| Guarantee vs. Assigned Cabins |
Guarantee Cabins - It makes a lot of sense for a cruise line to upgrade a “guarantee” cabin as a marketing tool in an effort to get repeat
business from the delighted cruiser who feels that to departure and you may learn your cabin assignment, however, you may not get
assigned your cabin until you get to the pier, to departure and you may learn your cabin assignment, however, you may not get assigned
your cabin until you get to the pier, especially if you booked your cruise within 30 days of sailing.
If you book a guarantee in a certain category and that category is full, you might get upgraded. On the other hand, someone else (perhaps a
member of the past-passenger program with higher status) might get upgraded and you might get their cabin in your category. There's no
way to tell.
Thus, the cardinal rule of booking guarantees: Don't book a guarantee in any given category unless you would be happy with a cabin in that
category! In other words, if you will not be happy with anything less than a suite, don't book an inside guarantee.
If you do not care where you are assigned a cabin I think the “guarantee” option is a good one. However, if you have issues with sea
sickness, noise, and are traveling with other family members or friends that want to be in cabins within close proximity I do not recommend
this option.
I believe “guarantee” is a poor choice of words to use for this option because people wrongly believe they are “guaranteed” an upgrade and
they are not.
Here are the general guarantee policies of some of the cruise lines:
Carnival Cruise Lines
Passengers may either book a generic cabin type (e.g. Inside, Outside, Balcony) at a lower fare than for the lowest specific category within
that type, or book a guarantee within a specific category at the normal fare for that category. Carnival begins assigning guaranteed cabins
about eight weeks prior to sailing and the majority of passengers are notified of their cabin assignment when they receive their cruise
documents.
Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises
Passengers may either book a generic cabin type at a lower fare than for the lowest specific category within that type, or opt to choose a
guarantee rather than an assigned cabin within a specific category at the normal fare for that category. Guarantee cabins are typically
assigned six weeks prior to departure.
Costa Cruises
Guarantee passengers are offered a generic cabin type at a lower fare than the lowest specific category within that type. Cabin
assignments are generally made around 30 days prior to departure.
Crystal Cruises
Crystal offers guarantees in all categories, except Crystal Penthouse. Passengers book guarantees at the same fare as an assigned
cabin in that same category. Cabin assignments may be made as early as one month prior to departure, or as late as the day prior to
departure. Most cabins are usually assigned one week before sailing.
Cunard Line
Cunard offers guarantees both for generic cabin types at special lower fares and for specific categories at the normal fare within that
category. Cabin assignments may be made at least 30 days prior to departure.
Disney Cruise Line
Disney offers guarantees in any given category at the normal fare for that category, depending on availability. Cabin assignments generally
take place within 30 days of departure.
Holland America Line
Guarantees are offered in specific cabin categories on an as-needed basis, at the normal fare for that category. Assignments are made
between 30 days and one week before sailing.
MSC Cruises
MSC Cruises offers guarantee cabins selectively based on inventory management restrictions. Guarantees are not available for all
categories on all sailings. Guarantees are offered by category and type (single, double, triple or quad). The time frame for assignment of
guarantees can vary according to the sailing, category and type of guarantee. In general, guarantees are assigned within two weeks of
sailing and in some instances may not be assigned until embarkation.
Norwegian Cruise Line
Guarantees may be offered for a generic cabin type at a lower fare than for a specific category, or within categories at the normal fare for
that category. Assignments are typically made no later than 60 days before sailing, assuming passengers have booked more than 60
days before sailing.
Princess Cruises
Depending on availability, Princess offers guarantees within specific categories as an alternative to an assigned cabin. Cabin
assignments may be made at any time between the time of booking and several days before departure.
Remember, the cruise line has no obligation to give you a cabin in a higher category than you booked! When booking a guarantee, do
exactly what you would do when booking an assigned cabin -- book the least expensive category that you will be happy with. An upgrade is
a nice surprise, but not something you should count on.
Upgrades
If you are assigned a cabin (not a “guarantee") there is a remote possibility you may be offered an upgrade by the cruise line. This is a
great marketing tool for the cruise lines and it makes no difference to them who occupies which category of cabin once the ship sails.
There goal is to get you to return to there cruise lines in the future. Prior to sailing, if you have been selected for an “upgrade” the cruise line
will notify your travel agent that you have been selected for an upgrade and request the travel agent contact you to confirm that you would
accept the upgrade. There are cases where many cruisers turn down an upgrade because they are happy with the location and category of
cabin they were assigned, there reservation may not be cross referenced with other friends that may be in a cabin nearby, or if returning to
that ship from a previous sailing, sentimental reasons.
I have learned there are different policies dictated by the cruise lines for selection of upgrades. Those policies include:
1. Cabin/Category availability
2. Account status of travel agency that booked your cruise (key accounts)
3. Past sailing history with the cruise line (frequent or past guest)
4. Operational necessity (ship maintenance)
5. Customer good will - marketing opportunity/convenience
6. Cabin upgrade allocations by cruise revenue department
IMPORTANT!
ALL cabin assignments are at the discretion of the cruise line and they have the right to change cabin assignments at any time for both
assigned and guarantee cabins based upon the terms and conditions of the cruise contract.
business from the delighted cruiser who feels that to departure and you may learn your cabin assignment, however, you may not get
assigned your cabin until you get to the pier, to departure and you may learn your cabin assignment, however, you may not get assigned
your cabin until you get to the pier, especially if you booked your cruise within 30 days of sailing.
If you book a guarantee in a certain category and that category is full, you might get upgraded. On the other hand, someone else (perhaps a
member of the past-passenger program with higher status) might get upgraded and you might get their cabin in your category. There's no
way to tell.
Thus, the cardinal rule of booking guarantees: Don't book a guarantee in any given category unless you would be happy with a cabin in that
category! In other words, if you will not be happy with anything less than a suite, don't book an inside guarantee.
If you do not care where you are assigned a cabin I think the “guarantee” option is a good one. However, if you have issues with sea
sickness, noise, and are traveling with other family members or friends that want to be in cabins within close proximity I do not recommend
this option.
I believe “guarantee” is a poor choice of words to use for this option because people wrongly believe they are “guaranteed” an upgrade and
they are not.
Here are the general guarantee policies of some of the cruise lines:
Carnival Cruise Lines
Passengers may either book a generic cabin type (e.g. Inside, Outside, Balcony) at a lower fare than for the lowest specific category within
that type, or book a guarantee within a specific category at the normal fare for that category. Carnival begins assigning guaranteed cabins
about eight weeks prior to sailing and the majority of passengers are notified of their cabin assignment when they receive their cruise
documents.
Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises
Passengers may either book a generic cabin type at a lower fare than for the lowest specific category within that type, or opt to choose a
guarantee rather than an assigned cabin within a specific category at the normal fare for that category. Guarantee cabins are typically
assigned six weeks prior to departure.
Costa Cruises
Guarantee passengers are offered a generic cabin type at a lower fare than the lowest specific category within that type. Cabin
assignments are generally made around 30 days prior to departure.
Crystal Cruises
Crystal offers guarantees in all categories, except Crystal Penthouse. Passengers book guarantees at the same fare as an assigned
cabin in that same category. Cabin assignments may be made as early as one month prior to departure, or as late as the day prior to
departure. Most cabins are usually assigned one week before sailing.
Cunard Line
Cunard offers guarantees both for generic cabin types at special lower fares and for specific categories at the normal fare within that
category. Cabin assignments may be made at least 30 days prior to departure.
Disney Cruise Line
Disney offers guarantees in any given category at the normal fare for that category, depending on availability. Cabin assignments generally
take place within 30 days of departure.
Holland America Line
Guarantees are offered in specific cabin categories on an as-needed basis, at the normal fare for that category. Assignments are made
between 30 days and one week before sailing.
MSC Cruises
MSC Cruises offers guarantee cabins selectively based on inventory management restrictions. Guarantees are not available for all
categories on all sailings. Guarantees are offered by category and type (single, double, triple or quad). The time frame for assignment of
guarantees can vary according to the sailing, category and type of guarantee. In general, guarantees are assigned within two weeks of
sailing and in some instances may not be assigned until embarkation.
Norwegian Cruise Line
Guarantees may be offered for a generic cabin type at a lower fare than for a specific category, or within categories at the normal fare for
that category. Assignments are typically made no later than 60 days before sailing, assuming passengers have booked more than 60
days before sailing.
Princess Cruises
Depending on availability, Princess offers guarantees within specific categories as an alternative to an assigned cabin. Cabin
assignments may be made at any time between the time of booking and several days before departure.
Remember, the cruise line has no obligation to give you a cabin in a higher category than you booked! When booking a guarantee, do
exactly what you would do when booking an assigned cabin -- book the least expensive category that you will be happy with. An upgrade is
a nice surprise, but not something you should count on.
Upgrades
If you are assigned a cabin (not a “guarantee") there is a remote possibility you may be offered an upgrade by the cruise line. This is a
great marketing tool for the cruise lines and it makes no difference to them who occupies which category of cabin once the ship sails.
There goal is to get you to return to there cruise lines in the future. Prior to sailing, if you have been selected for an “upgrade” the cruise line
will notify your travel agent that you have been selected for an upgrade and request the travel agent contact you to confirm that you would
accept the upgrade. There are cases where many cruisers turn down an upgrade because they are happy with the location and category of
cabin they were assigned, there reservation may not be cross referenced with other friends that may be in a cabin nearby, or if returning to
that ship from a previous sailing, sentimental reasons.
I have learned there are different policies dictated by the cruise lines for selection of upgrades. Those policies include:
1. Cabin/Category availability
2. Account status of travel agency that booked your cruise (key accounts)
3. Past sailing history with the cruise line (frequent or past guest)
4. Operational necessity (ship maintenance)
5. Customer good will - marketing opportunity/convenience
6. Cabin upgrade allocations by cruise revenue department
IMPORTANT!
ALL cabin assignments are at the discretion of the cruise line and they have the right to change cabin assignments at any time for both
assigned and guarantee cabins based upon the terms and conditions of the cruise contract.
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