Jump to content

Guarentee Cabin what it means


NIkkiGR
 Share

Recommended Posts

We are part of the  passengers moved from Zuiderdam to Volendam for our Sept 2021 24 day Mediterranean Cruise. We had booked VE cabin & have recently been informed we will have a guaranteed BC cabin.  Could someone please shed a light what this means exactly 

Edited by NIkkiGR
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, NIkkiGR said:

That is what I thought, read here that someone did not want a guarantee room so I was wondering about it. 

If you have the option of selecting your own cabin, there are people who will pay extra to select their own cabin, rather than letting the cruise line pick one from those left over. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On the negative side of a "guarantee" is the fact that you "may" get a BC cabin under a kitchen, or the theater, or some other "undesirable" location.   And those "undesirable" locations can be really unexpected.   We like to think of ourselves as experienced cruisers, but for our last (NC L) cruise we accepted a guarantee as we could see no downside.   Well, we ended up with a cabin just above the waterline, near the bow where it sounded like we were in a washing machine all night from the sound of the bow waves.....   A bit of research on this when we got back revealed a LOT of people bitching about that.....

 

While the vast majority of cruisers have no clue how to research these locations, some do, and those people would never accept a "guarantee".   So if you are particular .......

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Our one and only guarantee was many years ago on the Maasdam.  I missed the J cabin near the bow when looking at the deck plan but they put us in it.  When the thrusters were activated for docking (you know at 5 or 6 am) it sounded like a lawn mower running in our cabin.  We complained repeatedly and finally were moved but it was enough for us to skip guarantees going forward.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Whenever you book a "guarantee" cabin category, you should assume that you will get that category, so be sure that you are fine with all the cabin locations in that (and higher) category.  With HAL being so aggressive on using upsells, the chances of getting upgraded to a higher category are lower than what they used to be.  

 

For example, I often book a Signature Suite and most times get an upsell offer to a Neptune Suite for a total fare of far less than the lowest category Neptune.  When taking the upsell offer I usually ask for an SA category cabin and generally get it.  I know several situations where I ended up in a higher level Neptune than people on that cruise who booked Neptune guarantees (and paid alot more than I did) - fair, no, but thats how it often works out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@NIkkiGRThere are only 4 BC cabins on Volendam and they are located towards the aft of deck 7. They are the lowest category of Vista Suite. This is the minimum category you will be allocated.

Other Vista Suite categories are BB, B, AA and A. which are located on decks 6 and 7.

 

HAL have problems in that there are no actual 'Verandah' cabins on Volendam, so they will have to upgrade you to a Vista Suite.  They are probable burning the midnight oil to try to allocate cabins to everyone, as Zuiderdam is a larger ship than Volendam.  

 

Edited by VMax1700
Link to comment
Share on other sites

We never roll the dice with a guarantee. Too many variables that could lead to an undesirable cabin location.

 

When you think about it, guarantees are assigned last, after all the 'good' cabin locations have already been pre-selected.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The BC category is a base price “holding area”.  You will get BC or better with a guarantee,  you may get a higher category but maybe not a better stateroom.  If you actually want a specific BC cabin you can have it if you specify the cabin number and ask for no upgrade.  Even if all the BC’s staterooms were booked, HAL would still sell BC guarantees.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, KroozNut said:

We never roll the dice with a guarantee. Too many variables that could lead to an undesirable cabin location.

 

When you think about it, guarantees are assigned last, after all the 'good' cabin locations have already been pre-selected.

We have had excellent results with guarantee balcony cabins on multiple lines.   Probably 15 plus.  Including HAL VE of which there are actually very few cabins in that class.   Never disappointed with the location.   On our last Carnival guarantee booked three days prior to blast off, we ended up in the highest cat. balcony that was a primo location. I suspect the previous assignee got upgraded at the last minute.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, FredT said:

On the negative side of a "guarantee" is the fact that you "may" get a BC cabin under a kitchen, or the theater, or some other "undesirable" location. 

You won't find a BC cabin on the Volendam under a galley or the theatre. The cabin is on a higher deck. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I purposely don't book a guarantee cabin because I am one of the "choosy" ones as to where I reside on a cruise.  But, on some long cruises, i.e. world cruises, if booking a segment, there is no choice.  One accepts what HAL offers.

 

My sole experience with this was with a guarantee cabin on Amsterdam's Dolphin Deck where I prefer to "live".  I received a one cabin category upgrade to a cabin almost in the same location on Main Deck.  It was OK and I got used to the sounds of those walking/running on the Lower Promenade Deck above my cabin.  For 17 days, it was satisfactory.  For an entire world cruise or any cruise that had more than those 17 days:  I would not have been pleased.  

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I booked inside guarantees and was always pleased until I got an inside cabin on the Noordam that was 125 sq. ft. ☹️  Not only was it tiny, it was poorly laid out.  It was the only cabin where I had a bout of claustrophobia, and had to open the door one night and turn on the light.  I didn't care who saw me in my pjs, I thought the walls were closing in on me. 

 

Since that time I've had a couple of Neptune guarantees on short Coastal cruises.  They've all been good.  I mean, it's a Neptune suite after all.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 hours ago, RuthC said:

You won't find a BC cabin on the Volendam under a galley or the theatre. The cabin is on a higher deck. 

LOL....  Leave it to you  Ruth...   When I was writing that post I was thinking that I should research the Volendam to make sure of what I was writing.    BUT, my thought was that my comments were more "theoretical" than precise....   (You don't KNOW what is above or below you if you accept a guarantee...) 

 

But anyway, you got me.  😁 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

24 minutes ago, FredT said:

LOL....  Leave it to you  Ruth...   When I was writing that post I was thinking that I should research the Volendam to make sure of what I was writing.    BUT, my thought was that my comments were more "theoretical" than precise....   (You don't KNOW what is above or below you if you accept a guarantee...) 

 

But anyway, you got me.  😁 

I wouldn't want anyone who does not know the ships, and is considering booking on one of them, to think a guarantee holds the possibility you posted. There are, of course, downsides to most every cabin category (Penthouse Suite may be an exception), but the one we're discussing isn't one of them. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've booked guarantees with HAL for a long time and have done just fine with them. What I usually do is book a MM or NN cabin very early and as time goes on, and price drops, I get upgraded. Then sometimes I take an upsell. I went from an MM inside to a C once, but I didn't get that cabin until 3 days before I sailed. What I do end up with is the adjoining cabins so I have one less closet, but since I am usually sailing alone, it doesn't matter. Of course, that was the PRECOVID HAL. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Does anybody know the numbers of the best and largest signature suite cabins on the Noordam.  We are lucky enough to be using up a rather large credit from HAL from our cancellation last March and now another for this next March both with extra % for them keeping the deposit. I like the look of the cabins on the slant where the ship jogs in and out.  Has anybody been in these and are there any drawbacks? Got to keep trying to cruise! 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Brentwood Bay said:

Does anybody know the numbers of the best and largest signature suite cabins on the Noordam.  We are lucky enough to be using up a rather large credit from HAL from our cancellation last March and now another for this next March both with extra % for them keeping the deposit. I like the look of the cabins on the slant where the ship jogs in and out.  Has anybody been in these and are there any drawbacks? Got to keep trying to cruise! 

 

The cabins are well laid out IMO. And a lot of people like these jut out cabins.

We had one once and I wouldn’t book it again.  It may depend on where you are sailing but I found the wind would hit at both ends so there was little of the verandah I could use many times and times I couldn’t use it at all and I am a pretty determined person 😉 

 

but, it is a bigger verandah IMO and the layout of our room was really well done.  Not sure if it was really bigger (I don’t bring a tape measure on board) but the layout made it more spacious.

 

JME.  Hope this helps.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, Brentwood Bay said:

Does anybody know the numbers of the best and largest signature suite cabins on the Noordam.  We are lucky enough to be using up a rather large credit from HAL from our cancellation last March and now another for this next March both with extra % for them keeping the deposit. I like the look of the cabins on the slant where the ship jogs in and out.  Has anybody been in these and are there any drawbacks? Got to keep trying to cruise! 

We also like the "jut out" Signatures.  They are 8094 and 8099 on the Noordam.  You MIGHT get a bit of noise from above however, as some of the Vista class ships (not sure about Noordam) have a tiled dining area right above.  I also like the easy access to the aft elevators and stairs (great access to Lido dining).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 11/19/2020 at 10:44 AM, dfilpus said:

If you have the option of selecting your own cabin, there are people who will pay extra to select their own cabin, rather than letting the cruise line pick one from those left over. 

We originally did pick our own cabin but this is the cabin category that was assigned to us following the switch from Zuiderdam to Volendam. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share

  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...