How do you get a free upgrade?

[Campbell33]

What is the secret to getting a free cabin upgrade? We are booked on VOS for next March and currently have an inside cabin. While we are okay with it, we would love to upgrade to either an oceanview or balcony.

 

I hear of people getting upgrades for free....how do you get a free upgrade? Are they only offered to Diamond/Platinum groups? We are only at the Gold level for now. I will call RCCL (I booked direct through them) and ask - just curious how others have done it.

[Sue L]

No offense but if it was as easy as placing a call everyone would do it. The best opportunity is booking a guarantee category or being D+. VERY RARELY do others get upgraded . I have been on 16 and never have.

[BND]

If anyone knew the secret, first off, they'd never tell and second, they'd get upgrades on every cruise.;)

 

We've been on 8 cruises (3 different lines) and never been upgraded, but then we always book a minisuite or higher anyway. Every once in a while you'll hear of someone getting upgraded on their very first cruise and then there are diamonds who have never been upgraded. No one really knows how the upgrades are given out.

[jorapp]

Hope, pray, be very lucky. Those might work.

[PhoenixCruiser]

Even the Diamond Plus members are not guaranteed a free upgrade. Do not get your hopes up ;)

 

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[alicam]

What is the secret to getting a free cabin upgrade? We are booked on VOS for next March and currently have an inside cabin. While we are okay with it, we would love to upgrade to either an oceanview or balcony.

 

I hear of people getting upgrades for free....how do you get a free upgrade? Are they only offered to Diamond/Platinum groups? We are only at the Gold level for now. I will call RCCL (I booked direct through them) and ask - just curious how others have done it.

Maybe people say they are getting upgraded....maybe in reality, they are not...pretty easy to say you are when you're not...who's going to check

[Bolphin]

Hope, pray, be very lucky. Those might work.

 

 

That was my answer too!!!:D:D:D

[Campbell33]

Thanks everyone! Looks like I will be sticking to hope and a prayer! :)

[meggie711]

Well, we got an upgrade Monday..

Prices dropped, so DH called the TA to ask if we could get a credit. She said that they used to give credits but no longer do this. So instead she asks "How about an upgrade?" So.. we got upgraded to an oceanview from an inside cabin. My suggestion.. just call and ask. :)

[cruisin4kicks]

We're D+ with over 40 cruise credits. I have come to realize in the overall scheme that that's really not very high in the D+ pecking order. We have been visited once (back when we were still Diamond) by the upgrade fairy when we showed up at the port to check in for a Panama Canal cruise on the Serenade. We already had the corner aft D2 balcony 8160 and they upgraded us to a JS. Had very mixed feelings on that. Lost the huge balcony but got the much bigger cabin. Have never been visited by the upgrade fairy since.

 

Tim

[waterbug123]

Well, we got an upgrade Monday..

Prices dropped, so DH called the TA to ask if we could get a credit. She said that they used to give credits but no longer do this. So instead she asks "How about an upgrade?" So.. we got upgraded to an oceanview from an inside cabin. My suggestion.. just call and ask. :)

 

That type of upgrade is a different thing entirely. You got the upgrade in lieu of getting the price reduction on your previous cabin category. That's completely different than getting a random upgrade "just because."

[meggie711]

That type of upgrade is a different thing entirely. You got the upgrade in lieu of getting the price reduction on your previous cabin category. That's completely different than getting a random upgrade "just because."

 

Yeah......... Was just saying it is possible to get an unexpected upgrade, which is what I thought she was asking about. Sorry if it isn't that impressive, but it certainly made my day. ;)

[UNV-IT!!!]

cross your fingers behind your back and hop and spin 5 times.... works like a charm :D

[coordinator23]

Don[t know how it's done. My husband and I were upgraded to the Owners Suite from a D2 on a recent cruise (had just become Diamond). My parents, on the same cruise, were upgraded from D2 to Jr. Suite. My brothers and their wives stayed put as D2's. It all happened a few days before the cruise. Our TA called me to ask if we wanted the upgrade(s). She had Royal on the other line and needed confirmation that we would change cabins.

[PCWalton1]

What is the secret to getting a free cabin upgrade? We are booked on VOS for next March and currently have an inside cabin. While we are okay with it, we would love to upgrade to either an oceanview or balcony.

 

I hear of people getting upgrades for free....how do you get a free upgrade? Are they only offered to Diamond/Platinum groups? We are only at the Gold level for now. I will call RCCL (I booked direct through them) and ask - just curious how others have done it.

 

I can tell you how to get a guaranteed free upgrade but the fee is $250. Per person

[Merion_Mom]

What is the secret to getting a free cabin upgrade? We are booked on VOS for next March and currently have an inside cabin. While we are okay with it, we would love to upgrade to either an oceanview or balcony.

 

I hear of people getting upgrades for free....how do you get a free upgrade? Are they only offered to Diamond/Platinum groups? We are only at the Gold level for now. I will call RCCL (I booked direct through them) and ask - just curious how others have done it.

 

 

1. Find a virgin.

2. Sprinkle her with salt.

3. Tie her to a large flat board.

4. Carry her to the top of a volcano.

5. Recite four prayers to the Upgrade Fairy.

6. Turn the board around in a FULL circle six times.

7. Throw her into the volcano.

 

Good luck!

[atush]

I think that just like with airlines, these 'upgrades' are because a Cruise is selling well in lower categories like inside, but the more expensive balcony and suites have more availablility.

 

If they feel they won't sell thse more expensive cabins but are still getting enquiries/bookings for the lower cost ones, they bump up some into the higher categories to get more money in selling those cabins now vacant.

 

This is how I got upgraded to Club World on BA recently. They had a special offer to upgrade form Econ or World travller plus whihc I paid for my son and I. When we got to the airport they had upgraded to Club World!!! Then I assme they sold our WT+ seats as an upgrade to other economy passengers.

[M&M Hayden]

This is what they told me is their "policy" (that they don't seem to follow).

 

 

"Upgrades are based on the number of cruise credits you have. We start our upgrades to individuals who have the most cruise credits and continue down our Diamond Plus list.

 

Upgrades that are given for a Balcony stateroom to a Suite will start at twenty-one days prior to sailing. If an upgrade is available for a Balcony to a Suite call outs to offer the upgrade will begin at twenty-one days prior to sailing. We must have a minimum of two suites available in order to offer the upgrade. The following categories are excluded: Royal Suite, Family Suite and any Guaranties.

 

Call outs for Inside to Outside and Outside to Balcony will begin at fourteen days prior to sailing. We must have five outsides or balconys available to offer the upgrade. The upgrade will not include the Family Ocean View stateroom or any Guarantied staterooms."

 

 

We're sailing Monday and still keeping our fingers crossed, we're D+ and sailing in a D1 balcony and there are a number of JS, GS & OSs available.

[firefly333]

Book a gty. We booked a inside gty and got a OV that way. Deck 2 forward on Voyager.

 

I think since deck 2 did not go thru, and my sister had to take 2 elevators to get to the dining room .. we would have preferred a inside. .. but next time we got a PR on voyager with the same gty.

 

We loved that cabin more. More convenient...

 

You might not like being upgraded to a OV because they are all on lower decks on VOTS

 

Get a RCL VISA card .. you can use points to move from a inside to a OV.

[The C]

Its true, anyone who's figured it out isn't spilling including me.

 

We got one last year on Freedom. There one thing was the only upgrade they had has a two person room and we were three. But they let us keep our original inside cabin and gave us the upgrade.

 

Needless to say we were superbly pleased! :D

[ALMF]

based on total bookings, if they have low bookings for higher cabins and high booking for lower cabins they will shift around. towards end of bookings if not booked higher cabin upgrades are made. also a consideration is made to even out work loads by staff.

 

you stand a better chance of an upgrade if you book a date that has low sales and plenty of balconies.

[MaskedTurtle]

Wait until nightfall, print out your reservation, put it under your pillow, and check it in the morning. You may get a visit from the Upgrade Fairy.

[cruisegirl1]

Friend paid to get a better room and told husband it was a free upgrade. He tells EVERYONE that he had 3 cruises with RCCL and he is so important –they gave him an upgrade.

 

Both are happy – and that is what counts!

 

Whatever!

[alicam]

Friend paid to get a better room and told husband it was a free upgrade. He tells EVERYONE that he had 3 cruises with RCCL and he is so important –they gave him an upgrade.

 

Both are happy – and that is what counts!

 

Whatever!

As long as he's happy ....and full of himself

[dcruisers]

Do you have to book a guarantee to get an upgrade? If you have a cabin already, any changes of an upgrade?