What was your upgrade offer and what did you bid

[Nclgetawaymenhoney]

1 hour ago, hamrag said:

Alert.....there is no way you are gonna get the 'best' cabins in any category using the bidding process.....!

No it's the luck of the draw, often I've been successfully 4 out of 5 times, all 4 were midship with cabins below and above, and once I even got a bump out cabin, deck 13 on Escape great cabin, the original occupants ended up in haven, you just never know what you will get with upgrade could be good cabin and location or bad

[billslowsky]

2 hours ago, Nclgetawaymenhoney said:

No it's the luck of the draw, often I've been successfully 4 out of 5 times, all 4 were midship with cabins below and above, and once I even got a bump out cabin, deck 13 on Escape great cabin, the original occupants ended up in haven, you just never know what you will get with upgrade could be good cabin and location or bad

 

My upgrades to OV were good, most recently I wound up in one of the frontmost cabins directly over the theater, but the only noise I heard was during rehearsals (trombone!).

[RedwingHockeyFan]

On ‎1‎/‎8‎/‎2020 at 9:42 AM, Broopa said:

Just bid 200$ for a spa mini-suite for encore feb 9 cruising. fingers crossed here. No big loss if I lose out on it since I like my current balcony room location but an upgrade never hurts.

What was your original category?  That is pretty close to the cost of a spa pass isn't it?

[dcipjr]

I'm on a 16-day Panama Canal on the Joy in February. Right now, we've booked a Concierge Family Inside, which should be perfect for us, but I would upgrade to a H4 if the price was right.

 

The min bid for the H4 is $3000 total ($1500pp), and the outright price of the H4 is a very high $9k. Even the minimum bid is a bit pricey, probably due to the length of the cruise.

 

There are a lot of H4s still available: 19 of 24, if I'm counting correctly. I can't imagine that there will be that many children on the sailing, since Panama Canal cruises typically tend towards the older demographic.

 

I know NCL likes to sail with the Haven full, so I can't help but wonder what they'll do. Do they still ever offer upsells if rooms are empty and nobody's bidding? Do they ever lower the minimum bids?

 

I will probably not bid, since I'm happy with my room, but I might try having my TA call to ask about an upgrade the week before the cruise, if there are a lot of H4s still unsold.

[pghflyer]

I'm doing my first attempt at upgrade bidding from a balcony to a suite. In addition to the bid costs, I know there is the increased daily service charge of $3 per person per day, as well as new need to tip a concierge/ butler.  For those who have done it, are there any other increased costs I have overlooked so I know how much it is really worth to us?

[Trimone]

If you have prepaid the service charge that’s all you pay, no increase...

[pghflyer]

So if I prepaid at $15 per day for my balcony, I don't have to adjust anywhere to the suite rate of $18 per day? That is really interesting. 

[Trimone]

1 minute ago, pghflyer said:

So if I prepaid at $15 per day for my balcony, I don't have to adjust anywhere to the suite rate of $18 per day? That is really interesting. 

Correct, and your choice of free at sea goes with you, you don’t get all five free at sea offers haven passengers get. Butler and concierge it’s up to you what and if you tip, don’t listen to the people that say $20 a day it’s rubbish.

[mking8288]

6 hours ago, hamrag said:

.....there is no way you are gonna get the 'best' cabins in any category using the bidding process.....!

 

No - never say "no way" because.  Not true, in our case - YMMV, especially lately - and I speak of our extended family experience over the last 3 years in mostly successfully bidding up to OV and Balconies, as we really don't care for / need /want the extra "freebies" ... over a dozen winning bids.

 

Lately, it seemed there are fewer bids in these and higher categories, for whatever reasons ... RateGain is among my unproven theory, looking at prices & trends - using data from another site that disclosure historical data.

 

April 2017, one of my BIL successfully upgraded to the OV on Deck 8 AFT, not the obstructed ones - theirs, portside AFT near the elevators/stairs.  Our balcony bid didn't go thru, got the obstructed OV, also on Deck 8.  Their bid was fair to good, much higher than ours (borderline, poor/fair) and was accepted early by NCL (took their money quick ... ) link to post - here. 

CC's search function is really poor, not easy to find & reference my previous posts on the closed thread or current one - additional posts on winning bids can be found. 

 

Might not be the "best" cabin in that category, but pretty good & they're happy - cabins above, below and easy walk to O'Sheehan's and down to MDR, elevators up to buffet, etc.  Gotten a porthole, 3 picture windows OV on Deck 5 (Gem & Dawn) and an oversized accessible OV on the Escape (Deck 5) assigned last minute (with high risk of getting bumped ...) - these were not the "best" in the (sub)category but acceptable to us.  Others that valued their cruising experience differently, with strong preference for deck, location & specific choice - of course, won't bid and take their chances on bidding with a "random" GTY assignment ... like a slim chance of getting an AFT balcony (not us, yet)  But the winning bids we scored on the Breakaway then and more recently on a 14 nights Escape were pretty good, mid-ship too.  

 

The odds are sometimes poor and near next to zero, but if you don't bid to play against the odds, you won't lose ... but, you chances of winning is also never.  Any bidding experience that you care to share ??  

 

P.S.  Mods - I believe it might be a good time to close this 2018 thread AND start a new/continuation thread for 2020.  Thanks.  

Edited January 13, 2020 by mking8288

[Stlcardsfan79]

6 hours ago, hamrag said:

Alert.....there is no way you are gonna get the 'best' cabins in any category using the bidding process.....!

We went from inside to aft balcony on our last 10 day cruise by bidding. 

[Trimone]

4 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

 

No - never say "no way" because.  Not true, in our case - YMMV, especially lately - and I speak of our extended family experience over the last 3 years in mostly successfully bidding up to OV and Balconies, as we really don't care for / need /want the extra "freebies" ... over a dozen winning bids.

 

Lately, it seemed there are fewer bids in these and higher categories, for whatever reasons ... RateGain is among my unproven theory, looking at prices & trends - using data from another site that disclosure historical data.

 

April 2017, one of my BIL successfully upgraded to the OV on Deck 8 AFT, not the obstructed ones - theirs, portside AFT near the elevators/stairs.  Our balcony bid didn't go thru, got the obstructed OV, also on Deck 8.  Their bid was fair to good, much higher than ours (borderline, poor/fair) and was accepted early by NCL (took their money quick ... ) link to post - here. 

 

Might not be the "best" cabin in that category, but pretty good & they're happy - cabins above, below and easy walk to O'Sheehan's and down to MDR, elevators up to buffet, etc.  Gotten a porthole, 3 picture windows OV on Deck 5 (Gem & Dawn) and an oversized accessible OV on the Escape (Deck 5) assigned last minute (with high risk of getting bumped ...) - these were not the "best" in the (sub)category but acceptable to us.  Others that valued their cruising experience differently, with strong preference for deck, location & specific choice - of course, won't bid and take their chances on bidding with a "random" GTY assignment ... like a slim chance of getting an AFT balcony (not us, yet)  But the winning bids we scored on the Breakaway then and more recently on a 14 nights Escape were pretty good, mid-ship too.  

 

The odds are sometimes poor and near next to zero, but if you don't bid to play against the odds, you won't lose ... but, you chances of winning is also never.  Any bidding experience that you care to share ??  

Another dimension, choose a cruise that goes from more than one port. Example breakaway from Copenhagen, first port walmunde, we successfully placed a bid cruising from Berlin (walmunde) £405.00 from balcony spa to H5, think about it about 10% board at Berlin, therefore if someone is leaving the ship at Berlin, and no haven passenger has booked it, it will remain empty for the whole cruise. On the European cruises there are lots of options with ports, research it.

[julig22]

8 hours ago, hamrag said:

Alert.....there is no way you are gonna get the 'best' cabins in any category using the bidding process.....!

You could absolutely get the "best" cabin in a category.  People upgrade all the time, either by paying more or winning a bid.  If they had a good cabin to begin with and upgraded, that cabin is now empty and open for selection, gty, or bidding, depending on the timing.

 

Recently awarded an upgrade (OA to balcony), 67 days out.  Bid was $150pp - $300 total-just slightly above "poor". Got a killer deal on the cruise to begin with (BF price included 30%, 20% discounts, plus airfare).  OA categories are listed as sold out, so guessing the process was to free up more in the "cheaper" categories.  Also bid on a mini-suite (poor category), just to increase my odds - but totally happy with the result.

[brilyga]

I'm still holding on hope for an upgrade for our sailing on Saturday the 18th. Question though, say we were to be upgraded (I know I'm jinxing myself), do I have to reprint the luggage tags and all that? I have them printed now, and I won't have access to a color printer within 48 hours of sailing due to travel. Seems silly, but still a concern of mine. 

[julig22]

8 minutes ago, brilyga said:

I'm still holding on hope for an upgrade for our sailing on Saturday the 18th. Question though, say we were to be upgraded (I know I'm jinxing myself), do I have to reprint the luggage tags and all that? I have them printed now, and I won't have access to a color printer within 48 hours of sailing due to travel. Seems silly, but still a concern of mine. 

Not silly - a perfectly valid question

1.  You don't have to print in color - all the tags are the same color for the sailing you are on.

2.  You can always take a sharpie and change the cabin # and location (fwd, aft, mid) to match your new cabin.

 

Overall I would say it is probably  better to reprint your tags in b&w if you have that option.  Good luck!

[dcipjr]

14 minutes ago, brilyga said:

I'm still holding on hope for an upgrade for our sailing on Saturday the 18th. Question though, say we were to be upgraded (I know I'm jinxing myself), do I have to reprint the luggage tags and all that? I have them printed now, and I won't have access to a color printer within 48 hours of sailing due to travel. Seems silly, but still a concern of mine. 

 

You can also just ask for tags at the pier. When we got upgraded, I didn't have a chance to reprint tags, but the porters at the pier were happy to just stick new tags on our bags.

[chrisdar1]

Newbie (to upgrade process) question:

 

Sorry if this question is dumb/has been asked 100 times before:  Do you only pay the upgrade fee for passengers 1 & 2?  We'll have 4 in our cabin (wife and two daughters), but the upgrade selection only prices out passengers 1 & 2....

Again, sorry if this is common knowledge...

[Nclgetawaymenhoney]

1 minute ago, chrisdar1 said:

Newbie (to upgrade process) question:

 

Sorry if this question is dumb/has been asked 100 times before:  Do you only pay the upgrade fee for passengers 1 & 2?  We'll have 4 in our cabin (wife and two daughters), but the upgrade selection only prices out passengers 1 & 2....

Again, sorry if this is common knowledge...

Only for 1 and 2

[chrisdar1]

6 minutes ago, Nclgetawaymenhoney said:

Only for 1 and 2

 

 

Thanks!!!

[3CanadianBears]

If your bid to upgrade to Haven is successful, am I correct that in addition to the set gratuities, you also are expected to tip the Haven staff as they don’t share in the gratuity “pool”?

[kahoosbt]

I have been wondering whether things like latitudes level, cruise history, etc, factor in to the upgrades in any way, or if they are all random. For example, who receives offers, what the values on the sliders are, who is successful in similar competing bids, etc. Are these affected by your level or history of cruising (or other factors)?

 

Just wondering if anyone knows, or has an educated guess, based on following the subject or using spreadsheets. Thanks! ☺️

[Thunderknite]

Just placed a few bids for our sailing on the Joy in March. We are in a mini-suite and bid minimum on concierge penthouse and fair in Haven suites up to and including aft facing. All but two bedroom havens show sold out currently so here's hoping someone in the haven gets upgraded and we get their haven room. *crosses fingers* but we are happy either way. 😛 

[julig22]

1 hour ago, kahoosbt said:

I have been wondering whether things like latitudes level, cruise history, etc, factor in to the upgrades in any way, or if they are all random. For example, who receives offers, what the values on the sliders are, who is successful in similar competing bids, etc. Are these affected by your level or history of cruising (or other factors)?

 

Just wondering if anyone knows, or has an educated guess, based on following the subject or using spreadsheets. Thanks! ☺️

My educated guess is that your original room choice is factor #1.  They want to have sellable rooms, so if they can upgrade you to free up a popular but cheaper cabin, they will.  Guest numbers are also a consideration - easier to upgrade a solo or duo than a family.

[gizfish]

6 hours ago, 3CanadianBears said:

If your bid to upgrade to Haven is successful, am I correct that in addition to the set gratuities, you also are expected to tip the Haven staff as they don’t share in the gratuity “pool”?

The butler and concierge are not part of the tip pool.

[dexddd]

MKing, don't we have to make it to 5,000 posts before we close this post down too?  I know this round is taking a bit longer.

[kahoosbt]

13 hours ago, julig22 said:

My educated guess is that your original room choice is factor #1.  They want to have sellable rooms, so if they can upgrade you to free up a popular but cheaper cabin, they will.  Guest numbers are also a consideration - easier to upgrade a solo or duo than a family.

Good point--that makes sense. Thanks!