When is a guaranteed stateroom assigned?

[Sigyn]

I booked a balcony stateroom on the Prima yesterday, but they didn't have any specific cabins available, so it defaulted to a guaranteed "best available" stateroom. I had to pay in full because our cruise is in 83 days. When will the stateroom be assigned? 

[Vacationlover2]

You never know.  I've waited until a few days before sailing to find out, but on the cruise I have booked now, I found out 45 days prior, almost right after I booked it.

[sunny aurora]

It's random.   You will just have to keep on checking. 

[Pat.D]

I've had guarantees assigned to me anywhere from months ahead, days ahead and even at the port on the day of embarcation. 

Edited October 1, 2022 by Pat.D

[spanishguy1970]

We usually book guarantee, whether is inside, ocean view, Balcony etc. The most we have had to wait to get our room assigned has been a week. One time we got our room assigned the next day after we booked it. It's random.

[mpcaruth]

I received our balcony assignment 2 days after final payment (worst cabin location in the category)... then received an upgrade offer 2 days later for our January cruise. Not a big fan of NCL's guarantee cabin approach. I would have much preferred to have picked my cabin location, but guarantee was the only option offered in the lower balcony cabin categories.  Upgrade offers are again another guarantee "surprise".  Regardless, I still booked guarantee because I like the itinerary and the price was good.

[BirdTravels]

1 hour ago, njsmom said:

I booked a balcony stateroom on the Prima yesterday, but they didn't have any specific cabins available, so it defaulted to a guaranteed "best available" stateroom. I had to pay in full because our cruise is in 83 days. When will the stateroom be assigned? 

Any time from the day you book to the day you show up at the port. But, if the ship is not heavily loaded, sooner than later. If the ship is full, later (i.e., the rooms that no one else wanted). 

[snorklinbarb]

I've experienced pretty much all the possibilities mentioned.  But will see in the last few years (take out covid) when I've booked the inside sailaway guaranty, cabin has been assigned within 2 days.  Have experienced that 3x in the last few months.

 

Must say I've been very very pleased with my cabins.  Booking an IX I've had two IA's assigned and one IB.  I'm also using one for the Diamond upgrade so we went from an IX to an oceanview and they assigned us an OA.

 

It's always a gamble.  Pre-covid it wasn't unusual to have to wait till very close in.  So as ships fill up perhaps cabin assignments will change time wise as well.

 

Good luck to everyone who rolls the dice!  Remember once your cabin is assigned, that's it!

[MoCruiseFan]

On 10/1/2022 at 10:11 AM, sunny aurora said:

It's random.   You will just have to keep on checking. 

 

 

I do not think it is at all random.  The time frames may vary from cruise to cruise but that does not mean it is random.  I am absolutely sure there is some algorithm used.

[ChiefMateJRK]

4 hours ago, snorklinbarb said:

Remember once your cabin is assigned, that's it!

Are you sure about that?  I know that I once had an inside guarantee that, once assigned, I was able to upgrade to a Balcony (which had dropped in price).  Have you tried just calling and switching from an assigned room to a different available room in the same category?

[fastpitchdad]

On 10/1/2022 at 8:17 AM, spanishguy1970 said:

We usually book guarantee, whether is inside, ocean view, Balcony etc. The most we have had to wait to get our room assigned has been a week. One time we got our room assigned the next day after we booked it. It's random.

 

How did you do luggage tags?

[spanishguy1970]

4 minutes ago, fastpitchdad said:

 

How did you do luggage tags?

We print them once we get our room assigned. 

[SimplyAlbert]

Ours was assigned shortly after we booked (we booked about 2 months before we sailed).  Others in our roll call didn't get theirs until a few days before sailing.

[Sigyn]

On 10/1/2022 at 12:04 PM, BirdTravels said:

Any time from the day you book to the day you show up at the port. But, if the ship is not heavily loaded, sooner than later. If the ship is full, later (i.e., the rooms that no one else wanted). 

I was assigned a room last week, so it didn't take long. They assigned a family balcony, category B4, on deck 10. Technically an upgrade, since the room was going for $500 more than a regular balcony when I booked. 

Edited October 10, 2022 by njsmom