Pick the right cruise cabin

ASSIGNED CABINS AND “GUARANTEED” CABINS

Just the facts. If you book early, you can often reserve the exact cabin you want to occupy; for example, Cabin A640. That’s an “assigned cabin.”

A “guaranteed booking” is different. A guaranteed booking gets you an unassigned cabin within a specified cabin category, along with a chance of being assigned to a higher cabin category at no additional cost. How does this work? Like airlines, cruise lines overbook. When demand for one cabin category exceeds the supply, cruise lines use their guaranteed bookings to help control cabin inventory.

Which of the guaranteed bookings actually gets upgraded? That depends on the cruise line. Some will upgrade passengers who booked early on. Others upgrade passengers who book through top-selling travel agencies — yet another reason to put your cruise business with a good travel agent.

• Insider tip. Your chances of being upgraded on a guaranteed booking are unpredictable. It depends on too many demand factors. In the past, lots of guaranteed bookings were upgraded. But now cruise lines are able to move a lot of last-minute inventory over the Internet, so your chances are somewhat lower.

• Insider tip. Guaranteed bookings almost never get you a suite, but you may be placed a few decks higher than the deck you were expecting. On the other hand, you could end up with a less desirable cabin in your category than you’d hoped for. Just remember: An upgrade is not a sure thing, and when you book a guarantee you are giving up the opportunity to pick a particular cabin.

Choose your cabin carefully and you’ll sleep much better — from the moment you put down your deposit. Bon voyage and sweet dreams!

Anita Dunham-Potter is a Pittsburgh-based travel journalist specializing in cruise travel. Anita's columns have appeared in major newspapers and many Internet outlets, and she is a contributor to Fodor's "Complete Guide to Caribbean Cruises 2006." E-mail Anita or visit her Web site anitavacation.com .

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