When
you book a cabin assignment, you are choosing
the specific cabin you will be occupying.
You will be able to look in your cruise
lines brochure at the ship deck plan,
and see exactly where the cabin is located.
You will be able to check the legend for
the deck plan, and see what the cabin
configuration is. If you book a cabin
assignment, the odds of getting a free
upgrade some time in the future are almost
nil, perhaps less that 1 in 1,000.
One
way you can get more than you
paid for is to accept a guaranteed
booking. Simply stated, you pay for one
category of cabin and could be assigned
a more expensive category. You won't get
a suite, but you may be placed a deck
or two higher than the cabin you'd get
otherwise. Here are the rules:
You
are guaranteed a cabin on the ship
in a specific category or
better at the price specified
at time of booking. If you book
far enough in advance, it is likely
that you will receive free upgrades
to the tune of 1, 2, 3, maybe even
more categories. If you book last
minute, odds of being assigned a
cabin in exactly the same category
as the guarantee you paid for are
good.
What
you give in exchange for the better
cabin is the cruise line's right
to assign you to any cabin in that
category. Categories are indicated
on the deck plan as cabins of the
same color.
When
you book a guarantee, you are giving up
your privilege to specify anything whatsoever
about the cabin you will be assigned.
You are guaranteed a cabin of at least
the category and quality you have paid
for, and you are hoping for a free upgrade.
So in the final analysis what's the right
thing to do? You need one more piece of
information... For a particular cabin
category the price of a guarantee and
a cabin assignment may be very different,
then again they may be the same. Your
Cruise Professional at Non-Stop
Travel will be glad to explain
your options.
