Upgrade Strategy: Go "W"? Or "JS"?

[kitsae]

My wife and I took our first cruise in January of 2013. We lucked out at the time of booking and were able to get a "GS" (grand suite) for the price of a "JS" (junior suite).

 

We are looking to take another cruise in August of 2014 (next month) and haven't had the same luck of trying to get another great "GS" deal.

 

In terms of trying to get an upgrade to "GS", would you recommend booking a "JS"? Or going with a "W" (which I understand guarantees you at least a junior suite)?

 

Time is running tight, but we are flexible, since we have the entire month of August off and plan on staying with family in Miami, so we can wait and get the best deal.

 

Thanks in advance for your help! We are still pretty new at this!

[hairymelon]

To be honest it looks like you were very lucky to get a GS for the price of a JS.

 

If you book a JS you will most likely have a JS for your cruise. If you book a W guarantee you are guaranteed a 'deluxe' cabin but no guarantees which one. It really depends if you are fussy what you end up with and where on the ship you want to be.

 

Hope you have a great cruise whatever cabin you get :)

[lady_cruiser]

Some surprises I don't care for and hoping for a "W" category to turn into a GS or higher isn't one of time.

 

I would book a Jr. Suite and hope for an upgrade even though I know the possibility of that happening would be slim.

[kitsae]

To be honest it looks like you were very lucky to get a GS for the price of a JS.

 

If you book a JS you will most likely have a JS for your cruise. If you book a W guarantee you are guaranteed a 'deluxe' cabin but no guarantees which one. It really depends if you are fussy what you end up with and where on the ship you want to be.

 

Hope you have a great cruise whatever cabin you get :)

 

Thank you!

 

So sounds like if I go with "W", I could end up with something less than a junior suite?

[molly361]

Like the previous posted stated if you book a JS that is most likely where you will end up.

 

If you book a W guarantee you will get at least a JS but it can be anyway on the ship.

 

You also could get a higher suite category, no way to tell which way it will go. Odds of getting better are with a W guarantee

[Yorkvillain]

To be honest it looks like you were very lucky to get a GS for the price of a JS.

 

If you book a JS you will most likely have a JS for your cruise. If you book a W guarantee you are guaranteed a 'deluxe' cabin but no guarantees which one. It really depends if you are fussy what you end up with and where on the ship you want to be.

 

Hope you have a great cruise whatever cabin you get :)

 

If you book a W aren't you guaranteed at least a JS?

[hairymelon]

If you book a W aren't you guaranteed at least a JS?

 

I used to think that was the case but recently someone posted on here that a W guarantee got them something much less than a JS and there was a lot of hassle with RCI to get them to sort it out and I still think they ended up with a lesser than JS cabin.

 

Also in the UK in the Terms and Conditions for a W Guarantee, you are 'guaranteed a deluxe cabin' (or you were when I last checked) and there are some grades of cabin below JS which are categorised as 'deluxe'.

 

Of course, if it says 'suite guarantee' then that is what you will get :)

 

Complicated or what!!!

[kitsae]

I used to think that was the case but recently someone posted on here that a W guarantee got them something much less than a JS and there was a lot of hassle with RCI to get them to sort it out and I still think they ended up with a lesser than JS cabin.

 

Also in the UK in the Terms and Conditions for a W Guarantee, you are 'guaranteed a deluxe cabin' (or you were when I last checked) and there are some grades of cabin below JS which are categorised as 'deluxe'.

 

Of course, if it says 'suite guarantee' then that is what you will get :)

 

Complicated or what!!!

 

Definitely complicated!

 

So with JS, there a slim likelihood of an upgrade, but you get the flex of choosing your location.

 

With W, it sounds like you are guaranteed at least a JS (I will double check), with a higher likelihood of an upgrade, but no flex as to choosing your location.

 

Now, if there was only a way to determine how MUCH of a greater degree of likelihood of an upgrade you get with "W" over "JS", I would be all set.

[Ourusualbeach]

Knowing that in all likelihood that with a "W" I am going to get a JS and only a small chance of something better I would only pay a minimal amount of extra money for a W instead of a JS guarantee. I might part with up to $100 for the chance at something better but no more than that.

[molly361]

Now, if there was only a way to determine how MUCH of a greater degree of likelihood of an upgrade you get with "W" over "JS", I would be all set.

 

 

You and everybody else that books them:D

[Clarea]

I used to think that was the case but recently someone posted on here that a W guarantee got them something much less than a JS and there was a lot of hassle with RCI to get them to sort it out and I still think they ended up with a lesser than JS cabin.

 

Also in the UK in the Terms and Conditions for a W Guarantee, you are 'guaranteed a deluxe cabin' (or you were when I last checked) and there are some grades of cabin below JS which are categorised as 'deluxe'.

 

Of course, if it says 'suite guarantee' then that is what you will get :)

 

Complicated or what!!!

I rememeber that situation, and my guess is that it was some bad real screw up by a Royal employee. That's the only time I've ever heard of a "W" getting less than a JS.

 

I agree that Royal's description of the "W" leaves much to be desired. They have a consistent, long term, corporate-wide problem with publishing precise, unambiguous, and accurate communications. However, if you also look in the description of a "W", they usually give a minimum square footage which corresponds to a JS on that ship.

Edited July 6, 2014 by clarea

[kitsae]

Knowing that in all likelihood that with a "W" I am going to get a JS and only a small chance of something better I would only pay a minimal amount of extra money for a W instead of a JS guarantee. I might part with up to $100 for the chance at something better but no more than that.

 

In many cases it appears that the "W" options are actually a bit CHEAPER than the "JS" options.

 

I'm going to hold out longer and see what happens to pricing. If they don't move, I may explore other options. There are some MSC options that are sailing around that time that are much cheaper for suite-level options, but it appears to be a newer line...

[Trekker954]

You got a good deal getting a GS for JS price, but that was January. Cruising in August is prime time as school is out. Upgrades, even upsells, do not come as easily.

[kitsae]

You got a good deal getting a GS for JS price, but that was January. Cruising in August is prime time as school is out. Upgrades, even upsells, do not come as easily.

 

Yep you are right. And now that we went GS we can't imagine NOT going GS.

 

So, I guess I am going to have to bite the bullet and pay the piper. There are some good deals out there but nothing near what I got last time.

[Fat Paul]

Buy the cabin that you want. I have NO interest in anything less than a JR suite, much prefer a Grand or Owners suite. I will not take a chance hoping that I get the cabin that I want.

[kitsae]

Buy the cabin that you want. I have NO interest in anything less than a JR suite, much prefer a Grand or Owners suite. I will not take a chance hoping that I get the cabin that I want.

 

Thanks - I agree 100%.

 

I am looking at a deal know where a Sky Loft Suite on the Oasis is $100 more than the Grand Suite.

 

Have you ever done the SL? Thought vs. the GS?

 

Thanks!

[The_Big_M]

In short, don't book a JS or W expecting any chance of getting something above a junior suite.

 

They do happen, but they're a tiny proportion, so if you want something greater you'll more than likely be disappointed. It's like buying a lottery ticket hoping to win the big one.

 

If you're happy with a JS though, then buying a W probably gives you a slightly better chance of an upgrade. But only buy it if you're happy with the W, but don't mind the chance of a surprise, and where you get allocated in the js range.

Edited July 7, 2014 by The_Big_M

[mizzoufinal4]

DW and myself upgraded from a balcony cabin to a W one day when it became available. Litterally an hour later we were assigned a GS. We could not have been happier and it was only $100 total to uprade from the balcony to the W. FYI this was on Jewel of the Seas about 2 years ago.

[joyrideny405]

How do you booked a W category? I know about a guarantee cabin but never heard of a W cat. Thanks for any info.

[molly361]

How do you booked a W category? I know about a guarantee cabin but never heard of a W cat. Thanks for any info.

 

 

If you go to do a mock booking on the RCL website and click on suites it will show up under the JS category. They are not offered on all sailings. They also come and go. There could be a W guarantee today and then it is gone tomorrow.

[wojcikgu]

It really depends if you are fussy what you end up with and where on the ship you want to be.

[The_Big_M]

How do you booked a W category? I know about a guarantee cabin but never heard of a W cat. Thanks for any info.

 

To add to Molly's reply, they're not that common. They'll usually only appear if they haven't sold enough cabins for that sailing, so are trying to stimulate sales.

[CKCruising]

Thanks - I agree 100%.

 

I am looking at a deal know where a Sky Loft Suite on the Oasis is $100 more than the Grand Suite.

 

Have you ever done the SL? Thought vs. the GS?

 

Thanks!

A Crown Loft for the price of a GS would be a good deal (They seem to run closer to the OS pricing). A Sky Loft for the price of a GS seems like a great deal.