Need help to settle an argument

[Sonyac]

Ok, have had enough of arguing about this so would like to know clear and concise information and would like to know where the source information came from specifically so that I can get hubby to understand this a little more.

 

I was surfing the net looking at TA's to see if they had managed to sell the extra cabins on our cruise on higher decks to see if we would manage to get an upgrade. Hubby is arguing that the only reason people get upgraded is to make light work of attending to everyone's rooms on board and hence upgrade people to particular levels so that everyone is in one place. I say that the reason for the upgrades is to fill the more expensive suites so as to re-sell the cheaper rooms in order to fill the ship before sailing.

 

1) Who is correct?

2) How does the upgrade system work in regards to hubby's argument if he is correct?

3) How does the upgrade system work in regards to my argument if I am correct?

 

If anyone can help me and tell me exactly how they know this information (to get my stubborn hubby to believe it and swallow it as he will not listen unless it is from P & O themselves) I would muchly appreciate it.

 

He also asked if we didn't get upgraded would I be upset. The answer to that is hell no, I am going on a cruise!!! :D

[arxcards]

Ok, have had enough of arguing about this so would like to know clear and concise information and would like to know where the source information came from specifically so that I can get hubby to understand this a little more.

 

I was surfing the net looking at TA's to see if they had managed to sell the extra cabins on our cruise on higher decks to see if we would manage to get an upgrade. Hubby is arguing that the only reason people get upgraded is to make light work of attending to everyone's rooms on board and hence upgrade people to particular levels so that everyone is in one place. I say that the reason for the upgrades is to fill the more expensive suites so as to re-sell the cheaper rooms in order to fill the ship before sailing.

 

1) Who is correct?

2) How does the upgrade system work in regards to hubby's argument if he is correct?

3) How does the upgrade system work in regards to my argument if I am correct?

 

If anyone can help me and tell me exactly how they know this information (to get my stubborn hubby to believe it and swallow it as he will not listen unless it is from P & O themselves) I would muchly appreciate it.

 

He also asked if we didn't get upgraded would I be upset. The answer to that is hell no, I am going on a cruise!!! :D

I am with your side of the argument.

 

Rather than resell, they oversell the cheap seats. There are base level categories that have only a small number of cabins, yet they sell guarantee fares on special into these categories for weeks at a time. Nearly all passengers that book these cheap guarantees comment here about the upgrade fairy.

 

How do I know?

Personally, I don't -It has been a regular topic of conversation here the last couple of years.

 

Kylie from P&O will not come here and post the answer, nor will they divulge their booking methods to their passengers.

[S&D]

Oh dear!!!..:( ...

 

 

there was me...thinking it was all to do with the little upgrade fairy waving her magical wand!!!....LOL....

 

now I'm crushed!!!...;)

 

:D :D

 

S&D

[Paulchili]

I tend to agree with you Sonyac and Geoff,

We booked a cruise on Cunard's QE 2 several years ago and booked in the next to lowest category of 4 (there were several levels within each of four categories of rooms). We could not get a cabin assignment (i.e it was a guarantee, though Cunard did not call it as such). At first I was annoyed as I wanted to pick my room (sizes of rooms varried even in the same level). However, when we boarded we were upgraded some 7 levels (to the Princess dinning room) with a much larger room, etc.

As Goeff said, they oversell cheaper cabins, as those sell better, and then they decide (?how - this is where the upgrade fairy comes in) to upgrade some passengers into unsold higher category cabins.

I think the cruise lines worry much more about the bottom line (sold out cruises) than the convenience of cabin staff.

Just my opinion.

[Ela 2]

Hi Sonyac,

I agree with what the others have said, but I will go further. On one cruise we were on the ship was only half full. This is very unusual, but the Pacific Star had suffered a mishap a bit over a year ago and had been in the drydock for repairs. I don't know if the first cruise after the repairs hadn't been offered for sale until the last minute or what. The bottom line was that there were great prices for last minute bookings (10 days prior). We were upgraded from a guarantee (inside, lowest deck) to ourside on deck 7. We noticed that the passengers were spread throughout the ship and a lot of of inside cabins in particular were vacant. We had the theory that with the cabin stewards on contact and each assigned to an area, P & O spread the passengers out so they all had some work but they also had a very easy time with only half the normal number of cabins to look after. That directly goes against your husband's theory!:):)

 

Virtually every recent cruise has been totally full so the theory that they move people up so they are in the one area can't be valid. :):)

 

Evon.

[sherri3802]

I can't figure out how, in this computerised day and age, any types of cabins could be 'oversold'. Surely all agents, when booking people, could go online and if they logged on to the source-the actual bookings for that cruise-it would be possible to see exactly how many cabins etc were left.

 

It could be done. But it is not being done. Which leads me to suspect the cruise lines are keen to always have the cheaper prices available if they have to-even if there really are none of those cabins available.

Probably they figure it is better to have the cheap fare out of someone than nothing at all.

When you think of it, it makes no real difference to them what cabin you are in-you eat the same amount of food and cabin staff are employed anyway.

 

My friends and I are booked into 3 cheap inside cabins on a lower deck but our cruise is in January, which will probably get holiday bookings anyway, so we are not counting on an upgrade. It would be nice, mind you.;)

[arxcards]

I can't figure out how, in this computerised day and age, any types of cabins could be 'oversold'. Surely all agents, when booking people, could go online and if they logged on to the source-the actual bookings for that cruise-it would be possible to see exactly how many cabins etc were left.

 

It could be done. But it is not being done. Which leads me to suspect the cruise lines are keen to always have the cheaper prices available if they have to-even if there really are none of those cabins available.

Probably they figure it is better to have the cheap fare out of someone than nothing at all.

When you think of it, it makes no real difference to them what cabin you are in-you eat the same amount of food and cabin staff are employed anyway.

 

My friends and I are booked into 3 cheap inside cabins on a lower deck but our cruise is in January, which will probably get holiday bookings anyway, so we are not counting on an upgrade. It would be nice, mind you.;)

It is the computerised age that allows this to happen without mishaps.

Those that book the cheap guarantees are not allocated specfic cabins, but just a spot on the ship at that CAT or above. They might only have 5 cabins in that category, but will sell 100's of fares with their system knowing most will be moved to a higher category.

 

When a T/A logs on, they can see the specific cabins available for sale. There might be 50 cabins left to choose from, but may be only 5 cabins away from selling out (45 may be needed for allocation of guarantee fares) - hope that makes sense.

 

 

I also remember Evon's example from Pacific Star last year. It that case, the passengers were spread out to share the load (and tips). This is a rare thing now. Pretty much all P&O/Princozz cruises are sailing 90%+ full.

[Ela 2]

I can't figure out how, in this computerised day and age, any types of cabins could be 'oversold'. Surely all agents, when booking people, could go online and if they logged on to the source-the actual bookings for that cruise-it would be possible to see exactly how many cabins etc were left.;)

Hi Sherri,

Maybe the term "cabins oversold" is misleading. When P & O offer a special on a guarantee, the cabins offered are the cheapest, but on some ships, there might only be four cabins in this category. It wouldn't be worth their while to do a promotion if they could only accept four bookings. They accept lots of bookings, knowing that some will be moved to a higher-category cabin. This is much better for P & O to fill the cabins, even if there cruise fare is less.:):)

 

Evon

[Paulchili]

I think cruise lines DO know exactly how many cabins they have booked. They probably stop selling when the total number for the ship has been reached and then they move the passengers around (upgrade them). It's easier to sell out the cruise by overselling cheaper cabins as long as they are not getting big demand for higher category. Also, that way they sell out at more or less regular prices and don't have to do last minute "deep" discounts just to fill the ship.

Occasionally cruise lines actually over book, much like airlines do (Oceania comes to mind) and then they keep offering booked passengers OBC/discounts for future cruises in order to accommodate eveyrone; sometimes they have to keep raising the offer until enough people "bite" and take the offer for a future cruise. It is not a common practice though.

[Sonyac]

We have a cabin number on a particular deck. We booked the cheapest going rate that would accomodate the three of us and paid for it. Our tickets have been sent with that particular cabin number on it on that particular deck.

 

Does this mean that the upgrade fairy can still visit even though we have been assigned a particular cabin on a particular deck?

 

If so, does that mean that they oversold all of the triple/quad cabins in order to upgrade people?? I thought that once we were assigned a room, that was it, no changing it.

[arxcards]

If so, does that mean that they oversold all of the triple/quad cabins in order to upgrade people?? I thought that once we were assigned a room, that was it, no changing it.

Can go both ways. If you like a certain spot on the ship, and are concerned that an upgrade will put you in a higher CAT, but possibly a less convenient spot, you can book that specific cabin and elect not to be upgraded. When booking that cabin, it will no longer be offered for sale.

 

Some categories to not offer guarantee bookings, and you must select a cabin. You can still advise your T/A that you are available for a complimentary upgrade when booking a cabin - and be moved to a higher cabin category - even after your tickets have been issued.

 

Keep an eye on your personaliser a couple of weeks before your cruise - there may be a surprise. Do you know if you elected "no upgrades" when you booked?

[Sonyac]

We booked with an online TA and so didn't get a choice of picking the room, it was just assigned to us.

[Ela 2]

We booked with an online TA and so didn't get a choice of picking the room, it was just assigned to us.

Hi Sonyac,

When you book through an online TA you can choose your cabin if you are booking a normal fare, with or without a discount.

 

If you book a super special on a 'guarantee', the cabin is assigned to you, no matter who you book through. When you book on this basis you are told the category (one of the lowest priced ones) but not a cabin number.:)

 

Evon.

[Sonyac]

Hi Evon,

 

When we booked, we were originally told it would be either the Emerald Deck or the Dolphin Deck but were not told which one it would be or what room. We have received a cabin on the Emerald Deck with a specific cabin number on our cruise personaliser and our tickets.

 

Just checked the original booking info we received from P & O regarding how much deposit we needed to pay and it does actually state that we were on the Emerald Deck in a specific room.

[DICKY BEACH]

I have a recent experience of this. Last week some friends and I spotted a fantastic price for a window cabin on the SP sailing in april next year. We booked 4 of these with our TA. Turns out they are obstructed view HH cabins. THere are only 2 of those on the entire ship yet our TA was able to sell 4 to us. Speaking to her yesterday I found out that she has sold a further 8 of these. And that's only one TA

Frank

[LOVE cruising!]

Hi, Just reading up on these posts to see if anybody's posts might answer my question about why we havent received a cabin allocation as yet. It still states no cabin no on P&O personaliser & also no cabin no. - only guaranteed L on online T/A's booking reciept. Does anyone know why some people get allocated a cabin straight away & others dont? My sister just booked (2 months after we did ), has yet to pay her deposit & has already been allocated a cabin. :confused:

 

The fare we booked appears to be sold out & no longer on offer although lower priced cabins are now on offer again (were sold when we went to book).:confused::confused:

 

Would the upgrade fairy be lurking here?:D Are they likey to upgrade us to an outside from an inside on the same deck?

[arxcards]

Hi, Just reading up on these posts to see if anybody's posts might answer my question about why we havent received a cabin allocation as yet. It still states no cabin no on P&O personaliser & also no cabin no. - only guaranteed L on online T/A's booking reciept. Does anyone know why some people get allocated a cabin straight away & others dont? My sister just booked (2 months after we did ), has yet to pay her deposit & has already been allocated a cabin. :confused:

 

The fare we booked appears to be sold out & no longer on offer although lower priced cabins are now on offer again (were sold when we went to book).:confused::confused:

 

Would the upgrade fairy be lurking here?:D Are they likey to upgrade us to an outside from an inside on the same deck?

When booking a guarantee, you will usually not be allocated a cabin till a few weeks before cruising. Those that book a specific cabin will be assigned the number they booked.

 

Booking early on a guarantee will usually invoke the fairy into action. Upgrades do not go by the deck - you progress down the alphabet of CAT's (your first level of upgrade is CAT K inside on Baja) You could still make it to the outside, but not directly from CAT L to CAT D.

 

Some CAT specials come and go. The category will not normally be available for sale, except when specials are being offered.

[Sonyac]

Ok Geoff,

 

I have a question about this then because it hasn't worked in our case:

 

When hubby booked the cruise, he went through the online T/A and just asked for a 3 person room. Booking came back from T/A with cabin number and deck number already on the booking. Hubby never asked for the specific room, just for an inside room that 3 people could share.

 

How does that work based upon what you've just said?? I am very curious to know. :confused:

[arxcards]

Ok Geoff,

 

I have a question about this then because it hasn't worked in our case:

 

When hubby booked the cruise, he went through the online T/A and just asked for a 3 person room. Booking came back from T/A with cabin number and deck number already on the booking. Hubby never asked for the specific room, just for an inside room that 3 people could share.

 

How does that work based upon what you've just said?? I am very curious to know. :confused:

Hi Sonya,

I guess they did not sell him a guarantee fare, but a cabin booking.

Best way is to nominate which cabin you want, but the T/A has selected the "best" available cabin on your behalf when they booked it..

[Sonyac]

What is the difference?

[mumni]

Hi Geoff, I'm in the same situation as Sonya, did not request a specific cabin but was given a no. by the T/a. Could we possibly get an upgrade (if they are any of course) or we have no chance because we have aleady been given a cabin no?

Pam

[arxcards]

What is the difference?

Guarantee bookings are not available for all categories, and are often sold as a spot special to allow them to book a large number of flexible fares. Guarantee bookings are usually sold for the lowest category in each room type (lowest ranked inside, lowest ranked outside, lowest ranked balcony).

 

In any other category the majority of bookings are sold for specific cabins. Even though you have not nominated a preffered cabin number, one needs to be chosen to accept your booking - and the T/A has done that on your behalf.

 

For mumni, both guarantee bookings and specific cabin bookings can get upgrades.

 

The only ones with no chance are those that have requested not to be. We have booked an inside cabin for next June in what we think is a great spot on the ship. We have specified "no upgrades" when we booked, because even though we would upgrade to a more expensive cabin, it would probably be in a less convenient spot on the ship.

[LOVE cruising!]

Im with you Sonyac, its all very confusing.:confused: I cant work it out either. My sister booked exactly the same way as I did, same T/A, same click on the price to book, same everything except a couple of months apart & she was allocated a cabin & we werent.

 

Thanks Arxcards for your info, the way the upgrades works makes sense. I dont actually want to go up any decks (lower is better for DH), but would jump for joy to get an outside on the same deck. $100 p/p difference from in to outside on same deck. Thats a lot of cocktails. :D Fingers crossed for the generous fairy.:D The suspense is going to kill me just as much as the countdown.;)

[Izabelle]

For our Dawn Princess cruise in 6 weeks time we wanted a cabin midships and were given B408,we are very happen with this cabin and we requested no upgrade, however for our cruise on Arcadia in Feb we were given C164 with every chance of an upgrade if we want one and we have said yes as we don't care where we end up on Arcadia, we are just glad to be part of her Maiden World Voyage.

 

I think it comes down to if you are happy with the cabin you have chosen or been allocated don't request an upgrade but if you don't mind where you end up then take your chance with an upgrade and be pleasantly surprised if it happens.

[arxcards]

Thanks Arxcards for your info, the way the upgrades works makes sense. I dont actually want to go up any decks (lower is better for DH), but would jump for joy to get an outside on the same deck. $100 p/p difference from in to outside on same deck. Thats a lot of cocktails. :D Fingers crossed for the generous fairy.:D The suspense is going to kill me just as much as the countdown.;)

Would be great to choose where your upgrade goes.

 

As a guide, there are around 110 CAT J and K cabins to upgrade through to get to the outside, which is very possible. To make it back to the outside on Caribe deck (CAT D) will need an upgrade through approx 350 cabins - a much tougher request for the fairy.