Guarantee on Insigina

[ricka47]

We'll be on our first Oceania cruise in October and wanted to book a B1 balcony on the Insiginia.  There were no cabins available to chose from but there was an option for a B1 GTY which we took.  That's OK since any of the locations that we might get would be fine with us.

 

But, in the past, I've chosen a GTY because it was a way to save some money.  In this case, it was the only option in the B categories.  It was a GTY for B1 or wait list for B2.  Since there wasn't a cabin to assign, are they basically taking a gamble that someone in a B1 will cancel between now and October 12 even though the final payment has been made?   We'll be happy to accept an upgrade if that doesn't happen!

 

I've read here that some do not have their GTY cabin assignment until they get to the pier.?  That's also OK with us although we've never had that happen before on other cruise lines. Is that a common occurrence on O?

Edited August 5, 2019 by ricka47

[LHT28]

a GTY cabin  means you  will be on the ship someplace

I do not believe O discounts  a GTY status

You may or may not get an assigned cabin prior to check in

You may or may not get an upgrade  you may even get an upsell offer   you just never know

 

Enjoy the cruise

 

 

[ORV]

I've been on a guarantee for our Sept cruise for over a year, and the whole ship shows waitlist. I'm sure they have rooms for those that are in the same situation as us. I have a Nov cruise that we booked as a guarantee and was assigned a room within a week. It has a lot of availability. 

[ricka47]

The ways that cruise lines handle guarantees, upgrades and upsells is a mystery.  I've never been able to see how they decide these things!

[IWantToLiveOverTheSea]

GTYs are nothing to be afraid of unless you like to know in advance what room you'll be in.  Honestly, I don't think there's a bad cabin on O ships, but some might disagree.  The room category and location doesn't matter much to us.  As for how soon before sailing you know your room number, it varies.   Once we got the number a day or two pre-sail, several other times it was maybe around the 3 week mark.  Most of the time, however, it was 1 to 2 weeks pre-sail.  Usually we get the cabin category we booked, very occasionally we get something better.  We are always offered what I call an "upsell" offer.  On occasion we'll take that, but most of the time we won't, as we're happy in the lowly "F" inside cabins.

[GICNJC]

Curious about your comment IWantToLiveOverTheSea.  What was your best upgrade and what was the best up sales you took.  We too have a G Guarantee for a December booking that has been booked since January.   Have once in the past been up solded from inside to balcony for $1100 pp.

[ricka47]

21 minutes ago, GICNJC said:

Curious about your comment IWantToLiveOverTheSea.  What was your best upgrade and what was the best up sales you took.  We too have a G Guarantee for a December booking that has been booked since January.   Have once in the past been up solded from inside to balcony for $1100 pp.

Interested here as well.  We've had a few upgrades over the years.  But, they are not so common now as it's better for the cruise line to offer an upsell and get a few bucks rather than upgrade for free.  A GTY is maybe the best opportunity now for that to happen.

 

We had a nice offer on HAL last year for an Thanksgiving cruise.  We had a balcony and were offered a mini-suite for a couple of hundred dollars total.  It was well worth it for us!

Edited August 5, 2019 by ricka47

[Kingofcool1947]

2 hours ago, ricka47 said:

We'll be on our first Oceania cruise in October and wanted to book a B1 balcony on the Insiginia.  There were no cabins available to chose from but there was an option for a B1 GTY which we took.  That's OK since any of the locations that we might get would be fine with us.

 

But, in the past, I've chosen a GTY because it was a way to save some money.  In this case, it was the only option in the B categories.  It was a GTY for B1 or wait list for B2.  Since there wasn't a cabin to assign, are they basically taking a gamble that someone in a B1 will cancel between now and October 12 even though the final payment has been made?   We'll be happy to accept an upgrade if that doesn't happen!

 

I've read here that some do not have their GTY cabin assignment until they get to the pier.?  That's also OK with us although we've never had that happen before on other cruise lines. Is that a common occurrence on O?

Yes.  That is true.  You may be assigned to a unbooked cabin that nobody wants.  Could be in a bad location, or noisy.   But, if that does not matter to you, go for it.  Save some money.

Good luck.  And enjoy.

[ricka47]

1 minute ago, Kingofcool1947 said:

Yes.  That is true.  You may be assigned to a unbooked cabin that nobody wants.  Could be in a bad location, or noisy.   But, if that does not matter to you, go for it.  Save some money.

Good luck.  And enjoy.

In this case, we didn't save any money.  There wasn't an option to chose a B1 without booking a guarantee. But, we should be OK as it doesn't appear that any of the B1 cabins on the Insignia are in locations that I would not want.

[Kingofcool1947]

36 minutes ago, ricka47 said:

In this case, we didn't save any money.  There wasn't an option to chose a B1 without booking a guarantee. But, we should be OK as it doesn't appear that any of the B1 cabins on the Insignia are in locations that I would not want.

I forgot  to mention.  It’s been my experience, B1 cabin’s are generally in the best locations for balcony cabins.   You should be OK.  👍

Enjoy your cruise.

 

[IWantToLiveOverTheSea]

OK, for those asking for more info on our upgrade/upsell experience: 

 

My spouse and/or I have been cruising on O, about a cruise a year, since 2004 or 2005.  This info includes our combined experience.  We can't remember exact years, amounts, etc. but as far as we can recall, this has been our experience:

 

Our first travel agent (starting 2004 or 2005) supposedly had a very good relationship with O, and we used her for several cruises until she retired.  On one of those early cruises, she managed to get us a free upgrade from a G GTY to a veranda cabin.  On other cruises since those early days (changed TAs along the way when first one retired), I think we were bumped up once again (booked G or F, given a lower-priced veranda), but I may be mistaken.  I'm thinking it's possible we were offered an upsell and decided to take it, rather than given a free upgrade to a veranda.   Most of the time, however, we ended up in the same category as the GTY (G or F), although sometimes we were moved from a G to an F category.  (F's are same as G's, just different locations.  We love the insides in the middle of the ships - easy to get anywhere, very stable location, etc.)  We've never gone from a GTY to an assigned cabin right after booking; but perhaps that's because we always book early, plus we never push to get our cabin assigned.  As I said earlier, I don't feel there are bad cabins on O small ships, although if I had to choose a bad cabin it might be one of the G's down on the same floor as the medical center, or possibly one of the lowest-priced ocean-view cabins on the smaller ships (Regatta, etc.)  The lowest-priced ocean-views on "R" ships are a little bit smaller than the inside cabins, so they may be a little bit more cramped; not sure.  But of course, I would love a tiny porthole, as I'm always looking for lighthouses, and looking out a porthole beats looking for them on the TV (ship's bridge cam) or going upstairs to look outside.  

 

Free upgrades seem to be drying up.  I definitely don't expect any these days, but if one happens, I'll be thrilled.  But given the small number of inside cabins compared to veranda cabins, it's always a possibility.  What seems more likely is upsell offers.  We've only accepted one or two because price-wise they haven't seemed worthwhile to us.  When we did have a veranda, we really didn't use it all that much anyway, and we're pretty basic travelers, so the difference in the room size, amenities, benefits, etc. didn't matter much to us.   As to the price, I honestly don't remember what the offers have been, other than they have always been at least $500 per person (10 day and up cruises).  They were definitely a good deal compared to the ordinary price; we just didn't feel they were right for us. 

 

As far as I can tell, people are offered upsells, when cabins are available, irregardless of whether a person has a GTY or not.  I assume they start with people booked into the lower priced category, call them, and work their way up - but who knows what they do?!  If you might consider an upsell, make sure your TA (if you have one) or O (if you don't have one) has a way to contact you up until cruise time.  If an offer is made, you won't have a lot of time to accept/decline. 

[LHT28]

in the early years I think free upgrades were more common

 

Our 1st O cruise 2004 we booked a D & were on deck 7  now Concierge  but we booked a month out

come the larger O class ships  & upsells came in to vogue  ..everyone wanted on the "new" ships

I think the most we paid for an upsell was $100 pp from a C to B or A  in some cases  we got a free upgrade

 

the revenue dept  is  a strange & mystical beast  😁

[IWantToLiveOverTheSea]

Wow!  I'd spend $100 on ANY upsell, but I'd be shocked if that ever came my way.

 

Actually, I just went on O's website and pulled a list of our past cruises.  I was thinking we had never been in an ocean view cabin.  However, our cruise list shows we got a deluxe ocean view cabin one year (2014).  I know we never booked an OV, so apparently we were upgraded.  I have a picture of me standing in front of a big window on Insignia.  I was also surprised to see that our last two cruises were in the same room - Regatta 8037.  I had no idea that was the case. 

[LHT28]

1 hour ago, IWantToLiveOverTheSea said:

I know we never booked an OV, so apparently we were upgraded.  I have a picture of me standing in front of a big window on Insignia.  I was also surprised to see that our last two cruises were in the same room - Regatta 8037.  I had no idea that was the case. 

You did not notice  it was an OV  when you sailed  ??  😉

[susiesan]

I booked Sirena Jan. 25 substitute Cuba cruise as a C2 deluxe ocean view and was immediately assigned a cabin, 4001 on deck 4. That category is now waitlisted. I am okay with that cabin but was hoping that a guarantee might entail an upgrade to a veranda since the ship is so empty.

 

As a side note, I have a Baltic cruise on Marina for June 26 booked, inside cabin. I was assigned 10050, which is an accessible cabin. Both inside categories are waitlisted. Might O move us up if they need the accessible cabin for someone who truly needs it? Right now, the rest of the ship is wide open, only the bottom 3 categories are waitlisted.

Edited August 7, 2019 by susiesan

[GeorgesGal]

susiesan, you will love the SPACE in 4001!  Those two forward  OV's  -01 and -02 on 4,5 and 6 (I think those are the three decks) are the largest of the OV's due to the space which would have been a balcony is added 

is added to the interior of the room.  

 

now that I've said that, I wonder if deck four will be the same as deck 6, since I don't think deck four has balconies.  : (

 

Donna

[Ephraim]

From my experience with Oceania, a guarantee is assigned only once the upsells are done. They will keep a placemarker for you, but keep the room available so they can upsell someone and then offer them a choice of rooms. 

 

They may even offer an upsell for to you to move categories.

[LHT28]

1 hour ago, GeorgesGal said:

now that I've said that, I wonder if deck four will be the same as deck 6, since I don't think deck four has balconies.  : (

 

Donna

I do not think deck 4  will have the extra space  like  deck 6/7

[nancyshaw]

how can you tell if a cabin has been assigned? by looking on line at your reservations?

[ORV]

1 hour ago, nancyshaw said:

how can you tell if a cabin has been assigned? by looking on line at your reservations?

Yes, or you TA should tell you, ours always does. 

[susiesan]

nancyshaw: yes, that is where I saw the cabin assignment. My invoice from the TA shows guarantee.

 

Deck 4 cabins do not have extra space. That deck has no balconies, just the large picture window. If there is an upsell offer for giving up my cabin, it would have to be to at least a veranda and be no more than $100 pp or I would decline.

[IWantToLiveOverTheSea]

On 8/6/2019 at 6:20 PM, LHT28 said:

You did not notice  it was an OV  when you sailed  ??  😉

Yes, I noticed it was an OV when we sailed.  But that was in 2014 and somewhere along the way I had either forgotten about it or thought the OV was on another cruise line. I remember a lot from my off-ship experiences (wonderful cruise, Iberian Sojourn) but not ship details.  

[nancyshaw]

will keep checking the on line reservations...

 

we have a Cat G guarantee, all insides are sold out...so interesting what we will end up getting...