CAS upgrade pricing

[MrMike45]

Was on hold for awhile trying to get someone on the line, waiting for an email back.  But just out of curiosity...

 

We are in a BA mid-ship balcony room.  Comped inside, upgraded to the BA room, booked thru CAS.  There are a number of Aft facing balconies left on the cruise that leaves in 12 days (5/12).  How much do they charge for an upgrade to a new category room within the same class?  If it's like $200 per person, totally not worth it.  

[goldmom]

There are so many possibilities with this, that the only way to know is to speak to an agent.  I would also keep calling as I often do not get a speedy reply to e-mails.

 

We've sometimes gotten a free upgrade close to cruise date when prices dropped (this was before the bidding thing).

We've also been told can't do it.

We've also been told that CAS only has a certain amount of cabins allotted to them.

We've also been told that any upgrade is based on cabin prices when we booked.

 

So, as I said, you really need to speak to CAS.  Good luck!

[Nola26]

I was quoted $1,000 just last month.

Edited April 30, 2019 by Nola26

[esm54687]

CAS comped IA upgrade to B1 is $1,340 for 2.

[Sand and Seas]

Is your original Inside comp from a land based casino or directly from CAS?

If it is directly from CAS I think you may have a better chance at those type of upgrades.   

 

A couple of years ago we watched and when the prices of balconies dropped significantly we called to check on upgrading from our CAS comped OceanView as the price was now just $30 more per person.  They put me on hold, checked with a supervisor, and came back with a free upgrade to balcony.   It does pay to watch the prices and call back when closer to the cruise date.

 

On another cruise using a land based comped balcony we were quoted something like $170 per person to go from BA balcony to B1 Aft balcony.    Our booking was 'owned' by Caesars but booked through CAS.  Different story for upgrades!

[MrMike45]

15 hours ago, Sand and Seas said:

Is your original Inside comp from a land based casino or directly from CAS?

If it is directly from CAS I think you may have a better chance at those type of upgrades.   

 

A couple of years ago we watched and when the prices of balconies dropped significantly we called to check on upgrading from our CAS comped OceanView as the price was now just $30 more per person.  They put me on hold, checked with a supervisor, and came back with a free upgrade to balcony.   It does pay to watch the prices and call back when closer to the cruise date.

 

On another cruise using a land based comped balcony we were quoted something like $170 per person to go from BA balcony to B1 Aft balcony.    Our booking was 'owned' by Caesars but booked through CAS.  Different story for upgrades!

 

Directly thru CAS.  I'm on hold again trying to get someone on the phone, since my email went unanswered.  Apparently, according to the message, "this is their biggest sale of the year"...

[MrMike45]

Update - 36 mins of being on hold, someone finally picked up.

 

$200pp to move from a Mid-Ship balcony to an Aft balcony.  I explained that on the website, there were still 9 aft balconies left, and the difference in cost was only $119 per person, so how could they be charging me more than the website.  The response of "CAS has different rates and ways of calculating upgrades" annoyed me.  When I asked can you please explain, since we paid to be upgraded from an OV to a BA already, so why would we now need to pay more than anyone else to move from a BA to a Aft? The response of "sorry but that is just how it is" annoyed me more and I hung up.  

 

Sad...this will be our 17th NCL cruise...16 booked thru CAS with comps.  And probably our last.  The comps and customer service is just not what it used to be.  And we gamble just as much as we have in the past.  

[goldmom]

1 hour ago, MrMike45 said:

Update - 36 mins of being on hold, someone finally picked up.

 

$200pp to move from a Mid-Ship balcony to an Aft balcony.  I explained that on the website, there were still 9 aft balconies left, and the difference in cost was only $119 per person, so how could they be charging me more than the website.  The response of "CAS has different rates and ways of calculating upgrades" annoyed me.  When I asked can you please explain, since we paid to be upgraded from an OV to a BA already, so why would we now need to pay more than anyone else to move from a BA to a Aft? The response of "sorry but that is just how it is" annoyed me more and I hung up.  

 

Sad...this will be our 17th NCL cruise...16 booked thru CAS with comps.  And probably our last.  The comps and customer service is just not what it used to be.  And we gamble just as much as we have in the past.  

Sorry it didn't work out for you.  But that's what I was trying to explain in my earlier post.  CAS seems to have their own formula for pricing.  Sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn't.  But it is frustrating as we have no idea how they calculate things.  I figure that even though they are not as generous as they used to be, they are still offering me a free cabin.

Enjoy your cruise!

[drvmywifecrzy]

1 hour ago, MrMike45 said:

Update - 36 mins of being on hold, someone finally picked up.

 

$200pp to move from a Mid-Ship balcony to an Aft balcony.  I explained that on the website, there were still 9 aft balconies left, and the difference in cost was only $119 per person, so how could they be charging me more than the website.  The response of "CAS has different rates and ways of calculating upgrades" annoyed me.  When I asked can you please explain, since we paid to be upgraded from an OV to a BA already, so why would we now need to pay more than anyone else to move from a BA to a Aft? The response of "sorry but that is just how it is" annoyed me more and I hung up.  

 

Sad...this will be our 17th NCL cruise...16 booked thru CAS with comps.  And probably our last.  The comps and customer service is just not what it used to be.  And we gamble just as much as we have in the past.  

 

What you need to ask CAS rep is what your comp value is.  Then subtract that from list price of the room you want and that should be the cost of the upgrade.

[MrMike45]

Just now, goldmom said:

Sorry it didn't work out for you.  But that's what I was trying to explain in my earlier post.  CAS seems to have their own formula for pricing.  Sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn't.  But it is frustrating as we have no idea how they calculate things.  I figure that even though they are not as generous as they used to be, they are still offering me a free cabin.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

 

Agreed, and yes, not looking a gift horse in the mouth.  But...when we used to get balcony comps, and now only oceanview.  And used to get tons of perks, and now do not.  And we still gamble the same amount, but their formula/comp system has changed, yet the can't (or refuse) to explain those changes...then it's time to look elsewhere.

 

We're taking our first MSC cruise in October.  And from those boards, it seems like the MSC Casino system is very generous in terms of comps.  We will obviously be newbies, but we usually have at least 1, sometimes 2 future NCL cruises booked.  After the one in a week, we have nothing scheduled, and will wait to see what we get from MSC before deciding (and if we like that product).  

[MrMike45]

Just now, drvmywifecrzy said:

 

What you need to ask CAS rep is what your comp value is.  Then subtract that from list price of the room you want and that should be the cost of the upgrade.

 

Not a bad idea.  And we had no problem paying for the upgrade from the OV to the midship Balcony (think it was $300 per person, so $600 total).  But to now have to spend another $400 to move from a one balcony room to another, when the difference on the website is only $240, and if they would let me, I could call regular customer service and do it for that price, seems silly to me.  

[goldmom]

I understand completely and agree with you.  Hopefully MSC will be more generous!  Good luck!

[MrMike45]

14 minutes ago, goldmom said:

I understand completely and agree with you.  Hopefully MSC will be more generous!  Good luck!

 

Thank...still going on a cruise right...can't complain too much.  Better than work! 

 

 

[Sand and Seas]

54 minutes ago, MrMike45 said:

 

Not a bad idea.  And we had no problem paying for the upgrade from the OV to the midship Balcony (think it was $300 per person, so $600 total).  But to now have to spend another $400 to move from a one balcony room to another, when the difference on the website is only $240, and if they would let me, I could call regular customer service and do it for that price, seems silly to me.  

It makes me wonder what the charge might be for someone with an OV requesting an upgrade directly to a B1Aft.  Would that really be $300 plus another $200?  Or would that have been cheaper to make it in step?  And what would it be from an OV directly to a Mini-suite.   Very strange pricing!    As  it's close to sail date I wonder if a different agent might have been able to do something better for you by checking with a supervisor. 

 

I can say for myself that I have been able to get the Large Balconies comped, but it always includes an approval from a supervisor.    Seems like the regular agents can only comp the regular Balconies or Minis.    Lately I have been offered Mini-Suites, but I have requested a B1 or B6 Large Balcony and gotten it with the supervisor approval.  On one interesting future comp they gave me a 9 day Mini with Large Balcony as the B1 Afts were priced higher than the Minis with Large.  Strange, right?

[MrMike45]

31 minutes ago, Sand and Seas said:

It makes me wonder what the charge might be for someone with an OV requesting an upgrade directly to a B1Aft.  Would that really be $300 plus another $200?  Or would that have been cheaper to make it in step?  And what would it be from an OV directly to a Mini-suite.   Very strange pricing!    As  it's close to sail date I wonder if a different agent might have been able to do something better for you by checking with a supervisor. 

 

I can say for myself that I have been able to get the Large Balconies comped, but it always includes an approval from a supervisor.    Seems like the regular agents can only comp the regular Balconies or Minis.    Lately I have been offered Mini-Suites, but I have requested a B1 or B6 Large Balcony and gotten it with the supervisor approval.  On one interesting future comp they gave me a 9 day Mini with Large Balcony as the B1 Afts were priced higher than the Minis with Large.  Strange, right?

 

To me, it would seem it should just be straight forward.  From OV to Balcony is X amount of money.  If you want to move from Balcony X to Balcony Y you pay the difference in the 2 if you were booking a normal cruise.  If you want to move from Balcony to Mini-Suite, you pay the difference in the 2 if you were booking a normal room.  

 

The difference between an OV and Balcony is NOT $300 per person on this cruise.  It's actually only a $50 difference PP.  But I get it, we're comped the OV, so we need to pay something to move up to the balcony.  I'm ok with the over charge there.  

 

But then to over charge again, a random arbitrary amount, to move from one balcony class to another, nearly double what it would be if I had a normal booked cruise and upgraded, is like double dipping to me.  And to do it to a long time-well established repeat customer is just bad business.  

 

But it is what it is.  Either you abide by their rules, or look elsewhere.  

Edited May 1, 2019 by MrMike45

[BirdTravels]

3 hours ago, MrMike45 said:

Update - 36 mins of being on hold, someone finally picked up.

 

$200pp to move from a Mid-Ship balcony to an Aft balcony.  I explained that on the website, there were still 9 aft balconies left, and the difference in cost was only $119 per person, so how could they be charging me more than the website.  The response of "CAS has different rates and ways of calculating upgrades" annoyed me.  When I asked can you please explain, since we paid to be upgraded from an OV to a BA already, so why would we now need to pay more than anyone else to move from a BA to a Aft? The response of "sorry but that is just how it is" annoyed me more and I hung up.  

 

Sad...this will be our 17th NCL cruise...16 booked thru CAS with comps.  And probably our last.  The comps and customer service is just not what it used to be.  And we gamble just as much as we have in the past.  

The casino “pays” for the room at an internal rate. They will “pay” for the upgraded room at their internal rate. They will charge you the difference in price for the upgrade. Which will be different than the rate you see on their website. The casino does not get free rooms to give away. They pay for the rooms and make it up with your gambling losses. 

[NCLetscruise]

2 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

The casino “pays” for the room at an internal rate. They will “pay” for the upgraded room at their internal rate. They will charge you the difference in price for the upgrade. Which will be different than the rate you see on their website. The casino does not get free rooms to give away. They pay for the rooms and make it up with your gambling losses. 

 

I never knew this before. The casino isn't it's own entity tho, is it? I was under the impression that CAS is 100% NCL owned. If that's the case, who is CAS paying for the rooms?

[negn]

I have 2 upcoming cruises thru CAS.   Now only get insides though used to get at least balcony.  Did upgrade both for balcony for $525 each.  Difference between inside and balcony was $600. So appears that was in line.    Now that I retired may cruise more frequently and take the inside cabin.   J

[Alegeeter]

CAS is considered a separate entity from NCL.

 

And spa and aft balcony cabins are considered separate categories from regular balcony cabins in CAS. They always have been. Whenever I book a comped balcony they're always able to offer a BA - the highest regular balcony category. Even when comped a balcony from the start I am unable to select an aft cabin without upgrading. 

[Minoushka]

I was told rules for Cas players had changed thanks to Del Rio ...no more single rates for upgrades you now need to pay double comp to get a balcony ....so a cabin that was once 800$ isnow closer to 1600$ for a balcony ...so if you do gamble its no bargain 

even the fellow from Cas did notunderstand why ....nomore real freebies for cas people so I do not have another cruise booked ..no incentive to do so .....

plus too many 7 day cruises in Europe ....who goes to Europe for a week ???

we need longer cruises in Med or Greek islands and def gamblers must get better promos ...after all we do donate generously 

[MrMike45]

Did not know that CAS bought the rooms from NCL and then "sold" them to players, recouping the cost via gambling losses.  That is interesting.