How would you feel if Princess upgraded you from a balcony to a Window Suite?

[drjpreston]

I find this discussion interesting because we just accepted an upsell offer from Princess to move from an obstructed oceanview to a window suite on the Golden on 1/16/13 r/t LA-Hawaii. Obviously we didn't have a balcony so we weren't giving up anything but one window for two windows and almost no amenities for a whole bunch of wonderful amenities.

 

We've done all types of cabins, although we've never had a suite before, so the category isn't much of an issue for us. In all honesty, we're just happy being onboard.

 

Thanks, Princess!!

Good for you. Wish we had been given the same opportunity. We will see you in January on the Golden.

[bypass]

We are on the Jan 16 hawaii cruise too. We had a mini suite before the upgrade.

[PunkiC]

It won't happen! They used insides and outsides to upgrade people to cabins with out balconies. My friend just returned from a Panama Canal and booked an outside cabin. He received a mini suite with out a balcony.

 

And you will not be able to tell by watching availability on a website on who gets the window suites. If the mini suites and balconies are truly overbooked and enough people don't cancel via illness (they know a certain percentage do this for each sailing), then they offer move over offers or call and ask if they will take a Window Suite which is rare. They won't auto upgrade balconies or mini suites to Window Suites.

 

That is exactly what I thought, Coral, before I started checking with the experts. I was wrong, but that's ok.

 

I most certainly won't be able to tell anything by watching the availability of the cabins on the cruise in question because it went from having six window suites open, along with about 3 or 4 obstructed view cabins and one inside, to absolutely nothing in just a couple of hours. I suspect that now there is nothing left but move-over and I would certainly like to be one. :p

[Coral]

That is exactly what I thought, Coral, before I started checking with the experts. I was wrong, but that's ok.

 

I most certainly won't be able to tell anything by watching the availability of the cabins on the cruise in question because it went from having six window suites open, along with about 3 or 4 obstructed view cabins and one inside, to absolutely nothing in just a couple of hours. I suspect that now there is nothing left but move-over and I would certainly like to be one. :p

 

I have spoken with someone in the know, not a phone person at Princess and know my info is correct.

[PunkiC]

I wouldn't totally disregard the information supplied by telephone CSRs. There are some who are obviously not as well trained, but there are others who have been at the job for many years who really know their stuff. I have spoken with two of the latter variety who are positive that anybody with a guarantee can be moved to any "upgraded" cabin.

 

My travel agent who is a real pro has also supplied the same information. Moreover, macjunkie's travel agent (although I have no insight on his or her competence) supplied him/her the same information.

 

I am curious as to the position of the "someone in the know" to whom you have spoken, and what specific facts should cause us to have more faith in his/her opinion than that of other professionals with whom we have consulted.

[jagoffee]

I wouldn't totally disregard the information supplied by telephone CSRs. There are some who are obviously not as well trained, but there are others who have been at the job for many years who really know their stuff. I have spoken with two of the latter variety who are positive that anybody with a guarantee can be moved to any "upgraded" cabin.

 

My travel agent who is a real pro has also supplied the same information. Moreover, macjunkie's travel agent (although I have no insight on his or her competence) supplied him/her the same information.

 

I am curious as to the position of the "someone in the know" to whom you have spoken, and what specific facts should cause us to have more faith in his/her opinion than that of other professionals with whom we have consulted.

 

I supposed being assigned a Window Suite with a guarantee cabin is not the same as being upgraded from a balcony or minisuite cabin. Of course if what they are telling you is correct you would think that someone would have posted the fact that they were assigned a Window Suite with a Balcony Guarantee. IMO this would not be not be a smart move by Princess and very unlikely.

[PunkiC]

Yes all of my sources said that this type of upgrade could only happen if someone had a guarantee balcony or a guarantee mini, not to someone who had purchased a specific cabin. And, yes, they all said it was highly unlikely, but it could and does happen.

 

I am almost tempted to become a window suite lurker and "accidentally" run into someone from those window suites on our cruise and ask them how they acquired them at the last minute. :p

 

If I remember to do that, I will report back.

[Pia1913]

Yes all of my sources said that this type of upgrade could only happen if someone had a guarantee balcony or a guarantee mini, not to someone who had purchased a specific cabin. And, yes, they all said it was highly unlikely, but it could and does happen.

 

I am almost tempted to become a window suite lurker and "accidentally" run into someone from those window suites on our cruise and ask them how they acquired them at the last minute. :p

 

If I remember to do that, I will report back.

 

I can tell you about one that I know. Someone traveling with us on the CB last June had a window cabin. When she checked into the ship in Southampton, lo and behold she was upgraded to a window suite. She has no clue how it happened, nor did they want $$$. And, she was traveling as a single.

[WeBeGone]

We were upgraded to a window suite once from a regular oceanview. the extra space was lovely and since we hadn't booked a balcony in the first place, we were very happy with the suite. Now if we had booked a balcony and then were given a window suite, I'd be out for blood. That's why we usually mark our reservations no upgrades (it depends on the length of the cruise).

[lovevacadays]

Not good at all! If I booked a balcony I would want a balcony. But, I do tend to book my cabins "no upgrade." That way I get what I want.:):):)

[caribill]

Not good at all! If I booked a balcony I would want a balcony. But, I do tend to book my cabins "no upgrade." That way I get what I want.:):):)

 

Again, nobody has reported they were switched from any type of cabin with a balcony to a window suite with no balcony.

 

Upsells, yes.

 

Upgrades from non-balcony cabins, yes.

[PunkiC]

That is true, caribill, and that prompts my interest in being a "window suite lurker" on our upcoming cruise.

 

If they were ever going to "upgrade" a mini or balcony guarantee passenger to a window suite, this is exactly the type of situation where it would happen. The ship went in a couple of hours from having only 7 cabins open--six window suites and one outside cabin--to being totally sold out. Since they always over sell the balconies and minis, it is fairly safe to assume that some of those folks who filled up the window suites were people who had booked guarantee balconies or minis.

 

Since I know exactly which cabins were open until the very end (F301-311) if, in my lurking, I happen to see anyone exiting any of those cabins, I think I will strike up a friendly conversation about their interesting location on Fiesta and see if I can find out how they ended up in those cabins.

 

I hope I am a subtle/clever enough detective that I don't get put int he brig. :p Then on the other hand, I may be having way too much fun to even think about it.

[Babr]

This thread really has legs. There seems to be a lot of interest in window suites, but the opinions reflect opposite ends of the spectrum - not much middle ground on this topic.

 

For me, I like a little luxury and papmering on a vacation. Just having a balcony does not define that. On a transatlantic I've been watching, the window siutes are completely sold out and have been for some time. I wonder if that means some of those people will get upgrade/upsell offers since the window suites seem to be very popular on that itinerary even if they are not on other warmer weather destinations?

[akeasley]

Suites are awesome!! I've had two and both times they have been totally worth it and both times, the balcony was rarely ever used.

[burm]

This thread really has legs. There seems to be a lot of interest in window suites, but the opinions reflect opposite ends of the spectrum - not much middle ground on this topic.

 

For me, I like a little luxury and papmering on a vacation. Just having a balcony does not define that. On a transatlantic I've been watching, the window siutes are completely sold out and have been for some time. I wonder if that means some of those people will get upgrade/upsell offers since the window suites seem to be very popular on that itinerary even if they are not on other warmer weather destinations?

 

 

I am the OP of this thread, and I am not really all that surprised (although a little amused) by the extremes. Some of us need the balcony to fully appreciate the cruise experience, others don't. To me, a balcony is the ultimate luxury and I cannot imagine what Princess, or any other cruiseline, could offer me in a suite that would make me want to give one up. Itinerary would never affect my choice.

[Gunner22aa]

I'm with you. Although we always book an aft suite I would never give up my balcony. I like my own little fresh air sanctuary where I can read, enjoy a glass of wine or just snooze with some privacy. I spend as much time on the balcony as I do in the room. Have actually slept out there a few nights.

[burm]

The only thing better than a balcony is an aft balcony. :)

 

 

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[Babr]

I'm thinking of our last Princess cruise which was on the Star to Antartica. We chose a mini-suite because it was a cost-effective way to do an extraordinary itinerary. We even had one of the coveted minis on the Emerald deck with a covered balcony, but the cabin itself had all the ambiance of a cheap motel on the interstate - rump-sprung furniture, lumpy bed with the same tired old bedspread I've seen in every Princess cabin since I started sailing in 2004, a small bathroom with a single sink and plastic-looking tiles.

 

The Vista siutes and above on the transatlantic I'm watching are more than I want to pay ($5000 and up per person), but if I could get a window siute, I say give me a shot at it, and someone else who wants to sit outside on a sea day in 40 to 50 degree temperatures can have the balcony.

[avalon1025]

I had a window suite on the Grand, was the most enjoyable part of the ship

[caviargal]

We are in a BB GTY for 22Dec on the Grand and the currently availability is limited to inside cabins, three minis and two window suites. We would be happy to be assigned a window Suite as the amenities to us are preferable to having a balcony.

 

Fingers crossed.:)

[caribill]

We are in a BB GTY for 22Dec on the Grand and the currently availability is limited to inside cabins, three minis and two window suites. We would be happy to be assigned a window Suite as the amenities to us are preferable to having a balcony.

 

Fingers crossed.:)

 

Be sure to report back here what you are assigned.

[noisycharlie]

I tend to agree. I hated the new furniture.

i agree -the new balcony furniture is awful-looks great but extremely uncomfortable for sitting -reading- relaxing- especially if you are a little chubby might as well book a ocean view as i didn't enjoy the balcony this trip