Is upgrade the day of cruise possible?

[brenderlou]

We are sailing on the Carribean Princess on 3/23 and currently have a balcony on Baja deck. The cruise isn't sold out yet and there are still suites available (there are 3 in our party & the mini suites are sold out for a party of 3 but not when I put in only 2 traveling).

My question is does Princess allow for upgrades the day of the cruise when checking in if cabins are available and if so, do they discount the upgrades or is it full fare as shown on the website?

I wouldn't mind experiencing a suite but not for $2,300 per person. Wondering if it's something that's possible to do at a discount. If so, is it best to check in early (do they promote the upgrades when checking in or only when asked?)

Also, would it help to call a couple of days ahead of sailing if cabins are still available to upgrade or wait until check in?

 

Thanks

[dmwnc1959]

Yours is the cruise leading up into Easter Weekend as well as the final week(s) of Spring Break for various colleges and schools across the country. I would suspect it will sell out before you get to the pier.

[Gunner22aa]

Visit the pursers desk once you board and ask. Often you will see a sign that says the ship is sold out and no cabins are available. If they do have cabins available you can expect to pay for any upgrade you want. The exact amount I am unsure of.

[Pam in CA]

First, it'll sell out. Princess will probably have a Flash sale. Second, full suites aren't discounted. If you want a suite, you'll pay the full price. Third, there is no upsell at the pier. The check-in computers are not linked to the booking system. Every cruise I've been on, there's been a sign at the Passenger Services Desk saying that the ship is full and no cabins are available. If perchance a full suite is available, you'll pay the difference between your cabin and the full price for the suite. No discount.

 

If you want or need a suite, book it now. You won't get a bargain closer to sailing.

[DShock]

Unfortunately...will never happen.

[paul929207]

If there is a suite available, the cost would be the then current cost for the cabin minus what you paid. No discount. If you want a suite, your best chance is to get it now.

[H2O skier]

Happened for us in 2010. Upgaded at dock. Of course luggage was missing for a time but ship's crew helpful in retrieving it.

[Stevesan]

There's always hope.

Our first, and to date only, Celebrity cruise we were upgraded from a cat 5 ocean view to a full suite including butler service at check in!:).

 

Another time I blew it big time. A few weeks prior to sailaway, I received an e-mail upsell offer from an inside on Maasdam to a verandah suite for $400 more. A definite bargain, but I lost it because I waited till late afternoon to respond.:mad:

You snooze, you loose!

[Pam in CA]

Happened for us in 2010. Upgaded at dock. Of course luggage was missing for a time but ship's crew helpful in retrieving it.

Was that a complimentary upgrade or did you pay for the upgrade? There's a big difference. The OP is asking about paying for an upgrade. Very occasionally, you can arrive at the pier and discover you've been upgraded. Doesn't happen often.

[Liz54]

Anyone who was upgraded at the Pier was upgraded by the cruiseline before they got there by the cruiseline, and others were upgraded into their original cabin. The cruiseline makes sure to sail FULL. I expect any empty cabin is an interior low catagory cabin. An upgrade requested by the passenger is an upsell and you will pay for it. Imagine if you could get a free upgrade by asking for it at the pier! The bedlam would be wild!

[highheel girl]

Anyone who was upgraded at the Pier was upgraded by the cruiseline before they got there by the cruiseline, and others were upgraded into their original cabin. The cruiseline makes sure to sail FULL. I expect any empty cabin is an interior low catagory cabin. An upgrade requested by the passenger is an upsell and you will pay for it. Imagine if you could get a free upgrade by asking for it at the pier! The bedlam would be wild!

 

 

Agree!!

[Stelladoro]

We received an upgrade at no extra cost on embarkation (inside to an obstructed oceanview), on the Emerald Princess Baltic cruise. We heard the ship had many unsold cabins.

On the HAL TA cruise, approx. one week prior to the cruise, we were offered an upsell for only $48 PP from an inside to a full oceanview cabin. No brainer, we took it!

[tennisobo]

A year ago my mom was upgraded to a balcony from an OV when they checked in. They did not have to pay any more for the upgrade. It was a total surprise and they loved it so much they booked a balcony for their next cruise.

 

So, it can happen. But you could also win the Publishers Clearing House sweepstakes. I think your chances are about the same in either case.

[PunkiC]

We have received two upgrades at embarkation. The first was from a balcony to a full suite and the second from a balcony to a mini-suite. Who knows why?

 

We usually get an upgrade within our own category, i.e. from a BF guarantee to a BA or BB, but we have never been upgraded to a different category of cabin prior to embarkation.

 

It's fun when it happens, but I certainly wouldn't count on it.

[AKman2495]

THe only experience with "at the dock" upgrades involved my mother on our Panama Canal Cruise. She booked an interior cabin. 1 week before the cruise her TA told her she had been upgraded to a OV. When she got to the dock she discovered that she had been upgraded to a full balcony. She was pleased.

 

We also saw the sign saying the ship was full at the purser's desk.

[brenderlou]

Thanks everyone for your posts. It was just a thought that maybe a deal could be had day of sailing but I am very pleased with our balcony cabin we have.

 

As much as I would love to experience the luxury of a suite, my bank account thinks otherwise :eek:

[Cruisin' Chick]

The reason (if I'm guessing right) that a cabin for 3 didn't come up, is that the booking computer already figured out the capacity for berths would not handle any more bookings for over two passengers. That happened when I was waitlisted on our last cruise. If I plugged in 2 passengers, I would be able to find availabilities. For 3, none. Fortunately the right booking cancelled so that we were able to get a cabin for the three of us.

 

If it's your sailing falls into the spring break time (and remember spring break for colleges happens over a two month period), you might be able to move to another cabin, but any new bookings for 3 won't exist until there's a cancellation of a 3-party booking.

 

Just because there's empty berths doesn't mean each one can be filled.

[H2O skier]

Was that a complimentary upgrade or did you pay for the upgrade? There's a big difference. The OP is asking about paying for an upgrade. Very occasionally, you can arrive at the pier and discover you've been upgraded. Doesn't happen often.

 

It was a complimentary upgrade. Apparently I didn't read the post correctly. Mea culpa.

[rwadam]

Disney Cruise Line sells upgrades at the pier (at check in) if there is available inventory and you can get some great deals on suites. Princess doesn't sell upgrades at check in and every time I have been on Princess there is a sign at the Passenger Services desk saying no upgrades available. Speaking from personal experience it is not unheard of for Princess to give passengers complimentary upgrades to a higher category -- even to a suite -- but these are assigned before the sail date. Most people are informed of such an upgrade in advance of sailing, but occasionally they find out when they check in and are pleasantly surprised -- or not pleasantly if the new room is not to their liking.:) The check in staff can do nothing at that point but send the passengers on board with their newly assigned cabin and have the Passenger Services desk figure it out.

[brenderlou]

I called Princess last night asking about upgrading to a mini suite for the 3 of us. I explained when I use the website and put 3 passengers, no mini suites are available but they are with just 2 traveling. The reservationist couldn't understand why and said there were plenty of mini suites available for 3 people in the cabin.

 

The cost to upgrade would be almost $1,000 total so I'm crossing my fingers that they will have a sale to fill up the ship. By the look of things there are still plenty of cabins to be had with less then 2 months until we sail.

 

A girl can dream, right?