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How is the bidding system doing? Any comments?

Bwana Tom

By Bwana Tom,
in Princess Cruises

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PacnGoNow Holiday Sharing Rare

PacnGoNow

Posted
Posted
7 hours ago, cruzsnooze said:

In the FAQ'S this is question number one

 

  1. How do I check whether my cruise is eligible for Princess Upgrade?
    You should receive an email invitation after all eligibility requirements are met and have opted-in to receive marketing emails from Princess. If you meet all the eligibility requirements but still cannot access the bidding site, please check with your travel advisor as a small number of travel agencies have elected to limit access partially or fully to this program.

 

I have a booking with a big box agency and wonder if they will have access. They never passed on upgrade offers in the past so I wonder about passing this along. 

Ask the agency, the should be able to tell you.

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suzyed

suzyed

Posted
Posted
6 hours ago, caribill said:

Before the bidding, before the offers that arrived to upgrade for a fee, Princess often gave out free upgrades.

 

For some reason, many customers decided random "free" is not good enough and practically begged for Princess to offer upgrades for a fee. This of course ended up with Princess giving out significantly less free upgrades.

 

And now, with the bidding system, customers are in a frenzy to want to pay Princess even more $$$ to upgrade, likely at pricing higher than when Princess sent out the upgrade for $$$ E-mails. (Possibly in some cases higher than if the customer had booked that upgraded cabin in the first place.) This should mean even fewer free upgrades.

 

I do not understand the thinking that paying more $$$ to Princess is better than getting the random free upgrades that used to be given.

 

But as long as customers insist on paying more $$$ to upgrade, Princess has less reason to give out what used to be free.

That's great but I never got a random free upgrade that was worth anything....ex. Balcony "upgrade" to higher in category cabin in lousy locations where I always make them switch back.  I got upsell offers for ridiculous prices. I have also "talked" them into upgrading on a few occasions.
It's not like there were commonly random free upgrades, at least not to us. 

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suzyed

suzyed

Posted
Posted (edited)
22 hours ago, vjmatty said:

 

I will call later today when I get out of work.... I have been getting the other emails though and my husband has also, just not the Bidding email which makes me think there is some kind of eligibility selection process.  Also no one on our sold-out sailing has received it either, although our roll call is very small and there is no dedicated FB page.

There is an eligibility process, but we don't know what it is or how it works exactly.  Our sailing has been "unavailable" for quite some time and I was told it was sold out. I got the offer.

Edited by suzyed
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Bwana Tom

Bwana Tom

Posted
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Upon booking if anyone marked their cruise that they would accept an upgrade offer and has received a free upgrade now that the bidding program has begun. I must assume that will not happen now, but who knows. Please just let us all know if it should happen. I hate to think that that the free upgrades have completely ended.

Thanks  

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PRINCESS Sweet Pea

PRINCESS Sweet Pea

Posted
Posted

It sounds like Princess, as final payment nears, decides which sailings and categories have availability to offer these bids to upgrade.   I would think that certain categories on certain cruises would be picked.  This would all depend on bookings and availability in the categories above the one booked.   And, I am thinking that the cruise being unavailable or considered to be sold out does not matter. Because it looks like Princess has limited bookings on some ships because of staffing and supply chain issues.  It might to mean that all cabins are sold out.   So, if this is true, then a cruise that is not available any longer, but has a limited number of bookings on the ship, would actually have a lot of cabins to upgrade to.  And this would be a way for Princess to increase the booking revenues on the sailing.

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jagoffee

jagoffee

Posted
Posted (edited)
On 9/11/2022 at 12:29 PM, Wishing on a star said:

The thing is, even if it is possible to make an equal cabin change,  if they don't notify until the very last minute, the chances of any 'desirable' location being available is very very slim!  I am picky about location. So, bidding might not be the thing for me!

I believe you are correct, bidding would not be for you,  If you would not be happy in any cabin location in your bid category.  It may be possible that you could switch, but it is not assured.  Not worth the risk for you based on what you state.

Edited by jagoffee
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suzyed

suzyed

Posted
Posted
21 hours ago, PRINCESS Sweet Pea said:

It sounds like Princess, as final payment nears, decides which sailings and categories have availability to offer these bids to upgrade.   I would think that certain categories on certain cruises would be picked.  This would all depend on bookings and availability in the categories above the one booked.   And, I am thinking that the cruise being unavailable or considered to be sold out does not matter. Because it looks like Princess has limited bookings on some ships because of staffing and supply chain issues.  It might to mean that all cabins are sold out.   So, if this is true, then a cruise that is not available any longer, but has a limited number of bookings on the ship, would actually have a lot of cabins to upgrade to.  And this would be a way for Princess to increase the booking revenues on the sailing.

Hope you're right!

 

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Bwana Tom

Bwana Tom

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21 minutes ago, caligirlfashionista said:

The upgrade fairy is still granting upgrades 😃😃😃 I was upgraded  from a standard balcony to a deluxe, same floor midship ❤️❤️❤️ 
 

 

Free 

Absolutely great news for you! Congratulations! Might I ask, which cruise are you on and the date of departure.

Thanks 

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cr8tiv1 Holiday Sharing Rare

cr8tiv1

Posted
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I'm still waiting to hear from someone who put in a bid, how much, what was the upgrade, etc.  I've glanced through the 10 pages and it doesn't seem as if anyone has received confirmation from Princess that their bid has been executed.  Just curious

 

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RKSue

RKSue

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, caligirlfashionista said:

The upgrade fairy is still granting upgrades 😃😃😃 I was upgraded  from a standard balcony to a deluxe, same floor midship ❤️❤️❤️ 
 

 

Free 

You go girl. I’m glad to hear the good news. I’m wishing we could get the upgrade fairy for Mom. She is going to be 94 just before sailing. I’m thinking since I already placed a bid they might have the fairy pass us by. 😇😎

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voljeep

voljeep

Posted
Posted (edited)
31 minutes ago, cr8tiv1 said:

I'm still waiting to hear from someone who put in a bid, how much, what was the upgrade, etc.  I've glanced through the 10 pages and it doesn't seem as if anyone has received confirmation from Princess that their bid has been executed.  Just curious

 

I just got a 'bid upgrade email' - 5 days after final - spot on as per the website - I'll evaluate and report back ... CB, little 5 day at the end of Nov - we are currently in a deluxe balcony, our cat is "sold out" - but the email includes mini's, CC mini's, window suites, vista suites, premium suites, penthouse suites, and aft facing PH suites ...

 

a CC mini upgrade would be about $200 pp less than the current website pricing

a PH aft upgrade would be about $655 pp less than the current website pricing

 

any upgrade accepted would be subject to 8% increase in "AON insurance"

 

the Aft PH suite upgrade starts at $685 pp ($137 pd)

the CC mini starts at $120 pp ($24 pd)

Edited by voljeep
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Steelers36

Steelers36

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, caligirlfashionista said:

The upgrade fairy is still granting upgrades 😃😃😃 I was upgraded  from a standard balcony to a deluxe, same floor midship ❤️❤️❤️ 
 

 

Free 

 

1 hour ago, caligirlfashionista said:

May 6 2023 Caribbean princess 

That's nice.  Did you book the original cabin specifically, or was it a GTY booking?

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cr8tiv1 Holiday Sharing Rare

cr8tiv1

Posted
Posted (edited)
25 minutes ago, voljeep said:

I just got a 'bid upgrade email' - 5 days after final - spot on as per the website - I'll evaluate and report back ... CB, little 5 day at the end of Nov - we are currently in a deluxe balcony, our cat is "sold out" - but the email includes mini's, CC mini's, window suites, vista suites, premium suites, penthouse suites, and aft facing PH suites ...

 

a CC mini upgrade would be about $200 pp less than the current website pricing

a PH aft upgrade would be about $655 pp less than the current website pricing

 

any upgrade accepted would be subject to 8% increase in "AON insurance"

 

the Aft PH suite upgrade starts at $685 pp ($137 pd)

the CC mini starts at $120 pp ($24 pd)

 

Your Window Suite bid should not be much more than a Club Class Mini (or even less)...with a whole lot of perks more.  For 5 days, I'd spring for a WS, even if it has to be F301.  Trust me, you will not miss your balcony.

 

Thanks for your reply, but looking for someone that actually "won" a bid.  

 

 

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voljeep

voljeep

Posted
Posted (edited)
6 minutes ago, cr8tiv1 said:

 

Your Window Suite bid should not be much more than a Club Class Mini (or even less)...with a whole lot of perks more.  For 5 days, I'd spring for a WS, even if it has to be F301.  Trust me, you will not miss your balcony.

 

 

"WE" would definitely miss the balcony, sorry ...

 

the difference in a window suite and a vista suite is $300 pp - $60pp pd for the balcony

 

based on "minimum bids"

Edited by voljeep
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dreaminofcruisin

dreaminofcruisin

Posted
Posted
28 minutes ago, cali-croozer said:

How close to sailing did you find out 

 

I got a free 'upgrade' this week also. Mine was from a balcony to a higher category balcony. I didn't consider it an upgrade and had to call and have them move me back, which they did. The person I talked to was surprised they hadn't asked before they moved me. I called within 8 hours of receiving the email, but she had a bit of difficulty since my original cabin was 'taken'. She had to talk to a supervisor and fill out (an online) form to move me back. I did receive an email from Princess within an hour after I hung up the phone that I had been moved back.....

 

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suzyed

suzyed

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

I'm still waiting to hear from someone who put in a bid, how much, what was the upgrade, etc.  I've glanced through the 10 pages and it doesn't seem as if anyone has received confirmation from Princess that their bid has been executed.  Just curious

 

I am too.   Hope they let us know when/if they have had their bid accepted.

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