Extra fee to pick your own room has gotten ridiculous - time to move on?

[firefly333]

1 hour ago, TBone2K said:

I'd also point out that in some cases the "Guarantee" only gets you a certain type of room. I'm referring to what I found looking for balconies on Oasis. We wanted an oceanview balcony, which was fairly pricy, especially compared to the other balcony types. There was only one "balcony guarantee" class, meaning you could get any type of balcony, inside or outside views.

Maybe a TA would help. Often there are actually 2 kinds of balcony gtys. There is one just for ocean front gtys. Just be careful which you pick. The cheaper will be listed. Sometimes have to ask for the other.

[firefly333]

8 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

There is a different GTY class for neighborhood balconies VS ocean view balconies. 

Ooops I see you beat me to it. ..sorry. 

[ONECRUISER]

On 2/4/2024 at 7:07 AM, 2chiefs said:

You call it a discount, I call it an extra fee. Same thing. What's your point? My point was that it costs a lot more now to pick your own room.

Nothing new, I remember pre-Cv paying $700 more for a Balcony Cabin my choice, as the discount for Balcony Guarantee Cabin was that much less. Price in Cruises and 90% of everything else is up yes but we were spoiled with downturn of 2020-2023 prices. Irony is high as 2025, prices are still cheaper then what I paid in 1980-90s. Hard to find but some ok deals are still out there

Edited February 5 by ONECRUISER

[alfaeric]

For some data seen this morning- looking for a cruise Jan '25, the pick your JS to guarantee cost was just $100.  Which is pretty normal for us and cruises that are not at all sold out.  

[Morecruisesplz]

3 hours ago, bmc alabama said:

Actually, I think Apples to Apples, Virgin is the same or less. I like the fact that all Dining and Gratuities (including those at the bar, etc.) are included.  Also, the food on Virgin is way ahead of RCCL IMHO...

 

I think that the issue for a number of people is that you can sail one of the new CCL ships (Mardi Gras, Celebration, Jubilee), Virgin, Princess, or Celebrity, etc. for less than sailing on RCCL and get more for your money. 

Virgin is always more with all the extras backed out of the cost.

[2chiefs]

3 hours ago, ONECRUISER said:

Nothing new, I remember pre-Cv paying $700 more for a Balcony Cabin my choice, as the discount for Balcony Guarantee Cabin was that much less. Price in Cruises and 90% of everything else is up yes but we were spoiled with downturn of 2020-2023 prices. Irony is high as 2025, prices are still cheaper then what I paid in 1980-90s. Hard to find but some ok deals are still out there

Absolutely true!! Our first cruise was in 1996 in an inside cabin on the Monarch of the Seas and we paid $2600 for two (for a 7-day cruise)! We can still find prices that low for OV's and sometimes Balconies today. Of course we didn't know what we were doing so we probably overpaid somewhat.

Edited February 5 by 2chiefs

[Cruising89143]

Not going to read this entire thread. I have read of “one” incident where RCI had to turn guests away which was in Australia. Booking a ship at over 100% capacity is not the same as overselling. Many ships go out each sailing at over 100% capacity since many third and fourth berths are booked. Other than the Australia situation, I have not read of any other situations. I guess when it comes to choosing your own stateroom, is the glass half full or half empty? I look at it as paying less for allowing the cruise line to choose my stateroom. If a person has an issue with any business then they should take it up with that business and if they’re still not satisfied then in fact move on. Read any of the cruise boards here and cruising has and continues to change. Some good and other areas perceived as being not as good. When the time comes that I no longer enjoy the product then I will choose to find something that we like better. 

[LobsterStalker]

2 hours ago, 2chiefs said:

Absolutely true!! Our first cruise was in 1996 in an inside cabin on the Monarch of the Seas and we paid $2600 for two (for a 7-day cruise)! We can still find prices that low for OV's and sometimes Balconies today. Of course we didn't know what we were doing so we probably overpaid somewhat.

My first cruise 07 Navigator , $1367 for 2 Promenade room. Got me hooked for sure !

 

Cheers

[Mum2Mercury]

3 hours ago, 2chiefs said:

Absolutely true!! Our first cruise was in 1996 in an inside cabin on the Monarch of the Seas and we paid $2600 for two (for a 7-day cruise)! We can still find prices that low for OV's and sometimes Balconies today. Of course we didn't know what we were doing so we probably overpaid somewhat.

A couple thoughts: 

- That $2600 was for a cruise on a small ship, nothing like the big ships available today. 

- I know I overpaid for my first cruise.  I wasn't aware you could /should watch for price drops.  

- I remember watching Love Boat as a child -- would've been the 70s.  Back when cruising was kinda a once or twice in a lifetime thing for the "newly wed and nearly dead", and I never really imaged I'd be able to take a cruise.  

[Jasukkie]

On 2/4/2024 at 9:18 AM, smokeybandit said:

Other than the one Aussie cruise that had a covid outbreak, please cite any evidence of people getting bumped at the pier.

 

My party did eventually get on the ship, but Carnival made us sit outside on a bench for 90 minutes while they "tried to find us rooms." I've booked GTY on Royal and never had that problem and just assumed it wouldn't be a big deal. While friendly, the staff did tell us it doesn't always work out and to sit tight. It was as if they were doing us a favor to try to fit us in for a cruise we paid for. We had flown in, didn't have cars, and would have had to pay significant money for hotels and meals if we had not been able to board. I won't book with them again, even in reserved cabin, just left a very bad taste in my mouth.

[Twenty2020]

8 hours ago, not-enough-cruising said:

There is a different GTY class for neighborhood balconies VS ocean view balconies. 

 

I have not seen that for a while on a lot of Oasis class ships. Every GTY option has just been 'balcony'. 

[S.A.M.J.R.]

1 hour ago, Twenty2020 said:

 

I have not seen that for a while on a lot of Oasis class ships. Every GTY option has just been 'balcony'. 

Maybe a TA has that available?  Or if you call in?

[Mick B]

Hi,

Where possible, I like to pick my own room. If I book early enough then the price difference fromn a GTY is not too bad.

There are things to consider here.

 

Depending on the class of ship and the cruise itinerary, it may pay you to spend a little extra for the comforts that your own cabin will bring.

First look at the plans of the ship you are going to be on and look at the worst possible locations for a cabin, such as right at the front where it may be noisy from rough seas, and don't forget the motion. Same at the back. Also both far forward and far back locations may result in a fairly long walk to the elevators, so if you are not too good on your feet, that could present a issue. Then look at the cabins that are close to/elevators/under/above the dining room, pub, theatre, running track or next to busy crew cut-throughs that may result in noise at late/early hours..

If you are really not bothered about any of the above then booking a cheaper GTY may be a good option, but if you really want to have a good vacation, then a few hundred dollars more could make your cruise more enjoyable.

Of course, booking a older ship far in advance at a time of the year away from school holidays should also make the cruise cheaper and more enjoyable. After all, it doesn't matter what cabin you book if the folks next door are a family from hell!

 

I have a Interior on the Jewel this April which I booked, not only because it was cheap, but because I am doing a 15 night TA and the weather/sea may turn rough. Also I have made sure it is low down and near the aft stairwell/lifts and away from noisy areas and well worth paying a couple of hundred pounds more than risking being put in a cabin in the wrong place and having 15 nights of hell if there are no available rooms to switch to once on board.

 

Same again in 2025. I have a Promenade view Interior booked on the Indy for 12 nights in May from the UK to the Canneries, again it was fairly cheap, but not as cheap as the Jewel, but we will be going round the Bay of Biscay twice and that can be rough. Again I have booked a room close to the aft lifts as this give quick access to most areas of the ship.

 

I agree that the pricing for picking some of the cabins is a bit high, but if you are like me, then if the holiday is going to be a fairly long one that may result in bad weather/rough sea, then making sure you have a decent located cabin can be the difference between a pleasant holiday and a nightmare. I am sure Royal know this too.

Like I said, if you are taking a short holiday and going in calmer weather then a GTY may be the way to go to get a cheaper holiday if the prices for picking your own room are a bit out of reach.

 

Enjoy!

Mick.

 

 

[Mum2Mercury]

11 hours ago, Twenty2020 said:

 

I have not seen that for a while on a lot of Oasis class ships. Every GTY option has just been 'balcony'. 

I'm interested in this too.  We usually go with a Guarantee, but our adult daughter's coming with us, so we wanted a balcony -- just like when they were kids, a balcony is the cheapest way of getting a little more space and a separate space for Dad to disappear while the daughters are dressing.  With three of us, we also wanted to choose a room near a public rest room.  

 

BUT we'll be on Wonder, and we really only wanted an Ocean Balcony ... we really do not want a balcony next to the carrousel.  So we chose our room.  Did we do wrong?  I mean, could we have specified Ocean Balcony /not Central Park or Boardwalk?  

 

Doesn't matter now, as the Guarantees are now higher than we paid, but I wonder for the future.  

[Starry Eyes]

11 hours ago, Twenty2020 said:

 

I have not seen that for a while on a lot of Oasis class ships. Every GTY option has just been 'balcony'. 

Royal’s consumer website is suboptimal for oasis class balconies.  It does not clearly show which category (XN or XB) of balcony gty is being displayed, though one probably should assume it is the lower category XN when surfing prices.   If you book online, it may/should say neighborhood balcony gty (or whatever you book) on the confirmation page, but that seems a bit lat in the game for disclosure.  If you want find out if XB is available and the price, call Royal or a TA.  The consumer website should be better.  

[Starry Eyes]

27 minutes ago, Mum2Mercury said:

I'm interested in this too.  We usually go with a Guarantee, but our adult daughter's coming with us, so we wanted a balcony -- just like when they were kids, a balcony is the cheapest way of getting a little more space and a separate space for Dad to disappear while the daughters are dressing.  With three of us, we also wanted to choose a room near a public rest room.  

 

BUT we'll be on Wonder, and we really only wanted an Ocean Balcony ... we really do not want a balcony next to the carrousel.  So we chose our room.  Did we do wrong?  I mean, could we have specified Ocean Balcony /not Central Park or Boardwalk?  

 

Doesn't matter now, as the Guarantees are now higher than we paid, but I wonder for the future.  

On many sailings, OV balcony gty (category XB) will be available.  Sometimes it is available to parties of three or four.  It is hard to price XB on Royal’s website.  In the future you could try looking at on line TA site as some might better display the pricing.  Or you could call in the future.  

Of course, an OV balcony gty assignment could have been far from a public RR or otherwise in a location you disliked. So as you care about the location of the cabin on this trip, you probably made the right decision to pick your own this time.

[Mum2Mercury]

32 minutes ago, Starry Eyes said:

On many sailings, OV balcony gty (category XB) will be available.  Sometimes it is available to parties of three or four.  It is hard to price XB on Royal’s website.  In the future you could try looking at on line TA site as some might better display the pricing.  Or you could call in the future.  

Of course, an OV balcony gty assignment could have been far from a public RR or otherwise in a location you disliked. So as you care about the location of the cabin on this trip, you probably made the right decision to pick your own this time.

Thing is, I don't care strongly about the location of my cabin.  Well, I care that it's an Ocean balcony as opposed to a Park or Boardwalk balcony, but the location was just a perk -- not a real preference.  

 

In retrospect, I wish I'd investigated an Ocean Balcony Guarantee.  

[kirtihk]

On 2/4/2024 at 9:07 AM, 2chiefs said:

You call it a discount, I call it an extra fee. Same thing. What's your point? My point was that it costs a lot more now to pick your own room.

It's not the same.  If a price with cabin selection is a base then a guaranteed lesser price (it used to be a standard way of pricing) is an actual discount.  A lot of times, by the way, the price is actually the same (between guaranteed and with selection cabins) by many cruise lines.  However, if a base is a guaranteed cabin with a lesser price then you are correct and "allowed" to complain (ha-ha!!!) if the price with a cabin selection is much higher.

[time4u2go]

I thought Gopher or Julie tells you your room assignment when you board, no? 😁

[S.A.M.J.R.]

Just now, time4u2go said:

I thought Gopher or Julie tells you your room assignment when you board, no? 😁

Maybe if you're on a ship with only 100 pax? 😄

[KsucAts]

2 hours ago, kirtihk said:

It's not the same.  If a price with cabin selection is a base then a guaranteed lesser price (it used to be a standard way of pricing) is an actual discount.  A lot of times, by the way, the price is actually the same (between guaranteed and with selection cabins) by many cruise lines.  However, if a base is a guaranteed cabin with a lesser price then you are correct and "allowed" to complain (ha-ha!!!) if the price with a cabin selection is much higher.

 

If you buy something at a store and it costs $100 if you pay cash or $103 if you pay on your credit card, is it a $3 credit card fee or a $3 cash discount?  (call it what you want, but it is the same thing)

[bmc alabama]

On 2/5/2024 at 1:43 PM, Morecruisesplz said:

Virgin is always more with all the extras backed out of the cost.

You mean the "extras" like gratuities?  Do you not pay those on RCCL?

 

To get a similar experience on Royal, you would have to pay for gratuities, wifi, at least the coke package, and for the unlimited dining plan.

[kirtihk]

48 minutes ago, KsucAts said:

 

If you buy something at a store and it costs $100 if you pay cash or $103 if you pay on your credit card, is it a $3 credit card fee or a $3 cash discount?  (call it what you want, but it is the same thing)

No, my point was totally different: when a cruise first released by a cruise line, typically there is no guaranteed cabin.  Then closer to a cruise date a cruise line might establish a guaranteed cabin for a particular category (say, inside).  In this case, obviously, the guaranteed price is a discount (one may not call a price with selected cabin as a fee, because it was established first).  Of course, if a person looks in a quote for the first time for a particular cruise ONLY after the guaranteed price is revealed (as in my example), that person might think (feel or consider) a price with selected cabin as a fee (but it will be just that - a feeling).

[SUgwoz]

7 minutes ago, kirtihk said:

No, my point was totally different: when a cruise first released by a cruise line, typically there is no guaranteed cabin.  Then closer to a cruise date a cruise line might establish a guaranteed cabin for a particular category (say, inside).  In this case, obviously, the guaranteed price is a discount (one may not call a price with selected cabin as a fee, because it was established first).  Of course, if a person looks in a quote for the first time for a particular cruise ONLY after the guaranteed price is revealed (as in my example), that person might think (feel or consider) a price with selected cabin as a fee (but it will be just that - a feeling).

In the case of freedom class weekend sailings this past December, there was balcony guarantees for $788 including taxes/fees three months prior to sailing. Some may think that should be the expected price, others may even think that's expensive.  I would consider that a discount.

Edited February 6 by SUgwoz

[kirtihk]

15 minutes ago, SUgwoz said:

In the case of freedom class weekend sailings this past December, there was balcony guarantees for $788 including taxes/fees three months prior to sailing. Some may think that should be the expected price, others may even think that's expensive.  I would consider that a discount.

It is a discount if the non-guaranteed price was more than $788 at least 1 day prior to the $788 guaranteed was introduced (regardless whether $788 for a balcony is considered expensive or expected).