Guarantee Cabins – Deal Or No Deal?

Guaranteed cabins are becoming increasingly common with most, if not all, cruise lines. They are a topic of conversation, a frequently asked question and can be an absolute bargain. So what are they?

When I first started working in travel the “late deal” holiday emerged. Basically you paid your money and the tour operator chose your accommodation and, in many, cases resort for you. This worked really well as in many cases you got far more than you paid for. I had a good friend who booked a late deal with Portland holidays to Corfu, he booked and paid for a 3 star allocation on arrival and ended up in the 5 star Corfu Hilton! However as time went on this scenario happened less and less, the customer then began to get exactly what they paid for and no more.

So the Guarantee cabin is very similar to the allocation on arrival holiday. The main difference being that you choose your ship and itinerary so there is no danger of ending up in a place you don`t want to be.

The prices for guarantee cabins are excellent. You choose the grade you want to pay for and the cruise line will allocate the deck and cabin number to you. This is normally advised when you get your tickets. Inside cabins will be the cheapest and there is always a chance you might be given a complimentary upgrade.

So are they a good deal ? and is it suitable for you?

Yes they can be an excellent deal. If you are flexible on dates and itinerary,, and you don`t mind where the position of your cabin is on the ship, then great. If you are happy to occupy an inside cabin then you can`t go wrong. If you are flexible but don`t want to be inside then go for an outside or even a balcony – you will still get a good deal as long as you are perfectly happy to end up with the grade you have paid for.

If, however, you expect to get better than you have paid for then you will probably be disappointed. If you really do mind where you are on the ship, if you’ve always booked a balcony, but gone for an inside because of the price, or you are not really that flexible then a Guarantee offer is probably not for you.

At the end of the day you can pick up a fabulous bargain but do ask all the questions before you book.

Happy cruising !