Guarantee Status vs. IGT/OGT/VGT

[katiek]

Thanks for the information.

 

[EONSO]

Last week my wife and I decided to take our 11 year old son on a last minute cruise and booked a 7A GTY on the Fantasy leaving July 11. A day later we decided to add a person to the room with no issues. I did some scouting and found all the 07A cabins that sleep 4 (at least I think I found them all - only 8) so I assumed our chances of getting upgraded were pretty good. Just a few minutes ago we were assigned our cabin, #10008 which is an upgrade from a 7A to a 5A. We have always been starboard and mid-ship so this will be a lot different being port side and forward.

How was that room? We have it coming up and want to get all the insider info we can.

 

[Melindacruisin]

I've seen a lot of confusion about the difference between a Guarantee Status Stateroom and IGT/OGT/VGT bookings.
Thanks-this is helpful!
What is Guarantee Status?

Guarantee Status means that when you book a particular category, Disney is not able to assign you a stateroom number at the time of booking. As you get closer to your sail date, Disney will assign you a room number. You can end up in any stateroom that is in the category you booked. However, at their discretion, Disney may upgrade you. It's not necessarily likely that you'll receive an upgrade - but it is possible.

If you try to book a stateroom and you want to be next to or near (or maybe, even - far away from) a particular stateroom, you may wish to book a the next highest category so you can confirm a particular stateroom number where you need it.

This is just like any other Disney Cruise Line booking. There's nothing special about; other than the fact that you won't know which particular stateroom you're in. All the normal deposit, change and cancellation policies will apply.

On some confirmations/documentation, you'll see this referred to as "GTY". That's an abbreviation for Guarantee status.

Guarantee status is similar to a room assignment. Suppose you book category 8A. You go to pick a room, and you must select "guarantee status". You would then talk about this as "category 8A, guarantee status".

What is IGT/OGT/VGT?

IGT/OGT/VGT is a special type of discount program. In return for some very strict cancellation/change policies, Disney will sell you a stateroom that is an Inside Stateroom (IGT), and Oceanview Stateroom (OGT) or a Verandah Stateroom (VGT). You can end up in ANY category on a particular ship that is within the those types of staterooms.

Categories for staterooms on the Wonder/Magic:
Inside (IGT): 10A, 10B, 10C, 11A, 11B, 11C
Oceanview (OGT): 9A, 9B, 9C, 9D
Verandah (VGT): 4A, 4B, 4E, 5A, 5B, 5C, 6A, 7A

Categories for staterooms on the Dream/Fantasy:
Inside (IGT): 10A, 11A, 11B, 11C
Oceanview (OGT): 8A, 8B, 8C, 8D, 9A, 9B, 9C, 9D
Verandah (VGT): 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, 4E, 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D, 5E, 6A, 6B, 7A

IGT/OGT/VGT staterooms are not available on every sailing. If they're available for the sailing you're looking at, it will be the first option listed when you click on "Inside Staterooms", "Oceanview Staterooms" or "Staterooms with Verandah" on the Disney Cruise Line booking engine.

When you book one of these rooms, you can end up in ANY of the above listed categories that falls into the class you booked (Inside, Oceanview or Verandah). In exchange for the lower price, you give up not only knowing where your stateroom will be, but also which category it will be. Further, no changes are permitted to one of these booking. Payment is due, in full, at the time of booking. Once it's booked, THAT'S IT. No changes. No sail date changes. No passenger changes. No name changes. Nothing. It is also completely non-refundable. You will lose everything if you try to cancel one of these. Additionally, once you are assigned a stateroom, again - that's it. You have no recourse to change the room.

The only way one of these staterooms is similar to Guarantee Status is that you don't know where the room will be located.

IGT/OGT/VGT is a stateroom CATEGORY. If you book one of these, you refer to it as OGT, IGT or VGT. (Or, if you're speaking of them in general terms, people will sometimes say *GT or XGT)

There's a lot of posts on the board that confuse the two. If you're wondering when you'll get out of Guarantee Status and have a stateroom assignment, you can refer to "guarantee status", "guarantee", "gty" or "GTY" in your question or post.

If you're wondering when you'll get your stateroom assignment based on an IGT/OGT/VGT, reference it as IGT, OGT or VGT.

Hopefully that will help clear up the confusion between the two.

 

[Melindacruisin]

This is helpful clarification.

 

[hdwatts]

Thank you for posting! This was very helpful!

 

[BCV2003]

We booked a VGT room and are 11 days away from our sailing date. We still do not have our Stateroom number. Does anyone know what the timing typically is for when we should receive our room number?

 

[phinz]

We booked a VGT room and are 11 days away from our sailing date. We still do not have our Stateroom number. Does anyone know what the timing typically is for when we should receive our room number?

I think we got ours 10 days out.

 

[phinz]

How was that room? We have it coming up and want to get all the insider info we can.

10008 should be fantastic, as it's right below Concierge and shouldn't have a bunch of noise overhead. We prefer port side, as the balcony is shady in the evenings on the first half of an Eastern Caribbean run on the Fantasy. We liked deck 10 because of the big overhang, which shades the verandah almost all the time, since my wife bursts into flames when she's exposed to sun.

 

[Justin91]

We have our Stateroom number already and we are 75 days out on the Fantasy. Could this stateroom change? We are actually really happy with the one we have. Should I call them to lock it in?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

We have our Stateroom number already and we are 75 days out on the Fantasy. Could this stateroom change? We are actually really happy with the one we have. Should I call them to lock it in?

Yes, it can change. Will it, probably not. You can't "lock" it in, if you booked GTY (or *GT). You agree that DCL can put you anywhere in at least the category you booked or higher.

 

[Justin91]

Thanks PrincessShmoo, I hope it does not change!

 

[CookieMama]

So apparently there is no rhyme or reason to when you could be assigned your room right? We just booked yesterday sail date in 32 days. Sure would love to find out soon. Has anyone done a GTY and been in a FE group? I'm just afraid we won't get our room assignment till we get to the port and then our FE group won't know which room to go to.

 

[phinz]

You'll get your room before you get there, and your FE moderator should have a system in place for communicating room changes and port upgrades to others.

 

[cbonebt]

I tried to book a vgt online for june 25 to see availability and it just gives regular price... Do I have to call?

 

[goofy77]

I tried to book a vgt online for june 25 to see availability and it just gives regular price... Do I have to call?

It means they don't have any availability right now. It would should up online when you search for a room. I have heard that the best time to look for one of theses rooms is after the final payment is due for ur sailing. That's because people cancel there trips and then Disney needs to fill the rooms so they then give you a discount so they can have a full ship.

 

[ajo]

I tried to book a vgt online for june 25 to see availability and it just gives regular price... Do I have to call?

Or you have too many people in one room. How many passengers were you including in the room? Sometimes the VGT rooms will only sleep 3 or less.

 

[appledown]

Just realized I posted this is the wrong thread. I have what is probably a dumb question. Right now, the only rooms available for the category I want for August 2017 (11C) are guarantee. Could that category open back up where I could choose specific rooms? And if I book that guaranteed category now, can I change it later to a higher category, like 11A? Because we want connecting rooms, I don't want to be stuck with guarantee. Thanks!

 

[BellFamilyBelles]

Can you change a GTY room once its assigned? Like pay for a different cat?

 

[runjanerun]

Thought I understood it all when I read it, and then this came up when I was researching my cruise...



This is IGT? Not GTY? I thought it was GTY until I put it in my cart and saw the Category code. This stateroom was significantly cheaper than the inside stateroom option to choose my own stateroom.

 

[MSPeeler]

Thought I understood it all when I read it, and then this came up when I was researching my cruise...

View attachment 163908

This is IGT? Not GTY? I thought it was GTY until I put it in my cart and saw the Category code. This stateroom was significantly cheaper than the inside stateroom option to choose my own stateroom.

From what I understand, and correct me if I'm wrong, IGT/GTY is the Guaranteed Inside Stateroom category. Its the same room "type" as choosing your own stateroom, but you will not have your room location until closer to sailing or possibly at check-in.