Balcony guarantee?

[shofer]

Has anyone ever reserved a balcony guanatee and what kind of cabin did you get? I know it would be a balcony but was it good or bad location-wise?

 

We reserved 3 BE on Grand and just wondering what or where we may end up.

 

Thanks!

[MCManders99]

I did a BF Guarantee on the Star (booked in August of 06) for April 2007. In a couple months we had a BA Balcony midship, great location. And this was for 2 rooms. We were on port and the other room was starboard. But you never know where you'll end up.

[marshabear]

we booked a balcony guar cat BF in March for our Oct cruise...within a week, received notice we had been given cat BA balcony on the Lido deck!!

 

 

marsha

[sonomaphil]

Has anyone ever reserved a balcony guanatee and what kind of cabin did you get? I know it would be a balcony but was it good or bad location-wise?

 

We reserved 3 BE on Grand and just wondering what or where we may end up.

 

Thanks!

 

Keep in mind you might just get what you reserved. Upgrades are not a guarantee just because it's a guarantee reservation. Make sure that the BE cabins would be acceptable for you just in case.

 

You could end up anywhere in a balcony room, could be first cabin all the way forward or the last cabin all the way aft or anything in between! Could be any deck!

 

That being said, we always get guarantees but location is not important to us. We're happy anywhere on the ship! And yes we were "upgraded", each time we were upgraded to a BB or BA.

[MercedMike]

Keep in mind you might just get what you reserved. Upgrades are not a guarantee just because it's a guarantee reservation. Make sure that the BE cabins would be acceptable for you just in case.

 

You could end up anywhere in a balcony room, could be first cabin all the way forward or the last cabin all the way aft or anything in between! Could be any deck!

 

That being said, we always get guarantees but location is not important to us. We're happy anywhere on the ship! And yes we were "upgraded", each time we were upgraded to a BB or BA.

 

Thanks, Phil, saved me a lot of typing! This is exactly right. If you are particular about location, or feel some balcony cabins are "better" than others, then don't book a guarantee. You have no control whatsoever over your location. That is the deal. They give you a good price, you don't obsess over location.

 

We almost always book the lowest category outside cabin on a guarantee. Lots of times, we have gotten no upgrade whatsoever. Sometimes we have been moved to an outside cabin on a higher deck, or nearer midships, which is considered an "upgrade." Only once have we been upgraded from an outside guarantee to a balcony. (When they moved Phil up to BA we probably got his BE!) It has even been known to happen, but not often, that a balcony guarantee will get moved up to a minisuite!

 

If the upgrade fairy waves her wand over you, be happy! If not, be happy you got a good price on your guaranteed category.

 

Have a GREAT cruise!

[sonomaphil]

Oh yeah, for got to mention this.

 

Twice now we've booked the lowest priced guarantees and though not upgraded by Princess I noticed through my religiously checking of prices that Princess had a "sale" that basically brings down every category balcony cabin to the same price I paid for the guarantee. So a quick call to who ever I booked with and I "upgraded" myself to a BA! Same price!

 

It doesn't get much publicity here like looking for that elusive price reduction but it's a good "sale".

[janabug]

We booked BG cabin in February and by April we had a Lido BA. I've heard that the lower you are in the Princess status (gold, platinum, elite) the more likely you are to be upgraded, so they hook you;)

This may not always be the case, but it looks to happen most to Gold members.

[espmass]

I prefer to pay more for a reserved cabin as I sometimes get seasick and prefer a cabin mid ship. We booked a BC balcony mid ship on Baha deck for our 9/30 Dawn cruise. Our cousins booked the same cruise the same day but did the balcony guarantee. they were just notified they have a balcony cabin right below ours so it's one deck lower but mid ship. Good deal for them I guess.

[daldog]

We too booked a balcony guarantee on Caribbean Princess (4 cabins in our party) and we all 4 got upgraded to Lido deck BA category, almost right away after booking .... that doesn't seem to be that uncommon. Just guessing, but maybe because the Lido cabins are so high and so far forward that many people worry about increased motion, and therefore won't pay a premium for them? But from what I read on these boards, lots of people seem to like the location and I am really excited about it.

 

Also, everybody keeps saying you have no control whatsoever, you get what you get, etc - and I understand you do have to be prepared for that. But the Lido cabin we were originally assigned was directly off the elevator/stairs which I wasn't so sure about, so I asked my TA for help and got just what I wanted, a different BA Lido cabin but in a preferable location (to me anyway). So maybe that's really unusual, or maybe I just have a good TA - I don't know. But we're three weeks away and still have the cabin. Do they ever take them away once you get them?

[High C's]

I booked a BE guarantee for my Crown sailing on Sep 6th, and I still don't have my room assignment!!! I thought I would have it for sure after final payment was made, but I am now less than 40 days away from sailing.

 

This appears to be common on sailings out of NYC this summer for balcony guarantees. Don't know why this particular ship/port is longer to assign:confused: :(

[sonomaphil]

Also, everybody keeps saying you have no control whatsoever, you get what you get, etc - and I understand you do have to be prepared for that. But the Lido cabin we were originally assigned was directly off the elevator/stairs which I wasn't so sure about, so I asked my TA for help and got just what I wanted, a different BA Lido cabin but in a preferable location (to me anyway). So maybe that's really unusual, or maybe I just have a good TA - I don't know. But we're three weeks away and still have the cabin. Do they ever take them away once you get them?

 

You do have that control BUT only IF there are others available in that category. If it was full when you got your assignment, that's what you get.

 

Oh and I love the Lido deck cabins....no worries even by the elevator. Perfect location. If I didn't have a Caribe balcony or a mini, Lido is the place to be for us.

[Lynda90]

Booked a BF guarantee for my upcoming Hawaii trip. Am now in (what I consider a great upgrade), a BA cabin on the Caribe deck which is my favorite for a balcony cabin.

[shofer]

Hi All,

 

Thanks for all of your input. There are only 4 BE cabins on Grand and the location would be fine if that's were we end up.

We had a BB on the Aloha deck of the Coral Princess earlier this year and loved it. But, how can you go wrong with ANY balcony cabin on a cruise?

 

This is the first cruise for DD/SIL & DS/DIL so we wanted to make it special for them. (DH said I would do anything to get some grandkids!) Ok, countdown clock is going and I am picking up summer clothes specials for February.

[Les_Bill]

We booked a BG guarantee for next Jan. on the Crown, and were upgraded to BA midship on the Caribe deck.