guarantee room bad move

[frankponcherelo]

I know that getting a free up grade is near to impossible these days so I wondering if its even worth it to get a guaranteed room.

Thanks!

[Sheffie]

If you guarantee the lowest category you will be happy with, it can be fine. Then the least you end up with will be fine, and you might even be lucky enough to be delighted!

[racephoto]

It's absolutely a crapshoot. If you are the kind of person who thinks of their cabin as a closet they also happen to sleep in :D you probably can't lose. On one cruise I downgraded to an outside guarantee after booking a specific cabin and got window w/ a lifeboat in front of it. As I expected since the obstructed view cabins had the most availability and the lowest price. I just wanted some natural light and saved a boatload of money by switching to the guarantee. If location and such is important to you, book what you want. When I booked this last cruise a guarantee was only $20 cheaper so I picked the cabin I wanted instead. This way I know I'm not under the pool deck or next to the anchor, etc. (Or have a lifeboat in front of my window) It all depends on the price difference with me 'cause I just know I won't be in the cabin that much. For other people, it seems the cabin is the most important part of the cruise, obviously a guarantee isn't right for them.

[FJTinSC]

Basically, a guarantee is fine for most, as long as you are willing to accept (without complaint) ANY cabin in that Category, ANY WHERE on the ship. Cause you could be assigned to any available cabin on the ship within that category.

 

If not, then you should book what you really want.

[chubbycheeks]

I don't have a problem booking guarantees. I plan to book them most of the time because I'm just happy to be on the ship and don't do much but sleep and shower there anyways.

[Stacylee]

I booked my first inside guarantee for my last cruise. I was sure it would be on the lowest deck... Yet it was on deck 4 (same level as the pursers desk). I was not unhappy with the inside cabin or the location and I would probably do it again. I was in budget mode and it worked out great.

[cruisequeen10]

I always pick the cheapest cabin available. Way back when, when the exchange rate was almost 60%, that is all I could afford. Now with the exchange rate a whole lot better, I still pick the cheapest cabin. Now the travel agent asks me if I would like the guarantee and of course I say yes. My last 2 cruises, we were upgraded.

[heatherb1958]

Our second cruise was a balcony guarantee but we did not realise it as we were naive cruisers.:D We did not even realise when we got our tickets that we had one of the most sought after aft balconies.How good was that?

Half of our cruises have been guarantees , half chosen cabins. We have always been happy with the guarantee cabin whether it be inside, oceanview or balcony, BUT, for our next cruise in 2 weeks time it will be the first time I will be boarding the ship with a little apprehension.Our guarantee , this time, is a connecting cabin.:( :(

[Dafydd]

We just booked a guarantee inside on the Voyager for Nov. 18 for 8 nights and only $399! They put us on the deck 10 and gave us a handicapped accessible room which is almost double in square footage. First time we ever booked a guarantee, but just wanted that unbelievably cheap price! What a deal!

[DeepWaterMariner]

We've booked guarantees several times without a problem...no great upgrades, but still a good deal for the catagory cabin we received. There is a risk you may end up with a less desirable location, like over the bow thrusters, but if cost is most important then it is worth the risk. If location is important to you, then spend the extra money and pick your cabin. If we are sailing transatlantic I want a midships cabin on a lower deck and pay to get it.

[liasophia]

We booked a balcony guarantee for our Splendour cruise in Dec and ended up with an aft balcony! I was expecting a lifeboat view or something, so needless to say, I was VERY excited! I'll probably book guarantees every time we cruise now. Good Luck!!:D

[hoogie]

I know that getting a free up grade is near to impossible these days so I wondering if its even worth it to get a guaranteed room.

Thanks!

 

 

Our first guarantee we ever did was last year on the Carnival Glory and we ended up with room 9287, an awesome room. We'd stumble out of our room 10 steps to the door and we were at the pool. Walk across the pool and we we're at the buffet. I think the key is only booking the minimum room type that you would be happy with.

 

Hoog

[steve20832]

Three years ago, during the recession, my parents booked a guarantee outside cabin and ended up with a balcony. They got a room that was worth twice what they paid for it. What a deal that was. They have also been put in rooms on the second and third floors, it's a gamble.

[syndyj]

how do you book a guarantee? When I look at RC's website guaranatee rooms never show up as being available.

[Guest cruzr44]

Does anyone else think they should call a GTY a "no GTY". Yes, you are guaranteed a specific category but there is no guarantee where you will end up. Kind of confusing to the first timers. I have never booked one as I like to know where I am going to be. There have been some great upgrades posted on CC. So if you don't care where you could end up I would go for it.:)

[Man314]

When I booked this last cruise a guarantee was only $20 cheaper so I picked the cabin I wanted instead. This way I know I'm not under the pool deck or next to the anchor, etc. (Or have a lifeboat in front of my window) It all depends on the price difference with me 'cause I just know I won't be in the cabin that much.

 

Never done a guarantee, but it wouldn't seem worth it if it was only $20 cheaper! If this price difference the "norm?"

[piercetc4]

key is as stated above- do the gty with the cat. you would be happy cruising in whatever that may be- and if you get an upgrade, you will be happy -

[jkrislc]

Does anyone else think they should call a GTY a "no GTY". Yes, you are guaranteed a specific category but there is no guarantee where you will end up. Kind of confusing to the first timers. I have never booked one as I like to know where I am going to be. There have been some great upgrades posted on CC. So if you don't care where you could end up I would go for it.:)

I always book a specific cabin as I'm picky about being in the center of the ship for my wife. She's susceptible to motion (sea) sickness and always can get relief by returning to our midship cabin. We had an aft corner suite once on Princess, and while it was a great cabin, it was the only cruise where she couldn't go to the room and get relief as there was too much motion.

 

I also try to avoid the elevators as much as possible as I don't want to wait; therefore, I like to be in the middle of the ship vertically as well. Thus, it's only three flights up or three flights down to anywhere I want to be.

[Sheffie]

how do you book a guarantee? When I look at RC's website guaranatee rooms never show up as being available.

 

Not all cruises have a guarantee. Last year a guarantee did show up a few weeks before the cruise, though. We have to sail Easter week, and I think they know they "have us" and don't have the guarantees available.

 

I don't know if Orbitz, Travelocity, or Expedia show guarantees when RCI doesn't.

[Lyncruiser]

We'd never book a guarantee again. We did it once and ended up in a connecting cabin. The people in the next cabin were very loud and smoked. It was a miserable week.

 

Also, I think I recall seeing recent threads about people being downgraded from their guaranteed category -- another potential problem, IMO.

[steve20832]

Also, I think I recall seeing recent threads about people being downgraded from their guaranteed category -- another potential problem, IMO.

 

How do you get downgraded? The guarantee room costs less than purchasing the room catagory yourself. If you buy an inside cabin the cost of the guarantee is less than the lowest price inside cabin and same with outside cabins.

[racephoto]

Never done a guarantee, but it wouldn't seem worth it if it was only $20 cheaper! If this price difference the "norm?"

 

It really varies a lot. Ship, itinerary, season all play a role. But mine was only a 4 nt cruise also. The pricing on my cruise was interesting to watch......when I was researching, cat I oceanview showed $339pp, Outside guarantee was $319pp and Cat G obstructed view was $309pp! Cheaper than guarantee! But I saw a cabin I liked amidships and held that one. I ended up paying $480 or so for a single occupancy rate. Looking just a minute ago, Inside gty is $239 pp and Cat Q is the exact same price. Even the most expensive inside rate is only $30 pp more. My single Cat I is up to around $650. ;)

[johnql]

Most of the time I book guarantees. I've been very happy with my cabin assignments, but that's because I have no strong preference for location.

[patrice1]

We always book a gty. & have always gotten a room much better than booked. Our first cruise, we booked cheapest inside gty. & got most expensive outside. Our most recent cruise, we booked gty. outside & got an outside suite. We have never regretted booking a gty.