Upgrade bid experiences

[marinaro44]

12 hours ago, Toronto Guy said:

I have never heard a single noise from above in those suites.  Maybe I was just lucky?

Nor have we.  We're in one now on Onward.  Only CC suites we will book.  Portside with no tub.

[Toronto Guy]

5 hours ago, marinaro44 said:

Nor have we.  We're in one now on Onward.  Only CC suites we will book.  Portside with no tub.

I was in one with tub on the Journey. Liked the bathroom itself better on the Journey vs the Onward...the issue wasn't the tub itself though, it was that I couldnt get under the shower head.  Problem with the shower only CCs on the Onward is you keep banging your funny bone on that huge grab bar they installed in it!

[KirkNC]

22 hours ago, MamaFej said:

I believe I understand: you're not doubting the experiences of others, you'd just feel more comfortable if Azamara put it in writing. 

It’s outlined in the email offer.

[trtog7]

Have not been able to find an answer to tis question. Booked on a cruise with EXMO. If I bid and get an upgrade do I lose my EXMO benefits?

[Grandma Cruising]

32 minutes ago, trtog7 said:

Have not been able to find an answer to tis question. Booked on a cruise with EXMO. If I bid and get an upgrade do I lose my EXMO benefits?

No

[trtog7]

5 minutes ago, Grandma Cruising said:

No

Thanks

[tgg]

45 minutes ago, KirkNC said:

It’s outlined in the email offer.

This is the email offer I received. Unfortunately it says nothing about having a choice of cabins. If there is a choice of cabins, it would be nice to see that explained in the paragraph about the courtesy phone call.

 

Welcome to Azamara Upgrade. In just a few steps, you can submit an offer to upgrade your stateroom on your upcoming cruise.

1. Browse through the stateroom options below and select the amount you’re willing to pay for an upgrade to each. Making offers on multiple rooms will increase your chances of getting upgraded, but you'll only ever pay for one upgrade.
2. We'll notify you via email if your bid has been accepted and you'll receive a courtesy phone call. You'll have 72 hours to complete the payment. If not, you'll keep the stateroom assigned and you will not be billed for any additional amounts.
3. Offers are priced per person based on two occupants per stateroom for the entire duration of the cruise - only the first and second guest will be charged.

Please note: Staterooms may vary in size and configuration from that pictured.

[Grandma Cruising]

It does say that the upgrade doesn’t happen if you don’t complete the payment, so that’s always an option.

Under the old system there was no phone call and no option not to pay. If your bid was successful you just got an email telling you and the money was taken from the card you entered in your bid.

Edited August 18 by Grandma Cruising

[Toronto Guy]

1 hour ago, tgg said:

This is the email offer I received. Unfortunately it says nothing about having a choice of cabins. If there is a choice of cabins, it would be nice to see that explained in the paragraph about the courtesy phone call.

 

Welcome to Azamara Upgrade. In just a few steps, you can submit an offer to upgrade your stateroom on your upcoming cruise.

1. Browse through the stateroom options below and select the amount you’re willing to pay for an upgrade to each. Making offers on multiple rooms will increase your chances of getting upgraded, but you'll only ever pay for one upgrade.
2. We'll notify you via email if your bid has been accepted and you'll receive a courtesy phone call. You'll have 72 hours to complete the payment. If not, you'll keep the stateroom assigned and you will not be billed for any additional amounts.
3. Offers are priced per person based on two occupants per stateroom for the entire duration of the cruise - only the first and second guest will be charged.

Please note: Staterooms may vary in size and configuration from that pictured.

I wouldn't be concerned, it says if you don't complete the payment you keep your assigned stateroom. 

[corinna121]

On 8/17/2024 at 9:23 AM, tiggertom said:

You could try the link on the website https://www.azamara.com/gb/booked-guests/azamara-upgrades

good luck

Thank you tiggertom I followed your link and I tried my luck getting an upgrade.

[DorothysFriend]

Made a couple of weak bids for our cruise earlier this month, which were unsuccessful. We were too happy with our Spa Suite to bid much on these bigger suites.

 

Date bid received: last modified July 31, 2024

Cruise date: Aug 3, 2024

Cruise length: 7 nights

Loyalty level: first timer

Min bid per stateroom: $1200

Amount bid: $1400

Cabin booked: Spa Suite

Cabin bid for: Club World Owner

Final bid cost per night: $200

Bid strength: Weak

Outcome: Unsuccessful

Cruise region: Mediterranean (Greece/Croatia)

 

Date bid received: last modified July 31, 2024

Cruise date: Aug 3, 2024

Cruise length: 7 nights

Loyalty level: first timer

Min bid per stateroom: $1000

Amount bid: $1040

Cabin booked: Spa Suite

Cabin bid for: Club Ocean Suite

Final bid cost per night: $149

Bid strength: Weak

Outcome: Unsuccessful

Cruise region: Mediterranean (Greece/Croatia)

 

[tgg]

I followed the advice I received here and called Azamara, and I was assured that we would not have to accept the upgrade if offered. So we put in a bid and received a confirmation email.

 

Today we got the dreaded message that someone else had mentioned:

 

Dear JOHN 

Due to a change in your reservation, we have cancelled your existing Azamara Upgrade offer(s).

Booking ID: xxxxxxxxxxx

 

Now that B2B cruises are consolidated with one Booking ID, the system can't process an upgrade bid on the second leg.

 

Perhaps I'll check with the Guest Relations Manager or Hotel Director when we board the first cruise to see what's available on the second.

 

We leave for our first Viking Ocean cruise at the end of the month. Time to explore some options.

[Ithikan]

On 8/19/2024 at 11:31 PM, Grandma Cruising said:

Thanks very much Dorothy’sFriend. All added to the spreadsheet https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/15sybIcXkobWRSL9jKDTQ-H6PHmk4ptwSAx3Yw8sQQSQ/edit

Craziest thing - I followed GC's link above to check out where my bid might fall for our October cruise, where I discovered lots of stats for "Fish & Chips."

Wrong spreadsheet, I think.

Going back to p.51 of this thread, I found the correct link.  And, the info I was looking for.

Thanks, Grandma Cruising, for both taking on this informative spreadsheet and for providing me with a morning chuckle!

[Grandma Cruising]

Sorry about that, obviously I included the wrong link. Here’s the right one https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1pEoojQ5-EPmD4cI3gw1dVcYfYTXfZePdDXxU09l0H3M/edit

[MamaFej]

4 minutes ago, Grandma Cruising said:

Sorry about that, obviously I included the wrong link. Here’s the right one https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1pEoojQ5-EPmD4cI3gw1dVcYfYTXfZePdDXxU09l0H3M/edit

We appreciate you, @Grandma Cruising!

 

Also, now I'm hungry for fish & chips.

[fruitmachine]

On 7/19/2024 at 2:41 PM, fruitmachine said:

For the spreadsheet...

 

We aren't likely to bid.  Neither of these categories nor our present one are currently available, so there is not a 'market rate' that I can compare against.

 

Bid Date	17 July 2024
Cruise Date	13 September 2024
Cruise Length (Nights)	13
Loyalty Level	Adventurer
Minimum bid per stateroom	USD 899
Cabin Type Booked	Ocean View
Cabin Type Bid For	Club Balcony
Minimum bid per stateroom	USD 995
Cabin Type Booked	Ocean View
Cabin Type Bid For	Club Balcony Plus

Today we had another email, again inviting us to bid for an upgrade for this same cruise that starts in 10 days.  Nothing has changed including the minimum bid amounts.

[Grandma Cruising]

5 hours ago, fruitmachine said:

Today we had another email, again inviting us to bid for an upgrade for this same cruise that starts in 10 days.  Nothing has changed including the minimum bid amounts.

Same here!

[Toronto Guy]

On 8/20/2024 at 8:41 AM, tgg said:

I followed the advice I received here and called Azamara, and I was assured that we would not have to accept the upgrade if offered. So we put in a bid and received a confirmation email.

 

Today we got the dreaded message that someone else had mentioned:

 

Dear JOHN 

Due to a change in your reservation, we have cancelled your existing Azamara Upgrade offer(s).

Booking ID: xxxxxxxxxxx

 

Now that B2B cruises are consolidated with one Booking ID, the system can't process an upgrade bid on the second leg.

 

Perhaps I'll check with the Guest Relations Manager or Hotel Director when we board the first cruise to see what's available on the second.

 

We leave for our first Viking Ocean cruise at the end of the month. Time to explore some options.

Enjoy Viking Ocean.  I have only heard good things.  My friends have bailed from Azamara following all the reservation fiascos that started over a year ago and havent' looked back. They absolutely loved it in comparison.  Hope you do as well.

[Host Jazzbeau]

2 hours ago, Toronto Guy said:

Enjoy Viking Ocean.  I have only heard good things.  My friends have bailed from Azamara following all the reservation fiascos that started over a year ago and havent' looked back. They absolutely loved it in comparison.  Hope you do as well.

The reservation issues have been solved, so they (and you) should try Azamara again.

[hamrag]

- bid date                                                                      6 sept 2024 / accepted 9 sept

- cruise date                                                                 26 sept 2024

- cruise length                                                              4 nights

- loyalty level                                                                explorer

- minimum bid required for upgrade (in US$)                370pp

- total amount bid (in US$)                                            410pp/820 total

- cabin type initially booked                                           club veranda

- cabin type bid for                                                        club continent suite

- final bid cost per night (in US$)                                   102.50pp/205 total

- bid strength                                                                 (very) weak

- outcome (successful or not)                                        successful

- cruise region                                                               mediterranean/france

[Ithikan]

Congratulations, hamrag!  Enjoy your 'bidfully enhanced' cruise!

 

Teri

[Grandma Cruising]

Well done, will add that to the spreadsheet when I get home - I'm on Onward at the moment!

[hamrag]

2 hours ago, Grandma Cruising said:

Well done, will add that to the spreadsheet when I get home - I'm on Onward at the moment!

Thanks, hope you're enjoying the ship and trip, you have a fabulous itinerary. Our rationale is, with this cruise being a 4 day weekender, it may be slightly less orderly around the buffet areas etc....actually, we don't really think it will, that is in no way an Azamara thing.

 

So, the plan is we do both specialties twice, Aqualina breakfast etc. and get to see at first hand what the cc suite has to offer for future reference...at a 'sensible' cost.

Edited 23 hours ago by hamrag

[Grandma Cruising]

Sounds like a good plan!

[Lookyboy]

12 hours ago, Grandma Cruising said:

Well done, will add that to the spreadsheet when I get home - I'm on Onward at the moment!

Have a fabulous time....Denise. 🙋‍♀️❤❤