Princess Upgrade Probability

[i guide the sky]

I'm new to princess this time around and I was wondering what peoples experiences have been receiving upgrades when selecting the category guarantee with possibility of upgrade option? Have you been upgraded? If so, how high? to another significant category, or just from one obstructed view cabin to another kind of thing?

 

poll responses appreciated!!!

[robgvic]

I booked a minimum rate balcony cabin and am now at the top rate balcony cabin

[Lizzzys]

We booked the least expensive inside cabin category for a guarantee and have been moved up to a category II, inside up on the Lido deck. About a $300 - $400 per person upgrade.

[Cruisin' Chick]

We were upgraded on my very first cruise (on Carnival), from one inside to a higher category inside, but we found ourselves under a dining room. And could hear the sound of vacuuming late at night.

 

I think we've been upgraded on a couple of cruises since then (once from an inside to an OV), but nothing too significant.

 

The last two cruises we actually selected a specific cabin and marked our booking "no upgrade." Didn't want to risk getting a bad location.

[commonsense2]

i booked a BF gty on pacific princess. i was expecting one of the obstructed balconies. i was upgraded to a BA - an aft balcony.

 

on carnival liberty i booked a 1a gty (single inside). i was upgraded to a 4a (still an inside, but regular size in a much better location). this was important because it was a 28 night cruise.

[timem]

We booked a balcony guarantee and were upgraded to BB class on Rivieria deck (next door cabin is full suite). Leave on 12-28-08 (NYE cruise) booked cabin in May 08. This is a fully covered balcony directly next to stairs and elevators.

[spongerob]

The chances of being moved up to a more expensive configuration are going to pretty low, but it does happen. It's purely a luck of the draw thing. Usually if you book a guarantee you will be assigned to a cabin within that category that is higher than the minimum for that configuration. Most don't really consider that an upgrade. Your chances of booking an inside guarantee and ending up in the Grand Suite are about the same as hitting the powerball jackpot.

[paul929207]

In 13 Princess cruises, we have gotten 3 upgrades I consider significant. Twice we went from and outside cabin to a balcony, and once from a balcony to a mini-suite.

[Liz54]

We were upgraded from a minisuite (AA) to a full suite (Penthouse), on our last cruise. No idea how it happened. I just got a phone call about a week before asking if we would accept the upgrade!!! Didn't have to think that over for long.

[caber]

We booked a BD balcony cabin and have now been given a BC, only one deck up but better than nothing.:)

[judynorth]

Once went from BD to BA and once went from OV to balcony.

[chris209]

Went from an AE minisuite to an AA minisuite for upcoming March 15 Crown cruise

[LuvTheGoodLife]

Our first Princess Cruise, we booked a BC balcony guarantee and got upgraded to a BB - since it was only 1 deck difference - it seemed insignificant. Since then, we book the cabin we want and mark our booking "do not upgrade". I prefer choosing what I like over the possibility of an upgrade...

[froggykat]

We have had a few upgrades within the same type cabin but twice had wonderful surprises. On our Alaskan cruise we booked an outside and were upgraded to a balacony. On our upcoming cruise we booked a BD assigned cabin and were just upgraded to a AA mini suite. No idea how this happens but nicely surprised

[Toto2Kansas]

With Princess, the one thing you can NOT count on is a significant upgrade. Can it happen where you are upgraded to a better 'type' of stateroom, sure it can. Is this something that happens quite often? No. The usual upgrade, when and if it does happen, is to a stateroom within the category you booked, inside to a better inside, outside to a better outside.

21 Princess cruises and the only significant upgrade to a better type of stateroom we have ever received was on our first Princess cruise over 15 years ago.

 

Even though Princess and TA's make upgrades sound like there is a real chance this can happen often, when you take into consideration all of those passengers that leave the upgrade option on their booking, it really is more rare to be upgraded to a higher category then you realize.

 

Best of luck, but always book what you will be comfortable in and never ever count on being upgraded to a better type of stateroom. ;)

 

FYI-Someone posted this link quite some time ago, and I saved it for questions exactly like this. Definitely worth reading: https://book.princess.com/html/tapres/auto_upgrade_content.html

[Druke I]

Out of some 18 cruises with Princess, we have been upgraded three times.

 

Once, on the late great Royal Princess (now Artemis), it was a minor one category upgrade.

 

Once, on the former Sea Princess (nee Kungsholm), it was a great upgrade, from an inside to a "stateroom", equivalent of a mini-suite.

 

Once, on current Sun Princess, from standard balcony to a mini-suite.

 

I've never bothered to try and figure out why or how the Upgrade Fairy works.

[kooljamming]

We are sailing on February 14 on the Sapphire Princess. We booked the obstructed view (HH), which was the same price as the cheapest inside guarantee. We were upgraded to a regular ocean view (EE). With 73 days to go, I am still hoping to get moved to a balcony but I consider this a decent upgrade because of the price :D

[Julia’s Journey’s]

Best of luck, but always book what you will be comfortable in and never ever count on being upgraded to a better type of stateroom. ;)

 

 

That is what we always do - happy with what we book and it is a good thing cause we have not been upgraded even the couple of times we have booked a guar:D:D

[Tak8]

On my first princess cruise, I was upgraded from a mini-suite to a Vista Suite. The downside is you get used to a better category. Soemtimes it is hard going back. We missed the extra space and the extras when we went baxck on princess and again booked a mini.

[jfv379]

We booked a guarranty Mini on Dolphin Deck when there were only two mini's left available:). We got one of the two mini's:confused:.

 

Enjoy your trip and remember that upgrades are few and far between:D

[laemerald]

On my first princess cruise, I was upgraded from a mini-suite to a Vista Suite. The downside is you get used to a better category. Soemtimes it is hard going back. We missed the extra space and the extras when we went baxck on princess and again booked a mini.

 

We also booked a ae gty mini last year and got upgraded to ps full suite this was a one night cruise fantastic but of course too short. We are currently awaiting our cabin assignment for ten day carribean in january . We booked aa gty and have fingers crossed.

[kodiac]

We are Platinum members of Princess and have always booked a specific room. We have not yet received an upgrade offer from the cruise line.

[Pam in CA]

With Princess, the one thing you can NOT count on is a significant upgrade. Can it happen where you are upgraded to a better 'type' of stateroom, sure it can. Is this something that happens quite often? No. The usual upgrade, when and if it does happen, is to a stateroom within the category you booked, inside to a better inside, outside to a better outside.

Toto is right. Do NOT count on an upgrade or even a significant upgrade, no matter what your TA says. Sometimes, TAs will tell you they've gotten you an upgrade but what they've really done is moved you to a better cabin because the prices have gone down but they don't tell you that you would have had a lower price on your cabin.

 

Last summer, they tried to "upgrade" me from an AD to an AB mini-suite. I had forgotten to mark my booking "No upgrade" and fortunately, was able to tell my TA to not accept the "upgrade" -- it wasn't an upgrade in my opinion as I did not want an uncovered balcony.

 

I marked my poll as "never received an upgrade" because I don't consider having the same cabin but in a different location an upgrade. I've been on a lot of cruises but only had one location change on the old Royal Princess and the attempt last summer to give me a cabin I didn't want.

[A&L_Ont]

No upgrades for us. . . we always mark "no upgrades" on our reservation. We like to pick our room and be happy knowing the location,type of space, etc. We almost always pick a balcony room as close to mid ship as we can find.

[bhopal21]

No upgrades for us. . . we always mark "no upgrades" on our reservation. We like to pick our room and be happy knowing the location,type of space, etc.

 

Us too. I don't care for surprises.:rolleyes: or the lack of them.

 

Mike:)