Help with upgrade choice

[exlandlubber]

Hello Everyone,

I have always found this forum to be extremely helpful and I am hoping this will be the case here as well. We have been offered an upgrade on the Splendor from a Concierge to a Penthouse (not free of course) and I need advice on a stateroom selection.  The Penthouse A cabins are in the front of the ship on decks 12 and 14 (with deck 14 options almost adjacent to the Regent Suite.). The Penthouse C options are 900, 800 & 700 in between the two much larger Grand Suites.  There is also a handicapped accessible cabin available on deck 9.  In the deck plans the 900, 800 & 700 appear to be much larger than the typical PH.  Is that true?  Do the cabins on 12 and 14 really rock and roll due to their height (and if so, why is the super deluxe Regent suite on 14?)

We have a couple of sea days on this cruise and I don’t know if we’ll get another chance at this kind of upgrade again.  Any advice would be enormously appreciated.

Thanks,

Kim

[FengShui@Sea]

The 900, 800 and 700 PH cabins have a solid (steel) balcony front rather than glass so I would avoid those.  Personally I would take deck 14 as you will be a little further back.  Congratulations on your upgrade.  You are going to love the penthouse!

 

Edited July 15, 2022 by FengShui@Sea

[exlandlubber]

Thank you!

[Pcardad]

Unless you have a need, I don't think they will give you the accessible cabin as there are only 3 on the entire ship.

[exlandlubber]

Good to know!  Than you.  Any opinion on the deck 14 options?

[Lonedaddy]

I would do the 12 or 14 PH.  The rolling would be negligible unless you are sailing in really rough seas and then it would most likely be everywhere.  Just depends how sensitive you are.

[jeb_bud]

We were recently on a Northern Europe cruise on Splendor.  We had booked in Cat E but were offered an upgrade to Penthouse.  We declined a Penthouse C for the same reason FengShui@sea recommended against it in this thread.  We loved the Penthouse B we did upgrade to and are on the waitlist for a Penthouse on our Grandeur Panama Canal cruise in January, 2024.

 

I'm still concerned about the steel balcony front on 700, 800 and 900 but I am intrigued by the idea of having a front-facing balcony for the canal transit.  These suites have not been reviewed in Suite Guru, and I could not find any reviews on YouTube either.

 

With that in mind, has anyone actually been in one of these cabins?  How does it compare layout wise with Penthouse B or A?

[Hearthosesteeldrumsplayin]

Hey, Jeb-bud, we are on that Grandeur sailing, too!  Fingers crossed for an upgrade, but looks like sold out, as we attempted to get friends on trip with us, but no staterooms available.

[Gilly]

We're also on the waitlist for the Grandeur Panama Canal January 2024!  Looks like it's a popular sailing, so just keeping everything crossed that when the time comes to pay the balance, a few people will change their minds.

[rcandkc]

We are on this cruise.  We had to waitlist for penthouse but are in a lesser category which I’m sure will be great too. I was surprised how quickly this cruise was filled. 

[lastchamp64]

It's so reassuring to see the positive comments on the suites on deck 14. I have the Miami to Miami 10 night Sunny Beaches and Emerald Forests booked for March 11th on the Splendor. I originally had a concierge suite booked but a few days later I upgraded to a penthouse suite and will be in #1406. I plan to surprise my wife since she doesn't know I changed it.

 

We are really novices to cruising with only a Carnival Cruise (don't flame me, we were in our 20's, LOL), and a couple of Disney cruises completed. Now that we are empty nesters, in our mid/late 50's our tastes and style of vacationing have changed. I am really looking forward to this cruise in March. 

[KAM72]

How do you get an upgrade on Regent? Our current voyage is not full so how do upgrades occur?

 

[flossie009]

13 hours ago, KAM72 said:

How do you get an upgrade on Regent?

Four ways that I am aware of (others may chime in with more options):

 

1. Simply ask for availability in a higher grade suite. If something is to your liking, book it. You will pay the higher price pertaining at the time that you upgrade.

 

2. Book a Guarantee in the lowest grade available that you would be happy with. You will be allocated a suite in that grade or higher. No certainty that you will get a higher grade than you paid for; no choice of suite location; and suite allocation maybe as late as check-in at the port.

 

3. If a cruise is over-sold in the lower grades you may be approached with an upgrade offer at a reduced price. You then have a short window of opportunity to decide whether the offer is acceptable.

 

4. If you are aware of a higher grade suite being available when you board the ship, ask if an upgrade “offer” is available.