Upgrades

[spyro1952]

Yes, I always mark, Do Not Upgrade but I don't understand why a passenger would book a particular cabin and then allow upgrade. Why don't they just do a guarantee?

 

Even if you book a certain cabin and check that you would CONSIDER an upgrade, you don't have to take the upgrade. Just as Toto said, not all upgrades are "wonderful". Look at where the upgrade is and tell them whether you want it or not. They give you a day or so to respond back to them or your TA.

[penlanspice]

Has anyone in the UK had a upgrade? do they usually call you or ask your TA?

I'm debating on booking a BE or BD if I book a BE there isn't that many of them and maybe just maybe might get an upgrade . I can't decide whether to just book the BD.

The cruise isn't until next October on the Emerald so maybe they will sell out of BE?? but if people in the UK don't get them there isn't really no point.

[MONGO12]

On a Mexican Riviera cruise about three years ago we were upgraded from a mini-suite to a full suite. What a pleasant surprise!

[Colo Cruiser]

New to Princess. Do they ALWAYS call and ask before they upgrade you? I've read where people who had marked no upgrades still got them. We're in E728 on Star--GREAT cabin & balcony but would take a full suite if they asked, but like Toto said--gotta know the location FIRST.

 

 

No they do not always ask, and yes I have heard of horror stories of people being moved when they indicated no upgrade.

[mph045]

we were upgraded from AE guarantee to PH suite[received free laundry/internet/Sabatinis brkfst/wkly mini bar fill, flwrs for formal night and appetizers for evenings, -on Lido deck 107-did not have the walk in shower but nice large balcony far forward-but very windy.

 

We also have been upgraded from AE to AB mini suite.

yes its the luck of the draw and most times you do not know your Cabin room until a week before sailing.

I'll take any upgrade and not have to pay extra!

 

We also were choosen to visit the Bridge on 3 occassions by the Cpt.

[penlanspice]

Just to answer my own question, you can get upgrades in the UK. I just booked with my cruise TA and she asked if we wanted to be marked as willing to take an upgrade, so you can also be upgraded if you booked in the UK.

We decided on a BB cabin in the end for the same price as a BE, so I doubt we will get an upgrade from there.

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

I believe one is more likely to experience motion - rolling and pitching -during rough seas in a forward cabin rather than an aft one. Or so my father who was in the Navy told me.

[toberman]

yes but not guaranteed. :d

 

 

Really ??

[Colo Cruiser]

Really ??

 

 

Took you long enough to catch that one.

[monakayk]

Yep---on our Golden cruise, booked a guaranteed inside got upgraded to an OV. Booked a guaranteed BG balcony for our upcoming cruise on the Emerald...got upgraded to a BA.

 

It happens!

[westie03]

Yes, several times. Booked on Diamond for China and Asia next April; received upgrade to top balcony cabin within 2 weeks of booking cheapest cabin.;)

[Whimsy]

Going on our 5th cruise and no offers. Of course we have marked no upgrades on all but one cruise but they could always ask as I have heard others have happen. Holding out they do it for our 2012 cruise, send me to a suite for my 50th birthday! :D

[mj3396]

Nineteen Princess cruises so far. Have booked Insides, Obstructed OV's, OV's, and Balcony's...have not booked a mini or full suite. Not one upgrade yet...even within same category...go figure.

 

Barry

 

Are you using a travel agent or booking direct thru Princess. Are you booking a guarantee or specific cabins. I am just curious. We have done roughly 10 Princess Cruises and have almost always got an upgrade of some sort even if it is only within a cabins classification.

[gadaboutgal]

Booked an inside guarantee for last weeks sailing (Aug 29 ) upgraded to Oceanview. :D Sailing again on Emerald this Sunday: booked inside guarantee-assigned an inside-oh well.

[mytime53]

Booked a balcony, was upgraded to a mini-suite, and then had to cancel the cruise:(

[Eddie and Park]

On our first Princess Cruise we were upgraded from an inside to a great outside cabin. On our cruise this coming December we were upgraded from a BF to a BA.

[SlyOldLady]

Booked an GG obstructed view on Royal leaving Monday. got upgraded yesterday morning to a slightly better catagory, then again last night to a BA! The catch? unfortunatly it is for a one day repositioning cruise and it looks like the boat is mostly empty :) Why can't I get this kind of upgrade all the time? Still waiting for assignment for the following weeks TA on the Grand but I doubt if I get anything as grand as this.

[btrojanoski]

Are you using a travel agent or booking direct thru Princess. Are you booking a guarantee or specific cabins. I am just curious. We have done roughly 10 Princess Cruises and have almost always got an upgrade of some sort even if it is only within a cabins classification.

 

I would guess 16 out of 19 booked through a TA....3...I think,we booked directly with Princess. We've done some GTY's, some specific cabins but always asked for a complmentary upgrade if available......it may be that we have always seemed to be on completely filled ships and ones that booked out early.....

 

Barry

[btrojanoski]

Well, I actually think that the upgrades are more defined than random.

 

I believe that the upgrades are offerred for two main reasons:

 

1) Price you paid. Like the airlines if you paid a higher rate than someone else you will be first to be moved up if there is room. This likely explains first time cruisers getting upgrades. Since they have no past passenger history they may pay more for the same category as those who have travelled before. To be equitable the cruiseline up-grades the passengers who have paid the most for the category. This means you as a passenger can't run into someone who paid less than you did but is a better category than you are.

 

2) On-board purchases, ship tours, bars, photos and casino. The cruise lines have a very accurate understanding of the purchase habits of their passengers because everything has to go through the card. I believe they reward the passengers who spend the most with up-grades. So if you take many ship tours, buy at the shops and art auctions, spend a lot of money at the bars and casino, and photographers, you may find yourself with a complementary up-grade where a friend of yours that doesn't spend as much as you do doesn't get one. This could very easily be programmed so that a computer views everyone's previous purchase habits aboard ship and "up-grades" those they want to incentivise to continue the behaviour. And a large conglomerate, like Carnival, would have your purchase patterns from other lines in the group. So if you have spent a lot of money on several Carnival cruises then book a Princess cruise, voila, you get a "mysterious" upgrade. I do not believe in the upgrade fairy. I believe that the companies use the upgrades to reward good behaviour, it only makes sense to use the up-grades as rewards...

 

IMHO

 

Barry