Guarantee Status vs. IGT/OGT/VGT

[Ofinn]

How far in advance can IGT/OGT rates become available? What is the quickest way to search for them?

Start looking after the 75 PIF date. The best way to search for them is by checking the DCL website everyday.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

The explanation of Guarantee Status at the first post in this thread is not necessarily correct. I booked and got a Guarantee Status for a 5E stateroom. These are all at the stern of the ship, which is what we wanted. When they assigned a room, Disney put us in a Cat 7 mid-ships by the elevator and refused to accept my complaint that their assignment was a much worse room.

Essentially they said that Guarantee Status for 5E means 5E or higher category to them. We had even asked the cast member who booked us originally to mark the record that we did not want an upgrade except to concierge. This request was ignored.

Beware of Guarantee Status.

Cap

When almost all cabins of a specific category are sold, DCL will often change the cabin selection to GTY. Which means they choose the room, and you will receive at least the category you booked, or possibly a more expensive one. ("Better" is subjective.) People who book a category as GTY don't get any discount for booking this way. They are paying the same, or often more, than their neighbors who booked early and were able to choose a specific cabin. DCL has operated this way at least since I first looked into them in 2005. Cabins booked this way have the same deposit & cancelation policy as those who choose their own cabin.

This thread describes a more recent method for DCL to fill empty cabins relatively last minute. In the cruising world, 3 months is last minute given that most sail dates are released 2 yrs in advance. Yes, I've booked 2 yrs out many times & cruises have sold out on the first day of release, 2 yrs in advance , back when there were only 2 ships. But I digress....
So to sell empty cabins they came up with 3 choices for discounted pricing: IGT, OGT, VGT. These are usually offered after the final payment due date and have very strict rules regarding booking:
No name or date changes.
No cabin changes.
No refunds.
Full payment due at time of booking.
Not combinable with onboard booking or other discounts.
Probably some others I can't think of at the moment.

Those booking IGT are guaranteed at least an inside cabin or better.
OGT, are guaranteed oceanview (window) or better.
VGT are guaranteed a verandah.

So looking at the classic ships, if one doesn't want decks 1 or 2, it would be best to book VGT since there are no verandah cabins on those decks.
If you just want to be on the ship and don't care where, IGT will save more money.

In 14 Disney cruises, we've always chosen our cabins and once we were still upgraded (from a 5E to a 4C) on the Dream so we were very happy.

The only way to get a certain cabin with no chance of being moved is to book a date & category that still allows you to choose your cabin. Have DCL or your TA make a notation on your reservation to not move you. When you book GTY they can & will move people around as needed.

hth

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Does anyone recall approximately when the Feb *GT rates were released?
We're interested in mid-march on the Magic, approximately 70 days from now. All this checking is torture. I'm used to booking early and having all our plans done by now but this cruise will be just ds13 & me. I need to save my dummy date for a longer, whole family cruise. For 3 nts I don't care where they put us as long as it's warm. (It's 3 degrees here!)

All the 3-nt cruises in Feb are offered as *GT bookings. I hope the same is true for March.

 

[MABrentwood]

Does anyone recall approximately when the Feb *GT rates were released?

I think I remember seeing the first *GT rates around December 15 when I started to look to book a cruise for February. They could have been there earlier, that was just when I started looking to book.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

I think I remember seeing the first *GT rates around December 15 when I started to look to book a cruise for February. They could have been there earlier, that was just when I started looking to book.

Thanks. I guess I just need to be patient and look again a couple weeks.

 

[VKtravel]

Okay, I hope I'm not being a little too crazy here but is it possible to get VGT for June-August time frame? I know that is usually when ships are probably full. Our last cruise we booked in advance but DH is still "thinking" he might want to go this year when kiddos get out of school. Eastern Caribbean or Bahamas. There would be 2A 2K and the possibility of 2A 2K for my brother's family. Your thoughts please! TIA!

 

[Ofinn]

Okay, I hope I'm not being a little too crazy here but is it possible to get VGT for June-August time frame? I know that is usually when ships are probably full. Our last cruise we booked in advance but DH is still "thinking" he might want to go this year when kiddos get out of school. Eastern Caribbean or Bahamas. There would be 2A 2K and the possibility of 2A 2K for my brother's family. Your thoughts please! TIA!

I think there will be. There was last year. It's just impossible to know which cruises they will be offered on. If your super flexible I think you have a good chance.

 

[sweetlovin']

I'm booked on an Alaska cruise right after July 4th. However, I am hoping for a VGT rate late May on the 9 night or early June on a 7 night. May final payment looks like it will be Jan 24th, so I think I will be waiting until Feb for something to come out.

Ruadisneyfan2 - good luck. I think waiting is sometimes the hardest part. At least, for me, it seems to be.

 

[carcam51]

Hi Dis Family! I just booked a VGT room on 1/22 for a 2/9 sailing date. When can I expect to see a stateroom number assigned?

 

[OKW Lover]

Experienced *GT peeps, I have a question. What is the likelihood of being able to book 4 people 1 adult/3 kids on the May PC cruise?

I waited on VGT rates last May. It never happened.

Assuming the two of you are referring to the Panama Canal cruise, there were VGT rates on last May's West Bound sailing. We took advantage of them.

Hi Dis Family! I just booked a VGT room on 1/22 for a 2/9 sailing date. When can I expect to see a stateroom number assigned?

They typically come out inside the last two weeks, but sometimes not until you get to the port. Maybe this will help.

 

[sweetlovin']

IGT OGT & VGT are out for the TA in May

 

[smalltowngirl504]

IGT OGT & VGT are out for the TA in May

What is TA?

 

[OKW Lover]

What is TA?

TA = Trans Atlantic

 

[smalltowngirl504]

Ty

 

[pequele]

I book a VGT on this year's 9 nighter Alaska cruise. I have a few questions about how they fill the cabins. Do they go from the highest class to lowest in the category or lowest to highest? Do the people who book VGT get put in an order like the first person to book it is #1, 2nd #2 etc? The reason I ask is because I want to know are people who book VGT (or the other fares) later or closer to cruise time more likely to get the better rooms because the original VGTs were already assigned from the lower categories? I am just very excited to have a verandah in Alaska. It was my dream but with the difference in regular prices of inside cat 11c vs lowest class of verandah there was no way I could justify the price difference. Now I totally can!!!

Thanks

 

[sweetlovin']

I book a VGT on this year's 9 nighter Alaska cruise. I have a few questions about how they fill the cabins. Do they go from the highest class to lowest in the category or lowest to highest? Do the people who book VGT get put in an order like the first person to book it is #1, 2nd #2 etc? The reason I ask is because I want to know are people who book VGT (or the other fares) later or closer to cruise time more likely to get the better rooms because the original VGTs were already assigned from the lower categories? I am just very excited to have a verandah in Alaska. It was my dream but with the difference in regular prices of inside cat 11c vs lowest class of verandah there was no way I could justify the price difference. Now I totally can!!!

Thanks

I booked VGT for 9 night as well! YAY

 

[ranidayz]

delete

 

[pequele]

I booked VGT for 9 night as well! YAY

Hurry up and wait. There seems to be 8 cabins in all the categories 5b and higher, none in 6a and 5c, and only 2 in 7 a. There are 8 1-bedroom concierge available...can't imagine why anyone would want to pay $14k+ for just 2 people (I looked for my son and I haha) but to each his own I guess. We will just have to slum it in a verandah hahaha. Kidding of course! I'm so excited to move up from the lowest category 11c!!!

Sent from Stephie's iPhone using DISBoards

 

[fsugirl333]

Does anyone know if we can request a certain deck or in our case request to not be on a certain deck? We've never done VGT before so we have no idea how it works.

 

[Kathrynberman]

Thank you for posting this. I booked a reservation for my uncle and I was allowed to pick the room. We'll see if it changes. Kind of makes it difficult to participate in the FE if your stateroom changes, though.