How does "upgrade Preference" work?

[sunsetbeachgal]

I just finalized a trip on the Freedom of the Seas and have a hump balcony cabin 6338 booked. I went onto Royal Caribbean's web site to register for any possible upgrades, but before I do that wanted to get your advice. I am very happy with this location (cabin was only available as a guarantee yesterday when I held an option with TA, and this hump cabin was available this morning!). I would only want an upgrade to the next higher cabin class, Not an upgrade from say balcony class E-2 to D-2 which could be at the far end of the ship.

 

What does RC consider "an upgrade"? (On Princess you can mark it Meta Upgrade only, which is what I am talking about above, example balcony to junior suite). Or are the rooms in the Superior balcony classifications a lot larger?

 

Thanks!

Edited January 18, 2014 by sunsetbeachgal

[Ourusualbeach]

You are booked in an E2 so technically any D balcony would be an upgrade. If you are happy with your cabin I would change your preferences to either no upgrade or to call you.

[sunsetbeachgal]

Thanks...exactly the information I was looking for! I have never had a hump balcony, but it really looks like a nice location.

Edited January 18, 2014 by sunsetbeachgal

[CruisinDawn]

I was under the impression an upgrade is from one category to the next, not category within a category unless you are already up to the suite level. Inside to Outside, Outside to Balcony, Balcony to Suite. Note that if they upgrade you from a balcony to a suite you no longer get the double points for the cruise per the current rules. I forget where I read this so I could be wrong but that is what I thought. Sure someone has the definition of upgrade from Royal :)

 

BonVoyage

Dawna

Edited January 18, 2014 by CruisinDawn

[Clarea]

I just finalized a trip on the Freedom of the Seas and have a hump balcony cabin 6338 booked. I went onto Royal Caribbean's web site to register for any possible upgrades, but before I do that wanted to get your advice. I am very happy with this location (cabin was only available as a guarantee yesterday when I held an option with TA, and this hump cabin was available this morning!). I would only want an upgrade to the next higher cabin class, Not an upgrade from say balcony class E-2 to D-2 which could be at the far end of the ship.

 

What does RC consider "an upgrade"? (On Princess you can mark it Meta Upgrade only, which is what I am talking about above, example balcony to junior suite). Or are the rooms in the Superior balcony classifications a lot larger?

 

Thanks!

I would call C&A and tell them to set your preferences so that it says you want an upgrade, but you need to be called first. You can't do that on the website, at least the last time I tried.

[mommabean]

I was under the impression an upgrade is from one category to the next, not category within a category unless you are already up to the suite level. Inside to Outside, Outside to Balcony, Balcony to Suite. Note that if they upgrade you from a balcony to a suite you no longer get the double points for the cruise per the current rules. I forget where I read this so I could be wrong but that is what I thought. Sure someone has the definition of upgrade from Royal :)

 

BonVoyage

Dawna

 

I agree with your description. The Carnival owned brands consider it an upgrade to be moved within the same category class. They even consider one floor higher within the exact same booking category to be an upgrade. I don't.

 

A D balcony is larger than an E balcony though and if they gave me a D I'd be very happy about it. I don't think that is considered a real upgrade though. I would think an upgrade would be from an E to a Junior suite.

 

But like Bob says, maybe they should call C&A and be on the upgrade call list if they want to approve any possible upgrade.

 

Gina

Edited January 19, 2014 by mommabean

[travelplus]

But be aware that the Automatic Upgrades without being called would get priority over those they need to call as the Auto Upgrades would be processed quicker.

[zaknzoey]

As others have said, I also have read here on CC about passengers being "upgraded" out of the cabin they really wanted and NOT to the next level of cabin, i.e. outside to balcony, balcony to suite.

 

What they consider an upgrade is not always what you consider an upgrade.

[sunsetbeachgal]

Thnk I will just go into my C & A account and mark it no upgrade...chances of a good upgrade are probably slim to none anyhow and I don't want to chance getting a location I don't like as well..

[Very Frequent Flyer]

How far in advance are upgrades confirmed and am i notified via e-mail or at check in on the day of embarkation?

[Clarea]

How far in advance are upgrades confirmed and am i notified via e-mail or at check in on the day of embarkation?

The two times it's happened to us, I found out by looking at the website a couple of days before the cruise. We never got any email or phone call.

[mommabean]

How far in advance are upgrades confirmed and am i notified via e-mail or at check in on the day of embarkation?

 

We just got one 2 days ago for a cruise coming up in 7 days - making it 9 days pre-cruise. We've had a few but this is the first time we had a new updated confirmation sent to us that clued us in to the upgrade. I had checked the website earlier and it hadn't happened yet.

 

Only problem was they said we owed $329 which isn't true. It took over half an hour to straighten out the mess. Our C&A balcony discount and Resident discount had dropped off and they had to go to revenue to fix it for some reason. They said the whole file had become corrupted. After they fixed it they said we still owed $15.40. It took another call to clear that up. Actually I would have paid the $15.40 for the upgrade. But since I didn't really owe it, I didn't want to pay it. IT issues. :rolleyes:

 

Gina

[Clarea]

We just got one 2 days ago for a cruise coming up in 7 days - making it 9 days pre-cruise. We've had a few but this is the first time we had a new updated confirmation sent to us that clued us in to the upgrade. I had checked the website earlier and it hadn't happened yet.

 

Only problem was they said we owed $329 which isn't true. It took over half an hour to straighten out the mess. Our C&A balcony discount and Resident discount had dropped off and they had to go to revenue to fix it for some reason. They said the whole file had become corrupted. After they fixed it they said we still owed $15.40. It took another call to clear that up. Actually I would have paid the $15.40 for the upgrade. But since I didn't really owe it, I didn't want to pay it. IT issues. :rolleyes:

 

Gina

It just boggles the mind how they messed up the booking system even more than it was. The reps must be pulling their hair out with all the strange things happening to the bookings.

[Coralc]

I was under the impression an upgrade is from one category to the next, not category within a category unless you are already up to the suite level. Inside to Outside, Outside to Balcony, Balcony to Suite. Note that if they upgrade you from a balcony to a suite you no longer get the double points for the cruise per the current rules. I forget where I read this so I could be wrong but that is what I thought. Sure someone has the definition of upgrade from Royal :)

 

BonVoyage

Dawna

 

No...you don't get the double points, but the surprise upgrade from a midship balcony to the corner aft (wraparound balcony) Junior Suite on Vision was really nice! :D We will be forever grateful to the upgrade fairy, for such an excellent stateroom and balcony, on such a great cruise.

[Very Frequent Flyer]

We just got one 2 days ago for a cruise coming up in 7 days - making it 9 days pre-cruise. We've had a few but this is the first time we had a new updated confirmation sent to us that clued us in to the upgrade. I had checked the website earlier and it hadn't happened yet.

 

Only problem was they said we owed $329 which isn't true. It took over half an hour to straighten out the mess. Our C&A balcony discount and Resident discount had dropped off and they had to go to revenue to fix it for some reason. They said the whole file had become corrupted. After they fixed it they said we still owed $15.40. It took another call to clear that up. Actually I would have paid the $15.40 for the upgrade. But since I didn't really owe it, I didn't want to pay it. IT issues. :rolleyes:

 

Gina

 

I've still got just under $90 owing on my balance for my cruise in February. I contacted RC and they confirmed I owe nothing. I asked them to send me an updated invoice, which they did, but it still showed a balance owning.

[MrsFops&FopsC5]

Hi could someone please point me to where on the personalized this box is located. We just booked a short 3 nighter on the enchantment and don't See what you are speaking of. Do I have to wait until final payment?

 

Thank you!!!

[Clarea]

Hi could someone please point me to where on the personalized this box is located. We just booked a short 3 nighter on the enchantment and don't See what you are speaking of. Do I have to wait until final payment?

 

Thank you!!!

Login to your My Cruises account on Royal's website. Click the Profile tab. Click Upgrade Preferences.

[apodocade]

I have never had a hump balcony, but it really looks like a nice location.

[Clarea]

I have never had a hump balcony, but it really looks like a nice location.

You usually have to book early to get those.

[cruisenfever]

But be aware that the Automatic Upgrades without being called would get priority over those they need to call as the Auto Upgrades would be processed quicker.

Not if the upgrade is coming from C&A and is being determined by number of points. Those with the most points that are in line for an upgrade will be called and are given so much time to call back before they go on to the next person on the list.

[mommabean]

It just boggles the mind how they messed up the booking system even more than it was. The reps must be pulling their hair out with all the strange things happening to the bookings.

 

That's what I thought. If I had an active business with mistakes happening to all my bookings, it would be impossible to have enough time in the day to sit on hold as each one is individually and manually fixed. And since the passenger can't do it, the agent has no other option since they can't fix it through cruising power.

 

I found out the company my son works for was recently hired to fix the Obamacare website. Maybe RCI needs to make a little change, too. I'm not sure if there's enough found revenue in flowers and chocolates to hire someone better. Of course a bad booking system doesn't increase revenue either. Or does it, if people pay the extra that is tacked onto the paid booking? :rolleyes:

 

I wonder if I had paid the extra $ tacked onto my booking during the upgrade if I'd have gotten the bonus points. It was from balcony to JS.

 

Gina

[rednancy1]

Recently we were on the Legend for a b2b and were booked in the same GS for both legs of the cruise. I updated our Preferences to say "no upgrade."

 

Wouldn't you know we were upgraded to an OS and had to switch cabins for the second cruise.

 

How can I complain about being upgraded to an OS? This was rather funny. :) So what good are the Preferences on RCI's website? :confused:

[Clarea]

Recently we were on the Legend for a b2b and were booked in the same GS for both legs of the cruise. I updated our Preferences to say "no upgrade."

 

Wouldn't you know we were upgraded to an OS and had to switch cabins for the second cruise.

 

How can I complain about being upgraded to an OS? This was rather funny. :) So what good are the Preferences on RCI's website? :confused:

Hard to believe they would do that when you said "no upgrade".:confused:

[mommabean]

Recently we were on the Legend for a b2b and were booked in the same GS for both legs of the cruise. I updated our Preferences to say "no upgrade."

 

Wouldn't you know we were upgraded to an OS and had to switch cabins for the second cruise.

 

How can I complain about being upgraded to an OS? This was rather funny. :) So what good are the Preferences on RCI's website? :confused:

 

I LOVE the OS on that class of ship and would be happy to change rooms for it. If you had it to do over again, would you mark "no upgrade."? Not that it mattered. :)

 

Gina

[rednancy1]

I LOVE the OS on that class of ship and would be happy to change rooms for it. If you had it to do over again, would you mark "no upgrade."? Not that it mattered. :)

 

Gina

 

We did love the OS and were very happy and quite surprised to be "upgraded". To answer your question I would not mark "no upgrade" if I had it to do all over again :):p