Email offers to upgrade?

[DnA2010]

We are booked on our first Princess cruise, Oct 19th, and I am just wondering if Princess sends emails out upgrade to better cabins at a cost? Last year we cruised on HAL, and we received various emails up to our cruise to do so if we wanted (we didn't as we wanted the 3 rooms in a row that we had) but I'm curious if I should watch for emails like this from Princess. When I look at the cruise, there are lots of rooms available (we are booked into an interior) but just curious if this is something Princess does?

[moki'smommy]

Yes--we call it an "upsell." If you used a TA, the offer will go to your TA who will then need to relay it to you.

 

If you receive a free upgrade, that will just show up as a different cabin number in your cruise personalizer.

 

BEWARE--what Princess considers an upgrade and what you consider an upgrade may be very different. Before accepting an offer, you'll want to look up the cabin on the deck plan and see if you can find any on line reports about it. There may be things you don't like or you may be able to do better by talking with Princess. For instance, if you get an upsell offer from an inside to an obstructed window, there are cabins where almost the entire window is obstructed and cabins where the obstruction is minor. And if there is more than one cabin in the category available, Princess will allow you to move to the one you want! Same for an upgrade...if they move you to a cabin right under the pool or above a nightclub, this may not be ideal. Even if it is a free upgrade, you can call them and see whether you can move back to your original cabin or to one you like better than the assignment!

[DnA2010]

Yes--we call it an "upsell." If you used a TA' date=' the offer will go to your TA who will then need to relay it to you.

 

If you receive a free upgrade, that will just show up as a different cabin number in your cruise personalizer.

 

BEWARE--what Princess considers an upgrade and what you consider an upgrade may be very different. Before accepting an offer, you'll want to look up the cabin on the deck plan and see if you can find any on line reports about it. There may be things you don't like or you may be able to do better by talking with Princess. For instance, if you get an upsell offer from an inside to an obstructed window, there are cabins where almost the entire window is obstructed and cabins where the obstruction is minor. And if there is more than one cabin in the category available, Princess will allow you to move to the one you want! Same for an upgrade...if they move you to a cabin right under the pool or above a nightclub, this may not be ideal. Even if it is a free upgrade, you can call them and see whether you can move back to your original cabin or to one you like better than the assignment![/quote']

 

Thank you! If I used a big name 3rd party's site, I'm guessing I won't get any upsells?

[cruzsnooze]

If you use a big box membership TA they do not pass along email upgrades.

[DnA2010]

If you use a big box membership TA they do not pass along email upgrades.

 

Well dang! That's annoying, but such is.

[Thrak]

If you use a big box membership TA they do not pass along email upgrades.

 

Well dang! That's annoying, but such is.

 

The give crazy good OBC but they aren't like a real TA. They are more like a booking agency.

[caribill]

I'm curious if I should watch for emails like this from Princess. When I look at the cruise, there are lots of rooms available (we are booked into an interior) but just curious if this is something Princess does?

 

If you do receive an upsell notice and are at all interested, call the number given ASAP. It is likely that you will be leaving a voice mail message and you will be called back in the order those messages were made.

[moki'smommy]

The give crazy good OBC but they aren't like a real TA. They are more like a booking agency.

Exactly. They give virtually no service at all beyond the booking...and you could do that on your own. But they give some of the best perks in the world in exchange for not being a full service agent/agency. Until you miss that move over or move down notification. Takes a lot of OBC to make up for missing one of those e-mails.

[DnA2010]

If you do receive an upsell notice and are at all interested, call the number given ASAP. It is likely that you will be leaving a voice mail message and you will be called back in the order those messages were made.

 

Does it usually happen after you have fully paid?

[Cruise Raider]

Does it usually happen after you have fully paid?

 

I have always thought it to be after final payment date but read recently that some upgrades / upsells were offered months in advance of final payment. So, short answer ... probably but not an absolute!

[cdngrl]

Does it usually happen after you have fully paid?

the upsells i've gotten have all been well after final payment.

the upgrades i've gotten have happened at any time after depositing on the cruise.

i've never gotten a downgrade offer... i can't go much lower than the batcave!

[Micahs Grandad]

Does it usually happen after you have fully paid?

 

Good question. i consider the whole upsell thing and when and why it is offered to particular cruisers to be one of lifes big mysteries

[geoherb]

The good news is that if you miss an upgrade offer because you booked through a big box store, you'll never know it. If you booked through a TA who's not prompt, you will.

 

The only upsell offer I took came five days before our cruise last December. Fortunately I booked that one through our regular TA. We moved up from a balcony to a full suite on a 10-day cruise on the Royal.

[1emerald1]

Good question. i consider the whole upsell thing and when and why it is offered to particular cruisers to be one of lifes big mysteries

The upsell I accepted was an offer for past passengers who had booked in certain categories.

[1emerald1]

I have always thought it to be after final payment date but read recently that some upgrades / upsells were offered months in advance of final payment. So, short answer ... probably but not an absolute!

I was just upgraded for a Hawaii cruise next February. I did not receive any notice but as I check my bookings every morning I discovered it that way. I preferred the cabin I had originally selected and contacted Princess and they were able to get it back for me.

[acired]

Does it usually happen after you have fully paid?

 

I just received a free upgrade on my booking from a deluxe balcony to a mini suite, and we have not paid in full yet. Princess sent me an email stating that they had moved me to the mini suite, and I had to contact them within 24 hours if I wanted to keep my old reservation, otherwise the new one stands. Pretty sure I'm ok with this ;p

[Host CJSKIDS]

I just received a free upgrade on my booking from a deluxe balcony to a mini suite, and we have not paid in full yet. Princess sent me an email stating that they had moved me to the mini suite, and I had to contact them within 24 hours if I wanted to keep my old reservation, otherwise the new one stands. Pretty sure I'm ok with this ;p

 

Congrats!!