Will Platinum status improve a sail away cabin location?

[farjar]

We are Platinum level but were considering booking a sail away cabin since we don't need the airfare or other perks being offered on a particular cruise.  Will our status help get a better last minute cabin assignment?  Is that even taken into consideration after all the bidding and upgrading is done?  What experience has anyone had with a sail away cabin?

[spanishguy1970]

I am Platinum Plus, and i took a Balcony guarantee, we recently got our stateroom # deck 13 mid ship forward. I don't know if my status helped me out, but i have always been pleasantly surprised with our cabin assignments with a guarantee...

[Happy_Traveler_2008]

I just received my Platinum status and booked a balcony guarantee on the Escape.  I ended up with an aft balcony on the 12th deck that had an extra big balcony for loungers and chairs.  I am attributing the nice cabin to the Platinum status since I’ve done balcony guarantees before and this is the best cabin yet.

[tomk3212]

If you ask NCL (because I have...more below) they will say, "no"; your status makes no difference except on board.  However, consider this:

 

1) We have sailed numerous times with NCL (see the list in my signature) and we have ALWAYS booked a GTY or Sail-Away Inside cabin.  We've gotten our cabin assignment as early as 2 months before sailing to the night before; on that cruise on the night before sailing I was printing our luggage tags in the hotel manager's office on her printer...

 

2) We've had GTY/Sail Away rate Inside cabins all over the ship(s) we've sailed on; as low as Deck 5 (on Spirit & Getaway) to Deck 13 (on our next cruise in 2 weeks on Getaway) from one end to another; mid-ships, fore, aft, what-have-you.

 

3) Over the years we've noticed that our assignment of GTY/Sail Away cabins has steadily gotten better the higher we've advanced in status; from Bronze to Silver to Gold and now Platinum.  Coincidence?  Maybe...

 

4) We've been bumped up on two occasions; once to a balcony and another to an obstructed view window cabin at NO extra charge (we were Platinum & Gold status, resp. on those 2 cruises).  We liked the extra room in the Balcony & appreciated the chance to see outside our cabin room but we just can't see spending the extra $$.  Different strokes, etc.

 

5) We seem to get a better cabin when we've booked with our NCL CC then when we book online (we don't do TA's!); on those two "bumped" sailings I mentioned earlier we had booked with our CC.  Again, coincidence?  Judge for yourself...

 

6) On our last cruise in October on Breakaway we booked online w/o using our CC.  We ended up on Deck 5 all the way forward.  When I emailed NCL customer service, requesting a higher deck due to our Platinum status we got a call from a very nice person explaining that our Platinum status makes no difference in cabin assignments at the GTY/Sail Away rate. 

 

So as the old gambler used to say, "You pays you money and you takes you chances..."

Edited April 11, 2019 by tomk3212

[winewanderer]

My husband and I have been Platinum for a few years (will be Platinum Plus after our upcoming cruise this month). I can say we no longer book sailaway rates as NCL gives us THE WORST rooms. Usually over a karaoke venue, lounge, showroom or other noisy venue, etc. 

 

We don't usually book sailaway cabins but the past 2 cruises we booked sailaway rooms (I didn't, hubby did) and ended up spending more to be reassigned to a better location. Done with GTY and Sailaway categories. Hubby always wants to try it but I can't leave it to some random decision. 

 

 

Edited April 12, 2019 by winewanderer

[Level six]

Ditto.  We have been platinum for a few  years and always book sail away interior cabins,  and we are always assigned the absolute worst cabin.  Honestly, when I hear stories like above poster getting upgrades and things like that, I just can't believe it. That never happens to us(on Princess either and we are elite)

 

Obviously we are okay with it, or we would change our MO.  We have never complained except when all the toxic fumes from the trash burning was coming into our cabin at night.  We hardly spend any time in the cabin and we can usually sleep, and hopefully won't die from the fumes!!  

 

So, I don't think status matters at all, or we just have really, really bad luck.  I agree it might be PCC that helps, but we never use PCC either.  Oh well, we still keep cruising, leaving in a few days........haha. Happy sailing. 

[4774Papa]

We always book early and the sail away cabins are never offered then, usually after final payment.  I wish we could opt for no promos, since I dislike the NCL beverage package with the outrageous value of $99 per day pp and 20% gratuity.

[vacalover99]

Last year we took our first cruise as platinum status and booked the lowest GTY balcony cabin (which included the "free at sea" promo) on the BLISS.  This was our first time booking a GTY cabin and with only 6 weeks until sail date.   We were assigned a mid ship balcony cabin on the 13th deck like two rooms away from the stairs / elevators.  So we lucked out - not sure if it had to do with platinum status, the fact we booked so close to sailing, or just the luck of the draw.  Also our room was assigned to us two days after we booked.  We booked two separate rooms (we were cruising with my brother in law & his partner) and they ended up one cabin down from us, so we really lucked out! 

Good luck - if the price is right I would gamble for a GTY room again! 

[myjillian]

We are Platinum, booked out first sail a way balcony in Feb.  Used FCC received our room about a month ago.  Cruise is in Jan.We paid around $2000 for the 2 of us ins included.  Our cabin..if we were to book it when we received it would have been Cat BE $4234.  We have no complaints and would try it again.