What was your upgrade offer and what did you bid

[Starry Eyes]

8 hours ago, ckre4d said:

We currently have a family balcony on the Escape leaving Oct 6 for 4 of us. The Haven bid upgrades are way out of our price range but the minimum for a mini suite is $25.00. Is the mini suite worth bidding on for the extra room?  I will have a travel scooter with me.  I read some mini suites have a large shower, others a tub only - not sure if the tub would accommodate a shower chair? Thanks in advance for any suggestions!  Can't wait for Oct 6!!!!

I think you would like the extra space a mini suite would provide.  Of course, you cannot select the location of your mini suite...are you willing to be flexible about location?

 

As to the whether the tub will accommodate a shower chair: you may need to research that question a bit yourself.  Search for pictures or you tube videos of minisuite bathrooms so you can judge the tub against your own needs.  If you cannot tell, you could ask other people’s tub impressions  on a separate thread. 

[disneylover89]

If you are a family of 4 and booked 2 connecting cabins, do they ever offer you 1 large cabin with 2 bedrooms?

[poly3503]

41 minutes ago, disneylover89 said:

If you are a family of 4 and booked 2 connecting cabins, do they ever offer you 1 large cabin with 2 bedrooms?

Yes,  they have 2 bedroom family suites.

[JamieLogical]

15 hours ago, disneylover89 said:

If you are a family of 4 and booked 2 connecting cabins, do they ever offer you 1 large cabin with 2 bedrooms?

 

Not as an upgrade option were you could combine the inhabitants. You would be offered upgrades from each of the individual connecting rooms. If you won an upgrade to a 2-bedroom from one of those rooms, you would still have the original second room.

[_Mr.G_]

Hi all,

 

our cruise (NCL Gem from Québec) starts in 10 days. Until today my upgrade offer is still pending / in progress since weeks.  Since I'm leaving in two days I would like and need to do the NCL online check-in.  Will the online check-in somehow affect the upgrade process since I'm checking in into my original cabin? Or can the upgrade offer also be applied after the online check-in?

 

Thanks,

Stefan

[2NOLAcruisers]

8 minutes ago, _Mr.G_ said:

Hi all,

 

our cruise (NCL Gem from Québec) starts in 10 days. Until today my upgrade offer is still pending / in progress since weeks.  Since I'm leaving in two days I would like and need to do the NCL online check-in.  Will the online check-in somehow affect the upgrade process since I'm checking in into my original cabin? Or can the upgrade offer also be applied after the online check-in?

 

Thanks,

Stefan

You can check-in now.

 

I am on the Gem in 3 days (leaving from Boston.)   I checked in a couple of weeks ago (checking into my original cabin) and just yesterday won my upgrade bid.

 

If you are leaving in two days but win an upgrade you will need access to a printer to print the updated luggage tags and cruise documents.  

 

 

Edited September 17, 2019 by 2NOLAcruisers

[_Mr.G_]

28 minutes ago, 2NOLAcruisers said:

I am on the Gem in 3 days (leaving from Boston.)   I checked in a couple of weeks ago (checking into my original cabin) and just yesterday won my upgrade bid.

 

 

Thanks for that information !

 

Would you mind sharing your particular upgrade bids for the Gem?  😉

[Starry Eyes]

25 minutes ago, 2NOLAcruisers said:

You can check-in now.

 

I am on the Gem in 3 days (leaving from Boston.)   I checked in a couple of weeks ago (checking into my original cabin) and just yesterday won my upgrade bid.

 

If you are leaving in two days but win an upgrade you will need access to a printer to print the updated luggage tags and cruise documents.  

 

 

I agree...go ahead and check in.   Do not wait for your bid to be accepted or rejected.

 

If one is traveling and does not have access to a printer, one can show up without luggage tags.  Porters can provide tags at port; it happens all the time for many reasons...NBD.  The terminal will have the updated manifest.  

 

Remember, NCL has routinely been accepting bids a couple days before sailing.  Plenty of people must have shown up without updated tags and paperwork.

[2NOLAcruisers]

13 minutes ago, _Mr.G_ said:

 

Thanks for that information !

 

Would you mind sharing your particular upgrade bids for the Gem?  😉

I started with a free inside cabin (casino at sea offer) and paid to upgrade to a balcony room.  

 

My original bids (all per person):

$75 - Mini suite

$385 - Penthouse (SE, SF)

$780 - 2 Bedroom Family Suite (SC)

$835 - Haven Courtyard (H5)

 

I was checking my bids one day to see if I felt like tweaking them and saw that there was a "special offer" to bid on a Haven 2 bedroom Family Villa (H4).  Instead of the minimum $1000 per person bid, the minimum was dropped to $750 so I bid $760.  I didn't expect to win because my bid was lower than everyone else's minimum bid, but I won!

[CruisinKJ]

How far in advance from the sailing does NCL start offering cruisers the option to place bids? How far out from the sailing date are the bids usually accepted? Thanks for any input!

[All-ready2cruise]

In general, and it can vary, you'll see the offer when you log into your NCL account at day 80. You may also receive an email at that time but not always.  NCL will start assigning upgrades whenever they decide to, could be at day 30, (not usually before that) and will have all assigned by 48 hrs prior to sail date. 

[CallagDeb]

I am new to NCL. We are traveling in a mini suite on the Escape 12/7, we are celebrating our 50th anniversary. (High school sweethearts) I just received a upgrade request for the Haven.  I’d love to surprise my spouse with an H5.   How much of a bid might be successful?  This is my husbands first NCL cruise, only my second.  We have cruised extensively.  Thanks for any input.

[debgreg]

22 hours ago, All-ready2cruise said:

In general, and it can vary, you'll see the offer when you log into your NCL account at day 80. You may also receive an email at that time but not always.  NCL will start assigning upgrades whenever they decide to, could be at day 30, (not usually before that) and will have all assigned by 48 hrs prior to sail date. 

We are 50 days out, still no offer :(

[All-ready2cruise]

1 hour ago, debgreg said:

We are 50 days out, still no offer 😞

Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending how you look at it, some pax never get an offer. There are some TAs who don't participate in NCL's upgrade offer.  

Other times, it's closer to sail date before you're sent the option to bid. 

Enjoy your cruise. 

[Starry Eyes]

17 hours ago, CallagDeb said:

I am new to NCL. We are traveling in a mini suite on the Escape 12/7, we are celebrating our 50th anniversary. (High school sweethearts) I just received a upgrade request for the Haven.  I’d love to surprise my spouse with an H5.   How much of a bid might be successful?  This is my husbands first NCL cruise, only my second.  We have cruised extensively.  Thanks for any input.

Well, I suppose this whole thread is aimed to help people learn which bids might be successful.  Skim through the thread for other posts about suite upgrades.  

 

It is not easy for somebody to guess about yours.  How many suites are availability on your cruise? Is H5 the only suite that interests you?  What is the price difference between your current price and the suite price (bid less than that and keep watching that price...some people upgrade when they catch a suite price drop)?Theoretically the minimum bid might be successful, but clearly higher bids have better odds than the minimum bid.  You’ll have to decide the max suite is worth to you.

 

A Haven suite is wonderful upgrade and would make a very memorable anniversary cruise.

[themutis]

How many days before the sail date do they typically start awarding the upgades.  

[Nclgetawaymenhoney]

2 hours ago, themutis said:

How many days before the sail date do they typically start awarding the upgades.  

Typical is 3 to 5 days before sailing to maximize profit, but in some cases due to supply and demand it’s earlier, my awards were 5, 4, 3 and the last one exactly 48 hourly prior to sailing good luck, bid what you are comfortable doing and enjoy your vacation!!!

[justhappy]

  For informational purposes here are the suggested bids on my 5 night Getaway cruise out of New Orleans in December.

 

I am already in the Haven (H6) so I was offered bids on H4- starting at $500 pp

H3- starting at $750 pp and H2- starting at $1000pp

I was not offered a bid on the H5.

 

If I had wanted an H4, I could have paid to upgrade my H6 last week for $350 pp so bidding is a poor bargain for me.

 

But we’re happy in our deck 9 H6 that I upgraded to three weeks ago from a Regular balcony. We paid a total of $1,349 pp for our stateroom.

I don’t think I’ll ever have the chance to cruise in the Haven this cheap again!

 

[Waverunner1]

On 8/9/2019 at 7:50 AM, Waverunner1 said:

Sailing Gem 10/25/19 14 day Caribbean. Original booking room #9652 BC balcony at 2199.00 per person, all 5 perks. (+ Taxes, fees, Insurance, transportation, first born, etc...)

 

Here is what I was offered to bid on...

Haven

The Haven 3-Bedroom Garden Villa (H1) $2500-5000

The Haven Deluxe Owner's Suite with Large Balcony (H2) $1500-3000 (Currently showing as Sold Out)

The Haven Owner's Suite with Large Balcony (H3) $1000-3000

The Haven 2-Bedroom Family Villa with Balcony (H4) $1000-2750

The Haven Courtyard Penthouse with Balcony (H5) $750-2750

 

Non-Haven

2-Bedroom Family Suite with Balcony (SC) $500-2500

Penthouse with Large Balcony (SE, SF) $300-2000

Mini-Suite with Balcony Stateroom $25-400

 

Past spending Habits

I spend money in the SPA for couples massage (Wife insists).

Moderate Gambler

Few shore excursions

Few gift shop items

 

Hope this helps somebody! Also, everybody's theory's hold water, however we just don't really know for sure so providing as much information as you can along with (when the time comes) your winning/losing bids and date of acceptance/rejection is the best info you can provide. Wish me luck!

 

I would also be interested in hearing from others who have offers on this same cruise.

 

 

So yesterday I was checking on ship availability and 3 Aft facing balconies came available for $1750pp and the mini suites all showed sold out. Since the mini suites came down in price I'm assuming the previous aft balcony folks upgraded. I originally paid 2100pp for a BC class balcony and at the time, The B1's (aft) were 5-600 dollars more. Called my TA and he got me switched to the aft. As far as my previous stateroom, the BC category showed as available on the crucon site before I called my TA...It listed as GTY. Now it lists my former stateroom number. Two aft left on deck 8...I took the last deck 10! 

 

Still hoping for a suite or Haven upgrade but the aft balcony will make up for it if I don't get it. Had an aft suite last year and loved it. So it seems with the cruise about 30 days out there has been movement on categories in preparation for awarding upgrades.

[debnjoe1438]

8 hours ago, Waverunner1 said:

So yesterday I was checking on ship availability and 3 Aft facing balconies came available for $1750pp and the mini suites all showed sold out. Since the mini suites came down in price I'm assuming the previous aft balcony folks upgraded. I originally paid 2100pp for a BC class balcony and at the time, The B1's (aft) were 5-600 dollars more. Called my TA and he got me switched to the aft. As far as my previous stateroom, the BC category showed as available on the crucon site before I called my TA...It listed as GTY. Now it lists my former stateroom number. Two aft left on deck 8...I took the last deck 10! 

 

Still hoping for a suite or Haven upgrade but the aft balcony will make up for it if I don't get it. Had an aft suite last year and loved it. So it seems with the cruise about 30 days out there has been movement on categories in preparation for awarding upgrades.

Good Luck

[CarrieAP]

On 9/18/2019 at 3:10 PM, CallagDeb said:

I am new to NCL. We are traveling in a mini suite on the Escape 12/7, we are celebrating our 50th anniversary. (High school sweethearts) I just received a upgrade request for the Haven.  I’d love to surprise my spouse with an H5.   How much of a bid might be successful?  This is my husbands first NCL cruise, only my second.  We have cruised extensively.  Thanks for any input.

 

My advice is to call NCL or your travel agent to see what it would cost to upgrade. You're cruising during low season and there are lots of H5 cabins available on your sailing. I'm sailing on the Epic on 11/22 and just today was able to upgrade to the Haven for around the same price as a bid in the low range. Generally I think the Haven is overpriced but the cost on some cruises over the next couple months have dropped significantly making them a surprisingly good value. 

 

I've been in the Haven on the Getaway and would not bid/pay for that again, but have heard that the Haven on the Escape is one of the best. Keep checking prices over the next few weeks and you should be able to snag a good deal without the waiting and uncertainty of the bidding program. And wow- 50 years!!! Congratulations!! The Haven would add a special touch to your trip.

[gipsy4ever]

Hi - Has anyone’s upgrade bids been accepted for the Norwegian Gem sailing on Sep 27 - New England/Canada?

[spethstation]

Anyone have success with a 'poor' bid from a balcony to a spa balcony? I'm sailing the Escape on Dec 7 and thinking about bidding the absolute minimum ($100 CAD pp) just to see what happens. I'm really interested in the thermal spa pass but can't swallow the actual price.

[Jasonmom]

13 hours ago, spethstation said:

Anyone have success with a 'poor' bid from a balcony to a spa balcony? I'm sailing the Escape on Dec 7 and thinking about bidding the absolute minimum ($100 CAD pp) just to see what happens. I'm really interested in the thermal spa pass but can't swallow the actual price.

 

I say "go for it".  If that amount is what you are willing to pay, do it.  I think if you bid just $5 over the minimum might make the difference.

 

[bkrickles1]

14 hours ago, spethstation said:

Anyone have success with a 'poor' bid from a balcony to a spa balcony? I'm sailing the Escape on Dec 7 and thinking about bidding the absolute minimum ($100 CAD pp) just to see what happens. I'm really interested in the thermal spa pass but can't swallow the actual price.

Please let us know how it turns out.

I'm sailing Encore in January and plan on making a bid from our balcony cabin to a spa cabin too.

I was thinking that maybe we could get away with $150 pp ($300 total). With 3 of us in a cabin that would average $100 pp for spa access and that would be a great deal.

Good luck with your bid.