When booking a cruise, you may be offered a lower fare if you allow the cruise line to assign your stateroom. The savings can be tempting, and there is always the possibility of receiving a better cabin than the one you paid for.
However, giving up control of your cabin location comes with real risks. You could end up beneath a nightclub, far from the elevators or looking directly at a lifeboat instead of the ocean.
After taking more than 25 cruises, I generally prefer to choose my own cabin. Here is what you should understand before booking a guarantee cabin and letting the cruise line decide where you will stay.
What Is a Guarantee Cabin?
A guarantee cabin—sometimes shown as a GTY cabin—means you are reserving a particular stateroom category without selecting a specific cabin number.
For example, if you book a balcony guarantee, the cruise line promises to assign you a balcony cabin or possibly a higher category. However, you usually cannot choose its deck, location or exact layout.
Your cabin number may be assigned shortly after booking, a few weeks before departure or, in some cases, very close to the sailing date.
The primary benefit is price. Guarantee fares may cost less than fares that allow you to select a specific stateroom.
You could also receive an upgrade, but you should never book a guarantee cabin expecting one. Even if the cruise line assigns you a technically higher category, the location may not be one you would have selected yourself.
What Happens When You Choose Your Own Cabin?
Selecting your own stateroom generally costs more, but the additional expense gives you control over several important details.
You can review the ship’s deck plan and choose the deck, section of the ship and distance from elevators. You can also check what is located above, below and next to the cabin.
For many passengers, that control is worth paying more—especially on a long cruise when an inconvenient or noisy location could affect the entire vacation.
You Could Be Assigned a Noisy Cabin
Noise is one of the biggest risks of allowing the cruise line to select your stateroom.
The least desirable cabins are often the ones located beneath the pool deck, buffet, theater, gym or nightclub. You might hear music late at night, chairs being moved early in the morning or passengers walking overhead throughout the day.
Cabins near elevators, crew areas, stairwells and connecting doors may also experience more noise.
When choosing my own cabin, I look for one surrounded by other staterooms. Ideally, there should be cabins above, below and on both sides. This does not guarantee complete silence, but it reduces the likelihood of being placed beneath a busy public space.
Your View May Be Obstructed
An ocean view or balcony cabin does not always come with a completely unobstructed ocean view.
Depending on the ship, lifeboats, structural beams or other equipment may partially or almost completely block the window or balcony view. Some cruise lines clearly label these cabins as obstructed view staterooms, but the degree of obstruction can vary.
When you book a guarantee rate, the cruise line may assign one of these less desirable cabins after passengers who paid to choose their locations have already selected the better options.
An obstructed view may not matter if you are booking primarily for natural light or a lower price. But if you are paying extra because you want to sit on the balcony and admire the ocean, it can be disappointing to find a lifeboat directly in front of you.
You May Feel More Motion
Passengers who are prone to seasickness should be especially cautious about booking a guarantee cabin.
Movement is generally more noticeable toward the front and back of the ship. A cabin located low and near the middle of the vessel typically feels more stable, although no location can completely eliminate motion during rough weather.
You can encounter rough seas during any season or itinerary—not just during hurricane season. If the ship must sail around a storm or through unfavorable conditions, an extreme forward or aft cabin may feel significantly different from one near the center.
If seasickness is a concern, choosing your own midship cabin on a lower passenger deck is usually worth the additional cost.
You Could Be Far From Everything
Modern cruise ships can be enormous, and a poorly located cabin may require long walks several times a day.
You could be assigned a stateroom at the far end of a long corridor or on a deck that requires multiple elevator rides to reach your preferred venues. This can become inconvenient if you regularly return to your cabin for medications, clothing changes or forgotten items.
Before selecting a cabin, think about which parts of the ship your family will use most. You may want to be closer to the buffet and pool deck, the kids club, the main dining room or a particular elevator bank.
A central cabin can be especially helpful for passengers traveling with young children or anyone who has difficulty walking long distances.
A Guarantee Booking May Not Meet Accessibility Needs
If you need a wheelchair-accessible cabin, roll-in shower, wider doorway or other specific feature, do not rely on the cruise line to provide it through a standard guarantee assignment.
Cruise ships have a limited number of accessible staterooms, and they can sell out early. These cabins should generally be reserved directly based on a passenger’s documented accessibility needs.
An ordinary cabin may not have enough space to maneuver a wheelchair or mobility scooter. Its bathroom entrance, doorway width and shower design may also be unsuitable.
Passengers with accessibility needs should speak with the cruise line or a knowledgeable travel advisor before booking and confirm that the selected cabin has the necessary features.
Cabin Sizes and Layouts Can Differ
Staterooms within the same broad category are not always identical.
Some may have unusual shapes, limited storage or furniture arranged in a less convenient way. The location of the bed, sofa and connecting door can also affect how spacious the room feels.
Certain cabins may accommodate two passengers comfortably but feel cramped when the sofa bed or additional berths are in use.
If layout matters to your family, research the exact cabin number before booking. Look at the ship’s deck plan, cabin descriptions and photos or videos from previous passengers.
When you accept a guarantee assignment, you give up much of that control.
Balcony Sizes Are Not Always the Same
Two balcony cabins in the same general category may have very different outdoor spaces.
Depending on the ship’s design, balconies located on corners, curves or extended sections of the vessel may be larger than standard balconies. Cabins on the ship’s “hump,” where the structure extends outward, can sometimes have especially desirable views or additional balcony space.
Other balconies may be narrower, partially enclosed or affected by the ship’s structure.
If spending time outside is one of the main reasons you are paying for a balcony, selecting a specific cabin allows you to look for the best available option instead of accepting whatever remains.
Your Group’s Cabins Could Be Far Apart
Booking guarantee cabins is risky when you need two or more staterooms near each other.
Even when the reservations are linked, the cruise line may assign cabins on opposite ends of the same deck—or on completely different decks. There is generally no promise that guarantee cabins will be located together.
This can be especially inconvenient for families traveling with children, grandparents or anyone who needs assistance.
If your group wants connecting cabins, adjacent balconies or rooms directly across the hall, choose the exact staterooms when booking. Do not depend on the cruise line to arrange them later because nearby cabins may no longer be available.
Cabin Location Can Matter on an Alaska Cruise
The scenery is a major reason people book an Alaska cruise, so many passengers want control over the location and orientation of their balcony.
On one-way itineraries, one side of the ship may face the coastline more frequently. However, the ideal side depends on the ship’s route, the ports and how the vessel approaches scenic areas.
During glacier-viewing days, ships may turn so passengers on both sides have an opportunity to see the scenery.
Because Alaska cruises often cost more than comparable Caribbean sailings, research the itinerary and ship before selecting your balcony. If a particular view or location is important to you, a guarantee cabin may not be the right choice.
You May Not Receive the Upgrade You’re Hoping For
Some passengers choose a guarantee fare because they hope the cruise line will reward them with a complimentary upgrade.
It can happen, but you should not count on it.
The cruise line only has to provide a cabin that meets the terms of the category you booked. Even if you are moved into a category the cruise line considers better, the assigned stateroom could be in a noisier or less convenient location.
For example, a cabin may be considered an upgrade because it is on a higher deck, even though you would have preferred a lower, more stable deck near the middle of the ship.
Book the lowest category you would be happy to receive, and assume that is where you will stay.
When Does a Guarantee Cabin Make Sense?
Despite the disadvantages, a guarantee cabin can be a good option for some passengers.
Consider letting the cruise line choose if:
- The savings are substantial
- You are flexible about your cabin location
- You are not sensitive to noise or motion
- You do not need an accessible or connecting cabin
- You plan to spend very little time in your room
- You would be satisfied with any cabin in the category you booked
A guarantee inside cabin may also feel like a smaller risk than a guarantee balcony if your main goal is simply to get the lowest possible cruise fare.
Before booking, compare the guarantee price with the cost of choosing your own cabin. If the difference is small, I would pay more for the ability to select a better location.
Should You Let the Cruise Line Choose Your Cabin?
For most of my cruises, I prefer to select my own stateroom. I want to know what is above and below my cabin, how far it is from the elevators and whether its view or balcony is obstructed.
I would be especially hesitant to book a guarantee cabin if I were prone to seasickness, traveling with a large group, bringing young children or taking a long cruise. The longer the sailing, the more frustrating a bad cabin assignment can become.
A guarantee cabin can save money, but the discount comes with uncertainty. If cabin location could affect your sleep, comfort or enjoyment of the cruise, paying a little more to choose your own may be the better value.