When choosing your cabin, you are offered a guaranteed cabin. What is a guaranteed cabin? In order to fill ships and maximize their revenues, cruise lines make special offers. In order not to devalue the price of their superior cabins or to lose sales because of a full category, they sometimes offer guaranteed cabins at a lower price.

Where are the guaranteed cabins located?

The guaranteed cabin means you’ll have a cabin of the type you’ve chosen or better. Your cabin will not be assigned to you until some time before the trip. Each type of cabin (e.g. Sea View) is made up of several categories (e.g., obstructed view to cabin on an upper deck). Therefore, you will not be able to choose the category or location of your cabin.

Are guaranteed cabins a bargain?

This option is advantageous if it saves you money compared to the price of an assigned cabin in the same category. If you are a frequent traveller with the company, you are more likely to have a better cabin assigned to you, but this is not guaranteed.

For people who are seasick and prefer a cabin in the centre of the boat, this option puts you at great risk, as the cabins in the centre are popular, so you are more likely to end up in the front or back of the ship.

You will also run the risk of being assigned a strange cabin (disposition, obstructed view) or a cabin located in a more crowded or noisy place (under a restaurant or bar).

Guaranteed cabins are therefore attractive if you do not have a particular preference for the location of your cabin or if this allows you to access a higher category of cabin (mini-suite, suite) for the same price as a lower type.

If you spend little time in your cabin or its location is not important to you, guaranteed cabins are an interesting way to save money. Read the article “ Which cabin to choose on a cruise? for more information on different types of cabins.