Booked - But sold out?

[Superdude]

Hello, I am going to take my fiance on a honeymoon on a NCL cruise in Oct on the Jewel. They had balcony rooms for 1079. When I called they said they were all sold out but would take my reservation just in case someone cancels. If it is still sold out, they were going to bump me up to the next higher room. I went ahead and booked.

 

Has anyone done this before? What were your experiences?

Thanks!!!

[big green]

i would have made them give me the upgrade now before I booked--you should call them back and demand that.

 

BG

[HMK8273]

Aren't you just getting waitlisted? Means they have oversold the boat - at least at your cabin category - isn't that sort of like overselling an airplane - someone doesn't get to go on the cruise - unless the cruise line decides to upgrade you at some point in the future to acommodate everyone.

 

I don't see how demanding an upgrade now is going to do you any good - they put you on a waitlist - if there isn't room, no harm, no foul - you get your money back - right? if you want a higher class of cabin, you are going to have to pay for it - demanding won't get you anywhere when NCL technically hasn't done anything wrong yet.

 

Good luck though - hopefully you live near the departure port - I don't see the sense in booking a cruise where you have to fly to and don't even know if you can get on the ship.

[time2cruise1]

Sounds like a standard GTY booking. You will end up in the catagory you booked or higher.

[Superdude]

Sounds like a standard GTY booking. You will end up in the catagory you booked or higher.

 

They mentioned "guarantee reservations"? Meaning they are going to find me a room at balcony or better. It's not sold out as in all the rooms are gone. I am going in expecting that someone will go to their room and find it too small or obstructed or something and upgrade. We would in turn get that room I guess.

[rrobynec]

They mentioned "guarantee reservations"? Meaning they are going to find me a room at balcony or better. It's not sold out as in all the rooms are gone. I am going in expecting that someone will go to their room and find it too small or obstructed or something and upgrade. We would in turn get that room I guess.

The room assignment will be made before you sail, especially if the ship is fully booked.

Room changes cannot be made on a fully booked ship once you board.

A "guaranteed" room will be in that category or better.

You could end up with better, but you could also end up with the least desirable room in that category.

You should make sure you know what you are signing up for before you book. This is your honeymoon, and you don't want to mess it up because you didn't understand what you were sold.

Also, did you go on NCL's website and see what rooms were available?

Are you booking through NCL or a TA?

As you described it doesn't sound like NCL's usual policy.....

I am unconvinced that NCL would sell you a category they are sold out of....

[Superdude]

The room assignment will be made before you sail, especially if the ship is fully booked.

Room changes cannot be made on a fully booked ship once you board.

A "guaranteed" room will be in that category or better.

You could end up with better, but you could also end up with the least desirable room in that category.

You should make sure you know what you are signing up for before you book. This is your honeymoon, and you don't want to mess it up because you didn't understand what you were sold.

Also, did you go on NCL's website and see what rooms were available?

Are you booking through NCL or a TA?

As you described it doesn't sound like NCL's usual policy.....

I am unconvinced that NCL would sell you a category they are sold out of....

 

I called and booked it with NCL directly. They had different levels of balconies available. I think the lowest cost one was BE to BA. They said BE and BD were sold out and I could purchase BC-BA for a lot more money. I didn't think paying an extra 600+ was worth it to be able to select a room. What do you think? Thanks for all your replies guys!!!

[time2cruise1]

They mentioned "guarantee reservations"? Meaning they are going to find me a room at balcony or better. It's not sold out as in all the rooms are gone. I am going in expecting that someone will go to their room and find it too small or obstructed or something and upgrade. We would in turn get that room I guess.

 

You are good to go. 100s book GTY reservations every week. You should have a cabin assignment weeks before the cruise. You will be in a balcony of equal or better category. Don't let the prior post concern you. They are not going to put you in an inside cabin on the lowest deck.

[time2cruise1]

I called and booked it with NCL directly. They had different levels of balconies available. I think the lowest cost one was BE to BA. They said BE and BD were sold out and I could purchase BC-BA for a lot more money. I didn't think paying an extra 600+ was worth it to be able to select a room. What do you think? Thanks for all your replies guys!!!

 

Once again you are fine with only 4 BE cabins they use them for low cost promotional fares as GTY. I have booked BD GTY twice. Both times ended up in BBs. Good luck and enjoy the cruise.

[rrobynec]

My understanding of a guarantee is that you are booked for a guaranteed category, not room type.

Do you know what category you were booked for? There is nothing wrong with booking a guarantee for a BD, especially if NCL is saying there aren't any BDs left.

I would go to the website and look--you can see exactly what rooms are still available in any category.

Also, here is what the NCL website says about "guarantee":

 

Selecting a Guarantee ensures you a stateroom in this category or higher. A stateroom may be assigned any time after final payment has been received, up to the day of sailing. You will not have the option to select a specific stateroom. Please note, staterooms reserved using Guarantee can accommodate no more than two guests.

 

Since you will be on your honeymoon, the last sentence probably doesn't apply though!;)

[terrymtex01]

I think as long as you set your expectations accordingly, you will be fine booking guaranteed. A lot of times a catagory will show as being sold out, but when finaly payment gets here you would be surprised how many might open up as people cancel that last minute before final payment or do not make their final payment.. etc.

[MrLee]

They must have your advance documents on their site. Log in as a booked passenger (You ned to fill out documents anyway) and see if they have your cabin type listed as "gty". If it is, you're good to go! :D

 

Actually, probably not at this point, if they have a number listed that will Probably be your cabin number. I say probably because they do have the right to change it right up until you sail, but I've never had it changed on me.

[Don Haynes]

With my last Pearl cruise, I booked a guaranteed BE, was assigned A BB, and when I showed up at the pier was assigned an AF. Not bad for the cheapest balcony cabin to a mini-suite.... If you aren't choosy about the location and are willing to accept any cabin in that category, guarantee bookings is the way to go....

 

However, if you wish to avoid cabins by elevators and stair wells, book a certain cabin.....

[ubdkjrb]

The way NCL handles their upsell program, they can free up about any cabin category they want. Chances are excellent that the suites and junior suites will not all sell out. They will offer those to passengers booked in the high end balconies for an extra fee, thus freeing those up for the low end balconies, etc. etc. etc. As they go along, they take those on the waitlists and plug them in. Works pretty slick. I don't understand why all the cruiselines don't use this model.

 

Peter

[prg2101]

i would have made them give me the upgrade now before I booked--you should call them back and demand that.

 

BG

 

 

Give me an upgrade before I book????:confused::confused: Boy, thats one way to keep the price of cruising down:rolleyes: