Experiences with guaranteed balcony?

[Mediterranean_Honeymooner]

We are booked in a guaranteed balcony on the Legend and curious what others got.  I’m aware it could be obstructed, but is there anyone who got a regular (unobstructed) balcony?  Right now, if I pay $60 I can pick my room.  But that’s just choosing between different obstructed balconies.  It might be worth it to pick the least obstructed, but if there’s a chance I might get an unobstructed with my “guarantee”, then I will just leave it alone.

[Florida Paesano]

We have booked a couple of guaranteed balconies and once got a "regular" (unobstructed balcony) balcony stateroom directly underneath a band performance area on the Lido deck and once got an aft extended balcony. The location underneath the band performance area was noisy and every note, every bass beat and every word of every song being played was clearly audible in the room. I knew that was a possibility opting for the guarantee rate but each time that was all that was available when we booked the cruises.  If the cost to choose your room is $60 total (not per person), I'd have to give some thought to choosing the stateroom. 

Edited February 6, 2019 by Florida Paesano
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[Mediterranean_Honeymooner]

1 hour ago, Florida Paesano said:

We have booked a couple of guaranteed balconies and once got a "regular" (unobstructed balcony) balcony stateroom directly underneath a band performance area on the Lido deck and once got an aft extended balcony. The location underneath the band performance area was noisy and every note, every bass beat and every word of every song being played was clearly audible in the room. I knew that was a possibility opting for the guarantee rate but each time that was all that was available when we booked the cruises.  If the cost to choose your room is $60 total (not per person), I'd have to give some thought to choosing the stateroom. 

 Florida, would you choose even if all the choices were obstructed?

[auburn77]

We have only done a guaranteed balcony once. We were assigned one that I was not happy with ( very low deck and under the galley, but not obstructed ), but figured that's what I get. Luckily, we were offered an upgrade to a suite for a few dollars more. We took the suite, but have not done a guaranteed since.

 

[mbet]

We have had two guaranteed balcony cabins. On our very first cruise we didn’t get our cabin assignment until check in at the airport, but it turned out to be deck 8, mid ship. Perfect! On another cruise we had a more forward location. Great view, but it was over the big theater. We heard music, especially bass, during performances and rehearsals. It didn’t bother us though. 

[t4jes]

This isn't about the guaranteed balcony on the Legend, but I can speak that some of the obstructed cabins are barely obstructed. I had room 5180 and all we couldn't see was down. We thought it was great! There are others you can find online (here's another 5190) that you can almost see everything. There are others that will have large lifeboats in the way so you want to choose carefully. 

 

If you're concerned about what you might get, maybe it is worth it to spend the $60 and find one of the obstructed that are barely so, rather than potentially ending with one where you can't see anything, or will have a very noisy location. 

[jimbo5544]

While not 100% of the time, there is usually a good reason that the guarantee rooms are available....

[BoDidly]

28 minutes ago, jimbo5544 said:

While not 100% of the time, there is usually a good reason that the guarantee rooms are available....

Guarantee rooms in the old school if you had gained / earned a certain level in the VIFP program they just didn't place you anywhere on the ship. Usually you received a good cabin location. Today ,Oh brother where art thou ?  Deck 0 under the engines.

[bridetobe53108]

Personally, if it wasn't too much more, I would spend it and pick my own room. You're already paying more for the balcony, so I would hate to get stuck with a bad one. Even though the ones left are obstructed, some might be better then others, so I would do some research and try to find a decent one 

[CRocks]

Myself, I'd spend the extra $$$. In fact, I'm booked on the Legend 7/23 + did spend the extra $$$.

 

Look at the Legend deck plan. I'm not crazy about the balconies which are set back into the ship. That obstructs your view fore, aft, and down even if you're not on deck 5 + behind a lifeboat. Guarantee categories fill up the cabins not chose by others. Not too difficult to figure which ones these would be on a Spirit class ship.

 

https://www.cruisecritic.com/carnival-legend-deck-plans/dp/?deck=5&shipID=253

 

[Mediterranean_Honeymooner]

I just wanted to follow up with everyone.  While I was trying to decide, they actually assigned our cabin.  I was surprised since it is still over 80 days out and most people said they didn’t get their assignment until much closer to the cruise.   We did get an obstructed view (which I expected), but it is one of the less obstructed (from what I’ve read) and only cabins above and below.  So overall I am pleased and would consider booking guaranteed again. 

[jowens4201979]

I upgraded from a interior room to a guarantee balcony a little over a month ago on the Legend for a cruise this April.  Got our room about 2 weeks ago and got room 6319 which is a good room unobstructed.

[skrufy]

We had a guaranteed balcony on the Miracle and the reason it was called obstructed is if you leaned over and looked down the ship you saw a lifeboat. Balcony had a non obstructed view.

[Florida Paesano]

On 2/6/2019 at 7:12 PM, Mediterranean_Honeymooner said:

 Florida, would you choose even if all the choices were obstructed?

No,  I would not.  I'd just go with the flow of having booked the guarantee rate and take my chances. I'm glad y'all received a satisfactory stateroom assignment and thanks for the update.  Enjoy your cruise!