Fair upgrade price?

[Cruisin'allovertheworld]

Hi,

 

Currently booked on the Koningsdam in 4088 (an obstructed view balcony) and have the opportunity to go to an unknown Visa suite for $600AUD (a little under $400 US dollars). We are booked on the 8th-15th sailing of the 7 night Alaska cruise.

 

Is this a good deal?

What are the differences between the two rooms, aside from the obvious lack of obstructed view?

 

Thanks.

[dobiemom]

$600AUD per person or total? 

[CafeBruno]

If the upgrade cost is 600AUD in total, then I believe its a very good deal. If that's the upgrade price per person, it probably wouldn't be worth it for me. 

 

The Vista will be noticeably larger, but the best feature is that you will have a great view of the scenery from your room and from your balcony, as the Vista's are all in great locations and completely unobstructed views. With the obstructed view balcony, its unlikely you will be able to see much of anything from your balcony except the lifeboat that's blocking your view of the scenery, which is a big , big drawback in Alaska in my opinion.

 

Another feature of the Vistas is that you get double Mariner points, which HAL calls their "suite bonus". 

 

Good luck and enjoy your cruise.  

[Cruisin'allovertheworld]

Sorry I should have said $400 US per person.

[Haljo1935]

$400 US per person to me is a fair price. While you may not know the location, you do know it will be a clear, unobstructed view; in AK that's important. 

Were it a different itinerary (such as Caribbean),  I'd respond differently. 

Safe travels  - enjoy your cruise!

[erdufylla]

54 minutes ago, CafeBruno said:

Another feature of the Vistas is that you get double Mariner points, which HAL calls their "suite bonus".

I could genuinely be mistaken about this, but isn’t that only true when you book a suite initially, not take a reduced-rate upgrade?

[Chinook Wind]

Erdufylla is correct.  We took the upgrade thinking that we'd get double points but no, it doesn't work that way.  So if this is one of the factors that you're thinking would make the upgrade worth it, then you might want to reconsider.

[crystalspin]

2 hours ago, Cruisin'allovertheworld said:

What are the differences between the two rooms, aside from the obvious lack of obstructed view?

Here is a video of a partially obstructed verandah, three doors forward of yours -- your furniture arrangement would be mirror-image right to left. But the obstructed-ness is very similar. Note the loveseat and desk are next to the balcony door.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9oxGdys9B0

 

Here's one of a Vista Suite that happens to be eight doors aft of your PO Verandah. The "social" area of loveseat and desk are toward the hallway/bathroom etc.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qxz0DyJj-q4

 

We stayed in a Vista Suite bought at rack-rate, to use up FCC that was due to expire AND double our Mariner points. We are hooked and booked in the same cabin for our next cruise. That said, they aren't that much bigger, and US$800 could buy you stuff to do off the ship, like whale-watching!

[Florida_gal_50]

I’d be hard pressed to take that upgrade unless the view is worth that much.  I was on a two week cruise.  For the first week I had a room with a large balcony.  The second week I took an upgrade to a vista suite over the wake on the 4th floor.  The room was marginally bigger but when I saw the balcony I wondered where the rest of it was.  There was a ton of vibration too.  I’d had a cabin on the wake before and it wasn’t like that.  This was on the koningsdam.  The only way I’d do that upgrade again was if it was free.  You should be able to pick your cabin in the case of an upsell.

[VMax1700]

I would stay in the VH as there is very little difference (apart from layout of bed) in a Vista vs VH.  You do not get double mariner points and the room you already have is as midships as the vistas are.  Only the view downwards is obstructed.

Unless of course, you are offered a Aft  view Vista.

[DaveOKC]

IMO, I would instead purchase a Club Orange program.  Cost $175 pp and you get to upgrade to the best available Veranda (V category) cabin which you choose, plus all the other CO perks such as getting to dine in the CO dining venue.  Of course check out the available V cabins before you do this.

The Verandah cabins are just a bit smaller than the Vistas, so you will not be giving up much.

[Haljo1935]

8 hours ago, erdufylla said:

I could genuinely be mistaken about this, but isn’t that only true when you book a suite initially, not take a reduced-rate upgrade?

That's been my understanding as well, so interested in knowing if it's different. 

[Haljo1935]

50 minutes ago, DaveOKC said:

IMO, I would instead purchase a Club Orange program.  Cost $175 pp and you get to upgrade to the best available Veranda (V category) cabin which you choose, plus all the other CO perks such as getting to dine in the CO dining venue.  Of course check out the available V cabins before you do this.

The Verandah cabins are just a bit smaller than the Vistas, so you will not be giving up much.

I didn't consider CO since OP asked about an upsell, but you are correct that it's less expensive and a better value if the cabin they want is available and if they're (Team CO) is willing to redo it. I'm all about an unobstructed balcony as I tend to live on the balcony when not in port. It's such a personal, subjective choice.

Edited June 29, 2023 by Haljo1935
Typo

[FlaMariner]

Our experience once with moving up to a vista suite from VH was that we could hardly tell the difference.....and was not worth any extra $$$. 

 

For us, an upgrade for extra $$$ means a Signature Suite or higher.....

 

We would enjoy the VH and not take a vista....But ask about a paid upgrade to Signature. 

 

 

[Cruisin'allovertheworld]

Hi all, OP here.

Thank you for all the responses.

I hadn't even thought of Club Orange but I plan on looking into it today and seeing if it is possible.

 

It would be an upgrade paid to the company I purchased the cruise through (called luxury escapes) so I will need to ring them to see if they offer that and the price etc.

In terms of 'perks', loyalty etc I'm not fussed- I've also cruised with Royal Caribbean and will soon be cruising on Cunard. We as a family do not cruise often enough (about every 2 years from 5-10ish nights, in a balcony or below cabin) to make pursuing loyalty with a specific line worthwhile.

I love cruising and we all enjoy it but our family does a significantly more of our travel independently and land-based and there is no plan for that to change.

[kazu]

8 hours ago, Haljo1935 said:

That's been my understanding as well, so interested in knowing if it's different. 

 

That’s totally correct.  there are not double mariner points on an upsell.  Unless of course, you were already in a cabin with the word ‘suite’ in it (ie upsell from Vista to Signature).