Allure GTY Neighborhood Balcony Qs

[keishashadow]

Several months ago, switched an NR inside booking (made by phone on a late June Allure cruise) to a Neighborhood Balcony GTY.  Called in as I saw it was in same ballpark.  first GTY I’ve booked.  Will be happy with whatever, have GD along who is eager to hear where we will be bunking.  Will try the bar code trick after checkin date.

 

Made “next to last payment” and noticed the confirmation of it didn’t make any reference to a balcony.  Hoping not a problem brewing.  Deleted the original email by mistake, can’t remember if it initially made specific reference to a balcony.  

 

Gave up on hold twice today with RCCL after long wait time, trying to verify we do indeed have a balcony pending.  Hoping somebody might know what the standard wording is on GTY neighborhood booking statements

 

also, trying to figure out what/where neighborhood Obstructed cabins could be on the Allure.  have sailed it recently, only thing I can think of is perhaps one of the upper decks with an overhang?  Maybe a possible support blocking view in Boardwalk area?  

 

There was no referenced # in the obstructed view percentage section of the invoice.

 

Stateroom: GTY

Description: Stateroom Obstructed View Percentage Pending
ALLURE OF THE SEAS
3 NIGHT BAHAMAS & PERFECT DAY CRUISE

 

Edited March 15 by keishashadow

[LisaLisa87]

I booked an ocean view balcony GTY last year, and my invoice just said “GTY” next to Stateroom. I called to verify that their system showed I had booked an ocean view balcony GTY and it did. Fast forward to yesterday when I booked a suite GTY, and once again the invoice just says “GTY.“ For whatever reason, that just seems to be the way they do it. I did call again to verify it’s correct on their end. 
 

Edited March 15 by LisaLisa87

[keishashadow]

1 hour ago, LisaLisa87 said:

For whatever reason, that just seems to be the way they do it. I did call again to verify it’s correct on their end.

thanks that’s encouraging 

[Starry Eyes]

That sounds typical.  I recently booked an OV balcony gty 45 days out on Wonder.  My invoice also says GTY and obstruction pending.  Barcode trick shows on OV balcony number.  

 

If you receive a RoyalUp offer and view the RoyalUp website on a computer, it should list your starting category.

I think you are correct about the sorts of obstructions some neighborhood balconies might have.  For completeness I’ll mention on most Oasis class ships, Boardwalk balconies near the water slides are marked obstructed (I know that’s not currently relevant to your sailing on Allure as she does not yet have water slides)

[keishashadow]

On the website my res only indicating 

 

 

no specific mention of neighborhood or OV.  Maybe will get lucky & get OV lol 

 

[leaveitallbehind]

39 minutes ago, keishashadow said:

On the website my res only indicating 

 

 

no specific mention of neighborhood or OV.  Maybe will get lucky & get OV lol 

 

If you booked a neighborhood balcony GTY (XN) then that is what will be issued.  Very unlikely they would upgrade to an OV (XB) as that is a different category.  GTY's are assigned to subcategories within the booked category and not upgraded to different categories. 

 

Also your stateroom can be assigned at anytime from booking to day of sailing.  Although in our experience that has typically occurred from 30 days to the week prior.  If, once assigned, you are not happy with the location contact whomever you booked through and they can move you to another preferred location within the assigned subcategory based on availability.  We have done that a couple of times.

Edited March 16 by leaveitallbehind

[keishashadow]

8 hours ago, leaveitallbehind said:

If you booked a neighborhood balcony GTY (XN) then that is what will be issued.  Very unlikely they would upgrade to an OV (XB) as that is a different category.

I’m honestly not 100% sure which GTY I Booked. My first GTY and so excited it was approx price of inside in place. Had hoped to see the code on website vs calling in like the GTY noob I admitted am lol

 

Booked directly thru RCCL

 

assume whatever assignment will beat the inside 

 

however, if I do see that another category opens up

after final pmt date; can I still

pay the difference in price & upgrade to a higher category even tho I’m booked via GTY rate?

[leaveitallbehind]

According you your reservation attachment it appears you have a Balcony GTY (XB), which is an OV balcony. If it was a neighborhood balcony it would say as such. 

 

You can upgrade your booked stateroom category to a new category once final payment is made, however you have to pay the difference between what you paid to the full amount of the new category (or current booked category higher subcategory) at the time you make the upgrade.

Edited March 17 by leaveitallbehind

[Starry Eyes]

48 minutes ago, keishashadow said:

I’m honestly not 100% sure which GTY I Booked. My first GTY and so excited it was approx price of inside in place. Had hoped to see the code on website vs calling in like the GTY noob I admitted am lol

 

Booked directly thru RCCL

 

assume whatever assignment will beat the inside 

 

however, if I do see that another category opens up

after final pmt date; can I still

pay the difference in price & upgrade to a higher category even tho I’m booked via GTY rate?

Frequently you can pay the difference and upgrade if you see a good price on another category after final payment, but sometimes a sale is specifically “for new bookings only.”  In that is the case, you may not be able to get that “new booking rate” for your “old booking.”  
 

I think you should call and ask your category.  Don’t be embarrassed; it is a very reasonable question. 

Edited March 17 by Starry Eyes

[leaveitallbehind]

3 minutes ago, Starry Eyes said:

.....but sometimes a sale is specifically “for new bookings only.”  In that is the case, you may not be able to get that “new booking rate” for your “old booking.”  

....unless you cancel the current booking (with whatever penalties may apply) and rebook as a new booking at the full new booking fare.  That would likely not be a prudent move.

Edited March 17 by leaveitallbehind

[keishashadow]

49 minutes ago, leaveitallbehind said:

....unless you cancel the current booking (with whatever penalties may apply) and rebook as a new booking at the full new booking fare.  That would likely not be a prudent move.

Never expected to do that.  Did so for upcoming Dec res on Utopia.  Even with the penalty, the much lower price of one week later basically negated the penalty.  

 

Last cruise (Dec on Allure) it was rather shocking to see the pricing drastically drop (multiple times) a couple of weeks after final payment date.  so many nice OV cabins opened up too.  We wound up moving up the food chain multiple times for a few $ more.

 

exact opposite on cruise on Adventure last May, things just kept increasing in price up to sailing date.

 

guess you can’t really predict it one way or the other.