Guaranteed Cabin Notification

[YoHoHo]

Yes, you will still receive the blue folder with the personalized documents. The luggage tags will still be printed with your name but w/o the cabin #. Once you have your cabin assigned you will need to print your cabin number on the tags.

[JimandStan]

If you have a GTY booking when do you normally get your blue folder in the mail? Do they wait and send it only after you've been assigned a cabin?

 

No, the Bluebook would still arrive at six to eight weeks out, however, where the stateroom number would normally be, the code "GTY" will appear instead.

 

Luggage Tags would correspond to the stateroom category that one bought in on, and will have a blank space where the cabin # should be.

 

It seldom happens that way though......most Guarantee Bookings are assigned a stateroom well before final payment.

[YoHoHo]

My personal experience varies from that - guess I am out of the curve. We've twice had GTY bookings and twice received our documents w/o a cabin assignment. I keep a Sharpie handy. Not a problem.

[JimandStan]

We've twice had GTY bookings and twice received our documents w/o a cabin assignment.

 

I believe that is exactly what I said would happen. :rolleyes:

 

If you are saying that your experience differed because you did not get your cabin assignment until very late, I can tell you that more people feel that their GTY cabin is assigned too early rather than too late.

 

You would be considered one of the "lucky ones" who stay in the running until later in the game. Do you book very late, or do you choose very popular itineraries, or both? :confused:

[Tansy Mews]

Admittedly, I'm a newbie to CC as well as the whole cruise lifestyle. Only one cruise in our history; a Carnival vacation five years ago which probably doesn't count for anything among this esteemed crowd. We've booked an O cruise for 2013 for our 25th and are assiduously following Riviera news here.

 

Question: is there a FAQ where newbies can become familar with all the acronyms? I've looked for a glossary but can't locate one.

 

Pardon the interruption. And thanks for the help.

 

S O B, there is a section of Cruise Critic for new cruisers.

http://www.cruisecritic.com/ftc/

There is a page specifically on guaranteed cabins (I don't think it mentions the acronyms, though).

http://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=337

 

Someone did post many of the common abbreviations:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1296357

I found that through a Google search - cruise travel acronyms

 

You may not know that there are books that you can buy or borrow from your local library on cruising. Frommer's and Fodor's both put out books on ports of call. Eyewitness has quite a good one with info about cruising too.

 

But keep on asking as well!

[Paul&Kathy]

We just returned from Riviera's 2nd cruise and had booked inside GTY (as we nearly always do because we simply don't care where we sleep as long as we are on the ship). Our docs arrived GTY, a week before sailing our travel agent phoned Oceania to check as our cabin number had not come up on the manage booking section of the website (as it had done on 3 previous cruises a few weeks before) and O told her it would be allocated on arrival. We checked in and were given a cabin number and it turned out to be a balcony. Great result !

[Mura]

Brooks gave several concerts on our Spledour Of The Seas crossing many years ago. I can't carry a tune but throughly enjoyed his vast range. I believe he was admitted to the London School of Music ar age seven or nine. His talent at the piano is accompanied by his entertaining narative. I think of him on the piano as I do John Maxtone Graham lecturing on trans-Atlantic crossing lore. Both Brits how I'd love to have both on the same ship if Graham is still with us.

Brooks has since contracted with Celebrity. I have three of his CD's.:cool:

 

The name isn't familiar to me (I think I'll google him to see what I can find out) but I do recall a marvelous British pianist on one of our (two) QE2 cruises some years ago. He was a fabulous improvisor ... I don't know that this is the same person, but at least he is British!

 

There was a wonderful Polish pianist (a woman) on the Midnight Sun cruise to Norway on Insignia two years ago as well.

 

Mura

 

P.S. Having googled Brooks Aehron, I see he isn't the same guy -- not that I find this surprising! However, I did listen to a few of his renditions on you tube and admit that he's marvelous. I particularly enjoyed his "typewriter" performance. Very clever. (And grandma, what long fingers you have!)

[Gail in California]

I guess we care very much where we are located & prefer not to be across from the laundry room, adjacent to noise of people using an elevator, stairs or under the pool deck or Terraces.

We carefully look at the deck layouts & select our room accordingly. Granted we plan well ahead but it ensures that we are in the location we prefer.

I wouldn't book it any other way- I need to know where I'm going to be.

Guess we're just particular!

[aZ4me]

I guess we care very much where we are located & prefer not to be across from the laundry room, adjacent to noise of people using an elevator, stairs or under the pool deck or Terraces.

We carefully look at the deck layouts & select our room accordingly. Granted we plan well ahead but it ensures that we are in the location we prefer.

I wouldn't book it any other way- I need to know where I'm going to be.

Guess we're just particular!

Sometimes deck plans are deceiving. For instance, when we were offered an upsell on Marina last year, I almost turned it down because it appeared on the deck plans that the PH they were offering was right across from the two forward banks of elevators and very close to the staircase. However, in reality, the PH door was around the corner of the hallway to the stairs and quite a bit forward of the bank of elevators. We heard absolutely NO noise from the hallway.

A friend was staying very near the laundry room entrance, and he said they heard no noise from people going in or out.

The deck plans seem to be "off" a bit in their relative perspective.

[LHT28]

There was a wonderful Polish pianist (a woman) on the Midnight Sun cruise to Norway on Insignia two years ago as well.

 

 

Barbara Karaskiewicz she was wonderful (she is a mom now)

Also Wojtek Mrozek & his wife who sang (no microphone needed) ;)

 

We enjoyed most of the entertainers on that cruise

 

Lyn

[Mura]

I agree, Lyn. That was one cruise where the entertainment was really excellent. Is it because they used primarily Polish performers???

 

There was also that marvelous jazz musician who played just about every instrument under the sun. He was originally booked for only one show as I recall, but the audience liked him so much that he came back for a second.

 

Mura

[LHT28]

I agree, Lyn. That was one cruise where the entertainment was really excellent. Is it because they used primarily Polish performers???

 

There was also that marvelous jazz musician who played just about every instrument under the sun. He was originally booked for only one show as I recall, but the audience liked him so much that he came back for a second.

 

Mura

Yes Big George

Mike was instrumental in getting the 3rd show with George & Barbara together ;)

 

I think they were just very good performers :D

[Pirouette]

We are about 45 days from departure and have received our blue folder with no cabin number. We selected an ocean view C category due to the midship location and we did not feel the need for a balcony in the Baltics. There are a very limited number of cabins in this category and we have been paid in full since early April. It is difficult to understand the delay in receiving our cabin assignment since we have selected a limited category on a Gty basis-no upgrade required!

[JimandStan]

We are about 45 days from departure and have received our blue folder with no cabin number. We selected an ocean view C category due to the midship location and we did not feel the need for a balcony in the Baltics. There are a very limited number of cabins in this category and we have been paid in full since early April. It is difficult to understand the delay in receiving our cabin assignment since we have selected a limited category on a Gty basis-no upgrade required!

 

It is obvious that you don't understand the Process. If you did not buy onto the cruise with an assigned cabin, then you have purchased a Guarantee which means that you have given Oceania the right to place you in the cabin of their choice, provided that it is at least as good as the cabin level that you "bought in" on.

Who knows, you may wind up in a Suite. :D

[Pirouette]

Thanks for the clarification. We have cruised a few times before but it is not our usual form of travel. I recall booking specific cabins on both HAL and Princess. I initially booked this cruise directly with O before transferring it to an agent. I wish I had asked more questions when I booked. The O agent was very keen on locking us in at the GTY C category because she said there were so few cabins in that category. If I understand correctly, this is to secure a cabin somewhere on the ship at that particular rate. Live and learn!

This is a bit of a concern as we always prefer to be mid-ship. It seems that we could be anywhere and I know enough to appreciate that a higher cabin category may not always be an upgrade.

I recall one cruise off the west coast of Mexico when the seas were so rough that half the crew was sick. We were fine in our midship cabin but the people in the deluxe suites near the bow couldn't even sleep in their suites!

We will just hope for the best on Marina.

[hondorner]

I've turned dow a free upgrade to a veranda near the front of the ship, but then I already had a cabin assignment that was to my liking. With a GTY, you have a little less freedom -- you might try rejecting a very unfavorable cabin and hope for a better assignment, but ultimately your only choice is to accept the final assignment or not sail. I don't know how that would affect the penalties of not sailing since many assignments are made after final payment.

 

Your TA was correct in implying that booking a GTY in such a popular, yet limited, category would be good grounds for a free upgrade. Bear in mind that there are really no BAD cabins, and the forward cabins are only uncomfortable if there are rough seas. Most likely the reason you are still waiting for an assignment is because Oceania is still waiting to see if someone will cancel.

 

We just booked our first GTY (a Category F inisde) for a Caribbean cruise in early December. The price we paid was worth the gamble that we might get assigned a different cabin near the front of the ship, and I'm perfectly happy if we actually get assigned a Cat F cabin (someone has to do it so questions can be answered here on Cruise Critic :cool:). But, if I'm paying full price, I would not book a forward cabin.

 

Fortunately, there are enough people who enjoy the motion and relish the idea of rough seas to fully book the forward cabins :eek:.

[roothy123]

I have a GTY cabin, a G, the bottom of the bottom. I believe there are only 4 G's on the whole ship (Marina) so I'm thinking the chances of getting an upgrade are definitely possible. We got our blue book a few days ago for our August 11 cruise, and we're still listed as a GTY - but I can wait!

[spook1]

I have a GTY cabin, a G, the bottom of the bottom. I believe there are only 4 G's on the whole ship (Marina) so I'm thinking the chances of getting an upgrade are definitely possible. We got our blue book a few days ago for our August 11 cruise, and we're still listed as a GTY - but I can wait!

Keep in mind one should NEVER book a GTY that one would not be happy with should no upgrade appear. There are exception to all rules but a GTY is almost never assigned till well after final payment; Seabourn pops the cork about seven days before sailing; it can even be a PIER SURPRISE.:)

[caroak]

We have a "guaranteed" Ocean View on the Marina. All Category C's are mid-ship, which is what we want, so I don't see how we could go wrong with any of the ocean view cabins. We would turn down a free veranda upgrade if the cabin was too far forward or aft.

[roothy123]

Well, we're in even better shape, as we aren't bothered by pitching or rolling, and have been in fore cabins several times, inside cabins in the middle several times, a veranda cabin mid-ship and one time in an aft cabin. All turned out to be fine, so I don't worry about location or size/lack of outside views! Good luck to my fellow GTYs!

[Wendy The Wanderer]

What happens if you turn down a GTY cabin assignment? Can you even do that? You've already paid for the cruise, so it's not like you can walk away, and I doubt insurers consider this a valid reason for cancellation.

[JimandStan]

What happens if you turn down a GTY cabin assignment? Can you even do that? You've already paid for the cruise, so it's not like you can walk away, and I doubt insurers consider this a valid reason for cancellation.

 

That is an interesting question, because you can't "officially" turn down the cabin that you are assigned in the Guarantee Program.

 

What these people are talking about is asking to be put back into the "un-assigned pile" if the cabin that they are put into does not suit them.

Most cruise lines will allow you to do this, as a courtesy, provided that there is enough time left before you board the ship.

 

This maneuver may or may not effect the type of room that one is assigned to, but a second chance at being "in the shuffle" seems to placate most people.

[Tansy Mews]

We were just offered an upsell that we took - from cheapest inside to B1, right beside a Vista Suite! Good deal. We weren't particularly worried about getting a balcony because we are doing a Baltic cruise - in port every day. But it will be lovely to see our entry into harbour. I believe the Baltic is fairly calm so location looking out over the bow of the ship shouldn't be an issue.

[Tansy Mews]

We were just offered an upsell that we took - from cheapest inside to B1, right beside a Vista Suite! Good deal. We weren't particularly worried about getting a balcony because we are doing a Baltic cruise - in port every day. But it will be lovely to see our entry into harbour. I believe the Baltic is fairly calm so location looking out over the bow of the ship shouldn't be an issue.

 

Should have said it is for the July 2, 2012 sailing. So we got the offer just over 3 weeks prior to sailing. We had already received our blue folder with gty on it. Thanks for CC'ers who told us the room number would appear on our Already Booked tab after we accepted, prior to our travel agent getting confirmation papers / email.

[roothy123]

Ziner, thanks for adding that you are on a July sailing. I was just going to ask if you were by chance on Baltic Treasures August 11. Do you mind if I ask how much the upsell was? There was no discount, right, just the normal price for that category?

 

From what I've heard, you'll definitely enjoy the sail in or sail out of Stockholm, assuming you go there! I hear that going through the archipelago is great.