Serious question: is there a downside of booking a GTY balcony?

[quercus alba]

I know one shouldn't book a cheap GTY and expect to get upgraded to a suite, but what's the worst that can happen with a GTY, assuming you book the lowest class you'd be satisfied with?

[Quincella]

The worst is that you'll get the lowest class you'd be happy with, perhaps in a location you don't like. Maybe if it's on a ship with a hull balcony you'd get one of those if you don't like them.

 

I used to book gty cabins regularly and never had a problem, but I never booked with the expectation of getting an upgrade, and I really, truly didn't care where the room was. Never had a bad experience.

[DinaS]

I know one shouldn't book a cheap GTY and expect to get upgraded to a suite, but what's the worst that can happen with a GTY, assuming you book the lowest class you'd be satisfied with?

 

 

If you would be happy to get ANY balcony cabin on the ship, then you will be just fine.

 

However, if you don't want to be under or over certain venues, or near noisy elevators or stairs, then you may have an issue.

 

Remember that some ships have "cove" balconies - meaning they are more enclosed than regular balcony cabins. Some people like them because you can go out there when it's raining and have some protection. Some people hate them because they feel too enclosed.

 

It's really up to you, and what you would be happy with.

[Steeler Nation At Sea]

Beyond the cove balconies mentioned twice, you also need to be comfortable with a view to the water potentially obstructed by lifeboats or a balcony that is completely exposed to view from higher decks above you. Also, some forward balconies are too windy when the ship is underway. Aft balconies can be sooty and those under the pool deck can be noisy.

 

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Edited February 27, 2014 by Steeler Nation At Sea

[sdmike]

The main issue is risk. If you are really ok with any room in your GTY category (or above), then go ahead and book that way. However, there are a lot of rooms on a ship that I would have an issue with. Here are some examples of things that some might not be happy with:

 

Rooms over or under loud venues, like over the club on the ship, or under the aerobics studio or teen's club. I also don't like being under the galley. On my DCL cruise I heard stuff rolling around all night as the night shift cleaned up and prepared for morning breakfast

 

Hull and uncovered balconies. Some balconies have partially enclosed hulls. Some have no cover and are exposed to the sun, prying eyes, bird droppings and french fries thrown down from above

 

Rooms next to main exits, facing into stairwells, or down in the guts of the ship next to the infirmary.

 

To me the biggest issue is noise. I want a room without the risk of THUMP THUMP THUMP from stereo speakers half the night, or underneath a morning spin class.

[KeithJenner]

I'm not sure whether it applies to balconies, but make sure you would be happy with the categories above you.

 

The complaint I see most of here about guarantees is where people have been "upgraded" to a category which they don't like as much as the one they booked. Perhaps it's more of an issue in lower categories but worth looking at.

[sdmike]

I'm not sure whether it applies to balconies, but make sure you would be happy with the categories above you.

 

The complaint I see most of here about guarantees is where people have been "upgraded" to a category which they don't like as much as the one they booked. Perhaps it's more of an issue in lower categories but worth looking at.

 

That's true. We often forget the "or better", which can also have issues. I remember someone booking an ocean view GTY and getting an obstructed balcony over the dance club at the front of the ship. They were ok with any of the ocean views and hadn't considered that they might get a balcony that they wouldn't be happy with

[Demonyte]

Others have covered pretty much all pitfalls but just as a FYI for OP: chances to get upgraded for free from balcony GTY to a suite are slim to none. If there are available suites, what they will do is to offer them as upsells to people in lower category suites, then to people in mini-suites with high demand (namely aft minis), then offer those free cabins to people in aft balconies etc. With upsells they will get more money, a passenger with gty assigned to a higher class cabin will not pay the cruise line anything extra so those passengers are quite low on the list of possible people for upgrades or upsells.

 

However there is kind of an exception to this "rule": if the cruise has a lot of vacancy about a month or so before the cruise and prices are dropping, one can ask how much would the upgrade to a better class cabin cost - that is a possibility to score a really nice upgrade for a small amount of money, but it requires the passenger to be active and also be prepared to pay extra.

[jkgourmet]

In 12+ cruises, all we have EVER booked is an inside GTY.

 

The 'worst' has happened each and every time. We got the bottom of the barrel cabin that we paid for and was happy with the price we paid. Or we were upgraded to a SLIGHTLY better inside cabin or obstructed ocean view, making us even happier.

 

The best part if these 'worst things' is that we had plenty of money to spend on other things that enhance the pleasure of our vacation. AND we travel more frequently because we didn't blow the budget on an expensive place to sleep and shower.

 

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[Barb Nahoumi]

Beyond the cove balconies mentioned twice, you also need to be comfortable with a view to the water potentially obstructed by lifeboats or a balcony that is completely exposed to view from higher decks above you. Also, some forward balconies are too windy when the ship is underway. Aft balconies can be sooty and those under the pool deck can be noisy.

 

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Those located over a nightclub, can also be very noisy as well.