What is the advantage for the cruise line od 'Guaranteed' cabins

[navylark]

Hi

Can anyone explain why cruise lines offer 'Guaranteed' cabins - that is on booking you are not assigned a cabin only the grade of cabin with a guarantee that it will be the grade you paid for or higher.

I can see that from the passengers point of view it may be OK particularly if you get a higher grade.

BUT

I cannot see what advantage it is from the cruise lines point of view.

What am I missing?

Many thanks

Navylark

[sk8teacher]

It essentially tells them that you are willing to be anywhere on the ship. If they or TAs oversell a category then they know they can move you somewhere else if there is room. For example, if you book a oceanview guarantee, you pay for the lowest category. If they sell out of the lowest category, but have opening in higher category oceanviews, you have said you are willing to move up.

 

Cheers,

[Roz]

It gives the cruise line more flexibility to move people around. If the cruise isn't sold out close to sailing, it's easier to sell cheap cabins at the last minute as opposed to suites. They move the passengers that bought the cheaper cabins in advance up to a higher category.

 

Roz

[paul929207]

They can still sell all of the available cabins. If they come down to one that does not sell, then that is yours.

[chrisbd1]

They can also get people in the crappy rooms, with the crappy locations this way. Few people willingly book cabins under the buffets, casino or theater.

[chipmaster]

I was exploring available cabins for a late deal to Alaska and notice that for the cheapest level no specific cabin was available for selection on many of the ships but you could still book guaranteed at that price.

 

Then I looked at a few upgrade options tens to hundreds of bucks and when I selected those I could pick the specific cabin.

 

So isn't gurantee at the lowest level a good deal in the sense you can do no worst then that level and more likely then not you are going to get bumped up depending how the more exensive ones sell, maybe even a suite :rolleyes: Can't help but dream as I look for a last minute book to alaska on the cheap in Sept.

[Philip217]

Nearly every cruise ship (just like airplanes) has a percentage of cabins that are undesirable. They may be located near anchor chain lockers, disco, show lounge, engine room, under swimming pool machinery, under buffet galleys. etc.

 

Rather than take the chance of selling these cabins at full fare and then having complaint problems later, the cruise lines know that there are cruisers who will take any cabin if the price is right.

 

The "Guarantee Cabin" programs allow the cruise line to match up those who are willing to settle for less (at the right price) with the cabins that many TAs and experienced cruisers will avoid.

 

Although the cruise lines will never advertise it this way, a Guarantee sale is an agreement between the Cruise Line and the cruiser; the cruise line is willing to discount cabins that others are not willing to buy if the buyer is willing to gamble that he might get something better than he paid for.

 

Essentially we are talking about "leftovers at a bargain price".

[chipmaster]

Nearly every cruise ship (just like airplanes) has a percentage of cabins that are undesirable. They may be located near anchor chain lockers, disco, show lounge, engine room, under swimming pool machinery, under buffet galleys. etc.

 

Rather than take the chance of selling these cabins at full fare and then having complaint problems later, the cruise lines know that there are cruisers who will take any cabin if the price is right.

 

The "Guarantee Cabin" programs allow the cruise line to match up those who are willing to settle for less (at the right price) with the cabins that many TAs and experienced cruisers will avoid.

 

Although the cruise lines will never advertise it this way, a Guarantee sale is an agreement between the Cruise Line and the cruiser; the cruise line is willing to discount cabins that others are not willing to buy if the buyer is willing to gamble that he might get something better than he paid for.

 

Essentially we are talking about "leftovers at a bargain price".

 

Okay for me, under the right circumstances I won't complain. Get the same food, service and entertainment :D Only need the room for a confy clean bed and bath. Just as long as it ain't under the pool, but I don't think I've ever even gotten a room that high on the boat.

[cruiselover57]

Okay for me, under the right circumstances I won't complain. Get the same food, service and entertainment :D Only need the room for a confy clean bed and bath. Just as long as it ain't under the pool, but I don't think I've ever even gotten a room that high on the boat.

 

I totally agree with you! We don't often take a guarantee because there are 3 of us and I like knowing that I'll be guaranteed an upper berth for our son. Certain cruise line say they can put in a roll-away but I don't like doing that because the roll-away bed takes up too much room. However, if they're willing to give us an upgrade, I'll take that chance!

 

It's also a great way for the cruise line to basically earn your business knowing that if you did pay for the lowest cabin, the chances of getting a better cabin, are pretty good.

 

Laurie

[AZaTaz]

I have done 6 gty rooms and only got one "crappy" room. It was next to a steward closet. But wait I never heard a thing.

How many of you giving the answer that, 'that is how they get rid of unwanted rooms' have actually done gty?

I don't do gty for every cruise just the ones I am booking an inside room, if we are splurging for a balcony then we pick the room.

 

To answer the OP question, gty give the cruise line flexibility.

[Roz]

To add to what AZaTaz just posted, I've done 5 guarantees and never got a "bad" cabin.

 

Roz

[swimmergirl84]

So does anyone know how close to the cruise sailing date you may get bumped up? We got an oceanview guarantee through cruisedirect.com. About 3-4 weeks ago we got our assigned room (just happened to see it when I logged into Carnival). So is that our room for good now or is there a slight possibility we could get upgraded in the next two weeks? I'm not holding my breath lol just curious!

[chrisbd1]

I booked GTY once. It wasn't a crappy room, per se, just not where I wanted to be. It was having this cabin that prompted me to choose my specific cabin for that point forward. I realized I was picky as to what side of the ship I preferred-Port, what floor I wanted-as high as possible and where I wanted to be-near the aft or midship elevator.

 

To me a cabin is more than a place to sleep. Knowing that I actually have a preference wins out over my innate frugal-ness :)

[Morgsmom]

Basically it is all about revenue maximization. We did a guarantee on a line one and got a Handicapped Oceanview Cabin -- gave up cabin size for a HUGE bathroom. The line wouldn't have sold the room otherwise and we got an OV for the price of an Inside.

 

For me, as long as it's a cabin on a ship and I'm not in bunkbeds (the only reason I won't book with Carnival on their inside guarantees is because of the silly bunkbed 1A configuration) I am good to go.

 

Counting the days. Trying to finagle an interim "got to get a fix" cruise before summer is over... :o

[DanJ]

 

For me, as long as it's a cabin on a ship and I'm not in bunkbeds (the only reason I won't book with Carnival on their inside guarantees is because of the silly bunkbed 1A configuration) I am good to go.

 

 

If you specify 4A guarantee instead of inside guarantee, you will not get a 1A bunkbed room.

 

We booked a 4A guarantee on Carnival once, and got a 6E on the spa deck. That's the only time we ever tried guarantee, as I like to know where I'm going to be.