The Guarantee Game

A sample guarantee stateroom selection

on Celebrity Cruises booking site.

When the time comes to decide on a stateroom for your next cruise, you may notice you have two options available to you: go with an assigned stateroom, or opt for a "guarantee" stateroom - often designated by the letters GTY in place of the normal room number.

So what is a guarantee stateroom?

A guarantee room is just that - it guarantees you a room in at least the category you have booked, or higher.  This means, if all of the cabins in the category you have selected are full, you can be upgraded to the next available category.

Of course, that doesn't mean you will be upgraded - just that you could.  Additionally, by booking a guarantee stateroom, you loose the ability to choose where on the ship your stateroom will be - meaning you could be the proud recipient of that dreaded cabin next to the elevators, or have a balcony stateroom with window-washing equipment parked in front of it. 

However, guarantee cabins can be an excellent and economical way to cruise if you're not particular with your cabin location.  On several cruises we've taken, we've been fortunate to be upgraded from the lowest inside cabin category to a very comfortable outside cabin - at no additonal cost.

So is a guarantee cabin right for you?  Before choosing one, it's important to ask yourself these questions:

Will I be happy with the category I booked?
Remember, a guarantee isn't an automatic upgrade; it's simply a guarantee that you will have, at the very least, a stateroom within that category.  Meaning if you're booking a category because it's cheap, not because you like it, you will almost certainly be disappointed.  Never book anything less than you would normally be happy with.

Are there any cabins I don't want?
Before booking a guarantee in a specific category, take a look at the ship's deck plan.  Are there any cabins there that you absolutely, under no circumstances, want?  If there are, either book an assigned cabin where you can choose your stateroom number, or find a different guarantee category.

I get motion-sick unless I'm in a mid-ship cabin.  Can I change my guarantee cabin once its assigned?
No.  You can request to be put back on the guarantee list and be re-assigned, but if you are at all particular about your location on the ship - port, starboard, aft, midship, forward - a guarantee cabin isn't for you. 

I'm Diamond Plus on Royal Caribbean, a four-star Mariner on Holland America, a Gold Member with Cunard, and Platinum with Princess.  Will that get me a better upgrade if I book a guarantee?
No.  Your cruising status has no relevance to the way guarantees are assigned.  Some people swear it does, but the fact remains you are just as likely to be upgraded as the first-time cruiser in the cabin next to you. 

If you've read through this and are still interested, give it a whirl - in some cases, it may be the only way to get on a particular voyage, especially if it's close to sailing date.  And being onboard is a lot better than being ashore!