Still trying to figure out the Upgrade Fairy

[cflutist]

2 night SFO to YVR, booked D cabin on the Plaza Deck. No upgrade.

Must say it was nice being close to all the dining rooms.

 

7 night Alaska, booked BF gty, assigned BC a day before the cruise, so late that some other person's name tag was on our room and on the room steward's list (he had to go get my Hubby's Elite upgraded amenities).

 

2 night YVR to SFO, booked BF gty, just assigned BA on the Caribe deck even before the final payment is due on 7/11/12.

 

I guess she works in mysterious ways :D

[Astro Flyer]

2 night SFO to YVR, booked D cabin on the Plaza Deck. No upgrade.

Must say it was nice being close to all the dining rooms.

 

7 night Alaska, booked BF gty, assigned BC a day before the cruise, so late that some other person's name tag was on our room and on the room steward's list (he had to go get my Hubby's Elite upgraded amenities).

 

2 night YVR to SFO, booked BF gty, just assigned BA on the Caribe deck even before the final payment is due on 7/11/12.

 

I guess she works in mysterious ways :D

It appears that she's been much more generous with you than with most of us! ;)

 

Once we learned about a technical 'upgrade' to another category of balcony during check-in & our cabin still had the other passenger's name and our luggage went to our original cabin. Oh well, it all worked out & we had another great cruise. :D

[enyliram]

she is not working here at all.

[cflutist]

What is a "technical" upgrade? I think that's what happened to us on the Island.

[Loonbeam]

Well first, you booked guarantee, which is a whole different kettle of fish. The whole point of guarantee bookings is to allow the cruise line to shift people around to maximize revenue while making only a category commitment.

 

Upgrades to fixed booking cabins are a different story.

 

Either way, they are both controlled by the revenue management system which uses a very complicated and proprietary format to determine when upgrades are given and to whom based on projected sales of each category at target pricing models.

 

There's no magic to it, its all math, just we don't know the formula.

[Astro Flyer]

What is a "technical" upgrade? I think that's what happened to us on the Island.

That's what I call an 'upgrade' within the same type of cabin...to me it's the same cabin only in a different location which makes it a higher category for pricing but not much else is different.

 

To me a real 'upgrade' is something such as going from an oceanview to a balcony but that's just how I think about it & others may think differently. ;)

[paul929207]

Any attempt to understand the machinations of the Upgrade Fairy will leave you slap happy

[cflutist]

That's what I call an 'upgrade' within the same type of cabin...to me it's the same cabin only in a different location which makes it a higher category for pricing but not much else is different.

 

To me a real 'upgrade' is something such as going from an oceanview to a balcony but that's just how I think about it & others may think differently. ;)

 

oh ok, then the only real "upgrade" we have received from Princess was an assigned Balcony cabin to a Mini-suite on the Regal Princess (those mini suites were a lot larger than on the current ships).

[Astro Flyer]

Any attempt to understand the machinations of the Upgrade Fairy will leave you slap happy

No kidding...I'm beginning to think that they throw darts at a board with our names on it to determine who gets a visit from the 'upgrade fairy'...lol...:p

[Astro Flyer]

oh ok, then the only real "upgrade" we have received from Princess was an assigned Balcony cabin to a Mini-suite on the Regal Princess (those mini suites were a lot larger than on the current ships).

That's just how I think about it & not necessarily how anyone else would feel about it. ;)

[Cruisin' Chick]

I just wonder how many people will book a guarantee and then get upset if the upgrade fairy doesn't grant them their dream cabin. Or if the "upgrade" ends up being a cabin in an undesirable location.

[cflutist]

We normally book assigned balcony cabins, but will book a guarantee if nothing else is available.

 

On the last SFO to YVR cruise, we thought we'd try an outside on the Plaza deck just to see what it was like, since in the past, we have been on several "rocking and rolling" ships heading north. We actually enjoyed it because its location was so central to everything and it seemed that there was less motion down there. Now if only Princess would offer balconies on the Plaza Deck ;) . I'm actually glad that we didn' get upgraded from the Plaza Deck.

[lovevacadays]

Any attempt to understand the machinations of the Upgrade Fairy will leave you slap happy

 

My thoughts exactly, Paul! No one can really figure her out. I've been visited twice by Princess' upgrade fairy and I like her! I was upgraded from a balcony to a minisuite and from an obstructed view cabin to a full oceanview cabin.

[caribill]

Now if only Princess would offer balconies on the Plaza Deck ;) . I'm actually glad that we didn' get upgraded from the Plaza Deck.

 

Too much ocean water would make it onto the balcony if there was one there.

[Coral]

A coworker (first time cruiser) got upgraded from an inside to a balcony cabin this week for a cruise in July on the Island Princess. Go figure!

[cflutist]

Too much ocean water would make it onto the balcony if there was one there.

 

Well duh :confused:

[cflutist]

A coworker (first time cruiser) got upgraded from an inside to a balcony cabin this week for a cruise in July on the Island Princess. Go figure!

 

I really do think Princess does that to encourge them to cruise again.

They figure they already have us hooked.

[Astro Flyer]

A coworker (first time cruiser) got upgraded from an inside to a balcony cabin this week for a cruise in July on the Island Princess. Go figure!

I've read about this happening quite often...guess they need to 'set the hook' with 1st time Princess passengers because they know they don't need to do that with us because we've already taken the bait...'hook, line & sinker'! :p

[SiBreeze]

I just wonder how many people will book a guarantee and then get upset if the upgrade fairy doesn't grant them their dream cabin. Or if the "upgrade" ends up being a cabin in an undesirable location.

 

We'll never know' date=' because those folks don't come on here to brag about that! :D[/color']

 

We were recently given a 7 category upgrade on a guarantee. From the lowest inside (M) to the highest inside (II). Yeah, it's an upgrade, but I consider a 'real' upgrade to be a whole category higher. Inside to oceanview, etc. ;)

[Coral]

I really do think Princess does that to encourge them to cruise again.

They figure they already have us hooked.

 

Or if they cruise again, to get a balcony!

 

I've read about this happening quite often...guess they need to 'set the hook' with 1st time Princess passengers because they know they don't need to do that with us because we've already taken the bait...'hook, line & sinker'! :p

 

I couldn't believe it. She booked a land trip (4 nights) with it. She went from an L to a BE. The BE is a covered balcony near the back viewing area on the Island. A pretty good location IMO.

[Astro Flyer]

Or if they cruise again, to get a balcony!

 

I couldn't believe it. She booked a land trip (4 nights) with it. She went from an L to a BE. The BE is a covered balcony near the back viewing area on the Island. A pretty good location IMO.

Maybe they should buy some lottery tickets to see if their luck will continue? ;)

[Waynetor]

She has beeb very good to us. Sometimes we will book a fixed cabin when doing B2B but we have boked about 10 low level inside guarentee and have got 1 ocean view, 1 balcony and the rest high level insides.

Sometimes we book about 6 months out and sometimes much closer - doesn't make any difference.

[IECalCruiser]

I have to agree with what some others have said. IMHO the only real upgrade is from one type of cabin to another such as a balcony to mini-suite. An upgrade within a cabin type does not give you a bigger or better room, although being upgraded to a BB or BA Caribe deck cabin could give you a larger balcony. Within a cabin type the categories are determined by what Princess determines is the relative value of a cabin which does not always agree with our definition of value. Indeed, with the fleet recategorization next year Princess will be changing their relative valuation of many cabins. An upgrade in my definition is the upgrade from a Guarantee AD cabin to a VS full suite that our friends had two years ago. They booked a guarantee because they wanted an AD covered mini-suite but none we available. We also wanted to book an AD mini-suite on a cruise last year but none were available so we booked an AD guarantee. We were "upgraded" to an AA mini-suite on Dolphin which was not an "upgrade" to a cabin we wanted. Just my thought.

 

After our B2B in Alaska this Fall we are switching to the Coral to cruise home to LA. We booked the cheapest inside cabin as a Guarantee for the three day cruise. We might get upgraded to an Obstructed Oceanview cabin or better, but we want to try an Inside cabin and if the Upgrade Fairy keeps in an Inside cabin, this short cruise is a good way to try one.

[Mrterryl]

While on the Ruby 2 weeks ago I had a long conversation with the cruise consultant. Upgrades are done on the computer based on the price you pAid for your cabin, your number of cruises and if they have over sold your cabin level. since I always shop best prices, usually book a mini or top grade balcony, I have had only 1 upgrade in 30 plus cruises on Princess. My advice book the cabin at the price and location that makes you happy and don't even think about an upgrade. If it happens you will be pleasantly surprised!!!!

[SiBreeze]

While on the Ruby 2 weeks ago I had a long conversation with the cruise consultant. Upgrades are done on the computer based on the price you pAid for your cabin, your number of cruises and if they have over sold your cabin level. since I always shop best prices, usually book a mini or top grade balcony, I have had only 1 upgrade in 30 plus cruises on Princess. My advice book the cabin at the price and location that makes you happy and don't even think about an upgrade. If it happens you will be pleasantly surprised!!!!

 

 

My TA, who is a high volume Princess agent, told me the exact same thing. So basically those folks bragging about the great upgrades overpaid for their cruise to begin with. ;)

 

I agree 1st times get better upgrades to lure them back with the hopes of the same next time. Most likey, it is not going to happen. :(