Guarantee bookings….is there a risk of being shut out if oversold?

[TX-Cruiser]

We booked a Suite GTY for a December sailing. Rarely are we ever married to a cabin, especially on an itinerary we have sailed a dozen times. It was a good deal so we took a shot in the dark. 

 

I was reading on another line’s board that a customer was offered a future credit because they could not fulfill the customer’s reservation. Frankly speaking for this sailing…it would just be an “is what it is” situation since we will plan to drive down the day of. 
 

Has anyone ever had their GTY reservation cancelled on RCCL?

[firefly333]

It's been a while and it was balconys not suites. Wonder had a few as did a few other ships. They sent a email if anyone wanted to take them up on options. I would have been a yes to a free cruise a little later. Full refund and a free cruise. Havent seen it lately. Always a few who wanted to cancel and here was a full refund.

[Biker19]

46 minutes ago, TX-Cruiser said:

Has anyone ever had their GTY reservation cancelled on RCCL?

The booking type matters a bit less but some have reported oversold sailings on which an offer to move was given those customers. 

Edited October 22, 2023 by Biker19

[smokeybandit]

Has there been anyone that was actually shut out in the very infrequent case of an oversell?

[Starry Eyes]

It is fairly uncommon, though Royal did over book a few cruises as this year as mentioned by a PP.  in those oversell situations, an email went to multiple customers asking them to respond if they wanted to be placed on a list as possible volunteers for nice move-over deal or refund.  I think they received enough volunteers with flexible plan.  

Our plans are pretty flexible.  If they made the right offer, we’d move to another ship or departure date.

[smokeybandit]

15 minutes ago, Starry Eyes said:

Our plans are pretty flexible.  If they made the right offer, we’d move to another ship or departure date.

The offers they made were quite lucrative. Plenty in your type of situation jumped on them when they did happen.

[Starry Eyes]

OP, the check in date for your December cruise is approaching.  Once you check in and have a set sail pass, you’ll be able to try the “bar code trick” (assuming you don’t get an assignment by then).  Royal may have already set aside a stateroom for you, even though it has not officially been assigned; if so, the bar code trick will suss it out.

[TX-Cruiser]

53 minutes ago, Starry Eyes said:

OP, the check in date for your December cruise is approaching.  Once you check in and have a set sail pass, you’ll be able to try the “bar code trick” (assuming you don’t get an assignment by then).  Royal may have already set aside a stateroom for you, even though it has not officially been assigned; if so, the bar code trick will suss it out.

Yes! I believe the check in date is 11-2 so I will certainly do that when the time comes. Thank you very much. 

[smokeybandit]

Since there haven't been reports of an oversold situation in quite a while, maybe RC finally adjusted their algorithms to the new level of demand for cruising.

[Starry Eyes]

8 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

Since there haven't been reports of an oversold situation in quite a while, maybe RC finally adjusted their algorithms to the new level of demand for cruising.

And/or to the lower level of cancellations as the covid situation evolved.

[molly361]

6 hours ago, Starry Eyes said:

And/or to the lower level of cancellations as the covid situation evolved.

Funny thing is I  was thinking that our cruise could end up being oversold

[Starry Eyes]

4 hours ago, molly361 said:

Funny thing is I  was thinking that our cruise could end up being oversold

Anything is possible, though if one enters 3 guests there are still cabins available in several categories, including a fair number of 3D balconies.  It must be harder to sell them, though, when your lead page says “sold out.”  🤔

 

[Mum2Mercury]

The answer is in the name:  GUARANTEE.  You're guaranteed a cabin somewhere on the ship -- just no promises about which one.  We almost always do guarantees (when it's just us) because we really don't care about the location of our room, and it's a pretty good price break.  

 

It's highly unlikely they'd oversell and have no place for you.  

[TX-Cruiser]

Time will tell. Check in is in a week so we will vet out the barcode trick. No current assignment and category showing sold out. Of course that doesn’t mean they haven’t set assigned cabins for GTY rooms.

[HicksRA]

On our recent Radiance sailing, we were in a balcony gty, assigned a cabin (in a great location btw) and then received an email offering a full refund of the fare price plus $300 obc if we’d downgrade to an OV, or if we’d cancel, they’d give a full refund plus a future cruise credit for the full fare amount. 
I declined.  
A guarantee is a guarantee and I don’t know that anyone has actually been kicked off a ship involuntarily.