Upgrade Question

[momrox1]

If i book a guarantee L in hopes of a good upgrade, will they assign a cabin if I have not yet completed the online registration process? Does the upgrade fairy give better upgrades last minute on a guarantee or is it the sooner the better in terms of competing paper work? Does my question make any sense to anyone but me? :)

Thanks- the cruise is 3 weeks away and I just booked it yesterday.

[donna5]

If i book a guarantee L in hopes of a good upgrade, will they assign a cabin if I have not yet completed the online registration process? Does the upgrade fairy give better upgrades last minute on a guarantee or is it the sooner the better in terms of competing paper work? Does my question make any sense to anyone but me? :)

Thanks- the cruise is 3 weeks away and I just booked it yesterday.

 

If you don't fill out the immigration online you will not be able to print out your boarding pass. If they don't have all the information I.D. Passport etc, by a certain date (?) you could end up being denied passage. Other than that I don't think it matters.

[Loonbeam]

The yield software doesn't care when you book the guarantee. All id toes is estimated how many cabins in a given class may or may not be filled then moves people up the ladder when it no longer reasonably expects to sell the higher grade cabin. Who is chosen for a given upgrade is random, although you can get lucky, normally the highest grade guaranties get the highest open rooms. I.e. if there is an AA cabin considered unsellable, a person with an AD guaranty will get it before a BD, but the BD could possibly get the now clear AD depending on who is in between.

 

If i book a guarantee L in hopes of a good upgrade, will they assign a cabin if I have not yet completed the online registration process? Does the upgrade fairy give better upgrades last minute on a guarantee or is it the sooner the better in terms of competing paper work? Does my question make any sense to anyone but me? :)

Thanks- the cruise is 3 weeks away and I just booked it yesterday.

[paul929207]

Upgrades are random. If you are counting on an upgrade you may be disappointed. Most up grades are to cabins of the same type, ie lower category ocean view to higher category ocean view. While it does happen occasionally, few upgrades are to a different type cabin. Bottom line is never book a guarentee if you will not be happy with any cabin in that category.

[Pam in CA]

One thing to remember is that the default for all bookings is that they would accept an upgrade. It's turned off only if you want a specific cabin and don't want an upgrade. This means that you and most everyone on the ship is hoping for an upgrade. Booking a GTY does not necessarily give you a better chance at an upgrade. It is done by computer software, not human intervention, and is based pretty much on two factors: the number of people booked in a particular category and the number of people wanting to book that category. Also, the vast majority of "upgrades" are the exact type of cabin you booked in a different location. And, not everyone likes the same locations so what is a better location for one person is not necessarily a better one for you.

 

Book a GTY category only if you would be happy sailing in any cabin in that category, because that is what you could be assigned.

[momrox1]

Thanks everyone....I'm aware that I booked a guarantee and it's meaning...it was much less money than an assigned cabin and we don't really care this time where the room is located so .. wish me luck!

Judy

[bunyababy]

Also, the vast majority of "upgrades" are the exact type of cabin you booked in a different location. And, not everyone likes the same locations so what is a better location for one person is not necessarily a better one for you.

 

:(I am assuming that means if you booked a BA Balcony then the odds of getting upgraded to a minisuite are very slim?

 

In my senario, my TA ( which incidentally has provided me with inaccurate information on 3 occasions now ) ....sorry I just needed to vent! Ha,Ha.......said that I should not allow an upgrade to be done because I want that specific cabin and would be very unhappy if they moved me. BUT....I am currently booked in an AA minisuite category, therefore would it not make sense that if by some remarkable chance Princess upgraded me, then it would be to a Full Suite? I would never be upset if they upgraded me to that! ! Ha,Ha.

I told her what she was telling me could not be correct because I have never heard of "lateral" upgrades within the same category.

 

Would someone who is sure of this please reassure me that I have not made a mistake by asking Princess to allow an upgrade?

 

P.S. The way I see it, they could only move me to the Aloha Deck from the Baha deck ( Coral Princess ) BUT....that would still be in an AA Cat.

 

Thanks, Connie

[paul929207]

Thanks everyone....I'm aware that I booked a guarantee and it's meaning...it was much less money than an assigned cabin and we don't really care this time where the room is located so .. wish me luck!

Judy

Good luck. Just glad you understood what t guarentee is. Some people are misled or mishear that they will be upgraded and by a category they do not want.

[momrox1]

Thanks Paul...I didd that one time...got a lovely room above the Princess Theatre..boom boom pow! Also once got next to the storage room where the luggage gets taken to at midnight the night before disembarkation. I now bring earplugs helps with the snoring, too :D

[Loonbeam]

That's odd. Unless its a flash promotion the guarantees are usually the same price as the standard cabins in the same class. The guarantee just means you are trading room assignment for a chance at upgrade..

 

Thanks everyone....I'm aware that I booked a guarantee and it's meaning...it was much less money than an assigned cabin and we don't really care this time where the room is located so .. wish me luck!

Judy

[momrox1]

Didn't even give me a choice of a cabin in that class...just guarantee.. or I had the option of choosing a different class. My TA did mention a flash promo, though.

Judy

[Pam in CA]

:(I am assuming that means if you booked a BA Balcony then the odds of getting upgraded to a minisuite are very slim?

 

In my senario, my TA ( which incidentally has provided me with inaccurate information on 3 occasions now ) ....sorry I just needed to vent! Ha,Ha.......said that I should not allow an upgrade to be done because I want that specific cabin and would be very unhappy if they moved me. BUT....I am currently booked in an AA minisuite category, therefore would it not make sense that if by some remarkable chance Princess upgraded me, then it would be to a Full Suite?

Yes, your chances are slim of being upgraded from a BA to a mini-suite. It can happen, but it doesn't happen often. And when it comes to wishing for a full suite, be careful what you wish for. Some full suites are not in good locations; for instance, under a public deck with noise from early in the morning with the deck being power washed to late at night with people walking over your head. You will never be given a lateral move unless you call and ask to be moved to a cabin in the same category in a different location. For instance, I'd much rather have a BA on Caribe than Lido deck.

[bunyababy]

I wonder if you still get all the "perks" of a full suite if you are upgraded from the mini to a full?

The only reason I am unsure is because there certainly are a lot of fringe benefits....but....people also pay for those benefits! It almost seems unfair to be able to utilize all these perks if you have been upgraded and did not pay.

Don't get wrong....I would gladly take them, but, I am curious if that would be the case? ;):D

 

Smiles,Connie

[loliola]

I believe you do get all of the perks...if you have a full suite, it doesnt much matter how you got there...

[Loonbeam]

You do. A couple we met on the train in AK were upgraded and got everything...

 

I believe you do get all of the perks...if you have a full suite, it doesnt much matter how you got there...

[TERESAh]

I wonder if you still get all the "perks" of a full suite if you are upgraded from the mini to a full?

The only reason I am unsure is because there certainly are a lot of fringe benefits....but....people also pay for those benefits! It almost seems unfair to be able to utilize all these perks if you have been upgraded and did not pay.

Don't get wrong....I would gladly take them, but, I am curious if that would be the case? ;):D

 

Smiles,Connie

 

yes, you do get all the perks of a full suite---we were upgraded from a balcony to a full suite and received all the perks

[bunyababy]

You do. A couple we met on the train in AK were upgraded and got everything...

 

Wow...I guess I better cross everything "crossable" and hope for the best! Ha,Ha.

 

Thanks for the info!

 

Smiles,connie

[caribill]

I am currently booked in an AA minisuite category, therefore would it not make sense that if by some remarkable chance Princess upgraded me, then it would be to a Full Suite? I would never be upset if they upgraded me to that! ! Ha,Ha.

I told her what she was telling me could not be correct because I have never heard of "lateral" upgrades within the same category.

 

Would someone who is sure of this please reassure me that I have not made a mistake by asking Princess to allow an upgrade?

 

 

If Princess gives an upgrade, it would only be to a higher category, not a move to another lcoation in the same category.

[FLACRUISER99]

If i book a guarantee L in hopes of a good upgrade, will they assign a cabin if I have not yet completed the online registration process? Does the upgrade fairy give better upgrades last minute on a guarantee or is it the sooner the better in terms of competing paper work? Does my question make any sense to anyone but me? :)

Thanks- the cruise is 3 weeks away and I just booked it yesterday.

 

Good luck! I have been on 20 Princess cruises and never had a good Upgrade!

[cruiserdru]

We were upgraded from a mini to a full suite for our Alaska cruise in August 2009. We received all the perks you normally get when booking a full suite.

 

However, note that you still only get one cruise credit for being in a suite when it is an upgrade. Captain's Circle benefits clearly state that you must book and sail in a suite to receive two cruise credits.

 

Would never quibble over such a small detail :) although we would have reached platinum sooner had that not been the case.

[runnerodb83]

On the Golden 1 night repo last spring we booked an inside and when we got to the terminal, I noticed we had been upgraded to a minisuite. Pretty good deal however that's extremely rare!