Booking a Guarantee

[leftwriter]

Hi Fellow Cruisers!

 

I haven't posted in a long time. I'm hoping to get feedback from anyone that has experience with my particular situation.

 

This is my first cruise with Carnival. I booked a Guarantee Category OV on Carnival Splendor. They assigned my room—it is right next to the elevator lobby and across from the laundry room. I would like to switch rooms as it seems like it would be noisy and prone to lots of passenger foot traffic.

 

I see plenty of cabins left in the same category that I was assigned, including some nice mid ship rooms. I called Carnival but they said I cannot change rooms within the category at the price paid because I booked a guarantee. I would have to pay more to "upgrade" and I would also lose shipboard credit that is included in my original booking.

 

While I'm pretty much resigned to the fact that I cannot upgrade prior to the cruise without the extra cost, I figured why not at least try my luck with the pier coordinator during check-in, and, if there is anything left, ask if I can move to a more desirable cabin at no added cost.

 

If you have any knowledge or experience with this type of situation that you think would be informative, please let me know.

 

Thank you so much! :)

[falkcor]

probably not. they will typically tell you / have a sign on the ship that says 'they are full'.

 

even when they have some of those odd extra rooms, i don't think they really like making last minute changes like that. if there were a material problem with the room you have, they might be able to move you (assuming they have an extra room, which i think they do more often than they would tell you), but probably not just because you'd prefer another location. that's one of the drawbacks of booking a guarantee. :)

[leftwriter]

Thank you Mark for your reply. :)

 

I'm hoping the room will end up being just fine. I haven't ever had to change rooms once on the ship. The only time I really thought about it was the time I had a cabin under the pool deck. Kind of noisy during the late night deck party.

[Hotdog 52]

I booked an inside guarantee and they put me in the very front of the ship. I called them up and asked why they would put a Platinum member in the front when they had other open cabins in the middle and aft. She moved me to the middle of the ship, no problem. The next guarantee I booked, they put me in the middle of the ship the first go around.

[Seany527]

Hi Fellow Cruisers!

...I see plenty of cabins left in the same category that I was assigned, including some nice mid ship rooms. I called Carnival but they said I cannot change rooms within the category at the price paid because I booked a guarantee. I would have to pay more to "upgrade" and I would also lose shipboard credit that is included in my original booking....

 

Thank you so much! :)

 

Well thanks for posting this. I too booked a guarantee OV room on the Splendor. My room is fine for the price I paid. I was actually going to call however and pay the extra for an upgrade to a balcony but I didn't know they took away the onboard credit we got while booking :( That stinks. Thanks again for posting this info!

[gracie65]

Call back again and ask another rep more often then not you will not get the same answer twice, in fact if the next person told me the same thing I would try a few more times. For the most part rooms by the elevators are really not noisy the way they are layed out blocks the noise really well.

 

 

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[sjn911]

My favorite earplugs are Macks silicone ones that go over your ear opening and mold to outside of your ear canal....they give me no ear pressure like ones in my canal..I have small enough little openings to use the kid ones that are less expensive..Just in case your room is not ok OP...I can not tell you how they have saved me.

 

I once booked a inside guarantee and location was great..but kids on each side were vaulting, jumping and slamming things the whole cruise..and I still would guarantee book again... ..I of course prefer to pick the cabin but sometimes it is just only way to afford to go when one just "has" to take a break if at all possible...and all is worth it with my earplugs ( because on the guarantee the kids... they eventually slept..i just did not fight speaking with the parents) ...took what I got...along with risks and slept afternoon or evening with my earplugs...Sarah

 

Macks SILICONE Earplugs..you need those ones...they make all kinds...

http://www.swim2000.com/product/macks-silicone-ear-plugs-6-pair-value-pack/?gdftrk=gdfV27011_a_7c604_a_7c1462_a_7cME_d_7&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=PRODUCT+LISTING+ADS&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=DiLj7uhW|pcrid|30620748482|pkw|pmt|&mkwid=DiLj7uhW&crid=30620748482

Edited March 14, 2014 by sjn911

[sgttami]

I once booked a balcony guarantee and got an Owners Suite (not on Carnival).. No complaints on that!!!

 

However, if the cabin is available in the same category I don't know why they wouldn't honor the request to change???

 

 

Pam

[Elaine5715]

I once booked a balcony guarantee and got an Owners Suite (not on Carnival).. No complaints on that!!!

 

However, if the cabin is available in the same category I don't know why they wouldn't honor the request to change???

 

 

Pam

 

Because when you book a guarantee, you roll the dice. They are more likely to sell the more desirable cabins and already have the OP booked, so might have chance to change to same category at sailing but not prior to.

[CatlinSTJ]

I have been across from the laundry and it really wasn't bad except for elegant night when there was a line for the iron. It had it's perks as well - I needed to throw a load in and it was convenient to pop over and find and empty washer.

 

 

Next cruise: Carnival Breeze June 2014

[lisajm]

I booked an inside guarantee for cruise next week. After reading your post I checked my booking. We have been assigned an mid=ship OV on the Riveria Deck.

[spazilla1]

In my humble opinion booking guarantee is a risk. I would assume that these are going to be all the rooms that nobody is going to want to book if they had the choice, as the previous writer states, across from the laundry by the elevator etc etc. Or under the dance floor, or next to the crews cabin with the slamming door. If time allows I always try to book ES that way I can pick the room I want and the guarantee is built in. Also if the price drops I can try for the onboard credit. To each his own, of course, but I think there is a reason they are trying to give you "the sizzle instead of the steak" by saying this is a guaranteed room.

[irishnyc]

When you book a guarantee, as I tell my child, "you get what you get, and you don't get upset." If you want to pick the location for your cabin, then pay a few dollars more for a non-guarantee.

[leftwriter]

Thank you so much everyone for your great feedback and information. A few additional thoughts...

 

The cruise line rep said the same exact line as a previous poster... when you book a guarantee you get what you get. I totally agree as far as the original assignment. I'm not super bummed or overly worried about my cabin. I was just a little surprised as I have had different prior experiences - no problem to change rooms with no extra charge as long as long as it is in the same category.

 

I will take the advice and maybe try again this week - call and speak to different reps and see if I get a different answer. No harm to try.

 

I thought some more about the cabin location. Being near the laundry may be good if I plan to use it. Also if I stick with the cabin there's a good chance I will have no problems, and be able to debunk whatever objection I seem to have about it.

 

Bottom line... if the cabin location was really important at time of booking I should have just paid the price for the assigned room at that time. I knew going in about the guarantee.

 

Thanks again everyone! I'm learning a lot from this experience.

[leftwriter]

Hi All - Just writing to confirm that I was very happy with the cabin I was assigned, #1423, right at the aft elevator/stairs, starboard side on the bottom deck (Riviera) and right near the ironing room. I was concerned about noise from the proximity to these areas.

 

However, I was pleased to find that my room was very quiet. There is a long distance between the room and the lobby creating a sort of buffer zone.

 

Thanks again for all the advice and reassurance.

[sag1804]

In my humble opinion booking guarantee is a risk. I would assume that these are going to be all the rooms that nobody is going to want to book if they had the choice, as the previous writer states, across from the laundry by the elevator etc etc. Or under the dance floor, or next to the crews cabin with the slamming door. If time allows I always try to book ES that way I can pick the room I want and the guarantee is built in. Also if the price drops I can try for the onboard credit. To each his own, of course, but I think there is a reason they are trying to give you "the sizzle instead of the steak" by saying this is a guaranteed room.

 

Will do this for the breeze in March! HOWEVER.....did a guarantee inside and went to check room and have a bad ass 8B Balcony on the 6th floor for the sunshine.