Curious Guarantee Cabin Assignment Experiences

[ptuser]

I'm noticing a pattern that I'm being assigned guarantee cabins remarkably similar in location to the most recent cabin I've paid to select (in the same category, so in this case all insides.) That was wonderful for several trips after I'd paid for a cabin near mid-ship on an upper-deck. Then I paid for a less desirable cabin (to get some other benefits that came from an other-than-sailaway fare.) Now that I've gone back to guarantee cabins, I find myself assigned a cabin right next to that last one I'd paid for. And it was assigned before I even made the final payment, so months before departure. It seems like there is almost too much coincidence here to be random, and if so it would be nice if I could reset my preference without having to actually pay for an assigned cabin again. Nobody at NCL knows anything about the  assignment process, and I'm not surprised at that. It's been discussed, inconclusively, here before, but I'm wondering if anyone has any similar (or different) recent experiences.

[misguy]

What we found working with an NCL rep for our last two cruises is that we booked a sail away rate in one case and a guarantee in another case and before we were done with the booking process they were able to get us assigned to a handicap cabin which we need.  

[IrieBajan54]

I book guarantee cabins only. Inside or Balcony at Sail Away Rate. I normally get assigned to Deck 8 or 9 . No higher or lower. I don't necessarily think it's pattern. By the way, my cabin assignment happens with 48 hours after booking.

[erdoran]

4 hours ago, ptuser said:

I'm noticing a pattern that I'm being assigned guarantee cabins remarkably similar in location to the most recent cabin I've paid to select (in the same category, so in this case all insides.) That was wonderful for several trips after I'd paid for a cabin near mid-ship on an upper-deck. Then I paid for a less desirable cabin (to get some other benefits that came from an other-than-sailaway fare.) Now that I've gone back to guarantee cabins, I find myself assigned a cabin right next to that last one I'd paid for. And it was assigned before I even made the final payment, so months before departure. It seems like there is almost too much coincidence here to be random, and if so it would be nice if I could reset my preference without having to actually pay for an assigned cabin again. Nobody at NCL knows anything about the  assignment process, and I'm not surprised at that. It's been discussed, inconclusively, here before, but I'm wondering if anyone has any similar (or different) recent experiences.

If you don’t like the location, why not cancel and then rebook a couple of days later?  Is that an option?

[ptuser]

1 hour ago, erdoran said:

If you don’t like the location, why not cancel and then rebook a couple of days later?  Is that an option?

I bought during a sale and the cabin was not assigned until a few days after I booked, when the sale wasn't in effect. I did not see the price drop lower again, or I would have rebooked anyway (for the lower fare.) I don't have a horrible location by any means, just not as good as I was getting for several cruises after buying a mid-ship cabin on, I think, deck 10. Obviously deck numbers vary with ships but I've cruised on mostly-similar NCL ships.

[robin13]

I just did a Balcony Guarantee cabin for the first and last time on the Epic.  They gave me a cabin so far forward it was like 4 cabins away from the front of the ship.  That part wasn't so bad but they gave me an "enclosed" balcony that really looked like it was a big picture window.  If you were sitting down you couldn't even see the ocean!  What is the point of having a balcony if you can't see the ocean.  So I had to upgrade to a cabin that had a regular balcony but then it was on deck 8 which meant the lifeboats were right below you.  I then had my CC move me to another cabin on deck 11 that is near an elevator and has a balcony that you can look out and below and see the ocean.  So lesson learned I will never do another balcony guarantee cabin again.  I know a lot of people are happy with what they get but there was no way I was going to subject myself to that enclosed balcony.  

[Arzeena]

What is the specific difference between a Sail Away Rate and a GTY?

I have found that there is a couple of cabins #s attached to an X category and they show up as available when you look under that category....sometimes.
I recently inquired about a  Sailaway Rate which the rep said is a Gty assignment, cabin will be assigned anywhere from 24 hrs later to the day of boarding. When I went on the website and actually booked, there were a couple of cabin #s I could pick from under the Sail Away category. Location was not bad at all...deck 8 forward near the elevators, so I picked one cabin and made the booking. No perks to pick  like in the GTY rate. But I know my location and am very happy with it.
My TA was surprised that I was able to pick a room??? Confusing huh? TA should know better!

Edited February 11, 2019 by Arzeena

[misguy]

Dup post.

Edited February 11, 2019 by misguy

[zounds]

    Does anyone know if Lattitudes (points) status would be a factor in GTY assignments ?  We are Platinum and just booked a Getaway GTY.  Thanks, Steve.

[peacefulOR]

We have booked Sailaway rates on every cruise, four different lines, and have always had good, sometimes great locations (at least for our preferences). We recently booked a TA, same ship as 2 years before and our cabin is EXACTLY the same location but deck 11 (12 last time). We loved this cabin and angled balcony last cruise and will spend the difference in fares on great excursions, specialty dining etc. Works for us.

[Animalgirl27]

I booked a sailaway oceanview (OX) rate for my upcoming cruise on the Sun. We were just assigned a cabin about 10 days before the cruise. We received a cabin on deck 6 (OD) which is an unobstructed window, so we are happy it wasn't a port hole or something obstructed. Hopefully though we win a bid for a balcony. 

[EllieinNJ]

On our Sun cruise this past Feb. we originally booked a IA sideways cabin on deck 10 with $50 OBC and the dining plan.   Several months later the Sailaway price came down $400pp less than what we were paying.  Being platinum we were getting two specialty dinners anyway and lost the OBC but saved $800.  It took about four weeks but we were assigned another IA sideways on deck 8.  When it came time to bid, we bid the maximum for a balcony.  Got it three days before the cruise and wound up paying $50pp more for the balcony than we would have paid for the original inside.

[ighten]

On 2/11/2019 at 4:50 PM, zounds said:

    Does anyone know if Lattitudes (points) status would be a factor in GTY assignments ?  We are Platinum and just booked a Getaway GTY.  Thanks, Steve.

 

Probably used to be until they started the whole bidding upgrade thing.. We have booked inside GTYs in the past as very last minute bargains and been allocated Balconys (So we still have never seen the inside of  an inside ;)). Wouldnt risk it now though - you just seem to get some OBC.

[luv2kroooz]

Usually book sail away very last minute. Platinum member . Never been unhappy with my cabin assignment. Most of the time I am assigned a cabin category that shows as sold out on the website. There is no way to tell and you have to be prepared for a cabin location ANYWHERE on the ship. I like to think it has to do with my latitudes tier, but probably not. It likely has more to do with logistics....muster station capacity etc.