The Best Cruise Cabin Upgrade Trick Travel Advisors Use

While many travelers obsess over picking the perfect stateroom for their cruise vacation, travel advisors often recommend doing the opposite. Their go-to strategy? Taking a bit of a risk and booking a “guarantee” cabin, which can sometimes lead to a surprise upgrade.

“I’ve personally had a lot of success with confirming guarantee categories for my clients,” Deborah Director, SmartFlyer travel advisor, told Travel + Leisure. “So, I always offer it as an option.”

Booking a “guarantee” cabin—also known as a “GTY” on reservations—means you can book a room category type (i.e., inside, balcony, oceanview, etc.) for a lower price, but the cruise line assigns your specific room number closer to the sailing date, leaving room for a potential upgrade. 

Here’s how it works. 

When inventory shifts, guests are sometimes upgraded to a higher-category cabin at no extra cost—an insider perk many cruise travelers don’t know exists. While there’s no guarantee of an upgrade, your odds improve when you work with a travel advisor familiar with the line’s assignment patterns. (A pro-tip: This method works best on larger ships or during busy sailings.) 

As with most travel hacks, though, there are advantages and disadvantages. According to Director, if you aren’t particular about the location of your ship, there’s no real downside in trying. 

“Guarantee cabins are almost always priced below the lowest published rate for that category, since passengers are trading choice for savings,” she said. 

In addition to getting a great deal on a cabin, cruisers can sometimes score a substantial upgrade.

“When a ship is heavily booked in certain categories, lines sometimes upgrade guarantee passengers into higher-category rooms to free up inventory,” Director explained. “I’ve had clients who I have confirmed an Oceanview Balcony guarantee enjoy an upgrade to a suite, and they thought I was a magician!”

However, if you are a Type A personality who finds it challenging to relinquish control, booking a guarantee cabin might not be for you since you can’t choose your location on the ship. 

“You might end up near an elevator bank, under the pool deck, or at the very front or back of the ship, or a cabin with a partially obstructed view,” Director noted. “[These are] spots that experienced cruisers tend to specifically avoid, for both noise and proximity reasons.”

Another thing to keep in mind is that the term “guarantee cabin” may not be a guarantee at all.

“‘Guarantee’ refers to the guarantee that a cabin in that category (or better) will be assigned, not that there is a guaranteed or automatic upgrade,” Director emphasized. 

Like many cruise decisions, taking your chances on a guarantee cabin comes down to priorities. If location matters more to you than the cost, choosing your exact stateroom might be a safer bet. However, if you’re comfortable leaving the details to the cruise line, the trade-off could be a better cabin—and a little extra cash left for shore excursions.