Upgrade bid with two cabins - how to?

[Coolwhip82]

We are booked on the Dawn over Thanksgiving in two adjoining balcony cabins. To get the Free At Sea promos we wanted, NCL let me book the kids in one room and adults in other, so two seperate reservations. Got email today with the option to bid on upgrades for both reservations. I would like to bid for and SJ or higher but would it be possible to combine us all in that room then? I guess I would have to cancel the second reservation? My question really - is there any cost effective way to get us all in the same upgraded. room (assuming I can win a bid)? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

[mjkacmom]

We always get two connecting balconies. I was under the impression that combining into one suite would make you have to cancel one reservation, since they are separate.

[khaide612]

I don't know how much you are willing to bid but why not just call and see what the price difference would be to change? Are you booked under the free taxes promo that is happening right now?

[fridaythe13th]

The difference is a lot between two balcony cabins and one SJ for four. More than $3,000. Even with the promo.

[onlineangel]

Regarding your specific question, per the FAQ: https://www.ncl.com/content/upgrade-advantage-faq

 

If I have two reservations can I bid only once and if accepted, cancel the second reservation and move the guests into the upgraded cabin?

No, if you have two cabins you will need to submit two separate bids and they will be considered independently. NCL cannot guarantee that both reservations will be upgraded. In the case that one of the reservations gets upgraded, you cannot move the other guests into the upgraded cabin. All reservations cancelled within the penalty period will be subject to cancellation fees.

[khaide612]

The difference is a lot between two balcony cabins and one SJ for four. More than $3,000. Even with the promo.

 

Not sure what you are looking at but the price for 2 BDs is $4,116 and 2 B3s is $4,796. And the price for an SJ for 4 is $5304. That's $500 between B3 & SJ & $1200 between BD & SJ. Of course the real difference would be based on what the OP paid for their cabins but they did mention picking promos so I'm assuming they didn't pay the guarantee rate.

[Coolwhip82]

Regarding your specific question, per the FAQ: https://www.ncl.com/content/upgrade-advantage-faq

 

If I have two reservations can I bid only once and if accepted, cancel the second reservation and move the guests into the upgraded cabin?

No, if you have two cabins you will need to submit two separate bids and they will be considered independently. NCL cannot guarantee that both reservations will be upgraded. In the case that one of the reservations gets upgraded, you cannot move the other guests into the upgraded cabin. All reservations cancelled within the penalty period will be subject to cancellation fees.

 

This is what I was looking for, thank you.

 

With this information, it really seems like they penalize people with two reservations in this bidding thing. Meaning, even if I bid to upgrade them both, one could be accepted while the other is not and we would be split up. We booked adjoining rooms for a reason, splitting up isn't an option. I toyed with idea of doing the not-so-legal way of just bidding on one and having all 4 of us move to that room (once on the ship, not changing the reservation) but I realize that 1. is against the rules 2. would mess with the stewards pay (I think they are paid p/p, right?) and 3. put us at different muster stations. Alas, its seems like not bidding is the way we going to go. Shame their policy is this way.

[khaide612]

What is the minimum bid? I'm just curious.

[MikeBTN]

Not sure what you are looking at but the price for 2 BDs is $4,116 and 2 B3s is $4,796. And the price for an SJ for 4 is $5304. That's $500 between B3 & SJ & $1200 between BD & SJ. Of course the real difference would be based on what the OP paid for their cabins but they did mention picking promos so I'm assuming they didn't pay the guarantee rate.

 

Not only that, but since they are past final payment they will likely experience some sort of cancellation fee on one of the staterooms.

[Coolwhip82]

What is the minimum bid? I'm just curious.

SJ no balc $200...so theoretically I could upgrade us all to TWO SJs for about $800. When originally booking I compared the price of two BAs to one SJ and the SJ was $781 more....so if there was a way to guarantee both would be accepted or rejected together I would do it in a flash.

[Até]

I'm just stuck on the claim NCL let you book the kids in one cabin and adults in another. As far as I know NCL abolished this over a year ago. Is one of these kids over 21?

[sc2011]

This is what I was looking for, thank you.

 

 

 

With this information, it really seems like they penalize people with two reservations in this bidding thing. Meaning, even if I bid to upgrade them both, one could be accepted while the other is not and we would be split up. We booked adjoining rooms for a reason, splitting up isn't an option. I toyed with idea of doing the not-so-legal way of just bidding on one and having all 4 of us move to that room (once on the ship, not changing the reservation) but I realize that 1. is against the rules 2. would mess with the stewards pay (I think they are paid p/p, right?) and 3. put us at different muster stations. Alas, its seems like not bidding is the way we going to go. Shame their policy is this way.

 

 

 

There are always exceptions to rules. I booked a 2bdrm suite for my inlaws and a Haven OS for hubby and me back in December. I'll be on the Jade coming up in about a month. There's been a Garden Villa open for months. I had my TA watching it for me BEFORE final payment. The GV was $8000 more than the total of both suites I'd reserved. The day before final payment TA spoke to NCL about combining the 2 suites into the GV for no additional cost. I didn't want to pay anything extra. They came back with we could combine for $2500 more. I said no. But I asked if the price came down after final payment could I combine them without penalty. NCL said yes. So I waited and watched. Price of GV dropped to now only $6500 more than my now paid combined total. This was about 45 days out. TA called NCL again. I offered to combine for an extra $1000. They said no. So I waited again and saw price dropped again this weekend to $6000 more than my paid combined total of 2 suites. TA called Monday. They gave us the GV for no additional cost. They cancelled my inlaws room with no penalty and moved the 4 of us into the GV. Again, this is after final payment. So I say, either keep calling or have your TA call. I stayed on it and I got what I wanted.

 

 

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[garycarla]

This is what I was looking for, thank you.

 

With this information, it really seems like they penalize people with two reservations in this bidding thing. ...stations. Alas, its seems like not bidding is the way we going to go. Shame their policy is this way.

 

I do not see this as a penalty thing. It just gets way too complicated for them. They are dealing with hundreds of bids per ship times all the ships sailing each week, etc. It might seem simple for just one passenger, but in the big picture - not so much.

 

If you have connecting cabins, I would stick with that, or PAY to upgrade. I would also think two cabins might work better than most suites anyways since some of those are just one large room. The 2BR suite is an exception.

 

As another poster said, you MIGHT call and get somebody to do something. Keep in mind that example was going from two suites to a the GV - a bit different than two balconies.

[Coolwhip82]

I'm just stuck on the claim NCL let you book the kids in one cabin and adults in another. As far as I know NCL abolished this over a year ago. Is one of these kids over 21?

 

"The claim"? Like I making this up? No, they are 8 and 3. And maybe I just got a nice rep, but they let me do it.

[Até]

"The claim"? Like I making this up?

 

I didn't mean it as disbelief. I'm just stunned that after a year of enforcing the new age requirements NCL PCC's are back to their old tricks. Nice or not the rep went against NCL policy that is in place for a reason. I would check the listed ages of your kids on your myNCL booking... and hope it doesn't get caught or cause problems later.

 

 

Traveling with Minors and Young Adults:

Norwegian Cruise Lines policy dictates that a minor or young adult under the age of 21 must be accompanied in the same stateroom by a guest 21 years of age or older at the time of boarding.

 

• Minors – an individual under the age of 18 on the day of embarkation/boarding.
  

https://www.ncl.com/faq#age-requirements

[khaide612]

Not only that, but since they are past final payment they will likely experience some sort of cancellation fee on one of the staterooms.

 

I've read accounts of people being able to combine reservations after final payment without penalty. NCL will take some extra money to put the 2 balconies into 1 suite and then they can sell the 2 balconies - or upsell/up-bid people in insides to balconies and sell the insides. The more people they get on the ship, the more money they make.

[Coolwhip82]

I've read accounts of people being able to combine reservations after final payment without penalty. NCL will take some extra money to put the 2 balconies into 1 suite and then they can sell the 2 balconies - or upsell/up-bid people in insides to balconies and sell the insides. The more people they get on the ship, the more money they make.

 

IKR? Move us and then you have two balconies open. Get inside people to bid on those and then get people who were never going to sail a super cheap inside cabin. Bam, more people on the ship!

 

I have been calling my 'personal cruise consultant' from NCL all morning....

[sanger727]

SJ no balc $200...so theoretically I could upgrade us all to TWO SJs for about $800. When originally booking I compared the price of two BAs to one SJ and the SJ was $781 more....so if there was a way to guarantee both would be accepted or rejected together I would do it in a flash.

 

 

 

Right, but the bidding process doesn't exist for your benefit, it exists to benefit NCL. They would rather hold out for bids and hope they get more than $800 for the two SJs. They have created a structure where people who really NEED the suites because of kids (since adults theoretically have to be in a room with the kids) are forced to pay full price.

 

 

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[dexddd]

The other thing to remember is if you only get one room upgraded the other room won't have suite benefits.