Speculation and hypothesis

[Eglesbrech]

I am currently waiting on my guarantee being allocated, it should be within the next week or so. I picked a grade where I would be happy with any of the cabins so I am not particularly concerned about what I get but it is always nice to find out.

 

There seems to be no definate methodology or pattern to how cabins are allocated (unless you know otherwise). In the past I have looked at the cabin numbers which are still for sale and assumed that I would be allocated one of them but got something completely different. I have given up trying to second guess it.

 

Does anyone have a pet theory (or better yet some factual understanding) about how guarantees are managed on P&O? Just curious.

[the english lady]

They have 2 very large top hats.

In one are the names of all the people who have paid early saver fares

In the other are all the cabins that are available.

Then in the great tradition of the FA cup, a name is pulled out of one top hat, and a cabin out of the other.

One assumes that late saver fares are the same only flat caps are used.

How about that.

[NauticalMiss]

They have 2 very large top hats.

In one are the names of all the people who have paid early saver fares

In the other are all the cabins that are available.

Then in the great tradition of the FA cup, a name is pulled out of one top hat, and a cabin out of the other.

One assumes that late saver fares are the same only flat caps are used.

How about that.

 

Sounds perfectly logical to me :)

Do you think they use a drum roll too?

Edited March 17, 2016 by NauticalMiss

[john watson]

 

There seems to be no definite methodology or pattern to how cabins are allocated (unless you know otherwise). In the past I have looked at the cabin numbers which are still for sale and assumed that I would be allocated one of them but got something completely different.

 

The reason that this does not generally work is that the cruise line does not show on the website the full range of cabins available in any particular grade. If they did competitors and savvy cruisers would get to know too much about each cruise and how successful sales are going by doing a sequential search on each grade. They only show a selection and more often than not people are phoning and asking for specific unlisted cabins on a different fare basis quite often successfully.

 

I suspect cruise lines learn a specific pattern of which order cabins are typically sold when there is a free choice and then put the harder to sell ones into lower grades (cheaper fares on those) and eagerly sought after cabins that always immediately sell go onto higher grades (dearer fares on those). I suspect guarantee bookings get upgraded first; as it is administratively easier, but into what might unfairly be called the remnant cabins. There may also be a Blacklist of cabins with an individual list of complaints which they are fielding.

 

That's my theory.

 

Regards John

[Eglesbrech]

Sounds perfectly logical to me :)

Do you think they use a drum roll too?

 

Probably not. Drum rolls will of course be reserved for select guests only.

 

John, that all sounds very logical. I am sure that there are black list cabins and if common sense prevails they would be the very last ones to go to anyone unless the ship was full, as presumably they wil attract more complaints and so issues for the staff.

 

We have gone guarantee a few times and always been happy enough with what we got, sometimes we even got the really desirable cabins in the grade (large aft facing etc) as the original bookers moved up to a suite so your other theory sounds like it has merit as well.

 

I have heard others on guarantee moan about what they got but common sense says that you will get what is left/expedient. The trick for me is to avoid the grades that have absolute stinkers in them.

 

Another theory, perhaps it is all just an algorithm on a computer?

[Tom Baker]

Another theory, perhaps it is all just an algorithm on a computer?

 

You win a prize! That's EXACTLY how P&O do it :)

 

That's what they told me when I phoned to moan :o (to be fair, the cost of the call would've paid for an upgrade!)

Edited March 17, 2016 by Tom Baker

[Florry]

You win a prize! That's EXACTLY how P&O do it :)

 

That's what they told me when I phoned to moan :o (to be fair, the cost of the call would've paid for an upgrade!)

 

 

This is completely how I think it's done, hats would be too time consuming [emoji4]

[Eglesbrech]

Cabin allocated today. Liking the algorithm:):):):)

[Mysticalmother]

Come on then.....spill the beans !

[Eglesbrech]

Might not suit everyone but we have a lovely cabin aft on D deck. Checked out pictures someone put on line and it looks good.

 

Really looking forward to the cruise. All we need is some decent weather now.

[davecttr]

Come on then.....spill the beans !

 

NO, don't spill the beans because the bean counters at corporate HQ won't be able to work their abacusses or is it abaci :confused:;)

Edited March 23, 2016 by davecttr

[jeanlyon]

Interestingly, on the Fred Olsen website, if you click on a cabin description it sometimes says "cabin subject to noise" or some other things. P&O don't do that.

[Eglesbrech]

Interestingly, on the Fred Olsen website, if you click on a cabin description it sometimes says "cabin subject to noise" or some other things. P&O don't do that.

 

Yes. We did our homework in advance and I understand that two of the aft cabins in the deck below on "e" deck are subject to noise from the venue below. P&O don't mention this which is strange when they mention that the top decks are over shadowed, show which cabins have bunks etc.