Guarantee cabins trade room selection for potential cruise savings
The booking option secures a selected cabin category or better, while the cruise line assigns the specific room closer to departure.
A guarantee cabin, also known as a GTY, allows a traveler to reserve a category such as interior, ocean-view or balcony at a lower price without selecting a specific room. The cruise line assigns the room closer to the sailing date, leaving open the possibility of an upgrade.
Travel advisor Deborah Director said guarantee cabins are almost always priced below the lowest published rate for the category because passengers exchange cabin choice for savings. According to Director, cruise lines sometimes move guarantee passengers into higher-category rooms when particular categories are heavily booked, allowing the companies to free up inventory.
Director emphasized that a guarantee reservation promises accommodation in the selected category or a better one. It does not mean the passenger will automatically receive an upgrade.
Travelers staying in interior staterooms were advised to display the ship's live camera feed on the cabin television to see where the vessel is heading. Katrina Middleton separately recommended choosing an interior or ocean-view cabin as a money-saving option for a short cruise.