Should I book that guaranteed cabin?

It’s a question I get asked a lot by people and to be honest there’s no easier answer. There is however a list of pros and cons that probably should be considered before booking.

The most obvious pro is the price; if you’re booking in on a guaranteed basis you can make some massive savings, especially on last minute sailings. Indeed on a last minute sailing you’ll probably find all but the most expensive cabins are on a guarantee basis.

The other big pro to booking a guaranteed cabin is the upgrade possibilities. Its here that I should probably answer the question – What is a guaranteed cabin?

A guaranteed cabin, simply put, guarantees you a cabin on the ship of at least the grade you booked, if not better. So for instance if you booked a guaranteed inside cabin you are guaranteed at least an inside cabin, but have the potential to get a better than that, (it’s rare but it does happen). If you booked a guaranteed outside cabin you would get at the minimum a room with a window, if not better. It’s worth noting a pretty big con here is that if you do book a guaranteed outside room there is a good chance you may end up with a restricted view.

Obviously the biggest con is going to be your position on the ship, that’s never guaranteed. Ever. So whilst your grade of cabin is guaranteed you could end up at the front of the ship, the back of the ship, on the bottom deck or even the top deck. One common misconception is that a guaranteed cabin may leave you with a cabin below the water line, you don’t need to worry however as those cabins are reserved for crew only.
So in summary;

Pros – Cheaper cabin
            Better Possibility of an upgrade
            Get the added excitement of waiting till you board to get your room no. (that one might be a bit of a stretch for the pro column).

Cons - Possible restricted views on outside and above cabins
           Could be anywhere on the ship,

Personally, I always book a guaranteed cabin, as my room is just somewhere to get my head down at night and store my clothes but for anyone who plans to spend a lot of time in their rooms you should consider the above pros and cons very carefully.

Happy Cruising