Should I accept a 'Guarantee' Cabin on Encore?

[BrisbaneR]

I have just booked my first Seabourn cruise for a 7 night Mediterranean Gems itinerary in October 2024 and am really looking forward to it. I got a good discount on the understanding that I wouldn't know my actual cabin until a week or so before departure. I know it will be a V1 on deck 5 and I have the choice of accepting this or paying more to book a specific cabin. I'd like to ask the advice of experienced Encore travellers. Does this seems a good idea or are there some cabins you think I need to avoid?

[florisdekort]

It’s only a good idea if you are willing to accept any suite incl. the ones all the way upfront (more motion), the ones with slightly smaller balconies and the accessible suites for persons with disabilities. 

[Mr Luxury]

I never do this as I prefer a larger suite but if I wanted a veranda I still wouldn't take the gamble if I were you unless you are fine with a suite at the front of the ship and low down.

On the other hand you could be given a V4 in a much better position but all veranda suites are of similar size and have similar amenities.

It's a spin of the wheel.

Place your bets please.

[Heather White]

We have taken a "guarantee" a couple of times and not been disappointed.  My one fear was being allocated a suite for the mobility challenged, i.e one with a wet room rather than a bath and shower cubicle and without a walk in closet. But that never happened.

[CalmSea]

For me, it would depend on the price difference between an OB and a V1 booking. The last time I took an OB was a last minute booking pre-covid. The difference in price was about 20%, and I got a V3 on deck 8. Since the OP's cruise will be more than a year away, the price difference would be smaller. Whether one should gamble? Different people have different tolerance to uncertainties.

[SLSD]

We have always been happy with our OB suites.  In fact, we have liked them better than the suites we have had otherwise.  For example, we have the last suite available on our 28 day Sojourn cruise next July/August and are on the waitlist for a different suite.  

[Dunnedg]

Never had an issue with OB. Always got better than V1, in-fact on our last cruise we got V4. Apart from a very few suites (4/6 have no bath and some have less glass on balcony) they are all exactly the same although obviously on different decks and positions on the deck - forward, midships etc. Fortunately my wife and I are good sailors are not concerned where our suite so. 

[BrisbaneR]

Thanks everyone for your thoughtful comments and suggestions. I'm now more aware of the various scenarios I could encounter. I'll probably stick with the guarantee cabin for financial reasons and because it is a relatively short (7 day) cruise. But I am also eyeing a longer cruise of 18 days for early 2025 and for that one I think I would like to know exactly where I'll be!

[Vineyard View]

8 hours ago, Dunnedg said:

Never had an issue with OB. Always got better than V1, in-fact on our last cruise we got V4. Apart from a very few suites (4/6 have no bath and some have less glass on balcony) they are all exactly the same although obviously on different decks and positions on the deck - forward, midships etc. Fortunately my wife and I are good sailors are not concerned where our suite so. 

I was told by Seabourn, at least for Quest, that all V1 had partial metal on the balcony - meaning half glass, half metal. Is this different on other ships? We love to sit on ours and it played into our decision. For others it wouldn’t be part of their equation. 

[nancygp]

17 minutes ago, Vineyard View said:

I was told by Seabourn, at least for Quest, that all V1 had partial metal on the balcony - meaning half glass, half metal. Is this different on other ships? We love to sit on ours and it played into our decision. For others it wouldn’t be part of their equation. 

All V1’s are the same on all of the ships

 

Nancy

[Vineyard View]

2 hours ago, nancygp said:

All V1’s are the same on all of the ships

 

Nancy

So they all have half glass/half metal on the balconies rather than full glass to the bottom, correct?  I was confused with a previous post, but thought this was the case. Thank you. 

[lincslady]

All suites on deck 5, i.e. V1 and V2, on Odyssey ,Sojourn and Quest have these  metal bottom half railings.  I believe this also applies to Encore and Ovation, but not sure.

 

If you look on the deck plans on Cruisemapper it confirms this.

[Dunnedg]

8 hours ago, Vineyard View said:

I was told by Seabourn, at least for Quest, that all V1 had partial metal on the balcony - meaning half glass, half metal. Is this different on other ships? We love to sit on ours and it played into our decision. For others it wouldn’t be part of their equation. 

Sorry I was a bit ‘wooly’ with my earlier response. That is correct on Quest although on Encore and Ovation the V1 are on deck 7. They don't have metal on balcony but they have no bath. The V2 suites on these 2 ships have metal on balcony

My understanding is that Seabourn have changed the classification of  suites and V1 to V6 are now V1 to V4. The result is that some deck plans available on line are out of date. On the old categorisation on my OB booking on Encore last year we effectively received a V6 suite on deck 8. 

Edited September 7, 2023 by Dunnedg

[lincslady]

Apologies for my confusion too; don't now why I thought you were looking at Quest.  

 

The only other thing to say perhaps is that if you do decide on a particular suite, having checked that it is not under anywhere which might be noisy, like the pool deck which can be a nuisance early in the morning when crew are moving things around, then make sure you tick wherever it is to say you do not wish to be upgraded, as that could be the sort of suite you would get!  Say this to your Agent if you are using one; they sometimes think they will get the praise for getting you an upgrade otherwise.

[nancygp]

8 hours ago, Vineyard View said:

So they all have half glass/half metal on the balconies rather than full glass to the bottom, correct?  I was confused with a previous post, but thought this was the case. Thank you. 

Yes

 

Nancy

[nancygp]

7 hours ago, lincslady said:

All suites on deck 5, i.e. V1 and V2, on Odyssey ,Sojourn and Quest have these  metal bottom half railings. 

Suites types were reclassified in 2021 and/or 2022…there are no V2’s on deck 5, they are all V1’s.

 

nancy

[midwife]

14 hours ago, Vineyard View said:

I was told by Seabourn, at least for Quest, that all V1 had partial metal on the balcony - meaning half glass, half metal. Is this different on other ships? We love to sit on ours and it played into our decision. For others it wouldn’t be part of their equation. 

I found this you tube clip very helpful as it shows exactly what you get on a deck 5 balcony. 
 

 

[Tallante]

We were in quarantine on Deck 5 on the Encore in May 2022 and the balconies were half and half.  It wasn’t a problem at all.

[caviarforme]

25 minutes ago, Tallante said:

We were in quarantine on Deck 5 on the Encore in May 2022 and the balconies were half and half.  It wasn’t a problem at all.

We were there also in quarantine in March 2022 - balcony was not a problem except we were right forward and the anchor was noisy when "weighed" (if that is the right term?)

[Baz-t]

We’ve never been disappointed with an OB. The cost saving with the OB usually off-sets any potential disadvantage - and sometimes the OB can be a real bonus!

[Tallante]

1 hour ago, caviarforme said:

We were there also in quarantine in March 2022 - balcony was not a problem except we were right forward and the anchor was noisy when "weighed" (if that is the right term?)

We were in 528 and didn’t hear anything.  Although that was probably due to the food and wine that we were supplied with! 

[midwife]

Glad to hear that the OBs are worth it. In all our cruises we have never had any be till our cruise in January. The price was just too good to resist. 😁

[caviarforme]

12 hours ago, Tallante said:

We were in 528 and didn’t hear anything.  Although that was probably due to the food and wine that we were supplied with! 

We the second cabin from the pointed end and on the other side of the ship, so much closer to the anchor. Cannot remember the suite number, but we were behind a bulkhead door surrounded by newly boarded crew who had to undergo compulsory 10 day quarantine!