QM2 - Should I change to a Guarantee????

[VIRGINCRUISER1066]

Hello all you knowledgeable Cunarders....

 

My first time on QM2 and I have booked a sheltered balcony (B3) on deck 4 , 4139 on the 16th November 2010. My question is, if I decided to opt for a guarantee cabin and the upgrade fairy came along what stateroom/deck would I expect to receive ???

 

Many thanks in advance for your answers.....

 

Jennie

[pepperrn]

Hello all you knowledgeable Cunarders.... My first time on QM2 and I have booked a sheltered balcony (B3) on deck 4 , 4139 on the 16th November 2010. My question is, if I decided to opt for a guarantee cabin and the upgrade fairy came along what stateroom/deck would I expect to receive ??? Many thanks in advance for your answers..... Jennie

 

Hi Jennie

 

As far as I am aware, there is no way of knowing what, if any, up-grade you may or may not receive, in advance.

You could lose your sea view and be put behind a lifeboat.

You could be elevated to a glass fronted balcony cabin.

Both are classed as "up-grades" although I don't think the view of a lifeboat is an up-grade over having a great view of the sea rushing past below my Deck 4 balcony.

Or you could simply be allocated a similar "sheltered balcony" cabin on a higher deck.

There is no way of telling in advance, that I know about, sorry. I wish there was.

 

There is a link below to photos of various different Britannia Grade cabins (AA/A B C D), there are also photographs of her interiors. They may help build the excitment!

 

Have a great first voyage on this amazing ship, I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time, good luck, very best wishes and Bon Voyage!

[new to cuising]

How soon do you usually know if the "upgrade fairy" is to pay a visit. Do you get advance notification or do you only find out when you check in:confused:

[pepperrn]

How soon do you usually know if the "upgrade fairy" is to pay a visit. Do you get advance notification or do you only find out when you check in:confused:

 

Hi

 

You can be told of any up-grade any time from shortly after booking, to when you check in!

 

Very best wishes

[southwestie]

Hi.

Well having sailed many time on the QM2 and the QV and a couple of other ships may I say that I always book a gaurantee cabin and I have always had an upgrade, the only time it was not good was when we had a balcony on deck 8 and they upgraded us to a B5, I phoned and they were very helpful and put us back where we were, we have always been pleased with upgrades.

 

Its rare for us to book a cabin number although in 2012 on our Tour of Australis we have opt in for one as we felt the balcony was a bonus

[leagle]

I had a 4th deck port side midship in-hull balcony for my August transatlantic and loved it. I had chosen it carefully (with advice from this message board) and ticked the "no up-grade" box because I did not want to risk getting an "up-grade" that suited me less. My understanding is that if you agree to take an "upgrade" you cannot turn it down if it doesn't suit you.

Because it is sheltered and private, the in-hull balcony is comfortable for sitting and reading in the comfortable chairs with the sound of the sea in your ears and woolly socks on your feet, even when the deckchairs on the 7th deck are all folded closed and the wind is howling.

I also spent lots of time standing, leaning on the balcony looking at the sea go by.

The upgrade of a higher cabin (overlooking deck 7) would not, for me, be an improvement, not even the unobstructed ones.

I suppose there is always the wild possibility of an up grade to the grills (see a post on here) but that is fairly unlikely. In my case, as a solo traveller, I am not certain that even a grills stateroom would have been an improvement.

I suppose it depends on whether you were able to choose the perfect cabin for yourself and how much you are willing to risk being less well suited.

Surely the cabins available for up-grade are those least popular of their category?

[novicruiser]

there are also photographs of her interiors. They may help build the excitment!

 

 

Thank you for the QV photos you so generously shared. I didn't think I could get any more excited about our Nov 12th voyage, but I did!

[Salacia]

Hello all you knowledgeable Cunarders....

 

My first time on QM2 and I have booked a sheltered balcony (B3) on deck 4 , 4139 on the 16th November 2010. My question is, if I decided to opt for a guarantee cabin and the upgrade fairy came along what stateroom/deck would I expect to receive ???

 

Many thanks in advance for your answers.....

 

Jennie

 

Hi Jennie.

 

IMHO, you have selected a good cabin for a first voyage on QM2. I have read your previous posts, so I know you put a lot of thought into your selection. May I suggest that you stay with the cabin you selected for your first voyage. Get to know the ship. Then for your next voyage (or the one after that) you will have a idea if guarantee category might work for you. Just my personal experience, but for my first three QM2 cruises I specified the cabin in various B and A categories for each subsequent voyage.

 

After 3 voyages, I rolled the dice and selected a guarantee category. I would not advise that anyone who is prone to sea sickness or has well- defined likes or dislikes book a guarantee cabin. However, for those who don't mind the suspense, booking a guarantee cabin can be fun - hope for the best, but be happy with your assigned cabin.

 

In answer to your question "what upgrades can I expect?", my advice for what it's worth is not to expect an upgrade, although as you have read, it often happens. Your cabin will be at the category you selected or better. And as previous experienced Cunarders have advised, an upgrade is not always an upgrade;)

 

I hope you have the time of your life on your November cruise. One hint: if you want to take home a treat, there is a brand of rum indigenous to Grenada that is absolutely amazing (it's the only rum I drink). Save room in your luggage ;) Also, IMHO, Thanksgiving dinner in Britannia is not to be missed. :)

 

Best wishes,

Salacia

[Underwatr]

You'd probably rather stay where you are rather than upgrade to the lowest level "A" stateroom ("A" staterooms are actually smaller than "B" and the lowest category - A4 - is behind the lifeboats). There really isn't much difference among "B" staterooms - just higher and/or closer to midships as the levels increase.

[pepperrn]

Thank you for the QV photos you so generously shared. I didn't think I could get any more excited about our Nov 12th voyage, but I did!

 

My pleasure novicruiser, have the very best of times, she is a lovely ship, the theatre is outstanding, Bon Voyage!

[ArthurIhde]

i think you'd better do that:(

[Salacia]

i think you'd better do that:(

 

Hi ArturIhde. Would you care to expand on that statement? -Thanks, Salacia

[VIRGINCRUISER1066]

To all who replied a big thank you to you all xx

 

After giving it a great deal of thought, I shall leave the guarantee option to a future sailing.

 

A special thank you to Pepperrn, Salicia & Leagle for your kind words I am sure I will have a great time in November.

 

 

My very best regards,

 

Jennie xx

PS leagle - Whats it like travelling Solo on QM2, I usually cruise on my own but this time am taking my neice with me ??