What was your upgrade offer and what did you bid

[JamieLogical]

I “heard” this info from nowegian themselves. I called and asked about it. The woman told me that it is their policy to reward good customers.

 

 

And perhaps they do reward good customers, but not through the upgrade process? Or maybe they used to factor in customer loyalty before the Upgrade Advantage program was implemented? In this thread and it's predecessor, NCL has told many customers that they don't handle the upgrade process anymore, which is true. It is all done through a third party site now.

[aeroo777]

Can someone tell me if the Haven Spa Suite really worth it? I am also worried about the whirlpool in the stateroom and if the room smells musty or molded from the being in the same area as the bed, etc?

Yes! Includes fantastic spa passes. OK, I haven’t been on the Getaway yet, but the H9 spa suite we had in February on the Escape was probably the cleanest room we’ve ever had. Wood floors throughout and no musty odors at all.

[MaryZ]

I sincerely doubt that is the case. Why would they do that? They want to maximize the amount of money they make off of bids. Also, the bids are processed by a third party and you can see the code that get's passed along in the bid if you know any HTML/JavaScript. Last I looked, it did not include any of that sort of data. Where did you "hear" this information?

 

The java that you see doesn't include what is programmed into an algorithm.

It's not just dollars and cents for a bid. There are other variables that can come into play.

In a certain sense, they do reward their best customers through a bidding system. Loyalty aside, it is a factor. But it factors into a variable for onboard spending.

And who, as a business owner, would you want more? A person who books a cabin at a set price, bids up a set price and does not spend another dime on the ship. Or a person who books a cabin at a set price, bids up a set price and then goes onboard and gambles, shops onboard, always buys ship's excursions.

 

Or they can program in to look for new customers. They might win them over by awarding a bid. They can look for birthdays, so the people who win will be more apt to pay for specialty dining or buy a picture to celebrate their birthday onboard. They can look for people who chose basic fares, in hopes they will next time just book the balcony for the higher prices.

 

 

The worst algorithm a corporation could use is one you predict they do use. Simple dollars and cents. That's forecast for failure because you have programmed into it to miss opportunities for future revenue.

No successful business would even consider using that for more than perhaps the first quarter of garnering data and adjusting algorithms. This program has been running for long enough that it would miss too many revenue opportunities if they based it only on a dollars and cents basis.

There is no way to know what they program into an algorithm for each and every cruise. It can change for every one. For a cruise that isn't booking well, to a cruise that is solidly booked with repeat customers.

There is no sense in having a singular algorithm to award bids.

 

 

[JamieLogical]

The java that you see doesn't include what is programmed into an algorithm.

It's not just dollars and cents for a bid. There are other variables that can come into play.

In a certain sense, they do reward their best customers through a bidding system. Loyalty aside, it is a factor. But it factors into a variable for onboard spending.

And who, as a business owner, would you want more? A person who books a cabin at a set price, bids up a set price and does not spend another dime on the ship. Or a person who books a cabin at a set price, bids up a set price and then goes onboard and gambles, shops onboard, always buys ship's excursions.

 

Or they can program in to look for new customers. They might win them over by awarding a bid. They can look for birthdays, so the people who win will be more apt to pay for specialty dining or buy a picture to celebrate their birthday onboard. They can look for people who chose basic fares, in hopes they will next time just book the balcony for the higher prices.

 

 

The worst algorithm a corporation could use is one you predict they do use. Simple dollars and cents. That's forecast for failure because you have programmed into it to miss opportunities for future revenue.

No successful business would even consider using that for more than perhaps the first quarter of garnering data and adjusting algorithms. This program has been running for long enough that it would miss too many revenue opportunities if they based it only on a dollars and cents basis.

There is no way to know what they program into an algorithm for each and every cruise. It can change for every one. For a cruise that isn't booking well, to a cruise that is solidly booked with repeat customers.

There is no sense in having a singular algorithm to award bids.

 

 

 

You are absolutely right that it would make the most sense for them to take a lot of that additional data into consideration, I am just not confident that is what is happening. Based on the code we do have access to (doesn't give us the algorithm, but we can at least see what variables are handed off) and the accounts we have seen posted here and in the previous thread, I just haven't seen much evidence that their algorithm is that sophisticated.

[RelaxingbytheSeas]

Good morning! I am now out of the bidding process. I canceled all of them last night and went ahead and paid outright. I didn't like my current room and wanted to experience the Haven for once. With all the predictions and possibilities, there are 22 Haven Suites left within 16 days. I figure out what I was going to pay for the upgrade and with the current promo NCL is offering, it only cost me $400.00 more to buy straight out. I received a $300 OBC and will get the extra loyalties points and can rest easy until my cruise now. NCL won on me also because, before the bidding offer, I wasn't even thinking about the Haven at all. I was just going on the cruise, get to the port early and try to get the Vibe Beach Club. With all the hype and excitement of what if, I wanted the Haven more and more each day. So, with that being said, I am in the Haven, but in a different direction. Thanks, everyone for your feedback, I may have won the bid and may of not...but when I wanted it as bad as I did...I made sure it was secured..........Now, wonder if they will send me another bid upgrade inside the Haven? LOL

[njkate]

I have only cruised NCL once before and won my bid. I did book pre and post hotels with them and two very pricey tours for 3.

Now on that one cruise my hubbie did win a lot of money in casino, our account was zero when we disembarked all the tours, specialty restaurants and drinks, this was before the beverage packages were offered were covered, the cash he took off board reimbursed what we laid out for a 10 day southern Caribbean, I also have a trans Atlantic for April 2019 booked, I have no clue if any of that factored in.

[njkate]

Good morning! I am now out of the bidding process. I canceled all of them last night and went ahead and paid outright. I didn't like my current room and wanted to experience the Haven for once. With all the predictions and possibilities, there are 22 Haven Suites left within 16 days. I figure out what I was going to pay for the upgrade and with the current promo NCL is offering, it only cost me $400.00 more to buy straight out. I received a $300 OBC and will get the extra loyalties points and can rest easy until my cruise now. NCL won on me also because, before the bidding offer, I wasn't even thinking about the Haven at all. I was just going on the cruise, get to the port early and try to get the Vibe Beach Club. With all the hype and excitement of what if, I wanted the Haven more and more each day. So, with that being said, I am in the Haven, but in a different direction. Thanks, everyone for your feedback, I may have won the bid and may of not...but when I wanted it as bad as I did...I made sure it was secured..........Now, wonder if they will send me another bid upgrade inside the Haven? LOL

At $400 I think that was very wise if you wanted to be in Haven

[RelaxingbytheSeas]

At $400 I think that was very wise if you wanted to be in Haven

 

I do too! Plus, just in two minutes that sent me an email to upgrade inside the Haven! I thought they would.

[QueenOfZoom]

Good morning! I am now out of the bidding process. I canceled all of them last night and went ahead and paid outright. I didn't like my current room and wanted to experience the Haven for once. With all the predictions and possibilities, there are 22 Haven Suites left within 16 days. I figure out what I was going to pay for the upgrade and with the current promo NCL is offering, it only cost me $400.00 more to buy straight out. I received a $300 OBC and will get the extra loyalties points and can rest easy until my cruise now. NCL won on me also because, before the bidding offer, I wasn't even thinking about the Haven at all. I was just going on the cruise, get to the port early and try to get the Vibe Beach Club. With all the hype and excitement of what if, I wanted the Haven more and more each day. So, with that being said, I am in the Haven, but in a different direction. Thanks, everyone for your feedback, I may have won the bid and may of not...but when I wanted it as bad as I did...I made sure it was secured..........Now, wonder if they will send me another bid upgrade inside the Haven? LOL

 

That's a great price, definitely worth it in my opinion! Which ship are you on and what type of room did you get?

[RelaxingbytheSeas]

That's a great price, definitely worth it in my opinion! Which ship are you on and what type of room did you get?

 

On the GA and just did a Spa Haven. I have a chance now to bid on a Family 2-BR Haven...LOL...they are working me.

[Laszlo]

Good morning! I am now out of the bidding process. I canceled all of them last night and went ahead and paid outright. I didn't like my current room and wanted to experience the Haven for once. With all the predictions and possibilities, there are 22 Haven Suites left within 16 days. I figure out what I was going to pay for the upgrade and with the current promo NCL is offering, it only cost me $400.00 more to buy straight out. I received a $300 OBC and will get the extra loyalties points and can rest easy until my cruise now. NCL won on me also because, before the bidding offer, I wasn't even thinking about the Haven at all. I was just going on the cruise, get to the port early and try to get the Vibe Beach Club. With all the hype and excitement of what if, I wanted the Haven more and more each day. So, with that being said, I am in the Haven, but in a different direction. Thanks, everyone for your feedback, I may have won the bid and may of not...but when I wanted it as bad as I did...I made sure it was secured..........Now, wonder if they will send me another bid upgrade inside the Haven? LOL

 

Western Caribbean cruise?

[KD21]

Has anyone's upgrade bid been accepted for NCL Escape sailing Sunday, 7/15.

[erdoran]

Good morning! I am now out of the bidding process. I canceled all of them last night and went ahead and paid outright. I didn't like my current room and wanted to experience the Haven for once. With all the predictions and possibilities, there are 22 Haven Suites left within 16 days. I figure out what I was going to pay for the upgrade and with the current promo NCL is offering, it only cost me $400.00 more to buy straight out. I received a $300 OBC and will get the extra loyalties points and can rest easy until my cruise now. NCL won on me also because, before the bidding offer, I wasn't even thinking about the Haven at all. I was just going on the cruise, get to the port early and try to get the Vibe Beach Club. With all the hype and excitement of what if, I wanted the Haven more and more each day. So, with that being said, I am in the Haven, but in a different direction. Thanks, everyone for your feedback, I may have won the bid and may of not...but when I wanted it as bad as I did...I made sure it was secured..........Now, wonder if they will send me another bid upgrade inside the Haven? LOL

 

If it cost you $400 more to buy straight after the incentives you'd have been nuts to pass that up!!!! what a deal!!

[styme123]

Good morning! I am now out of the bidding process. I canceled all of them last night and went ahead and paid outright. I didn't like my current room and wanted to experience the Haven for once. With all the predictions and possibilities, there are 22 Haven Suites left within 16 days. I figure out what I was going to pay for the upgrade and with the current promo NCL is offering, it only cost me $400.00 more to buy straight out. I received a $300 OBC and will get the extra loyalties points and can rest easy until my cruise now. NCL won on me also because, before the bidding offer, I wasn't even thinking about the Haven at all. I was just going on the cruise, get to the port early and try to get the Vibe Beach Club. With all the hype and excitement of what if, I wanted the Haven more and more each day. So, with that being said, I am in the Haven, but in a different direction. Thanks, everyone for your feedback, I may have won the bid and may of not...but when I wanted it as bad as I did...I made sure it was secured..........Now, wonder if they will send me another bid upgrade inside the Haven? LOL

What were in before you upgraded? Where are you sailing to?

[❤️2cruise]

Did you pay $400 more per person above your previous cabin or $400 in addition to the cost of what the upgrade would be?

[aeroo777]

On the GA and just did a Spa Haven. I have a chance now to bid on a Family 2-BR Haven...LOL...they are working me.

So happy for you! Just looked at a video of the GA H9 and it’s the same cabin we had on the Escape. You’ll notice there’s a floor drain that wraps around the front of the jacuzzi tub to catch any water that sloshes out and the hard surface flooring is easy to mop up with a towel. So you shouldn’t have any funky smells.

We didn’t even bid on anything higher, even though the min bid was lower, because we didn’t want to lose the spa passes.

[cruisegal415]

Good morning! I am now out of the bidding process. I canceled all of them last night and went ahead and paid outright. I didn't like my current room and wanted to experience the Haven for once. With all the predictions and possibilities, there are 22 Haven Suites left within 16 days. I figure out what I was going to pay for the upgrade and with the current promo NCL is offering, it only cost me $400.00 more to buy straight out. I received a $300 OBC and will get the extra loyalties points and can rest easy until my cruise now. NCL won on me also because, before the bidding offer, I wasn't even thinking about the Haven at all. I was just going on the cruise, get to the port early and try to get the Vibe Beach Club. With all the hype and excitement of what if, I wanted the Haven more and more each day. So, with that being said, I am in the Haven, but in a different direction. Thanks, everyone for your feedback, I may have won the bid and may of not...but when I wanted it as bad as I did...I made sure it was secured..........Now, wonder if they will send me another bid upgrade inside the Haven? LOL

 

So that's pretty much exactly what happened to me. I didn't know anything about the Haven or the bidding process when I booked as we are new to NCL. I started reading these boards and learned about the Haven and the opportunity to bid. At first I was like, no way that's worth double what we paid for the cruise. The rooms themselves (balcony category BC) were $1329 each just for the room itself, not including DSC, taxes, port charges, etc. Actually when we booked there was a promotion for no taxes or port charges.

 

So then I started reading about the Haven. With the prices shown at that time, it would have been more than double the price each person to upgrade directly to the Haven. The opinions about the Haven seemed split. Half the people say they would never sail without being in the Haven, the other half say they would never waste the money as you can do two cruises for the price of one Haven room. Each side is adamant about their position. So it comes down to what matters to us.

 

I kept going back and forth. We can afford the Haven, but I'd rather cruise more. I've never cruised in a Haven type atmosphere and have been satisfied with our experiences without it (albeit on other lines). We don't need a private pool area as we probably will spend most of our at sea days on the Waterfront. So I decided I'd join the bidding process and if we got it, fine, if not, that's fine too.

 

I bid on a courtyard Haven for 800 pp. I also bid on the aft and forward Havens for 1000 pp. I discussed the pro's and con's with DH until he was sick and tired of hearing about it. He liked the idea of having a private area, away from the crowds (we're sixty somethings traveling by ourselves, so we're not keen on being around lots of partying). We understand that it's a crap shoot as to whether there will be lots of noisy kids around the Haven pool, but again, we're not pool people so that's ok. We liked the idea of having the Haven lounge and restaurant, having access to getting off the ship easily in port, and maybe preference in seating at the shows.

 

Then the prices dropped. The Haven courtyard dropped to 2799 pp. That's still $1470 more pp for the room than we originally paid. That's still twice the cost of the cruise. But then here's the rationalization. We had a bid for $800 pp for the courtyard, $1000 pp for the Haven aft and forward rooms. If I was willing to pay $1000 more on a bid, that's only $470 more than I was bidding. If we paid for the upgrade outright, we'd get all 5 Haven perks as opposed to the 3 that we had when we booked originally. The extra perks were $300 OBC, "free" wifi and $50 per port excursion credit. Now, we would have to pay for the port fees and taxes, which we didn't pay for originally, which were $321, so the $300 OBC is a wash. We have not and are not planning on doing any NCL excursions and even if we were, $50 per port excursion won't buy you anything. So that's nothing. The wifi package (even though people say it's awful) is worth $125. Unless we were planning on purchasing it anyway, that perk would be worth 0 but we would probably have purchased it, so there's another $125 savings.

 

However, I was able to rationalize that by upgrading directly, it was "only" $345 pp over what I had bid. After the excitement of doing the upgrade passed, I started to see that people were getting upgraded from balconies to Haven courtyard for between 880-1200 per person with their bids accepted. That is still 270-$590 pp less than what we paid, so then I was back to thinking maybe we should've just stuck with the bidding.

 

Bottom line, I think the NCL's bidding process is brilliant. I wouldn't have even considered the Haven if they didn't offer a bidding process. Because I was wiling to bid a certain amount, I was able to rationalize spending that on a direct upgrade. I never would have voluntarily booked a Haven room that cost double what I had paid for a balcony room that I have had in the past on other ships and was perfectly happy with.

 

I am looking forward to the Haven experience. If it is what it's cracked up to be, I will feel vindicated. If not, it was a once in a lifetime experiment, and I can say we tried it. I think I'm glad that we are giving it a go, because I fear I would regret it/question it if we didn't, knowing that it is "out there." I will be sure to report back after our cruise next month!

[Ciref]

I am looking forward to the Haven experience. If it is what it's cracked up to be, I will feel vindicated. If not, it was a once in a lifetime experiment, and I can say we tried it. I think I'm glad that we are giving it a go, because I fear I would regret it/question it if we didn't, knowing that it is "out there." I will be sure to report back after our cruise next month!

 

Thank you for the very thoughtful and intelligent review of your decision making process. My DW and I were confirmed balcony cruisers until we upgraded through bidding to the Haven on our Baltic cruise last year and it was worth every penny. Unfortunately current Haven prices exceed our vacation budget so we will be trying to upgrade on our next cruise.

 

Regardless, the Haven is a uniquely different experience and truly is a haven from the bustle and lines experienced by the rest of the passengers. It is certainly nice to be pampered. I am sure you will be very glad you upgraded at the end of your cruise.

[kirakat]

We're on the Jade for the September 29 transatlantic cruise. We have a mini-suite. For many months, nothing has been available in the suites or the Haven. Now, we get emails offering us to bid on upgrades in eight categories for suites and the Haven. What's the point if there are no cabins available in any of these categories? And, the minimum bids range from $500 to $2000 per person. It seems the Haven on the Jade isn't as expansive as on other ships and given the time of year, using the pool and/or taking the sun probably will not be happening, so the opening bids seem rather high.

[njkate]

We're on the Jade for the September 29 transatlantic cruise. We have a mini-suite. For many months, nothing has been available in the suites or the Haven. Now, we get emails offering us to bid on upgrades in eight categories for suites and the Haven. What's the point if there are no cabins available in any of these categories? And, the minimum bids range from $500 to $2000 per person. It seems the Haven on the Jade isn't as expansive as on other ships and given the time of year, using the pool and/or taking the sun probably will not be happening, so the opening bids seem rather high.

I bid on Haven and won for my Baltic cruise next month. I am booked on Jade Trans Atlantic for next April, if invited to bid I might pass as I don't anticipate a full ship, yes cabins may be all sold out but from what I'm told it's usually solos or two to a room and in April for a 14 night cruise I don't think ship will be over run with kids.

My Baltic cruise was sold out for a few weeks before I won my bid, so was rather stunned to get the upgrade email telling me I won.

[QueenOfZoom]

My Baltic cruise was sold out for a few weeks before I won my bid, so was rather stunned to get the upgrade email telling me I won.

 

Thanks for sharing, that gives me a bit of hope. 10 days out until Sky and we have a upgrade bid in, ship shows sold out for everything but inside. So just playing the waiting game....either way I'll be happy, taking my oldest son on his first cruise :)

[njkate]

Thanks for sharing, that gives me a bit of hope. 10 days out until Sky and we have a upgrade bid in, ship shows sold out for everything but inside. So just playing the waiting game....either way I'll be happy, taking my oldest son on his first cruise :)

Good Luck !! :)

[RelaxingbytheSeas]

western caribbean cruise?

 

yes!

[RelaxingbytheSeas]

If it cost you $400 more to buy straight after the incentives you'd have been nuts to pass that up!!!! what a deal!!

 

I have to agree. I did the math for over an hour and after seeing that 400.00 more on top of my regular bid and getting an OBC of $300.00 and loyalties points...along with the other promo I had already like UBP, UDP, $50.00 shore excursion credit per port, and 250 wifi mins...It became a no-brainer to just do it. At the time I booked the Spa Suite would have cost me another $1000.00 then I actually paid for it. So I felt I won on this one also, as did NCL did.

[IOWActuary]

Looking to upgrade bid from balcony to mini-suite on Pearl.

 

Are upgrades guaranteed to be a better room overall? I.e. unobstructed view, not near loud noises, etc?

 

Also, what's the most efficient way to find current or recent vacancy rates?

 

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