BALCONY GUARANTEE -- Your experience and feedback please!

[MONYMONY68]

I just booked a last minute cruise on NCL Spirit in a balcony guarantee (that was all that was available)  I'm somewhat nervous about it because I don't like forward cabins.

If you've booked a balcony guarantee in the past, what cabin was assigned to you?  Were you happy or miserable? 

Would love to hear everyone's feedback because I'm sure there are a few lighthearted stories to share!

[Asawi]

I booked a Balcony Guarantee for my TA on Gem (booked a couple of months before departure). I got a regular midship (more towards aft than front)  balcony that I was very happy with.

[sjacobs11]

We booked a balcony guarantee on Bliss the week before Christmas and was upgraded to a Club Balcony Suite right above the Cavern Club. We could hear every note of the "Beatles" rehearsing late afternoons. Was like a private concert. We enjoyed that cabin.

[SoloAlaska]

37 minutes ago, MONYMONY68 said:

I just booked a last minute cruise on NCL Spirit in a balcony guarantee (that was all that was available)  I'm somewhat nervous about it because I don't like forward cabins.

If you've booked a balcony guarantee in the past, what cabin was assigned to you?  Were you happy or miserable? 

Would love to hear everyone's feedback because I'm sure there are a few lighthearted stories to share!

Did you look to see what was available? If you book guaranteed you should expect the absolute worst.

 

after my first cruise I learnt that if there is a potential for rough seas I can’t be forward. So until I book a cruise with little to no risk of rough seas I will not risk a garanteed cabin.

[Happy_Traveler_2008]

I have booked guarantees 3 times and had no issues with the cabin location. Just booked a balcony for a March cruise and was assigned a Family Balcony mid ship since all other categories are sold out. My sister had a bad experience and ended up with cabin right above one of the music lounges so was hearing loud music well into the early hours.

[prov2727]

I booked a guarantee balcony on the Joy for a Panama Canal cruise and got an angled balcony. Spoiled me for life!

[UKstages]

on the larger ships, this is typically no problem, assuming they have decent inventory left. but if they are only offering "guarantee" cabins, then they might not. i always book through casinos at sea and was given a "GTY" cabin. a cabin was assigned just a day or two later and it was midship and it was fine.

 

on the smaller ships, such as the spirit, it could well be a problem, and a considerable risk. i recently refused to book on the spirit because the only rooms available were either adjacent to the smoking section on the ship or below the fitness center or the pool or the buffet.

[hallux]

My balcony on the Bliss in 2019 was a GTY if I recall.  I got deck 14 mid to aft (forward of the aft elevators but not much), not a bad spot.  My sister also booked a GTY for that cruise and got deck 9 mid, over the shops.

[julig22]

4 hours ago, SoloAlaska said:

Did you look to see what was available? If you book guaranteed you should expect the absolute worst.

Not necessarily. They often use GTY for unknown reasons and/or when the inventory is limited - and you don't get to choose. Doesn't mean they are the worst, just still empty for whatever reason.

[SoloAlaska]

16 minutes ago, julig22 said:

Not necessarily. They often use GTY for unknown reasons and/or when the inventory is limited - and you don't get to choose. Doesn't mean they are the worst, just still empty for whatever reason.

I never said you would get the worse but if you aren’t ok with the worse cabin and it will “ruin your trip” then you should not be booking GTY. Being surprised by an amazing cabin should be valued but knowing you could get the worse shouldn’t be a problem. Looking at inventory ahead of time and seeing what is available is a good way to see what the odds are of a great cabin. For OP if they look and see most cabins in that category that are still available are forward then they might be concerned, if it’s mostly midship available then the odds are in their favour for a favourable outcome.

[yakcruiser]

5 hours ago, MONYMONY68 said:

I just booked a last minute cruise on NCL Spirit in a balcony guarantee (that was all that was available)  I'm somewhat nervous about it because I don't like forward cabins.

If you've booked a balcony guarantee in the past, what cabin was assigned to you?  Were you happy or miserable? 

Would love to hear everyone's feedback because I'm sure there are a few lighthearted stories to share!

I had a GTY balcony on the Spirit in Sept of 22. They assigned me a great room deck 11 aft that was only a couple rooms down from the door that opened up to Spice H2O. Loved it!

[julig22]

15 minutes ago, SoloAlaska said:

I never said you would get the worse but if you aren’t ok with the worse cabin and it will “ruin your trip” then you should not be booking GTY. Being surprised by an amazing cabin should be valued but knowing you could get the worse shouldn’t be a problem. Looking at inventory ahead of time and seeing what is available is a good way to see what the odds are of a great cabin. For OP if they look and see most cabins in that category that are still available are forward then they might be concerned, if it’s mostly midship available then the odds are in their favour for a favourable outcome.

If all the cabins are GTY then your only choice is to either not book or take what they give you. You can look all you want and you still only get a choice of GTY or nothing. Not the same as booking sailaway.

[SoloAlaska]

1 minute ago, julig22 said:

If all the cabins are GTY then your only choice is to either not book or take what they give you. You can look all you want and you still only get a choice of GTY or nothing. Not the same as booking sailaway.

If only GTY is available then it is likely the cruise may be oversold and that brings in its own risks.

 

If someone wants to avoid 1/3 of the ship then there is a 33% chance they will be unhappy. If there are cabins available and someone chooses to get a good deal with a GTY and the forward cabins are pretty much booked up then the chances of being unhappy are much smaller. It’s all about the odds based on the exact scenario of that particular sailing.

[julig22]

1 minute ago, SoloAlaska said:

If only GTY is available then it is likely the cruise may be oversold and that brings in its own risks.

 

As I recall, most if not all balcony cabins for Alaska cruises last summer were in GTY category months prior to even the final payment date. Why they do that is anyone's guess but it doesn't always indicate remaining capacity.

[ihate2cruise]

Have never had an issue with a guarantee cabin on NCL.