How is the bidding system doing? Any comments?

[BargainMan]

On 12/30/2022 at 11:07 PM, BargainMan said:

I am offered an upgrade bid on deluxe balcony and premium deluxe balcony on Royal Princess. On going to Princess website I could see only balcony and deluxe balcony categories. Has anyone bid and won the Premium Deluxe Balconies? I have a BB balcony now and wondering is it worth to even bid the minimum of $80 pp for a 10day cruise.

My upgrade page with my bid from balcony BB to club class mini disappeared with no response or email or counteroffer from princess. As of today our sailing shows many cabins available including CC mini suites. Dont know how they decide.  

[BargainMan]

How late have you got an upgrade offer from Princess? Has anyone got anything onboard on embarkation day?

[jagoffee]

3 hours ago, BargainMan said:

My upgrade page with my bid from balcony BB to club class mini disappeared with no response or email or counteroffer from princess. As of today our sailing shows many cabins available including CC mini suites. Dont know how they decide.  

I suspect you may not have actually successfully submitted a bid.  You way want to try again.

[BargainMan]

2 hours ago, jagoffee said:

I suspect you may not have actually successfully submitted a bid.  You way want to try again.

My bid amount was showing up when the page was up. Then suddenly the page disappeared! I think an outside agency is managing the bid upgrades. 

[Cruisindad]

8 hours ago, BargainMan said:

My bid amount was showing up when the page was up. Then suddenly the page disappeared! I think an outside agency is managing the bid upgrades. 

I have had a similar experience as yours.  I bid on an upgrade from an obstructed balcony to a premium deluxe balcony when upgrade bidding for my sailing was first opened.

I watched it stay in pending status for about two months, then, yesterday, with 10 days until sailing, the bid disappeared, with no other acknowledgement from Princess.  Presumably my bid was declined, although there are cabins in this category still available and one can still book this category as a new booking.  I also bid above the minimum, but only bid on this one category of upgrade.

[cruiser113]

14 hours ago, BargainMan said:

How late have you got an upgrade offer from Princess? Has anyone got anything onboard on embarkation day?

received  that  my upgrade  bid  was  accepted 3  days before cruise  for  December 2022  sailing

[modem9]

On 9/24/2022 at 2:38 PM, Coral said:

That is great.

I know this is a few months old but I would like to share my experience with bidding for an upgrade when in an accessible cabin.  

On my next sailing, we are in an inside accessible cabin.  There have been several balcony accessible cabins available and today, just 11 days before sailing there are still 2 of those available.  

Today I talked to Princess about bidding for an upgrade to only an accessible cabin.  They said that is not available, the system would only offer a balcony cabin, not an accessible one.  In reality, someone in a standard cabin with an accepted bid might end up in the accessible cabin if that is the best available even though they are not in need of it.

I was also unsuccessful in getting any type of accessible accomodation.  The only offer they would make is upgrade at the full price.  I know they are not obligated to offer anything but this close to sailing, it was hoped they could come up with something.  Not to be.

I did not find Princess to be very accommodating for the accessible cabin folks like they are for anyone not in an accessible cabin.  And yes, I did also try directly with the Princess accessibility office.

[Coral]

2 hours ago, modem9 said:

I know this is a few months old but I would like to share my experience with bidding for an upgrade when in an accessible cabin.  

On my next sailing, we are in an inside accessible cabin.  There have been several balcony accessible cabins available and today, just 11 days before sailing there are still 2 of those available.  

Today I talked to Princess about bidding for an upgrade to only an accessible cabin.  They said that is not available, the system would only offer a balcony cabin, not an accessible one.  In reality, someone in a standard cabin with an accepted bid might end up in the accessible cabin if that is the best available even though they are not in need of it.

I was also unsuccessful in getting any type of accessible accomodation.  The only offer they would make is upgrade at the full price.  I know they are not obligated to offer anything but this close to sailing, it was hoped they could come up with something.  Not to be.

I did not find Princess to be very accommodating for the accessible cabin folks like they are for anyone not in an accessible cabin.  And yes, I did also try directly with the Princess accessibility office.

I am sorry. I am not surprised actually. This is how I expected it to work, sadly.

 

Their computer systems are not setup to upgrade accessible to accessible cabins. It has never worked well.

 

 

[jagoffee]

On 1/5/2023 at 12:24 AM, BargainMan said:

My bid amount was showing up when the page was up. Then suddenly the page disappeared! I think an outside agency is managing the bid upgrades. 

Did you say that you did not receive an email from Princess after you tried to make your bid?  I received an e mail when I submitted my bid and when I modified the bid.

 

if you did not receive an initial email, I suggest you resubmit your bid.

Edited January 6, 2023 by jagoffee

[mizzoufinal4]

Just went from Interior to Premium Deluxe Balcony for the minimum bid!

[symui]

On 1/4/2023 at 5:26 AM, Princessfan20 said:

We are booked on a 10 day January cruise and had a Mini-Suite and bid on Club Class.  Received an email late last week from Princess saying a Club Class Mini Suite was not available but they offered us an upgrade to Penthouse Suite for the same price we had bid on getting Club Class.  We were surprised and happily took the upgrade.  Happy New Year Princess!!

 

Great news, enjoy the Suite !!

 

What range was your bid on the CC?  Min, med, Max.  Where is the sailing, Hawaii, Mexico, Caribbean, other?

[gottagocit]

Are you able to use OBC to pay if your bid is successful?

[happiness is cruising]

On 12/31/2022 at 6:23 AM, merryjewelhound said:

BargainMan, See my post above, We tried it just to see how it worked last voyage (we were pleased) but we were in the lowest cabins category available for the Caribbean. We didn't care where we were on the ship due to burning off credits before they expired. We have a March Hawaiian cruise where we are located Mid Obstructed Deluxe Balcony. I don't think we will bid (never say never). It would cost another (prices are each) $325 each for a mini-suite, $135 Premium Deluxe and $70 Deluxe Balcony. So the only one we would even look at is the Mini (we have never sailed in one)

Try bidding.. YOU HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE!!!

[happiness is cruising]

49 minutes ago, gottagocit said:

Are you able to use OBC to pay if your bid is successful?

No.. but you can use a FCC

[gottagocit]

36 minutes ago, happiness is cruising said:

No.. but you can use a FCC

Ok. Thanks. 

[suzyed]

3 hours ago, gottagocit said:

Are you able to use OBC to pay if your bid is successful?

Not sure but you can use Future Cruise Credits

Edited January 13, 2023 by suzyed

[PhotoFlo]

If you used FCC to book the cruise, then won a bid from inside to balcony, should you get the difference in OBC?  

[Shelly97060]

Just now, PhotoFlo said:

If you used FCC to book the cruise, then won a bid from inside to balcony, should you get the difference in OBC?  

Do you mean if you used a Future Cruise Deposit (FCD) do you get increased OBC for sailing in a higher cabin type?  If so, No.  The OBC does not change. 

[PhotoFlo]

13 minutes ago, Shelly97060 said:

Do you mean if you used a Future Cruise Deposit (FCD) do you get increased OBC for sailing in a higher cabin type?  If so, No.  The OBC does not change. 

Thank you! That is what I was asking. 

[bjscctx]

I just received the email that my bid was won for my upcoming ruby princess cruise on 2/5.  Was upgraded to S3 for $200 over minimum 

Edited January 13, 2023 by bjscctx

[shiner6]

Be aware. My sister and I had inside rooms next to each other on the Crown.  I bid $15 over minumum for Obstructed OV and was accepted. She bid $60 over minimum for obstructed OV and $200 for unobstucted OV and $945 for Balcony. The only winning bid was for the Balcony.  Needless to say--she declined! Do not place multiple bids all at once! 

[gottagocit]

5 minutes ago, shiner6 said:

She bid $60 over minimum for obstructed OV and $200 for unobstucted OV and $945 for Balcony. 

Do you mind sharing whether or not the $200 and $945 bids were some amount above the minimum? Also how many days long was your voyage?

We have a very similar situation with our existing bookings and final payment date is Monday so I’m trying to get ready for our potential bidding a few days from now. 
thanks 

[shiner6]

31 minutes ago, gottagocit said:

Do you mind sharing whether or not the $200 and $945 bids were some amount above the minimum? Also how many days long was your voyage?

We have a very similar situation with our existing bookings and final payment date is Monday so I’m trying to get ready for our potential bidding a few days from now. 
thanks 

Sure. The bids were : Minimum bid for balcony was $550 pp , but she is not cruise critic savy and had a few cocktails before she did this. I'm not sure about the minimum for OV, but she bid $200 pp. She bis $115 pp for Obs. OV.  I bid $70 pp for Obs OV.   Our trip was within a week of departure--so no hurry. Be aware they can place you anywhere. Oh yeah, Our trip is 15 days.  My personal preference would be to wait to bid, as it is not in your favor when many rooms are available early on.

Edited January 13, 2023 by shiner6
forgot something

[gottagocit]

53 minutes ago, shiner6 said:

Sure. The bids were : …

Thanks very much for sharing the insightful details. 
Chris 

[jagoffee]

1 hour ago, shiner6 said:

Be aware. My sister and I had inside rooms next to each other on the Crown.  I bid $15 over minumum for Obstructed OV and was accepted. She bid $60 over minimum for obstructed OV and $200 for unobstucted OV and $945 for Balcony. The only winning bid was for the Balcony.  Needless to say--she declined! Do not place multiple bids all at once! 

Why would you say that?  If she would not be pleased with a balcony for $945, why would she bid for it at all?  $63 a person for a balcony from an inside seems like a reasonable deal.

 

How did she decline?  Did she have that option or did she just not pay for it when billed?

 

Congratulations to you.

 

Obviously if you would not be pleased with by winning any of your bids, do not make the bid.

 

I wonder if they would allow her to submit another bid after defaulting on her winning bid?

 

Did she get her original cabin back?