Unwanted upgrade vent and question

[Bookworm1971]

We're booked on the Grand in March 2015 and I just noticed this morning on our cruise personalizer that we'd been "upgraded" from our Emerald ME to a Dolphin MA. (Yes, I know, I should have called after we originally booked to mark it no upgrade but took my chances.)

 

Anyway, I called to get it switched back before I'd even received the upgrade email. The agent I spoke to sent an email to whatever department it is who can possibly switch it back while I was on the phone with her. I was told that they have an internal hold on our original room for 48 hours however it's showing as available for booking when you go do a mock new booking.

 

What I'm wondering now is a) if there's an internal hold why is it showing available for booking on the website? and b) are most people successful in getting their original rooms back if they've called within the 48 hours they give you to refuse the upgrade? In our case I called before I'd even received the upgrade email.

 

Once they switch it back I will be calling to ensure that there is "no upgrade" marked on our booking. We specifically picked the ME on Emerald because of the covered balcony and the location.

 

So far not impressed with Princess bookings as this our 2nd attempt at booking a cruise with them. The first one they cancelled then a week later announced the same cruise with a minor itinerary change and a higher price. We were unable to get the cabin we had originally booked months before when we went to rebook on the new itinerary.

[Cruiserkenn]

Yes, I had a similar situation on the Sapphire, and I did get my original room back.

 

Please let us know how it goes.

 

Best wishes.

[shredie]

Yes' date=' I had a similar situation on the Sapphire, and I did get my original room back.

 

[/quote']

 

That is encouraging. I was just on the phone again with the Upgrade Fairy telling her I did not want the "upgrade." This was my second call. I was assured the "change" would be made today or tomorrow. Henceforth, I will always note "no upgrade" on the reservation.

[Pam in CA]

Keep pressing and do not accept "No" for an answer. It might be uncomfortable for you but "he who screams loudest gets the worm." Sad but true.

 

Years ago, my sister and BIL and I booked side-by-side minis on Emerald deck and we were looking forward to opening the balcony door for a sort of shared balcony. I was suddenly "upgraded" to the very front of Dolphin deck and almost couldn't have been further away from them. A 1-category "upgrade." My TA got my cabin back.

[runnerodb83]

Yes, call them and tell them you want the room back. I've done it already on a booking I have now, and they just upgraded me again, so I'm going to have to call them again. Some people have said you can tell them to mark it "meta" upgrade only, but the agents ive spoken to at PCL don't seem to know what that is. When it comes to inside rooms, the categorization that princess has put in place is hardly inline with what I would consider a desirable cabin.

[1153rsmith]

Do all ME category rooms have a partially covered balcony or only on certain ships? We are on the Island Princess on Deck 10 forward.

[1153rsmith]

A follow up question.... we have 3 cabins next to each other and our reservations are linked... does that make it less likely we would be upgraded, or could they upgrade one cabin and not the others?

[geoherb]

Or mark your booking for meta upgrades only. That way you could be moved from a mini suite to a full suite (or in our case, from a Caribe Deck balcony cabin to a mini suite.)

[UPGrandma]

Do all ME category rooms have a partially covered balcony or only on certain ships? We are on the Island Princess on Deck 10 forward.

 

 

Check this website for Coral & Island balcony coverage. Very helpful.

[Pam in CA]

A follow up question.... we have 3 cabins next to each other and our reservations are linked... does that make it less likely we would be upgraded, or could they upgrade one cabin and not the others?

No. They can easily "upgrade" one or more of you to anywhere on the ship as long as your booking remains "Will accept an upgrade," which is the default for all bookings.

 

Call immediately and have your bookings marked "No upgrade." You can still be moved but the chances decrease significantly.

 

If a Princess rep doesn't know the difference between "Will accept an upgrade" and "Do not upgrade," ask to speak to a Supervisor and tell them. That is very, very basic. Better yet, get a good TA. Ask around with people you trust either on the ship or at home.

[1153rsmith]

I just sent an email to my TA to take a look. I certainly wouldn't be opposed to an upgrade as long as all three of our cabins could stay together.

[paul929207]

I just sent an email to my TA to take a look. I certainly wouldn't be opposed to an upgrade as long as all three of our cabins could stay together.

I don;t think that anyone will guarantee that the three cabins will stay together if upgraded. You really need to mark them Do Not Upgrade if staying together is important

[LaurieHoffman]

what does meta mean?

[donaldsc]

That is one advantage of having a GOOD TA. If any line tried to pull that stunt on me, he would be on them immediately and get it fixed.

 

He even did that once with a guarantee. On this cruise, we could not pick our cabin so we had to go w a guarantee. They put us in place that was not good for my wife as it was all the way forward. I e-mailed him and he got it moved to a better cabin really quickly.

 

DON

[freetocruise]

Just received an upgrade notice for our upcoming Crown Princess Mexico cruise. We were moved from an ME mini on Emerald to an MD on Dolphin. This happened Friday afternoon. I called immediately and was told the people responsible for upgrade changes were gone for the day but she put an email in to them and said it would be taken care of on Monday.

 

Early this morning I received an email confirmation that our original minisuite was ours again. I also told the agent I talked to on Friday to mark the booking - only meta upgrade.

[IECalCruiser]

Before the Fleet Recategorization a couple of years ago the fully covered Emerald deck mini-suites (and only those mini-suites) on the Grand class ships were category AD. After the Fleet Recategorization those mini-suites along with the 30 farthest forward fully uncovered mini-suites on Dolphin deck were recategorized as category ME. Since almost 75% of the category ME mini-suites are uncovered, maybe Princess is more likely to "upgrade" you to a higher category on Dolphin deck now. Make certain that you check no upgrade or meta upgrade only and keep checking you room assignment.

[traveling1969]

I stopped reading when I came to "(Yes, I know, I should have called after we originally booked to mark it no upgrade but took my chances.)". Life is a gamble in itself. Remember, when you gamble you can lose.

[Pam in CA]

what does meta mean?

A "meta" upgrade is a cabin type upgrade, not a category upgrade. For instance, inside to oceanview, oceanview to balcony, balcony to mini-suite, etc.

 

Most so-called upgrades are the exact cabin type to a different location on the ship. It can be just a one category upgrade. And what Princess considers an upgrade, you may not. For instance, I much prefer a cabin towards the aft for a number of reasons. Princess considers a cabin more mid-ship an upgrade.

[shredie]

I stopped reading when I came to "(Yes, I know, I should have called after we originally booked to mark it no upgrade but took my chances.)". Life is a gamble in itself. Remember, when you gamble you can lose.

 

Thanks for the sympathy. ;) I am currently in the same boat (haha), so I feel your pain. It's funny how the threads are always full of "dream on" when the upgrade fairy is wanted but then this happens! :)

[Thrak]

I don;t think that anyone will guarantee that the three cabins will stay together if upgraded. You really need to mark them Do Not Upgrade if staying together is important

 

A meta upgrade is from one type of cabin to the next such as an upgrade from a balcony to a mini suite.

 

Edit: D'Oh! Should have refreshed the page before answering. Had I done so I would have seen that this question had been answered.

Edited July 1, 2014 by Thrak

[Treven]

When I booked my first Princess cruise, my TA got me a needed accessible cabin. She then called me to let me know that Princess was offering me an upgrade; yippee I thought. Upon checking I discovered that the new cabin wasn't an accessible one. Fortunately my TA was able to get my original cabin back.

 

Now why would a cruise line move someone out of a handicapped cabin into a standard cabin when the accessible cabin was needed to begin with. Fortunately I found out about the no upgrade box. Of course I wouldn't mind an upgrade from one type of accessible cabin to another one.

Edited July 1, 2014 by Treven

[SoCal Cruiser78]

A "meta" upgrade is a cabin type upgrade, not a category upgrade. For instance, inside to oceanview, oceanview to balcony, balcony to mini-suite, etc...

 

I've spoken with two Princess reps recently, and both told me they never heard of this. That both said they can either mark upgrade or no upgrade in their system, with no conditions attached. I hate to ask for a supervisor, as I don't want to get anyone in trouble, but there does seem to be a training issue here.

[Thrak]

When I booked my first Princess cruise, my TA got me a needed accessible cabin. She then called me to let me know that Princess was offering me an upgrade; yippee I thought. Upon checking I discovered that the new cabin wasn't an accessible one. Fortunately my TA was able to get my original cabin back.

 

Now why would a cruise line move someone out of a handicapped cabin into a standard cabin when the accessible cabin was needed to begin with. Fortunately I found out about the no upgrade box. Of course I wouldn't mind an upgrade from one type of accessible cabin to another one.

 

Sadly, a number of folks book accessible rooms when they don't actually need them. They have discovered that the room is larger and they are greedy. It REALLY peeves me when people do this.

 

I also get really peeved with people who park in the handicapped spaces. It's a total bummer to NEED a HC parking space and find that some jerk has parked there "for just a few minutes" or whatever because they are too damn lazy to walk a little bit farther. I actually met a guy in the VA hospital who would just park behind the vehicle, call the cops, and then refuse to move his van until the person was issued a ticket.

 

I also know a women who has a disabled husband. She has DP plates on all of the vehicles (including the one her husband can't possibly get into) and she totally abuses the plates to park wherever she wants for as long as she wants when she is NOT with her husband. There's nothing wrong with her but sheer laziness and "entitlement".

[caribill]

A follow up question.... we have 3 cabins next to each other and our reservations are linked... does that make it less likely we would be upgraded, or could they upgrade one cabin and not the others?

 

Linking of reservations is mainly for the purpose of assigned seating if traditional dining is chosen.

[shredie]

Well, I just got off the phone with the Upgrade Fairy again, and she claims they have reinstated my original cabin. I'm to expect an email to that effect. I will believe it when I see the email and they change it in the personalizer. Well, maybe I'll believe it when they deliver my luggage to the correct stateroom after I'm on board. :)