Getting cabin assignment at the pier?

[icecreammama]

I am booked in a guarantee mini suite for our upcoming cruise in June. When asking when I will be assigned a cabin both my TA and Princess said that if I don't get one before sailing, they will give me a cabin when I get to the ship. Question is "Will I be able to pay for a cheaper upsell from a mini suite to a full suite at the pier if it's available?" Has this ever happened to anyone before. Please share your experience.

[Druke I]

Receiving our cabin assignment at the pier has only happened to us once with Princess, several years ago on the late great Royal Princess (now P&O's Artemis), on a Panama Canal cruise, Acapulco to New York City.

 

We did not attempt to "buy" an upgrade, but most of the trips we have been on there has been a sign at the Purser's Desk indicating that the ship is full!

[Toto2Kansas]

Princess does not usually do the upsells at the pier like other lines such as RCI. If there happens to be a full suite available when you board, and you want to upgrade to it, you will pay the going rate, no discount on the price for upgrading at the last minute.

[Coral]

Princess does not usually do the upsells at the pier like other lines such as RCI. If there happens to be a full suite available when you board, and you want to upgrade to it, you will pay the going rate, no discount on the price for upgrading at the last minute.

 

And to add to your comments - if there is a suite available at the last minute, Princess usually will upgrade someone (complimentary) rather than sell it to you at full cost. But I agree with Toto - if for some reason, they don't upgrade someone (complimentary), it will not be sold at a bargain. It will go for the same rate that it would have gone for earlier.

[icecreammama]

Okay, thanks. But let's say for the sake of argument, that when I get there all the mini's are taken. If there is a suite available, will they upgrade me for no charge? And what if nothing's available, will I have to take a downgrade:confused:

[Toto2Kansas]

Okay, thanks. But let's say for the sake of argument, that when I get there all the mini's are taken. If there is a suite available, will they upgrade me for no charge? And what if nothing's available, will I have to take a downgrade:confused:

 

Which mini suite category did you actually guarantee for?

 

Trust me, if you booked a mini suite guarantee, they will have a cabin assignment for you and 99.99999999 chances, you will end up in a mini suite. That does give you that tiny little chance to be upgraded to a full suite, but it is so slim, it isn't even worth dreaming about to tell you the truth. Any full suites that they do not sell will be assigned before you even get to the pier. No way to 'volunteer to be upgraded to a full suite' in any instance. Almost all assignments will show up before you leave for your cruise, only a very few won't find out until they arrive for check in.

 

I would just let this one go and see what happens. Unless you are willing to pay the going rate for a full suite, the chances of actually getting one complimentary is such a small percent anymore.

 

The only way they downgrade is if they call and offer you a substantial deal for doing it. They will not just downgrade you to a balcony without checking to see if you would accept the deal first. You are GUARANTEED a mini suite, and therefore they would notify you if there was a problem with the guarantee.

[Coral]

Again, I agree with Toto.

 

You will get at least a minisuite. You will most likely get your cabin assignment before you sail.

[Toto2Kansas]

I just looked back through your other posts and saw your sailing date and the category you waitlisted for. By checking Princess website, there are only three full suites left on this sailing with about 2 1/2 months to go before the cruise. This is another thing that would give you a slim chance of receiving a complimentary upgrade to a full suite, as the full suites are selling quite well. The time of year you are sailing will mean ships are full to capacity, although they seem to be sailing full no matter what time of year anymore.

But with 2 1/2 months left, the chance that the full suites will sell out completely is almost 100%.

So, I would look for your cabin assignment in the next 60 days to show up on your Princess Personalizer. You do have a chance of being upgraded, but within the category you booked, which would mean you have a good chance for an AB or AA mini suite out of this. But then again, it will depend on how good the category you booked is selling and if there are more available in the AB and AA category staterooms. Princess knows exactly how many guarantees they sell, and they will have a mini suite somewhere in the top three categories of minis for you.

If you really want a full suite, I suggest you pay the rate and grab one up now before they are all gone. Once they are gone, you have lost your window of opportunity to move up.

[icecreammama]

Thanks everyone, especially Toto. You have great information and I find out everything I need to know from you. I've never been in a Princess mini suite before. I'm sure I'll like it. The only time I've sailed with Princess was 12 years ago and it was on Regal and I had a full suite. Loved it! For us right now, suite is too much money. I have to say that even though in the last 10 years I've sailed different lines (NCL, RCCL and Azamara) I still think Princess was the best I've been on. Hope things haven't changed that much.

[johnmik1]

We had a minisuite with an assigned cabin on Grand in 2002 and when we got to the pier we had been upgraded to a full suite.

[icecreammama]

We had a minisuite with an assigned cabin on Grand in 2002 and when we got to the pier we had been upgraded to a full suite.

 

 

WOW! Hope I get lucky. If not, I'll still be happy because I'll be on vacation.

[dhl]

Well.. I'm holding out hope that I get some sort of upgrade because we booked a guarantee G obstructed view for the 4/20 CB sailing and haven't been assigned a room yet. :confused:

[readytogo2]

I just got off the phone with Princess, I wanted to order the balcony breakfast, while I had them on the phone I asked about our dining waitlist and said we weren't assigned a cabin yet, she told me the longer we have no assignment, the better chance for an upgrade:D....hope she's right. And good luck to you too!:)

Well.. I'm holding out hope that I get some sort of upgrade because we booked a guarantee G obstructed view for the 4/20 CB sailing and haven't been assigned a room yet. :confused:

[bad973]

How do you check the Princess website to see

how many cabins are still available in a particular

category?

Thanks

[DGNY]

Our cruise is 2.5 months away...but that doesn't stop me from checking the Princess site multiple times a day to see if a cabin has been assigned. My gf thinks I'm crazy.

[want2cruiseagain]

We are waitlisted for balcony on our cruise at end of April. My T/A tells me that they will receive an email from Princess if one becomes available with price and the T/A will contact us so we can accept or reject.

[Pia1913]

I just got off the phone with Princess, I wanted to order the balcony breakfast, while I had them on the phone I asked about our dining waitlist and said we weren't assigned a cabin yet, she told me the longer we have no assignment, the better chance for an upgrade:D....hope she's right. And good luck to you too!:)

 

Not always. Doesn't seem to be rhyme nor reason for what happens with upgrades. We were on a waitlist for an outside obstructed, got assigned a cabin within 48 hours and 3 days before departure was upgraded to a balcony. Upgrade fairies work in strange ways.

 

Pia

[want2cruiseagain]

Not always. Doesn't seem to be rhyme nor reason for what happens with upgrades. We were on a waitlist for an outside obstructed, got assigned a cabin within 48 hours and 3 days before departure was upgraded to a balcony. Upgrade fairies work in strange ways.

 

Pia

 

 

That would be nice!!!