Should You Book a Guaranteed Cabin on a Cruise? Here's What I Learned the Hard Way

Let me take you back to my first cruise ever—I was so excited, but also a bit clueless about all the cruise lingo. One of the things that totally caught me off guard was something called a "guaranteed cabin."

At the time, I thought, "Well, that just means I’m guaranteed a cabin… right? I just won’t know where it is until later." And technically, I wasn’t wrong. But oh, there’s so much more to it.

🛳️ How I Ended Up in a Guarantee Cabin

I had just completed my training with the Princess Academy, which meant I earned my very first cruise as a travel agent. All I had to pay were the taxes and port fees—no cruise fare at all! 🙌

What I didn’t realize was that, because I earned this cruise through Princess, I actually had the option to choose my own cabin and location. Instead, I blindly selected the "guarantee" option, thinking I was just letting the cruise line pick something simple for me.

😬 Then the Panic Set In...

Here’s where it got stressful: I wasn’t assigned a cabin until just four days before sailing. As a first-time cruiser, I started freaking out. I kept wondering, "Am I even getting a cabin?"I now know that’s normal with guarantee cabins, but at the time—it felt like a major red flag. That’s the kind of rookie mistake I want you to avoid.

✅ The Pros of Booking a Guarantee Cabin

So yes, there are advantages. A guaranteed cabin can be a smart budget option if you're not picky about location. Here’s why some cruisers love it:

• Cheaper price: You often save money compared to picking your own room.

• Potential for a free upgrade: You’ll always get at least the category you booked—but sometimes, you get bumped up!

• More availability: Great when cabins are selling out fast.

❌ The Cons You Shouldn’t Ignore

But here’s the flip side—and it’s important to know what you're giving up:

• No say in location: You could end up next to a noisy nightclub, above the anchor, or far from the elevators.

• Unpredictable layout: Some cabins have odd shapes or partially obstructed views.

• Last-minute assignment: You may not know where you're sleeping until just days before your cruise (yep, like I experienced).

💡 My Final Thoughts

Would I book a guarantee cabin again? Maybe—but only if I didn’t care about location or I was really trying to save money. Now that I know better, I’d rather pay a little extra for peace of mind, especially if I’m sailing with family or on a special itinerary.

This was one of those cruise lessons I learned the hard way, and I’m here to help you cruise smarter—not more stressed!