You are on the same ship, doing the same itinerary, and participating in the same activities as your cruise stateroom neighbor, but are you paying the same price?
Probably not!
Purchasing a Guaranteed Cabin is a way that you could potentially save money on your next cruise! But, is it right for you?
What is a Guaranteed Cabin?
A guaranteed cabin on a cruise ship refers to a type of booking where you choose a specific category of cabin (interior, oceanview, balcony, etc.) but the cruise line assigns you a cabin within that category closer to the departure date, rather than you selecting your cabin. Basically, you are agreeing that the cruise line will choose your cabin for you.
Advantages of purchasing a Guaranteed Cabin?
You will be on the same ship, in whatever type of stateroom that you chose, so why not just book the room that you want? Why, in other words, would you want to purchase a "Guaranteed" Cabin?
The decision depends on your preferences, priorities, and risk tolerance.
The benefit is that guarantee cabins are usually priced lower than an assigned cabin, which is one way to save money on a cruise. For example, on the last cruise that we booked, we saved $500 each (totaling $1000) just by having the cruise line pick the room for us.
So, are guarantee cabins a bad choice or the worst cabins on a cruise? Not necessarily. There are many reasons why the stateroom is available, including that someone canceled their cruise and now that cabin is free; someone may have received an upgrade, and the room is now available; or any other number of reasons.
Advantages:
Potential for Upgrades: Sometimes, passengers who book guaranteed cabins might end up receiving a free upgrade to a higher category cabin if the cruise ship has availability. As long as the ship is not at full capacity, you would have a better chance of this happening.
Lower Cost: Guaranteed cabins tend to be cheaper than selecting a specific cabin at the time of booking. If you're looking to save money and are flexible about the cabin location, this could be a good option. As stated above, the savings could be significant.
Adventure and Surprise: If you're open to the idea of not knowing exactly where your cabin will be until the last minute, booking a guaranteed cabin can add an element of excitement and surprise to your cruise experience.
What are the disadvantages of purchasing a Guaranteed Cabin?
Okay, so you will save potentially a lot of money by purchasing a Guaranteed cabin, so what is the catch? What possible disadvantages are there to having the cruise line pick the room for me?
Well, if you are more comfortable knowing the exact location of your stateroom, you probably will want to skip booking a guarantee cabin. The following factors could also make this a bad choice for you...
Disadvantages:
Lack of Control: You won't have control over the exact cabin location, deck level, view, or proximity to amenities. If these factors are important to you, a guaranteed cabin might not be the best choice. You will likely not be able to make any changes after this cabin has been assigned.
Possibility of Unfavorable Cabin: There's a chance that you might end up with a cabin in a less desirable location (e.g., near noisy areas, far from elevators) which might not align with your preferences. For example, you could be located right below scraping chairs from the pool deck, or you could be located directly above a noisy venue!
Limited Availability: Guaranteed cabins are often offered in limited quantities, and if you wait too long to book, they might no longer be available.
Less Customization: Booking a specific cabin allows you to choose the amenities and features that matter most to you. With a guaranteed cabin, you have less control over these aspects.
How do you purchase a Guaranteed Cabin?
At the time of you selecting your booking type and cabin, you will have the option of selecting your cabin, or having the cruise line select it for you. Most of the time, there will be a significant cruise savings that you will be able to see, so that you can determine if it is worth it to you.
Caution: You SHOULD know your numbers before you book, however, as we have seen that sometimes there is NO difference in the pricing overall.
If you are booking through a travel agent, they will be able to tell you the cost savings at the time of your booking as well.
Conclusion: Should you purchase a Guaranteed Cabin?
In conclusion, whether you should get a guaranteed cabin depends on your priorities. If you're budget-conscious, flexible about cabin location, and open to the possibility of a free upgrade, a guaranteed cabin could be a good option. However, if you have specific preferences for cabin features and location, and you want more control over your accommodations, it might be worth booking a specific available cabin instead.
Be sure to read the fine print before making your decision!
Regardless, we hope that you have a great location on your next cruise, whether you book a Guaranteed Cabin or not!
Have you ever purchased a Guaranteed Cabin?
0%YES!
0%NO!
Good to know. We have had bad experience with front of ship. Would not want to get stuck there.