never been upgraded

[Js1126]

Hi All,

 

We are getting ready to go out on our 2nd Celebrity Cruise on the 2/23 Reflection sailing (4th cruise lifetime). We travel with another couple who always book a concierge class veranda state room. We always book an ocean view just to save a few bucks. I was wondering what the chances of a free upgrade would be, how they decide who gets them (does having a previous sailing help?), and I also dont really understand the concierge class rating - so if someone could explain that it would be great. If it makes a difference, we are captains club members, but only have the 1 previous sailing under our belt as of now.

 

Thanks for the help!

[ghstudio]

Based on posts here and personal experience, the chances of an upgrade are somewhere between never and none. However, there is an upgrade fairy somewhere, because occasionally someone does get upgraded. There is no discernible pattern....it does not seem to be related to captain's club level, amount paid, when booked, or anything else logical. Some of us think it's based on the third letter of your last name or perhaps the date of your birth matches the upgrade fairy's.

 

Hey...you can always hope...but your chances really are very very slim unless someone knows someone with the power to do an upgrade.

[Orator]

Hi All,

 

We are getting ready to go out on our 2nd Celebrity Cruise on the 2/23 Reflection sailing (4th cruise lifetime). We travel with another couple who always book a concierge class veranda state room. We always book an ocean view just to save a few bucks. I was wondering what the chances of a free upgrade would be, how they decide who gets them (does having a previous sailing help?), and I also dont really understand the concierge class rating - so if someone could explain that it would be great. If it makes a difference, we are captains club members, but only have the 1 previous sailing under our belt as of now.

 

Thanks for the help!

 

I've been on almost 40 Celebrity cruises in the last 3 1/2 years and have never been upgraded. Concierge is a cabin class. The cabins are larger on the M Class then the regular balcony cabin, but the same size on the S Class ships. You get some additional amenities, but not much and and extra cruise point. I like the C1 Aft cabins, but they can be quite pricy. Prefer Aqua Class to Concierge. The Celebrity site will give youa description of each cabin category.

[lambcom]

Your chances of being upgraded are somewhat better than being hit by lightening or winning the Powerball Lottery, but it's something no regular cruiser counts on. There are people on this board who have a dozen or more Celebrity cruises under their belts and have never been touched by the "Upgrade Fairy". If there's a system, no one here has every figured it out, other than knowing that very frequent cruises who book high end cabins better a better chance of being hit by fairy dust -- but even they don't count on it. I'm now Elite and I've never been upgraded, but, hey, hope springs eternal..

 

And no, I don't think being a Captain"s Club member makes an iota of difference. Almost everyone who completes their first cruise and plans another Celebrity cruise in the future signs up knowing that there will be perks down the road but probably not a cabin upgrade.

 

Hope this helps!

 

George +

[BrusselsGirl07]

There are quite a few threads on here dicsussing upgrades - but there seems no set pattern as to who they will upgrade. We have never had one either, but have met people on their first sailing who booked an inside and were upgraded to a balcony. They did not know why, they were just happy! We have also met people with more than 20 sailings under their belt who have not been upgraded either.

 

The Concierge Class is just a category of balcony that provides a few little perks such as a free bottle of sparkling wine in your room on the first day, fresh fruit and flowers provided in your cabin and little canapes delivered to your room every afternoon. There are various other perks if you look on the Celebrity website, here is a link to the features on Reflection's Concierge Class staterooms: http://www.celebritycruises.com/explore/ships/detail.do?shipCode=RF#staterooms/explore/ships/stateroomDetails.do%3FcabinType=CC&cabincls=B&shipCode=RF

 

Have a fun cruise! Yvette

[neverbeenhere]

If you talk to one particular person you will get upgraded 8 of 9 cruises.:D:D:D sorry that tread was closed.:D:D:D

[Js1126]

All very helpful. Wasnt counting on it, wasnt expecting it, just more curious than anything else. Either way, I could be riding in a row boat being towed behind the ship and I'd be happy as long as I have some sun! 38 Days!

[Karynanne]

We cruised with Celebrity since 1999, and have never been offered a complimentary upgrade. But then again, we always choose a cabin that we are happy to begin with.

[phoenix_dream]

I agree that the chances range from slim to slimmer. But then again, people who are relatively new to Celebrity are sometimes the ones who get upgraded - perhaps a marketing approach, who knows. So not likely, but you probably have a better chance than I have, with more than 20 Celebrity cruises under my belt without an upgrade. But I just keep on bookin':D:D

[Bruin Steve]

Count me in amongst those with a good many cruises under his belt who has NEVER gotten a "Cruise Fairy" magic upgrade...

 

I have been "upsold" on other lines--that's where cabins aren't filling up in some categories and a cruise line will come to you with an offer--such as "for only 'x' dollars more, they will move you up to a better category"...We moved from an inside to a "Concierge Class" on Oceania once that way...But that's not really an "upgrade", more just a renegotiation...and we've created our own upgrades in a similar manner on Celebrity...We've watched the rates...and, if the rates come down on a previously booked cruise, we have our TA contact Celebrity...some times they are able to get us a discount, other times we have taken an upgrade in cabins...

 

I HAVE also been upgraded SLIGHTLY on Celebrity when booking a "Guarantee" rate cabin...This is where, rather than book a particular cabin, you book a cabin to be determined later (can be done only when they offer it).,..usually, you end up in exactly the category in which you booked the guarantee...but, at times, we've been assigned a slightly higher category cabin--it's all based on where the vacancies are when they get around to assigning the cabins...But these upgrades are typically minor--usually within the same grouping...ie from a 2D balcony cabin possibility to a 1A or 1B or from a lower deck insuide to a higher deck inside...even an inside guarantee to an Ocean View...Or, as we had once, from a balcony guarantee to a Concierge class...It depends on where the vacancies are...They hardly ever happen from, say, an inside guarantee to a suite...

 

But that "Magic" upgrade...where you've booked an Inside cabin and "poof" suddenly you are in a Suite??? Never happened to me in 30+ cruises...and I don't think they happen often...

[Lois R]

I have been sailing with Celebrity since 2003...no "Free Upgrades"

here either.

[CRUZBUDS]

We were upgraded from an outside to a CC balcony once on the Mercury on a 15 Hawaii. It was a very pleasant surprise. We weren't Elite at that time. I guess we live right! :)

[erinpdx]

I started a similar thread a couple of weeks ago. It sounds like there aren't a lot of free upgrades offered. I'm curious how often Celebrity calls with an upsell to a better cabin. On other lines, I have frequently been called weeks prior to sailing with an offer to upgrade for a price. In most cases the price was too high and we passed on the offer.

[Lois R]

I started a similar thread a couple of weeks ago. It sounds like there aren't a lot of free upgrades offered. I'm curious how often Celebrity calls with an upsell to a better cabin. On other lines, I have frequently been called weeks prior to sailing with an offer to upgrade for a price. In most cases the price was too high and we passed on the offer.

 

Hi Erin, how often they call who? You and me?.......in 9 years of

cruising with them, I have never received a call to upgrade myself.

 

Now, I have been called from Captain's Club to wish me a good trip

and see if there is anything needed.....but not for an upgrade or

another cabin for additional $$.

[erinpdx]

On both Carnival and Princess, we were called at home a few weeks before sailing and offered to upgrade our room from a balcony to a suite. Our last Carnival sailing the offer was around $800 for this upsell. We had 2 connecting balcony rooms with our 2 kids so the offer wasn't worth it to us.

[Milhouse]

We were upgraded on our first cruise with Celebrity. We booked an inside cabin and were upgraded to an outside cabin on Millennium for an early (first sailing of the season) round trip cruise to Alaska from Vancouver.

 

Just speculating but what I suspect happened was that they were blowing out this cruise (due to the recession?). I think they tried to market deals to folks in the region (so you didn't have to fly) and it probably worked because nearly everyone we talked to were from Vancouver or Seattle area. Lots of first time cruisers too. They probably had so much demand on the low end that they had to bump a few folks up from Inside to Outside.

[Alg63]

With hotels, car rentals, cruise, the chances of being upgraded from a lower category (like inside cabin) are higher than if you booked a better class cabin .. Why? Because when cruise ships are looking to fill (or hotels) they will generally drop the rates on the lowest class of rooms and/or show availability on those rooms .even oversell that category. .. And then upgrade them. ... Sometimes... Very rarely.

 

But if they overbook concierge .. Or aqua .. Or suites ... People are generally not thrilled about being moved because they picked that class or cabin number specifically.

 

When i worked in hotels (in a very upscale hotel group) i upgraded a guest to a suite ... And remember they came down the next morning and screamed at me. When i worked as a reservations manager on an island i looked after five hotels .. When i upgraded guests from a three star to a 5 star hotel they were not happy ... Because it was on another side of the island .. Things were more expensive in a five star ... Mostly because It was not what they had planned on it being ... Trust me ... Being an upgrade fairy is not always easy or pleasant!!

[eileen & jay]

Now, I have been called from Captain's Club to wish me a good trip

and see if there is anything needed.....but not for an upgrade or

another cabin for additional $$.[/quote

 

 

Ditto!

[Taxguy77]

All very helpful. Wasnt counting on it, wasnt expecting it, just more curious than anything else. Either way, I could be riding in a row boat being towed behind the ship and I'd be happy as long as I have some sun! 38 Days!

 

If you just want sun, come down here. You can even rent a boat and catch dinner! :D Or go wade-fishing, no need for a boat.

 

Re upgrade: We sailed 8 cruises on various lines, and never heard of an upgrade until we started reading CC. Notice most of the contributors never got one.

[TeaBag]

We got upgraded on Princess once but never on Celebrity.

[Kellie Poodle]

If you just want sun, come down here. You can even rent a boat and catch dinner! :D Or go wade-fishing, no need for a boat.

 

Re upgrade: We sailed 8 cruises on various lines, and never heard of an upgrade until we started reading CC. Notice most of the contributors never got one.

 

When we cruised in the late 80's we used a cruise specialist agency and they always upgraded at least 3 levels, but in those days there were no balconies or aqua class, etc. Just inside and outside, so if you booked an outside, you might get a cabin in a better location.

 

Taxguy77, The weather isn't any better right now on The Island than it is here in Harlingen :D

[Maligator]

We were upgraded from a Sky Suite to Royal Suite on Equinox this past fall. We're still not sure why, but you'll never hear us complain. Neither our Captain's Club hostess or our AAA agent had any idea. Needless to say, I've gone on and on about how well we were treated to anyone who'll sit still long enough. This was our 2nd cruise ever and both were with Celebrity. I'd say we're brand loyalists for life.

 

Posted via Tapatalk 2 quite possibly while I'm on the john with my DROID DNA

[countess5]

Had to chime in on this thread, we are sailing on Reflection this Saturday and was upgraded, from Sky Suite to Aqua Suite. We have been upgraded twice out of 9 sailings. Also sat at the captains table twice out of 9 sailings. The last time is when I booked friends with us that never cruised before and the other people at the table had cruised 30 plus times were Diamond Club and was the first time they sat at the Captains table. They kept asking who we knew and how did we get invited!

 

Here is my comments on upgrades, it is not the cruise line that is going to call you and just give you that upgrade. Who makes it happen in my opinion is your TA. They are your voice when it comes to the cruise lines. Here is why I say that.

 

I have known and worked with my TA for the last 15 years, my wife and I have referred many friends to her and her agency which she owns. I have taken friends on cruises which were booked through her and also sent my mother on an 11 day cruise with friends last year all booked through her.

 

It is all about relationships and they giving back for what you give them. Each time I am upgraded I get a call from one of her team members saying they have the cruise line on the phone and "they" would like to upgrade us. Really, "they" want to upgrade us out of the goodness of their hearts? They don't even know me even though I am Emerald on RCI and Select on X.

 

When I get back, and it is not just on cruises where we get upgraded, I call my TA and say WOW we got upgraded, I know you had a hand in it THANK YOU! Of course she denies it and says she was happy for us.

 

TAs have regional reps and they have district managers. If they do enough business with them they can negotiate. They work for the TA and their clients. My TA's RCI/X rep has been her rep for 10 years. I even had her rep at out to my home for a presentation to my neighbors once. She booked three cruises.

 

I am in a business where I have brokers and consultants that generate business for me, those that do a great job get a better part of my time and favors when they need them. It is all about one hand washes another and relationships!

 

Sorry for the long winded opinion, but get a good TA build a relationship and interview them to see what relationships they have with travel vendors.

 

Safe Sailings!

[cartervan]

Wow--It's so funny that this topic should come up this morning! We just found out last night that we got an upgrade on our February cruise from an inside to ocean view! We have been cruising for years--are "Three Star" on HAL, and also have taken several NCL cruises. This is our first time on Celebrity and the first time we've ever had an upgrade.

We've been marveling over this stroke of luck ever since we found out. What's weird is that we wanted to book ocean view, but they said they were sold out. After talking it over, we decided that we would be happy with an inside, and very glad to save the money.

I think it may be true--as one poster pointed out--that upgrades are more likely at the lower levels.

Well, who knows the how or why--we're just thrilled! Sometimes it DOES happen!

[smtcan]

The only time we have had anything approaching an upgrade was when we booked a guarantee inside for a last minute cruise on Century. We ended up with a lowest category ocean view, and were very happy. We were also invited to the Captain's table on another Century cruise, again last minute and Guarantee inside cabin (which was what we got). We had no idea why we were invited - we didn't know anyone important and our table companions included the most travelled cruisers and couples from the top suites. We enjoyed the experience, but don't expect to be so lucky again.

Sheila

 

BTW, we booked directly with Celebrity on both these cruises, so no travel agent was involved.