GTY experience

[lovetocruise/diamond]

Our first time booking a gty cabin on the Anthem, what has been your experience??  good and bad.

It doesn’t state cabin category just GTY

[FrannyK]

We have booked balcony cabin guarantees three times.  Twice assigned nice cabins in lowest balcony category, once nice cabin in two balcony categories above,   One of these cabins was a connecting cabin which I was not thrilled about so I called my TA and he called RCI and had our cabin switched.  So, if you don't like what you are assigned there's a chance you can change it I think.

 

 

[OCSC Mike]

Yes, if you don’t like your assignment you can call & ask to be switched to any available cabin in the same exact category (if booked from the US).

 

I switched a GTY as recently as July.

[reallyitsmema]

1 hour ago, lovetocruise/diamond said:

Our first time booking a gty cabin on the Anthem, what has been your experience??  good and bad.

It doesn’t state cabin category just GTY

 

What category guarantee did you book?  If you booked a balcony guaranty, you are likely to get an obstructed view balcony on deck 6.  

[EBFURR]

We just did our first balcony GTY on RCCL. Harmony on Oct 16. We are not unhappy with our assignment. The cabin number showed up on our docs about 4 weeks prior to cruise date but there was a "hack" somebody posted on that other platform. Around 45 days out the documents showed up on our planner but the cabin number still showed as GTY. There was a barcode on the documents however and if you scanned it you get a series of numbers. The last 4 are your cabin number even though it doesn't show up yet on the documents. 

[OCSC Mike]

1 hour ago, EBFURR said:

there was a "hack" somebody posted on that other platform. Around 45 days out the documents showed up on our planner but the cabin number still showed as GTY. There was a barcode on the documents however and if you scanned it you get a series of numbers. The last 4 are your cabin number even though it doesn't show up yet on the documents.

 

Commonly known as "the barcode trick." It can also be done by adding your set sail pass to your Apple wallet in the app if you're an iPhone user.

[3kidsncats]

Except it doesn’t work if your set sail pass is a blank screen 😂😩

 

I can’t really tell you my experience as I’m still in the middle of it. So far, it’s making me crazy as I always carefully select our cabin.  But we are trying to keep our upcoming 3 night to a really strict budget for a change.  Trying out the “empty nest, we can cruise when we want to, book cheap close to cruise date” concept.  But so far, at just over a month out, we can’t access anything related to docs (set sail pass, tags, etc) and have no room assignment.  It’s not the end of the world, we know we will have a cabin and it’s a short cruise so we can manage with whatever our assignment ends up being.  But like I said, it is making me a tad nuts, lol.

Edited September 25, 2022 by 3kidsncats

[OCSC Mike]

9 minutes ago, 3kidsncats said:

Except it doesn’t work if your set sail pass is a blank screen 😂😩

 

I can’t really tell you my experience as I’m still in the middle of it. So far, it’s making me crazy as I always carefully select our cabin.  But we are trying to keep our upcoming 3 night to a really strict budget for a change.  Trying out the “empty nest, we can cruise when we want to, book cheap close to cruise date” concept.  But so far, at just over a month out, we can’t access anything related to docs (set sail pass, tags, etc) and have no room assignment.  It’s not the end of the world, we know we will have a cabin and it’s a short cruise so we can manage with whatever our assignment ends up being.  But like I said, it is making me a tad nuts, lol.

 

Yeah, I'm experiencing the same issue. I did get my edocs 30 days out yesterday and now know my deck number from the info page and that we're forward starboard from the luggage tag at least. I just want the official assignment b/c that's not our preferred location although we'd be fine with it.

[Another_Critic]

My guarantee experience on Quantum/Anthem.

 

Booked inside (virtual balcony) guarantee, assigned deck 13 oceanview balcony

Booked balcony guarantee, assigned deck 6 forward (non-obstructed) oceanview balcony

Booked balcony guarantee, assigned deck 7 mid-ship oceanview balcony

Booked inside (virtual balcony) guarantee, assigned deck 3 oceanview cabin

Booked balcony guarantee, assigned deck 10 forward oceanview balcony

 

YMMV

 

[Engineroom Snipe]

 

Booked a guaranteed interior on Oasis in June for Sept 11 cruise. Informed of muster station with barcode 45 day previous to embarkation. Read barcode and room 11549 appeared. Bid on Royal Up for multiple rooms at lowest rates (no expectation of acceptance because the ship had high occupancy rate). Traveled in room 11549, forward interior 179 sq ft room. We loved it. Very quiet and secluded. Little movement. I would roll the dice again.

[Cruise4Jesus]

We have always gotten better cabin than paid for, and will not hesitate to book GTY again.

Have gone from interior room to balcony, interior to Oceanview. Most have within the same room category, but always an upgraded location.

Don't sweat it, you may be pleasantly surprised.

Also please remember room location is subjective, what is bad location for one person may a preferred location for another.

[EleventyBangBang]

Did an interior guarantee on Anthem a few years back.  They gave us 13631 - a larger interior, kind of in a weird spot off by itself.  We were worried about noise because it was directly underneath the kids pool, but we didn't hear a thing.

 

The "virtual balcony" was neat.

 

[Mum2Mercury]

8 hours ago, 3kidsncats said:

Except it doesn’t work if your set sail pass is a blank screen 😂😩

 

I can’t really tell you my experience as I’m still in the middle of it. So far, it’s making me crazy as I always carefully select our cabin.  But we are trying to keep our upcoming 3 night to a really strict budget for a change.  Trying out the “empty nest, we can cruise when we want to, book cheap close to cruise date” concept.  But so far, at just over a month out, we can’t access anything related to docs (set sail pass, tags, etc) and have no room assignment.  It’s not the end of the world, we know we will have a cabin and it’s a short cruise so we can manage with whatever our assignment ends up being.  But like I said, it is making me a tad nuts, lol.

Did I write this?  I could have done so.  

 

Seriously, we're in your shoes:  We're recent retirees; for the first time in our lives, we can vacation when we want, and it's just the two of us.  We're also young retirees -- barely mid-50s -- so we need to be budget-minded.  It'll be years 'til we can touch the majority of our savings, which is in 401Ks, and our money must last decades.  And Social Security is still years away.  So we want to be able to travel, but these aren't our years to be lavish with our spending.  We choose to travel more often in basic rooms.   

 

We opted for a guarantee for our cruise earlier this month.  Here's how it went: 

- Like you, I was just about insane wanting to know our room number -- I hate-hate-hated that part of the system, but the savings were pretty substantial.  

- We don't have iPhones, but the "barcode trick" worked for us.  We started trying at the 45 day mark as soon as the barcode showed up on our Set Sail Pass, and initially it said GYT, but (about three days into trying) our room number showed up.  Then it returned to GYT, and I wasn't sure what that meant -- but it returned to the same number a couple days later.

- We were beyond thrilled with our assignment.  I couldn't have picked a better room if I'd tried.  

- We signed up for a Next Cruise onboard, and we went for a guarantee again.  I think this is "our style" for the foreseeable future.  I would want to pick my own cabin if we were traveling with family members /wanted to be sure we would be placed next to one another.  I would also pick my own cabin if we were doing a B2B; I would not want to change cabins mid-trip.

- My thoughts on how to be happy with your choice:  Look at your potential ship and determine how many rooms exist in each category -- so you'll have an idea of where you're likely to fall.  Assume you'll be placed in the lowest room in your category (for example, if you go with a suite guarantee, assume you'll be in a junior suite -- don't start dreaming of a grand suite for a guarantee price).  Be honest with yourself about what room will make you happy.  

- You can always log on and pretend you're making a new booking online /see what rooms are still left.  You won't get a certain answer, of course, but you'll maybe narrow things down.

- If you're going for the cheapest-of-the-cheap -- the interior guarantee -- I personally think you have a good chance of ending up mid-ship.  Why?  Because mid-ship costs $30-100 extra, and most people who go interior go for the cheapest price /won't pay that extra bit.  And that leaves the mid-ship rooms for the guarantees.  Just my opinion based upon small experience.  

Edited September 26, 2022 by Mum2Mercury

[Mum2Mercury]

4 hours ago, Engineroom Snipe said:

 

Booked a guaranteed interior on Oasis in June for Sept 11 cruise. Informed of muster station with barcode 45 day previous to embarkation. Read barcode and room 11549 appeared. Bid on Royal Up for multiple rooms at lowest rates (no expectation of acceptance because the ship had high occupancy rate). Traveled in room 11549, forward interior 179 sq ft room. We loved it. Very quiet and secluded. Little movement. I would roll the dice again.

Yep, we also learned our muster station before our room number -- and I tried my best to figure out the floor /area based upon that muster station, but it was to no avail.  It was the barcode trick that told me my room number.

[stjohnbeachlover]

Just off the Enchantment of the Seas last week. We booked an interior guaranty and was assigned 4549. Pros: it was towards the center of the ship so relatively close to everything. Cons: Under the casino and a connecting room. The first couple days we could hear the people next to us coughing a lot. We could hear a lot of scraping of chairs being moved around in the casino. It wasn't enough to wake us up but it was hard to go to sleep with it going on. It only lasted an hour or two a day and it was always at different times each day. If I had booked and chosen my room, I probably wouldn't have picked this room but it wouldn't keep me from booking a guaranty again. This is my fourth guaranty and this was the only one I didn't really love.

[FireEMT978]

I just tried the "Barcode trick" on my Android. To no luck, Not sure if I did it correctly. I sail on Harmony on October 2nd. Any other words of advice to try to figure it out? The only barcode that I found to scan, was my seapass on the app.

[Rubyfisch]

1 hour ago, stjohnbeachlover said:

Just off the Enchantment of the Seas last week. We booked an interior guaranty and was assigned 4549. Pros: it was towards the center of the ship so relatively close to everything. Cons: Under the casino and a connecting room. The first couple days we could hear the people next to us coughing a lot. We could hear a lot of scraping of chairs being moved around in the casino. It wasn't enough to wake us up but it was hard to go to sleep with it going on. It only lasted an hour or two a day and it was always at different times each day. If I had booked and chosen my room, I probably wouldn't have picked this room but it wouldn't keep me from booking a guaranty again. This is my fourth guaranty and this was the only one I didn't really love.

I'm going on Enchantment in December and originally booked an interior guaranty - then I looked at the deck plans are realized that basically only some of the cabins on deck three have rooms above and below them. Luckily, I came to that realization at point when there was a good price drop, and ended up being able to pick an ocean view for less than I originally booked for.

 

Pre-pandemic, I booked a guaranty on Freedom and was which happy with it, although we were all the way forward on a high deck.

[3kidsncats]

2 hours ago, Mum2Mercury said:

Did I write this?  I could have done so.  

 

Seriously, we're in your shoes:  We're recent retirees; for the first time in our lives, we can vacation when we want, and it's just the two of us.  We're also young retirees -- barely mid-50s -- so we need to be budget-minded.  It'll be years 'til we can touch the majority of our savings, which is in 401Ks, and our money must last decades.  And Social Security is still years away.  So we want to be able to travel, but these aren't our years to be lavish with our spending.  We choose to travel more often in basic rooms.   

 

We opted for a guarantee for our cruise earlier this month.  Here's how it went: 

- Like you, I was just about insane wanting to know our room number -- I hate-hate-hated that part of the system, but the savings were pretty substantial.  

- We don't have iPhones, but the "barcode trick" worked for us.  We started trying at the 45 day mark as soon as the barcode showed up on our Set Sail Pass, and initially it said GYT, but (about three days into trying) our room number showed up.  Then it returned to GYT, and I wasn't sure what that meant -- but it returned to the same number a couple days later.

- We were beyond thrilled with our assignment.  I couldn't have picked a better room if I'd tried.  

- We signed up for a Next Cruise onboard, and we went for a guarantee again.  I think this is "our style" for the foreseeable future.  I would want to pick my own cabin if we were traveling with family members /wanted to be sure we would be placed next to one another.  I would also pick my own cabin if we were doing a B2B; I would not want to change cabins mid-trip.

- My thoughts on how to be happy with your choice:  Look at your potential ship and determine how many rooms exist in each category -- so you'll have an idea of where you're likely to fall.  Assume you'll be placed in the lowest room in your category (for example, if you go with a suite guarantee, assume you'll be in a junior suite -- don't start dreaming of a grand suite for a guarantee price).  Be honest with yourself about what room will make you happy.  

- You can always log on and pretend you're making a new booking online /see what rooms are still left.  You won't get a certain answer, of course, but you'll maybe narrow things down.

- If you're going for the cheapest-of-the-cheap -- the interior guarantee -- I personally think you have a good chance of ending up mid-ship.  Why?  Because mid-ship costs $30-100 extra, and most people who go interior go for the cheapest price /won't pay that extra bit.  And that leaves the mid-ship rooms for the guarantees.  Just my opinion based upon small experience.  

Love it — I always choose our cabin outside of winning bids (which we’ve done a few times), so this is very new to me.  Last year was our year of living large (due to a small inheritance and the low prices when travel resumed post covid).  I knew pricing was going to sky rocket at some point, so we got our vaccines and booked a bunch of travel (5 cruises last year — two weeks of which were in an OS, and 10 days in a JS on Anthem, all via Royal Up).  And we did our dream trip to Europe with a blend of ultra high end elements at a fraction of the usual price and average accommodations.  High end meals, and budget.  Mixed it up and had the experience of a life time.  We knew that this meant our travel choices in the up coming years would be budget.  But we are good with that, and are within an hour of a cruise port, so we can do last minute when we want.  For a 7 day cruise I am more concerned about a noisy (ie, under the casino or club) location, but for a 3 night it’s not a big deal.  I can’t even get the bar code, the muster station, or anything other than the code: GTY.  I guess I will just keep checking obsessively until I know.

[Cruiser Nonna]

Booked for the first time balcony guarantee and was assigned an obstructed balcony (lowest category) so then bid on oceanview balcony and larger oceanview balcony - assigned oceanview balcony in the lowest category and not a great location - so even though the rate was lower - feel I did not do well on this and probably would not do it again - and it does not matter what your level is - we are Diamond Plus - think I would rather just pay more and know where the cabin is - have a great cruise

[vegascruiser1]

We booked our 1st guarantee balcony. Check in was 9/23 and as of today I still do not have a set sail pass. It says it can’t show the set sail pass and proceed to the check in counter at the port. Driving me crazy. I am not worried about location it is only a 4 night cruise and it was a ridiculously low price. 

[Joseph2017China]

GTY is a gamble, to save money, and have done it 2 times, and both times, had no complaints.  One time, I had the room 1 week prior.  

[OCSC Mike]

9 hours ago, vegascruiser1 said:

We booked our 1st guarantee balcony. Check in was 9/23 and as of today I still do not have a set sail pass. It says it can’t show the set sail pass and proceed to the check in counter at the port. Driving me crazy. I am not worried about location it is only a 4 night cruise and it was a ridiculously low price. 

 

Same boat here but I checked in 17 days ago.

[davy jones]

When we have done guarantees, we have ended up OK.  The one that concerned us most was a very late upgrade to a balcony.  We were assigned one at the front of the ship and had motion concerns.  The sailing was calm so it turned out well.  

[Norwich Cruiser]

We’ve booked guaranteed cabins three times now and each time got the grade we had booked and were happy with the cabin given.

 

Our daughter once did a really late booking some like four or five days before sail date on Splendour of the seas she booked a guaranteed inside and was upgraded to a junior suite.

[Jetdriver787]

Booked a balcony gty on Anthem for next May last week. Got cabin assignment 2 days later. It was fine.