“Do I feel lucky? Well do ya, punk?” That is the feeling that I get when I look at booking a guarantee cabin for a cruise. In 12 years I never felt lucky, so I always skipped booking a guarantee. That is until May 7th when my 14 day Zaandam cruise showed a guarantee vista suite at the same price that I booked my semi-obstructed ocean view cabin. These are the things I considered before sprinting down to the man cave to see if Walt would agree to pull the trigger.
- What decks are the vista suites on?
- What is on the decks above and below these cabins? Public spaces or cabins?
- What do I consider to be the least desirable location(s)?
- Would I be happy in the least desirable location for 14 days?
- What perks am I giving up by switching? Drink package? Pinnacle Dinner? Onboard Credit?
- Would Walt be ok with this?
Vista Suites are on decks 6 and 7. Public spaces are above and below. The least desirable location to me would be above the theater, especially during rehearsals and shows. Quick research showed that the last show is at 10pm, so I would be fine with that location. I would be giving up the drink package and one night at Pinnacle for dinner. Giving up the perks is ok, since I booked 3 other nights at Pinnacle. I am ok giving up the drink package we have long days in port to buy craft brews at less expensive prices and we get a balcony!!! Finally, Walt was onboard with the switch.
I made a phone call within 30 minutes of seeing the guarantee and switched to the vista suite. I guess I felt lucky.
Depending on the cruise line you can get your cabin assignment within a couple of days of booking or a couple of days before sailing. Holland America is typically 7-10 days before sailing. Imagine my surprise when I received my cabin assignment 21 days before sailing! Our assignment ended up being on Deck 6 aft with cabins above and the Kings Room below. It’s a very quiet location and close to the public aft deck. If I could have picked our cabin, this is the area I would have selected.
I have to say that I am really happy that I took a chance, rolled the dice, and went with a guarantee. I definitely feel lucky.