Looking to book first guarantee on Carnival

[waterbugohio]

Hello, looking to book a girls getaway in april on the Ecstasy.

 

For the difference in price, I think we are going to take our chances and book a OV guarantee.

 

We have never cruise on Carnival and wondered how this works.

 

With Royal, if you do a guarantee, once you are assigned your room, you can switch rooms as long as you do so within the same category. Is this the same on Carnival?

 

We would need 2 rooms, would like them to be somewhere near each other, but if not possible would be ok. Also the possiblity of one of the rooms going with an inside.

 

Just trying to decide if its worth it to spend the extra money to pick the room just to be near each other.

 

Also, how soon does carnival assign the room? Would it be possible to book the OV guarantee and wait for assignment and then pick a inside on the same deck??

[klfrodo]

Hello, looking to book a girls getaway in april on the Ecstasy.

 

For the difference in price, I think we are going to take our chances and book a OV guarantee.

 

We have never cruise on Carnival and wondered how this works.

 

With Royal, if you do a guarantee, once you are assigned your room, you can switch rooms as long as you do so within the same category. Have not seen or heard this on Carnival. Some room assignments are not even made till you arrive at the ship. Usually within the last couple of weeks though. Is this the same on Carnival?

 

We would need 2 rooms, would like them to be somewhere near each other, but if not possible would be ok.It's a guarantee catagory, so cabins could be decks apart Also the possiblity of one of the rooms going with an inside.

 

Just trying to decide if its worth it to spend the extra money to pick the room just to be near each other.

 

Also, how soon does carnival assign the room? Would it be possible to book the OV guarantee and wait for assignment and then pick a inside on the same deck?playing roullette. Cabin may not be assigned until ship is totally booked up?

 

Hope some of this helps

[M&MGirl1]

If you want the cabins close to each other then booking a guarantee is NOT the way to go. As the previous poster said, you may end up decks apart.

 

I've never heard of being able to change a guarantee room assignment on Carnival, indeed you may not even know what cabin you're in until you check in at the port, so I certainly would not bet on being able to change rooms if you book this way.

 

For what it's worth, I've booked guarantees many times and have always been satisfied, if not pleasantly surprised with my cabin assignments, but it does sound like you need to weigh price vs. the certainty of having both cabins together.

[waterbugohio]

thanks for the input. I know if we go guarantee there is little chance of being close. that is what we are deciding. price vs. together. Right now it looks like price is going to win.

 

Have done a guarantee on Royal, if you are not happy with the assignment, you can asked to change within your category. Sometimes the agent is good and will change it for you, the next time they will just put you back in the "pool" and redrawn the room.

 

I have been told that you may not find out till boarding the ship, but have never had it happen (only did guarantee twice) So is it common on Carnival to not find out ahead of time??

[M&MGirl1]

Every time I have done a guarantee I have known my cabin assignment before boarding (have booked guarantees 5 times previously), and even from reading a lot of people's posts here on CC that seems to be the norm.

 

Sometimes my cabin has been assigned within a day or two of booking, and other times it hasn't been assigned until 2 or 3 days before the trip. I think it just depends on how full the category you're booking your guarantee in is already and what Carnival thinks they'll be able to sell.

 

We never spend much time in the cabin (especially on the cruises we've done as "girl trips"), so I'd take cheaper over knowing we'd have 2 cabins together personally.

[Martini Mom]

I just can't do a guarantee. I am WAY too much of a planner and want to pick the exact room that's best for me. I don't want a "leftover" room that nobody else wanted because it's below the pool, etc.

[geoherb]

We're taking my mother-in-law on our cruise next month. She's going to be in her own cabin. I did not want to risk it not being close to ours so I went with booking specific cabins. But as long as you're young and healthy and don't mind walking, not having cabins close to each other shouldn't really matter--especially if you can save everyone a lot of money.

 

Just be sure to link your bookings so that you have the same dining.

[firefly333]

thanks for the input. I know if we go guarantee there is little chance of being close. that is what we are deciding. price vs. together. Right now it looks like price is going to win.

 

Have done a guarantee on Royal, if you are not happy with the assignment, you can asked to change within your category. Sometimes the agent is good and will change it for you, the next time they will just put you back in the "pool" and redrawn the room.

 

I have been told that you may not find out till boarding the ship, but have never had it happen (only did guarantee twice) So is it common on Carnival to not find out ahead of time??

 

Again, as above the whole point in a gty is not caring where your cabin is. RCL chooses to allow changes and defeat their own pricing structure which makes no sense, not Carnival.

 

You will not be allowed to change unless you pay to select your cabin.

[firefly333]

I just can't do a guarantee. I am WAY too much of a planner and want to pick the exact room that's best for me. I don't want a "leftover" room that nobody else wanted because it's below the pool, etc.

 

I'm on Lido deck as we speak, my cheap gty. Same cabin I believe as I got last time, also gty.

[Martini Mom]

I'm on Lido deck as we speak, my cheap gty. Same cabin I believe as I got last time, also gty.

 

I wouldn't mind being ON the Lido deck, I just don't want to be UNDER the pool. ;)

[firefly333]

I wouldn't mind being ON the Lido deck, I just don't want to be UNDER the pool. ;)

 

So far never. Usually I get lower decks, Triumph is just lucky for me. ... as in I think same exact cabin on Lido now twice in a row. What's the chances.

 

Beautiful sunny day here in Cozumel.

[laumicmah]

So far never. Usually I get lower decks, Triumph is just lucky for me. ... as in I think same exact cabin on Lido now twice in a row. What's the chances.

 

Beautiful sunny day here in Cozumel.

Have you ever done a GTY on the Pride? If so, did you get a good cabin and how far out did you get your assignment? I have a balcony GTY booked for the Pride (April 15). I cannot wait to get my cabin assignment.

[Vanessa L]

Only you know you and your friends--speaking only for me, I could never do a guarantee because there is NO WAY I'd want to be under the Lido deck or above or below a lounge. If this doesn't matter to you then I'd go for it.

[M&MGirl1]

Different things work for different people. Our guarantee on the Costa cruise we took was right under the lido deck. Noise was NOT a problem at all and we loved being one flight of stairs away from the pool and buffet, but if you absolutely know you'll be miserable in a certain location a guarantee is not the way to go.