Free Upgrades

[babs135]

With the introduction of bidding for an upgrade I was wondering whether free upgrades are a thing of the past or do they still exist?

[david63]

I think that they fall into the same category as "hen's teeth"☹️

[david,Mississauga]

For our QE Alaska cruise this summer we received an upgrade from a Q6 to a Q4. Unlike on the QM2, the Q4s "Penthouse" are no bigger than the Q5 and Q6, but we were assigned one midships which was handy for Mrs. David.  The couple at the table next to us had been upgraded to a Q3.

[Bell Boy]

4 hours ago, babs135 said:

With the introduction of bidding for an upgrade I was wondering whether free upgrades are a thing of the past or do they still exist?

The new concept of bidding for an upgrade is slightly different  from the occasional free upgrade . Free/involuntary up grades are usually only within the 'Same Category' - and yes thy are still around.

Often when we make a face to face booking we are asked if we agree to an upgrade - One needs to think twice before accepting the box to be ticked , whilst an upgrade maybe to midships or a higher deck , it could also be opposite the laundry, under the Lido  or a noisy Air-con / white space unit . 

If you are happy with the particular cabin you have selected - stay with it 😉

[Jack E Dawson]

7 hours ago, Bell Boy said:

Often when we make a face to face booking we are asked if we agree to an upgrade - One needs to think twice before accepting the box to be ticked

I couldn't agree with you more Bell Boy. However, we have always check the box for full category upgrade only. In August we were moved from Britannia unobstructed balcony to Britannia Club on the QE. Later we successfully bid on an upgrade to PG. 

Jack

[ExArkie]

On 11/29/2023 at 9:05 AM, david,Mississauga said:

For our QE Alaska cruise this summer we received an upgrade from a Q6 to a Q4. Unlike on the QM2, the Q4s "Penthouse" are no bigger than the Q5 and Q6, but we were assigned one midships which was handy for Mrs. David.  The couple at the table next to us had been upgraded to a Q3.

Is this correct, that the Q4 suites on QE are the same size as the Q6? The information I have says Q4 is 45 square meters (484 square feet) and the Q6 is 49 square meters (504 square feet). That’s not a lot of difference and probably not discernible onboard, being a size difference of roughly an additional love seat, but the sizes are not quite the same. 
 

QM2 is a significant difference: Q6 is 36 square meters (388 square feet) and Q4 is 55 square meters (588 square feet), or a difference roughly equal to the size of an ocean view cabin on QM2.

[david,Mississauga]

4 minutes ago, ExArkie said:

Is this correct, that the Q4 suites on QE are the same size as the Q6? The information I have says Q4 is 45 square meters (484 square feet) and the Q6 is 49 square meters (504 square feet). That’s not a lot of difference and probably not discernible onboard, being a size difference of roughly an additional love seat, but the sizes are not quite the same. 
 

QM2 is a significant difference: Q6 is 36 square meters (388 square feet) and Q4 is 55 square meters (588 square feet), or a difference roughly equal to the size of an ocean view cabin on QM2.

 

I should have said "roughly" the same because we haven't been in a Q6 to take our own measurements.  There have been postings on this forum and Youtube from people who have been in both. Some say the Q4s on the Vistas are actually smaller than the Q5 and Q6.

 

While we are always pleased to receive an upgrade we were at first disappointed because we were looking forward to having a Q6 stateroom at the stern. But the proximity of our Q4 to the B lifts pleased my wife very much. We also liked the partial divider between the bedroom and lounge halves and also the divided  bathroom.  

[exlondoner]

35 minutes ago, ExArkie said:

Is this correct, that the Q4 suites on QE are the same size as the Q6? The information I have says Q4 is 45 square meters (484 square feet) and the Q6 is 49 square meters (504 square feet). That’s not a lot of difference and probably not discernible onboard, being a size difference of roughly an additional love seat, but the sizes are not quite the same. 
 

QM2 is a significant difference: Q6 is 36 square meters (388 square feet) and Q4 is 55 square meters (588 square feet), or a difference roughly equal to the size of an ocean view cabin on QM2.

In fact, the Q6s seem to have much more space to me, because they don’t have the huge bar unit thing getting in the way. On QM2, the Q5/6s are 500+ sq ft in the last brochure I checked.

 

[majortom10]

My advice is don't go for a Q5/6 on deck 4. We had booked a P2 on deck 6 and bid for an upgrade which was unfortunately accepted. The food on QG has been exceptional but corner aft suite is very noisy and not being a great sleeper is causing problems.

[BigMac1953]

We often take Q5's on Deck 8 at the stern. They are much bigger than Q4's, also have a 3 seater sofa and 2 armchairs.

 

Right now, we are in a Q3 with a 2 seater sofa and no armchairs.

[Wagtail adventures]

10 hours ago, majortom10 said:

My advice is don't go for a Q5/6 on deck 4. We had booked a P2 on deck 6 and bid for an upgrade which was unfortunately accepted. The food on QG has been exceptional but corner aft suite is very noisy and not being a great sleeper is causing problems.

In what way is it noisy Majortom10?

[ExArkie]

21 hours ago, david,Mississauga said:

 

I should have said "roughly" the same because we haven't been in a Q6 to take our own measurements.  There have been postings on this forum and Youtube from people who have been in both. Some say the Q4s on the Vistas are actually smaller than the Q5 and Q6.

 

While we are always pleased to receive an upgrade we were at first disappointed because we were looking forward to having a Q6 stateroom at the stern. But the proximity of our Q4 to the B lifts pleased my wife very much. We also liked the partial divider between the bedroom and lounge halves and also the divided  bathroom.  

Thanks for clarifying. I haven't been in QG in any category on QE and the one time I was in QG on QV was before they remodeled the ship and added the cabins aft. So, perpetual confusion appears to be my natural state on anything regarding QG on those two ships.

[david,Mississauga]

I recall reading a few years ago that  the current Q3s and Q4s on the QV were originally Q5 and Q6. The reason for switching the classification was complaints about the noise and movement experienced in those suites at the stern.  I'm not sure what the classifications were on the newer QE as our previous cruises were in Britannia or PG.

 

A Google search led me to this:

 

 

[majortom10]

7 hours ago, Wagtail adventures said:

In what way is it noisy Majortom10?

Engine noise and vibration

[seasickphil]

3 hours ago, majortom10 said:

Engine noise and vibration

I have to agree, we came off QE recently, suite 4195 and will not be booking that again for that very reason, we have been in the aft suites on QV [though can't remember on which deck we were on] but can not remember experiencing any issues  For me it will be back to midship Q3's in future when on QE.