WS

[mworkman]

I kept seeing this code WS pop up on a travel site and did some quick searching to see what it stood for, and as far as i can tell its Guaranteed Suite. Now the puzzling thing for me is that the only cabins available now are JS for $1332 and the WS for $1524.50.  Why in the world would you select the WS in hopes for something of a possible upgrade to a higher suite, that just selecting a JS room where you want it now.  Am i missing something? 

[Lovetocruise2002]

6 minutes ago, mworkman said:

I kept seeing this code WS pop up on a travel site and did some quick searching to see what it stood for, and as far as i can tell its Guaranteed Suite. Now the puzzling thing for me is that the only cabins available now are JS for $1332 and the WS for $1524.50.  Why in the world would you select the WS in hopes for something of the an possible upgrade to a higher suite, that just selecting a JS room where you want it now.  Am i missing something? 

That is weird.  Usually, whenever I have seen the suite guarantee, it is always lower in price than the JS.  Is this on Royal's site?

[mworkman]

Just now, Lovetocruise2002 said:

That is weird.  Usually, whenever I have seen the suite guarantee, it is always lower in price than the JS.  Is this on Royal's site?

No...that's what i was thinking too.

[Lovetocruise2002]

Yea...I would say "Don't" lock in low rate 

[twangster]

It happens on Royal's website too.  Sometimes for balconies, sometimes for suites.  

Inventory is probably right at threshold levels making fare engines display wonky results.  

[JLMoran]

In the course of tracking prices for my Anthem cruise, I've seen not one, not two, but three suite guarantee rates come up, all on the Royal site, and all but the first one showed up after final payment date:

• JS Guarantee -- was priced around $1,400, which was higher than my original booking rate for my specific J4 room; when it showed you could no longer book an individual JS room.
• Grand Suite Guarantee -- was priced about the same as the GS rooms I'd seen individually (around $1,999 for the guarantee rate), and again you could no longer book an individual GS
• Owner's Suite Guaranteee -- Pricing was around $2,999, no idea how that compares since I was never tracking OS or higher rooms; once again, that actual room type can't be directly booked now

None of these are offered at this point, as the ship is pretty much sold out. But they also never made any sense to me; if the actual rooms were sold out, why were they selling at that class level as a guarantee rate, rather than a guarantee rate on the higher room class? If the rooms weren't sold out, why not offer them for individual booking instead of forcing people into the guarantee class (at what seemed comparable or more expensive pricing)?

[Lovetocruise2002]

1 hour ago, JLMoran said:

But they also never made any sense to me; if the actual rooms were sold out, why were they selling at that class level as a guarantee rate, rather than a guarantee rate on the higher room class? If the rooms weren't sold out, why not offer them for individual booking instead of forcing people into the guarantee class (at what seemed comparable or more expensive pricing)?

I've always thought that if the rooms were actually sold out, then they offer a guarantee because the room might open up last minute as they move people around.  C&A reps have told me many times that upgrades happen close to a sailing very methodically, thus freeing up whatever people were booked in.  So for example, if I was booked in a GS (and they are sold out), and offered an upgrade to a OS and took it, my GS would free up last minute for those who booked a GS GTY.

If the rooms are not actually sold out, then perhaps the suite guarantee gives them greater flexibility in where to put you.  All speculation on my part.