criteria for upgrades

[ilionite65]

I read with interest the stories about people getting upgrades. Interest because I would love to know how they get them, and some people have gotten more than one! We have 20 royal cruises under our belts, and while I know that's not a lot compared to many, it is quite a few. what do we have to do to get an upgrade? We've almost always booked balconies, an ocean view once when a balcony wasn't available, and a jr. suite 3 times. I don't truly need the upgrade as a reward for sailing Royal, I love cruising and always am satisfied with our cruises, but an upgrade sure would be nice. We will be sailing on the Oasis on Dec. 3, and on the Adventure in Feb. Maybe we'll get lucky on one of those sailings!

[PH8]

Criteria??? be a first time cruiser............hehe.........do I sound sarcastic??;)

[Langley Cruisers]

I can't for the life of me figure it out. There are D's and higher who have never gotten upgrades. Good people, faithful people like yourself, loyal to Royal who have never received one upgrade. Sorry, I have no encouraging words for you at this time because I just can't muster up any. :o

 

hehe I said muster.

[ilionite65]

Criteria??? be a first time cruiser............hehe.........do I sound sarcastic??;)

 

Yes, any good reason?

[Morecruisesplz]

Criteria??? be a first time cruiser............hehe.........do I sound sarcastic??;)

 

That does often seem to be the case doesn't it! And those are only the first time cruisers who come here and post about the upgrade fairy visit. Over 16 cruises and still waiting for our surprise! You can drive yourself crazy trying to figure out their "system" (which some claim just does not exist) or just keep cruising and enjoying it.

[alexkrn46]

D+ and never had an upgrade, love to know the secret formula.

[Desertbelle]

Never an upgrade. It would be the only way I would ever get into a JS or better because my husband would never consider booking one. It would be wonderful to get just one some day.

[setsail]

1-100...Have a cruise booked:p

[cruisegirl1]

If you had the answer – you could sell the info and make a fortune.

 

There seems to be no consistent criteria. We received our first upgrade at around the 40 cruises mark ( whatever that is in points). We’ve been on a sailing recently where we were one of the top highest point passengers, and NO upgrade. I often hear that if you book a guarantee then you are not eligible for an upgrade once the cabin is assigned– so maybe that is one hint.

 

Like many – I book the cabin category I like. If I get an upgrade – that is the “icing on the cake”

 

Good luck

[molly361]

Also a D close to D+ and never had upgrade!!! Don't really excpet one but still keep looking at my ressie to see if my cabin has changed:p

[RhondaC]

Diamond here, and we've never received an upgrade. :(

 

On the other hand -- I booked clients on their first RCCL cruise last year, in a Balcony Guarantee. They ended up with the Owners Suite. Great for them -- but I was so jealous! LOL

 

No rhyme or reason, as far as I can tell.

[masonpips]

We were 2nd time cruisers and had booked an GS (after having a JS the year before). We received ours from "Revenue" and I was pretty new to these boards and RCCL so we could have very easily missed price drops and had paid "too much" for the GS (got upgraded to an OS). That was in 2006 and we've heard the "criteria" have changed since then!

[chotton]

D+ and never had an upgrade, love to know the secret formula.

 

Same here....Dont ever expect one, but love it it to happen.

[avril4111]

Wondering also- just for fun I looked at Crown loft suites for our Nov cruise on the Allure. There seem to be 14 available on the RC website.

Do they just start calling people from suites below to upgrade now?:confused:

Can't see letting those go empty for the sailing, can you?

(tklrainman2 got an upgrade at the pier, I believe:eek:)

 

 

BTW, we also book the cabin/location that we want anyway so I agree with an upgrade just being icing on the cake.

[teddie]

We received an upgrade from D to JS on our second cruise; none since.

 

I do not begrudge anyone else an upgrade, regardless of how many times I've cruised.

 

Good luck, everyone! :)

 

Teddie

[firefly333]

Don't really expectt one but still keep looking at my ressie to see if my cabin has changed:p

 

Im glad Im not the only one who keeps checking my cabin number hoping it magically changes to a higher category .. I keep checking. I have automatic upgrade checked.

 

Its sure a favorite topic on RCL boards .. hopefull people ..if anyone knew how to get a free upgrade, we would all be doing it.

[ilionite65]

We received an upgrade from D to JS on our second cruise; none since.

 

I do not begrudge anyone else an upgrade, regardless of how many times I've cruised.

 

Good luck, everyone! :)

 

Teddie

 

Just to be clear here, I don't think anyone here begrudges anyone else an upgrade. I haven't read anything that would make me think that way.

[teddie]

Just to be clear here, I don't think anyone here begrudges anyone else an upgrade. I haven't read anything that would make me think that way.

 

Unfortunately, I have read a number of posts on this board that go that way.

 

Aside from that, a visit from the upgrade fairy would be awful nice; I do check at least once a day just in case. :)

 

Teddie

[B_Mc]

Million dollar question....wouldn`t we all love to know the answer....

 

Good luck getting an upgrade!

[deltatango]

Its easy be a 1st time RCI cruiser which we are, have plenty of empty cabin grades JS above you, which there is, wish very hard for the fairy to come and see you which we are doing very day :cool:

[05mak05]

Diamond here, and we've never received an upgrade. :(

 

On the other hand -- I booked clients on their first RCCL cruise last year, in a Balcony Guarantee. They ended up with the Owners Suite. Great for them -- but I was so jealous! LOL

 

No rhyme or reason, as far as I can tell.

We're D+ and have never been upgraded either. As someone else posted, all our bookings have been balconies or JS's. I went on one "Ladies Only" cruise with friends when we all booked oceanviews. We've never been on a 3 or 4 day cruise, never had an interior.

You talk luck ... booking a guarantee and getting an OS. A year or so ago, I called the D+ desk asking for an upgrade and said something to the effect that we had been passed over. Honestly, I was nice and my voice was pleasant. Well, did I ever get chewed out. I wish I had asked for the name of the agent as she more or less said "how dare you say you've been passed over ..." Oh, man, was she ever mad and apparently highly insulted telling me that upgrades were very carefully given on the number of past cruises - including those handed out by revenue. I was so taken aback and rather intimidated so I got off the phone as quickly as possible. We do like RCI and

are happy with the staterooms that we book. We'd also be happy with a visit from the upgrade fairy - ha!

[ilionite65]

We're D+ and have never been upgraded either. As someone else posted, all our bookings have been balconies or JS's. I went on one "Ladies Only" cruise with friends when we all booked oceanviews. We've never been on a 3 or 4 day cruise, never had an interior.

You talk luck ... booking a guarantee and getting an OS. A year or so ago, I called the D+ desk asking for an upgrade and said something to the effect that we had been passed over. Honestly, I was nice and my voice was pleasant. Well, did I ever get chewed out. I wish I had asked for the name of the agent as she more or less said "how dare you say you've been passed over ..." Oh, man, was she ever mad and apparently highly insulted telling me that upgrades were very carefully given on the number of past cruises - including those handed out by revenue. I was so taken aback and rather intimidated so I got off the phone as quickly as possible. We do like RCI and

are happy with the staterooms that we book. We'd also be happy with a visit from the upgrade fairy - ha![

 

I feel your pain! In reality, I am very happy with Royal, and I just wondered if others were as curious about the whole upgrade thing as I am. Guess there's no rhyme nor reason to it. Just continue to go and have a great time.

[JCCRYPTO]

We have been upgraded quite a few times, BUT the first one didn't arrive until we had 64 cruises with Royal. Never even considered the fact that we might get one when we were diamond.

Now that the revenue department has taken over things have changed. It used to be that the cruisers with the most cruises were the first to get the upgrades and from there it went down the line. At that time Royal Caribbean was loyal to those who were loyal to Royal. Now no one is sure what the system is.

I have to be honest. When we have been sitting in the Conceirge Lounge and someone says they are on their first cruise and were upgraded to a suite, we find it rather upsetting.

[PantherFan]

Since it appears that the Revenue department is in charge of upgrades now, my theory is that they upgrade the people who paid the most for there cabins first.

 

Since all of us frequent cruisers know all the tricks to get the best prices for cruises we end up eliminating ourselves from the Revenue department upgrades.

 

Just my two cents and theory.

 

D+ with 251 points and never been upgraded.

[Trekker954]

It seems to depend on the ship, how many cabins are available and what you are booked in.

 

We were actually upgraded a two or three times from interior to oceanview and even two room interior to central park balcony (Allure). I hear people often get upgraded on oasis and allure to central park or boardwalk balconies from interior (there aren't many interior and they often need them for extra staff or free cruises.

 

Lately we've been booking balconies and have never been upgraded from there.