Princess reps say don't book guarantee cabins

[coconut cruiser]

We are scheduled to sail on Regal this week and still do not have our cabin assignment because we booked a guarantee balcony cabin. We have called and talked to more than one Princess rep and they all give conflicting information. The one thing they all say is that passengers should NEVER book guarentee cabins. Did you realize that if you pick the "let us choose" option when looking at cabin options it is a guarentee cabin. It is like flying on standby.

[chrysalis]

No, it is not like flying on standby (which means that you don't have a seat).

 

The "let us choose" means that you do have a cabin.

 

Big difference

[coconut cruiser]

That is not what princess is telling us. They said if we wanted to be sure to have a cabin, don't book "let us pick". Currently unpacking and trying to make other plans.

[chrysalis]

That is not what princess is telling us. They said if we wanted to be sure to have a cabin, don't book "let us pick". Currently unpacking and trying to make other plans.

 

You are getting bad info....one time we did not get our cabin assignment until we were at the Pier.

 

You need to call Princess again.....and not unpack.

[peety3]

No, it is not like flying on standby (which means that you don't have a seat).

 

The "let us choose" means that you do have a cabin.

 

Big difference

I absolutely concur with this response - you absolutely do have a cabin.

 

My suspicion is those reps are all reacting to the apparent panic in your voice, and/or some sort of inherent "need to know" about which cabin you'll be in for your cruise, and therefore saying YOU shouldn't book a guarantee cabin if YOU aren't going to be comfortable without a cabin assignment prior to stepping foot onto the ship.

 

Let's face it: at most, the only true need to know comes at the point you check in for your cruise, as they need to know your cabin assignment to program your cruise card. The checked-baggage system is capable of handling your bags without a cabin assignment. Just about anything else is technically not a need to know: it's either a desire (strong as it may be) to KNOW, or a desire to PICK. If you have a desire (or "need") to PICK, you should not book a guarantee cabin.

[chrysalis]

Also, you can print out your boarding pass for the ship....

 

You have a cabin!

[fishywood]

I imagine the Princess reps are suggesting you specifically not book a guarantee cabin again because you are stressing out unnecessarily.

 

Many people chose guarantee bookings under the belief (true or not) that the closer they get to sailing date without a specific cabin assigned, the more likely they will receive an upgrade. Perhaps you can adopt that mindset for the remainder of this week. As the reply above indicated you are not on "standby" but if you keep calling Princess over and over to inquire you may be exacerbate your unnecessary worrying. Not knowing your cabin until reaching the pier may not be the most common outcome of a guarantee booking, but it happens enough to be routine.

 

ETA: For God's sake stop unpacking! Nothing any of the reps may have said to you could possibly imply that you are NOT booked on the cruise and will not have a cabin waiting for you when you board!

Edited October 18, 2016 by fishywood

[reedprincess]

We are scheduled to sail on Regal this week and still do not have our cabin assignment because we booked a guarantee balcony cabin. We have called and talked to more than one Princess rep and they all give conflicting information. The one thing they all say is that passengers should NEVER book guarentee cabins. Did you realize that if you pick the "let us choose" option when looking at cabin options it is a guarentee cabin. It is like flying on standby.

 

Did they say WHY to not book guarantees? And yes, if you choose "Let Us Choose", it says right in the description that they choose it for you....while it's not called a guarentee, that's what it is.

It's NOT like flying standby - which means you don't have a seat, but rather you're standing by for an available one- as you have a booked and confirmed cabi and are guaranteed a cabin, you just don't know which one yet!

At the very least, the you're assigned the category you've booked, and often at a better category within the category booked (ie BB instead of BF or such) and occasionally at a higher category.

It can be assigned at any point up until sailing date. Some folks have reported getting their cabin info at the pier from the porters. We've not had it quite that close, but it has Ben ad close as two days before sailing. On a B2B2b where they were all booked as guarantees and we changed each time, we didn't find out for the next leg until the night before when we got our paperwork. If you can't handle the stress of not knowing or waiting, then choose your cabin at booking, it doesn't cost extra...

Good luck and hope you get your cabin soon!

Edited October 18, 2016 by reedprincess

[USN59-79]

I absolutely concur with this response - you absolutely do have a cabin.

 

My suspicion is those reps are all reacting to the apparent panic in your voice, and/or some sort of inherent "need to know" about which cabin you'll be in for your cruise, and therefore saying YOU shouldn't book a guarantee cabin if YOU aren't going to be comfortable without a cabin assignment prior to stepping foot onto the ship.

 

Let's face it: at most, the only true need to know comes at the point you check in for your cruise, as they need to know your cabin assignment to program your cruise card. The checked-baggage system is capable of handling your bags without a cabin assignment. Just about anything else is technically not a need to know: it's either a desire (strong as it may be) to KNOW, or a desire to PICK. If you have a desire (or "need") to PICK, you should not book a guarantee cabin.

Exactly. We always book a guarantee, usually priced at the least expensive inside or outside. We have always received an upgrade from the least expensive and of course always received a cabin. Usually the assignment is 7-10 days out from the cruise; sometimes not until we arrive at the ship. We look at it as part of the adventure.

[chefchick]

ETA: For God's sake stop unpacking! Nothing any of the reps may have said to you could possibly imply that you are NOT booked on the cruise and will not have a cabin waiting for you when you board!

 

This!!! And more importantly- that you won't be charged in full wether you thought you had a cabin or not.

 

Bon Voyage

[azbirdmom]

We always book guarantees. I was stressed the first time we did so, especially since it was for a New Zealand / Australia cruise and we didn't have a cabin assigned until after we arrived in Auckland. But since then we have found that it is a way to pay the lowest price for a mini suite, and location isn't a problem for us. Don't worry, you will get a cabin assigned!

[JimmyVWine]

If you want to carry out the "airline analogy", here is how it differs. Airlines occasionally overbook their flights. When that happens, they make an announcement at the airport and offer a deal until enough people volunteer to re-book a different flight, thus making room for all of the folks who want to get on that plane. In the rare instance that the airline cannot entice enough people to re-book, then certain people will get bumped off of that flight in order of frequent flier level and airport check-in time. So while it is theoretically possible to have booked a ticket on an airplane and be denied boarding, these circumstances are very, very rare. It used to be more common before computers took over the world. Now, computers are very adept at predicting capacity.

 

A cruise ship does not work like this. Sometimes a cruise can be oversold. If and when that happens, Princess will make "move-over" offers to passengers well in advance of departure time. With 3,000+ people on a cruise, (as opposed to 200 on a plane), and all of them going on vacation (as opposed to using the plane for needed transportation for a business meeting, wedding, funeral, (or to catch a cruise)), it is much easier for the cruise line to find people to accept the offer than it is for airlines to do so. In the end, there are always enough people who accept the offer which frees up space for everyone who wants to board. So the bottom line is that if you were able to go through the booking process and make a reservation, and the cruise line took your money, you are 100% guaranteed that you will board and have a cabin. 100%. Always. Don't worry.

[COMBOY]

We are scheduled to sail on Regal this week and still do not have our cabin assignment because we booked a guarantee balcony cabin. We have called and talked to more than one Princess rep and they all give conflicting information. The one thing they all say is that passengers should NEVER book guarentee cabins. Did you realize that if you pick the "let us choose" option when looking at cabin options it is a guarentee cabin. It is like flying on standby.

 

No, booking a GTY is not like going standby. It means you are letting Princess assign you a cabin any time from the time you make your reservation to pier check in. The cabin assignment is at Princess' discretion within the cabin grade you paid for. It's can be similar to booking a hotel as you normally get your room assignment at check-in. The one major benefit to a GTY is if all cabins in your cabin grade are unavailable you will get a complimentary upgrade to a better grade of cabin. Rest assure you are going and you will have a great time. The probably reason you don't have a cabin assignment is that inventory/dispatch dept is still berthing cabins and this can happen all the way up to departure. People do cancel for a variety of reason up to departure so it's sort of like musical chairs to finalize all cabin assignments. Just keep checking online to your Personalize Page. In general they like to have berthing finalized at least a few days before departure and most people are very happy with their room assignment. But, yes if you don't like waiting around for your cabin assignment it's best NOT to book GTY and thus you forfeit any complimentary upgrades possibility.

Edited October 18, 2016 by COMBOY

[myfuzzy]

We are scheduled to sail on Regal this week and still do not have our cabin assignment because we booked a guarantee balcony cabin. We have called and talked to more than one Princess rep and they all give conflicting information. The one thing they all say is that passengers should NEVER book guarentee cabins. Did you realize that if you pick the "let us choose" option when looking at cabin options it is a guarentee cabin. It is like flying on standby.

 

You are scheduled to sail--this week---? You don't have a cabin assignement --YET--

 

You have paid in full? You have a confirmation number?

 

Why would you think you aren't sailing on this cruise?

 

Princess is known for the "HUCA" plan. If you don't like or don't understand what the agent is saying --Hang Up, Call Again.

 

Did you book through Princess or a TA?

 

All I am getting from your post is that--something amiss about a "guarantee" cabin.

[chengkp75]

Why do the Princess CSR's say not to book a guarantee? Because that is a cheaper rate. So, of course, they would recommend picking a cabin and paying the higher rate.

[vividharp]

If they didn't "guarantee" to give me my money back in full then they can "guarantee" my butt would be on that ship and they would find me a place to sleep. Do not unpack! They have your money, go!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[yuccaman]

That is not what princess is telling us. They said if we wanted to be sure to have a cabin, don't book "let us pick". Currently unpacking and trying to make other plans.

 

You are guaranteed at a MINIMUM the category you have paid for. You may receive higher, maybe not.

 

Actual cabin number assignment can occur as early as when boarding passes are released, or as late as when you check-in for boarding (in my experience on 3 guaranteed bookings)

 

DON'T UNPACK

[yuccaman]

They said if we wanted to be sure to have a cabin, don't book "let us pick". Currently unpacking and trying to make other plans.

 

If you change the word "HAVE" above in your quote, to the word "SPECIFY", that is a true statement. BUT YOU HAVE A CABIN.

[Bemidji Ty]

We always book Guaranteed and occasionally get wonderful upgrades. On our 9-25 Mexican Riviera 10 day out of SF, we weren't assigned a cabin until a few days before sailing. No upgrades this time but a wonderful cruise.

 

To paraphrase Theodore Cleaver, "You got bad information. Don't act on it."

 

Smooth sailin'

[cruzsnooze]

Because you keep calling the CSR believes you're a nervous nellie and shouldn't book a gty anymore. If you're a week from cruising and have a confirmed sailing paid in full then there will be a cibin but you may not find out your cabin number until you check in at the pier. Instead of calling why not check your cruise personaliser to see if a cabin number appears.

[PugsRuleATL]

Our best cabin ever was on the Caribbean Princess - via a guarantee booking. FIVE, count them FIVE, cabin assignments in the last 10-12 days before sailing. Each one an upgrade. Until we landed in an amazing balcony cabin midship.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[JimmyVWine]

Because you keep calling the CSR believes you're a nervous nellie and shouldn't book a gty anymore.

Agree. Here is some advice for the OP:

[jewelsea21]

This is ridiculous. I have a feeling the poster just wants to get a reaction.

[yuccaman]

This is ridiculous. I have a feeling the poster just wants to get a reaction.

 

Yet claim have been cruising 25 years- maybe not in last 24? I just hope they read the responses here and RELAX, don't unpack. Even worse then, they will lose their fare $$$!

[yuccaman]

Currently unpacking and trying to make other plans.

 

Everyone who has responded to you here hopes that you have or will read their responses and relax. You have a cabin.

 

BUT, no one has really said (unless I missed it) that IF YOU DON'T SHOW UP, YOU WILL LOSE EVERY CENT OF YOUR FARE!

HAVE A GREAT TRIP! Let us know if you got a monster upgrade, or if you received only the category you booked.

Edited October 18, 2016 by yuccaman