Another upgrade question

[Csardas]

Sorry about this, but are you more or less likely to get an upgrade on a cruise that is selling quite slowly?

[andhow]

Sorry about this, but are you more or less likely to get an upgrade on a cruise that is selling quite slowly?

 

Nobody knows!

[Adammara]

Upgrading is an ongoing mystery!

 

We booked our cruise in May, supposed to have been the last P2 suite, and it was booked on a guarantee Cunard fare. We have seven weeks to go, and still no assignment.

 

Strangley, after final payment date several Princess and Queens specific suites became available for purchase, but no assignment! At around 60 days a further five P2 became available, guess what, nothing for us!

 

The prices for the remaining inside, outside and balcony are steadily climbing, to the extent that a balcony is now only £500 less than we paid!

 

The E tickets will be available in a couple of weeks, but I am not holding any hope out for then. My TA and other members of this community have suggested the longer you wait, the more liable you are to get an upgrade. If we like QE we intend to book another cruise, but we have decided that we will probably book a Q4 with number, no more guarantees for us!

[Underwatr]

Please don't expect an upgrade, ever. DW and I are Platinum and it hasn't happened yet!

[DreamflightPat]

Please don't expect an upgrade, ever. DW and I are Platinum and it hasn't happened yet!

Same here. Agree with you.

 

Regards Pat

[Adammara]

We had to book a P2 guarantee as there was not a choice. We will be very happy with a P2, we would just like to know which one! On all our other cruises we have had our cabin number on booking.

 

We have had a couple of upgrades on P&O, both of which we had to pay a nominal sum for, but well worth it.

[Ray66]

We've usually received our cabin number about 4 weeks prior, so another 3 weeks yet to wait yet possibly.

[paper tiger]

Cunard are very unpredictable with upgrades.Last year we booked a P2 guaranteed for the November transatlantic on an upgrade promotion.We were then upgraded to a P1.A few weeks prior to sailing I was offered a Q5 for a very small additional supplement.I don't think that it will ever happen again but I can live in hope.I can only assume that November transatlantics are not big sellers and that was the reason for the great upgrades.That and to try to hook me with the grills experience.

[cruiseluvva]

We are now exactly two weeks to sailing and still no cabin number.

[DreamflightPat]

We are now exactly two weeks to sailing and still no cabin number.

It has been known not to get cabin number until embarkation. Hopefully this won't be the case for you.

 

Regards Pat

[babs135]

Cunard are very unpredictable with upgrades.Last year we booked a P2 guaranteed for the November transatlantic on an upgrade promotion.We were then upgraded to a P1.A few weeks prior to sailing I was offered a Q5 for a very small additional supplement.I don't think that it will ever happen again but I can live in hope.I can only assume that November transatlantics are not big sellers and that was the reason for the great upgrades.That and to try to hook me with the grills experience.

 

Just curious, did you book with an agent or direct with Cunard?

[winnie06]

We are a week away from sailing and no cabin number.

[mtsublueraider]

It'll be my first time on Cunard and surprisingly I booked an interior and called in after final payment, was very polite and asked for an ocean view. The request was granted and confirmed on the spot! Amazing!

[maggiemou]

We are diamond members twice over if you count the days sailed onboard, we have never ever been offered an upgrade. I tend to find it is newer cruisers who get upgraded as we old sea dogs are known to be hooked into Cundards. 😄

[david,Mississauga]

Please don't expect an upgrade, ever. DW and I are Platinum and it hasn't happened yet!

 

We have received two fabulous upgrades (one to Princess Grill and one to Queen's) when we were Gold-level members, but since we became Platinum we have not had one. I'm not complaining - other people deserve upgrades - just pointing out that the upgrade fairy is unimpressed with rank in the Cunard World Club.

 

Many people say your chances of an upgrade are greater if you take a guarantee. Despite the obvious logic, that has not been our experience. We have never had an upgrade from a guarantee. One time when booking on board for a voyage a year away we were persuaded to accept a guarantee instead of an assigned stateroom which was available at the time of booking. The staff member said we would have a better chance at an upgrade if we took a guarantee. Not only did we not get an upgrade we got the second-worst location of our category. I will never again book a guarantee unless that is the only availability.

 

When we have had a guarantee the E-ticket simply stated "GTY" when it was first available. Each time the assignment came two weeks before sailing date.

[Underwatr]

My only upgrade ever was on a Princess GTY ticket and it was an upgrade within category (balcony to a better balcony).

[gentlemancruiser]

 

Strangley, after final payment date several Princess and Queens specific suites became available for purchase, but no assignment! At around 60 days a further five P2 became available, guess what, nothing for us!

 

 

This maybe due to large travel agencies holding inventory for their clients on the cruise. Once the final payments are due (90days prior) if the agency hasn't sold the inventory they are holding they must release it. This will in turn open up cabin categories which had been closed.

 

We are platinum and we booked a P2 Guar and we do not expect an upgrade. I doubt we'll receive an upgrade. We just hope we don't get assigned the accessible cabin.

[Adammara]

We would welcome on off the disabled P2 cabins! My wife had severe back and leg problems, and had a major operation and it made things a lot better, but as she is able to carry out certain tasks, she does not qualify as being disabled. Ideally we wanted a cabin with a shower, but the normal P2's are shower in bath, which are difficult for her, but we will manage!

[paper tiger]

Just curious, did you book with an agent or direct with Cunard?

 

We booked direct with Cunard and when we booked there were only guaranteed cabins left.

[babs135]

We've had two upgrades. The first was within the same inside category, just a different location. The second was from an inside to a balcony :D Didn't even know about it until check in!! As we were on a transatlantic crossing I hadn't bothered to look at the VP for a few days so it was a fantastic surprise when the lady handed us our cards and simply said 'you do know you've been moved?' Her smile should have been a clue.

 

Why the upgrade, no idea. Have sailed since but it's not happened again.

[Adammara]

We had a day visit today to QE (Wonderful experience, more tomorrow!) but I did get the opportunity to talk to 2 of the cruise sales ladies, they said that the majority of guarantee cabins are assigned around 2 week before sailing, so it looks like we will be waiting another 4 weeks before we are assigned.

[Wirral Girlie]

We sail on Saturday and our guarantee cabin was only assigned last night (Tuesday!)

Sadly no upgrade but the cruise is sold out and we got exactly what we booked.

[Normandie_Nostalgic]

I got upgraded several times in the glorious QE2 days, but since we resumed cruising with the current fleet, and reaching Platinum, no upgrade whatsoever., either with GTY or an assigned cabin, asking for it bluntly, praying secretly or not caring at all.

I think that nowadays, for all things upgrade (on ships, planes, car rentals and hotels), the safest strategy is to book solid what one actually wants, and welcome the (very slim) chance of an upgrade.

[Adammara]

Just back from a great holiday in Dorset. checked VP, and we have been assigned.

 

Booked a P2 Guarantee, and we have been assigned a P2 on deck six. Very happy at that, having been told in might be 4 more weeks till we knew. So our assignment came 6 weeks to the day before we sail.

 

The dream is a lot nearer now!

[fantasy51]

With the booking scheme when I first started Cunard cruising, possibly 5 years ago, I would pay for a room and immediately be told it was an upgrade. However, this was only a level or two within the balcony category and I was not really sure what the difference was, not being aware enough of the levels.

 

Once the new system came to the UK, I book a last-minute saver fare and can only get a GTY. On a couple of occasions I booked at the lowest-level balcony (partially obstructed) on QV and was later 'upgraded' to what I consider to be the worst rooms on the ship - deck 5 (I think) right at the front, where you get an hour of terrible noise as the ship arrives in port or leaves port. It's not a good room for someone who wants to sleep late. On my last Cunard cruise I paid the extra to make sure I would not be 'upgraded' to that location.