OK...I'm getting tired of this.

[Danno]

This is really beginning to tick me off...over and over and over we see threads with this theme "first time we've cruised X and we got a huge upgrade...." good for these people but what of those of us who come back year after year...

 

Maybe we'll seriously consider Oceania Cruises for next season...perhaps X might care enough to treat us better (re upgrades) if we prove we'll go elsewhere...and they can keep the crappy $60 I save because I'm an Elite Founder, Grand Puhba, Captain's Club person...me and 70% of the folks on any given cruise.

 

I guess loyalty ends at the marketing department.

[usha]

Danno, I feel your pain. Maybe for your next cruise, Celebrity will upgrade you from a category 12 inside to a royal or penthouse suite? Hey, it could happen!

[rcicruiser]

You can not believe everything read. They may have been booked in a gty and that is why they got the upgrade.

[chessbriar]

Back in December I got a call from the Captain's Club offering me a nice upgrade for very little $$$. I'd love it if this was done more often. We had an inside category 10 and for $100 for 11 nights were bumped to a category 5. If X did this more often it would increase their revenue and make a lot of past cruisers happy.

 

Think about it on our last cruise we had 700 CC members. If they get even a fraction to take that kind of upgrade, they would really help their bottom line and make a lot of customers happy. It doesn't really cost them anything.

[Tatka]

You should switch to Carnival ! ;)

 

We booked lowest GTY available and were upgraded 5 categories... :p I am telling the truth.

[soccerfootballmom]

You can not believe everything read. They may have been booked in a gty and that is why they got the upgrade.

 

 

I believe you're absolutely right. I believe my mother said she booked something like outside or best available. Perhaps that's what made the difference...I don't know.

 

Danno, I totally understand where you're coming from. My first cruise ever was on Holland America's Zaandam last March. My best friend and I went without kids and hubbies. First time for either of us in over 15 years. We had a balcony, which made it even sweeter. As a relative "newbie" to cruising, I just loved being on the ship!! I really couldn't care less where I am, so long as I get rocked to sleep in a quiet cabin, and the cabin steward keeps being so wonderful!!

 

I really hope someone comes up with a change in policy soon. It seems only fair...

[Danno]

You can not believe everything read. They may have been booked in a gty and that is why they got the upgrade.

 

Still...leave them with a basic gty that the paid for and move someone with a history up to make room for them...

 

Example, how it should work

 

...Blazerbay books a Cat7 outside

New person books a outside GTY

Move Blazerboy to the CC and give the New person the cat 7

 

....as it seems to work now, Blazerboy keeps his Cat 7 and the new person gets the CC.

[Danno]

Danno, I totally understand where you're coming from.[quote]

 

Please, please, please understand...I'm glad you got the upgrade and hope you have a great cruise...as much as this irks me, it's not your doing.

 

have a great time...:D

[cruising with marti]

Danno

 

I always book the Royal suite, how come I don't ever get an upgrade?:D

 

 

Phil

[soccerfootballmom]

Danno, I totally understand where you're coming from.[quote]

 

Please, please, please understand...I'm glad you got the upgrade and hope you have a great cruise...as much as this irks me, it's not your doing.

 

have a great time...:D

 

lol!! I do understand what you're saying Danno, and couldn't agree with you more..I even offered suggestions on my other post ;) Apparently, this is not just an X issue either. I was just over on HAL's board, and it seems the same thing happens there as well. On top of which, there's an interesting discussion on perks offered to Mariners...which basically amounts to not alot...especially when compared to Princess...:( It just seems like some of these cruiselines are using the same marketing company!!

 

Maybe the only way to change the way things are done is not to be such repeat customers??? If, in fact, the cruise lines do read these boards, I would think they would've changed things up by now...

[Karynanne]

Danno, I hear ya! We had some tablemates a couple of years ago, that were 1st timers, and they had booked an Oceanview, but were upgraded to a Royal Suite...They asked us if this was customary with X. We politely answered we weren't sure, but now I'm beginning to wonder! We've never been upgraded, but then again, we've never booked a guarantee, always CC. We're always happy with our choice, and know we'll return to X again and again....go figure...

 

Karyn

[Leela]

On Horizon last spring our tablemates told us they had checked in very early and were asked if they would like free upgrade to a suite. The were first-timers on X. Not sure what category they were in before, but it was oceanview but not CC. Of course they said yes, and loved it. (We had paid for a suite guarantee, so we were happy with our situation, but now after reading this thread I wonder.)

 

I guess I just assumed that upgrades worked like they do in the airline industry: high-mileage frequent flyers on full-fare tickets get priority, and so on. Guess not.

[Danno]

My solution has always been...NO UPGRADES.

 

Buy what you want. Get what you paid for...no more no less...but if this practice is to continue, then one would hope it's applied fairly.

 

If we do choose to go elsewhere, this may well be why...I love X and have always been happy to sail on their great ships with their great crews...I just don't feel that they care about me as much as I care about them.

 

As far as the Captain's Club...it remains the joke it became when the fee was lifted.

[mii]

Danno I truly understand where you are coming from also. Normally I am a Princess cruiser(platinum status) and only once was upgraded while I swear half of the ship was upgraded. This past summer I was a first time Celebrity cruiser and I did not get an upgrade, in fact I did not expect one. We hear the same thing over at the Princess board about the "regulars" not getting upgraded but the first timer is. I am truly happy for them that they do get upgraded but it is very frustrating when us old timers do not.

 

Marilyn

 

P.S. I also agree that the ones with guarantees stay that way and the ones that are past passsengers get those hefty upgrades.

 

Marilyn

[flagger]

So why not just ask? The worst they can say is no. I understand upgrades to first time cruisers to build brand loyalty but it does build an expectation of things to come. Aren't you one of the first people to tell others to book the cabin in which you would be more comfortable?

[Arubalisa]

To all the frequent cruisers feeling left out...

 

1st cruise on Princess 2003...NO upgrade

1st cruise on HAL 2004...NO upgrade

1st cruise on Celebrity 2005...Do not plan on being upgraded-docs in hand...

 

Have also cruised Carnival, NCL, Chandris, RCCL, Costa and never upgraded on those either :mad: OTH, have had some very suite success with upgrades on land based vacations in Aruba & Paradise Island :D so I don't feel bad whatsoever...

[masterbaker]

If a specific cabin is booked, how is the cruiseline supposed to know what your reason was for booking that specific cabin? They can't just upgrade someone that isn't in a guarantee without contacting them for permission or risking upsetting someone that has chosen a specific cabin by moving them without notification which takes more effort than moving a guarantee passenger. It's mostly guarantees that are getting the upgrades, because they are willing to be ANYWHERE onboard in at least the category they are guaranteed. If those guarantee passengers came on this board and cried about how they had awful cabin assignments, they would be advised that that is the risk that they take for booking a guarantee. Let a few of them come here and tell about a good upgrade and the fur flies.

[pbcbbc]

My parents and I had this discussion recently. They are veteran Princess cruisers (50+ so far) who get upgraded about 25% of the time. They seemed to think it has to do with booking a guarantee room and showing up early. They almost always book the cheapest inside room. I havent been upgraded yet, but then I go for CC class rooms. We also speculate that they upgrade lower class rooms and not middle because it would involve more room changes. It doesnt bother me at all that they dont nessisarily look at repeat customers for upgrades. I can see how it would just add a lot of confusion.

[CruisingChick]

Still...leave them with a basic gty that the paid for and move someone with a history up to make room for them...

 

Example, how it should work

 

...Blazerbay books a Cat7 outside

New person books a outside GTY

Move Blazerboy to the CC and give the New person the cat 7

 

....as it seems to work now, Blazerboy keeps his Cat 7 and the new person gets the CC.

 

How come Blazerboy gets upgraded and not me? ;)

 

Anne Maria

[goouchjac]

This is really beginning to tick me off...over and over and over we see threads with this theme "first time we've cruised X and we got a huge upgrade...." good for these people but what of those of us who come back year after year...

 

Maybe we'll seriously consider Oceania Cruises for next season...perhaps X might care enough to treat us better (re upgrades) if we prove we'll go elsewhere...and they can keep the crappy $60 I save because I'm an Elite Founder, Grand Puhba, Captain's Club person...me and 70% of the folks on any given cruise.

 

I guess loyalty ends at the marketing department.

I know we have had this discussed before and like before totally agree with you...We also are founder members (elite) big deal and have never been offered a upgrade..Going over to RC this coming Jan. at least they give you $200. off your cabin when you are a "diamond" member with them,,,plus I hear other good perks that our dear X doesn't give:( ...

[ladysail2]

For a bit of fun, maybe, check out post # 49 on the thread..."can you cash out at the Casino".....interesting......before it gets pulled.

[tbelian]

So why not just ask? The worst they can say is no.

 

This suggestion works. At least for us it did. Our TA 'made the case' for us being upgraded, and it HAPPENED.

 

From RS to PH.

 

Now That's an upgrade.

[Danno]

So why not just ask? The worst they can say is no

 

I would far rather do without it, than beg for it...and from what I can see, those 1st timers who get the upgrades, don't beg for them.

[LadeeBug100]

We are Diamond members on RCCL, have booked inside guarantees a couple of times because the rates were so low. We did this knowing we could get the worst cabin on the ship. Once when we were assigned a cabin on deck 2, front of ship we called to ask for a little bit of consideration since we are diamond members. Crown and Anchor took us out of that reservation and back into the "pool". A few days later we were assigned a cabin a few doors back, a little better, but not much.

 

We usually book aft cabins or balconies where we pick out our own cabin #'s, but would gladly take a RS or PH.

We have also sailed on Celebrity without any offer of an upgrade.

 

In Sept. we decided we needed one more cruise this year and wanted to try a different cruise line.

We booked a partially obstructed view on Caribbean Princess, chose our own cabin, were perfectly happy with our choice and Lo and Behold, a few days before sailing, our TA called to tell us we had been upgraded to a balcony cabin on a higher deck.

We loved the cabin, but still prefer Celebrity, will sail on Princess if Celebrity or RCCL does not offer itineray(South Pacific, Australia, etc.)

 

I am still not sure why we got the upgrade on Princess, or why no upgrade on RCCl or Celebrity.

[Leela]

Yeah, I don't like begging for an upgrade either.

 

That's part of why I like flying Continental: they don't take requests. They just process the passengers automatically based on their frequent flyer status, ticket category processed (full fare, partial discount, deep discount, etc), and when they bought their tickets, and award upgrades by applying the same methods to everyone. Northwest started doing the same thing, too. It seems easy and fair and doesn't depend on being the right kind of charming to the right person at the right time.

 

I guess all this upgrading stuff reminds me too much of the old days at nightclubs in New York: you could only get in if the doorman thought you looked and acted cool enough to "derserve" it.