Solo passengers appear to be discriminated against when it comes to upgrades.

[deck chair]

Hello one and all!

 

I have sailed on the QM2 countless times since 2006 in addition to the  Sagafjord, QE2, QV and QE.  I have been Diamond for years.  I t typically travel as a single and pay the 75% single supplement on most occasions. It has troubled me greatly that it appears that single travelers are rarely if ever granted upgrades to Britannia Club, Princess Grill or  Queens Grill.  I have heard of countless cases where COUPLES with few voyages on their record get the  upgrades leaving solo travelers with superior records with Cunard out in the cold.  This has inspired me to question my deep loyalty to Cunard as I hear more and more great things about SAGA.

 

I am wondering if my fellow solo passengers have experienced this discrimination as well or can share their thoughts on this matter.  Meanwhile I am booked on the September 12, 2021 19 day roundtrip sailing from New York on QM2 and a 62 day world voyage segment departing 1/3/22 on QM2 from New York to Sydney.

Thank you.

Deck Chair.

[Underwatr]

Individual stories may be misleading. I reached Diamond on my last cruise and all but one of those were booked double occupancy. No upgrades in those 14 cruises.

[carlmm]

It might be coincidence or you are right:

Like you I am diamond and I started sailing Cunard even a few years earlier than you. Normally I travel solo but the one time, when we went as a couple, was exactly the one and only time I was upgraded above a "class line" in that case to Princess Grill.

[Austcruiser84]

I’m a solo traveller and have received upgrades from Cunard, Princess, various luxury hotels and airlines. 
 

My best Cunard upgrade was from a Q6 to a Q1. I was Gold at the time (currently  Platinum). 

 

It can be like winning the lottery in some ways. Random and always someone else. 

[GUT2407]

Always book doubles, across multiple lines,top or close to top loyalty level on three or four lines, closest I’ve had to an upgrade was from mid aft to mid both balconies.

 

Now I need an accessible cabin, no such ting as an upgrade.

[deck chair]

1 hour ago, Austcruiser84 said:

I’m a solo traveller and have received upgrades from Cunard, Princess, various luxury hotels and airlines. 
 

My best Cunard upgrade was from a Q6 to a Q1. I was Gold at the time (currently  Platinum). 

 

It can be like winning the lottery in some ways. Random and always someone else. 

Yes, but your upgrades were within the Queens Grill category.  

[seacruise9]

Hi, 

 

I am Diamond level and first sailed with Cunard in 1984. In addition to the QM2, I have sailed on the QE2, Queen Victoria, Queen Elizabeth, Sagafjord and Vistafjord.

 

I have received a couple of nice upgrades when booking staterooms as a solo. In 2016 (Canada / New England cruise), I booked an inside double stateroom as a solo on the QM2 and was upgraded to one of the beautiful new outside single staterooms on Deck 2. In 2017 (World Cruise segment from Hong Kong to Singapore), I booked an inside double stateroom as a solo on the QM2 and was upgraded to one of the excellent new outside single staterooms on Deck 3. These were still Britannia staterooms, but the upgrades were appreciated.

 

Chuck

[GUT2407]

And of course not all upgrades are considered upgrades by the person receiving them.

[MelbTone]

I'm a single 60s male traveller and have been upgraded Britannia -> PG on two of my three Cunard cruises. I was really surprised the first time (QM2) since it obviously wasn't a reward for loyalty, but after meeting my dinner companions I think the reason was a desire by Cunard to achieve a better M-F balance - I was paired with a very pleasant lady who, to our mutual surprise, came from the same London suburb as me.

[Windsurfboy]

If you look at it from Cunard's point of view upgrades are given for a reason, but not just to thank loyalty .

 

Either

 

fully booked (in lower graded cabins) and they need to create space, so to get an upgrade you need to be on a full ship, then they should choose most loyal first.

 

Or

 

in Melb tones case someone was on the ball and noticed a problem with numbers of singles in that case in PG and wanted to balance numbers. The same logic could of course count against upgrading singles into PG , if there were say 6 solos enough for  one table and no tables of 8 available , they would not upgrade a solo and expect them to sit on own.

 

Why people fret about upgrades , I don't understand , are they not happy with what they've booked. We always tick no upgrade as are particular about cabin position.

 

 

[Lady Hudson]

I have never been upgraded on Cunard but certainly haven’t expected to be (Diamond, 300+ days).  It doesn’t surprise me that newer Cunard passengers have been upgraded — it does make smart business sense.  When Cunard still had the dining room officers tables, I was frequently placed at one of those.  Katherine

[jimdee3636]

14 hours ago, GUT2407 said:

And of course not all upgrades are considered upgrades by the person receiving them.

In general, that's true. For me, anyway, cabin location is crucial. For example, I want to be as far away from elevators as possible, but an "upgrade" within the same cabin category might put me next to one.

 

However, if the upgrade is to a higher category of cabin---Princess Grills vs. Britannia, as Melb Tone described, above---that's an entirely different matter; I'd take whatever PG cabin they gave me. But that kind of upgrade has to be exceedingly rare.

[Windsurfboy]

1 minute ago, jimdee3636 said:

In general, that's true. For me, anyway, cabin location is crucial. For example, I want to be as far away from elevators as possible, but an "upgrade" within the same cabin category might put me next to one.

 

However, if the upgrade is to a higher category of cabin---Princess Grills vs. Britannia, as Melb Tone described, above---that's an entirely different matter; I'd take whatever PG cabin they gave me. But that kind of upgrade has to be exceedingly rare.

 

I agree.  The problem is as I understand from this forum that once you've said your happy to be upgraded, then you are committed to take what they give you. So unless you are at the top of a category i.e. right at a category boundary,  an upgrade may not be that desirable. 

 

 

[bluemarble]

Concerning complimentary upgrades, it is my understanding that there are three options for automatic upgrades that can be specified in the Polar Online reservation system Cunard uses.

 

1. Open To Any Upgrade

2. Only Upgrade to the Next Stateroom Type (ex. Balcony to Mini Suite)

3. Do Not Upgrade

 

For those who don't want to be moved to a different location within the same grade of cabin (e.g. forward balcony to midships balcony), but would like to be considered for more significant upgrades, you might want to look into requesting option 2 to be applied to your booking.

 

Now I don't know the details as to whether a relatively minor upgrade from a sheltered balcony to a glass-fronted balcony qualifies as an upgrade to a better "stateroom type". But that option 2 might be something to consider asking Cunard or your travel agent about if you've chosen your cabin location carefully but would still like to be considered for an upgrade to a better stateroom type.

[jimdee3636]

This is useful information; thanks.

 

I had always specified option #3, but in the future I may do #2. We just booked 27 nights on the QE in Jul/August of 2022 (L.A. to Barcelona). We like the location of our BB balcony, but if they want to upgrade us to Club Class or P.G., why not?

[Windsurfboy]

3 hours ago, bluemarble said:

Concerning complimentary upgrades, it is my understanding that there are three options for automatic upgrades that can be specified in the Polar Online reservation system Cunard uses.

 

1. Open To Any Upgrade

2. Only Upgrade to the Next Stateroom Type (ex. Balcony to Mini Suite)

3. Do Not Upgrade

 

For those who don't want to be moved to a different location within the same grade of cabin (e.g. forward balcony to midships balcony), but would like to be considered for more significant upgrades, you might want to look into requesting option 2 to be applied to your booking.

 

Now I don't know the details as to whether a relatively minor upgrade from a sheltered balcony to a glass-fronted balcony qualifies as an upgrade to a better "stateroom type". But that option 2 might be something to consider asking Cunard or your travel agent about if you've chosen your cabin location carefully but would still like to be considered for an upgrade to a better stateroom type.

 

Interesting  I can't find upgrade option on UK  manage my booking / cruise personaliser, but from what i remember when booking online it was a simple yes or no to upgrade or not. 

[majortom10]

To my knowledge in the UK we have only 2 options for upgrade 1) no to upgrade 2) yes to upgrade- any upgrade and you cannot turn it down once upgraded.

[bluemarble]

1 hour ago, Windsurfboy said:

Interesting  I can't find upgrade option on UK  manage my booking / cruise personaliser, but from what i remember when booking online it was a simple yes or no to upgrade or not. 

 

I don't think the option "Only Upgrade to the Next Stateroom Type" can be found while booking the voyage yourself or on the voyage personaliser. My understanding is that can only be done by someone with access to the Polar Online reservation system. That would be either a Cunard customer service representative or your travel agent.

 

There's a youtube video from the "Cunard and P&O Cruises Partnership Team" about this process called "How to update the Auto Upgrade options | System Support" which explains the three options found in Polar Online. That video appears to apply to the UK and to Cunard (not just P&O), though I can't be certain about that.

Edited January 17, 2021 by bluemarble

[bluemarble]

Here is some additional information about the complimentary upgrade options as found in the Cunard FAQ for travel partners on their Complete Cruise Solution website.

 

Complimentary Upgrades

Things to Remember:

Open To Any Upgrade:

Choosing this option will mean the guests would like to be considered for an upgrade.

Only Upgrade to the Next Stateroom Type (ex. Balcony to Mini Suite):

Choosing this option will mean the guests would like to be considered for an upgrade but only if the upgrade is to a higher meta, e.g. from an inside grade to an outside grade.

Do Not Upgrade:

Choosing this option will mean the booking will not be considered for any upgrade.

[sullaRaffaello]

I've been upgraded as a solo from Britannia Club to Princess Grill and within Princess Grill, P4 to P3. I was upgraded only once as a couple within Queens Grill from Q6 to Q4.

[majortom10]

On 1/17/2021 at 11:16 PM, bluemarble said:

Here is some additional information about the complimentary upgrade options as found in the Cunard FAQ for travel partners on their Complete Cruise Solution website.

 

Complimentary Upgrades

Things to Remember:

Open To Any Upgrade:

Choosing this option will mean the guests would like to be considered for an upgrade.

Only Upgrade to the Next Stateroom Type (ex. Balcony to Mini Suite):

Choosing this option will mean the guests would like to be considered for an upgrade but only if the upgrade is to a higher meta, e.g. from an inside grade to an outside grade.

Do Not Upgrade:

Choosing this option will mean the booking will not be considered for any upgrade.

Not sure if this is a rule just for Cunard cruisers in the US but I have booked many cruises through my TA in the UK and when asked about free upgrade and have asked what are my options have always been told "no to free upgrade" or "yes to free upgrade" but have always been told by accepting a free upgrade they can put me anywhere on the ship as long as its classified as higher grade by Cunard and I cannot refuse it. Never have I been told I can accept and upgrade to "next stateroom type".

[Windsurfboy]

What is polar online ?

[Windsurfboy]

Sorry  should have read Bluemarble's answer properly.  So this option isn't available when booking online directly with Cunard. You would think they like paying  commission to agents 

[canoncruiser]

Hi all,

 

I’ve been upgraded twice from a Britannia balcony to PG- Never had so much closet space! It was very pleasant and had great table companions . But my absolute preference on QM2 is a 5Deck BZ far forward-so if get one at booking-I indicate No Upgrade. I enjoy the ship’s motion(if there ever is any on QM2!) and the quiet. 😉