maybe I'm stupid

[raz5]

I don't understand the "stateroom Guarantee" thing. How will you know what stateroom you will be getting and how about the cost?

[Lightsluvr]

You reserve a particular type of stateroom (Inside, OV, JS, etc.) at a guaranteed price. Royal Caribbean will assign you a stateroom number from among those available when final payment is due. Downside: you don't get to choose the specific stateroom that you want. Upside: You usually get a lower fare, and stand a chance of being upgraded if your selected type of stateroom sells out. Hope that helps.

 

LL

[Sue L]

If the guarantee is available it will show the price for that category. Some time before you sail, though have heard of it at the pier, they will assign you a room. If you choose balcony guarantee then you will end up with "at least" that, if you choose a suite guarantee then again it will be "at least" that. You must understand though that you might end up anywhere and the ship and you could get the guarantee type that you actually booked so you have to be sure that you can live with the choice.

[raz5]

OK thanks for clearing that up. I see that on most reservation screens there is an area for the "guarantee" selection, but you are not always allowed to select it. Is is only available for certain sailings?

[Maxima81]

When you first book a guarantee, you won't know what room you will be in. The only thing you will know is that when you get assigned a room, the room category will be at least what you have booked or better. (i.e, if you booked an inside guarantee, you can get an inside, oceanview, balcony, or higher; if you booked a balcony, you will get a balcony, suite, or better, etc.)

 

As for when you actually get a room assignment, I don't think there is a definite answer. I've heard people say final payment, but I got mine approximately 2 weeks after I made my deposit and about 3 months before final payment.

 

One thing that has worked for some folks is that once you do receive a room assignment (after booking guarantee) and are not happy with the location, you can call RCCL and ask them to switch you to another available room within the same category. They can refuse, but it seems more often than not, it wasn't a problem as long as the room was available.

[isujim]

USUALLY it is available on most every sailing.......it is all based on supply and demand, so depending on when you check on a particular cruise, that option may or may not be available........

[Maxima81]

OK thanks for clearing that up. I see that on most reservation screens there is an area for the "guarantee" selection, but you are not always allowed to select it. Is is only available for certain sailings?

 

It probably depends on how well the rooms of a particular category are selling. You may see guarantee rates one day, and then "N/A" the next depending on room availability of each category.

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

An upgrade was mentioned above, but be aware that upgrades are few and far between, especially on popular sailings such as holiday weekends and summer when school is out.

 

We have used Ocean View guarantees for many cruises, but last year we were seemingly always ending up on deck two or three. That was OK, until we ended up with a tiny porthole on deck two of the Radiance. That wasn't OK, because with an Ocean View, I want as big a window as RCI offers. So you cannot be sure you will get that or you may get a window that has a blocked view (lifeboats or some such.) I've decided now to do balcony guarantees, but not OV.

 

You should know there is a definite downside to guarantees, but if price is your main consideration, the guarantee is still a good way to go.

[lmurf]

No, you aren't stupid. But, even if you are, it's no problem! :)

:)

[raz5]

You guys are awesome!

[beachchick]

When you first book a guarantee, you won't know what room you will be in. The only thing you will know is that when you get assigned a room, the room category will be at least what you have booked or better. (i.e, if you booked an inside guarantee, you can get an inside, oceanview, balcony, or higher; if you booked a balcony, you will get a balcony, suite, or better, etc.)

 

As for when you actually get a room assignment, I don't think there is a definite answer. I've heard people say final payment, but I got mine approximately 2 weeks after I made my deposit and about 3 months before final payment.

 

One thing that has worked for some folks is that once you do receive a room assignment (after booking guarantee) and are not happy with the location, you can call RCCL and ask them to switch you to another available room within the same category. They can refuse, but it seems more often than not, it wasn't a problem as long as the room was available.

 

I can't help myself: Would "better" than a suite mean that we get the Captain's cabin and that we get to pilot the ship?:p That would be cool.:D

 

raz5: As has been mentioned, when you book a guarantee, you will get a minimum of the lowest category you booked (inside, oceanview, and so forth). You are saying that you are willing to take any cabin (any location, etc.) that is at least in the lowest category of your guarantee.

 

Do not book a gty expecting a big upgrade. Mostly gty upgrades are within type: You book a gty on the lowest category of oceanview and are assigned the highest category of oceanview. Occasionally, you might be assigned into the next highest type: You book an inside gty and get assigned an oceanview. You absolutely must not book a gty expecting to get a big upgrade. It happens very, very, very rarely. (Sometimes people book the lowest inside gty and then whine or complain when they're not assigned into a suite or they come here and ask "when can I expect my upgrade"...that's kind of silly. If they want a suite, they should book a suite. And I'm certainly not saying you would do this; I'm just letting you know what others do from time to time.)

 

Booking a gty can be a real money saver and sometimes results in a better cabin than you might have been able to afford. Mostly, it results in paying a lower price for basically what you would have booked anyway.

 

If location is important, don't book a gty; if exact type is important, don't book a gty. If you're willing to take the luck of the draw (and have that little lottery feeling of "maybe"), then by all means do book a gty.

 

Not all cruises have gty bookings offered. Often they will be added later if certain types of cabins aren't selling well or if they want to be able to move passengers around based on what's left.

 

Hope that helps give you more to consider. Have a great time, regardless.

 

beachchick

[MercedMike]

A guarantee can be a very good deal. It is almost always a good price. We have done it many times. Frequently we do not get any upgrade. If we do, it is usually just to a higher category of the same room type, i.e. outside to outside.

 

But OTOH we have also gotten some very good upgrades, like from a minimum outside to a balcony on Grand Princess. It is all the luck of the draw and how heavily the ship is booked.

 

The thing you have to be sure you understand: EVERY cabin in EVERY higher category has to be acceptable to you. If you want a cabin midships, or close to the stairs, or not under the pool deck, or on the starboard side, then you must book that cabin and lock it in by having your TA mark it DO NOT UPGRADE! On a guarantee you could get moved from an outside cabin midships to a slightly higher outside cabin far forward under the buffet. If you don't want to take that chance DON'T book a guarantee. OTOH if you are a gambler and will take that chance for the chance of getting a free upgrade to a balcony, go for it!!

;)

Have a GREAT cruise!

[raz5]

OK...I understand that it's a gamble. How close to the sail date do the guarantee rooms become available for selection? I am looking at an April 2009 cruise out of San Juan.

[crazy 4 cruising]

OK thanks for clearing that up. I see that on most reservation screens there is an area for the "guarantee" selection, but you are not always allowed to select it. Is is only available for certain sailings?

 

I think it is only available if there is no more than 2 in a cabin.