How can I upgrade?

[trajan]

We are booked on Freedom March 4 in a Family Promenade. We booked during a kids sail free offer. Final payment is Dec 4. Our financial situation has improved where we could afford to upgrade but I understand we would lose the kids sail free. Is that correct? Is there any other way around this or a way to get an offer better than what's available on a new reservation?

[Clarea]

We are booked on Freedom March 4 in a Family Promenade. We booked during a kids sail free offer. Final payment is Dec 4. Our financial situation has improved where we could afford to upgrade but I understand we would lose the kids sail free. Is that correct? Is there any other way around this or a way to get an offer better than what's available on a new reservation?

You are subject to whatever promos are in (or not in) effect now.

[Merion_Mom]

I believe that the current offer is 50% off for Passenger #2 and 25% off 3rd & 4th.

 

There is also some small OBC on offer.

Edited November 21, 2016 by Merion_Mom

[trajan]

Thanks, that's about what I thought.

 

Does RCI ever call people with special upsell offers like say NCL does (or used to before they implemented their new bidding system)?

[Clarea]

Thanks, that's about what I thought.

 

Does RCI ever call people with special upsell offers like say NCL does (or used to before they implemented their new bidding system)?

Yes, they do call with upsell offers.

[robtulipe]

Thanks, that's about what I thought.

 

Does RCI ever call people with special upsell offers like say NCL does (or used to before they implemented their new bidding system)?

 

Yes, I've read here on CC that RCI does do that but in the 24 cruises we've booked with them we've never received such a call. We've upgraded many times but it was always I who called them when I saw a good deal to upgrade and that was mainly after final payment was made. Maybe I've been too quick in doing so. Both of our C&A profiles indicate a preference for automatic stateroom upgrades. ;)

[Merion_Mom]

Yes, I've read here on CC that RCI does do that but in the 24 cruises we've booked with them we've never received such a call. We've upgraded many times but it was always I who called them when I saw a good deal to upgrade and that was mainly after final payment was made. Maybe I've been too quick in doing so. Both of our C&A profiles indicate a preference for automatic stateroom upgrades. ;)

 

The Upsell Fairy is their latest go-to gal. Calls come around two weeks out. The person calling has a script and is not allowed to deviate. An offer is made: Take it or leave it. There is usually a deadline of a few hours.

[trajan]

Ohh, good to know! Ty!

[trajan]

Yes, I've read here on CC that RCI does do that but in the 24 cruises we've booked with them we've never received such a call. We've upgraded many times but it was always I who called them when I saw a good deal to upgrade and that was mainly after final payment was made. Maybe I've been too quick in doing so. Both of our C&A profiles indicate a preference for automatic stateroom upgrades. ;)

 

Hmm I'm leery of setting it to auto accept upgrades because I'd hate to be 'upgraded' from the relatively spacious interior family promenade to say a regular ocean view.

Edited November 22, 2016 by trajan

[Cuizer2]

We are booked on Freedom March 4 in a Family Promenade. We booked during a kids sail free offer. Final payment is Dec 4. Our financial situation has improved where we could afford to upgrade but I understand we would lose the kids sail free. Is that correct? Is there any other way around this or a way to get an offer better than what's available on a new reservation?

 

You could sell the kids.

[trajan]

You could sell the kids.

 

heh Tempting but that would ruin Christmas.

[Cuizer2]

heh Tempting but that would ruin Christmas.

 

Give them to the grandparents as Christmas presents. :)

[jspang]

At 2 weeks out we received a call and was offered an upgrade from a Junior Suite to an Owners Suite for $800. We got it down to $750. I did it only because it was our 40th wedding anniversary cruise.

[leinhto]

I don't think the C&A Upgrade setting means its automatic. I think it means you are willing to get the call.

 

I haven't received a call from Royal for any of the cruises I have done with them.

[Merion_Mom]

Give them to the grandparents as Christmas presents. :)

 

Ok, Zev, get over here and clean off my monitor screen! :eek: ;) :D

[Merion_Mom]

I don't think the C&A Upgrade setting means its automatic. I think it means you are willing to get the call.

 

I haven't received a call from Royal for any of the cruises I have done with them.

 

It does mean automatic. They MAY call you, but you are also giving them permission to just change you. It does happen. :)

[leinhto]

It does mean automatic. They MAY call you, but you are also giving them permission to just change you. It does happen. :)

 

That is new to me. Does that mean they automatically charge you for the upgrade regardless of price? Do you get a notification?

Edited November 22, 2016 by leinhto

[Clarea]

That is new to me. Does that mean they automatically charge you for the upgrade regardless of price? Do you get a notification?

No, the only automatic upgrades they do without calling are the free ones.

[Merion_Mom]

That is new to me. Does that mean they automatically charge you for the upgrade regardless of price? Do you get a notification?

 

No, the only automatic upgrades they do without calling are the free ones.

 

Exactly. You need to understand the difference between an UPGRADE and an UPSELL.

 

An upgrade is free.

 

An upsell is a phone call offering you a higher category for a price.

 

:)

[ChinaShrek]

We are traveling on the Serenade in July. It will be our first RCI cruise and we are interested in an upsell offer. We booked a Deluxe Balcony and would like to move to a Superior Balcony. Originally, there was a $400 difference in balcony types per person, so I booked the cheaper balcony. I would be willing to paying up to $100 per person to get the better balcony type.

 

We booked it through a TA. Should I call the TA and tell them now or wait until it is a few weeks before our cruise? We are not Crown members since this will be our first RCI cruise.

[cruisinfanatic]

We are traveling on the Serenade in July. It will be our first RCI cruise and we are interested in an upsell offer. We booked a Deluxe Balcony and would like to move to a Superior Balcony. Originally, there was a $400 difference in balcony types per person, so I booked the cheaper balcony. I would be willing to paying up to $100 per person to get the better balcony type.

 

We booked it through a TA. Should I call the TA and tell them now or wait until it is a few weeks before our cruise? We are not Crown members since this will be our first RCI cruise.

You don't upgrade by paying the difference of price in categories. You pay todays rate as if you were booking for the first time.

[Clarea]

We are traveling on the Serenade in July. It will be our first RCI cruise and we are interested in an upsell offer. We booked a Deluxe Balcony and would like to move to a Superior Balcony. Originally, there was a $400 difference in balcony types per person, so I booked the cheaper balcony. I would be willing to paying up to $100 per person to get the better balcony type.

 

We booked it through a TA. Should I call the TA and tell them now or wait until it is a few weeks before our cruise? We are not Crown members since this will be our first RCI cruise.

I would express your interest in upgrading to the TA now and let them handle the timing of contact with the cruise line.

Edited December 28, 2016 by clarea

[ChinaShrek]

I would express your interest in upgrading to the TA now and let them handle the timing of contact with the cruise line.

 

I will give them a call today.

[kmorg1234]

I got a call a few days before the last cruise in November, and I excitedly answered as I saw the caller ID announce it was Royal Caribbean. Expecting an upgrade, or at least an upsell attempt, imagine my disappointment when the conversation was over and it turned out to be only a "bon voyage, enjoy your cruise" phone call. Has this happened to anyone else? It was a first for me. I hung up SMH, wondering what just happened.

[Rogueperson]

I got a call a few days before the last cruise in November, and I excitedly answered as I saw the caller ID announce it was Royal Caribbean. Expecting an upgrade, or at least an upsell attempt, imagine my disappointment when the conversation was over and it turned out to be only a "bon voyage, enjoy your cruise" phone call. Has this happened to anyone else? It was a first for me. I hung up SMH, wondering what just happened.

 

I got one of those calls, but then again, I don't care to upgrade usually, so i wasn't too pressed.

 

I always pick where i want to be carefully, and don't like to be moved, even at the cost of a "better" room. I usually book the highest interior category, but would not care too much to get a "better" room with a worse spot on the ship. My last cruise I upgraded from interior to balcony for only $46.00 on the Anthem. We almost didn't do it because we liked our spot. We ended up doing it because they offered us $100.00 additional OBC to do it, so in actuality, they were paying us to upgrade.