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How to get an upgrade

spottythecat

By spottythecat,
in Carnival Cruise Lines

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HeidiHo

HeidiHo

Posted
Posted

You *might* be able to get an upgrade if the price of your cruise goes down after final payment. When we went on the Pride 3 years ago there was a good price drop about 6 weeks before the cruise. I called my TA and asked for an upgrade or credit. We got upgraded from a Cat 8G to a cat. 11 suite. Otherwise, if you booked a guarantee, all you can do is hope for an upgrade. If you have an assigned cabin you probably won't be upgraded except in the way I did. BTW, I did not book a guarantee.

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big_duck

big_duck

Posted
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We booked an inside cabin...is there any way that I can call and try to get an upgrade?? How does that work.

 

Thank you!

 

Pam

 

The only sure way to get an upgrade is to call and pay for it.

 

Otherwise book a guarantee and cross your fingers.

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MeLuvDaSea

MeLuvDaSea

Posted
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I have told this story before on this board but I want to repeat it here:

 

Last year I bought a cruise for my son and his wife, and my daughter and her husband for their respective anniversaries. In each case I booked a specific cabin, a cat 6d on the Empress deck. In a few months before each cruise date, I called the pvp at Carnival and requested a complementary upgrade. In both cases they were assigned to a Cat 12 on the Upper deck. This is a true story.

 

When I booked our March 25th cruise this year, I told the pvp I wanted a complementary upgrade (remembering my past experience). So she booked us as a cat 6d gauranteed cabin. A few weeks ago I noticed we were assigned to E62. Needless to say I was disappointed. Well, yesterday, sometime during the mid-morning, it turned into a Cat 11 assignment! We are now in V4, with our daughters (the unmarried ones), now in V6!! We hadn't even requested for them. Needless to say we are very pleased.

 

I think, short of simply paying for an upgrade, asking is the best way to get it. Also, I called a few times, and reminded my pvp about it. I hope it works for you.

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mfs2k

mfs2k

Posted
Posted

Just like in a hotel, a lot depends on Supply and Demand.

 

If you are cruising at a time when there is high demand, it is unlikely you will get upgraded much higher than the category you are booking. CCL wouldn't want to give up the revenue they could get if they think they could sell the cabin category at a higher price.

 

If you are cruising at a time when there is low demand, you have a better chance of getting upgraded if there is availability in a higher cabin category. But there is no guarantee that YOU will be the one getting upgraded. Everyone wants to be upgraded...

 

It doesnt cost them anything to move you from an inside cabin to a balcony cabin - Unless they have a buyer for that balcony cabin, or more potential buyers for the inside cabin than they have availability.

 

For example:

Suppose all the inside cabins have been sold, but they have 200 balcony cabins unsold..... No one seems to be buying balconies for a particular cruise.... They might upgrade 150 inside people to balconies, so they can sell the inside cabins which still have demand........ (this example ignores OV categories for simplicity.)

 

Most of this is probably done through sophisticated computer models, overseen by Revenue Managers.....

 

Sometimes decisions wont be made until close to sail date. It all depends on the pace of how fast cabins are selling.

 

This is Revenue Management.

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mfs2k

mfs2k

Posted
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The cruise we got upgraded on yesterday is during springbreak. I wonder if it is a coincidence that the upgrade came on the 39th day before sailing...

 

Spring Break isnt always a factor. There are still many cabins and suites available on your cruise that haven't sold (Ecstasy/Elation March 25, right?)

 

Im on Liberty March 18. (8 night) Suites have been sold out for 2 months. Im told by the PPV there are only about 30 balcony cabins left. The cheapest balcony cabin is now $1,249. The Legend's 8 night cruise which leaves a day earlier, the cheapest price for Balcony cabin is $749. There must be many more of these available, and more people will probably be upgraded to them.... I think I picked the wrong ship. lol

 

Congrats on the upgrade. im sure you'll have a great time.

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MeLuvDaSea

MeLuvDaSea

Posted
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My wife and I are very excited about it. I have been able to actually find pictures on the internet, from the outside, of our very cabins. Our daughters that are going with us are ages 24 and 28. We are treating them (as usual...:rolleyes: ), and have opted NOT to tell them of the upgrade. We know they will be very excited when they find out.

 

Yes, it is the Esctacy/Elation cruise of Mar. 25th.

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imatarb

imatarb

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Let me share our experiene on an upgrade...

 

We booked the Legend of the Seas last year this time for this past December. We booked an inside stateroom (Superior Interior cat L), and when I checked our booking about a month before sailing, we had been upgraded to a superior oceanview with a balcony at no charge.

 

My theory?

 

We originally booked an inside connecting cabin, and I think the cruise line had a request from a party that wanted connecting cabins. Since we didn't specifically request a connector, they upgraded us, made us happy, then moved those people into the cabin they requested and everyone was happy.

 

Might be worth a try to book a specific inside connector and see what happens. You never know. It worked for us. Granted it was Royal Caribbean, but I think you'll have good luck. I've heard that RCI can be pretty stingy with upgrades, so we were extremely lucky. :D

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yogimax

yogimax

Posted
Posted
We booked an inside cabin...is there any way that I can call and try to get an upgrade?? How does that work.

 

Thank you!

 

Pam

 

I apologize for being totally off topic but had to let you know that we have a cat named Spotty as well as his sister Dotty. And yes, Yogi and Max are also cats! Good luck on an upgrade, but whether you get one or not, you will have a great experience!

Yogi

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