Free upgrade to balcony promo clarification?

[thespartyof3]

Can someone explain this promo to me?

It sounds too good to be true and I’ve got 2 different answers from MSC Canada

 

Booking my parents on Divina in Dec 2022 with the “free balcony upgrade + OBC”

 

They want a suite with a balcony… there’s only 1 in Aurea showing available but it’s a suite with large windows (no balcony). No other Aurea rooms available. 
 

If I book it, the next available room is a balcony but in Yacht Club? … is that what they would receive? 

 

One rep at MSC says yes. 
Another rep said no… just a regular balcony. The regular balcony is downgrade though, making this promo useless? (Unless something opens up in Aurea suites)

 

Final payment is due in 2 weeks… with this promo when do you find out the cabin assignment? 

 

 

[Selion]

First thing you need to do is to pay no attention to all marketing fluff.  "Free upgrade to balcony" only means ocean view rooms are priced the same as the cheapest balcony rooms.  You are not getting any actual category upgrades without shelling extra cash.

 

In regards to suites... The Aurea sealed window suites have no balcony (front of the ship), but a larger cabin compared to Yacht Club Deluxe Suite cabin (category YC1).  YC1 is more like a mini-suite on other lines, but the extra money buys you a ship-within-a-ship and almost an all-inclusive experience.

 

If they don't want to spend YC level of money and really wants a balcony, then book them into an Aurea balcony cabin.  They still have the same access as Aurea sealed window suite (it's based on the Aurea experience level) and have a balcony.

Edited September 14, 2022 by Selion

[HipHipOnAShip]

2 hours ago, thespartyof3 said:

Can someone explain this promo to me?

It sounds too good to be true and I’ve got 2 different answers from MSC Canada

 

Booking my parents on Divina in Dec 2022 with the “free balcony upgrade + OBC”

 

They want a suite with a balcony… there’s only 1 in Aurea showing available but it’s a suite with large windows (no balcony). No other Aurea rooms available. 
 

If I book it, the next available room is a balcony but in Yacht Club? … is that what they would receive? 

 

One rep at MSC says yes. 
Another rep said no… just a regular balcony. The regular balcony is downgrade though, making this promo useless? (Unless something opens up in Aurea suites)

 

Final payment is due in 2 weeks… with this promo when do you find out the cabin assignment? 

 

Welcome! First of all MANY MSC reps have no clue what they are talking about, unfortunately.

 

There is no such thing as a promotional upgrade from Aurea to YC. It is correct; you can get a "regular" balcony for the price of Oceanview. This promo has no impact on Aurea.  

 

since the Aurea benefits have been significantly reduced as of late, they might be better off with a "regular" balcony at Oceanview prices.