Waitlisting for a suite...

[mum and son]

Hi all,

 

I have a bit of a curly question, so please bare with me :).

 

I have 4 of us (total) booked in 2 x aft balcony cabins on the Emerald in January. I would like to travel in a suite, with the 4 of us sharing. Princess won't yet allow us to book the S8 with only 4 people, and the only remaining suite for 4 is an S4 accessible, which we are obviously not booking either.

 

I was hoping to waitlist for a suite but my agent told me he would need to create a booking with the 4 of us in it and waitlist that for a 4 berth suite. All good up until this point.

 

Then he added that if the waitlist was not filled prior to 181 days before departure (and was then filled closer to my cruise date) then I would lose my deposits on the other 2 cabins because Princess will not transfer deposits from one booking to another within 181 days of departure. Is that correct? I think he is probably quoting the T&Cs but I was wondering what happens in actuality?

 

I also suggested that he just waitlist my cabin for a suite and if we were offered one, and it happened to be a 4 berth, that we ask Princess to move us all into it. I figure they would be getting back 2 x sought after aft B4 cabins that they could resell = more revenue for Princess.

 

So I'm asking for your learned advice on how to best increase my chances of upgrading to a suite, if a suitable one becomes available. From all accounts the upsell fairy doesn't visit Australia and I'm not asking for a free or cheap upgrade, I'd just like to know the best way to waitlist for a 4 berth suite?? I can't afford 2 x 2 berth suites.

 

:):) Thanks in advance.

[icat2000]

Hi all,

 

I have a bit of a curly question, so please bare with me :).

 

I have 4 of us (total) booked in 2 x aft balcony cabins on the Emerald in January. I would like to travel in a suite, with the 4 of us sharing. Princess won't yet allow us to book the S8 with only 4 people, and the only remaining suite for 4 is an S4 accessible, which we are obviously not booking either.

 

I was hoping to waitlist for a suite but my agent told me he would need to create a booking with the 4 of us in it and waitlist that for a 4 berth suite. All good up until this point.

 

Then he added that if the waitlist was not filled prior to 181 days before departure (and was then filled closer to my cruise date) then I would lose my deposits on the other 2 cabins because Princess will not transfer deposits from one booking to another within 181 days of departure. Is that correct? I think he is probably quoting the T&Cs but I was wondering what happens in actuality?

 

I also suggested that he just waitlist my cabin for a suite and if we were offered one, and it happened to be a 4 berth, that we ask Princess to move us all into it. I figure they would be getting back 2 x sought after aft B4 cabins that they could resell = more revenue for Princess.

 

So I'm asking for your learned advice on how to best increase my chances of upgrading to a suite, if a suitable one becomes available. From all accounts the upsell fairy doesn't visit Australia and I'm not asking for a free or cheap upgrade, I'd just like to know the best way to waitlist for a 4 berth suite?? I can't afford 2 x 2 berth suites.

 

:):) Thanks in advance.

I would just keep your cabin bookings and just check the website yourself every day for suites and when you see it either put a hold on it with Princess direct or get your agent to deal with it. I find sometimes its easy to book with Princess direct that use an TA.

[mum and son]

I find sometimes its easy to book with Princess direct that use an TA.

 

I would much prefer to book direct but the price difference was too great in this case. About $200pp difference and we have 4 people booked on the first cruise and 23 of us booked on the second cruise... As a family group the price difference was over $5K :eek:.

[icat2000]

I would much prefer to book direct but the price difference was too great in this case. About $200pp difference and we have 4 people booked on the first cruise and 23 of us booked on the second cruise... As a family group the price difference was over $5K :eek:.

 

Probably cause the TA got you group booking space. Therefore you have to deal with them.

[mum and son]

Probably cause the TA got you group booking space. Therefore you have to deal with them.

Yeah, I can manage that, but I do find that the travel agents in Oz don't know all of the tricks in the book when it comes to cruises, which is understanding because it's a fairly new niche market for us and they don't do the volume that US ta's do.

 

I often get info here and then suggest to the TA what he needs to do to make it work [emoji15] .

 

 

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[rkmw]

Yeah, I can manage that, but I do find that the travel agents in Oz don't know all of the tricks in the book when it comes to cruises, which is understanding because it's a fairly new niche market for us and they don't do the volume that US ta's do.

 

I often get info here and then suggest to the TA what he needs to do to make it work [emoji15] .

 

 

Sent from my SM-N920I using Tapatalk

 

when you get on your cruise buy some FCC at $100 pp and you have the option to cancel out and rebook before you make final payment, it wont help you for this cruise but for a future cruise

 

i always have a few FCC's in the bank because you never know when you want to book a cruise....they are good for 2 years but can be extended up to 4 years

[mum and son]

when you get on your cruise buy some FCC at $100 pp and you have the option to cancel out and rebook before you make final payment, it wont help you for this cruise but for a future cruise

 

i always have a few FCC's in the bank because you never know when you want to book a cruise....they are good for 2 years but can be extended up to 4 years

 

Good idea - thanks! I remember getting them on my last Princess cruise (back when they were free to Aussies) but didn't cruise on Princess again within 4 years so they expired.

[rkmw]

Good idea - thanks! I remember getting them on my last Princess cruise (back when they were free to Aussies) but didn't cruise on Princess again within 4 years so they expired.

 

well worth the $100 and you get OBC depending on the length and category of the cruise

 

i'm taking my grandson on a 2 night cruise next year to see if he likes cruising and seeing the deposit for us both is under $100 he's included on the FCC....i dont mind using the FCC on a short cruise as i can get some more later on

[mum and son]

well worth the $100 and you get OBC depending on the length and category of the cruise

 

i'm taking my grandson on a 2 night cruise next year to see if he likes cruising and seeing the deposit for us both is under $100 he's included on the FCC....i dont mind using the FCC on a short cruise as i can get some more later on

 

Awesome - thanks. So you can buy multiple on a cruise? How old is your grandson? I'm sure he'll love it!

[rkmw]

Awesome - thanks. So you can buy multiple on a cruise? How old is your grandson? I'm sure he'll love it!

 

he's going on 14 and yes you can buy as many as you like but has to be purchased with a credit card

[cruzsnooze]

I think you're better off with the two cabins and 2 bathrooms. The suites would offer you a bigger, nicer bathroom but it's still one bathroom VS 2 in your 2 balconies. The privacy factor is another reason 2 balcony cabins could work better. Does everyone goes to sleep at the same time and wakes up at the same time. Just something to consider when deciding on cabins.

[Corfe Mixture]

I have only been waitlisted for a suite once and what happened was that it was me that saw a suite had become available and being in the UK I was able to contact them and get it sorted.

 

I asked why it had not been offered to me and was told that it was because the cancellation had been done on line late in the day, Pacific Time, at which time the suite went back onto online inventory.

 

It was explained to me that the wait list would not be looked at until Seattle opened up the following morning, and in the intervening period anyone could have reserved the suite on line.

 

Fortunately being in the UK and being 8 hours ahead of Seattle, I was able to phone the Southampton office and get the suite assigned to me, before the US woke up.

 

The moral of the story. Yup put your name on the wait list, but also be prepared to keep a close eye on availability otherwise you might miss something.

 

Interesting, I had booked direct with Princess and was glad I was able to deal with it the instant the Southampton office opened didn't have any additional delay associated with going through a TA.

Edited June 17, 2016 by Corfe Mixture

[caribill]

I have only been waitlisted for a suite once and what happened was that it was me that saw a suite had become available and being in the UK I was able to contact them and get it sorted.

 

I asked why it had not been offered to me and was told that it was because the cancellation had been done on line late in the day, Pacific Time, at which time the suite went back onto online inventory.

 

It was explained to me that the wait list would not be looked at until Seattle opened up the following morning, and in the intervening period anyone could have reserved the suite on line.

 

Fortunately being in the UK and being 8 hours ahead of Seattle, I was able to phone the Southampton office and get the suite assigned to me, before the US woke up.

 

 

I am not sure that the wait list is processed as soon as the west coast office opens.

 

We were on a sold out (actually oversold) cruise last December and periodically one or several cabins would show up as being available. Those on the roll call who had GTYs would sometimes call in and get one of the available cabins assigned and this was during west coast open hours.

[mum and son]

Thanks for all of the replies, but one question still remains. My TA said that Princess won't transfer my deposits from the 2 x balcony cabins to a 4 person suite (should I be able to secure one) if it's within 181 days from sailing. Is that correct?

[Red Rock Feaver]

How do you check to see if there is a cancellation and a cabin comes available?

I am on a wait list for an upgrade. My TA is supposed to let us know when one comes available.

We are 3 weeks out from cruising.

[mum and son]

How do you check to see if there is a cancellation and a cabin comes available?

I am on a wait list for an upgrade. My TA is supposed to let us know when one comes available.

We are 3 weeks out from cruising.

 

You have to keep checking the availability on the website. As you're after final payment date it is less likely there will be a cancellation. It still happens but it's less likely. Cabins do get shuffled at the last minute though. Maybe you'll get lucky. Good luck :).