Lessons Learned and a Question About Upgrades

[kpgibbs]

A little backstory first.  I have cruised many times.  But it's always been with my mom.  She has always been very generous and footed the bill.  We never booked anything less then a balcony or mini suite.  

 

For the first time in my life, I am able to afford to take my 25 year old son and his GF on a cruise.  I also invited a friend to go to share my cabin.  BUT, I can only afford inside cabins for us.  Not real excited about that but hey, it's a cruise!  My friend and I went to my travel agent and booked this several months ago.  We are cruising in January of 2022 on the Allure.  Long story short, my friend backed out last week.  I have tried to find someone else.  But they are either married and their husband won't let them go or they refuse to be vaccinated.  I talked to my son, and we have decided it will be just the 3 of us.  Probably best.  Plus it's not a huge amount of money that I am having to pay for the friend that backed out.  The lesson I have learned is not to rely on a friend to go with you.  Especially one that has not traveled much. 

 

Now for my question.  Does the upgrade fairy still come or is it strictly the RoyalUp thing?  I have not cruised with Royal in a while and the Royal up thing is totally new to me.

 

Thank in advance for any help you can offer.  

[MellowMel]

I'm sorry your friend backed out! Is your mom able to travel with you? I'd invite her if she can.

 

RoyalUp is a bidding process so not a free upgrade. I have never tried to do it because I normally travel with others and we normally get out cabins next to each other so I didn't want to get moved somewhere else in case my bid was selected. 

 

Have an awesome cruise on Allure!

[kpgibbs]

6 minutes ago, MellowMel said:

I'm sorry your friend backed out! Is your mom able to travel with you? I'd invite her if she can.

 

RoyalUp is a bidding process so not a free upgrade. I have never tried to do it because I normally travel with others and we normally get out cabins next to each other so I didn't want to get moved somewhere else in case my bid was selected. 

 

Have an awesome cruise on Allure!

My mom is 85 and has mobility issues.  The Allure is just too big for her.  And she refuses to get a scooter.  Which I know will make everyone else on the cruise happy that there is one less scooter.  😁

[Biker19]

14 minutes ago, kpgibbs said:

Does the upgrade fairy still come or is it strictly the RoyalUp thing? 

Royal Up killed the upgrade fairy.

[MacanAle]

15 minutes ago, kpgibbs said:

We are cruising in January of 2022 on the Allure. 

 

I'm more worried that you missed the cruise 😮 jk

 

Would son and GF have any interest in pitching in to cover the difference of upgrading to balconies?

[kpgibbs]

8 minutes ago, MacanAle said:

 

I'm more worried that you missed the cruise 😮 jk

 

Would son and GF have any interest in pitching in to cover the difference of upgrading to balconies?

LOL, I need to edit my post.  I can't get my years straight.

 

My son and his GF are on a very limited budget.  All I am paying is the cabin.  They are responsible for everything else.  Tips, drinks or drink package, excursions and so on.  They are both in school and it's going to take them a while just to save what they need to save.  

[kpgibbs]

17 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

Royal Up killed the upgrade fairy.

Well that stinks!

 

Thank you for your crappy input.  JK  

[kpgibbs]

Sorry everyone.  I am too late to edit my post.  Cruise is January 2023 not 2022.  Not enough coffee!

[kitkat343]

don't worry - we all figured that out.  hope you have a wonderful trip!

[etingel]

You can always hope that your rooms get used for COVID quarantine, which typically results in an upgrade to balcony. But for that to happen, you'd have to hope for a COVID resurgence and you also typically need your existing room to be in the lowest passenger deck.

[bhsolo]

Keep checking the price. If it goes lower, you could reprice which would help you recoup some of your solo cost now. 

[kpgibbs]

20 minutes ago, etingel said:

You can always hope that your rooms get used for COVID quarantine, which typically results in an upgrade to balcony. But for that to happen, you'd have to hope for a COVID resurgence and you also typically need your existing room to be in the lowest passenger deck.

I would prefer to not have a COVID resurgence.  BUT I did notice Royal is having a flash sale today.  Inside balcony is cheaper then my inside cabin.  My TA is looking into it now.  Fingers crossed.  

[seapad]

Did I get it right that you're booking your inside cabin as 4 people? If this is the case, you fare would be payment for first 2 (at regular price) + 2 additional (each at 2nd and 3rd person price). 
If you're booking through a TA, can you see if your TA can adjust or rebook your cruise for 3 people instead? Your first 2 people price won't change, but at least you will not have to pay for the 4th. This will be a saving for you.

The cruise fare is NOT a fixed rate for a cabin, regardless of # of people in the cabin. That's not how the cruising industry works. 🙂 

[ONECRUISER]

4 hours ago, kpgibbs said:

My mom is 85 and has mobility issues.  The Allure is just too big for her.  And she refuses to get a scooter.  Which I know will make everyone else on the cruise happy that there is one less scooter.  😁

I for one never have issues with Scooters except when Halls are filled with them at nite. Multiple times observed Passengers with Walkers confronted with blocked narrow Halls and no way to get by them except go around coming up other way

[topnole]

5 minutes ago, ONECRUISER said:

I for one never have issues with Scooters except when Halls are filled with them at nite. Multiple times observed Passengers with Walkers confronted with blocked narrow Halls and no way to get by them except go around coming up other way

I feel the same.  Anyone leaving their scooter in the hall is hurting those that have mobility issues.  I tend to think these are the people that don’t really need a scooter.  Leaving a scooter in the hall is prohibited and I wish they would enforce it more.  It is infuriating watching someone in a wheelchair or scooter unable to get to their cabin because of this.  If you plan to bring a scooter, get a cabin that can hold it.  Same goes for anything else like a stroller, etc.

that blocks the hallway.  

[BazingAu]

That's so generous of you to invite your son and his GF. Sorry your cabinmate cancelled on you. Can you cancel (edited since I just saw the cruise is 2023) one of the rooms and upgrade the other to a single balcony room for 3 people? The 3rd person will be priced cheaper than the first 2, so you'd end up paying less overall. You can also use a few magnetic hooks and a lightweight curtain to divide up the room to make 2 separate "rooms" between the bed and sofabed sections. 

 

Here's an example I found online, but I would use a wider curtain to extend it out farther.

 

Edited March 31, 2022 by BazingAu

[kitkat343]

2 hours ago, topnole said:

I feel the same.  Anyone leaving their scooter in the hall is hurting those that have mobility issues.  I tend to think these are the people that don’t really need a scooter.  Leaving a scooter in the hall is prohibited and I wish they would enforce it more.  It is infuriating watching someone in a wheelchair or scooter unable to get to their cabin because of this.  If you plan to bring a scooter, get a cabin that can hold it.  Same goes for anything else like a stroller, etc.

that blocks the hallway.  

Any room can fit a stroller, plus if you have a stroller you know how frustrating it is when the hallways are blocked (even by room service carts).  I always needed to scout out which way I could go each morning before I left with my kids.  There's no excuse for leaving a stroller in the hallway.

[Scoobydobe7]

47 minutes ago, BazingAu said:

That's so generous of you to invite your son and his GF. Sorry your cabinmate cancelled on you. Can you cancel (edited since I just saw the cruise is 2023) one of the rooms and upgrade the other to a single balcony room for 3 people? The 3rd person will be priced cheaper than the first 2, so you'd end up paying less overall. You can also use a few magnetic hooks and a lightweight curtain to divide up the room to make 2 separate "rooms" between the bed and sofabed sections. 

 

Here's an example I found online, but I would use a wider curtain to extend it out farther.

 

Shower curtain would be bigger and already has the holes to hang with magnetic hooks  on the ceiling

[ptf2009]

7 hours ago, kpgibbs said:

I would prefer to not have a COVID resurgence.  BUT I did notice Royal is having a flash sale today.  Inside balcony is cheaper then my inside cabin.  My TA is looking into it now.  Fingers crossed.  

Sure hope it works out for you that you can get two balcony cabins! I know someone suggested getting one cabin for the three of you....but somehow I don't think your son and his GF would like that😎 Plus it will be nice for you to have the privacy of your own cabin and bathroom. Let us know if your TA had any luck!

 

Happy Cruising!! Allure is such a fun ship with Mamma Mia!!

[kpgibbs]

16 hours ago, seapad said:

Did I get it right that you're booking your inside cabin as 4 people? If this is the case, you fare would be payment for first 2 (at regular price) + 2 additional (each at 2nd and 3rd person price). 
If you're booking through a TA, can you see if your TA can adjust or rebook your cruise for 3 people instead? Your first 2 people price won't change, but at least you will not have to pay for the 4th. This will be a saving for you.

The cruise fare is NOT a fixed rate for a cabin, regardless of # of people in the cabin. That's not how the cruising industry works. 🙂 

No, we have two cabins.  Two in each cabin.  Sorry for the confusion.  

[kpgibbs]

14 hours ago, BazingAu said:

That's so generous of you to invite your son and his GF. Sorry your cabinmate cancelled on you. Can you cancel (edited since I just saw the cruise is 2023) one of the rooms and upgrade the other to a single balcony room for 3 people? The 3rd person will be priced cheaper than the first 2, so you'd end up paying less overall. You can also use a few magnetic hooks and a lightweight curtain to divide up the room to make 2 separate "rooms" between the bed and sofabed sections. 

 

Here's an example I found online, but I would use a wider curtain to extend it out farther.

 

Great idea.  But I don't think my son would like that much.  I know they want their privacy.  

[kpgibbs]

Update:  TA called RC.  She said she was on hold waiting for them to answer for over an hour.

 

Anyway, we did not get the balcony's.  After taxes and other fees that tack on, it was higher then what I have paid.  My son is disappointed because he has only cruised with a balcony. (spoiled)  I told him to think back and realize how much we used the balcony.  In reality, not that much.  We would eat breakfast out there and then we would sit out there at night some.  The rest of the time we aren't even in the cabin.

 

I think the only thing that is bothering me about having an inside cabin is no natural light.  My TA said that was tough on her.  You never know what time it is.  You wake up and you have no idea if the sun is up or not.  

 

Let all hope I come into a windfall of money and I can upgrade.  Haha.  

[bhsolo]

4 hours ago, kpgibbs said:

Update:  TA called RC.  She said she was on hold waiting for them to answer for over an hour.

 

Anyway, we did not get the balcony's.  After taxes and other fees that tack on, it was higher then what I have paid.  My son is disappointed because he has only cruised with a balcony. (spoiled)  I told him to think back and realize how much we used the balcony.  In reality, not that much.  We would eat breakfast out there and then we would sit out there at night some.  The rest of the time we aren't even in the cabin.

 

I think the only thing that is bothering me about having an inside cabin is no natural light.  My TA said that was tough on her.  You never know what time it is.  You wake up and you have no idea if the sun is up or not.  

 

Let all hope I come into a windfall of money and I can upgrade.  Haha.  

Keep checking those prices! With the kids sail free promo happening right now it doesn't work out as well. You never know what the future holds including holidays, a better sale may come along but you do need to keep checking. I did and save $200 on the same cabin, it does happen. Even if you can't go up to balcony maybe you can get oceanview.