Question re booking guarantee cabins

[chepar]

Greetings - I've been a lurker for a couple years and due to the great search function and amount of great info here, have never had the need to post a question until now.

 

My parents want to take a Scandinavian/Baltic cruise next July or August (probably the Emerald itinerary w/Oslo). They've asked me if I want to join them, and I'm thinking about it. In the meantime, my mother is getting price quotes from various local travel agents.

 

I've cruised several times before, but have always gone the route of picking a specific cabin. This time (if I go), I'm thinking about trying a guarantee cabin.

 

I asked my mother to get a quote on an oceanview guarantee and a balcony guarantee. According to the travel agent (via my mother), guarantee cabin prices aren't out yet.

 

Is this true - that guarantee prices aren't available until later? If so, how long would it be until the prices are released?

 

Thanks for any information you are able to give.

[newfirsttimer]

Greetings - I've been a lurker for a couple years and due to the great search function and amount of great info here, have never had the need to post a question until now.

 

My parents want to take a Scandinavian/Baltic cruise next July or August (probably the Emerald itinerary w/Oslo). They've asked me if I want to join them, and I'm thinking about it. In the meantime, my mother is getting price quotes from various local travel agents.

 

I've cruised several times before, but have always gone the route of picking a specific cabin. This time (if I go), I'm thinking about trying a guarantee cabin.

 

I asked my mother to get a quote on an oceanview guarantee and a balcony guarantee. According to the travel agent (via my mother), guarantee cabin prices aren't out yet.

 

Is this true - that guarantee prices aren't available until later? If so, how long would it be until the prices are released?

 

Thanks for any information you are able to give.

 

I am booked on the Aug 14th Baltic cruise with Emerald Princess and at the time of booking 2 months ago, I was offered a guarantee cabin but decided to go with a specific cabin instead. You should be able to book a guarantee now. I took a guarantee on my Nov cruise with Princess and ended up with a 2 category upgrade.

 

Maybe we will be on the same cruise although I am doing Berlin rather than Oslo.

Judy

[Toto2Kansas]

Greetings - I've been a lurker for a couple years and due to the great search function and amount of great info here, have never had the need to post a question until now.

 

My parents want to take a Scandinavian/Baltic cruise next July or August (probably the Emerald itinerary w/Oslo). They've asked me if I want to join them, and I'm thinking about it. In the meantime, my mother is getting price quotes from various local travel agents.

 

I've cruised several times before, but have always gone the route of picking a specific cabin. This time (if I go), I'm thinking about trying a guarantee cabin.

 

I asked my mother to get a quote on an oceanview guarantee and a balcony guarantee. According to the travel agent (via my mother), guarantee cabin prices aren't out yet.

 

Is this true - that guarantee prices aren't available until later? If so, how long would it be until the prices are released?

 

Thanks for any information you are able to give.

 

Now that is a new one on me. I have never heard of guarantee bookings not available when the cruise is open for booking. One thing to keep in mind is that the price you pay will be the price of the guarantee category you book. In other words, the price won't be lower for a guarantee than if you book an assigned stateroom in that category.

If I am not mistaken, some cruise lines charge less for a guarantee booking, but Princess does not.

So, say you book a guarantee F stateroom. You will pay the F category price and be guaranteed 'at least' an F stateroom or above (but not always above, some actually get exactly the category they book the guarantee in), the same as you would if you booked an assigned stateroom in category F.

 

To check for guarantees open for your sailing, I might suggest you go to the Princess website and see if they are available yourself. If they are, tell mom to find a new batch of travel agents to choose from (nicely of coarse ;)).

Good Luck!

[ashtyn]

Why not go to the princess site and see if you can do a "booking" on what you want? This will give you an idea of what the cabins are going for and what is still available. You don't have to complete the booking.

 

Just a thought.:)

[Toto2Kansas]

Just checked on some of the August Russia sailings. Yep, guarantees are available, just click on the lowest category and see for yourself. ;)

[chepar]

If I am not mistaken, some cruise lines charge less for a guarantee booking, but Princess does not.

So, say you book a guarantee F stateroom. You will pay the F category price and be guaranteed 'at least' an F stateroom or above (but not always above, some actually get exactly the category they book the guarantee in), the same as you would if you booked an assigned stateroom in category F.

 

This is good to know, as I had assumed that Princess charged less for a guarantee cabin. Without some sort of price advantage, I think I'd rather choose my own cabin.

 

Good advice to go to the Princess website and do a "booking" to check on availability, I'll do that now.

 

Thanks for the (very quick) help! :)

[chepar]

deleted repeat post.

[yorky]

This is good to know, as I had assumed that Princess charged less for a guarantee cabin. Without some sort of price advantage, I think I'd rather choose my own cabin.

 

Good advice to go to the Princess website and do a "booking" to check on availability, I'll do that now.

 

Thanks for the (very quick) help! :)

 

I would certainly not book a guaranteed cabin at the same price as picking your own. remember with a guarantee you could end up directly under,over something like the nightclub, theatre with the walls rattling.

[Canuker]

Ya pays ya money and ya takes ya choice.

 

I've booked guaranteeds and not been disappointed, except once, when naively, I booked something less than what we wanted because the travel agent assured us we would get a free upgrade. We didn't.

 

Lesson learned.

 

Also, if you find your cabin is noisy/whatever, there are concepts in contract law called "quiet possession" and "fitness for purpose" which mean you are entitled to just that. If it turns out that the cabin is noisy or the bed is lumpy, say, then insist on being relocated (ideally before you unpack the suitcases!).

 

As for when guaranteeds are available to book, I'd say it was entirely up to the cruise line. Best way to find out is to check their own website.

[willysgrandma]

Also, if you find your cabin is noisy/whatever, there are concepts in contract law called "quiet possession" and "fitness for purpose" which mean you are entitled to just that. If it turns out that the cabin is noisy or the bed is lumpy, say, then insist on being relocated (ideally before you unpack the suitcases!).

 

 

That won't work if the ship is full or there are not other cabins available in your category. And if the cabins were unfit, then the cruise line wouldn't even offer them, so that argument that they are too noisy to suit you won't work. If a noisy cabin might bother you, then don't book a guarantee - choose where you want to be.

[yorky]

Ya pays ya money and ya takes ya choice.

 

I've booked guaranteed and not been disappointed, except once, when naively, I booked something less than what we wanted because the travel agent assured us we would get a free upgrade. We didn't.

 

Lesson learned.

 

Also, if you find your cabin is noisy/whatever, there are concepts in contract law called "quiet possession" and "fitness for purpose" which mean you are entitled to just that. If it turns out that the cabin is noisy or the bed is lumpy, say, then insist on being relocated (ideally before you unpack the suitcases!).

 

As for when guaranteed are available to book, I'd say it was entirely up to the cruise line. Best way to find out is to check their own website.

 

One or two on this forum have tried just that only to be told the ship is full and ended up in a night club the whole cruise. Not worth wasting good money for the chance of that nightmare in my view. I would ONLY book a guarantee at a very cheap price.

[sirechonevada89024]

this last cruise with princess i booked a m cat and was bumped up to a f , havent had a bad cabin in around 16 cruises that way .. we never stay in the cabin either have fun ,,,

[timem]

I booked a Guarantee balcony which is a BG price for Dec. 30 cruise. I have been upgraded twice first to BC then to BB. No price increase.

[luv2travel2beaches]

We booked a guarantee cabin for our Jan 31 cruise. It is the first time we have tried it because I usually prefer to choose my cabin, but the price was too good to pass up. The upgrade fairy has already blessed us with an upgrade to a BA on Caribe deck. (our guarantee was for the lowest price balcony). We were thrilled with the location and we can't wait to go. They were also nice enough to keep our traveling companions stateroom very close to ours. We booked figuring that any balcony cabin would be ok and now we feel like we scored a great deal.