last year on the Gem cruise and sometimes i would have two drinks...other days...maybe just soda..other days nothing...so we will see how this works out for me....but what i am going to do is i am bringing two bottles of wine onboard with me, as i do like to have a glass or two of wine before and after dinner...and when i get onboard...i am going to buy a bucket of beer....as i like to have a beer in the afternoons...as far as frozen cocktails go....i just have one day..if i feel like it...

 

Just hopefully i get my cabin assignment soon, as i would like to have everything printed out before i fly down to fort lauderdale with my luggage tags....

in case you did not know, there is a 15 dollar corkage fee for each bottle of wine. So if you have UBP, I would not bring them unless you're a wine snob like me.:rolleyes:

[judipa]

Hi,

 

I just want to get feedback from anyone who has had a guarantee cabin in the past. I have only done this once (on Carnival) and been assigned a cabin about 6 weeks prior. As of now, I'm 26 days out, edocs are ready, and STILL no assigned room. I've been in contact with my PCC several times, who tried to stall me by saying that they may be doing upsell calls(I'm in an oceanview OC category). However, now the ship is completely sold out, so the likelihood of an upsell is gone, but still no room.

 

I called again tonight, and even spoke to a supervisor(politely) and verbalized my concerns of the ship being overbooked and either not getting a room or getting downgraded. I know, it seems unlikely, but call me paranoid-I read the horror story of someone on an Alaskan cruise whom they had no record of, and everything was screwed up.

 

The supervisor did reassure me that I would get a cabin, and would be an unobstructed oceanview. I asked about how luggage would get to the right cabin if the cabin was to be "assigned at the pier", and she danced around it for a minute but finally said that we would have to cart the bags INSIDE the terminal with us to check in, then BACK outside once we got the assignment.

 

Has anyone ever done this?? At Seattle?? I'm traveling with my elderly mother, who isn't frail, but still don't want her to have to haul her bag all around the terminal b/c they are taking their time assigning cabins!!! Any suggestions on how to make this process easier? Is she able to wait outside with luggage while I check us in to get the cabin?(still a pain, but at least we avoid hauling the bags around).

 

Thanks for any feedback. Believe me, I will never go guarantee again-too much stress, but this cruise was already a hefty ticket price, and I figured booking it 5 mos in advance that I would certainly get a cabin assigned well before the cruise!

 

Stacey

 

 

I had a guarantee cabin on the Breakaway in June. Did not find out til 2 days before cruise what cabin number was. All was well. Printed luggage tags and went. If you cannot print at that late day they have blank luggage tags at the port and you can fill in cabin number. It was no hassle and i got my luggage on time.

 

They usually do not assign guarantees til about a week before the cruise.

[taylortime05]

I would like to know what you get assigned! Good Luck!

[Minoushka]

Some people only tind outat port ...so relax

I gotmine 1 day before leaving....and itwas agood one ...12 upgrades fromOV to mid ship balcony on Princess

Goodluck ...you will notbe stranded

 

Michele

[sunbird21]

OK all... I return to you all 2 days pre cruise to eat some honest crow and humble myself.

 

I arrived in Seattle today with still no assigned cabin, and called my PCP gently even though I have been patient... Just to reassure myself about the bag and terminal issue(esp upon seeing the number of bags my mother and I have btwn us).

 

She called back, frustrated(with the process) being very kind to me and saying that she's never seen it go to the wire like this. She was in the midst of reassuring me, when she looked at my booking and saw....

 

We had been given a midship mini suite balcony on deck 11.

 

Needless to say we were both ecstatic and I thanked her and apologized for my neurosis a million times.

 

So now I come back hew to relay this to you guys and pay it forward to someone like me who is out there fretting. And I'm not too proud to admit that the majority of you are right. Thank you for your replies and support these last few weeks, and I will toast you all from my balcony as I'm watching the glaciers!!

 

Stacey

 

 

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[mking8288]

OK all... I return to you all 2 days pre cruise to eat some honest crow and humble myself. I arrived in Seattle today with still no assigned cabin, and called my PCP gently even though I have been patient...

 

We had been given a midship mini suite balcony on deck 11.

 

Stacey

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Congrats - see, it worked out very, very nicely for you - it's a double upgrade, unobstructed oceanview, bumped up - skipping all the balconies and two of you now have the "roomier" mini suite with a balcony, midship - to enjoy Alaska's scenic beauty. Good amount of interior space to spread out & relax and if the sofa is by the balcony, sit there to daydream - over a cup of coffee or hot chocolate.

 

Thanks for sharing the good news ;) - now, we expect some nice pictures afterward.

[breezer]

I have a BF guarantee on Escape 10/1 sailing. No assignment yet. This might sound sick but I'm actually enjoying the suspense. Waiting for the assignment seems to add to the excitement of going for me. I've done guarantees before and so far have never been disappointed. Hope my luck holds out for this time too.

[CruisinCrow]

Congrats, Sunbird! That's a nice assignment. We just got our guarantee assignment on Sky 9 days out. It's a good location but no upgrade.

 

You mentioned Carnival. Our experience with Carnival guarantees is that we've gotten our assignment 30 days out, but I've heard of people waiting longer. I think it depends on how full the ship is.

[MikeBTN]

OK all... I return to you all 2 days pre cruise to eat some honest crow and humble myself.

 

I arrived in Seattle today with still no assigned cabin, and called my PCP gently even though I have been patient... Just to reassure myself about the bag and terminal issue(esp upon seeing the number of bags my mother and I have btwn us).

 

She called back, frustrated(with the process) being very kind to me and saying that she's never seen it go to the wire like this. She was in the midst of reassuring me, when she looked at my booking and saw....

 

We had been given a midship mini suite balcony on deck 11.

 

Needless to say we were both ecstatic and I thanked her and apologized for my neurosis a million times.

 

So now I come back hew to relay this to you guys and pay it forward to someone like me who is out there fretting. And I'm not too proud to admit that the majority of you are right. Thank you for your replies and support these last few weeks, and I will toast you all from my balcony as I'm watching the glaciers!!

 

Stacey

 

 

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Congrats on the fantastic upgrade! Definitely not the norm, so enjoy!

[ray98]

Our last cruise got to the 5 day mark before assignment. I also could not complain. We started with an inside guarantee and due to a price drop got a free upgrade to a OV guarantee. With 5 days left we were assigned a balcony.

Edited September 10, 2016 by ray98

[Lido_Deck]

What's the big hurry? I'm going out today and printed my E-Docs yesterday.

 

The longer you go the better the chance of an upgrade.

[cruisencrazy]

We booked a guarantee Bf on Escape for 17th of Sept sailing. Got our assignment faster than ever to a BB mid ship balcony. Not bad. We have a week til sailing and there are plenty of larger/nice/better cabins available. Anyone get an upgrade on their upgrade without asking for it? The only upsells are to Haven and been there done that, not interested.

[mickev99]

WOW! I just searched your name to see if you started your review yet (LOL, no pressure!!), and saw this post. That is awesome that you and your mom got upgraded to a mini suite! Our first cruise on the Jewel was a mini suite and it was great!!

 

Patiently (haha) awaiting your review!

 

Michelle

[sandpiper35]

Hi,

 

I just want to get feedback from anyone who has had a guarantee cabin in the past. I have only done this once (on Carnival) and been assigned a cabin about 6 weeks prior. As of now, I'm 26 days out, edocs are ready, and STILL no assigned room. I've been in contact with my PCC several times, who tried to stall me by saying that they may be doing upsell calls(I'm in an oceanview OC category). However, now the ship is completely sold out, so the likelihood of an upsell is gone, but still no room.

 

I called again tonight, and even spoke to a supervisor(politely) and verbalized my concerns of the ship being overbooked and either not getting a room or getting downgraded. I know, it seems unlikely, but call me paranoid-I read the horror story of someone on an Alaskan cruise whom they had no record of, and everything was screwed up.

 

 

 

 

The supervisor did reassure me that I would get a cabin, and would be an unobstructed oceanview. I asked about how luggage would get to the right cabin if the cabin was to be "assigned at the pier", and she danced around it for a minute but finally said that we would have to cart the bags INSIDE the terminal with us to check in, then BACK outside once we got the assignment.

 

Has anyone ever done this?? At Seattle?? I'm traveling with my elderly mother, who isn't frail, but still don't want her to have to haul her bag all around the terminal b/c they are taking their time assigning cabins!!! Any suggestions on how to make this process easier? Is she able to wait outside with luggage while I check us in to get the cabin?(still a pain, but at least we avoid hauling the bags around).

 

Thanks for any feedback. Believe me, I will never go guarantee again-too much stress, but this cruise was already a hefty ticket price, and I figured booking it 5 mos in advance that I would certainly get a cabin assigned well before the cruise!

 

Stacey

 

 

 

In 60 + cruises we have gone the guarantee cabin route many times. I can't remember one instance where we di not get a better cabin than we paid for. I would have chosen better locations, but the cabin class itself has been exceptional for the price paid.

Keep the faith. I am not saying it couldn't go the wrong way but odds are good you will fare well.

 

Cheers.