There are guaranteed rates and not guaranteed rates.  If I want to get
the cheapest room - an inside stateroom - would I bother getting a
guarantee?  I mean I couldn't be down graded.  Also, if I got an
oceanview - and it was not guaranteed - that means they can
technically put you anywhere on the ship???

I confess to being baffled by the intricacies of booking rooms on
cruise ships, but I found a newsgroup thread that sheds some light on
the "guarantee" concept:

http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=lang_en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&newwindow=1&safe=off&th=888cfbbc8de848c7&rnum=5

Hello!

That thread did shed much light.  In your opinion/experience, if I go
to another travel agent and get a lower price, would the other agent
beat it? Or is the bottom line the bottom line?  Please post as answer
to the question. Thanks for the link!

Julie,

I'm really not at all qualified to offer an opinion on this, since I
am an abysmal ignoramus in the field of travel agents and
cruise-booking. I have never used a travel agent; I have never been on
a cruise; I haven't taken a vacation trip in more than a decade. I
hope a Researcher who knows something about this subject will mosey in
and offer some assistance.

~Pink