1st Time on NCL-Jade East Med. Any tips on GTY Cabin(s)? How this works?
 

This is the deal: this is a Sisters's trip; my sister is on a budget and I will respect that. We bought the GTY Cabin at an incredible rate. How exactly this works and is there anything we can do to get a good upgrade? Sister is a cancer survivor/lost a child; this HAS to be a very special, memorable time for us. Any tips? Many thanks! Happy travels folks!!

There's nothing you can do to get a better upgrade. It's completely up to the cruise line. But you will not be given a cabin below the category in which you booked. However, you also have no input on where on the ship that cabin might be located. The way the upgrade works is that the cruise line decides how (or if) to upgrade you. And if you have booked an inside cabin (likely given the situation you describe), just be prepared to have one. But it's out of your hands now.

Some time before the cruise you will get travel docs with your assigned cabin number.

Have you made reservation on-line directly with NCL or with a travel agent?

You may try to call NCL and ask them for upgrade, tell them about your sister, who knows, maybe they will give you a better cabin - it never hurts to ask.

I made the reservation directly with NCL and they did asked about the ocassion. I am totally OK with staying in an inside cabin as the route is such that we arrive very early to a different port every day and leave late. I love that about Easten Mediterranean route(s). If I am at a port I am off the ship if you know what I mean..... thanks for the advice, pretty much the cruise agent "party line". She did say that we could be upgraded to a new cabin even after the ship leaves port, so I kind of like not knowing! :-D

May I suggest that you read about the passenger experiences on the recent East Med cruises on the NCL Jade on the Cruise Critics Boards before you confirm your booking for your cruise?

With your sister's possible compromised immune system, I urge you to consider the risks that might spoil your experiences together.

We did the Jade last year,and had a Balcony GTY, as we normally do on most cruises. We were placed midship on a middle deck and were quite pleased with the location of the cabin. We were not notified of the actual cabin # until about two weeks prior to the sailing date. We usually book GTY's since you can't beat the price. Yes, you take a chance, but honestly, with most new ships cabins being basically the same size and decor, what is the difference. You might have to walk a little further to a lounge or restaurant, but hey, walking is good for you-burns off the extra calories from all of the extra eating. The only thing that I get concerned with is being placed on a deck with a cabin directly under the pool area or buffet--too many scraping chairs, or over the theater. So far that hasn't happened, and we have booked GTY's
at least ten times. Only once have we been upgraded to the next classification- went from an inside to an obstructed view outside. As others have said, be prepared to stay in the general classification that you book.

cruisecritic, I wish you'd expand a bit on your concerns. I don't see a problem at all on that front.

cruisecritic -- I did read on the Norovirus in the Jade around Dec 2010 prior to booking.

Dec 2009, that is....