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Any Upgrade Bids Accepted Recently?

rad798

By rad798,
in Norwegian Cruise Line

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teachinginhawaii

teachinginhawaii

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I just thought I would share my experience even though we are 13 days out and I don't think there will be any upgrades for us. 

 

We booked a Haven Courtyard with a Large Balcony on the Bliss for the March 13th Mexican Riviera cruise.  On November 14 (about 120 days in advance), we received an email inviting us to upgrade.  I had the option to bid on the following in the Haven: 

  • 2-bedroom with balcony (minimum bid of $600)
  • 2-bedroom with a large balcony (minimum bid of $600)
  • DOS (minimum bid of $800)

I used the NCL booking page to learn there were a number of open staterooms in each category and double check the pricing to see what the cost would be if I just upgraded.  Then, I placed a bid for the 2-bedroom w/large balcony and the DOS (both in the fair range).  Since we already had a large balcony, I did not want a smaller balcony.  Each week I went online to double-check the inventory and for a pretty good chunk of time, it seemed like there were still a large number of open staterooms but the inventory did go down weekly.

 

By the time we were 4 weeks out, the DOS was showing as "sold out" (as were many other categories that we couldn't bid on).  At 3 weeks out, there were still several 2-bedrooms with large balcony staterooms available.  By the time we were 15 days out, the DOS and the 2-bedroom with large balcony was "sold out".  

 

I know there is always the chance of a very last minute cancellation but I'm assuming we will be in the stateroom we actually reserved.  We are not disappointed at all and know we will have an incredible trip! We were simply intrigued by the process since this is our first real NCL cruise (I did win a 2-night NCL inaugural sailing on the Bliss but that's another story).  

 

It's wonderful to see so many people be able to upgrade this way and we had fun watching it all.  I just thought I'd share our experience because I know we mainly just saw a lot of people getting their bids/upgrades and thought it might be good to have this point of view as well.

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Luv2Cruz4Ever

Luv2Cruz4Ever

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On 2/25/2022 at 1:27 PM, wolft927 said:

So Booked on the Breakaway for March 6th, We have 2 Balcony cabins. I originally put in Bids for all the Haven Suites and to get the needle to hit Fair was 1K per person. Called NCL today and was able to upgrade to Haven Courtyard Suites for 700PP. Sometimes Bidding is more expensive then just upgrading especially when you are only about a week out.

 

I won the Forward facing Penthouse last cruise in December, but with needing to upgrade 2 cabins didn't want to take the chance 

Did you book your original cabins with NCL directly?  I booked our 2 cabins through a TA and NCL told me that they couldn’t do an upgrade for me but my TA could call.  I had her call and they would only let us upgrade at the regular price difference from the website.  No deal to be made at this point. 🤷🏻‍♀️
 

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Sthrngary Holiday Sharing Rare

Sthrngary

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11 minutes ago, kuku77254 said:

Usually Mondays are when people report upgrades but it seems like no one got one yesterday.

I have a Theory. Consider this from NCL Perspective.  When your Revenue Department looks at the current guests "Upgrade Bids", they know that every single Haven suite will be taken.  The longer they can hold out for a last-minute retail booking, the more income they can make for NCL.   Frustrating for us, however good business for them.  

 

A little story.  I have some folks who are executives with NCL.  I emailed them over the weekend and expressed I would LOVE to win my Upgrade Bid for ANY Haven Suite.  Now no one in NCL can tell the Revenue Department to give my or anyone else a Haven Suite for a bid lower than others.  I was told without a shadow of a doubt that NONE of my bids even came close.  The reason is I am a Solo traveler.  Yet if I bid, I have to pay the bid twice even though it is only me.  My bids tend to be on the lower side.  

 

I thought about this situation from emotional level, which is all marketing really is, emotional.  If NCL waits to the last second, many of us will up our bid in hopes of getting one of the last Haven Suites.  For me, I went back into my bid offers and already up my bids. I found myself moving past the upgraded bid I told myself was my top line.  See, emotional.  Then I am reading all the great post with pictures from the cruise of folks in the Haven which makes me want it even more.

 

I hope this makes sense.  I will watch my cruise, and all the cruises before it to get a sense of my changes.  I say, based on what I have read, my chances are slim and none.  Not for a lack of trying though.

 

Cruise well.

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nikita389

nikita389

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20 hours ago, nikita389 said:

We leave on the Escape Saturday, 3/5.  We have a Haven Aft Facing Penthouse and bid on an Owner's Suite.  Some of the other people we booked with had their bids for other Haven cabins accepted.  I'm wondering if they're done with all of the bids.  I'm still able to modify my bid. Does that mean I still have a chance?

 UPDATE - We got the Owner's Suite!  Not sure if there was a cancellation but I got the email.  I'm so excited.  

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Sthrngary

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31 minutes ago, nikita389 said:

 

 UPDATE - We got the Owner's Suite!  Not sure if there was a cancellation but I got the email.  I'm so excited.  

You will love it.  Here is a video that my help you.  Have a list of three bottles of Spirits you will like in your suite and the type of mixers you want.  The mixers will be replaced on consumption.  If you have 3-4 person in the suite, ask for additional lounge chairs for your HUGE balcony.  Also, ask for additional Haven Robes and Slipper for the extra people.  

 

Video on the H2 Deluxe Owners Suite with Large Balcony: 

 

Cruise well!!!

 

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luckyinpa

luckyinpa

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44 minutes ago, nikita389 said:

 

 UPDATE - We got the Owner's Suite!  Not sure if there was a cancellation but I got the email.  I'm so excited.  

 

gives me hope then...our dos has shown booked the past month. congrats! 

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ryanpatricksmom

ryanpatricksmom

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4 minutes ago, Sthrngary said:

You will love it.  Here is a video that my help you.  Have a list of three bottles of Spirits you will like in your suite and the type of mixers you want.  The mixers will be replaced on consumption.  If you have 3-4 person in the suite, ask for additional lounge chairs for your HUGE balcony.  Also, ask for additional Haven Robes and Slipper for the extra people.  

 

Video on the H2 Deluxe Owners Suite with Large Balcony: 

 

Cruise well!!!

 

Do you still get the  bottles of alcohol if you upgrade thru the bidding process?  When you bid it does say that you don't get any additional amenities.  I know that the double latitude points are excluded if you weren't already booked in a suite category...I wonder if the booze is as well.  That's not a category that I've ever upgraded to, so just wondering.

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Sthrngary

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5 minutes ago, ryanpatricksmom said:

Do you still get the  bottles of alcohol if you upgrade thru the bidding process?  When you bid it does say that you don't get any additional amenities.  I know that the double latitude points are excluded if you weren't already booked in a suite category...I wonder if the booze is as well.  That's not a category that I've ever upgraded to, so just wondering.

Good question, my understanding is, what every comes with the suite, you get.  If you has a suite that has for example Haven Spa Suite.  You would not get the spa. However if you upgraded to a Spa Suite, you would get the spa.  Hope that makes sense. Remember also, you should have a bottle of real Champagne in your room vs. sparkling wine. 

 

Here would be my strategy.  Call or email the Haven Shore Desk and ask.  Know now so you are not disappointed when you get on the ship.  Simple thing, really amounts to very little.  But worth a call. 

 

Cruise well. 

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rick160158

rick160158

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3 hours ago, Sthrngary said:

You will love it.  Here is a video that my help you.  Have a list of three bottles of Spirits you will like in your suite and the type of mixers you want.  The mixers will be replaced on consumption.  If you have 3-4 person in the suite, ask for additional lounge chairs for your HUGE balcony.  Also, ask for additional Haven Robes and Slipper for the extra people.  

 

Video on the H2 Deluxe Owners Suite with Large Balcony: 

 

Cruise well!!!

 

The owners haven suite on the encore is smack fwd on the ship. I've had balcony staterooms in the past in this location, and swore I'd never do this again, due to the extremely windy conditions being in the front of the ship. Barely used the balcony. At night while the ship was cruising, you could hear the wind howling. Is this not the case with this Haven suite too ?

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Sthrngary

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2 hours ago, rick160158 said:

The owners haven suite on the encore is smack fwd on the ship. I've had balcony staterooms in the past in this location, and swore I'd never do this again, due to the extremely windy conditions being in the front of the ship. Barely used the balcony. At night while the ship was cruising, you could hear the wind howling. Is this not the case with this Haven suite too ?

I was in the Owners Suite on the Joy.  The Joy is the sister ship to the Bliss and Encore.  We did not here or else notice wind noise.  We the wind was to much, we went to the side deck or the private deck outside our master bedroom.  We absolutely loved this huge balcony.  

 

Most Haven suites are on the side front of the ship.  The exception it of course the Aft large balcony.  So to answer your question.  It is not the case of the Haven Suites to have to much wind or wind noise.  I hope I clearified.

 

Cruise well.

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mmgibbs7

mmgibbs7

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1 hour ago, wolft927 said:

Just checked my breakaway for the 6th upgrades, 2 of my bids are expired but my 2 bedroom still says pending 

 

this a good sign?

I think so. My last one showed the same and a few hours later said processing.

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Kat747

Kat747

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Congratulations wolft927. Can I ask which cabin you ungraded from and where abouts you were in the bidding scale?. We are really in 2 minds whether to put in a bid or not on our Joy sailing. We are already in the haven and like the location of our cabin but they have a really good special on the 2 bed suite with the smaller balcony so we are tempted but would only really be interested at the lowest rate so just wondered if we are wasting our time. We’ve never used the bidding before. 

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