What was your upgrade offer and what did you bid

[Tina451]

2 minutes ago, Starry Eyes said:

NCL allows bids on up to  two “meta” categories above your current.  So, from an inside on most ships (Epic is different as it lacks OV cabins), you can bid on OV and balcony cabins.  In addition to regular balcony, you may have a spa balcony bid offer.  That is quite typical now.

 

I have a balcony for an upcoming cruise.  I am able to bid on 7 different suites, 2 minisuites plus a spa balcony upgrade.  Again, I can go up to 2 “meta” categories above my current balcony....there can multiple offers within those metas.

 

Yes that is right.  I thought balcony and spa balcony were different categories.  Sure is when it comes to bidding on them when you look at the minimum!

[Mikel1733]

On 9/6/2019 at 2:34 PM, Starry Eyes said:

Do both prices include/exclude the same perks?  How long is the cruise?

13 day cruise.  I ended up canceling the bid and just paid to upgrade. Another $370pp but we got $50 excursion credit per port (10 ports), 5 meals pp at the pay venue restaurants, and 250 internet minutes.  That plus the unlimited beverage plan.  

[Starry Eyes]

37 minutes ago, Tina451 said:

Yes that is right.  I thought balcony and spa balcony were different categories.  Sure is when it comes to bidding on them when you look at the minimum!

People who like the spa really value spa access.  If you check prices for spa passes for your cruise, you will understand why people who plan to buy spa passes would in bid extra for a spa cabin that includes spa access.  If you and your companion would really spend time there and really enjoy it, then a higher bid may be justified.  If not, then that cabin is meant for somebody else

[cliffd64]

On 9/25/2019 at 1:32 PM, Firepath said:

I withdrew my bid to upgrade from oceanview to balcony because when I did a mock booking all of the remaining balcony cabins were directly under the nightclub. Everything else was sold out. I realize someone could cancel or there could be a change, but it's not a chance worth taking for us. Would be very convenient if we spent time in the nightclub though.

 

What I believe you fail to take into account is that several midship balconies might actually upgrade to other cabins as well...  its a risk, but I think its a minimal one.

 

[cliffd64]

20 hours ago, nyc2pdx said:

well I've given up hope-I think my chances for an upgrade to the Haven are slim at best.  I only see 2-3 cabins in each category available, if that...and 2 categories as sold out.  I'm on the Joy, December 8, 2019.

 

The pickings seem to get slimmer each day.  Oh well.

Again, what does it cost you to try?  Nothing...  so why not in case there are a sequence of events that result in a happy upgrade?

[nyc2pdx]

1 minute ago, cliffd64 said:

Again, what does it cost you to try?  Nothing...  so why not in case there are a sequence of events that result in a happy upgrade?

Oh I'll keep my bids in there on the off chance I get incredibly lucky!   I am happy with my mini-suite, so Haven would be the icing on the cake. 

 

Happy Cruising everyone!

[kayteecat]

Has anyone on the first few Encore sailings received their upgrade email/banner yet? I'm at 73 days out on December 8th and haven't gotten anything yet, and I check my NCL account daily. A couple people on my roll call have said that they've been told by NCL agents that they'd go out at 60 days but I always take the agent responses with a grain of salt. If that's true, those on the November 24th inaugural Eastern Caribbean should have been offered to bid in the last day or so. Just getting curious as it seems that the established ships are still getting theirs around 80 days and I wonder if this is just an Encore thing.

[js]

3 minutes ago, kayteecat said:

Has anyone on the first few Encore sailings received their upgrade email/banner yet? I'm at 73 days out on December 8th and haven't gotten anything yet, and I check my NCL account daily. A couple people on my roll call have said that they've been told by NCL agents that they'd go out at 60 days but I always take the agent responses with a grain of salt. If that's true, those on the November 24th inaugural Eastern Caribbean should have been offered to bid in the last day or so. Just getting curious as it seems that the established ships are still getting theirs around 80 days and I wonder if this is just an Encore thing.

 

Good luck!

I hope you please come back and post pictures! We don't sail the Encore until August 2020 and cannot wait!

[kayteecat]

Just now, js said:

 

Good luck!

I hope you please come back and post pictures! We don't sail the Encore until August 2020 and cannot wait!

I will try to get good pictures of the ship for you and those who follow after! I am also hoping a couple of posters on the first couple Encore sailings do lives or get pictures up quickly so that I can get some inside information before we sail!

[js]

3 minutes ago, kayteecat said:

I will try to get good pictures of the ship for you and those who follow after! I am also hoping a couple of posters on the first couple Encore sailings do lives or get pictures up quickly so that I can get some inside information before we sail!

 

Thank you!

Good luck! Hope you get your bid email soon and win!

 

[romalley99]

Hello anyone! Anyone cruising on the Escape December 14th? I just snagged an H5 from my Ocean View for $800, less than what I would bid. 

Only a couple rooms left in each category!  

[gmbhardy]

You got a great deal. I thought you basically pay the difference between what you originally paid and the current price of the cabin you want to upgrade to. Your price is significantly less than that. Am I missing something?

[gipsy4ever]

17 hours ago, _Mr.G_ said:

 

I did, two days ago! I won an upgrade from inside to oceanview. However, my second bid for balcony is still pending.

 

What about you?

Heard yesterday that both my bids from OV to Balcony and Mini Suite were not accepted.  Bid in the poor/fair range.  Did you get your balcony?

[Shrewsbury on Tour]

Hi,

 

first time bidders here, but the cruise is no longer showing on the website, sailing on 13/10/19 NCL Jade, I guess it’s sold out, so bids not valid???

 

cheers

 

 

[aero777]

1 hour ago, kayteecat said:

Has anyone on the first few Encore sailings received their upgrade email/banner yet? I'm at 73 days out on December 8th and haven't gotten anything yet, and I check my NCL account daily. A couple people on my roll call have said that they've been told by NCL agents that they'd go out at 60 days but I always take the agent responses with a grain of salt. If that's true, those on the November 24th inaugural Eastern Caribbean should have been offered to bid in the last day or so. Just getting curious as it seems that the established ships are still getting theirs around 80 days and I wonder if this is just an Encore thing.

Don’t hold your breath. We’re at 37 days out and zip, zero, nada. For whatever reason, Encore is not part of the Upgrade Advantage program yet.

 

Fortunately we are totally happy with our current cabin and it’s location. Looking forward to the inaugural TA.

Edited September 26, 2019 by aero777

[kayteecat]

2 minutes ago, aero777 said:

Don’t hold your breath. We’re at 37 days out and zip, zero, nada. For whatever reason, Encore is not part of the Upgrade Advantage program yet.

Interesting. I'm fine with the location of my mid-ship balcony but was looking forward to putting some bids in.

[aero777]

12 minutes ago, Shrewsbury on Tour said:

Hi,

 

first time bidders here, but the cruise is no longer showing on the website, sailing on 13/10/19 NCL Jade, I guess it’s sold out, so bids not valid???

 

cheers

 

 

The sailing could reappear. If it is in fact sold out, someone could cancel and you could win their cabin or someone else could win it and you could get the winners former cabin.

[Nclgetawaymenhoney]

1 hour ago, romalley99 said:

Hello anyone! Anyone cruising on the Escape December 14th? I just snagged an H5 from my Ocean View for $800, less than what I would bid. 

Only a couple rooms left in each category!  

Wow amazing I just checked pricing on that sailing and ba balcony is going for 969, and h5 is 1999.00.  You originally bough a oceanview for 1200.00?

[Starry Eyes]

2 hours ago, gipsy4ever said:

Heard yesterday that both my bids from OV to Balcony and Mini Suite were not accepted.  Bid in the poor/fair range.  Did you get your balcony?

No, once their bid from inside to ocean view was accepted no other bids were even considered.   A maximum of one upgrade bid is accepted on any reservation.

 

So, one must be careful to remember that when deciding which bids to place.   For example, if I really want to maximize my odds of winning a suite upgrade from a balcony cabin, I do not bid on minisuite or spa balcony upgrades.  If I bid on those and win, I’d lose any shot at a suite.

[Starry Eyes]

3 hours ago, romalley99 said:

Hello anyone! Anyone cruising on the Escape December 14th? I just snagged an H5 from my Ocean View for $800, less than what I would bid. 

Only a couple rooms left in each category!  

Hmm, either your starting price in that OV was awfully high or you caught a price drop that has disappeared or some combination.  I’m not seeing any great values now.  

 

I’m sailing the week before (lots of suites available); for the right price I’d stay for a b2b in a suite on your sailing.   Right now prices do not look special for off peak sailing.

[pixiedust777]

On 9/24/2019 at 4:50 PM, 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.

In February I bid $150cdn to upgrade from a balcony to a spa balcony on 10 day cruise on the Breakaway. $135cdn was the lowest you could bid. We got it😊

[drvmywifecrzy]

How much should I bid going from a MA - Mini Suite midship going to a H5 - Haven Courtyard Penthouse during Thanksgiving week on a Mega ship?

[DinaS]

4 minutes ago, drvmywifecrzy said:

How much should I bid going from a MA - Mini Suite midship going to a H5 - Haven Courtyard Penthouse during Thanksgiving week on a Mega ship?

 

No one knows what your bid options are, and no one knows your budget. We can't tell you how much you should bid.

Check to see what the prices are currently for booking an H5, and decide how much you want to bid, based on your total cost.  

Sometimes, it is less expensive to just upgrade directly - and disregard the bidding.

 

Do your homework 🙂

[drvmywifecrzy]

5 minutes ago, DinaS said:

 

No one knows what your bid options are, and no one knows your budget. We can't tell you how much you should bid.

Check to see what the prices are currently for booking an H5, and decide how much you want to bid, based on your total cost.  

Sometimes, it is less expensive to just upgrade directly - and disregard the bidding.

 

Do your homework 🙂

 

Bid range is between $500 & $2000 per person.  I am doing my homework here on cruise critic.

[DinaS]

1 minute ago, drvmywifecrzy said:

 

Bid range is between $500 & $2000 per person.  I am doing my homework here on cruise critic.

 

I meant to do your homework and see what the Haven cabins on YOUR cruise are currently selling for.  See if it's worth bidding, or if you should just try to upgrade directly.  

 

Decide on your budget, and decide how much the Haven is worth to you. 

 

No one on Cruise Critic can do that for you.