upgrade at the pier

[Foncai]

Spill!

How do i get an upgrade and the pier - how do i get one for FREE? is it possible cause were on honeymoon

[wrp96]

I've never heard of RCI giving free upgrades at the pier. They do offer upgrades at the pier - but for a cost. What you can do is get there as early as possible and see the pier coordinator, if there are any cabins available, you can purchase an upgrade.

[beachchick]

First, congratulations on getting married. Second, on many cruises there can be as many as 200 (or more) honeymooning couples. With the ships sailing at or near capacity, it would be impossible for RCI to offer free upgrades to all of them--not to mention their bean counters wouldn't like it. And if there were a few available, how would they decide which couples should get them? I understand how special your honeymoon is to you (of course it is!), but to RCI it's not unusual in the least.

 

RCI has never had a problem selling discounted upgrades at the pier. They are unlikely to start giving them away now. Especially with cruising so popular and so many pax willing to pay the fee.

 

RCI is known for being stingy with free upgrades (for any reason). Occasionally, they will do it if it's to their financial advantage (such as bumping someone into a category or cabin that isn't selling well to free up a cabin that's in high demand). There never seems to be any rhyme nor reason for who gets one or when it will happen. Also, a benefit of the Diamond Plus Crown & Anchor level is that free upgrades may be offered. IMO, that's fair considering that it takes 25 RCI cruise points to get to that level and these are loyal customers.

 

My advice (I give this to everyone) is to book a cabin in a category and location that you will like. That way if you are one of the lucky few to be offered a free upgrade, hooray! Or if you decide to try for a discounted pier upgrade, fantastic. No matter what, you will be happy. (Sometimes I've seen where people book a cheap cabin they don't want because they expect a free upgrade. This is, IMO, not a good way to approach cruising or anything else.) BTW, pier upgrades are a set fee and are per cabin, not per person. For example, on a 7 night, a pier upgrade from oceanview to balcony or balcony to suite (except Royal) runs $300 or $400--usually much less than if you had upgraded in advance. Of course, you are taking your chances of something being available and in a location you like. OTOH, $400 total to upgrade from a D balcony to a GS or OS would be fine with me, regardless of the suite's location.

 

Again, congratulations on your upcoming wedding and honeymoon.

 

beachchick

[cruznsugs]

upgrades all depend on availability . First check the website a week before to see if any suites are available. Then what we've done before is as soon as you get on the ship go to the customer service desk and ask for an upgrade . We got lucky and got upgraded free. Not sure if this is common or not.

[beachchick]

cruznsugs: You did get lucky. It is not common at all with RCI. Considering the number of pax versus the number of free upgrades, it's a lucky few indeed who get a free upgrade. (And good for you for getting it.)

 

beachchick

[Jarronwood]

On the subject of upgrades, as a lot of you know I paid for an upgrade from an oceanview to a D1 balcony aft (not a JS but a normal balcony cabin on deck 7) - right at the back of the ship because of all your comments on this board and I just thought well... if we upgrade to a balcony its got to right at the back and so my TA managed to get me one, no 7630.

 

Anyway, my question is this, I see from a lot of posts that they tend to upgrade (sometimes without telling you) from the aft balconies to a JS, which I suppose would be either port or starboard - well my question is this, if this happens, whether I am asked whether I want to move or not, what is your opinion on this (if it happens). WOuld you stick with your normal aft balcony (bearing in mind the balcony is obviously much larger than the sides, not to mention the glorious view of the wake etc etc) or would you like the upgrade to a JS? Or maybe they will go one higher than a JS?

 

I would really welcome your advice on this (we are on Legend of the Seas next June for the 14 night med cruise). it may never happen but if it does I would like to be in a position to say "no thank you" or thank you so much for the upgrade".

 

I just feel that no matter the room size to be able to sit on a big balcony (hopefully we will have loungers) and watch the sun go down sipping a gin and tonic or a glass of bubbly would be heaven.

:) :)

[VernRDH]

the pier coordinator? Do I just ask at check in if I am interested in upgrading? We are on the Jewel 6 night in 17 days and while I have a hump D1 I would not be opposed to trying a OS or GS (both are currently available on our sailing) if the price was right. It would cost me almost double what I paid to upgrade to one now, but someone here said that I could possibly get an upgrade for $300-400 for the cabin, not per person.

[cruznsugs]

cruznsugs: You did get lucky. It is not common at all with RCI. Considering the number of pax versus the number of free upgrades, it's a lucky few indeed who get a free upgrade. (And good for you for getting it.)

 

beachchick

 

Beachchick not sure why you feel the need to chime in everytime I let the poster know my experience with upgrades. The poster is looking for all different types of experiences. I clearly explained that it depends on availability and that we got lucky. Everyone should know what their options are and what works for them.

[cruizinrican]

I have always everytime been able to pay for an upgrade at the pier but this last time in the port of Pt. Canaveral, I was told I could not and that it is not done there, it is done in Miami?? What?? So not true, I guess she just did not want to be bothered with us?

 

Cruizinrican

[beachchick]

Beachchick not sure why you feel the need to chime in everytime I let the poster know my experience with upgrades. The poster is looking for all different types of experiences. I clearly explained that it depends on availability and that we got lucky. Everyone should know what their options are and what works for them.

 

Actually, you wrote that you weren't sure whether the upgrade you got was "common" or not. I answered (to the best of my knowledge and experience) that it's not. On other posts you know you've written that what happened to you is indeed the way to get a free upgrade. I think it's important to note that your experience was not typical.

 

There are lots of new members here (as well as folks who just come to the boards to read the posts). Many's the time when someone new to cruising will take the story of one person's free upgrade and make the assumption that it's the norm on RCI; it's not. That is my only reason and point.

 

beachchick

[CaribeDiver]

I booked a cruise on EOS and was in a balcony stateroom. When I got to the peir (Miami) I checked in at 11:30 am and then went to stand in line for a possible "FREE" upgrade to a suite , but was willing to pay for one. I was consumed by the thought of getting a free upgrade and ended up spending 2 hours of my vacation waiting in line only to get to the counter to be told they had sold out of their suites before the cruise. So, IMO, don't waste even one minute of your vacation waiting in line for an upgrade and just book a stateroom that you want now and when you get to the pier, check in, board the ship, and have a Bon Voyage Cocktail for me! Happy Cruising!

[RDeagazio]

Another option would be to have your TA request an upgrade from their RCI Sales Rep. If the TA is a Key Account the Rep can usually process a complientary upgrade if there are cabins available the week of sailing. While your TA can't ask for EVERY client to be upgraded, since you are on your honeymoon, it can be requested as a special occassion request. Not every upgrade request is fulfilled either, even if cabins are available, but it never hurts to ask.

 

I've had pretty good luck.. and got one of my Corp clients upgraded from a balcony to a Penhouse Suite on the Celebrity Infinity to Alaska last year. I was shocked they were upgraded to such a higher category but had I not inquired on their behalf they wouldn't have gotten it. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

[chotton]

My wife and went on Adventure of the Seas for our honeymoon this past March. I was thinking that since we are both diamond members and it was noted on our reservation that we were on our honeymoon that we may have had a chance for an upgrade. I didn't expect an upgrade but I thought it was our best chance out of all our cruises to get one. We ended up not getting upgraded and went and enjoyed our cruise.