Timing of upgrade request

[KyRoamer]

We are on the Riviera March 13 cruise and have booked an A2 cabin. I noticed that the cruise has a lot of unsold cabins so I called our TA and asked for a price for an upgrade to PH2. She quoted the full list of $1,050 each ($2,100). She said that the cruise line would not bargain and had only six PH2 cabins available. She said deals are often offered at the 30 day out mark but rarely before. Assuming she is right, any idea of how much we could save by waiting?

 

BTW, A2 is just fine with us. The PH2 is just for some added fun and not worth $2.1k. So if we miss out, we don't care.

[StanandJim]

Folks who come over from other, larger, lines often ask questions like this, but because of the small (by comparison) number of cabins in every category on Oceania the amount of the Up-sell discounts tend to be anecdotal rather than, well, categorical. :o

Throw into the mix that the Suites on Oceania add in not only double the space but Butler service as well, and you might realize why discounting upgrades from Cabin to Suite are seldom economically necessary, the Suites fill themselves. Up-sells are usually offered to tempt a particular cabin dweller into tasting the high life in the hope that they will become addicted.

 

The good news is that you say that you will be happy remaining where you are, and that you have already told your TA that you are open to an up-sell.

 

While I would recommend that you give your Agent parameters of how much you are willing to spend to get into a Suite (i.e "we will take it if the offer is $750pp or less), you have done everything else that you can do.

[Cruseforme]

I believe each cruise is different, YMMV, depending on the overall selling of your cruise, and if they want your A2, for another booking, they may offer an upgrade for a smaller amount (we have been personally offered an upgrade from A2 to P3 for literally nothing! But we didn't like the location of the P3 cabin, so stayed with our original booking). Personally, if you are happy with what you have, you can always check back in late February to see what it looks like at that time! Agree with above, give your TA your upgrade parameters, and let them see if one comes in that suits you.

Edited January 8, 2016 by Cruseforme

[TrulyBlonde]

Last Spring we were offered an upgrade from a Concierge to Vista Suite for an additional $5,000. We took it and now are spoiled (as Stan and Jim said) and have booked a VS again for full price for S. America. Ahhh...the Sweet Life is very good:)

[Hawaiidan]

On a 10 day cruise, BOOKED in cat G inside I got an up sell for500 pp to a B1 at 6 days out. It was a 1300 savings between them.

 

You live and you hope

[KT Freeman]

Our TA called us this week with an upgrade offer to a Penthouse for our March 3 cruise. We declined because it was just a little bit more than we wanted to spend. Plus, we're in a B3 extended verandah right now and are happy. Told her to call us if she gets another offer.

[KyRoamer]

Thanks. Good advice. We'll just sit back and watch.

[CruseKrazy]

Another strategy is to book the cheapest cabin you would be happy in and move in. Once on Board the concierge is empowered to give you a great deal on an upgrade if you ask and they have room.

[Jancruz]

Another strategy is to book the cheapest cabin you would be happy in and move in. Once on Board the concierge is empowered to give you a great deal on an upgrade if you ask and they have room.

 

I wouldnt depend on this way as ships seem to go out full..

and rarely have upgrades above a D on sailing day..

Jancruz1

[newlondon]

KyR, We just returned from a CPT/CPT 2 week cruise. We were booked in a PH3 and 2 weeks before the cruise noticed 2 owners suites and 2 VS available. Since we were nervous about wind in the VS we made an offer at a substantial discount for an OS and O accepted. I don't feel at liberty to say the price but we were very happy. I visited the O website every day during the month before sail date to keep track of what was available. O did not come to me. We made the proposal.

[LesSails80435]

Can anyone tell me exactly where to look on the O website to see the number of staterooms available in a specific category? We booked Sirena's cruise from Sydney to Sydney ( circumnavigating Australia) in March 2017, and couldn't do better than a B veranda at the time.

[LHT28]

Can anyone tell me exactly where to look on the O website to see the number of staterooms available in a specific category? We booked Sirena's cruise from Sydney to Sydney ( circumnavigating Australia) in March 2017, and couldn't do better than a B veranda at the time.

You need to do a dummy booking & then it only will show up to 7 cabins available

 

Most Cat are waitlisted

 

Things can change in a yr ;)

Edited January 12, 2016 by LHT28

[LesSails80435]

Thanks. Newlondon, is this what you did?

Edited January 12, 2016 by LesSails80435

[CruseKrazy]

I wouldnt depend on this way as ships seem to go out full..

and rarely have upgrades above a D on sailing day..

Jancruz1

 

Granted Jan. In our case it was a TA B2B and we landed a balcony the whole way for the price of an inside plus a very small fee.

 

D.

[StanandJim]

Granted Jan. In our case it was a TA B2B and we landed a balcony the whole way for the price of an inside plus a very small fee.

 

D.

 

No one can dispute your experience, but it must be considered that there are very few inside cabins, while veranda cabins are the most prolific category on the ship.

 

Getting an upsell from a cabin to a Suite, which was the original topic of this thread, involves moving from that largest group into a much smaller one, which also features additional services, benefits and amenities.

 

Very different forces would be at play, there.

[515kitty]

As a first timer finding this good info. I have done the false booking and found out there are a large number of cabins available. Do they ever try to move you up ever with out asking sometimes? Now we are in a B-3 so where would I first start for an upgrade should I go to my TA or call direct to Oceania or wait to that day when checking in? If waiting to the final day whom should I ask than? Thanks for the help.

[LHT28]

As a first timer finding this good info. I have done the false booking and found out there are a large number of cabins available. Do they ever try to move you up ever with out asking sometimes? Now we are in a B-3 so where would I first start for an upgrade should I go to my TA or call direct to Oceania or wait to that day when checking in? If waiting to the final day whom should I ask than? Thanks for the help.

If you want to upgrade ask your TA

 

If you want to wait & see if they will make you an upsell offer just tell your TA you are open to the offers

 

Closer to sailing Oceania will start to make offers to clear waitlists

so if your Cat is waitlisted they may make you an offer to move to another Cat for a fee

Some upsells may not be in a location you will like

Be sure you know the location if you are prone to the motion of the ocean before accepting

 

I have not been moved without my TA asking me first

[newlondon]

LesSails, No, on the web site for each cruise it gives the status for each cabin category--available, waitlisted, etc. We watched this and as the cruise became imminent ie. 2 weeks we saw OS and VS continue to be available. We did not have any numbers, just available. At that point I asked my TA to make an offer for an upgrade and it was accepted. We were able to choose one of two OS available. Hope this helps. I hope you understand we were very lucky and as they say in the investment business,(mine), "past performance is no guarantee of the future."

[roberts2005]

LesSails, No, on the web site for each cruise it gives the status for each cabin category--available, waitlisted, etc. We watched this and as the cruise became imminent ie. 2 weeks we saw OS and VS continue to be available. We did not have any numbers, just available. At that point I asked my TA to make an offer for an upgrade and it was accepted. We were able to choose one of two OS available. Hope this helps. I hope you understand we were very lucky and as they say in the investment business,(mine), "past performance is no guarantee of the future."

 

What website shows availability and waitlist

[LHT28]

What website shows availability and waitlist

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/default.aspx

 

It will show what cat are available or waitlisted you would have to go through the booking process to see what cabins are still open

 

I have read there is a website that shows the cabins but it is against CC rule to post TA sites

[Iamthesea]

It has the letters C and C in it. :D

 

If you want to upgrade ask your TA

 

If you want to wait & see if they will make you an upsell offer just tell your TA you are open to the offers

 

Closer to sailing Oceania will start to make offers to clear waitlists

so if your Cat is waitlisted they may make you an offer to move to another Cat for a fee

Some upsells may not be in a location you will like

Be sure you know the location if you are prone to the motion of the ocean before accepting

 

I have not been moved without my TA asking me first

 

OK, we are in a B3 which is Waitlisted, but offered as a GTY when doing a dummy booking on that other travel site. All the Suites are sold out/Waitlisted for our sailing. There appear to be several Concierge cabins available. DH and I decided long ago that the category wasn't worth moving up to for $300 more pp (that's tfor he lowest C category.)

 

We have booked 7111, which is the extended B3. Having the larger balcony was the main reason we were not moving up a category. However, given the other thread about noise in those staterooms (it's really not a big deal to us) I guess I would entertain a free upgrade to a Concierge if it were offered. The 300 minutes of Internet and having use of the spa deck are intriguing. So, IF we were made an offer to upgrade, what Concierge stateroom category would we NOT want to move to? Obviously, nothing on the aft. ;)

Edited January 15, 2016 by Iamthesea