Guaranteed Staterooms on Royal Princess

[Cruisen Elf]

What have been your experiences when having Princess "choose for you?"  We are looking to book a deluxe balcony or mini suite on the Royal Princess for a sailing over a year away,  but are unable to select a cabin for either of these categories.  The only option available is having them reserve a stateroom.  This has never happened before.   I like to select our location and have never done a guaranteed stateroom on any cruise line.  Is it worth the gamble?  Or should I expect to end up in a noisy location or in the worst cabin?  Thanks in advance for any information you can share!

[john watson]

 

The Guarantee system is designed to help the cruise line fill all the cabins and shift people about, before they are told where they are destined.  In this respect I think you should get a good grade within the category.  I should look at all the locations and formulate a worst case scenario and this might help with your decision.  It is unlikely in my view you will get the worst cabin available but by booking early you might be more likely to be upgraded.  Once you have an allocation you can always phone in and try to get moved if you think its a bad location.

 

Regards John

[rdsqrl]

I completely disagree.  The likelihood is very good that you will get the "worst" cabin available since logic dictates that those who select their cabins will have picked off the "best" choices already.  Granted, what's "worst" and what's "best" is an individual thing, but we probably all can agree on some generalizations:  Cabins right under the pool deck are noisiest.  Insides next to elevator shafts can hear banging in rough seas.  Cabins near the room service kitchen on Baja Deck have reported irritation with the coming and going.  It's all a matter of your risk tolerance and your tolerance for the unknown.

 

Also, guarantee assignments can come so late that, while it is possible to then be switched to any other open cabin in the category in which you have been assigned, there might not actually be any open cabins in that category.

 

  To me, the bottom line is how picky you are about your cabin -- if every cabin in the category you've paid for and every cabin in all categories above it (because it is possible to be assigned an upgraded cabin) is acceptable to you, then go for it.  But if you see some cabins in that category you wouldn't want, then consider whether you feel lucky. 

[patrickmoran]

You should be fine. That category doesn't have any "bad" cabins.

[Astro Flyer]

1 hour ago, Cruisen Elf said:

We are looking to book a deluxe balcony or mini suite on the Royal Princess for a sailing over a year away,  but are unable to select a cabin for either of these categories.

I’ve had the same experience for our B2B cruises on the Majestic a year from now...all Deluxe Balcony & Minisuites are Guarantees only but Interior & Balcony cabins are available to reserve a cabin.

 

For our B2B cruises on the Discovery in Spring 2022 we were able to book Deluxe Balcony cabins but it’s uncertain if the ship will arrive in LA for those cruises.

 

It’s only a guess but cabins with couches could be more desirable now. We booked Deluxe Balcony cabins for that reason because we might spend more time in our cabin & to get more room service delivery. My experiences for the past several years have been that standard Balcony & Interior cabins now only have a desk chair.
 

During the pandemic that’s why a Deluxe Balcony cabin is now our preferred type of cabin & if many others feel similarly maybe due to the popularity of DB & MS cabins they’re all Guarantees on our Majestic cruises...and on your Royal cruise.

 

That will be our first Guarantee experience & will deal with any DB cabin we’re assigned because only Guarantees are currently available.

Edited October 19, 2020 by Astro Flyer

[MCC retired]

A mini  under the Skywalk was what we got with our mini guarantee .

It wasn’t bad for us but some may not like there balcony viewable from the Skywalk .

[cruzsnooze]

2 hours ago, patrickmoran said:

You should be fine. That category doesn't have any "bad" cabins.

You've never had a mini over the vista lounge which can be so loud with the music the floor vibrates.

[JF - retired RRT]

One of our first cruises was a guarantee mini. Ended up with one of the minis at the aft of the ship (Caribbean, Diamond, Golden, Grand, Sapphire, Star). Originally intended as handicap, but didn't pass the test.

Great location, enormous balcony, handicap bathroom with huge shower, no bath tub.

I was so disappointed...I wanted a bath tub.

Ended up delighted. One of the best cabins we've been in (never had a suite...yet).

OP: to answer your question. If you're willing to gamble you could end up with a great cabin or even an upgrade. Or you can just be happy that you're on a cruise.

[dog]

Had upgrades twice. Aft corner Balcony  Caribe I booked to a minisuite obstructed by lifeboats. 
next one was midship balcony caribe to Minisuite forward lido which I cancelled. 
 

if you like to pick your cabin ask for no upgrade when you book 

[Mary Ellen1]

We've had good luck with guarantees.  Never a bad cabin, really.  On our last Alaska cruise we had 3 guarantee balconies, which turned out to be mid-ship handicap cabins (extra-large, with huge bathrooms and double-size balconies).  We got a 4-category upgrade, from BF to BB.  They were assigned at the last minute -- only 5 days before sailing.  Good luck with your choice!

[Cruisen Elf]

Thanks to everyone who shared their thoughts and experiences!  We were lucky enough to secure an assigned cabin when our Travel Agent called Princess to book the cruise.  They gave only a few options from which to choose, but at least I know our location, which will be much less worrisome.  I did request no upgrades in order to forestall any surprises, as recommended.

 

Like many others, we prefer a deck with cabins above & below.  And as mentioned, a larger stateroom with balcony space is ideal should we be confined to quarters.  We selected a mini suite (our first!) A402.  Here's hoping the cruise will happen as planned!

[LawDog61]

We are not a fan of the larger  ships like Royal, liking Grand class ships, but I have to say the Royal mini is a great cabin.  Spacious and with a curtain divider which makes it almost a two room suite.  That’s very handy when ones’s mate is a night person and you are a morning person.  Downside is very small balconies.

Edited October 25, 2020 by LawDog61

[JF - retired RRT]

15 hours ago, Cruisen Elf said:

Thanks to everyone who shared their thoughts and experiences!  We were lucky enough to secure an assigned cabin when our Travel Agent called Princess to book the cruise.  They gave only a few options from which to choose, but at least I know our location, which will be much less worrisome.  I did request no upgrades in order to forestall any surprises, as recommended.

 

Keep in mind that the "no upgrade" request is just that...a request. If they want your cabin for some reason they can (and will) move you.

[geoherb]

I'm glad it worked out for the OP to pick a specific cabin. I have gone with guarantees a lot of the time because I usually book late. We've had had great locations most of the time. On my last cruise, I did not like that the cabin had berths jutting out from the walls. Fortunately, I received my cabin assignment when there were other available cabins in the same category, and I was able to get it changed. We couldn't on another cruise--but we managed.

 

 

[john watson]

On ‎10‎/‎19‎/‎2020 at 12:02 AM, rdsqrl said:

I completely disagree.  The likelihood is very good that you will get the "worst" cabin available since logic dictates that those who select their cabins will have picked off the "best" choices already. 

 

I was under the impression that the OP was saying that it was not possible to pick your own cabin as they were "unable to pick a cabin in either of these categories".  If this is the case nobody would be able to snap up the "best cabins" as the cruise line was allocating all cabins in the categories mentioned.

 

Regards John