Offered an Upgrade to Balcony Stateroom? What do you think?

[barcelonamom]

I am going on Ruby to Alaska on June 17th. I'm booked on deck 8, mid ship obstructed view room. However I did some research months ago and the room is not that obstructed. Today I was offered an upgrade to a Balcony Stateroom for $249 pp additional. What do you think? Do you get to select the room when you upgrade? I would hate to be above somewhere noisy in a bad location. But of course I would love a balcony room on an Alaskan cruise.

[Cruise Raider]

That is a tough one. I love the Emerald deck ... such a convenient location. I also love Alaska and that is the one itinerary where I think a balcony is more valuable ... others may disagree but they won't convince me.

But, my limit is $400 total more for a balcony .... especially if only for a 7 night cruise. I supposed you could always ask for a lower upgrade price. It is a risk but might work. If you are happy with your obstructed OV cabin (sounds like you've researched it), I might be apt to stick with it unless the upgrade was for free or maybe just a couple of hundred dollars. I would have to pass but have been to Alaska a lot so I might not be the best judge.

[Colo Cruiser]

It's a no brainer!!

We have to have a balcony in Alaska.

We spend hours on it rain/snow/shine.

We would take the upgrade in a heartbeat.

[Luvmyrotti]

I've never sailed below a mini, so I would take it. Is it substantially more than your OV? Only you can decide your tolerance, but I would take it!

[JF - retired RRT]

Yes. You can select the cabin.

Check the sailing (do a "phony" booking) and see what's open. Make a list of the acceptable cabins and call back. When this happens to us, we are prepared with a list of cabins that we'll accept. On one cruise we were offered a balcony from an inside (I don't recall how much $$ but it was an acceptable amount). When I spoke with the rep she started to tell me about cabin #??? and I said, "that's nice, but how about that aft balcony that's still open". No problem. That balcony was going for several thousand MORE than we paid and almost a thousand more than the one she offered.:):D

 

BTW: you got an UPSELL, not an upgrade.

[Musky Ike]

I am going on Ruby to Alaska on June 17th. I'm booked on deck 8, mid ship obstructed view room. However I did some research months ago and the room is not that obstructed. Today I was offered an upgrade to a Balcony Stateroom for $249 pp additional. What do you think? Do you get to select the room when you upgrade? I would hate to be above somewhere noisy in a bad location. But of course I would love a balcony room on an Alaskan cruise.

 

A balcony is a plus in Alaska. You don't say how many in the room, but for a couple you would be out almost $500 more. When we sailed to Alaska we got a free upgrade to a balcony. That was a no brainer. In this case it is a tough call but I would turn it down or counter offer. I can walk to the open decks for $500. Wishing you a fantastic voyage in whatever cabin you choose.

[joeyancho]

Take it. You only live once. Not Everything is about money.

[easyboy]

I will take the balcony. Worth for me for Alaska.

 

 

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[Lucky TGO]

Go for it it's only money. :D

Tony

[NavyVeteran]

You need to call the upsell telephone number you were given immediately. You will get voice mail asking you to leave your number and they will call you back. Upsells are first come/first serve, and they usually notify more people than they have upsells available.

 

When - and if - they call you back, or if you call them in the morning and someone actually answers (unlikely), they will tell you what cabins are available. As mentioned earlier, it's good if you've done your research and know which ones you prefer, which ones you would take if nothing else better is available, and which ones you don't want. If you don't like the cabins they offer, you don't have to take the offer. You will have a specific cabin before you have to commit.

 

I doubt you can bargain with them. They have this "yield management" down to a science. If you don't accept the offer, probably someone else will. Otherwise, they will call with a better offer, but they will probably call someone else.

 

A balcony can be very nice in Alaska. If you want, you can look at the glaciers from your balcony (without the crowds) and listen to the commentary on your cabin TV. In most locations, you cannot hear the commentary on your balcony except through your cabin TV. But this is a decision only you can make. I will be going on my fourth Alaska cruise this month, and this will be my first time without a balcony. But I will have a very good view from my windows if I choose to stay in my cabin, and I'll probably go to one of the public decks anyway.

[eandj]

If it fits your budget, a balcony is always great. In Alaska, if covered, a plus for sure. And they are usually quite a bit more with fewer available for that itinerary.

 

However if you haven't planned your excursion spending, take a look at that expense too. There are great tours that you'll want to take in.

[donswife]

We were offered a similar upsell last summer (OV on deck 5 to balcony) and I turned it down. We were already spending a lot, and I am generally too antsy to sit still very long, so I don't usually get a ton of use out of a balcony. You can usually find me roaming the Promenade deck with my binoculars. :D

 

The exception to this was our Alaska trip on the Westerdam. We had an aft balcony, and I spent hours out there looking for wildlife. Sea creatures enjoy the wake!

[GUT2407]

No contest for me, balcony.

[FritzG]

Only you know your finances, but a balcony in Alaska is well worth it. At that time of year sunsets are very late, and you'll have plenty of time to enjoy it.

[GOODIES]

I took the upsell from an interior to premium balcony on the emerald princess caribe deck for my june 11th sailing

we took 1 upsell and we have 1 interior cabin feel the 4 of us can atleast enjoy the Balcony

I had riviera deck interior next to the rear pool deck 14

but what the heck its a vaction

[Pam in CA]

I wouldn't do it. I've been offered upsells before from an inside or oceanview to a balcony and it wasn't worth it to me. I've had a balcony in Alaska and it was freezing and rainy so I couldn't use it other than briefly. Wasn't worth the extra $$. I'd much rather be out on deck, under cover on Promenade or another deck, and be able to hear the commentary which you can't hear on your balcony.

[iceleven]

We were offered a similar upsell last summer (OV on deck 5 to balcony) and I turned it down. We were already spending a lot, and I am generally too antsy to sit still very long, so I don't usually get a ton of use out of a balcony. You can usually find me roaming the Promenade deck with my binoculars. :D

 

The exception to this was our Alaska trip on the Westerdam. We had an aft balcony, and I spent hours out there looking for wildlife. Sea creatures enjoy the wake!

 

You sound like me with the binoculars and pricey excursions you won't want to miss. If I were to do an upsell to balcony, an aft it would have to be. Those balconies are more protected from the cold and much less wind. HAL does it the best.

[Eaglecw]

We booked our upcoming Alaska cruise back in October, got a smoke’n hot deal on this cruise. We always book a cabin on Emerald deck, mid- ship Port side, it’s supposed to be an obstructed view room but there’s nothing in the way. About a week ago my TA called me with an offer I couldn’t refuse, for $99 we could get a balcony cabin on Baha deck mid-ship Port side. I asked her if that was $99 each and she said No it was for the two of us. I had to take it, it was too good of a deal to pass up. The last few cruises to Alaska we have gotten upsell offers but they are normally in the $250 – $500 range, never have they been $99. We’ve had balcony cabins before, I can live with or without them, when the ship is underway it’s almost always too cold to be out there for very long, the balcony is nice when you’re coming into port or in Glacier bay or in Tracy Arm.

[geoherb]

I wouldn't do it for $249 per person, but $99 for two sounds great. We were lucky to be upgraded for free from an obstructed view guarantee to a deluxe ocean view with balcony cabin at the bow of the ship (Sapphire) on our last Alaskan cruise.

[barcelonamom]

Thank you all for you help! We called first thing in the morning yesterday, left a message. I was, prepared with a list of three premium balcony cabins I would accept when they called back. If I couldn't get one of those I was going to decline the upsell, as I didn't think it was worth it. I ended up getting my first choice , the last midship premium balcony that was available. Its # C437, and the price was $2399 pp. So I went from an obstructed ocean view E414 to the premium midship balcony. I originally had paid $1199, got the premium balcony for $249 extra pp for 2 people. I am happy with the deal. And I am thrilled I will have a balcony!

Edited May 4, 2017 by barcelonamom

[GOODIES]

Enjoy your balcony its a great trip we took a premium balcony this time, 3 years ago we took an interior

buy with the larger balcony we only took 1 balcony the g/f kids can come in our cabin to stand on balcony since they

are the larger one and being I had a casino rate it was a great deal

[dverzic]

Thank you all for you help! We called first thing in the morning yesterday, left a message. I was, prepared with a list of three premium balcony cabins I would accept when they called back. If I couldn't get one of those I was going to decline the upsell, as I didn't think it was worth it. I ended up getting my first choice , the last midship premium balcony that was available. Its # C437, and the price was $2399 pp. So I went from an obstructed ocean view E414 to the premium midship balcony. I originally had paid $1199, got the premium balcony for $249 extra pp for 2 people. I am happy with the deal. And I am thrilled I will have a balcony!

 

 

Good for you! Enjoy!

 

 

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[azdmelani]

Great! I paid for a balcony on my Alaska trip and it was totally worth it. Wouldnt agree for other places but the beauty of being on your balcony for the scenic glacier cruising cant be beat.

[oskidunker]

So cold I never used my Balcony.. Would not go for it. But thats just me.. Usually I book balconies.. Just go up on the deck