move-over offers

[Tiffany's mom]

I just called Princess to see if my cabin was marked that we would take a upgrade. We have a BA which is marked waited list and there is only a few minis left. I asked if there was a way to mark our booking that we would consider a move-over offers. The rep said move-overs only happen if the ship is sold out and on this one there are a lot of balcony cabins open. There site only show 13 balcony cabin. We are within 62 days of sailing.

 

My question is has anyone got a move-over if the whole ship is not sold out?

[davemax]

how do you find out whether ship is sold out?

[Tiffany's mom]

You can go to the princess web site and search cruises. Just like you were going to book and you can see what cabins open.

[flamomo]

But the possible fallacy in the previous post is that Princess only lists a maximum of 6 cabins in any category at a time. But if you call to book, they can provide the numbers of other cabins that are available.

[Carolyn R]

#1: It is way too early to be looking for a move-over offer. They usually happen within one week of sailing.

 

#2: The computers used now figure all the logistics out. In most cases, the ship would have to be pretty near sold out for Princess to be offering move overs.

 

#3: Keep your eyes on your sailing and if every category is waitlisted, watch your email every hour starting one week before sailing. You have to jump on it quickly because the offers can be very good and many people are just waiting to take advantage of these offers.

 

#4: Good luck!

[Ken076]

You can go to the princess web site and search cruises. Just like you were going to book and you can see what cabins open.

 

This is meaningless. The site lists ONLY the "first" 6 or so available cabins for each category - there could be 100 cabins behind those 6 or so. The only time this is meaningful is when the site shows less than 6 or so cabins in each category - and this doesn't account for the blocks of cabins that the TA's haven't yet turned-in. ken

[Toto2Kansas]

I just called Princess to see if my cabin was marked that we would take a upgrade. We have a BA which is marked waited list and there is only a few minis left. I asked if there was a way to mark our booking that we would consider a move-over offers. The rep said move-overs only happen if the ship is sold out and on this one there are a lot of balcony cabins open. There site only show 13 balcony cabin. We are within 62 days of sailing.

 

My question is has anyone got a move-over if the whole ship is not sold out?

 

Not sure when you sail or on what ship? But I agree with others, move over offers usually come within a few days of sailing. They can estimate approximately how many last minute cancellations they will have to assign those last guarantees.

If you ship still shows availability, then it isn't sold out or oversold.

 

I have also heard of them offering move down offers to some if lower category staterooms are plentiful enough to assign those guarantees to. So, even if the ship is sold out in your category, if there are other staterooms either above or below, there is still availability.

[CalCruzer]

You state that Princess only shows 6 cabins in each category even if there are many more. We are in a forward cabin and I keep checking the website and they show the same cabins available and they are all in worse locations than ours. We booked these as we were waitlisted and in order to ensure a mini-suite this was the best one available. You think if I call they might actually have a better cabin available in the same category?

[Toto2Kansas]

You state that Princess only shows 6 cabins in each category even if there are many more. We are in a forward cabin and I keep checking the website and they show the same cabins available and they are all in worse locations than ours. We booked these as we were waitlisted and in order to ensure a mini-suite this was the best one available. You think if I call they might actually have a better cabin available in the same category?

 

You can call, or you can take the long road and enter the cabin number you are interested in and click to see if it is available. Easier and faster to call though. ;) Good luck!

[paul929207]

I don't see any reason Princess or any other cruise line would make a move over offer unless a categry was overbooked and every higher category was sold out.

[hummingbirdz]

You state that Princess only shows 6 cabins in each category even if there are many more. We are in a forward cabin and I keep checking the website and they show the same cabins available and they are all in worse locations than ours. We booked these as we were waitlisted and in order to ensure a mini-suite this was the best one available. You think if I call they might actually have a better cabin available in the same category?

 

I don't quite understand how you can be "wait listed" yet book a speciific cabin:confused: but in any case, this was my experience: booked 'best available' cabin ( BB Caribe aft) last fall........ then watched website for those six- or-so listed cabins to see what options were available. Just before FINAL PAYMENT for our April cruise a mid-ship BA Caribe opened up for only $25 more pp. We called Princess and changed our cabin #...no problem! It seems that some people reserve desirable cabins well in advance.....just in case they may actually sail, then if they decide not to sail, they just cancel..........no loss. SO, in a nut shell, wait until just before the typical final payment date and watch website (or call TA or Princess direct) frequently to see if a better location becomes available....likely.

Just realized/remembered that you can book a specific cabin and then be waitlisted for a different cabin #. Is that what you did?

[Colo Cruiser]

They won't start making move over offers until they are within 10 or so days of sailing.

[cacy6893076]

I would assume, although it is not always the case that the computer looks at other factors such as do you live near the embark/debark port(for a RT itinerary) and tells the system to try those first then move on to others.....plenty of folks are offerred moveovers even with a mid country airport, but logically, the computer probably searches for those who do not need air based on the air code city on the booking first, as they are more flexible....after that who knows? With for instance a European itineary, whether or not it depends on independent vs cruiseline booked air, no clue as to which they offer first.............

[can786]

I don't understand why the OP would think they would make moveover offers if the ship is not full. If they don't need the cabins, why would they make an offer that will cost them more money than they take in for selling a cabin? The only instance I can think of is if they have more bookings for higher level cabins than there are cabins available and only lower level cabins have availability. In that case I would think they would make a "downgrade" offer to people sailing in the higher category cabins to downgrade their cabin for some sort of refund/OBC. It does not make financial sense for a cruiseline to pay to move passengers to a different sailing and then sail with open cabins. And yes, though they are not as common as moveover offers, you do occasionally hear of downgrade offers.

[Crown Prince]

I don't quite understand how you can be "wait listed" yet book a speciific cabin:confused: but in any case, this was my experience: booked 'best available' cabin ( BB Caribe aft) last fall........ then watched website for those six- or-so listed cabins to see what options were available. Just before FINAL PAYMENT for our April cruise a mid-ship BA Caribe opened up for only $25 more pp. We called Princess and changed our cabin #...no problem! It seems that some people reserve desirable cabins well in advance.....just in case they may actually sail, then if they decide not to sail, they just cancel..........no loss. SO, in a nut shell, wait until just before the typical final payment date and watch website (or call TA or Princess direct) frequently to see if a better location becomes available....likely.

Just realized/remembered that you can NOT book a specific cabin and then be waitlisted for a different cabin #. Is that what you did?

 

HI, HUMMING:

You can be booked into a category, Example: BF and also be waitlisted for other CATEGORIES: Waitlist BE, BD, BC, BB, and BA (all simultaneously). Your waitlisted numbers can be seen on your booking in the Polar system. There is no such thing as booking any particular cabin, only a Category.

 

;););););)

[Cruisin' Chick]

I don't think you can mark your booking in anyway to indicate a willingness to "move over." We got one of these offers the day before our first cruise with Princess. As the others said above, it's when your cruise is overbooked. They'll start calling passengers for whichever category they want to free a cabin for.

[RickEk]

From what I understand, yes, you can have Princess mark your booking that you are willing to take a moveover if one becomes available. They try to call those folks first, then move to people who live close to the homeport, etc.

[Treven]

They won't start making move over offers until they are within 10 or so days of sailing.

If there is a "move over" offer, how would the passenger then have to deal with an already made airline reservation?

[Toto2Kansas]

If there is a "move over" offer, how would the passenger then have to deal with an already made airline reservation?

 

Princess will normally allow you $100 pp in change fees for your air.