How is the bidding system doing? Any comments?

[HiCCCs]

On 10/21/2023 at 3:47 PM, Cruisintimer said:

Enjoy your B2B!  🥳

So far so good!!!  It was a sunny and spectacular Sydney sail-away.....but it's grey and feels like early winter (back home) here in Melbourne!!!

 

Received my email notice last night that my upgrade bid didn't win!  So glad....I'm happy not to pack up and have to move.  

[HiCCCs]

On 10/21/2023 at 11:02 PM, Bollycats said:

I didn't do a bid yet but I did put a request for a wait list for a club class mini suite on our 7-day cruise next month. We are in a forward mini suite now so club class is the next step up. The waitlist confirmed and they want an extra $4,100 for it. That's crazy! Now I'm wondering if I bid, where should I bid on the scale since this category of cabins seems ultra expensive?

Don't bid $4K-that's for sure!!!  

[1cruiselvr]

40 minutes ago, HiCCCs said:

Don't bid $4K-that's for sure!!!  

When you see the sliding scale in the upgrade offer email, place a bid you are comfortable with and wait and see what happens. 

[Cruisintimer]

On 10/20/2023 at 7:42 PM, photomikey said:

People keep saying they heard at 30 days out - I'm 30 days out today, no one on our roll call has heard - and it's k-i-l-l-i-n-g meeeeee.

I heard about 10 days out last time.  Good luck!

[Cruisintimer]

58 minutes ago, HiCCCs said:

So far so good!!!  It was a sunny and spectacular Sydney sail-away.....but it's grey and feels like early winter (back home) here in Melbourne!!!

 

Received my email notice last night that my upgrade bid didn't win!  So glad....I'm happy not to pack up and have to move.  

You have a great attitude, I noticed that when you posted previously and said, "At least I am on a cruise".  Enjoy every moment and agree moving rooms would have been a hassle even though they assist you.  We are still waiting to hear back on our most recent bid but either way I have planned to adopt your attitude!  🙂

 

Happy Sailing!

[Amy G]

I was on chat with Princess today for way too long asking why I can't place a bid yet for our cruise in December (the cruise is 58 days away and is a 4-night cruise)).  He just said that some cruises don't offer upgrades... Super frustrating because there are a lot of cabins left in all categories, so I hope they open it up soon.

 

 

[Cruisintimer]

3 minutes ago, Amy G said:

I was on chat with Princess today for way too long asking why I can't place a bid yet for our cruise in December (the cruise is 58 days away and is a 4-night cruise)).  He just said that some cruises don't offer upgrades... Super frustrating because there are a lot of cabins left in all categories, so I hope they open it up soon.

 

 

You tried on princess.com right?  Hope it works out for you.

[jwattle]

17 minutes ago, Amy G said:

I was on chat with Princess today for way too long asking why I can't place a bid yet for our cruise in December (the cruise is 58 days away and is a 4-night cruise)).  He just said that some cruises don't offer upgrades... Super frustrating because there are a lot of cabins left in all categories, so I hope they open it up soon.

 

 

Are you using a TA? Some of them, esp Big Box, do not participate...

[Amy G]

20 minutes ago, Cruisintimer said:

You tried on princess.com right?  Hope it works out for you.

Yes, daily since the window should have opened.  😞

[Amy G]

7 minutes ago, jwattle said:

Are you using a TA? Some of them, esp Big Box, do not participate...

I booked through Princess directly, so I am not sure what is going on. 

[HiCCCs]

1 hour ago, Amy G said:

I was on chat with Princess today for way too long asking why I can't place a bid yet for our cruise in December (the cruise is 58 days away and is a 4-night cruise)).  He just said that some cruises don't offer upgrades... Super frustrating because there are a lot of cabins left in all categories, so I hope they open it up soon.

 

 

That's good information to receive. I wonder what the thought is behind why some sailings have upgrade bidding and some do not....especially if there is availability.

[trbarton]

1 hour ago, Amy G said:

I was on chat with Princess today for way too long asking why I can't place a bid yet for our cruise in December (the cruise is 58 days away and is a 4-night cruise)).  He just said that some cruises don't offer upgrades... Super frustrating because there are a lot of cabins left in all categories, so I hope they open it up soon.

 

 

Suggestion that once you’re on the ship upon boarding go to the PSD & ask. I suggest that you bring a list of the staterooms that you’re interested in. 
 

Tom😀

[Amy G]

3 minutes ago, trbarton said:

Suggestion that once you’re on the ship upon boarding go to the PSD & ask. I suggest that you bring a list of the staterooms that you’re interested in. 
 

Tom😀

Great idea to bring a list!

[1cruiselvr]

2 hours ago, Amy G said:

I was on chat with Princess today for way too long asking why I can't place a bid yet for our cruise in December (the cruise is 58 days away and is a 4-night cruise)).  He just said that some cruises don't offer upgrades... Super frustrating because there are a lot of cabins left in all categories, so I hope they open it up soon.

 

 

I was once told it was only offered on 7 day plus cruises. Don't know if that's true. 

[1cruiselvr]

27 minutes ago, Amy G said:

Great idea to bring a list!

Forget that. They don't offer deals onboard. If they have cabins available they will want full market price difference. No deals. I know, We've tried. 

[Amy G]

Just now, 1cruiselvr said:

I was once told it was only offered on 7 day plus cruises. Don't know if that's true. 

Interesting!  Their chart says that cruises less than 7 days can be bid on 70 days before departure.  But, that would make sense why I can't bid.

[Amy G]

Just now, 1cruiselvr said:

Forget that. They don't offer deals onboard. If they have cabins available they will want full market price difference. No deals. I know, We've tried. 

Bummer.  I am fully paid, can I reach out to Princess and upgrade without losing my OBC?

[1cruiselvr]

2 hours ago, jwattle said:

Are you using a TA? Some of them, esp Big Box, do not participate...

That's not true. The upgrade offer email goes directly to the consumer. If you don't get it you can try on the Princess website. Big box TAs have nothing to do with this new bidding process. 

[1cruiselvr]

2 minutes ago, Amy G said:

Bummer.  I am fully paid, can I reach out to Princess and upgrade without losing my OBC?

I would think so. No harm in asking. Good luck!

[SCX22]

7 minutes ago, 1cruiselvr said:

Big box TAs have nothing to do with this new bidding process. 

 

Unless there is a glitch with Princess, the big box TA does not participate in any bid to upgrade programs with any cruise line that they make bookings for.  It's written in black and white in the Help Center section of their website.

[1cruiselvr]

1 hour ago, SCX22 said:

 

Edited October 23, 2023 by 1cruiselvr
Mistake

[1cruiselvr]

Just now, 1cruiselvr said:

1 hour ago, SCX22 said:

 

Unless there is a glitch with Princess, the big box TA does not participate in any bid to upgrade programs with any cruise line that they make bookings for.  It's written in black and white in the Help Center section of their website.

That’s right. They are not involved. It’s Princess communicating directly to the cruiser. Buying from a big box online company does not impact your bidding opportunities. 

[SCX22]

11 minutes ago, 1cruiselvr said:

That’s right. They are not involved. It’s Princess communicating directly to the cruiser. Buying from a big box online company does not impact your bidding opportunities. 

 

By booking with the big box TA, your booking becomes ineligible for any cruise line's  bid to upgrade program.  The cruise line however, can upgrade you at their discretion as they see fit (comped upgrade) or you can pay the full difference in the fare to upgrade to a higher category.  You just can't participate in the bid to upgrade programs.  I was told this was to preserve their commission.  With bid to upgrade programs, the TA doesn't get the commission for the upgrade; their commission is pegged to the original category that was booked, so the TA loses money.

 

It's even disclosed on Princess' Bid to Upgrade FAQs that some TA's have elected to not have bookings made through them eligible for the program.

 

 

[jwattle]

8 hours ago, 1cruiselvr said:

That’s right. They are not involved. It’s Princess communicating directly to the cruiser. Buying from a big box online company does not impact your bidding opportunities. 

You are incorrect, I am a TA. SCX22 is correct. If you are booked through a TA who does not participate and you try to bid, you will get this response: This reservation is not eligible for Princess Upgrade

[antmaril]

I wonder if someone can answer a quick question for me.  I received the email offering upgrade opportunities for a Caribbean cruise we are taking in January on the Sky,   I am considering placing a bid on a Club Class Mini (we are in a mini now).  They also offer a Forward Facing CC Mini, which I do NOT want (the minimum bid is lower for this cabin).  If I bid ONLY on the CC Mini, is there any chance they would put us in a Forward Facing CC mini?   
 

TIA 😁