How do you do upgrades on day of sailing?

[OliverTheCat]

I am newer to the RC ships, so I wanted to know how it is you ask for an upgrade when you get to port on departure day. I mean, do you pay a fee for an upgrade to be determined at time of, or is it a flat fee for upgrade? Is there EVEN a charge? I am most interested in this in case their are openings on my March cruise on Legend. We are currently in a inside cabin, and rather have an outside if its affordable day of. Thanks for any help you can give!

[jimbulger]

I am newer to the RC ships, so I wanted to know how it is you ask for an upgrade when you get to port on departure day. I mean, do you pay a fee for an upgrade to be determined at time of, or is it a flat fee for upgrade? Is there EVEN a charge? I am most interested in this in case their are openings on my March cruise on Legend. We are currently in a inside cabin, and rather have an outside if its affordable day of. Thanks for any help you can give!

 

there is a pier coordinator usually to the left of where you check in...there is a fee for the upgrade if they are available

[HappyFamilyNJ]

I've been wondering the same thing.... is it a flat fee, or do they just charge you the full difference of the outside vs. inside? (in other words, is there any price advantage to waiting, or is it better to just book the outside upfront if it's available).

 

 

 

Thanks>..

[macpiper]

I've been wondering the same thing.... is it a flat fee, or do they just charge you the full difference of the outside vs. inside? (in other words, is there any price advantage to waiting, or is it better to just book the outside upfront if it's available).

 

 

 

Thanks>..

This is the usual schedule for a seven day cruise based on availability at time of sailing. The prices are per cabin not per person.

 

 

From:

Inside to Royal Suite (RS) $1,500

Inside to Suite $1,000

Inside to Balcony $600

Inside to Outside $300

Inside to Inside $100

 

Outside to RS $1,200

Outside to Suite $700

Outside to Balcony $300

Outside to Outside $100

 

Balcony to RS $1,000

Balcony to Suite $400

Balcony to Balcony $100

 

Suite to RS $800

Suite to Suite $400.

__________________

[Host Kewlguy]

Once the ship leaves port you can get your cabin upgraded for much less (compared to at the pier) or even for nothing if you speak to the right people on board the ship. Workers at the pier give inaccurate information.

[Man314]

Kewlguy,

 

Who are the "right people" to check in with on the ship? We are in a Jr Suite on VOS Dec 10th . . . would love to get an upgrade to a better suite (GS, RS, OS) if the price is right. Hadn't thought about waiting until the ship left the dock.

 

Does the ship ever leave port without all of the suites being filled? I had heard sometimes they try to upgrade people so that they could free up and sell the lower cost cabins . . . if this is true, I'd think there is a slim chance of getting one after departure. Will they upgrade for cheap a couple of days ahead of sailing?

 

Any upgrade strategy from you veteran cruisers would be much appreciated!

[I LOVE TO GO CRUISING]

RULE# 1.

 

Get to the pier early, like 10:00AM

 

RULE # 2

 

After you check in go stright to the PIER COORDINATOR'S counter. Do not ask the person that is checing you in "Are there ant upgrades available?"

 

RULE # 3

 

There is a fixed charge for different clases of upgrade and they are fixed and not negotiable. However they are very reasonable and much cheaper than if you booked the same cabin with a TA.

 

Lastly have a positive attitude and go for it.

[nfused2cruze]

Once the ship leaves port you can get your cabin upgraded for much less (compared to at the pier) or even for nothing if you speak to the right people on board the ship. Workers at the pier give inaccurate information.

Any truth to this? I would like to know too.

[Host Kewlguy]

Talk to the Guest Relations Manager once the ship leaves the dock. Upgrade should be free. There are usually empty cabins on every sailing (especially off season). Doesn't hurt to ask.

[redcat72]

In regards to after the ship leaves port method... can you do that even after you've already checked into your room? I wonder if they would have to re-arrange stateroom attendants?

[redcat72]

In regards to after the ship leaves port method... can you do that even after you've already checked into your room? I wonder if they would have to re-arrange stateroom attendants?

[whitshel]

This is the usual schedule for a seven day cruise based on availability at time of sailing. The prices are per cabin not per person.

 

 

From:

Inside to Royal Suite (RS) $1,500

Inside to Suite $1,000

Inside to Balcony $600

Inside to Outside $300

Inside to Inside $100

 

Outside to RS $1,200

Outside to Suite $700

Outside to Balcony $300

Outside to Outside $100

 

Balcony to RS $1,000

Balcony to Suite $400

Balcony to Balcony $100

 

Suite to RS $800

Suite to Suite $400.

__________________

 

this is the same fee scedule for 9 night also, we upgraded from an oceanview to a grand suit for $700 on last weeks 9 night voyager cruise.:D

[rubrrick]

I'd like to back you up one step. The final bill is due 61 days out of the sail date, except holiday sailings which need payment 91 days out. So, if you are thinking about an upgrade, first look on some of the internet TA's that are linked directly into the cruise line computer. There are several that meet this criteria. Next, mark the upgraded cabin numbers for future reference.

When the day arrives for the ships sailing, first talk to the representative on the pier. He will quote you a price that has been found on an earlier thread. That is pretty much standard. If you want to try your luck (Bingo!) that the cabin will still be available when you cruise, wait till the ship has pulled away from the dock, then talk to the chief purser to see if anything is left. You can ask for him/her at the guest relations desk. This will be the least expensive way as everything else has been tried by the line before. This is the ONLY time that you can dicker on the price. For those that have received FREE upgrades, congratulations. That is not the norm at RCCL.

 

Rick

[beachchick]

Talk to the Guest Relations Manager once the ship leaves the dock. Upgrade should be free. There are usually empty cabins on every sailing (especially off season). Doesn't hurt to ask.

 

Do you mean that you believe upgrades of this type should be no charge? (I like that too, but RCI doesn't). Or are you telling others that upgrades are likely to be free after sailing? Which is not usually the case at all with RCI. Even after leaving the pier, you will pay the standard, set, non-negotiable upgrade fee (except in very rare circumstances). Please don't give new cruisers reason to be upset when they don't get "their" free upgrade that you've told them they "should" get. It just doesn't happen very often with RCI. (I'd love free upgrades, but that's only what I would like, not what RCI usually does. And I've always wondered, if free upgrades were given on the day of sailing, how should they choose who gets them? With the set, but reasonable upgrade fees, people who are willing to pay for the privilege get the upgrades.)

 

beachchick

[LetsGoCruisN]

think they'd giver a cheaper rate for honeymooners? ;)

[mrg0433]

I always ask if I can get a free upgrade when I am checking in at the pier. Sometimes I do, but often my cruises are sold out because we travel at a busy time of the year. It never hurts to ask.

[cruznsugs]

When we got on our Voyager there was quite a line waiting at the guest relations desk. Seems that everyone was upgrading after they got on the ship. There's no charge once your on board , going to try it on our next cruise.

[BallFour4]

The posts prior to mine give good advice.

 

1.) Early Arrival

2.) Ask the right people

3.) Negotiate

 

We did all the above aboard the Rhapsody this June and moved from a Junior Suite to the Royal Family Suite for $400.00 total. Money well spent!

 

The teenager got her own bedroom, bathroom and closet.

 

If a 16 year old resides in your home you'll understand the importance of all three!

 

Never Kick A Fresh Cowchip On A Hot Day

 

Lee in Houston

[redcat72]

Congrats on your upgrade! Who were the 'right people' that you asked to get your upgrade? I've read the pier coordinator, guest relations, ship's purser, etc...

 

The posts prior to mine give good advice.

 

1.) Early Arrival

2.) Ask the right people

3.) Negotiate

Lee in Houston

[BallFour4]

We walked down to the Crown and Anchor desk, saw the person with the blazer a different color than the masses, and she had the correct answer.

[beachchick]

When we got on our Voyager there was quite a line waiting at the guest relations desk. Seems that everyone was upgrading after they got on the ship. There's no charge once your on board , going to try it on our next cruise.

 

Are you sure about this? Numerous posters have mentioned, both recently and in the past, that even after boarding (and sail away) that they've had to pay the set rate to upgrade. Do you have first-hand knowledge of this? I mean, that would be great, but I would imagine their could be rioting at the CS desk onboard with everyone clamoring that they deserve the free upgrades.

 

mrg0433: Have these free pier upgrades happened on RCI or at least on RCI in the past several years? That is really not the experience that nearly everyone reports, and that's not been our experience either. And free upgrades are definitely not RCI's policy (at least, not anymore).

 

Just wondering about this.

 

beachchick

[canadiansnowbird]

I will try all these suggestions next year. DH and I are booked two B2B cruises in the Med on the Brilliance. We first booked a D1 catagory for an aft balcony cabin and then when the other cruise just prior to us open recently, because of economics, we booked an inside N catagory. I am prepared to move anyway, but an upgrade from an inside will be better than nothing! But if the cruise is full, 20 days on the Med will make everything better. Has anyone tried this approach (that you are in a D1 Cat. and would like an upgrade for the first leg of the cruise?)

 

:( :rolleyes:

[bartelbee]

I don't think I'll ever understand the how's and why's of RCCL upgrading. On our recent Explorer sailing, I spoke to quite a few couples who had been upgraded for free to a JS or better. Economically, I suppose it makes sense. Being hurricane season, they were having trouble filling the ship. By moving passengers out of the lower price cabins (and then re-selling them) they earned $1200 plus, as opposed to the $400-800 upgrade at the pier. By the time the closing sailed, the site showed no suites available and the ship was just about filled.

We've been on 10 RCCL cruises and we've never been upgraded, and the four times we checked (very early) at the pier, we were told their were no suites available.

[jckvpa0]

In regards to after the ship leaves port method... can you do that even after you've already checked into your room? I wonder if they would have to re-arrange stateroom attendants?

 

Hope you try all of the above mentioned & please let us know how you make out when you get back. Have a great cruise :) !