Guaranteed cabin experience?

[nowornever]

Can you please share your experience if you've taken a guarantee?  Happy ending?  Not so much?  The process?  I'm a bit scared of it...your thoughts?

[WesW]

Two weeks ago (due to single supplement of $0) booked a Vista GTY on the Shadow Singapore to Singapore (boards less than two weeks).  After a week of checking mysilversea section documents section of this cruise, my booking changed from Vista GTY to a wonderful mid ship V3 (656).

[gogo65]

Interested to hear the replies.

We've recently booked a vista GTY on silver cloud.

There was no option to choose a cabin, so if we wanted to go on the cruise it was our only option.

I’m checking pretty frequently for a cabin allocation but my research has led me to believe it won’t be allocated until a week or so prior to departure.

I’ts fully paid for so I’ll just have to take what I’m allocated.

[Unibok]

Have booked Panorama GTY on two different sailings (Muse and Spirit), in part because they tend to issue only GTY for the Panoramas in case the Owner's Suites fill with folks wanting the second bedroom. In both cases, I've been upgraded to a 5th deck veranda more than 6 months prior to the actual voyage: 520 and 514. Like Wes, I also learned about these suite assignments by checking the documents section of mysilversea. I would have been perfectly happy in a Panorama, but am also delighted to have a veranda.

 

When my aim is to get on the ship at the lowest possible cost (sometimes it is), I won't hesitate to book a Vista GTY. Other times, I am wanting a particular experience and will pay to make sure I have a particular suite.

[megavfm]

We booked a Vista GTY (all that was available Vista-wise) in July 2018 for a Shadow cruise in April 2019. Like WesW & Unibok, we discovered via the documents section of mysilversea that we were assigned an upgraded cabin - a V3 on deck 8; a very pleasant surprise.  This occurred in January 2019.

Is loyalty a part of the GTY algorithm? I gather WesW & Unibok have undertaken many (an understatement no doubt) cruises with SS, however, this is our first cruise with SS.  So if another consideration is to entice 1st timers back to SS then from our overall experience so far with SS is that they’re doing a good job at that, but I’ll reserve final judgement after the cruise.

It would be interesting to hear the outcomes of those who have booked a GTY cabin after only a few cruises with SS.

We share a similar perspective to Unibok; we would have been quite happy and prepared for a Vista cabin, but are also delighted to have a veranda.  Best wishes.
 

[johanc]

I am on the same Shadow cruise sin_sin march 21

I booked this cruise a year ago on board the Explorer. I had to pay the cruise in full within a month.

After a few months my TA had a better offer with direct flights in buisiness class for a very reasonable 1000 euro more.

SS allowed my TA to rebook en keep the "advantages"

I think I did not get any advantage booking en paying a year ago, the price was not better, they gave me  no upgrade no OBC so booking on board is a scam to me

[jollyjones]

4 hours ago, johanc said:

I am on the same Shadow cruise sin_sin march 21

I booked this cruise a year ago on board the Explorer. I had to pay the cruise in full within a month.

After a few months my TA had a better offer with direct flights in buisiness class for a very reasonable 1000 euro more.

SS allowed my TA to rebook en keep the "advantages"

I think I did not get any advantage booking en paying a year ago, the price was not better, they gave me  no upgrade no OBC so booking on board is a scam to me

 

I'm guessing that you didn't quite understand that the paying in full within a month gave you the 10% off Early Booking Bonus (EBB) - if you had not done that, your fare when you originally booked it would have been 10% more so you did get the advantage, it's not a scam. Look at your quote and see if "10% early booking bonus" is showing as the first deduction after "Silver privilege fare". If it's not, then I don't know why you 'had to pay in full within a month'.

 

If it's there, that's the 'advantage' you kept when you had the booking re-fared for the new offer.

[nowornever]

How about experiences with Wait List bookings?

[Emtbsam]

15 hours ago, nowornever said:

How about experiences with Wait List bookings?

We waitlisted a cabin upgrade on this year's world cruise, and it came through about 120 days prior to sailing.  I was surprised that it did come through at all, but quite pleased.

[Pearl131313]

Some risk with guarantee suites. If you do not like location - eg: under pool deck & hear deck chairs moved around etc, you have no choice but to accept that. Personally, I like to be mid ship with passengers above & below, & either side & on a low deck on smaller ships so less motion. I initially tried to book my Shadow cruise with Silversea & the salesperson would not allocate a suite number. I then consulted a Cruise specialist & hey presto! I got the suite # I wanted AND it was less expensive than the SS offer. Good Luck with your booking

[nowornever]

Very pleased to report that the Wait List cleared - only took a week - and, because it's a four segment Grand Voyage, we will have to move cabins after #2 but it's just next door & maybe something will change by then.  It's a bit further forward than my preference but it will be fine (or I'll keep telling myself that!)  Thank you all for sharing your experiences.

[TGBoss]

We booked a Vista GTY (no choice)  and paid the deposit last month. Final payment is due end of this month. Just checked and have been assigned a cabin - just a regular Vista suite. Maybe will still get lucky with the upgrade fairy!!

 

[Silver Spectre]

On 3/10/2019 at 1:53 AM, nowornever said:

How about experiences with Wait List bookings?

We had been waitlisted for 2 segments on the 2020 WC since April last year and they finally came through on April 1st, although there had been rumours of a sold out ship. They are only for a Vista GTY at present.

[nowornever]

But you're on the ship looking out rather watching while it sails off without you!  Congrats on clearing the WL.  Hard to make plans when you are in limbo, isn't it?

[Silver Spectre]

47 minutes ago, nowornever said:

But you're on the ship looking out rather watching while it sails off without you!  Congrats on clearing the WL.  Hard to make plans when you are in limbo, isn't it?

Very difficult, and as for the flights, have wait until we get back from this one.

[Stumblefoot]

10 hours ago, TGBoss said:

Just checked and have been assigned a cabin - just a regular Vista suite. Maybe will still get lucky with the upgrade fairy!!

Not to bust your bubble, but highly, highly unlikely.

[gogo65]

16 hours ago, TGBoss said:

We booked a Vista GTY (no choice)  and paid the deposit last month. Final payment is due end of this month. Just checked and have been assigned a cabin - just a regular Vista suite. Maybe will still get lucky with the upgrade fairy!!

 

What month is your cruise departing? We booked mid February, paid in full 1 week later for a cruise in July and still dont have a cabin allocated, I check every day!

[TGBoss]

gogo65 - Feb 2020. it surprised me that it was assigned so early!

[Randyk47]

15 hours ago, Stumblefoot said:

Not to bust your bubble, but highly, highly unlikely.

 

Unfortunately agree.  Unless something has changed under RCCL Silversea is very reluctant to upgrade a passenger out of their basic category.  They obviously will move passengers if there is an issue with a cabin like plumbing or electrical and maybe there's nothing available but a higher category cabin but that's about it.  I know from experience that higher level cabins sail empty and even if requested Silversea wants the full fare difference if you ask to be upgraded. 

[Unibok]

49 minutes ago, Randyk47 said:

 

Unfortunately agree.  Unless something has changed under RCCL Silversea is very reluctant to upgrade a passenger out of their basic category.  They obviously will move passengers if there is an issue with a cabin like plumbing or electrical and maybe there's nothing available but a higher category cabin but that's about it.  I know from experience that higher level cabins sail empty and even if requested Silversea wants the full fare difference if you ask to be upgraded. 

 

I wonder if something has changed, as I was upgraded from a Vista to a V3 a few days before sailing last February. Another solo woman on my voyage was as well; we chatted about what an unexpected and delightful surprise that was. Her upgrade was a week or so before mine, and I know that she has more Venetian days than I do. Our guess was that the upgrades are in order of loyalty. They seem to be rare, still, but no longer unheard of.

[Randyk47]

23 minutes ago, Unibok said:

 

I wonder if something has changed, as I was upgraded from a Vista to a V3 a few days before sailing last February. Another solo woman on my voyage was as well; we chatted about what an unexpected and delightful surprise that was. Her upgrade was a week or so before mine, and I know that she has more Venetian days than I do. Our guess was that the upgrades are in order of loyalty. They seem to be rare, still, but no longer unheard of.

 

Maybe things have or will change.  Actually it seems like they really draw the line when it comes to potentially being upgraded from a Veranda to a Silver Suite.  That is the really big price break and difference and depending on the cruise can run double or more the Veranda rate.  I won't say a free upgrade at that level hasn't or doesn't happen, outside of a mechanical issue, but I have never heard of it.  When I say upgraded I do mean at no additional cost, certainly people have bought their way up but per at least one HD that would have been at the full fare cost difference. 

Edited April 18, 2019 by Randyk47

[Randyk47]

Oops....double post.

Edited April 18, 2019 by Randyk47

[Tothesunset]

Upgrading would cost nothing were it to be done occasionally for loyal customers. But I can understand that upgrading routinely would be likely to result in increased sales of cheaper suites to those expecting a chance of an upgrade. 

 

However, the outstanding thing about SS is that, throughout the voyage, all punters are treated the same regardless of suite level. 

[Observer]

45 minutes ago, Tothesunset said:

However, the outstanding thing about SS is that, throughout the voyage, all punters are treated the same regardless of suite level. 

 

I strongly agree that this is a comparative advantage of Silversea and is one of the (many!) reasons I sail SS.  A few special -- largely invisible -- perks (e.g., laundry and premium wifi) are directed to suite guests.  This equalitarianism extends to pre-sailing -- with SS avoiding giving guests who pay more earlier access to tour and restaurant bookings.

[Stumblefoot]

3 hours ago, Tothesunset said:

However, the outstanding thing about SS is that, throughout the voyage, all punters are treated the same regardless of suite level. 

Amen!  We switch between Vistas and Verandas depending on itinerary and the service is the same every time regardless of suite type.