I need someone that has booked a "guaranteed" room to answer some questions -PLEASE!

[karebear1]

I think that's what they're called anyway. All I know is that you can book a GTY cabin for a lower price- and basically they assign you a room- you don't pick the room yourself. So- can someone fill in the blanks for me? What category's can you get these rooms in, when do you find out what room you're assigned to? What kind of price break are you actually getting? Have you been upgraded- if you weren't would you still go this way to book a room? IS there a certain time of the year that is more likely to be upgraded? What are the pros and cons of doing it this way? WHere or who do I call to find out about this? Would a travel agent know? Any info or hints you could give would really be appreciated. THANKS!

 

[Hygiene99]

GTY...

Cat 12 there r only 13 of those staterooms on the ship so ...
Some times u get an upgrade to a higher Cat than the one u paid for .....

Cat 12 is the least expensive catagory on the ship
I have also heard of them of them offering The guarantee for other cats as well .........

 

[ThreeCircles]

We are booked as a Category 11 GTY for our upcoming May cruise.

With this said, we always book Category 11 (usually for the Florida Resident Rates) and like the inside standard staterooms.

As many have said on the board, upgrades are not common and should not be counted on. Book the cabin that you're going to be happy with and don't place your bets on an upgrade that probably won't happen.

I don't think a GTY assures that you're getting any type of "price break." It's just a reflection of the way the ship is being booked at the time. For instance, I don't think you can request a GTY nor can you request a specific room if they are booking under GTY codes.

All in all, I think the whole GTY thing is a mystery to many, myself included!

 

[thegoofman]

the gty. staterooms are cat. 11.i think they assign you a room when you check in at the port but sometimes they come with your docs.

 

[kcashner]

What you are doing is trading the ability to pick your cabin for the lower price.

The categories that GTY cabins are available for varies from week to week as inventory on that cruise changes. Generally, they are available for the lower categories (11,12), and sometimes 8,9, 10. If you book a GTY11, there is no chance that you will be assigned a 12. You will be assigned a minimum of an 11, but frequently an 8 or 9.

When you get your documents, you might have a room number assigned. Alternatively, you might not have a room number until you get to the port (or you can call them a week or so ahead if they/TA haven't called you). Once you are assigned a room, it can still be changed, but it won't be changed to a lower category. For instance, if you book a GTY 11 and are assigned to a 9 when you get your docs, they will not move you back down to an 11. They might move you to a different 9 or to a 7 or whatever.

Basically, this gives DCL a way to control their inventory and allow for people who book but fail to make the final payment by 60 days, allow for large agencies that "block" large numbers of cabins which they then either sell or return to DCL inventory by a certain date, etc. DCL is essentially committing to a place for your party on the ship, but they can decide where you will be.

Even if you do not know your assigned room until you get to the port, the luggage people have a name/cabin number list. Your bags will get to your cabin correctly. Just use the tags that DCL provides to you.

There is no promise that you will be upgraded, so don't book a category lower than one that you can be happy in. I don't know about time of year to be upgraded. It rather depends on what cabins sell out. DCL is less likely to offer a GTY room when they expect the ship to fill.

Some travel agents might know about this. You can book it thru DCL directly, then transfer your reservation to a discount agent and get their discount as well.

As to how much lower the rate is. ..If you book a GTY 11, you pay the category 11 rate. IF you sail in an 11, you didn't get a price break. If you sail in a 7, you've saved several hundred dollars.

If you really care about which room you have or even which category you have, don't book this way. If you care about saving some money, this is a good way to go. We've been on almost every deck, and I've found good and bad about each. We've never had a "bad" room...we've either been lucky or there really aren't bad cabins.....

I'v a veteran of 10 Magic cruises.

 

[izzinmac]

Of our seven cruises, we were originally booked twice as Gty. The first time, we booked on board in November for a cruise the following May. we booked a Cat 6, were told it was a Gty, and did not get our room assignment until 1 1/2 weeks before departure. We were not upgraded. Our daughter booked at the same time on board for a Cat 7 (Far fewer rooms that Cat 6) and got a room assignment at time of booking. Their room was Aft - when we got our room it was the most forward Cat 6 room on the ship - and our reservations were linked. Worked out fine, but it sure didn't help me understand the Gty process.
The second time we made a last minute Fla resident reservation in December for a January 4 day. Reserved Cat 11 and got a Gty reservation (We did not pick Gty- it was assigned both times) Within a week or two, we were told we were upgraded to a Cat 8 with a room assignment.
Don't think I helped you on the Gty or Upgrade issue. Disney has managed to keep their process on this confusing enough to keep everyone guessing how they do it. In my mind, the Gty assignment is tied somehow to the fill rate they already have in each category. But my first experience with Cat 6 vs Cat 7 doesn't really support my theory.
Upgrades-anyone's guess!!!

 

[Colestat]

I booked a Cat 11 GTY for our first cruise (booked in Sept03 for a Dec03 cruise). About 2 months before the cruise, I checked online and our room assignment was there - a Cat 8!!!

I rebooked while on board for an Aug04 cruise - again a Cat 11 GTY. Hoping for another upgrade, but we will be perfectly happy with a Cat 11.