Why does a guarantee cabin cost more than an assigned one?

[bedrick]

Hi, I’m looking at booking a 13 night New Zealand cruise from Sydney.  The balcony cabin price is more for a guarantee than if you choose  a cabin number, the cost for an inside is less for a guarantee than a chosen cabin.  In the past I have always found the guarantee cabins to be cheaper because it’s a “lucky dip”.  Any ideas why this should be the case on this particular cruise and category?  Thanks for your help.

[omeinv]

It's just an anomaly that happens sometimes.  A similar thing is that occasionally Concierge Cabins are less than a veranda, or Aqua is less than Concierge. 

 

It sometimes seems to relate to a price reduction due toa  sale or promotion, as often the sales or promotions don't apply to GTY cabins. 

 

Harris

Denver, CO

[Jim_Iain]

I've seen it a number of times and it is hard to tell from the booking what level the guarantee cabin it is.

I recently had one like that and called my agent to get a price adjustment.   He let me know that the Guarantee I had was a Sky Suite 1 and the price of the assigned cabin was a Sky Suite 2 and asked if I wanted to downgrade.  

 

From the Celebrity Site you have no way of seeing that on the guarantee that I could find.

 

 

[bedrick]

Thanks for this helpful information.  I have tried ringing Celebrity twice and given up after being on hold for more than an hour each time.  I also sent them an email 3 days ago to which there has been no reply.  Their lack of customer service certainly doesn’t encourage me to book a cruise with them.

[Jim_Iain]

14 hours ago, bedrick said:

Thanks for this helpful information.  I have tried ringing Celebrity twice and given up after being on hold for more than an hour each time.  I also sent them an email 3 days ago to which there has been no reply.  Their lack of customer service certainly doesn’t encourage me to book a cruise with them.

Personally I book with an agent and he is able to quickly answer my questions and deal with Celebrity.    Any TA should be able to answer your question as they have access to the booking system and would also probably offer you additional OBC on top of what Celebrity offered.

[bedrick]

I wish I had a US agent.  The Australian ones are pretty much useless and have totally different booking conditions to the US ones.  They require full payment months before the cruise line need the money and have very limited knowledge.  No such thing as getting the price reduced if the fare drops before final payment and they charge a minimum $100 fee if you cancel and rebook.

I have found the information given by people like you on this site to be much more accurate and valuable than any Australian agent is able to provide.

[Jim_Iain]

16 minutes ago, bedrick said:

I wish I had a US agent.  The Australian ones are pretty much useless and have totally different booking conditions to the US ones.  They require full payment months before the cruise line need the money and have very limited knowledge.  No such thing as getting the price reduced if the fare drops before final payment and they charge a minimum $100 fee if you cancel and rebook.

I have found the information given by people like you on this site to be much more accurate and valuable than any Australian agent is able to provide.

Ahh... didn't realize you were from Australia as you don't have your home Country listed. 

I guess we don't realize how good we have it in the U.S.    We often travel with friends from Australia and they point out some of the differences.    I did tell them once that the RS had dropped below what they paid for a CS.   There agent went and fought for them and got them moved to a RS at the same price.   Unfortunately Covid hit and they didn't get to try the RS.

[D. B.]

What I find frustrating about Calling a Cruise Line is that I always get a Contract Worker that has access to a Company Program and IF I have a question that they can't answer it's hard to get them to Transfer my Call to a Company Agent because they are probably a Gate Guardian to keep people from Bothering the Real Company agents?