By Frank M

Royal Caribbean is testing a new paid option for guests who book guarantee staterooms and want to know their cabin assignment before the last minute.

(Photo courtesy of Royal Caribbean)

The program, called Early Assign, is available for $30 per stateroom and is currently being piloted on select sailings for U.S. bookings only. When a guest’s cruise is paid in full, they can add Early Assign and receive their stateroom assignment within 24 hours.

How guarantee bookings work

Guarantee staterooms are one of the most affordable ways to book a cruise. Guests are promised a cabin within their selected category, but the cruise line assigns the specific room, sometimes not until just days before the sailing date or even on embarkation day. That uncertainty is the tradeoff for the lower fare.

Early Assign is designed to remove that uncertainty, though it does not allow guests to choose a specific deck, location, or stateroom attributes.

 

Booking windows and restrictions

(Photo courtesy of Royal Caribbean)

The option is available during a defined window before sailing, based on itinerary length.

For cruises of five nights or fewer, guests can use Early Assign between 30 and 60 days before departure. For sailings of six nights or longer, the window is 50 to 80 days before sailing.

Early Assign is available for select stateroom categories across interior, ocean view, balcony, and suite bookings. It is not available on casino fares and may be restricted on certain promotional rates.

Once assigned, guests can request a move to a different cabin within the same category at no extra charge, of course this is subject to availability.

What to know before paying

The $30 fee is per stateroom, not per guest, but it is non-refundable. If a booking is canceled, the fee is forfeited regardless of when the cancellation occurs. The option carries no additional perks beyond the earlier cabin assignment.

Royal Caribbean says the program may be expanded fleetwide if the pilot proves successful.