guarantee cabin allocation

[welshy74]

We have just booked the 27th Aug sailing on Bolette on a guarantee basis.  When does Fred normally allocate the cabin?  Most lines we have sailed with give you your cabin number 2 weeks from departure.  Is the the same with FO?

[tring]

On 7/28/2022 at 3:15 PM, welshy74 said:

We have just booked the 27th Aug sailing on Bolette on a guarantee basis.  When does Fred normally allocate the cabin?  Most lines we have sailed with give you your cabin number 2 weeks from departure.  Is the the same with FO?

 

We have not booked a lot of guarantee cruises with Fred, but when we have, the cabin number was always shown on our tickets, which become available to print out from the, "Manage my Cruises" section of Fred's website, three weeks before the sailing date.  That three weeks tends to be adherred to, though luggage labels will also show the cabin number and turn up on your doorstep a week or two before the cruise start date.  Hence should not be long now before you know your cabin number,

 

Hope you enjoy the cruise,

 

Barbara 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Eglesbrech]

10 hours ago, tring said:

 

We have not booked a lot of guarantee cruises with Fred, but when we have, the cabin number was always shown on our tickets, which become available to print out from the, "Manage my Cruises" section of Fred's website, three weeks before the sailing date.  That three weeks tends to be adherred to, though luggage labels will also show the cabin number and turn up on your doorstep a week or two before the cruise start date.  Hence should not be long now before you know your cabin number,

 

Hope you enjoy the cruise,

 

Barbara 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’m glad you were able to answer the OP Barbara. It’s been a while since we had a guarantee so I wasn’t sure if my information was up to date but my last was just as you describe above in terms of being allocated a cabin.

[tring]

3 hours ago, Eglesbrech said:

I’m glad you were able to answer the OP Barbara. It’s been a while since we had a guarantee so I wasn’t sure if my information was up to date but my last was just as you describe above in terms of being allocated a cabin.

 

We have done a couple since covid, so I would put my money on it turning up to print 6th August. 

 

Apart from the late offers, Fred is loosing his appeal, though a recent 3 weeks on Ambience has tempered my feelings a lot regards that.  Whilst Fred may not be strong go to option, even on his better itineraries now, Ambassador are totally off our radar!  We have some P&O ones booked over the next year or so, will be interesting to see how we feel about those, given we have booked  good balcony cabins and hole up there as an option if the ships lack appeal.

 

If Fred persists with his UK departure only policy, it will be sad for us.   I rang last week asking if they have, or are thinking of, releasing part of the Around Africa Itinerary for 23/24 and they seem to have no plans for that at all, claiming the long cruises are selling well, though my exploration of his booking system does not seem to confirm that!  I can see he would find it very difficult to secure flights as a one off contract (and is presumably why his flights are always expensive), but we would want to arrange are own flights as part of a long haul jaunt, if covid problems diminish (and we are trying to be optimistic about that).  Whilst we would not do the full cruise, a lengthy sector would suite us fine on that itinerary, perhaps half of it.  I wonder if he will partner with an agent who can offer flights etc. -  if he does, we could no doubt get the agent to book us on our preferred flights and longer hotel stay(s), perhaps with a private tour.  Will keep looking at his offerings, but nothing likely for us over the next year as we plan to try out other options.  May return to Azamara as another option.

 

When I rang Fred, there was a mention of a shorter round trip to the Caribbean mentioned.  My response was that we have booked one of those with P&O who are much cheaper - pointing out Fred's advantage is the itineraries.  I do think Fred is in a little world of his own regards what people will actually book.  His itineraries are getting less adventurous as time goes on, though still better than some.

 

Happy holidays,

 

Barbara

 

Edited August 1, 2022 by tring