Upgrades? Please give me tips!

[xxbrowns]

There has been a lot of talk lately about getting upgrades. Can you tell me exactly what the proceedure is for doing so? Also, if you see that your stateroom has gone down in price, will they automatically give you a "shipboard" credit, or do you need to contact RCI? Any tips and advice is very much appreciated!

 

Chris

[imatarb]

Well, just today we were upgraded from a specific inside cabin (Superior Interior, Cat J) to a Superior Oceanview w/ a Balcony! We did nothing to get this, but my theory is that since our inside cabin was a connecting cabin with the one next door, I think they moved us to accomodate a group traveling together who requested connecting cabins. Since we didn't specifically request a connecting cabin, it's just as easy to upgrade us to accomodate them. This is only a theory, but next time, I'm going to see if I can get this connecting inside cabin and see what happens!

 

I was so shocked when I saw the upgrade that I called our online TA and had them call RCCL to verify. Sure enough, it was true..a free upgrade. :)

 

Other than that, I've heard that guarantee cabins have a greater chance of upgrade, but I've not had personal experience in that. I've heard it happens often, though. :)

[xxbrowns]

Send some good vibes my way. What a great thing to happen to you. I got a kick out of you saying the next time you book, you're going to book an adjoining cabin to see what happens. Great theory!

 

Chris

[lorrainesy]

To get a free upgrade you have to book a garante cabin, which means you book at a level such as an ocean view cabin. You are not booked into a cabin number in the hopes that they assign you to a higher level such as a varanda room. You can always ask to pay a fee for an upgrade....I tried and it did not work.

As for getting money back for the price difference I don't know...I have never tried but I have heard from other cruiser that it is VERY hard to get any money back from RCCL.

My best advise is if you want a free upgrade sail with Disney next time, they are much better about upgrading. I have been upgraded everytime I've sailed with them.

[beachchick]

The bottom line is that RCI is very stingy with free upgrades. We are all thrilled when anyone gets one (and wish that it would happen to us), but they are few and far between. (Congratulations to imatarb; you are one of the lucky few. Good for you.) So, book the category of cabin you will be happy with and go from there.

 

If the price drops on your cruise, you can call RCI (if you've booked directly) or call your TA and ask to either have the price adjusted or find out how much it would be to upgrade with the new lower fares. (Note: Some TAs will not do price adjustments after final payment; even though RCI typically will, TAs are under no obligation to do it--the smart ones do.) If the lower fare is a "Happy Hour" special or any other fare that is for "new bookings only" RCI will not lower your fare. Assuming you are not in a penalty period, you would have to cancel and rebook to get the special lower fare.

 

RCI will not automatically adjust your fare or do shipboard credit for any differences. RCI typically doesn't do the onboard credit thing like that anyway. In any case, it is up to you or your TA to stay on top of that and request price adjustments.

 

"To get a free upgrade you have to book a guarantee cabin." This is actually incorrect. First, there is usually no rhyme nor reason for when RCI doles out their few free upgrades. And there is absolutely no guarantee, so to speak, that you will get any upgrade whatsoever by booking a guarantee, especially with RCI. NEVER book a guarantee expecting a free upgrade. (Frankly, that drives me nuts if someone comes on and writes, "I booked a guarantee, when do I get my free upgrade and how much will I be upgraded?") Again, book what you will be happy with. If you want a suite, great, book a suite. With a guarantee you will get, at a minimum, a cabin in the category/type you book. That's all. You may get an upgrade; if so, it is likely to be something like oceanview to better oceanview. Don't book an inside guarantee expecting a suite.

 

As for upgrading for a lower fee, those are pier upgrades on the day of cruising. When you check in, ask to be directed to the Pier Coordinator, who will be able to tell you if any upgrades are available and how much they are. Again, these are not free upgrades; RCI uses a fairly set upgrade fee schedule at the pier. These upgrades are per cabin, not per person. As an example, the typical cost to upgrade from an oceanview to a balcony on a 7 night cruise is $300 to $400. This is usually much cheaper than if you had upgraded in advance, but you take the risk that nothing will be available. (Remember that ships are sailing full most of the time these days.)

 

So, those are my tips and suggestions. The bottom line is that if you book a cabin you don't want expecting to be able to upgrade to one you do want, you will probably be disappointed. Best to be happy to start with and thrilled should you be one of the lucky few who get a free upgrade or who are able to upgrade at the pier.

 

beachchick

[cruznsugs]

For free upgrades the day you cruise go right to guest services as soon as you get on the ship. There were people in line first thing getting free upgrades. Also if you price drops at any point before the cruise call your TA or Rccl they will either reduce the amount you owe , credit your credit card(if your paid off), or send you a check for the amount. I had all three happen to me on my last cruise. Usually took about 4-6 weeks to get my check or credit. RCCL will not give you on board credit we tried. they don't do that.

[imatarb]

I agree with beachchick, as this is usually the way things go. I always tell people who book a guarantee category to book the category they will be happy with, in the likely event they don't get upgraded. I really think we just got lucky this time around.

[macpiper]

As for upgrading for a lower fee, those are pier upgrades on the day of cruising. When you check in, ask to be directed to the Pier Coordinator, who will be able to tell you if any upgrades are available and how much they are. Again, these are not free upgrades; RCI uses a fairly set upgrade fee schedule at the pier. These upgrades are per cabin, not per person. As an example, the typical cost to upgrade from an oceanview to a balcony on a 7 night cruise is $300 to $400. This is usually much cheaper than if you had upgraded in advance, but you take the risk that nothing will be available. (Remember that ships are sailing full most of the time these days.)

beachchick

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.

[jkrislc]

To get a free upgrade you have to book a garante cabin, which means you book at a level such as an ocean view cabin.

 

Actually, this isn't true. I always book a specific cabin as I always want a midship cabin as was upgraded from a midship interior cabin to a midship oceanview cabin without asking. One day, I logged on to RCI and noticed that my cabin number had changed. My TA wasn't even aware of the change as he had not been informed.

 

However, the best way to get an upgrade is to watch prices. If they fall, then you can often get an upgrade for relatively cheap. We were able to get a free upgrade to a minisuite on Princess because of price changes, and I was able to upgrade on RCI from an interior (M) to a balcony cabin (D1) for $100 pp because the rates for the cabin dropped even on a holiday sailing.

 

While wishful thinking is good, don't hold you're breath as they don't happen often.

[Iamthesea]

For free upgrades the day you cruise go right to guest services as soon as you get on the ship. There were people in line first thing getting free upgrades.

I don't believe this to be true. If it were so, everyone on the ship would be getting in line first thing onboard.

[beachchick]

Ditto with what Iamthesea wrote. It's possible, and only possible, that those in line were C&A Diamond Plus members--who are given free upgrades based on their high-level memberships with RCI.

 

Really, how do you determine who "deserves" the free upgrades once everyone is onboard? Those who bitch the most? Those who complain the loudest? Those who paid the most? Those who are nicest to the crew? Plus, we have never seen this on RCI cruises. Paid upgrades, even after the ship leaves port, sure, but free, no. Again, it could have been Diamond Plus C&A members waiting for possible openings.

 

The only other possibility that I can think of, and this would be a rarity indeed, would be if it was during hurricane season, the cruise was affected by a hurricane, many people took the option to cancel, and there were tons of open cabins. Then, RCI might (and only might) allow some free upgrades. But it is not typical practice for RCI, not at all.

 

beachchick