Guarantee Room Assignments

[TonyaH]

Our Travel Agent booked us as a guarantee room assignments - She said that most of the time you are upgraded. Can anyone give me some experiences they have had with this?

 

We leave for the Carnival Miracle - Jaunuary 27 06

 

This will be our second Carnival Cruise - (we've also done NCL and RCCL). This is cruise #5 but have never done the guarantee before.

 

Thanks

[serene56]

What cat cabin did she book? Inside? Oceanview or balcony??

 

I think that sucks that an agent should tell you that you WILL get upgraded coz she really doesnt know.

 

If you are ok with being anywhere on the ship then a guarantee is the way to go- If you dont want to take a chance that your cabin be on top of the disco-- or any public room then book your own cabin.

 

If you will not be happy in a inside cabin do not take that chance of being upgraded to an oceanview..coz you may not get it.

 

I have booked 4 of my cruises as a guarantee and never once was I upgraded. It does happen but I no longer want to take the chance. I rather pay the money and pick a cabin.

[Cotton]

- She said that most of the time you are upgraded.

 

She actually said "most" of the time? Shame on her. More than likely, you'll be in the same category cabin you booked. Book the cabin you really want. Some folks do get upgrades, but they are in the minority.

[tankersbabe]

Booked a guarantee on the first cruise...OV.

 

Ended up 1 room from the VERY back on the Riviera deck, but at least we had an OV.

 

Picked our room on the last cruise, no upgrade, paid less, and we were very happy where we were.

 

Shame on your TA for telling you that most of the time they get upgraded. LOL!

 

Stef

[cruisingmomof3]

Our first Carnival cruise was on the Inspiration 4 years ago. We booked an Inside guarantee and received a 6C. Our 2nd Carnival cruise was on the Holiday-booked a 4A and got a 4C. Our 3rd Carnival cruise was on the Conquest and we booked an Inside guarantee and that's what we got-4A-at the back of the ship (in Tropical Storm Bill!). We are currently booked on the 7/9/05 sailing of the Holiday and we booked an OV guarantee and have been upgraded to a 6C at mid-ship. Our best upgrade ever was booking an inside guarantee on the Celebrity Millennium in March. We were upgraded from the bottom deck to a balcony in one cabin and the other received an interior upgrade of several decks.

[kimcruiser]

on our first cruise carnival was having 2cat upgrade when booking so we got upgraded that way,but on our last 2 cruises we were on the gty and ended up on riviera on 1 and empress for the other:rolleyes: Dont know how or why it works this way,but I dont think the TA can guarantee;) anything

[FnyFACEnAL]

On our inside gty. on the Conquest we were next to the theatre and could hear every beat of the drummer until the last show ended.

[IBEEMOM]

On our first two cruises with Carnival we were upgraded from an inside Riviera to the Empress deck. On our cruise on the Miracle we were upgraded to deck four balcony room with a couch as well as two beds. Be booked an inside cabin that time also. I have no idea what determines an upgrade but I have heard it may be a lot of things. Early booking, past guest and even how much you charge on your S&S card. It must just be the upgrade faries at work. Have a great cruise. You will love the Miracle.

[thoneycu]

We booked a Guarantee cabin for our upcoming cruise and were upgraded to an oceanview! Our TA also told us that by booking a guarantee that our chances of being upgraded were good, after all they do this for a living and I trusted her opinion. Yippeee! I was happy!

[hlsess]

1st time to book a guarantee- a balcony and we are now booked in an 8c instead of 8a- same category but higher up on ship-correct me if I'm wrong!!

[CruiseIsGood]

I've been upgraded all three times I booked a guarantee, but it's not a given. Make sure you at least book the category you want (inside, outside or balcony) because even when you're upgraded, it's usually just to a higher floor, not to another category.

[jjdmom8]

We booked an OV gty 14 days before sailing. Still do not know cabin assignment but not expecting more that lowest cat OV. Price difference is worth it I suppose.

[KarenConley]

I booked an 8A balcony on the Triumph in June 05--at least on the Upper deck and I received an upgrade to deck 10. What a wonderful surprise as this was my first cruise. I think the only reason I was upgraded was that I booked at least a year ahead. May not have had anything to do with it--just a guess on my part.

[serene56]

Karen: Did you get a balcony or a suite? usually the people who paid the most will get upgraded first. Im so happy to hear about your upgrade. Especially for a June sailing.

[jjdmom8]

hmmmmm....Wonder what others paid for the same cruise as us? We paid $2880.0 for 5 days on the Sensation for 4 of us in a QTY OV cabin, leaving 7/2. Does that sound cheap or high?

[patrickmoran]

For the Holdiay or Fantasy class ships, I would recommend booking an inside guarantee since all of the cabins are identical, inside or outside. (Excepting of course Cat 11 & 12.) More liekely as not you will be upgraded. The other class ships have different size cabins outside vs inside. What class guarantee that you pick there may make a difference.

[serene56]

hmmmmm....Wonder what others paid for the same cruise as us? We paid $2880.0 for 5 days on the Sensation for 4 of us in a QTY OV cabin, leaving 7/2. Does that sound cheap or high?

 

 

Sounds like a good deal to me..for a holiday sailing in peak season.

 

We did the Sensation back in 2000 with 5 of us-- 4 of us ran 2000 for an inside cabin.

Bookin a guarantee for 4 people on the sensation you may get a rollaway cot for one of your people. Doyouknow your cabin # yet?

[cruznon]

Ah....the Upgrade Fairy.....she works in mysterious ways......no one I know can figure out how it works.

I personally would never take a guaranteed cabin. I want to pick where I'll be on the ship--particularly if I book early and have lots of choices. I don't want to end up under the disco!

[DaisyL]

If you book a GTY, make sure you book at least in the category you want. For example, don't book an inside and expect a balcony or even an oceanview. Also, make sure the rate is good for the category you book, this way you won't be disappointed if you don't get an upgrade.

 

We booked GTYs twice. First (July 2003 -Legend), an 8A balcony GTY (with another couple) and got 8D cabins right next to each other. Second (May 2005 -Legend) 6A oceanview GTY (2 cabins) and got 7A obstructed view balconies, right next to each other, and loved it.

 

In both cases, we booked 8 months in advance and got very good (discounted) rates, even if we did not get upraded at all ! Both these cases defies the notion that only if you book late, at a higher rate, you will get upgraded; (which I've read too many times before). We got lucky, I guess. :)

 

We would book GTY more often, but these were the only cruises, of the ones we've taken, that has even offered GTYs at the time of booking, (we tend to book early, sometimes a year or more in advance, so we at least ensure very good rates ... :) ) .

[Sablerose]

We booked an inside room and at the time of booking got upgraded a deck and got upgraded to an OV.

 

Now you all have me excited praying that the Upgrade Fairy wants to give us a balcony!

[FLCruisinMom]

For my cruise last week on the Valor we booked an OV guarantee. We did get upgraded to a family stateroom on the Spa deck. The floor to ceiling windows were fabulous!

[sportsterjohn]

Last year we booked 2 inside gty's and were upgraded to OV's for both the rooms. I booked 1 inside gty for the conquest in sep. Ended up on the upper deck mid ship. The upgrade fairy was not kind to me but since it's still 80 days out, there is a chance (small but still) that I get moved.

[danyelle]

eeep. My TA said the same thing...I was hoping it would happen.

 

On my first crusie they didn't tell us anything about an upgrade when we booked but when we got our cabin assignment we'd been bumped up.

[serene56]

Last year we booked 2 inside gty's and were upgraded to OV's for both the rooms. I booked 1 inside gty for the conquest in sep. Ended up on the upper deck mid ship. The upgrade fairy was not kind to me but since it's still 80 days out, there is a chance (small but still) that I get moved.

 

 

where do you see an assignment at 80 days? I am wondering if your agent did not just give you a 2 cat upgrade when you book. Its VERY rare to be put into an asignment before final payment.

[kjunea]

WE booked a 4A guarantee and got a 7A, obstructed balcony on the Miracle. They had a higher percentage of outside cabins (80% are outside or balcony) so it was a good bet that we would be upgraded. We also booked in September for a late May cruise, which may have helped.

 

HTH

 

June