Guarantee Stateroom Experience

[LightCruiser210]

Hi all!  I Just wanted to share my experience with booking a stateroom guarantee for the first time.  We booked on January 25, 2019 for Carnival Conquest 6 days Eastern Caribbean from Fort Lauderdale, FL on February 24th, 2019.  Normally we always pick our stateroom, but this cruise the Frugal Fairy whacked me on the head and I rolled the dice on a guarantee.  Immediately I felt a little nervous as we have always had either a balcony or interior on a higher deck, and I wasn't sure where we would end up.  But a cruise is a cruise, so I'm sure we would have been fine with any cabin on the ship. After the cruise sold out and disappeared from Carnival's website, and as the days ticked by with no assignment, I started to develop a little irrational fear that the cruise was overbooked and that we might get bumped all together. (Do people worry more about cruises than other types of vacation travel?)  Anyhoo, from Jan. 25 to today (12 days out) we were listed as "To Be Assigned", but today we received nice 4G cabin located on the Verandah deck.  We have picked similar rooms in the past and are very excited.  Not quite a visit from the upgrade fairy, but a pleasant surprise nonetheless. 

[Slugsta]

I'm glad you are pleased with the cabin you have been assigned and wish you a lovely cruise.

 

We have done a few 'guarantee' type bookings with no problems - until the time there was a problem and we have not risked it since!

[Garth2]

I've never heard of someone being bumped due to overbooking on a Carnival ship.

[LightCruiser210]

Apparently, the letters relate to the the "desirability" of the Cabin's location on the ship, as defined by Carnival.  The cabins in each category should be identical in layout and amenities, but the letter designation indicates if it is in a "good" location on the ship.  The scale goes in reverse alphabetical order, so that a 4H cabin is in a "better" location than a 4A.  Of course, all of that is subjective, but this is how Carnival can say that they gave you a two category upgrade and leave you with the same cabin layout. This particular 4G is located on Deck 8 midships, which is close to Lido and pool areas, and is close but not too close to the elevators and stairs.  In my case, I paid the guarantee rate for a 4A and got a 4G, so it works for me.  Probably won't roll the dice again though. 

[English-Greg]

If you are thinking of booking an interior on a guaranteed cabin, we very cautious. Some cabins are only over and under beds and no couple wants that do they? Not sure about sea view but I’ve only done it once and did it with a balcony....actually got a great cabin on deck 10 so was happy about that. Just be wary of the pitfalls

[mama_2_boys]

We had a good experience booking an inside guarantee the last time we cruised. We booked interior guarantee and got a good room and then ended up getting a call from the upsell fairy for a balcony at an excellent rate. Congrats!

[Elaine5715]

1 hour ago, LightCruiser210 said:

Apparently, the letters relate to the the "desirability" of the Cabin's location on the ship, as defined by Carnival.  The cabins in each category should be identical in layout and amenities, but the letter designation indicates if it is in a "good" location on the ship.  The scale goes in reverse alphabetical order, so that a 4H cabin is in a "better" location than a 4A.  Of course, all of that is subjective, but this is how Carnival can say that they gave you a two category upgrade and leave you with the same cabin layout. This particular 4G is located on Deck 8 midships, which is close to Lido and pool areas, and is close but not too close to the elevators and stairs.  In my case, I paid the guarantee rate for a 4A and got a 4G, so it works for me.  Probably won't roll the dice again though. 

This is correct.  However, people think they have "a chance" of getting a balcony or even a suite if they book an inside guarantee.  Similar to people who book economy unassigned seats on some airlines after seeing open seats in First Class and think they will be assigned a seat in First Class.  Also, location preference is subjective to different cruisers. 

[Elaine5715]

20 hours ago, Garth2 said:

I've never heard of someone being bumped due to overbooking on a Carnival ship.

That is because they never overbook, one butt per lifeboat seat.

[pirate4me2]

We booked an interior guarantee a few years back 40 days out from the sailing, and we found out our room assignment about 2 weeks prior to sailing. I was a nervous wreck as I had heard horror stories of people getting rooms that were in loud locations, and a few people that booked guarantees on our roll call got some pretty bad rooms, but we lucked out with a deck 8 aft room. It was a great location, quiet, and we had no problems. Would I book a guarantee room again? Maybe, if the price was right, but I would be a nervous wreck again waiting to find out my luck!

[Acheavacci]

If you don't mind sharing what was the cost savings booking a garentee vs. picking your room?

[LightCruiser210]

It can vary.  I have seen it as high as a $200 difference, as low as $20. It may have something to do with how full the ship is at the time of booking.  On this cruise I didn't have a choice, guarantee was the only option left for an interior cabin when I booked 33 days out.  Once, I booked a balcony guarantee after I saw that there was only one balcony cabin left to choose from.  I ended up being assigned that exact room, for $20 less pp. I didn't really consider that a true guarantee booking, since it seemed obvious which cabin we would be assigned. 

[ZoeyVictoria]

On 2/12/2019 at 3:44 PM, Slugsta said:

 

We have done a few 'guarantee' type bookings with no problems - until the time there was a problem and we have not risked it since!

 

This is exactly my position.  My last guarantee cabin will be my very last guarantee.  Assigned a handicap interior on the Lido deck on Liberty.  Massive bathroom because all that space was taken from the cabin, very little storage space, and just inside the doors to the pool deck, so the noisiest cabin I have ever had.  The next time I try to book a last-minute cruise and find only guarantee cabins are available, I will find something else to do or wait for a later date to cruise.

[Lee Cruiser]

Our only experience with a guaranteed stateroom was on our 3rd cruise.  We were still novice enough that we thought the deal was too good to pass up.  We got a balcony stateroom on a pack and go deal.  We got our assignment pretty quick even though the cruise was a few weeks out.  What we didn't know was that it was a room above a nightclub on deck 6.  The subs were blaring until the wee hours of the morning.  Definitely won't make that mistake again.  Every time since we have paid the extra and chosen the room we want up front.  Always choose an area with rooms above and below.

[coevan]

We would never allow anyone to pick our cabins. 

[katiel53]

We did a balcony guarantee one time because we booked late and the cabin choices we normally would make were already booked.   We weren't crazy about what was left, so decided to save $100 and book a guaranty.  NEVER AGAIN!

 

We got a balcony that was under the Lido so carts rolled all night.  It was also across from the steward's pantry and early mornings the stewards filled their ice buckets in there so that was loud as well as the conversations they had.

 

We decided that if we couldn't get a cabin that was between 2 passenger decks, and not near a pantry, we wouldn't cruise that time.  We'd go a different date and get to choose what we wanted..  So far, that's worked out well.