Direct Upgrade vs. Move-Up

[actuarian]

Two days before my January 16th cruise on the Edge, I was informed that my $1,025 per person (total $2,050) bid to upgrade from a Sky Suite to a Celebrity Suite had failed.  I then called my travel agent and asked if I could upgrade the "old-fashioned" way.  The travel agent processed the upgrade for a total of $1,598, $427 less than the move-up bid that had been rejected.  That amount was also less than the minimum move-up bid.  Now I know that, in the future, it always pays to try to upgrade directly before trying to use Move-Up.

[Oceangoer2]

I guess they priced the 'move up' when pricing was more stable...by the time you put in your request, the cost had dropped  but X hadn't done the same with move up.   The system most likely was locked at a certain range even though the suite was available.  Did you upgrade at the new price? 

[Arizona Wildcat]

Pricing moves up with high demand and down with low demand.  The key is to see what happens immediately following final payment date.

Exactly the same booking a cruise.  Book early with a group fare and if demand is strong you made a good buy.  Have also seen fares drop 60% the day after final payment date, so you never know what will happen. Today fares complicated by cruiselines limiting passenger counts due to cruise staffing and covid issues in general.

[asnaleah]

Thanks for sharing your experience Actuarian. I checked, and RS pricing had dropped, so I just upgraded the old fashioned way. Do I have to do anything with the bid I no longer need?

[deliver42]

Cancel the bid. If you get accepted, you'll get charged

[actuarian]

4 hours ago, Arizona Wildcat said:

Pricing moves up with high demand and down with low demand.  The key is to see what happens immediately following final payment date.

Exactly the same booking a cruise.  Book early with a group fare and if demand is strong you made a good buy.  Have also seen fares drop 60% the day after final payment date, so you never know what will happen. Today fares complicated by cruiselines limiting passenger counts due to cruise staffing and covid issues in general.

Yes, but there is more to it than that.  There were only 30 minutes between the email informing me that the move-up bid was rejected and the upgrade being completed by my travel agent.  Demand did not move during those 30 minutes.  Also, this all happened two days before my embarkation date, long after the final payment date.  It was probably because people invoked the "Cruise with Confidence Cancel Up to 48 Hours Before You Sail" promise right at the 48-hour deadline.

[asnaleah]

I cannot seem to cancel my bid on the website, so I emailed the Move up desk. If there is a secret way to cancel, please share with me! Thanks!