What is a Guaranteed Cabin?

When you're planning your ocean cruise you might have come across the term ‘Guaranteed’ cabin in the booking process and hesitated to proceed. After all, if it’s your first time booking a cruise these are all new terms.

Let’s help you demystify cabins and cruising by helping you understand what it means to book a Guaranteed Cabin and what the benefits may be.

What is a Guaranteed Cabin?

When you are booking your cruise you will come across terms like ‘Guaranteed Inside” but what does this mean? Booking a Guaranteed cabin means you are booking a cabin without a specific allocation. So instead of requesting and being assigned a specific cabin on a specific deck you are booking a Guaranteed cabin category. So, 'Guaranteed Inside' means you will be guaranteed an inside cabin, somewhere on the ship. 'Guaranteed Balcony' means you will be guaranteed a balcony cabin, somewhere on the ship and so on...

How Does it Work?

The cruise line will guarantee to assign you a cabin or suite in the category you have purchased. Potentially you may be upgraded to a higher priced cabin at no additional cost to you. This will only occur at the cruise line’s discretion and can occur anytime between booking your cruise and the departure date. Sometimes this only happens in the week before cruising, so you might receive a pleasant surprise before you leave.

While you wait to learn about your allocation, be aware that without a cabin number you may not be able to make special requests for items regarding the cabin, like bedding.

Why Would I Book a Guaranteed Cabin?

There are really just two reasons people will book a Guaranteed cabin. The first, Guaranteed cabins are offered at a lower price. Secondly, by not booking a fixed allocation there is a possibility of an upgrade. So, you are saving on the price, with the opportunity for an upgrade.

Will I Get an Upgrade?

Booking a Guaranteed cabin doesn’t mean that you will automatically receive an upgrade, so it is important that you book at a category level you will be content to be accommodated in for the duration of your cruise. Upgrades can and do occur, although it’s important you don’t book ‘guaranteed’ expecting an upgrade. You may receive an upgrade if the category you have booked in is oversold, or if the category above is undersold.

What are the Benefits of a Guaranteed Cabin?

Booking a Guaranteed cabin can save you money, if you are happy to be allocated to a cabin and onboard location at the discretion of the cruise line. If saving on the coast of the cruise is your goal this is an ideal way to save. Booking a Guaranteed Cabin secures you a cabin in the same category you have booked. If you are upgraded, this can be an added bonus!

Is there a downside?

If you are travelling with a group and you want your cabins to be near each other, you are unlikely to achieve this booking multiple Guaranteed status cabins. The only other disadvantage to booking a Guaranteed cabin is if you are not going to be happy to be in the cabin category you booked in, should an upgrade not be forthcoming. If you really want that balcony room perhaps not gambling on it is the best option.

Insider Tips

Cruise insiders suggest a few tips to help you be selected for an upgrade when you have booked a Guaranteed cabin.

If the cruise line you are travelling with has a loyalty program you can join you might want to consider this. Upgrades are likely to go to loyalty program members or cruisers who have a higher loyalty status first.

Choosing to cruise in quieter seasons (avoiding school holidays) might mean there are more unsold cabins and more option for upgrades.

Lastly, if you are hoping for an upgrade to a balcony cabin you might consider booking an outside cabin. It is less likely you will be upgraded to an outside balcony cabin from and inside cabin.