Unexpected Upgrade??

[L.W.]

Has anyone ever booked with Royal Caribbean and recieved a free unexpected upgrade (with a booked cabin,not a guarantee)??....just wondering if this ever happens with RCC??....wishful thinking!!

[madforcruising]

I had it once out of 7 cruises. Got an Upgrade from Balcony to Junior Suite and had a assigned cabin booked. Did not get to know it until docs arrived.

[Margaritaville TX]

We was upgraded from a junior suite to a grand ocean suite last February on The Mariner of the Seas which was totally unexpected. We hope the same thing happens in October on The Navigator.

[London, Canada]

Yes, when the ship was not full in 2002 we moved up one grade, we were not even aware that we were upgraded, as this was our first cruise, but when we called Royal about other passengers from the same city going from an inside to a balcony we were advised that we too were upgraded...not much as we could see but at the time wished we had paid for an inside room and received a balcony like the others.

[Cruising Fan]

can you believe it.....17 cruises with RCCL (Diamond Members), never upgraded. Always had the balcony cabin we paid for!

 

 

 

Good luck

[MaryEBS]

Yes - we've been surprises a couple of times...first one from Category D to C and most recent JS to OS!

 

Always a nice surprise to get something for nothing.

[cruise wizard]

We were upgraded from a "D" to a "B" on a 12 day Mediterranean cruise last June on Brilliance. We found out when we did our pre-boarding documents over the internet. The cabin number changed, so I called RCCL and they said that we were upgraded - what a great surprise. We hope to get surprised again some day.

 

RCCL - Nordic Empress; Rhapsody; Grandeur; Radiance; Voyager; Explorer; Brillance

RCCL 2004 - Majesty (7/5) & Jewel (10/8)

[Judi Kozar]

Can you imagine our excitement when in 1997 at the time of check in the head registration clerk came to the desk when she heard our name as we checked in. I am a group leader of about 30 people who travel together. We had a nightmare of a year with lots of unexpected changes for our group....they changed the date of our cruise after we all planned vacations with employers...put half the group onto a different plane....reassigned room numbers from what we were quoted...and on and on and on.

 

Well, the head clerk said that she was waiting to meet with my husband and I!!! I almost jumped over the counter wanting to strangle her. My DH, who was calmer than I held me back.....she wanted to let us know that for all our troubles they have upgraded the group leader.....to the PRESIDENTIAL suite!!!! Top floor, two rooms, butler service, h'dorves and campaigne upon arrival, petite fours each night etc!!!! It was wonderful....we had all our group up for a sail away drink.

 

Got a little flack from some of the group that they alllllllll should have been upgraded. This was from some who have no idea the amount of work involved in scheduling everything and getting payments made etc.

 

But, if I had to do it over again...rather than the flack, I would turn down the upgrade. Not worth the aggravation of a select few!!!

 

Must tell you that this was with Costa Cruises.

 

We are sailing again on Sept 24, 2004, have purchased a Jr. suite and plan on keeping it that way...cruise pretty much sold out. As I stated upgrade for all or no one is the new rule.

[que sarah sarah]

The next cruise will be our 20 th with RCL (Diamond Members of C&A)in October on Brilliance of the Seas .Always get the cabin we have paid for .:confused:

[dreamscometrue2]

Last September on the Voyager we were pleasantly surprised that we had been upgraded to then a C to a B, now JS to GS. We went up to the desk to check in and they couldn't find our cabin key and after a few minutes of looking everywhere a supervisor told the clerk that we had been upgraded and that our key was being prepared and that we wait for it in the Platinum Lounge were they served us cookies adn juice. Great start to our already great vacation.:D

[Family of 14]

Never!:(

[plarimer]

We got an upgrade from a balcony to a suite on the Nordic Empress in 2003. We didn't find out till our key wouldn't work in the door that we thought we had booked. No one told us at the pier. The cabin steward let us in the room and I started to unpack while my husband went to the purser's desk to find out what the problem was. The dock personnel forgot to tell us when we checked in but told us that they had changed our cabin and if we didn't like it they would make some adjustments for us. Needless to say I was not happy as I was mostly unpacked by the time my husband returned - then I saw the brass placque on the door that said "suite." It was truly sweet. We could have had a party for 20 on our balcony!

 

We just got off the Brilliance and loved it, but unfortunately no upgrade this time. I love the Radiance class of ships.

[cruisecrasy]

Have had many myself (always took a guarantee and always upgraded) but not on my last 2 this year (have 1 more to go)...Anyone had one in the past couple of months? I believe they will be very few and far between in the future unless the cruise isn't sold out which will be rare as cruising becomes even more popular (demographics - people getting older) and the economy stays strong. Happy cruisin' all! :0)

[lilsalty]

LW

October 24 on Explorer will be my 5th cruise with RCCL and I have been upgraded every time. I am not sure if it's my TA who influences this or the fact that I book the trip over 12 mos. in advance. Not sure. Never had a suite.However now that I will be traveling solo, I'm sure the upgrades will stop. Cruise lines don't seem to take too kindly to single travelers. I pay the 200% rate and tip appropriately but not double.

[teddie]

We were booked on the Enchantment last September for a D cabin. About a month prior to sailing, and before we received our docs, I was checking my booking on the RCI website (for about the thousandth time), and was most happy to note that we were upgraded to a C! (now the JS).

 

We received priority boarding in Ft Lauderdale, the cabin was great, and so was the cruise.

 

It was only our second cruise with RCI--

 

teddie

[ss-sunset]

Last July we started out with an inside deck 8 cabin on the NOS. We were then upgraded to deck 9 inside and then right before our cruise we were upgraded to a dek 9 balcony. Our TA said it was his honeymoon gift to us.

[cruislovin]

We will be Diamond after next month's cruise and we have also NEVER been upgraded! Why does RCCL do these upgrades so inequitably? Sure not a good way to build customer loyalty.

 

I have talked to other loyalty cruisers on other cruise lines and they are almost always upgraded. What's going on with this Royal Caribbean? :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused:

[que sarah sarah]

cruislovin we are Diamond Members and the cruise we are doing on Brilliance in October in the Mediterranean will be our 20 cruise with RCL and 4th on Brilliance. Never had an upgrade and like yourselves wonder how you qualify !!!!

[LunasMom]

September 2003 Serenade of the Seas. We were first time RCCL cruisers and we bought through Skyauction and paid for a 3rd floor inside. When we got to the pier we were upgraded to an outside on the 5th deck. The only proble was that we had to go and find our luggage on the 3rd deck, but it was great. I have been on NCL numerous times and even if the ship was not full we never got an upgrade. Can you guess why I am taking RCCL to Bermuda??:)

[cyndyr]

Is it possible it has to do with booking through Royal Caribbean versus a travel agent?

 

Did all of you upgrade-ers book directly through RC?

[que sarah sarah]

Our these free upgrades or do you pay at the pier ???

[teddie]

Our these free upgrades or do you pay at the pier ???

 

Our upgrade was free. I was made to understand it this way---if there are a good number of unsold higher-priced cabins , RCI would rather bump up current reservation-holders, as cheaper cabins are easier to sell.

 

How they choose who gets them? I'd like to know the answer to that one too. I thought it might have had to do with the fact that it was our anniversary, but I guess I'll never know....

 

We booked our cruise through an Expedia travel agent, not through RCI btw....

 

teddie

[suzyluvs2cruise]

We're Diamond members and are still waiting for the "unexpected upgrade". Our cruise on 10/7/04 will be our 17th with RCCL. Maybe this will be our lucky one.

 

We've tried it all ways. Booked with a TA, booked directly with RCCL, booked a guarantee and booked an assigned room. We've had good luck with a guarantee (but never got a balcony much less a JS).

 

We've asked at the pier about an upgrade and were always told one was available (for a price). Guess we're just not lucky. On our Voyager cruise we booked a balcony, as we really wanted to have one, and our friends booked a guarantee. Guess what? They got an upgrade to a larger balcony category than we had. Go figure. When I asked RCCL why we weren't upgraded too I was told there wasn't anywhere to upgrade us to. Guess there weren't any JS available.

 

Maybe this will be our lucky cruise but I'm not holding my breath. Got a good rate with air and have a balcony on the hump on deck 8. It will be a great cruise no matter what.

[lilsalty]

Do the "free upgrades" have anything to do with when you book your cruise, 1 year in advance vs last minute?

[que sarah sarah]

We have book some of our cruises over a year in advance , some we have book a cruise at the last minute ( 6 week before we sail )

We still haven't had an upgrade .I think it's the luck of the draw .:)

 

I sometimes think it something to do with living in the UK .Please don't get me started on that one .