What does the term guaranteed mean?

When reserving a cabin I see you can choose "guaranteed" then it says that the cabin can be anywhere on the ship. Please enlighten me.:confused:

When reserving a cabin I see you can choose "guaranteed" then it says that the cabin can be anywhere on the ship. Please enlighten me.:confused:

That's pretty much it.

When you book a guaranteed room, you are booking a particular category, but not choosing a specific room. The cruise line assignes the room later. It usually turns out to be the least desired rooms in that category due to location, etc.

I booked a guaranteed room and they put me up a level and also on a higher deck. The room was wonderful. I would take a chance. Good luck.

Guaranteed means you don't get to choose your own room - the cruiseline chooses your cabin. With a guaranteed cabin, you are guaranteed of getting a cabin in at least the category you booked.

With a guarantee, typically you pay a lower price than choosing a specific room for taking the risk that you will get the worst cabin in that category. But in exchange for that risk, there is also a chance of getting upgraded (less likely, but still possible).

There are several ways to approach booking a guarantee.

If a ship you are considering has guarantee rates available, and some don't always offer them, familiarize yourself with the deck plans and cabin categories. A TA can help, of course. Knowledge is power. If the guarantee is in a class of cabin and/or deck that you would be comfortable with then book it if you think the savings are worthwhile.

Or, you can approach it as a real gamble seeing any cabin on a ship is better than a day at the office.

The problem with guarantees is twofold. You may not find out your cabin assignment until you board. You may also end up with the least desirable cabin in the least desirable location.

We have booked guarantees a couple of times. Both were surprisingly good experiences. Both experiences were over 15 years ago however, so I hesitate to recommend doing it now. We have cruised quite a bit and know where we prefer our cabins and it seems the sailings we choose rarely offer guarantee booking anyway.

Good luck and if you have a specific question about a class of cabin you are considering post again and someone will be able to answer your questions.

If you book a balcony guarantee--you will get at least a balcony cabin you will NOT get an oceanview cabin or an inside one.

IF you really want a balcony --Do NOT book an oceanview room thinking you will get upgraded to a balcony. Sometimes it DOES happen--most times it dont.

Most upgrades happen within the caegory you booked.

Sometimes cruiselines have upgrade sales-- book a balcony and get upgraded to a higher deck-- this costs the same as the guarantee rate sometimes-- and you get to pick a moe convenient location.

We just booked on Carnival Pride--oceanview cabin and were instantly upgraded to a Obstructed view balcony

If your cabin will make or break your cruise experience, just book what you'll be happy with from the "git-go"!

We have been very fortunate with the guarantee cabins we have booked. One time we had an inside guarantee and actually received a port side balcony cabin for our Hawaiian cruise! We figure that might be a "once in a lifetime thing!" The other two times we booked inside guarantees and ended up with mid-ship locations on upper decks, but both were inside. We have been very pleased with our three guarantees so far, but I agree that if you want to be in a specific location DO NOT gamble with a guarantee booking.

I usually choose the lowest priced outside cabin guarantee. I've never been upgraded, but I've also never been disappointed either.

I booked a Guarantee room at the suggestion of my TA Only to find out 11 months later my cabin was under the bar and the band, I changed to the other side of the ship, this being my first cruise I trusted my TA do the RESEARH this is your vacation I also booked a conceige class which I feel now is not needed on Celebrity, once again I must say do the research yourself and find out what you can on these boards.

That being said I can not wait for my cruise and I will have the best time of my life but please do not count on anyone else DO THE RESEARCH yourself.

I booked a Guarantee room at the suggestion of my TA Only to find out 11 months later my cabin was under the bar and the band, I changed to the other side of the ship, this being my first cruise I trusted my TA do the RESEARH this is your vacation I also booked a conceige class which I feel now is not needed on Celebrity, once again I must say do the research yourself and find out what you can on these boards.

That being said I can not wait for my cruise and I will have the best time of my life but please do not count on anyone else DO THE RESEARCH yourself.

A TA (or anyone else) can't do research about a guaranteed cabin. It can be anywhere on the ship. If you can't accept that fact, than don't book guaranteed.

I did not know what a Guarantee room was, she told me this was the best way to go imo this is not the best way to go, when I say do the research what I mean is find out what all of your options are and what suits you, being a first time cruiser, I trusted her to give me direction.

Great information. Thank you guys so much for your responses - much appreciated.:D

Hi All ,

I'm new to cruise critic. My husband and I are sailing on the Noordam

Dec. 12, 2011 and booked a guaranteed balcony. We have sailed

Holland America before and are hoping we will have another great

trip. 1st time booking a guarantee, Yikes!!;)

That's pretty much it.

 

When you book a guaranteed room, you are booking a particular category, but not choosing a specific room. The cruise line assignes the room later. It usually turns out to be the least desired rooms in that category due to location, etc.

I love your Oasis review. that being said Im guessing you have never taken a gty yourself or you would not say this.

Simply not true in the least. I have had 2 gtys on RCL and got a OV on one and a PR on the other. I loved the PR and skipped a price drop to go back into the gty pool to keep it.

RCL even allows you to call up and change within the category in the event you see a cabin you like better.

Carnival I just did a IS, inside gty and got Lido deck .. best I ever did with Carnival. 4G I think.. SWEET!!!

I love gtys and never had one I thought was the worst in the category.

I booked a Guarantee room at the suggestion of my TA Only to find out 11 months later my cabin was under the bar and the band, I changed to the other side of the ship, this being my first cruise I trusted my TA do the RESEARH this is your vacation I also booked a conceige class which I feel now is not needed on Celebrity, once again I must say do the research yourself and find out what you can on these boards.

 

That being said I can not wait for my cruise and I will have the best time of my life but please do not count on anyone else DO THE RESEARCH yourself.

Concierge class is "not needed" .... but it sure is nice to get those extra treats that come with it.

I think what people here are missing is the reason people book gtys is the chance for a upgrade. Like me paying for a inside gty and getting the best inside, the PR, or even the OV .. or on Lido with Carnival.

Even if its still a inside .. Im getting a better inside than I paid for. Im taking the chance of just getting the lowest category of insides, but I might get a higher category or deck out of it.

I LOVE guarantees.

new to cruise critic, My husband and I are sailing on Dec 12 on the

Holland America Noordam, we have sail Holland before on the Westerdam,

a transatlantic cruise. It was wonderful so we thought we would try,

them again. We could only get a guaranteed balcony so we have our

fingers and toes crossed hoping that being past cruisers we will get a

good room. So if any of you out there are going to be on that cruise

hope to see you there.:cool: