Cruise fairy and upgrade question.

[goldesq]

I have always wondered about this scenario. I Booked a cruise in January for an October 2013 cruise. I booked a lowest level balcony. Right now, only guarantee balconies are available on all balcony levels but suites are available. If someone books now for a guarantee balcony, would they put them in my balcony and upgrade me to a mini if there we literally no balconies left just so they can sell that balcony or would they sell them a balcony and put THEM in the mini. I should mention that so far, they moved me once from BF to BC but its on the same floor so to me, it's not really an upgrade...it's actually a downgrade as its Lido and closer to the pizzeria near the glass doors.

 

Another question, what does it actually mean if there are only guarantees on a given level? Are they all sold out, almost sold out or something else?

[rdsqrl]

No, why would they put them in your balcony? You're not the only people who originally booked a guaranteed cabin!

 

Although you don't see any availability, that doesn't mean every balcony cabin is spoken for; some are held back in order for Princess to have flexibility to move people into them who have booked guarantees.

 

Don't count on an upgrade to a minisuite -- it probably won't happen. You and 3000 of your closest friends have your cabins booked "will accept upgrade," so your odds aren't good.

 

As to whether your new cabin is an "upgrade," remember that you booked that BF gty. with the understanding you would accept any cabin in any category equal to or higher than that. That's part of the chance you take/the fun of booking a guarantee. If you want to avoid a particular location, it's always safer to book a specific cabin and mark it "no upgrade."

[goldesq]

I never said I booked a guarantee. I booked a specific room on the lido deck and it happened to be a BF. I did not mark my reservation NO UPGRADE. I don't expect a thing from Princess.

 

What I asked was simply whether a new balcony booking that is guarantee go into a balcony with a guest in a balcony moving up to mini or would e new balcony guarantee booking move up to the mini. It doesn't necessarily have to be me. I am just curious where that new booking would go. Basically, does Princess move up those already on the ship or those just booking?

[caribill]

I am just curious where that new booking would go. Basically, does Princess move up those already on the ship or those just booking?

 

It could go either way.

[rdsqrl]

Either way could happen. Like I said, we don't know for a fact that all balcony cabins are allotted, so there's no way to tell who's being bumped up and who's being jumped over while a gty booker is bumped up. Yes, in theory, someone could book a balcony guaranty and get assigned to a minisuite. Or, Princess could just keep accepting bookings for BF guarantees and then upgrade a bunch of assigned balcony dwellers in random categories and then assign those in the guaranty pool to the new-vacated balconies.

 

Really, no one but Princess's yield management people knows the exact answer to your question.

[dorisis]

The upgrade fairy is named Random. No one really knows how those upgrades are chosen.

[petlover]

Can you decline an upgrade?

 

If you agree to be on the upgrade list do they tell you what the upgrade is and let you decide whether you want it or not ? I know what cruiselines consider an upgrade may not be and they'd rather say no and stay put.

[paul929207]

Can you decline an upgrade?

 

If you agree to be on the upgrade list do they tell you what the upgrade is and let you decide whether you want it or not ? I know what cruiselines consider an upgrade may not be and they'd rather say no and stay put.

Sometimes they tell you and give you time to accept or decline. Other times it is done and you find out when you are checking in. By that time your original cabin is probably gone.

[N00B]

I think OP was just trying to ask whether a "balcony Guarantee" or someone who booked a specific room would get priority if upgrades were being handed out.

 

I realize there may not be an answer to it, but I think the question was simple enough and OP probably didn't deserve some of the snark that came their way.

[KruzPrincess]

Honestly, as Caribill said, it could go either way. I was recently trying to book a cabin in a specific category that is highly in demand. My TA called the Princess rep to see if they could clear someone out of that category which would mean that other person would get an upgrade. Princess came back and said they couldn't clear anyone, but offered me an upgrade to the next level up. So, I lucked out in a big way. I never expected that. So, it could be you, it could be the new person shopping, it could be someone else. Upgrades can be a mystery. Good luck to you.

[molme]

For our Feb cruise we have one of the four obstructed view cabins at the front of the lido deck. These cabins have been all booked since about April and now they are showing that you can book in this area as a guarantee. I am curious as to how this will work out. Will some of us be offered upgrades so they can book others in them or will the new bookings get the better deal. We booked this cabin in Feb along with friends that are also booked in one. Personally we prefer this cabin to an oceanview on Plaza deck.

[caribill]

For our Feb cruise we have one of the four obstructed view cabins at the front of the lido deck. These cabins have been all booked since about April and now they are showing that you can book in this area as a guarantee. I am curious as to how this will work out. Will some of us be offered upgrades so they can book others in them or will the new bookings get the better deal. We booked this cabin in Feb along with friends that are also booked in one. Personally we prefer this cabin to an oceanview on Plaza deck.

 

 

If this is the cabin you want, call your TA (or Princess if you booked directly) and have it marked to be "will not accept an upgrade."

[redtogo]

I think OP was just trying to ask whether a "balcony Guarantee" or someone who booked a specific room would get priority if upgrades were being handed out.

 

I realize there may not be an answer to it, but I think the question was simple enough and OP probably didn't deserve some of the snark that came their way.

 

This is no place for snarky.

 

On one of the cruises that we already have booked, we had chose L205. It was on the front of the ship, and I knew from previous experience that it could be rock'n roll. But, we chose it anyway because of the price. Lo and behold, someone else wanted that category and we received an upgrade offer to give them our cabin for one which is midship and costs a lot more.

 

My point is, we chose an assigned cabin number, and got an upgrade because someone else wanted it. So, yes, it can happen.

 

(^^^)

[goldesq]

This is a simple message board and I agree, there is no reason for being snarky no latter how long you have been here or how much you have posted. It makes other new people who have perfectly good (or at least, good to them) questions feel intimated and hesitant to post.