kent4489 Posted November 3, 2022 #976 Share Posted November 3, 2022 Sailing date: Nov. 20 Ship: Onward. 11 night Trans Atlantic Booked: Club Continent Suite Loyalty: Explorer Received upgrade offer on Nov. 2 (we only booked Oct. 31) Club World Owners Suite: starting at $2,000 per person Club Ocean Suite: starting at $1,700 per person Club Spa Suite: starting at $1,300 per person We are not bidding. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandma Cruising Posted November 4, 2022 Author #977 Share Posted November 4, 2022 6 hours ago, kent4489 said: Sailing date: Nov. 20 Ship: Onward. 11 night Trans Atlantic Booked: Club Continent Suite Loyalty: Explorer Received upgrade offer on Nov. 2 (we only booked Oct. 31) Club World Owners Suite: starting at $2,000 per person Club Ocean Suite: starting at $1,700 per person Club Spa Suite: starting at $1,300 per person We are not bidding. Thanks, all added Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruiser Nonna Posted November 4, 2022 #978 Share Posted November 4, 2022 Grandma Cruising - hoping you are having a great cruise - we sail Quest on November 15 - 11 nights Submitted for upgrade on 10/22/22 - Discover Plus - V1 booked - options as follows - USD Veranda Plus - $100-$400 per person Club Continent - $400-$1700 per person Club Spa - $2100-$3600 per person Club Ocean - $2250-$4600 per person Club Owners - $2820-$5100 per person Bid $550 per person and received upgrade 11/3/22 to a N1 although there were N2 - so pleased with location not great about the tub/shower but will see. I had asked the question about Pending and it was about a week that it said Pending and then received the upgrade still not sure if Pending meant pretty sure or just goes to Pending once submitted although did notice two days before upgrade - no longer could I bid on the Club Ocean or Owners Suite Hope this helps with the spreadsheet - Enjoy your cruises - stay well and safe! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lisiamc Posted November 5, 2022 #979 Share Posted November 5, 2022 I am excited to report that for the first time ever, we’ve been successful in our bid for an upgrade! The upgrade is from V3 to Club Continent suite. I think the lowest bid I could have submitted was $400/person, and I bid $500, (which qualified as “weak”) for a total of $1000. We are sailing on Onward on 12 November, 8 nights. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandma Cruising Posted November 5, 2022 Author #980 Share Posted November 5, 2022 9 hours ago, Cruiser Nonna said: Grandma Cruising - hoping you are having a great cruise - we sail Quest on November 15 - 11 nights Submitted for upgrade on 10/22/22 - Discover Plus - V1 booked - options as follows - USD Veranda Plus - $100-$400 per person Club Continent - $400-$1700 per person Club Spa - $2100-$3600 per person Club Ocean - $2250-$4600 per person Club Owners - $2820-$5100 per person Bid $550 per person and received upgrade 11/3/22 to a N1 although there were N2 - so pleased with location not great about the tub/shower but will see. I had asked the question about Pending and it was about a week that it said Pending and then received the upgrade still not sure if Pending meant pretty sure or just goes to Pending once submitted although did notice two days before upgrade - no longer could I bid on the Club Ocean or Owners Suite Hope this helps with the spreadsheet - Enjoy your cruises - stay well and safe! We ‘re having a great cruise thanks Cruiser Nonna. Azamara is just as good as ever! Thanks for the information, it’s all added. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Port Power Posted November 24, 2022 #981 Share Posted November 24, 2022 I have received a reminder to bid for an upgrade on the 14 night Azamara Quest on December 21. Discoverer. From V2 to CC from $600pp. As a solo traveler, $1200 is an unnecessary outlay, so I am not bidding. It is an excellent price, and I would bid the minimum if a couple. Others on this cruise in V2 have not received upgrade offer emails. I'll save my money for future business class airfares! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jancruz Posted November 30, 2022 #982 Share Posted November 30, 2022 Personally I think bidding is tacky...and surprised Azamara does it..more like NCL.. Jancruz1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iata Posted November 30, 2022 #983 Share Posted November 30, 2022 7 minutes ago, Jancruz said: Personally I think bidding is tacky...and surprised Azamara does it..more like NCL.. Jancruz1 You don’t have to bid. What is tacky about bidding. The rooms are not sold they try to sell it for less that you will have to pay if you had choose that category at the beginning. You take a chance if not you stay in the room you choose to book at the beginning. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Host Jazzbeau Posted November 30, 2022 #984 Share Posted November 30, 2022 42 minutes ago, Jancruz said: Personally I think bidding is tacky...and surprised Azamara does it..more like NCL.. Jancruz1 29 minutes ago, iata said: You don’t have to bid. What is tacky about bidding. The rooms are not sold they try to sell it for less that you will have to pay if you had choose that category at the beginning. You take a chance if not you stay in the room you choose to book at the beginning. Personally I think it's a much better approach than the 'upgrade fairy' – which lacks transparency and seems very unfair. Azamara's previous approach [offering upgrades at a fixed price, take it or leave it] may have been less 'tacky' but may have garnered too many acceptances and therefore favored those 'in the know' to ask early. Or this may be simply Azamara's way to maximize revenue for a scarce resource – which, given Azamara's low profit margins in the past is probably something we Azamara fans should be happy about. If Sycamore's present approach of building up the brand doesn't pay off, they will switch to their other MO of bleeding it and then discarding the empty hull. Now that would be tacky! 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
federalexpress Posted December 1, 2022 #985 Share Posted December 1, 2022 From a commercial perspective, the upgrade model is basic yield optimisation. Same that airlines use. The price is low if low demand, high if high demand and the pricing is dynamic. Some long haul airlines even do their own upgrade offers, from Economy to Business. The one drawback is that it can result in bad feeling, where someone is paying a lot less than you are, if for example you booked yourself in business class to begin with. Or in this case, someone getting the same CC suite as you but paying much less by a lowish upgrade bid from a Verandah. I can see therefore how some may not like it, but for better or worse, I think dynamic pricing and yield management are not going to go away. To the extent I need to console myself where someone gets and upgrade at a basically lower price than I've paid, I could argue that the fare I paid gave me a guarantee, not a possibility, and that carries a value in itself. Certainly when it comes to late cruise deals when they are long haul, the money you might save on the cruise will almost certainly be more than counterbalanced by the higher flight costs you'll face with a last minute booking. The only truly attractive late fare deals would be ones in my case that left from my home port, in the UK, or somewhere almost as cheap to get to. I suspect Azamara don't do many of those, in fact the few ex UK cruises they do seem prohibitively priced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tgg Posted December 1, 2022 #986 Share Posted December 1, 2022 11 minutes ago, federalexpress said: From a commercial perspective, the upgrade model is basic yield optimisation. Same that airlines use. The price is low if low demand, high if high demand and the pricing is dynamic. Some long haul airlines even do their own upgrade offers, from Economy to Business. The one drawback is that it can result in bad feeling, where someone is paying a lot less than you are, if for example you booked yourself in business class to begin with. Or in this case, someone getting the same CC suite as you but paying much less by a lowish upgrade bid from a Verandah. I can see therefore how some may not like it, but for better or worse, I think dynamic pricing and yield management are not going to go away. To the extent I need to console myself where someone gets and upgrade at a basically lower price than I've paid, I could argue that the fare I paid gave me a guarantee, not a possibility, and that carries a value in itself. Certainly when it comes to late cruise deals when they are long haul, the money you might save on the cruise will almost certainly be more than counterbalanced by the higher flight costs you'll face with a last minute booking. The only truly attractive late fare deals would be ones in my case that left from my home port, in the UK, or somewhere almost as cheap to get to. I suspect Azamara don't do many of those, in fact the few ex UK cruises they do seem prohibitively priced. It would be better for everyone if people who bid on and get an upgrade keep quiet about it. Nobody needs to know how brilliant your bid was. 😇 And let's not forget: when your bid is accepted, you are assigned a stateroom. It may not be one that you would have chosen because of noise, vibration, or other annoyances. When you book a CC suite, you choose the stateroom you want. For many people, that's worth paying for. 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
federalexpress Posted December 1, 2022 #987 Share Posted December 1, 2022 5 minutes ago, tgg said: It would be better for everyone if people who bid on and get an upgrade keep quiet about it. Nobody needs to know how brilliant your bid was. 😇 And let's not forget: when your bid is accepted, you are assigned a stateroom. It may not be one that you would have chosen because of noise, vibration, or other annoyances. When you book a CC suite, you choose the stateroom you want. For many people, that's worth paying for. True but I guess this whole thread is about the thrill of the chase, people wanting to know what others have paid for what. Fair point on the cabin choice and of course with AZ, that can be significant since the least popular CC's, thus the ones more likely to be available, seem to be the ones with a bath, no shower, and I much, much prefer the latter. Looking at it from CC upwards, I was not greatly attracted by my upgrade offers because the spa and Club Ocean suites are at the front of the ship and we are sailing in potentially rough waters but also the cost was eye wateringly high. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tgg Posted December 1, 2022 #988 Share Posted December 1, 2022 37 minutes ago, federalexpress said: True but I guess this whole thread is about the thrill of the chase, people wanting to know what others have paid for what. Fair point on the cabin choice and of course with AZ, that can be significant since the least popular CC's, thus the ones more likely to be available, seem to be the ones with a bath, no shower, and I much, much prefer the latter. Looking at it from CC upwards, I was not greatly attracted by my upgrade offers because the spa and Club Ocean suites are at the front of the ship and we are sailing in potentially rough waters but also the cost was eye wateringly high. I should have been more clear. I was suggesting that people not talk about their upgrade once they're on the ship. For people who want to bid on an upgrade, this thread gives them valuable information. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
federalexpress Posted December 2, 2022 #989 Share Posted December 2, 2022 5 hours ago, tgg said: I should have been more clear. I was suggesting that people not talk about their upgrade once they're on the ship. For people who want to bid on an upgrade, this thread gives them valuable information. Ah I see what you mean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kml246 Posted December 8, 2022 #990 Share Posted December 8, 2022 I understand you don't have control over the cabin assigned, but if your bid is accepted can you request to have the cabin changed if you want a different location? If so, who would you contact before boarding, or do you need to wait until you're on board? Thanks, Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Port Power Posted December 8, 2022 #991 Share Posted December 8, 2022 19 minutes ago, kml246 said: I understand you don't have control over the cabin assigned, but if your bid is accepted can you request to have the cabin changed if you want a different location? If so, who would you contact before boarding, or do you need to wait until you're on board? Thanks, Kevin No. By lodging your bid with credit card authorised, you have accepted the cabin you “win”. If you think you might not like the location, do not bid. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kml246 Posted December 9, 2022 #992 Share Posted December 9, 2022 16 hours ago, Port Power said: No. By lodging your bid with credit card authorised, you have accepted the cabin you “win”. If you think you might not like the location, do not bid. I understand the way bidding works and what the rules are. But then there's actual experience. Has anyone been able to move their cabin assignment, either before or after boarding? If there is another location that's empty, why wouldn't Azamara oblige a request? This is our first AZ cruise, so trying to learn their ways. Thank you, Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Host Jazzbeau Posted December 9, 2022 #993 Share Posted December 9, 2022 4 hours ago, kml246 said: I understand the way bidding works and what the rules are. But then there's actual experience. Has anyone been able to move their cabin assignment, either before or after boarding? If there is another location that's empty, why wouldn't Azamara oblige a request? This is our first AZ cruise, so trying to learn their ways. Thank you, Kevin It can't hurt to ask. The only complication I can see is if the upgrade process is managed by a computer, it may send out all the notifications simultaneously – so by the time you see your new cabin all the others have already been assigned. But I don't know this. If I got an upgraded cabin that I didn't like, I would certainly call and ask about options. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevintheIrishDJ Posted December 17, 2022 #994 Share Posted December 17, 2022 Got an upgrade from Inside to Club Veranda!!! $2,260 total. Trying to find out what is included. The website keeps giving me error messages. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Port Power Posted December 17, 2022 #995 Share Posted December 17, 2022 1 minute ago, KevintheIrishDJ said: Got an upgrade from Inside to Club Veranda!!! $2,260 total. Trying to find out what is included. The website keeps giving me error messages. A balcony! "Club Veranda" is just Azamara's terminology for a normal balcony cabin. As opposed to "Verandah Plus" which includes internet, laundry and something or other else. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevintheIrishDJ Posted December 17, 2022 #996 Share Posted December 17, 2022 30 minutes ago, Port Power said: A balcony! "Club Veranda" is just Azamara's terminology for a normal balcony cabin. As opposed to "Verandah Plus" which includes internet, laundry and something or other else. It is a 1V category. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Port Power Posted December 17, 2022 #997 Share Posted December 17, 2022 Just now, KevintheIrishDJ said: It is a 1V category. V1, V2, V3 and VX denote where on the ship the cabins are located. Look at the deck plan. V1 are midships on several decks (and possibly also deck 8 IIRM); V2 are deck 7 fore and aft near midships; V3 are forward and aft. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iata Posted December 17, 2022 #998 Share Posted December 17, 2022 8 hours ago, KevintheIrishDJ said: Got an upgrade from Inside to Club Veranda!!! $2,260 total. Trying to find out what is included. The website keeps giving me error messages. On what ship? What date? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare uktog Posted December 17, 2022 #999 Share Posted December 17, 2022 8 hours ago, Port Power said: A balcony! "Club Veranda" is just Azamara's terminology for a normal balcony cabin. As opposed to "Verandah Plus" which includes internet, laundry and something or other else. And as he’s coming from an inside don’t forget daylight!! 3 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevintheIrishDJ Posted December 17, 2022 #1000 Share Posted December 17, 2022 23 minutes ago, iata said: On what ship? What date? Onward Dec. 22 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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