Guaranteed Cabins – What’s guaranteed?

I find it very bemusing as to why cruise lines  use the term ‘Guaranteed Cabins’.

What exactly is guaranteed?

Is the deck number guaranteed? No!

Is the cabin grade guaranteed? No!

Is the location of the cabin guaranteed? No!

So why book a guaranteed cabin?

Quite often the reason would be because they are sold at a discounted price, however some cruise lines offer the option of a guaranteed cabin at the same cost as a named cabin. Why would they do this? Well some people think that by booking a guaranteed cabin you have more chance of an upgrade. This can be true, however in my experience most upgrades (not all) are to the same type of cabin just in a different location on the ship & not a better cabin.

What are the pitfalls of booking a guaranteed cabin?

Things to be aware of are that you could be located anywhere on the ship, so if you suffer from mal de mer then being at the very front or back of the ship would not be good. There are cabins located below outdoor deck areas, dining rooms, next to lifts & close to entertainment venues which can suffer from noise. You could be a long walk away from a lift or restaurants which would not be suitable for people who are less mobile.

And what are the potential benefits?

As previously mentioned there is the possibility of getting an upgraded cabin. Your upgrade could mean getting a higher deck or a more midship location  within the same cabin type. If you’re really lucky you get get moved from an inside cabin to an outside or an outside to a balcony. I have to say it is very rare that people are upgraded to the top suites on the ship, although it has happened, but generally from a higher grade balcony cabin or suite & not from an inside or outside cabin. Quite often upgrades are offered primarily to people who have paid the full price but have indicated they would accept an upgrade & also to guests who are in the higher tiers of the cruise lines’ loyalty clubs.

What people need to understand when booking these cabins is that it’s a gamble. Sometimes it pays off & you strike lucky. Other times you may end up with the oddball cabin that nobody else wants. Either way you need to be prepared for the worst & be ready to celebrate if you hit the jackpot.

If you’ve got a cruise coming up with a guaranteed cabin I hope Lady Luck is smiling down on you!