Cat. 3 Availability?

[Jestocost]

I just checked with DCL on the availability of Cat. 3 staterooms for 7-day cruises in late March 2005 and was told there are none available. I guess that's no surprise given that it's Spring Break, but I'm wondering just how hard it is to get those rooms and how far in advance you typically have to book them? Is it possible that some may be allocated to travel agents and I'd have better luck going the indirect route? Finally, what has been the experience of people who have put themselves on the wait list for Cat. 3 staterooms?

Any input greatly appreciated!

 

[jjwelsh5sc]

Don't know about category 3, but I have been on the wait list for a category 1 through a TA as well as direct with DCL. Have not heard a thing (even after they opened up the first part of 2005).

 

[AmyM]

Booked our Cat 3 November of 2002 for our January 2004 7 night Western cruise while on board the Wonder.

 

[DrDO]

We booked a category 3 for the July 24th, 2004 eastern in August, 11 months away, and it was the only cruise from mid June until mid August that had a category 3 available. We did book a category 3 in 1998 for the first week of December with about 6 months advance without any difficulty. The Category 1-3 cabins seem to be extremely popular, book up early, and are rarely if ever discounted.

 

[DMOMof3]

I booked our cat 3 for presidents week Feb '04 11 months out, there were two available at that time.


I had called DCL directly looking for options like connecting rooms, I'm traveling with DD17, DS14 & DD12. None were available and one passenger must be 21 to get another room. I could have gone with a CAT 4 but will do that next time since DD17 will be in college next time.

 

[Keggy]

On our November 16th cruise we had friends who tried to book their Cat 3 for November 14, 2004 and they were already full. I think it is just LUCK!
Maybe someone will cancel. Keep and eye out.

Kelly

 

[bothofus]

I would get on the wait list for whatever you are interested in right away, I haved cruised twice,both times got into a cat.1 from the wait list, things often open up at the 60 day out mark.Cat's 1,2,and 3 book up so far in advance, however this also causes many people to cancel these cat's because they have tried to predict their schedules so far ahead of time, and other things often come up! Hope you get what you are looking for...get on that wait list

 

[Gigashadow]

We booked our 8 day western about mid Nov for April 2005 (our "Spring break" for the schools) Cat 3 and I think there was only 2 other room avaliable at that time. If your dates are in stone, book a Cat 4 or 2 other rooms and go onto a waitlist, there is plenty of time for a chance room to become avaliable for during the next 15 months.

 

[rgsmith]

It doesn't sound like this is typical but I just booked a Category 3 room for the March 27, 2004 Magic cruise (our Spring Break) this week. Maybe they hold some cabins back ..... or some free up several months in advance? Good luck!

 

[MommaluvsDis]

I had a Cat 3 reserved for a 4 day next July and after we cruised on a Carnival ship this year, we decided to switch our cat 3 for 2 connecting 10s and cruise for 7 days instead of the four. It wasn't that much more and we got a longer cruise!

After being on a ship we found out that we weren't in our stateroom very much. We were always up on deck or in a show.