What do paid upgrades cost?

[bostom]

There are plenty of posts about the luck some folks have had getting upgraded by Celebrity for free.

 

I can't find any posts that detail what paid - at the pier, presumably - upgrades cost. One of the cruises we're taking this winter appears to have plenty of cabins available today for a cruise 10 days from now.

 

Has anyone paid for one? Is there a formula (presumably so much per category?) Or are they simply flat rates ($X for this category, $Y for that, etc.?) Will they dicker? Or is it just the difference between what you paid and some sort of "list price" for the potential cabin or category, even as, obviously, there can't be a lot of folks paying "list" on a ship that has empty cabins?

 

Or is it wiser to inquire in advance of sailing, even as I presume they'd probably say "no" in the hope of scaring up a few more customers? Seems unlikely they will, though, as they are asking much more than the cabins went for earlier.

 

I'd appreciate hearing from those of you that have had this experience on Celebrity, whether you "bit" at the price they offered or not. And of course, what that price was.

 

Many thanks.

[Leela]

I think "it depends" is a big part of the answer to this question. I know if you booked directly with them you can go into your reservation on their web site and upgrade yourself by paying the difference between your fare and the standard fare in place for the higher category (i.e., special fares for new bookings only won't be available, since you aren't a new booking).

 

As far as last-minute pier-side upgrades, I have no idea.

[Ma Bell]

It really depends on how many cabins are available and how much they want the revenue. You really won't know til you try.

[idssms]

Like everything else upgrades are negotiable.

 

I just got off the Millennium, booked a cat 2C and was offered an upgrade to a Celebrity Suite.. I made an offer, it was countered and I made a counter until we worked it out.

 

I promised X I would keep the financial details confidential and will stick to it.

 

If you are at the dock early enough on sail away day and there are suites, etc available, use your skills and try to do your best.

 

The Celebrity Suite on the Millennium was one heck of an upgrade from a Cat 2C cabin that I had originally booked.

 

Of course, it pays to be nice to them too.

 

Don

[Arubalisa]

Like everything else upgrades are negotiable.

 

I just got off the Millennium, booked a cat 2C and was offered an upgrade to a Celebrity Suite.. I made an offer, it was countered and I made a counter until we worked it out.

 

I promised X I would keep the financial details confidential and will stick to it.

 

If you are at the dock early enough on sail away day and there are suites, etc available, use your skills and try to do your best.

 

The Celebrity Suite on the Millennium was one heck of an upgrade from a Cat 2C cabin that I had originally booked.

 

Of course, it pays to be nice to them too.

 

Don

Photos to follow soon we hope?

[idssms]

I have a bunch of photos.. I have been too lazy to post them but I will. I have a bunch of the Celebrity Suite as usual....

 

Did you see my other pics??

 

If so you know where to go once I am done posting,, right??

 

Don

[charlielinda]

bostom: I love playing the upgrade game at the Pier. I have always been unsuccessful upgrading, for a fee, before arriving at the Pier. When you call the standard answer is that you can upgrade for the difference in price so there is no savings. As for at the Pier . . .

We always arrive early, very early! As soon as we arrive we immediately ask to speak with the Pier Coordinator and we don't take no for an answer.

Anyone else you ask about upgrades will automatically tell you that there are none available so . . . continue to ask and get to the Pier Coordinator (at this point your husband or wife might get grumpy but continue on).

Once at the Pier Coordinator put on a bright smile and say you are so excited to boarding "X" ship and were wondering if there were any upgrades that you could purchase. At that point she'll let you know what is available and what the prices are. Everytime we have done it the Pier Coordinator has had a chart which shows the prices -- i.e. from balconey cabin to CC cabin etc.

We have tried to upgrade on everyone of our crusies at the Pier -- and are 4 out of 6 on Pier Upgrades. We ALWAYS book a cabin we are going to be happy with and anything extra is an extra treat for us. Example: we have paid to upgrade from a balconey to a SS on the Galaxy a few years ago $600 for a 10 day cruise; two years ago we paid $1000 to go from a CC cabin to the Royal Suite for a 10 day cruise.

Good luck and enjoy your cruise.

[Arubalisa]

Did you see my other pics??

 

If so you know where to go once I am done posting,, right??

 

Don

I have absolutely loved the pics from your past trips. I will keep checking there...and am also looking forward to these.

[Arubalisa]

If so you know where to go once I am done posting,, right?? Don

WOW! You work quick!!!

 

The photos are beautiful as always. I especially love the floor to ceiling windows in the suite...AND dinner "with the BOYS"? Well, all I can say is I hope your wife was as well entertained that evening as you were :D

[idssms]

I just posted them!!!!!

 

You actually saw them,,,,,,,,, WOW you are good !!!!!!!

 

I had a fabulous time on this cruise.

 

This is my second time on the Millie,, it shows and proves, if you are nice and respectful,, you will get the royal treatment..

 

I didnt have a Penthouse Suite this time and look at my pics!!!

 

They all are just great and know how to make guests feel real important!

 

 

don

 

more pics to follow dear

[darrencantwait]

hey don...can I see your pics too? Hoping to go on the Millie in the Med. in 2007.

[slotaddict]

Where are the pics?

[Outlanderssc]

One of the cruises we're taking this winter appears to have plenty of cabins available today for a cruise 10 days from now.

Does anyone know how a regular passenger can tell how many cabins are left on their ship?

 

I expect TAs have access to this info, but what about the rest of us?

 

The X website only lists two cabins at a time, not the whole ship or even a whole cat. So you don't really know the total available.

 

Unless a cat is sold out, that is-

[idssms]

I have a bunch of Millie pics,, just click below and look for Millennium Pics thru out..

 

http://community.webshots.com/user/irwind101

[idssms]

Where are the pics?

 

 

 

see above for URL..

 

check them all out ,, galaxy pics, zenith pics and Milie pics,, and Princess Pics..

 

don

[Karynanne]

Does anyone know how a regular passenger can tell how many cabins are left on their ship?

 

I expect TAs have access to this info, but what about the rest of us?

 

The X website only lists two cabins at a time, not the whole ship or even a whole cat. So you don't really know the total available.

 

Unless a cat is sold out, that is-

 

This is what I do...I sit with the Celebrity catalog, and the deck plans for the specific ship I want to cruise on, and then start inputing specific cabins in the space "above" the shown cabins available.

 

Celebrity will only show just a few cabins at a time...you have to be diligent in searching for a specific cabin.

 

When I find a cabin available (of my choice), I then call my TA to book it.

 

Hope this helps...

 

Karyn

[newtocc]

Go to search, type in "paid upgrade", there are 67 results, I'm sure 1 might help, or ask ocngypz, she can tell you how to do it because she's done it herself.

Hope this helps!

[ocngypz]

Here I be... yes, I've paid for upgrades

 

They are flat fee

 

If folks don't bite the first day, they will lower them... sometimes.

 

Most of the time, the upgrades are gone by 1pm the day of sailing.

 

It varies per sailing depending upon revenue projections vs actual revenue, so there is no flat fee.

 

Let's see.. from Cat 4 to 3 on Horizon... that was $100.

 

From Cat 1 suite to Penthouse.... that was $1000

 

From Cat 2 balcony to Penthouse... for everyone else.. it was $1000, for me (thanks to the Hot Man and Chief Concierge) $700.

 

Now friends were sailing in Alaska, to upgrade from a CS to RS was a whopping $5000! That's another cruise!!!!

 

There are very few sailings which are not completely sold out.

 

I remember one friend enquiring about moving from a Cat 9 to oceanview, he was quoted $300... He passed.

[bostom]

and to idssms, Basketlady, Oceangypz, and Newtocc in particular: I guess it can't hurt to ask, and to do so early. As we're at the Tremont House a block away from the piers, I'll try to wander over very early...

 

It's still a mystery, though, what economic rationale the pier price is based upon. Is it what they presume the extra costs of maintaining or servicing the cabin or suite will be in excess of those for the space that you'd already booked? I mean, you can't exactly turn the heat or a/c off, for instance. And while I guess having a butler AND and a cabin steward means two people, it's not like they'd hire extra crew: the people are already there onboard. You might cost 'em a little more in terms of food (but how much can canapes cost?) and booze (free at parties you would not otherwise attend) and whatever the costs they associate with the upgraded suite's occupancy; otherwise it's essentially the same amount of fuel, food in the dining rooms, fresh water, etc. that you'd consume in your lowly non-upgraded space.

 

Perhaps "it depends" mostly upon "what the traffic will bear" but using a variation on Karyn's method (some other booking engines show more cabins) there are dozens of cabins available in almost every grade except the least expensive and the Family Ocean categories. It might be misleading if some of the guarantee cabins are yet to be assigned, but as it's for next Saturday, seems a bit late to get people's documents in hand.

 

We'll see but I agree with whoever said to book what you'll be happy with. I will be, if only because the best outside cabin we booked this summer cost less than half of what they now ask for the lowest inside guarantee. So if we're not tripping over the butler, at least we're saving money. :)

[idssms]

the bottom line is you will be happy no matter where you are staying.

 

we as humans are very adaptable.

 

I had a great time on the Zenith in Jan 05 with just a porthole window so book a category that makes you comfortable financially and have fun.

 

If by chance you are lucky enuff to be offered an upgrade and you accept, enjoy it all the more.

 

Cruising is fun no matter...

 

Good luck

 

Don aka idssms

[Lsimon]

... we immediately ask to speak with the Pier Coordinator and we don't take no for an answer.

 

Anyone else you ask about upgrades will automatically tell you that there are none available so . . . continue to ask and get to the Pier Coordinator (at this point your husband or wife might get grumpy but continue on).

 

Just curious who you ask and when? Wen you get to the check in counter? Earlier?

 

Have you done this in more popular times, or just in off season? We usually go around spring break. Last Sept we went to Mexico on Summit and I asked and got the answer that none were available, as you indicated, so it ended there. But on board, as a part of some general information announcement during the cruise, they did announce the ship was full.

[Arubalisa]

How early is "early" for the Galaxy departing from Galveston?

[SS Cruise Lady]

On one of our cruises someone told us that they knew the time frame for when the last booking could be accepted and would call the cruise line within a hour ot it. That way they were able to get great rates because anything they paid at that point in time was more than the cruise line would get for an empty cabin. Since they lived near a port city in Florida, getting airplane reservations at the last minute was not a problem for them. Does this practice still exist?

[charlielinda]

We usually get to the Pier at 10:30 or 11:00 and try to be first in line to wait -- it's not bad waiting -- we're excited. We talk to others and people watch.

We ask the person we are checking in with (we ususally are in suite line or CC line) and then go up from there. If she says no upgrades, I ask for the Pier Coordinator, no Pier Coordinator, ask for a manager, ask the manager for the Pier Coordinator . . . just keep asking.

I always do my homework also. I follow the cabins on the different booking sites -- travelocity, orbitz, expedia . . . for example if I've booked myself a CC cabin I check periodically how many SS, CS and RS cabins are available. I especially check in the last few weeks and just before sailing. If I noticed that there are six SS cabins open at the end and I'm booked in a CC cabin then I'll be pretty sure that something would be available. Even you don't think anything will be available ASK -- on one cruise (during Easter break) we had a CC cabin and I knew there were no SS cabins but decided to ask anyway. Guess what, the people in front of us were asking the same question and where in a Royal Suite and wanted to upgrade to the Penthouse so we were able to upgrade to Royal Suite.

Others times I've gambled and paid for a full price upgrade from an SS to reserve a guarantee for a CS when I knew there had been no CS cabins available for months but lots of RS cabins. My gamble paid off and I got a RS for the price of a CS.

I've found that it seems that whenever you ask how full the ship the standard answer is FULL. I think it makes them feel better.

Just a personal note. I love "playing" the upgrade game and have always enjoyed the rooms but I will say that we have stayed in all types of rooms and not once has the size of the cabin played in a role in how much I've enjoyed my cruise.

I go with a great attitude (knowing things go wrong), I make new friends and have a great experience and laugh at the things that go wrong.

Good luck with the upgrades.

[ocngypz]

Bookings are closed approximately 72 hrs prior to sailing. Up until that time whatever rates are in reservations... are what the rates are. There is no reduced rate desk. There is no upgrade desk.

 

And no, you can't just show up at the pier either.