What is the advantage?

[Fun~N~Sun]

What is the advantage or disadvantage of booking a guarantee cabin as opposed to choosing your cabin. When I did a price check on the Carnival website there was no difference in the price. The only advantage I can see is the slim chance of getting an upgrade. Please let me know if I am missing something.

[VentureMan_2000]

What is the advantage or disadvantage of booking a guarantee cabin as opposed to choosing your cabin. When I did a price check on the Carnival website there was no difference in the price. The only advantage I can see is the slim chance of getting an upgrade. Please let me know if I am missing something.

 

Usually, price is the big difference. I like balconies... and a GTY is $100 less than a assigned room. With a GTY, you may bet bumped... and you may not. There are some folks who have never been bumped... and some claim they booked the cheapest inside cabin and received a Cat 12 suite...:rolleyes:

 

I got bumped up 5 categories a couple years ago.

 

It's a total crap shoot. I would select a cabin if given a choice and the price was the same... or just a few bucks more.

[momofzeke]

The only advantage I can see is that usually a guarantee cabin is cheaper than choosing a specific cabin. If there is no price difference, I wouldn't bother with the guarantee.

 

Disadvantage of a guarantee cabin is that you might get a cabin that is in an area you don't like. For example, if you are prone to seasickness, a midship cabin on a low deck has less motion than an aft or forward cabin up high. Or, you might be right over or under a noisy area of the ship, like the disco or the casino or something.

 

Personally, I like to choose my cabin and get exactly what I want. To me, it's worth paying more money for that privilege. Lots of people go with guarantees, though, and are perfectly happy with what they get. You are right not to "expect" an upgrade with a guarantee cabin. I don't think it happens all that often.

[Fun~N~Sun]

I was really surprised that there is no price difference. If there is no difference in price I can't understand why someone wouldn't want to choose their cabin unless they were just hoping they would get an upgrade.

[TJ172]

This was my first try with a GUAR. I booked a Balcony Guar (BL) at $1179 (traveling solo and got killed with supplement :( ) Anyway, I was assigned an 8C. I looked up the price and it was about 1450 if I booked the cabin they assigned me. It got better though. When I checked two weeks ago, the price was $1139. I called, not only did they credit me $40, but since I was a past guest, I received and upgrade to 8D Lido, which was then $1579. So for me, I saved about $400 compared to if I booked the 8D originally, but as others say, it's a crap shoot. Good luck ;)

[idocdlw]

This was my first try with a GUAR. I booked a Balcony Guar (BL) at $1179 (traveling solo and got killed with supplement :( ) Anyway, I was assigned an 8C. I looked up the price and it was about 1450 if I booked the cabin they assigned me. It got better though. When I checked two weeks ago, the price was $1139. I called, not only did they credit me $40, but since I was a past guest, I received and upgrade to 8D Lido, which was then $1579. So for me, I saved about $400 compared to if I booked the 8D originally, but as others say, it's a crap shoot. Good luck ;)

 

Thanks for your post Tim. It gives me hope! I'm traveling solo in Dec in a guarantee oceanview and while I certainly don't expect an upgrade, I kept thinking they would be much less likely to upgrade a solo traveler than a group. Keeping my fingers crossed...I'd love to sail in a balcony! You're sailing in 4 days...I'm jealous...have a great cruise! :)

[cowman1999]

With the Guarantee, we have 7 rooms booked, all guarantee.... If there is an upgrade option, will it be offered to all of us since we're booked as a group, or will it be luck of the draw?

[TJ172]

Thanks for your post Tim. It gives me hope! I'm traveling solo in Dec in a guarantee oceanview and while I certainly don't expect an upgrade, I kept thinking they would be much less likely to upgrade a solo traveler than a group. Keeping my fingers crossed...I'd love to sail in a balcony! You're sailing in 4 days...I'm jealous...have a great cruise! :)

 

Hi,

Just a thought, but you may want to check the prices for a Balcony Guarantee. I know it's strange, but at the time, the Balcony Guar was only a bit more than the Oceanview Guar. Maybe becasue of the ship, or the number of cabins still available :confused: Just a thought, because the balconies are awesome IMO.

 

Have a great time!

[big_duck]

With the Guarantee, we have 7 rooms booked, all guarantee.... If there is an upgrade option, will it be offered to all of us since we're booked as a group, or will it be luck of the draw?

 

Luck of the draw, and don't count on your cabins being all together.

[bcb241]

I can't add too much to all the above comments except to say that if you book a guarantee, then be prepared for ANY location on the ship and then don't complain if you're over the Casino or Disco. Lots of folks book an inside with bunkbeds because the cabin means nothing to them other than a place to sleep and if you're in this category then you might take a chance and go with the guarantee. You just don't know what might happen. I've read where people get upgraded from the lowest categorys to almost a Suite but I've NEVER met anyone on my dozen cruises who told me that happened to them! To sum it all up, if you're looking for a particular location/cabin then forget the "guarantee". If you feel lucky, then go for it!

[MeanMachine]

I booked the lowest priced GTY Inside Cabin (Fantasy), got upgraded to one on the Empress then the price dropped and I got upgraded to an Ocean View on the Empress level. First time cruising, so I'm 1 for 1. About a $250 upgrade though.

[silentbob007]

I've been upgraded entire cetegories with a guarantee, and I've also received one of the "worst" rooms at the level I paid for. I guess the upgrade gamble keeps me picking the guarantee option. That being said, I'm sure all it will take is one really bad room to stop me from booking guarantees unless they are substantially cheaper.

[PADutchman]

We always book the guarantee balcony and never been upgraded. :mad: CCL had 16 chances. Soon time for me and Bob to have a talk.:D I am sure that will work:D

[CarribbeanTina271]

I have booked guarantees on several cruises and got a couple upgrades just on decks, but the one I will really remember was Oct 18, 2001, just after 911, of course lots and lots of cancellations and I had booked a 6a guarantee for 5, well even I had to change the name of two of our passengers, I ended up going with 4 kids and we were upgraded to a Cat 12 suite on the Fantasy... But like I said it was 5 weeks after 911 and lots of cancellations!!!

[shhhhh]

What if you don't like the guar. room you're assigned to? Do you have the option of paying for and upgrade?

[cowman1999]

I think if there is anything available you could, but I've never tried....

[Earthworm Jim]

I don't think the chances of getting upgraded are all that slim. I think it happens pretty regularly, though I have no idea about what percentage of people get some kind of upgrade. It wouldn't surprise me if the number approaches 50%, but most of those upgrades are the same room a deck or two higher so it's really not that much better.

 

Based on my experience on the Miracle where our cabin was very close to the disco and you couldn't hear a sound, I'm guessing that the newer ships have excellent sound insulation. If that's the case, there might not really be any bad cabins on those newer ships. You might not have anything to lose on a newer ship by trying a guarantee if all the rooms are good.