Do restricted rates change or are they fixed?

[Doberge]

I'm looking at some restricted rates in February 2025 and 2026. Some OGT and VGT rates I'm seeing in February 2026 are only about 8% savings. Some in February 2025 are more than 15% and pushing 20%, and these rates did not appear until the last few months to push slower bookings (as we've seen closer to sailing, and frankly why I was surprised to see GT rates at all for February 2026).

I understand that February 2026 rates will continue to rise so even if the GT rates are the same that they'll appear to be a bigger discount later.

My question is if these restricted rates that appear early, more than one year out, drop closer to sailing, or if once restricted rate appears a year out it that's the bottom and it won't get any lower? I'm not going to tie so much money up a year out, but I'm curious I'm curious if waiting until a few weeks out might lower GT rates when some GT rates already exists.

 

[cvjw]

Are the 2026 rates GTY rates? Doubt they are VGT/OGT rates this far out.

We book VGT rates on the fantasy several times per year. They usually show up after PIF and have never decreased in price.

 

[Mommb]

Are you sure the rates for 2026 are OGT and VGT (that is, restricted rates that require full payment and no changes), or are they category rates (e.g., Cat 4 GTY) that involve DCL making a room assignment but aren't restricted? I tried checking the Disney Cruise website for a few 2026 sailings, but it's being ornery and won't show me prices. The discount offer page (https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/special-offers/domestic-special-rates/) lists only 2025 sailings for OGT/VGT.

If these really are restricted rates, I would wait until closer to sailing to book in case they go down, since once you book them you can't rebook without penalties.

 

[jimmymc]

It's all luck and if the ship sells out. The fact that they're already offering guarantee rates for Feb 2026 means it's probably not selling well, but you never know.

 

[lanejudy]

If you are actually finding "restricted" fares in 2026, please share which cruise(s) dates. "Guaranteed" and "restricted" are two different things.

I found guarantee GTY rates on the Feb. 2026 15-night South Pacific Cruise; I'm not sure if there are others. But this is an 11C GTY and not an IGT restricted fare. GTY is offered when a percentage of staterooms in a given category are booked; it simply allows DCL some flexibility in room assignments. The fare is not necessarily discounted and in fact may be higher than what someone booked last month, last week or even yesterday because fares increase as more staterooms are booked.

Restricted *GT rates are offered because a cruise isn't selling well. If a cruise isn't selling well, it's unlikely that the regular rate will increase much if at all. *GT may or may not change. It may go up. It may go down. It may simply disappear and not re-appear.