Refaring and rebooking the same cabin - complicated by guarantees only available in that category now

[Flo71]

I want to refare and book with a special offer, Princess have said I can do this, however and usually could get my original cabin back. However, at the moment there is only guarantee cabins available in the grade I want to book. They said they can't promise that when my cabin goes back into the system that it will show up to be booked  or just still guarantees.

 

Also if I have booked for example a guarantee obstructed DW grade midship could I be moved to a DW grade at the front, or aft? Or should be up to the next grade unobstructed but anywhere?

 

Thanks in advance

[cr8tiv1]

If you are happy with the cabin location you currently have, you are taking a huge gamble.  Are you willing to take a guarantee?

 

My TA has canceled and tried to get back original cabin.  Sometimes she was able to do that.  Other times not.

 

I didn't think you could re-fare/cancel if there were no cabins available.

 

Depending which location you have the guarantee, you could be placed in the same or "better" cabin.  What Princess considers better is not always what we want.  For instance.  You could book an obstructed (which ship?  obstructed ocean view/obstructed balcony?), you could be given a "premium" ocean view at the front of the ship.  If you booked an obstructed balcony on a Royal Class ship, they could assign a cabin on a higher deck...forward/aft.  

 

Lots of possible configurations.  Would you be happy with whatever they assigned you for a lower price?

 

Granted, IF...there are "better" staterooms with your same category identification DW), you might be able to ask to be moved to one.

 

 

 

 

[Flo71]

It's the temptation of upgrading to premier with no cost that I'm struggling to resist but I| do like that particular cabin. I have a few days so will have a think.

[PacnGoNow]

2 hours ago, Flo71 said:

It's the temptation of upgrading to premier with no cost that I'm struggling to resist but I| do like that particular cabin. I have a few days so will have a think.

Those guarantee rates/cabins are non refundable deposits and another way they can make money, since so many people change or cancel their bookings.

 

I’m afraid we may see a lot more of this going forward. 

 

I would work with your TA/CVP and see if they can do anything to get your cabin back.  It is a gamble.  Or, see if there is a cabin you would be happy with on the new fare offer, where you could keep your refundable deposit.  
 

If you booked with PCL, of course, you would work with them.

[thinfool]

You will not receive an aft or forward cabin with a guarantee unless there are cabins in the class you book that are located forward or aft.  

A guarantee will hold to the class of cabin that you book it under.  

Sadly there is a lot of misunderstanding among pax as to how a guarantee works.  Some seem to think that they will wind up deep in the bowels of the ship with a guarantee.  While this may be the case, it is only true if the booking is for the lowest class of cabins.  

As you have likely seen, only guarantees are available for the class of cabin that you prefer.

[Steelers36]

2 hours ago, PacnGoNow said:

Those guarantee rates/cabins are non refundable deposits and another way they can make money, since so many people change or cancel their bookings.

Not all GTY's have Non-Ref deposits.  In fact, most don't because you can book a GTY in most all categories and only the lead-ins have the Non-Ref deposit.

[Steelers36]

5 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

I didn't think you could re-fare/cancel if there were no cabins available.

If they are selling GTY's in "your" category, then it is okay, but cabin selection is not okay.  Some risk involved in possibly losing the existing cabin choice.  I think it is often more just the delay in that cabin re-appearing rather than it being snapped up a second after the cancel.

[Steelers36]

5 hours ago, Flo71 said:

Also if I have booked for example a guarantee obstructed DW grade midship could I be moved to a DW grade at the front, or aft? Or should be up to the next grade unobstructed but anywhere?

Just because you clicked on the mid-ship section on Princess.com when booking your cabin, if the same cabin type exists mid-fwd or mid-aft (as with DW), then you could be anywhere.  

 

If you have a GTY DW, you could be assigned that or any other higher category in Princess echelon of cabin categories.  Those would be any of the unobstructed Deluxes, any Mini-Suite, or any Suite.  All-in-all, things shouldn't turn out too badly if they upgrade you when assigning a cabin.

[SCX22]

If you have a DW with an extended balcony, I would advise against re-faring into a guarantee reservation.  Those cabins go fast and there are some TAs who are on top of looking for these cabins for their clients and snatch them up at the soonest opportunity.

 

Also remember, there is no differentiation between locations in the DW category.  All locations of this category are categorized as DW--aft, mid-ship, forward, and anything in between are lumped into one.

Edited April 16, 2023 by SCX22

[Flo71]

55 minutes ago, SCX22 said:

If you have a DW with an extended balcony, I would advise against re-faring into a guarantee reservation.  Those cabins go fast and there are some TAs who are on top of looking for these cabins for their clients and snatch them up at the soonest opportunity.

 

Also remember, there is no differentiation between locations in the DW category.  All locations of this category are categorized as DW--aft, mid-ship, forward, and anything in between are lumped into one.

Thank you, that was what I thought, will stay where I am unless a numbered cabin opens up. 

[Wishing on a star]

This thread has just pointed out another factor why Princess has done the way they have, limiting cabin choices (sometimes very heavily) and pushing for GTY bookings.

It cost MORE to choose a cabin, and then if you want to keep it, no refaring.

 

I absolutely hate Princess' business practices on things like this. 

Another reason I have lost any respect for Princess.