what does GTY mean to me??? 1st cruise

[tinkslite]

My Family is booked into 2 staterooms, cat. 11 with a gty. I was told there is a possibility of being upgraded, but also a possibility that our two staterooms will be nowhere near each other (which would put a damper on things for me for sure).
Could someone explain to me how this works??? I am really worried about it. The disney folks on the phone just said they would "do their best" to get our staterooms close together.

 

[jship210]

My Family is booked into 2 staterooms, cat. 11 with a gty. I was told there is a possibility of being upgraded, but also a possibility that our two staterooms will be nowhere near each other (which would put a damper on things for me for sure).
Could someone explain to me how this works??? I am really worried about it. The disney folks on the phone just said they would "do their best" to get our staterooms close together.

I beleive it means your guaranteed at least a Cat 11, with the possiblity of an upgrade offered for more $ or maybe a free upgrade if you hold out.
They have rooms that people or TA's booked that either changed their mind or for one reason or another can't go, so those cabins become available, it's like a domino effect, they have people on a waiting list to get ON the cruise as well, so as people cancel those room get offered to GTY first. I beleive that's how it works. They have to wait for the final payment due date to pass before doling out rooms.

 

[outlander]

Disney is really, really good about keeping people together. As long as you have it noted that you want to be together, they will do everything that they can to keep it that way.

Have fun!

 

[DrCavin]

GTY means you will be in a stateroom for the category booked, but have not been assigned a specific stateroom yet. Upgrades have no rhyme or reason as to who gets them, just good o'luck!!

 

[Anal Annie]

Cruiselines regularly over sell cabin categories knowing that when the final payment is due there will be X% who do not go thru with their cruise and cancel. Once a category sells out they will continue to oversell a few more rooms in the category until the balances are due / paid in full. So bascially they will sell you a cabin at this price but you cannot select your specific stateroom number(s). This increases your odds of a free upgrade as they will move you up to a higher category if they cannot place you in a cabin in this category. It's sort of a gamble but it's why they say to book the minimum category that you would be happy with bcuz you may well end up in the category. We booked a GTY Cat 8 which is the highest non-verandah cabin type knowing that if we got an upgrade we'd get some sort of a verandah. 30 days out they sent us our docs with a Cat 8 cabin number on it. Then 2 weeks before sailing they called & left a msg. on my cell with a new Cat 6 cabin number! We got the "free upgrade"! It was very exciting to end up with a verandah! I would play the odds & book a GTY again if I ever ran into the chance to do it. I don't know how booking 2 cabins would affect this procedure tho.

 

[cats mom]

I don't know how booking 2 cabins would affect this procedure tho.

Great explanation of gty bookings.

I do worry just a bit when folks book multiple cabins gty status and expect that they will be together though.

I'm sure DCL does try to honor those requests, but I have first hand experience that they are not always able to do so.

We had to go with gty status once as that was the only option available when we booked. We reserved 2 cabins, linked them in the system, and requested they be located near each other.
When we got our room assignments we were on different decks.

That said, I have seen a few posts here where multiple cabins in a group all got upgraded, and many posts where groups booked gty status and were all kept together.

Hopefully having cabins assigned together is the case more often than not, but I think people need to be aware that it doesn't always happen.

I think it may just be a luck of the draw/pixie dust kind of thing.

 

[mommasita]

Great explanation of gty bookings.

I do worry just a bit when folks book multiple cabins gty status and expect that they will be together though.

I'm sure DCL does try to honor those requests, but I have first hand experience that they are not always able to do so.

We had to go with gty status once as that was the only option available when we booked. We reserved 2 cabins, linked them in the system, and requested they be located near each other.
When we got our room assignments we were on different decks.

That said, I have seen a few posts here where multiple cabins in a group all got upgraded, and many posts where groups booked gty status and were all kept together.

Hopefully having cabins assigned together is the case more often than not, but I think people need to be aware that it doesn't always happen.

I think it may just be a luck of the draw/pixie dust kind of thing.

I agree with everything here. Our 2nd cruise we went with SIL and BIL and requested 2 cat 11's as close as possible. We were on totally different ends of the ship a well as decks. Turns out for the best that it was this way ,but everyone may not feel the same.

Last year we cruised with friends and had 2 guarantee cabins, we were 2 doors down from each other. That was

They do the best they can to keep you together, but like the PP said, it does not always happen.

 

[Anal Annie]

The other thing that may have worked in our favor on our GTY was that we're a family of 3. I think most of the Cat 8's hold 4 pp. My theory is that they had a family of 4 perhaps also with a GTY and they needed a room that would hold 4 - so they got the Cat 8. The Cat 6 that they put us in was one of the AFT ones that only hold 3 pp. It's just a theory, but I'm sure assigning these rooms is a bit like working a jigsaw puzzle - some people might just be better at it than others. It's also a reason why I would not book a Cat 12 - since we're only 3 we have more odds of being left in a Cat 12 rather than receiving an upgrade. I think there is certainly some pixie dust involved as well.

 

[kimberh]

Once, Our kids were at the end of the hall, us at the other end, this was not Disney cruise but another cruise line. I had not booked us this way, they did not change it. We were lucky, that we had a older child to watch the other two. Other wise, I don't know what we would have done.

 

[JungleJim]

Okay, what does GTY mean? We have GTY on our paperwork.

 

[cats mom]

Okay, what does GTY mean? We have GTY on our paperwork.

GTY = guarantee

It means you're guaranteed a cabin in the category you booked and paid for or better. But DCL is unable to issue you a specific stateroom number at this time.

As such, it's a bit of a gamble, since you cannot pick your location.
This could be a deal breaker for some, not so much for others.
ie: some folks have definite preferences about where they want to be on the ship, others don't care as long as they're onboard.

 

[fltink]

So, I have a question then...... Are my chances of being upgraded better if I change our cabins to GTY instead of having numbers assigned??????? This is actually the first time we are sailing NOT in GTY, and I am wondering if it decreases our chances for an upgrade.

 

[Anal Annie]

So, I have a question then...... Are my chances of being upgraded better if I change our cabins to GTY instead of having numbers assigned??????? This is actually the first time we are sailing NOT in GTY, and I am wondering if it decreases our chances for an upgrade.

Are you a gambler? It might BUT you'd have to book in a category that's in that GTY status. You didn't say what Cat you're already booked in. It might cost you more to do that if you've already been booked for awhile as prices have likely gone up since you booked. AND there's still no guarantees. Unless you find like a Cat 8 GTY (which would mean a balcony IF you got an upgrade) or a Cat 10 GTY (which would mean at least a porthole IF you got an upgrade) then you might consider it...If you already have a balcony I wouldn't bother.

 

[kimberh]

So, I have a question then...... Are my chances of being upgraded better if I change our cabins to GTY instead of having numbers assigned??????? This is actually the first time we are sailing NOT in GTY, and I am wondering if it decreases our chances for an upgrade.

One reason I never book GTY on any cruise that we take, and we cruise a lot, just not a lot on Disney is; Placement of the stateroom on the ship. My husband gets seasick in rough seas, if we are midship, this helps. We were in the forward on 2 cruises, he stayed sick... when we walked back to the AFT, it was calm or Calmer. I have to have Cabin Placement. I can't gamble on this. If, you have someone in your family with this problem, then this really needs to be taken into consideration. Yes, the ships have stabilizers, but there are times that the seas are 12-14 ft and it is not a good night. I take the Seasick Patches, the Pills etc. We know the drill, I don't want to hear the words, Never another cruise...so it's cabin placement for us over a upgrade. I am not trying to discourage anyone... this is just what works for us.

 

[tinkslite]

I really appreciate all the explanations and tips!!! I have at least one kid that I can trust to keep an eye on the younger sib. BUT, if we are too far apart my developmentally delayed dd will have to sleep with us! Ah well. We needed to take the gty room or delay, and so I struck while the iron was hot. Here's to wishing for the pixie dust upgrade!!!!

 

[fltink]

Are you a gambler? It might BUT you'd have to book in a category that's in that GTY status. You didn't say what Cat you're already booked in. It might cost you more to do that if you've already been booked for awhile as prices have likely gone up since you booked. AND there's still no guarantees. Unless you find like a Cat 8 GTY (which would mean a balcony IF you got an upgrade) or a Cat 10 GTY (which would mean at least a porthole IF you got an upgrade) then you might consider it...If you already have a balcony I wouldn't bother.

I am booking in a Category 10......hmmmmm......what do you think? Should I TRY for GTY????? I guess what I am wondering is....if I do NOT switch to GTY, is there ANY possibility of getting upgraded? Again, I have never NOT been GTY, so I am not sure. Has anyone ever personally booked with a cabin number attatched and gotten upgraded?

 

[cats mom]

I am booking in a Category 10......hmmmmm......what do you think? Should I TRY for GTY????? I guess what I am wondering is....if I do NOT switch to GTY, is there ANY possibility of getting upgraded? Again, I have never NOT been GTY, so I am not sure. Has anyone ever personally booked with a cabin number attatched and gotten upgraded?

Out of curiosity... how many times have you been upgraded when you were booked gty?

I've seen folks with assigned rooms get upgrades too, so it does happen.

The thing to remember is that upgrades are few and far between no matter how you book.
(unless you book a cat 12 gty with 4 people... then you'll get at least a cat 11... but I really don't consider that much of an upgrade)


I've seen posts from folks who tried to work the upgrade angle, and then seemed really disappointed when they got exactly what they booked. Whatever you do, don't set yourself up for that.

I say book what you'll be happy with, and assume that's what you'll get. Forget all about the possibility of an upgrade. Then if it happens, great! But if it doesn't, no big deal.

Happy Cruising!

 

[BWV Dreamin]

Absolutely, I've seen folks with assigned rooms get upgrades too, so it does happen.

The thing to remember is that upgrades are few and far between no matter how you book.
(unless you book a cat 12 gty with 4 people... then you'll get at least a cat 11... but I really don't consider that much of an upgrade)


I've seen posts from folks who tried to work the upgrade angle, and then seemed really disappointed when they got exactly what they booked. Whatever you do, don't set yourself up for that.

I say book what you'll be happy with, and assume that's what you'll get. Forget all about the possibility of an upgrade.
Then if it happens, great! But if it doesn't, no big deal.

Happy Cruising!

I am so afraid that because I don't want an upgrade I might get one, I put a special request in the ressie for "No Upgrade". You know Murphy's law, now I'll probably get it! Can you refuse it if they give you one and stay where you are? I have analyzed to death the room I wanted to combat my motionsickness. That's why I don't want to move!

 

[fltink]

Out of curiosity... how many times have you been upgraded when you were booked gty?

I've seen folks with assigned rooms get upgrades too, so it does happen.

The thing to remember is that upgrades are few and far between no matter how you book.
(unless you book a cat 12 gty with 4 people... then you'll get at least a cat 11... but I really don't consider that much of an upgrade)


I've seen posts from folks who tried to work the upgrade angle, and then seemed really disappointed when they got exactly what they booked. Whatever you do, don't set yourself up for that.

I say book what you'll be happy with, and assume that's what you'll get. Forget all about the possibility of an upgrade. Then if it happens, great! But if it doesn't, no big deal.

Happy Cruising!

I have sailed 6 times as Category 12, GTY and have gotten upgraded all 6 times! I have gotten everything from a Category 11 to a Category 7.

 

[IamChipandDale]

I've had great luck with GTY rooms and upgrades. If you don't have any issues like sea sickness and find adventure in all the groans and creaks, life on board the boat and such, it's terrific fun.

You know, its 4 years later, but I wonder how their cruise turned out, with the GTY rooms and were they close to each other. I don't have enough to speculate on, evidently.