Can I Request to Reject an Upgraded Room?

[sjmbruce]

Hi! Not sure what the general rules are on Princess.

 

We booked Alaska through the 3 for free promotion. The way I understood the upgrade portion of the promotion was that I could book and pay for the lowest category of the stateroom type, but be upgraded to a better cabin in that category (so for the price of a lower, forward inside cabin, I chose to be in an inside cabin on deck 10 in the middle of the ship). I wasn't assigned a cabin at the time of booking, but assumed I would get a cabin midship, deck 10.

I received an email today that we had been upgraded to an obstructed oceanview, E330. I actually prefer an inside over an oceanview, especially one that is obstructed. Also, it appears that the Wheelhouse Bar stage is right over that cabin.

 

My naïve questions are as follows:

Will this cabin really be that noisy from the Wheelhouse?

Would there be any chance of a better upgrade, or should I expect this to be my final assignment?

Can I call and request to be moved back to my original category?

 

Thank you!

[rdsqrl]

You're on the Coral or Island, right? So I'm guessing you've been on renmar's site and seen the view. I think that's far superior to any inside cabin and I'd be really pleased with it. I can't imagine turning down daylight for an inside cabin under any circumstances, but maybe that's just me.

 

Also, the reason I'm guessing you were on his site is that you parrot his error. The Wheelhouse stage is actually one deck down, not above your cabin. It's possible you'd hear some noise but nothing in there lasts past 11 or midnight. You could always switch over to E331 on the other side of the ship.

 

You can certainly request to be put back in the guarantee pool for an inside but here's my strong caution to you: you may simply end up back in an obstructed view cabin (remember, there aren't very many inside cabins on this ship as compared with the other ships in the fleet) and the view could be much, much worse. There are very few OOV cabins on the Coral/Island which have decent views -- you've gotten lucky in getting one. I personally would put a no upgrade except meta upgrade marker on my res and hold on tight!

[KruzPrincess]

Hi! Not sure what the general rules are on Princess.

 

We booked Alaska through the 3 for free promotion. The way I understood the upgrade portion of the promotion was that I could book and pay for the lowest category of the stateroom type, but be upgraded to a better cabin in that category (so for the price of a lower, forward inside cabin, I chose to be in an inside cabin on deck 10 in the middle of the ship). I wasn't assigned a cabin at the time of booking, but assumed I would get a cabin midship, deck 10.

I received an email today that we had been upgraded to an obstructed oceanview, E330. I actually prefer an inside over an oceanview, especially one that is obstructed. Also, it appears that the Wheelhouse Bar stage is right over that cabin.

 

My naïve questions are as follows:

Will this cabin really be that noisy from the Wheelhouse?

Would there be any chance of a better upgrade, or should I expect this to be my final assignment?

Can I call and request to be moved back to my original category?

 

Thank you!

 

Since you didn't have a cabin assignment you were probably booked into a certain category as a guarantee. That means that the category you booked into would be the lowest category you would get and they can move you to a higher one. Generally, guarantees are lower priced and the cruise line does that so they have the freedom to move people around as needed. If you have a specific cabin assigned you can ask to have it marked "no upgrade". If you don't do that you can be moved within your category or upgraded. At this point, you can call your TA (if you booked with one) or call Princess (if you booked directly). You can ask them if you can go back to an inside, assign you a cabin and ask to be marked "no upgrade". Yes, it's possible to be upgraded again. As for your location, I have never heard of anyone complaining about noise from the Wheelhouse. The entertainment there is not that loud. Music probably won't be playing past midnight and it would be pretty quiet over night. I personally wouldn't worry about that location, but I've never actually had a cabin there. I'd much prefer the OOV to an inside.

 

Added: I just read the other post from RDSQRL and agree. E330 is really a very convenient location. I was actually looking at a cabin there myself this week. And, yes, the Wheelhouse would be below your cabin. I'd keep that location and have it marked no upgrade or only that I'd accept a meta upgrade to a balcony.

Edited November 9, 2013 by KruzPrincess

[caribill]

Generally, guarantees are lower priced.

 

 

Guarantees are usually the full price for the category picked. If, for example, you pick a IB guarantee, it will be the same price as if you had booked a specific IB cabin.

[KruzPrincess]

Guarantees are usually the full price for the category picked. If, for example, you pick a IB guarantee, it will be the same price as if you had booked a specific IB cabin.

 

You are correct. I don't book guarantees anymore, so I may be out of loop on that. Maybe I'm wrong, but I seem to recall that you used to be able to book the lowest possible category for an inside, for example, and there weren't any actual cabins in that category. They would assign you a cabin later. Maybe that was a long time back. Sorry for any confusion there.

[caribill]

You are correct. I don't book guarantees anymore, so I may be out of loop on that. Maybe I'm wrong, but I seem to recall that you used to be able to book the lowest possible category for an inside, for example, and there weren't any actual cabins in that category. They would assign you a cabin later. Maybe that was a long time back. Sorry for any confusion there.

 

Right. You book the lowest inside category as a guarantee paying the regular price for that category. With as few as two rooms in that category, you had almost a b100% chance of an upgrade, even if it was onto to the next inside category located 8 feet away on the same deck.

 

However, although you can still book a guarantee for the lowest price inside catregory, the recent rearrangement of which cabins are in which categories means the lowest inside category on some of the ships have over 140 cabins which means you may get exactly the category you reserved as a guaranted.

[sjmbruce]

thank you all for your advice. although I really enjoyed our mid forward cabin on deck 11, I see that e330 is in a pretty good location too. it looks like the elevators to the horizon court & pool are pretty close, and that the theater should be easily accessible.

 

sun light is why I book inside cabins. I am a sensitive sleeper. at home, I have blackout curtains in my bedroom and covers over any electronics that have a little glowing light. i'm not sure how dark an ov room would be.....any thoughts?

[rdsqrl]

I think you'll like that location (was I right; you're on the Coral?) on this ship -- very convenient. Unlike the Grand-class ships, most places I seemed to be were in the forward part of the ship. And you'll be just steps away from the wonderful library. Definitely check out the cushy armchairs facing the ocean. Blissful.

 

Looks like you and I are mirror opposites: I can't sleep unless the blinds and curtains are up and I can see outside -- a little thing like sunlight would never keep me awake! However, even though I don't use them, I do know that there are heavy drapes on the cabin window. Also, you might bring along one of those gigantic binder clips just in case the curtains don't hang totally together in the middle when closed.

[sjmbruce]

Since you didn't have a cabin assignment you were probably booked into a certain category as a guarantee. That means that the category you booked into would be the lowest category you would get and they can move you to a higher one. Generally, guarantees are lower priced and the cruise line does that so they have the freedom to move people around as needed. If you have a specific cabin assigned you can ask to have it marked "no upgrade". If you don't do that you can be moved within your category or upgraded. At this point, you can call your TA (if you booked with one) or call Princess (if you booked directly). You can ask them if you can go back to an inside, assign you a cabin and ask to be marked "no upgrade". Yes, it's possible to be upgraded again. As for your location, I have never heard of anyone complaining about noise from the Wheelhouse. The entertainment there is not that loud. Music probably won't be playing past midnight and it would be pretty quiet over night. I personally wouldn't worry about that location, but I've never actually had a cabin there. I'd much prefer the OOV to an inside.

 

Added: I just read the other post from RDSQRL and agree. E330 is really a very convenient location. I was actually looking at a cabin there myself this week. And, yes, the Wheelhouse would be below your cabin. I'd keep that location and have it marked no upgrade or only that I'd accept a meta upgrade to a balcony.

 

Thank you for your response! Can you explain a meta upgrade to me? How would I go about it - just a phone call to Princess?

[caribill]

Thank you for your response! Can you explain a meta upgrade to me? How would I go about it - just a phone call to Princess?

 

A meta upgrade is to a higher type of cabin, for example from an inside to an outside or a mini-suite to a full suite.

 

If you would only accept a meta upgrade (not accept an inside to inside, for example), contact your TA or if not using a TA, contact Princess to have your booking so marked.

[greenie082756]

When I made our reservation, I selected a specific cabin. I don't recall the option of no upgrade when I did it. When I look in the cruise personalizer, I just see the cabin we wanted. How can I see what I selected other than the cabin as far as guarantee or not? Or is it a wait and see what kind of contact I get from Princess?

[geoherb]

Greenie: If you picked a specific cabin and don't want an upgrade, call to make sure your booking reflects this fact. If you booked with Princess, call Princess. If you booked with a travel agent, call him or her.

[Eagle_and_hawk]

When I made our reservation, I selected a specific cabin. I don't recall the option of no upgrade when I did it. When I look in the cruise personalizer, I just see the cabin we wanted. How can I see what I selected other than the cabin as far as guarantee or not? Or is it a wait and see what kind of contact I get from Princess?

 

You won't see the "do not upgrade" option on the WEB site. If that is what you want, contact Princess directly and make the request, even if you booked through a travel agent. I would contact them via email to get it in writing.

 

If you do want to hold out for an upgrade, they should contact you if one is available for you and I believe you have 48 hours to decide before they give you upgrade. Also means if they don't hear back in 48 hours, they may assume you wanted the upgrade, move you to the new cabin & give yours to someone else.

[LovesCruising]

When we made our res w/Princess the rep asked if we would like our reservation marked do not upgrade. We did as we are traveling with others and want to stay together.

[greenie082756]

Greenie: If you picked a specific cabin and don't want an upgrade, call to make sure your booking reflects this fact. If you booked with Princess, call Princess. If you booked with a travel agent, call him or her.

That's what I thought. Last time I picked a category (not a specific cabin) and got an upgrade so I wasn't sure what would happen since I picked a specific cabin. I will just watch my e-mails and see if I get something really worth moving, otherwise I will just keep with what I chose. Thanks for everyone who answered.:)

[caribill]

That's what I thought. Last time I picked a category (not a specific cabin) and got an upgrade so I wasn't sure what would happen since I picked a specific cabin. I will just watch my e-mails and see if I get something really worth moving, otherwise I will just keep with what I chose. Thanks for everyone who answered.:)

 

 

If you booked with a travel agent, then any notice of an upgrade will be sent to the TA, not to you. It is then up to the TA to notify you. If the TA takes too long to make the notification to you, you will get the upgrade even if you did not want it.

[traveling psych nurse]

We were over the Wheel House bar for 28 days on the Star. Never heard any noise. Enjoy the bigger room.:)

[murphy4]

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sun light is why I book inside cabins. I am a sensitive sleeper. at home, I have blackout curtains in my bedroom and covers over any electronics that have a little glowing light. i'm not sure how dark an ov room would be.....any thoughts?

 

I booked an inside cabin on the Coral and had my TA put a note to call before upgrading. We prefer the darker room and since Alaska has mostly sunlight we want to be sure we can sleep. I have done many inside on RCCL and was fine so hopefully the Coral has nice inside cabins!

[Homosassa]

For our 10/24 Coral Princess sailing, we had specifically picked and paid for a inside cabin amidships. Reservation was marked "No upgrades." Imagine our chagrin when upon checking in, we were told we had been moved to a balcony cabin on a higher deck in the rear of the ship.

 

Our original cabin had been given away, so we bit the bullet and took the balcony. Our opinion of a balcony cabin is that we would never spend the money for one. The balcony was useless as there was no shade and there was limited sight lines from the balcony due to the white partitions boxing one into a tiny, claustrophobic cube. If we wanted to see scenery, we went to an open deck or public area.

 

The large sliding doors let in the heat of the sun, so we quickly learned the reason the steward always closed the drapes after making up the room was to keep the cabin cool during the day. We also closed the drapes if they were open to keep the room cool.

 

I would rather have had the wasted balcony space inside the cabin so that we probably would have had some place else to sit besides our beds.

 

Give us our inside cabin and keep the upgrades.