Why does a category go into a GTY?

[mernin]

Just curious when or why DCL puts a category into GTY status? I am booked for a 7 night Fantasy in April 2018 in a 5E GTY room. Only booked a few weeks ago when we got off our 4 night Dream but it was still 14 months away so I was surprised I couldn't choose a room in that category. When we booked the 4 night (about a year out) there were several 5E to choose from.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Just curious when or why DCL puts a category into GTY status? I am booked for a 7 night Fantasy in April 2018 in a 5E GTY room. Only booked a few weeks ago when we got off our 4 night Dream but it was still 14 months away so I was surprised I couldn't choose a room in that category. When we booked the 4 night (about a year out) there were several 5E to choose from.

Once a certain percentage of rooms within a category have been booked, the category goes GTY. You can still book the category (for the same price) but you cannot select a specific room in that category. DCL will assign a room # at a later date.

They do this to make managing the bookings easier.

 

[mernin]

Thanks! We did book it but I just wasn't sure why they did it so early.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Thanks! We did book it but I just wasn't sure why they did it so early.

It doesn't have to do with how soon the cruise it. It has to do with how popular a given category is.

 

[mernin]

Makes sense. Thanks @PrincessShmoo

 

[KristiMc]

There are not many 5e rooms and they are popular so that category can go into GTY status pretty quickly.

 

[Little Doe]

For any given set of rooms, the number of people in those rooms cannot exceed the amount of spaces in the life rafts. When a set of rooms are getting close to a set number of people for each raft, they put the unsold rooms in a pile of guaranteed rooms. That way Disney can shift people around by numbers so each life raft will be able to hold all the people for that set of rooms. Wordy sorry!!

 

[cruiser21]

Sometimes you'll see 11c gty, 9c gty and 7a gty rooms pop up periodically on a certain cruise, and then go away. They sell those for a little less money to move sales, and control inventory. They don't want 2 person families taking up all the 4 person rooms. Sometimes you'll get an upgrade and sometimes not. After the PIF date when the dust settles they'll start assigning rooms. All cruise lines do this. On NCL these GTY rooms sell out first. On Carnival they offer them when the ship is close to sold out. DCL seems to offer them at random.

 

[lanejudy]

Sometimes you'll see 11c gty, 9c gty and 7a gty rooms pop up periodically on a certain cruise, and then go away. They sell those for a little less money to move sales

I disagree with this statement. On DCL, once a category goes GTY (11C GTY, 9C GTY, 7A, GTY, etc.) it does not usually revert back to ability to select a stateroom. It's either accept the GTY or choose another category. GTY doesn't pop up and go away, unless maybe the category gets sold out and then a lot of cancellations later.

GTY is not a discounted fare on DCL. It is full fare, but allowing DCL to assign a stateroom in that category or higher. Since as PPs have mentioned GTY is offered once a certain percentage of staterooms in that category are booked, the fare may even be higher than passengers who booked earlier and chose their stateroom.

*GT fares are discounted. These fares may pop-up, disappear, and return (at the same or different discount). The *GT are restricted fares, typically offered within 60 days of the cruise date, and require full payment when booking with no changes/modifications allowed.


OP -- as mentioned, "GTY" allows DCL some flexibility in marketing/selling categories and adjusting stateroom assignments due to inventory fluctuation. On the Dream/Fantasy, 5E staterooms are quite popular and get snatched up quickly so it's not surprising to find that category as GTY a full year out for spring-break time. During a lower season, it might not be GTY quite as early.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[cruiser21]

I disagree with this statement. On DCL, once a category goes GTY (11C GTY, 9C GTY, 7A, GTY, etc.) it does not usually revert back to ability to select a stateroom. It's either accept the GTY or choose another category. GTY doesn't pop up and go away, unless maybe the category gets sold out and then a lot of cancellations later.

GTY is not a discounted fare on DCL. It is full fare, but allowing DCL to assign a stateroom in that category or higher. Since as PPs have mentioned GTY is offered once a certain percentage of staterooms in that category are booked, the fare may even be higher than passengers who booked earlier and chose their stateroom.

*GT fares are discounted. These fares may pop-up, disappear, and return (at the same or different discount). The *GT are restricted fares, typically offered within 60 days of the cruise date, and require full payment when booking with no changes/modifications allowed.


OP -- as mentioned, "GTY" allows DCL some flexibility in marketing/selling categories and adjusting stateroom assignments due to inventory fluctuation. On the Dream/Fantasy, 5E staterooms are quite popular and get snatched up quickly so it's not surprising to find that category as GTY a full year out for spring-break time. During a lower season, it might not be GTY quite as early.

Enjoy your cruise!

I disagree with you. I never said GTY was a discounted fare nor did I say It reverts back to being able to choose a room. Where did I say that? I said they periodically will pop up, and they do. I know what GTY rooms are and I know what GT rooms are, but thanks for the tutorial. A 7a GtY may pop up someone books it. Then the cheapest room is a 5C. The next day they throw out the 7A gty again. It may disappear and then a week later you see it again. It's a way to move sales, and it's also a way to control inventory.

 

[Trera]

Thanks for clearing it up @lanejudy!

 

[Dug720]

I disagree with you. I never said GTY was a discounted fare nor did I say It reverts back to being able to choose a room. Where did I say that? I said they periodically will pop up, and they do. I know what GTY rooms are and I know what GT rooms are, but thanks for the tutorial. A 7a GtY may pop up someone books it. Then the cheapest room is a 5C. The next day they throw out the 7A gty again. It may disappear and then a week later you see it again. It's a way to move sales, and it's also a way to control inventory.

You did say

Sometimes you'll see 11c gty, 9c gty and 7a gty rooms pop up periodically on a certain cruise, and then go away. They sell those for a little less money to move sales, and control inventory.

The bolded part can easily be read as the GTY reverts back to a chooseable stateroom.

The second sentence does imply that they are sold at a discount. Not sure how else you can read "sell those for a little less money to move sales"...

 

[cruiser21]

You did say



The bolded part can easily be read as the GTY reverts back to a chooseable stateroom.

The second sentence does imply that they are sold at a discount. Not sure how else you can read "sell those for a little less money to move sales"...

I read it as the category goes away not that It reverts back to a room being available. If that's what I meant I would have just typed that. Instead of telling someone they are wrong a poster could always ask for clarification.
GTY rooms when the lowest category are less money then the next category. If all you care about is the type of room and not the exact room you can save a little money. I guess you have to cruise a lot and watch prices to know what I'm talking about. You do have a good chance of an upgrade when booking these rooms.
Every time I've booked a 7a gty Ive been upgraded. There are very few 7a's that sleep 4 so it's almost a guarantee. Same with the 9b on the classics.

 

[mmouse37]

They never said you were wrong, just that they disagreed with you. It's really nothing for anyone to take offense at.

MJ

 

[cruiser21]

They never said you were wrong, just that they disagreed with you. It's really nothing for anyone to take offense at.

MJ

True, but I don't like someone saying I said something I didn't say. In reality we probably agree. It was just interpreted wrong. Maybe I explained it wrong or maybe it's just not one of those thing that can be explained.

 

[lanejudy]

Sorry, written communication can be misinterpreted at times by either or both sides. No offense intended and none taken.

 

[Flossbolna]

I disagree with you. I never said GTY was a discounted fare nor did I say It reverts back to being able to choose a room. Where did I say that? I said they periodically will pop up, and they do. I know what GTY rooms are and I know what GT rooms are, but thanks for the tutorial. A 7a GtY may pop up someone books it. Then the cheapest room is a 5C. The next day they throw out the 7A gty again. It may disappear and then a week later you see it again. It's a way to move sales, and it's also a way to control inventory.

I think I have never seen 11C available on opening day (despite being Gold CC and therefore getting early access to booking) and when I have seen 11C available, it was always GTY. At least on the classic ships. Never tried to book 11C on the Dream class.

 

[cruiser21]

I think I have never seen 11C available on opening day (despite being Gold CC and therefore getting early access to booking) and when I have seen 11C available, it was always GTY. At least on the classic ships. Never tried to book 11C on the Dream class.

I've never booked opening day. I would think the benefit of booking that early would be to get the room you want. I've seen some cruises where you can choose an 11c but most the time its gty. I've gone from verandahs, to ocean views and now my first inside. If prices get any higher????

 

[mom4fun]

I think I have never seen 11C available on opening day (despite being Gold CC and therefore getting early access to booking) and when I have seen 11C available, it was always GTY. At least on the classic ships. Never tried to book 11C on the Dream class.

I noticed this too! When I don't have a room preference on opening day I usually just booked an 11c and decided later if I wanted to keep it. Last October none of the 11c rooms were being sold and I am Gold also. Almost 4 months later, an 11c gty popped up. They keep playing that yo yo game and one day it's available the next day it's gone over and over for a month now.

 

[mom4fun]

I've never booked opening day. I would think the benefit of booking that early would be to get the room you want. I've seen some cruises where you can choose an 11c but most the time its gty. I've gone from verandahs, to ocean views and now my first inside. If prices get any higher????

The benefit to booking on opening day is price. Also, those 11c rooms are a great deal. They are usually considerably less than an 11b and they are the same type room just on deck 2.