Guarantee Stateroom?

[Morecruisesplz]

I can second that, I've been a balcony GTY on the Navigator twice, first I was assigned a D1 and was able to change it to 1692 aft, and just last week I was assigned an E2 and was able to switch to 7688, corner aft! Always check and see what's available in your category, people give up good cabins all the time.

 

Or just do it the right way if you want to pick your cabin and choose and pay for 7688, corner aft to begin with. You don't think they could sell a corner aft on ANY ship for more than the guarantee price?

[EmpressofPurple]

For now.

 

They will soon! And we'll all be complaiing then!

 

Here is the deal: when folks can not wait to come here and post how they gamed the system and got over on RCCL and just by doing so encourage others to do the same, the possibility of that "advantage" eventually disappears. Think about the list of what we used to get and/or be able to do that is now gone because everyone decided to come to CC and brag about what they were doing:

 

- stand in line a purser's desk last night of cruise to cash out your OBC / now it is "use it or lose it"

- get cash in casino for travel or to cash out OBC / now pay ATM fees

- transfer to a t/a for additional OBC / now time limit; soon won't be able to do it at all

- price reductions up to sail date / now not after final payment

 

And I'm sure I've missed some. Can you not just keep your little secrets to yourself? Did you ever think that others know about it but are just smart enough not to post it here where it goes on the list in Miami of "things we have to stop letting them do." I know it feels good to post "I did this" and "I got that" and "wait until you here what I was able to do." But all I'm saying is that I think they are on to us and have figured out if they monitor CC we'll show them where to save money! (And I certainly don't mean you in particular or you personally -- I'm just using this example!)

 

I have never viewed people posting this information as "bragging" -- to me, when I first discovered CC, I felt that people were generously sharing information they had learned from years of cruising. If they had all "kept their little secrets to themselves" I would never have had the opportunity to learn from them. As the saying goes, smart people learn from their own experience; wise people learn from the experience of others. I am happy to have become more "wise" from reading the shared experience of more frequent and knowledgeable cruisers!

 

Yes, once the cruiselines "discovered" CC (and related sites) as well, I'm sure they started to learn where cruisers were "taking advantage" of certain things... which, sadly, they have been tightening up on more and more. I am truly confused by this approach on the part of the cruiselines: if CC members represent only 2% of all cruisers, how on earth does our little "inside info" site possibly impact on their massive bottom line? If there are 3000 cruisers on a cruise, and 60 of them are on Cruise Critic (frankly, that percentage seems high!!) -- then there are 2940 who do not know to call for price drops, take money out of the casino, transfer their booking to a TA for add'l OBC, combine benefits, etc. Why didn't the cruise lines let the few of us who were in the know feel like "insiders" in our secret cruise club? Surely it didn't cost them that much. Just seems like nickel-and-diming their most loyal customers to me. Sigh.

 

And certainly, I would never impugn the motives of others, especially someone like MerionMom whom I admired online for quite a while for sharing clearly extensive knowledge of her long cruising history... and have come to consider a dear friend after we have met in person and cruised together on several occasions. Even our kids have gotten to know each other! She is hardly someone who flaunts her knowledge for her own ego; she is truly focused on helping others to have the best cruise experience possible. Also, in addition to her high degree of personal integrity, she is a loyal supporter of Royal Carribbean, and never encourages anyone to "game the system" -- only to take advantage of the best offers available from the company on a genuine level.

 

Jes' mah two cents...:D

[js]

I am new to the Guarantee thing since we always cruise with our teens and need specific cabins BUT in January we are sailing on Radiance, just my dh and me for our 20th anniversary.

I originally had an E3 booked and just today finally saw a guarantee open up (I check EVERY DAY all Day at work). The balcony guarantee was $220 less than my specific cabin number E3. The E3 is the lowest balcony on Radiance. All E3s are sold out with the exception of one I see pop up every other day or so. I also didn't like the location of my E3 but nothing opens up with better location whether online or when I call my TA.

SO, I figured I would book the Balcony Guarantee for our 4 night Radiance. The worst place I will be is on Deck 10 under pool or disco but that is my gamble and thought it would be fun to try since we can never do it. PLUS, I am paying a total of $777.50 for our 4 nights, that comes to $194 a night for 2 people.

 

I guess my question is, when do you try to rearrange your cabin if you are not happy. I know it isn't something that you can do all the time but if they work with you, do you do it after you get your assigned cabin number? Also, about when do you get your assigned cabin number? Once you get, is that it? You are done? Thanks so much! Any help on Guarantees will be most appreciated!

[Merion_Mom]

I am new to the Guarantee thing since we always cruise with our teens and need specific cabins BUT in January we are sailing on Radiance, just my dh and me for our 20th anniversary.

I originally had an E3 booked and just today finally saw a guarantee open up (I check EVERY DAY all Day at work). The balcony guarantee was $220 less than my specific cabin number E3. The E3 is the lowest balcony on Radiance. All E3s are sold out with the exception of one I see pop up every other day or so. I also didn't like the location of my E3 but nothing opens up with better location whether online or when I call my TA.

SO, I figured I would book the Balcony Guarantee for our 4 night Radiance. The worst place I will be is on Deck 10 under pool or disco but that is my gamble and thought it would be fun to try since we can never do it. PLUS, I am paying a total of $777.50 for our 4 nights, that comes to $194 a night for 2 people.

 

I guess my question is, when do you try to rearrange your cabin if you are not happy. I know it isn't something that you can do all the time but if they work with you, do you do it after you get your assigned cabin number? Also, about when do you get your assigned cabin number? Once you get, is that it? You are done? Thanks so much! Any help on Guarantees will be most appreciated!

 

There is really no predicting the "when", js. It could be any time from rightthisminute until you arrive at the pier. Just keep checking your My Cruises account!

[js]

There is really no predicting the "when", js. It could be any time from rightthisminute until you arrive at the pier. Just keep checking your My Cruises account!

 

Thanks so much! Will start looking tomorrow LOL

I saw my cabin is back on the market after checking RCCL website :)

Now there are 2 E3s available LOL :)

Classic is I may end up with the same cabin for $220 less LOL

[lleydens]

Thanks so much! Will start looking tomorrow LOL

I saw my cabin is back on the market after checking RCCL website :)

Now there are 2 E3s available LOL :)

Classic is I may end up with the same cabin for $220 less LOL

 

 

We booked inside guarantee and got our assignment a couple of days after I made final payment.

 

We have had 2 price drops. They have honored both of them with OBC because I had used a next cruise credit. When we got our first pricedrop they put us back in the pool. We ended up with the same room we were origionally assigned.

 

This is the first but not the last time we will book guarantee.

 

~Lucia

[hardinggrad]

I am new to the Guarantee thing since we always cruise with our teens and need specific cabins BUT in January we are sailing on Radiance, just my dh and me for our 20th anniversary.

I originally had an E3 booked and just today finally saw a guarantee open up (I check EVERY DAY all Day at work). The balcony guarantee was $220 less than my specific cabin number E3. The E3 is the lowest balcony on Radiance. All E3s are sold out with the exception of one I see pop up every other day or so. I also didn't like the location of my E3 but nothing opens up with better location whether online or when I call my TA.

SO, I figured I would book the Balcony Guarantee for our 4 night Radiance. The worst place I will be is on Deck 10 under pool or disco but that is my gamble and thought it would be fun to try since we can never do it. PLUS, I am paying a total of $777.50 for our 4 nights, that comes to $194 a night for 2 people.

 

I guess my question is, when do you try to rearrange your cabin if you are not happy. I know it isn't something that you can do all the time but if they work with you, do you do it after you get your assigned cabin number? Also, about when do you get your assigned cabin number? Once you get, is that it? You are done? Thanks so much! Any help on Guarantees will be most appreciated!

 

We are sailing on the 1/27 Radiance and did the exact same thing today. We had an E1 booked at a residency discount and saw the balcony guarantee and took it. We are traveling with some friends of ours and celebrating my DHs 40th bday (without kids). We saved $240 per couple and realize we could be assigned a balcony room anywhere, but the savings is worth the risk to us.

 

Also, unrelated...but we are DVC members too! It's a small world!

[js]

We booked inside guarantee and got our assignment a couple of days after I made final payment.

 

We have had 2 price drops. They have honored both of them with OBC because I had used a next cruise credit. When we got our first pricedrop they put us back in the pool. We ended up with the same room we were origionally assigned.

 

This is the first but not the last time we will book guarantee.

 

~Lucia

Lucia:

How do you look for a price drop with a guarantee. I was thinking about this last night (and this morning). Is it once I am assigned my cabin number (category), I then look to see if the category I am in is now less than what I paid for my guarantee? Can you please explain this to me, I am very interested in knowing exactly what I need to know.

 

 

We are sailing on the 1/27 Radiance and did the exact same thing today. We had an E1 booked at a residency discount and saw the balcony guarantee and took it. We are traveling with some friends of ours and celebrating my DHs 40th bday (without kids). We saved $240 per couple and realize we could be assigned a balcony room anywhere, but the savings is worth the risk to us.

 

Also, unrelated...but we are DVC members too! It's a small world!

 

Hi Hardinggrad: It's a small world is right! My mom actually purchased the points for my family with the understanding when we use the points, she comes with us LOL That was an easy one for us LOL :)

We went to Vero in August on our points and next July doing 4 nights at THV and then have two 6B afts booked on the Dream, all using our points. I am looking forward to that cruise too. We own at SSR.

Have a great cruise on the Radiance.

[lleydens]

Lucia:

How do you look for a price drop with a guarantee. I was thinking about this last night (and this morning). Is it once I am assigned my cabin number (category), I then look to see if the category I am in is now less than what I paid for my guarantee? Can you please explain this to me, I am very interested in knowing exactly what I need to know.

 

 

 

 

Hi Hardinggrad: It's a small world is right! My mom actually purchased the points for my family with the understanding when we use the points, she comes with us LOL That was an easy one for us LOL :)

We went to Vero in August on our points and next July doing 4 nights at THV and then have two 6B afts booked on the Dream, all using our points. I am looking forward to that cruise too. We own at SSR.

Have a great cruise on the Radiance.

 

 

I use a program that I downloaded. It is free. It monitors the price for you. Then when I see a pricedrop I doublecheck on Royal's website by doing a fake reservation. If there is a pricedrop that appears I am eligible for I call Royal. I have gained $230 in OBC so far. the program that monitors, just monitors the category that I paid for.

 

Since we can't advertise the program on here, feel free to email me and I'll tell you what it is. I found out about it on CC.

[js]

I use a program that I downloaded. It is free. It monitors the price for you. Then when I see a pricedrop I doublecheck on Royal's website by doing a fake reservation. If there is a pricedrop that appears I am eligible for I call Royal. I have gained $230 in OBC so far. the program that monitors, just monitors the category that I paid for.

 

Since we can't advertise the program on here, feel free to email me and I'll tell you what it is. I found out about it on CC.

 

Thank you. I will e-mail you but what price are you monitoring? Are you monitoring the Guarantee price or the actual category that you were assigned?

Thank you very much!

[Beth C]

I took the gamble for our Allure cruise this December. As a group of six - the interior GTY opening up for $749 was a no brainer since at that time the going rate was $999 for the lowest interior meaning a savings of $500 per stateroom.

 

We ended up getting assigned the top of the line interiors which had an MSRP of $1099 therefore saving $350 pp for a grand total of $2100! The rooms RCCL chose for us are actually better than what I was looking at when contemplating booking... the virgin cruisers are in adjoining to one vetern room and the 3rd just on the other side of the hall.

 

All in all - big $$ saved! Essentially ended up getting almost 3 GTY reservations for free only having to wait of about a week to get the assigned rooms... as an impatient person... this was a bit rough lol ;)

 

And yes I only use my room for storage and a place to rest my weary head - there's too much to do on the Oasis/Allure to be sitting around in the stateroom.

[JTJ]

I book gty about 1/2 the time. Just booked one today for the Monarch sailing 11/8. Also have one for the Sun sailing in Dec. On the Sun gty, we got a very good location but no upgrade.

 

One thing I've noticed is if you get a gty at the last minute there is s good chance for a major upgrade, ie. Bal gty to JS, etc. It is easier to upgrade a gty. than to have to call or e-mail an existing res. for confirmation for the upgrade when there are empty cabins. I've gotten a few JS with a Bal gty. a week or two from the sailing date.

[Jimbo]

Thank you. I will e-mail you but what price are you monitoring? Are you monitoring the Guarantee price or the actual category that you were assigned?

Thank you very much!

 

 

GTY Price you will be checking. I think you might be inside the final payment date, once that date hits they won't adjust your price.

 

Jimbo:)