What if you DO NOT want to be upgraded?

[canderson]

Canderson - that is exactly the reason why the rules for those FVs got changed this year. Actually X is not supposed to release those cabins for booking by two persons until 90 / 60 days out to make sure families have first choice of those cabins. X does however know from experience that during certain cruises (eg Transatlantics) there are never many children so these cabins are opened ahead of time. FV = Family Veranda - if a family with small children needs to book a cabin with more space at the days going rate why do you think you should keep the cabin without really needing the space when you are offered an upgraded to a suite.

I'm familiar with these cabins and the naming. Here's my thinking on this.

 

First, whether I "NEED" the space is irrelevant. By this logic, couples should never be allowed to book suites.

 

If Celebrity wants my business, they're going to have to be able to offer a cabin that suits me for a particular cruise. Most times, we're booking the cabin based upon length of itinerary and overall space. If, in my opinion, the space offered by the FV cabin works for me, and Celebrity has found no one else to book it, and have offered it to me with less than 5 passengers, it's mine. This business about an "upgrade" to a Millennium class Sky Suite under those circumstances is nuts. I, and many others, would take the FV over the SS on these ships any day.

 

If the specifically numbered cabin is offered and purchased, and Celebrity deems it necessary to bounce me from that cabin, I ought to have the option of bailing out of that cruise entirely, with all associated costs born by Celebrity. Just because THEY call it an upgrade doesn't mean that their passengers believe that.

 

Understand, I'm not one of those "what can I get for free" types. I don't expect credits for missed ports or free drinks if the toilet doesn't work for an hour or two. But if you tell me you're going to put me into what I believe to be an INFERIOR cabin, regardless of what you're charging for it, then there's going to have to be a real serious discussion.

 

If Celebrity has a new policy that says they can bounce you out of an FV when you've called the specific cabin number (e.g., not a Guarantee), then for those cruises where I'm looking for an FV in the future, I WILL find another cruise line.

 

Note that this entire issue has to do with the pecularities of space and pricing on the M-Class ships. While the C-Class ships have no equivalent to the FV cabins (the FO has no veranda at all), the Sky Suites on Deck 12 of the C-Class offer what we would consider to be an equivalent experience (and unlike the FV, there are far more of them). NOT so, the Sky Suites on M-Class with their dinky verandas. While I like the M-Class ships, their cabin selection isn't very broad compared to those of the ships of other lines, including the sister company RCL. X really doesn't do as well in creating adequate "family" space to begin with. There's a reason that the FV's are so popular with families -- there's damned little else on these ships that will accomodate 4 or 5 people without having them stepping on each other. While that works on short trips, 10, 12 and 14 nights in that mode can become a problem. So while I understand the issue, it's not of my doing.

 

We actually chose dates based upon the availability of a particular cabin type. That there are not as many cabins on M-Class ships that suit our preferences as on other ships is sometimes an issue. If Celebrity wants to keep our business, they'll find a way to keep it from moving from "issue" to "problem". I don't mind having to pick and chose dates and itineraries to work around cabin selection problems and availablity -- I'm understand that the sooner I book, the better chance I have of landing a cabin that I will like. If I'm going to be particular, that's the price I pay. Might not be available for a specific cruise, and I'll have to look around for something else. But do NOT try to pull the rug out from under me after we've agreed on a cabin.

 

 

As to the families that would suddenly find a need for my cabin at the last minute (and we agree, these cabins aren't often opened up for less than 5 pax until quite late), I'm sorry -- my suggestion would be to avoid waiting until the last minute to book your cruise. I have no better chance of success booking MY preference for cabins at the last minute, either, ESPECIALLY in today's market with ships sailing as full as they have been. As an example, there have been no Deck 12 SS cabins available for my next cruise for quite some time. If I'd waited until 60~90 days out to try to book one, I'd have been out of luck.

[AstridSJ]

We always book a specific cabin, never a gty. We book early so we can get the cabin we want or look for cruises that have the cabins available that we like to stay in.

When we booked our FV assigned cabin, Celebrity knew that it was for two people, this was over a year ago for a cruise that sails next April. It was not till after we already booked this cabin, we started reading about all the controversy regarding these cabins on this board.

 

We have had a Sky Suite on Infinity and did not like the size of the Verandas, so when we started looking into cabins with larger verandas on Summit and the FV showed up as available for the two of us, we booked it. We booked this cabin specifically for the veranda and would not be happy with a Sky Suite or a Celebrity Suite.

 

If Celebrity wanted to keep this cabin for a family then they should not have shown it as available for the two of us and we probably would have ended up with some other cabin we would have been happy with for this particular cruise.

With that said, we would not be happy with an upgrade and be very upset if Celebrity would upgrade us without prior notice.

 

I was under the impression and have been told that Celebrity would never upgrade an assigned cabin, when I read on another thread that a poster got upgraded without prior notice,even though they had an assigned cabin, I got worried.

 

Astrid

[infinitydec05]

We always book a specific cabin, never a gty. We book early so we can get the cabin we want or look for cruises that have the cabins available that we like to stay in.

When we booked our FV assigned cabin, Celebrity knew that it was for two people, this was over a year ago for a cruise that sails next April. It was not till after we already booked this cabin, we started reading about all the controversy regarding these cabins on this board.

 

We have had a Sky Suite on Infinity and did not like the size of the Verandas, so when we started looking into cabins with larger verandas on Summit and the FV showed up as available for the two of us, we booked it. We booked this cabin specifically for the veranda and would not be happy with a Sky Suite or a Celebrity Suite.

 

If Celebrity wanted to keep this cabin for a family then they should not have shown it as available for the two of us and we probably would have ended up with some other cabin we would have been happy with for this particular cruise.

With that said, we would not be happy with an upgrade and be very upset if Celebrity would upgrade us without prior notice.

 

I was under the impression and have been told that Celebrity would never upgrade an assigned cabin, when I read on another thread that a poster got upgraded without prior notice,even though they had an assigned cabin, I got worried.

 

Astrid

 

I don't know if you read my post on the other thread, but we got upgraded to a Sky Suite from a CC cabin -- not a guarantee, but a specific cabin (8112 to be exact) and were not notified by anyone. I've never cruised before so this is all new to me. After reading this thread, I wonder if my "upgrade" is really any better than what I picked on my own??? Why would they upgrade us from an assigned cabin without ever asking if it was OK? What is their motive?

[AstridSJ]

Infinitydec05

 

Your post on the other thread was the reason I started this thread.

I am not sure where your cabin is. The cabin we have booked is one of the corner aft cabins with a very large veranda. They are very hard to get and we are very excited about the idea of spending 14 days in that cabin.

 

You mentioned that you were booked in cabin 8112, that cabin has a regular veranda, so in your case this is definitely a nice upgrade, you will have more room, a bathtub, suite amenities, and the butler.

 

Personally I book the cabin I want and I would never want to be upgraded without prior notification.

 

Astrid

[canderson]

I don't know if you read my post on the other thread, but we got upgraded to a Sky Suite from a CC cabin -- not a guarantee, but a specific cabin (8112 to be exact) and were not notified by anyone. I've never cruised before so this is all new to me. After reading this thread, I wonder if my "upgrade" is really any better than what I picked on my own??? Why would they upgrade us from an assigned cabin without ever asking if it was OK? What is their motive?

As we've noted on the other thread, 1st timers do tend to garner the lion's share of the upgrades. Also as I noted on the other thread, there's nothing special about 8112 as CC cabins go. The reason I asked which cabin you'd already had booked is because if you'd had one of the coveted aft CC cabins, the upgrade to a Sky Suite would have been worth questioning once you understood the differences. But that's not the case. As I noted on the other thread, you've got a good upgrade there.

 

Motive? 1st timer? Who knows. Yes, someone should have notified you -- your TA if booked through a TA, or Celebrity if booked direct. No matter. You've definitely got a net plus. No worries - enjoy the cruise!

[Moeve]

Ok I see just about all of you over read the piece about X not opening the bookings for 2 unless they know from experience that the cruise is not going to be fequented by families. In many cases the longer cruises are opened up early allowing 2 to book FV without having to worry about being ousted.

 

X will not sell those FV to 2 or 3 passengers during cruises like Springbreak, Xmas or New Year for example (I know there are a whole lot more) If for some reason you do get this cabin during this period then there is a chance of you getting ousted until 90 / 60 days out.

 

This is the change of policy that came into being at the begining of 2005!!! Im many countries X offices will not even ask Miami for those cabins if there are only 3 of you because policy says you need to have 4 or 5 passengers to be able to book those cabins.

 

Bottom Line if you have gotten one of those cabins for a double booking concider yourself lucky and say thank you to your fairy.