Bidding for cabins instead of 'upgrades' or 'upsells' limited to certain passengers ?

[voljeep]

Should Princess do something like this? ( taken from a previous thread...)

 

subscribe to a blind auction for your specific cruise and get notifications with minimum bid amounts for the cabins and closing date/time

 

seems more fair for all...

 

 

and beers !! :beer-mug:

[Daisyloo]

Sounds too complicated.

[fishywood]

Has need2cruisesoon hijacked voljeep's account? (Or is this proof they are really the same person in disguise?)

 

Anyway, just leave this idiotic practice to NCL.

[neverbeenhere]

If Princess was to run the auction, I think it would be "More Fare for All."

 

 

There are travel auction website available, not quite upgrade auctions, but still the opportunity to "bid" on travel.

[DrivesLikeMario]

No. Let NCL keep this stupid practice.

[paul929207]

The current system works fine for me

[RDC1]

The problem is that you usually have people willing to overbid, mentally falling into the win vs good deal trap.

 

Great deal for the cruise lines, not so good for the passengers. At least now you have a process more like a lottery, the odds are not great, but everyone has a ticket. Sometime yours may hit.

[memoak]

Keep the upsell routine now if place - the bidding at NCL is ridiculous, just send me an e-mail with an offer and I will decide

[msmoger]

We have friends that do this once a year on NCL. They are usually Princess cruisers, but they take the Breakaway most springs because it docks in Port Canaveral and they use the day to visit mom. For the past few years they have bid on Haven Suites and have received excellent fares. Much less than the website fare. They would never opt for a suite if it was full price. My point being that it doesn't always mean higher prices. I believe the purpose for most folks using the NCL auction program is to get a better fare.

 

BTW, this is not a "vote" for this, I was just making an observation based on anecdotal information.

[JimmyVWine]

There is an emotional uplift when getting an upgrade that instills a positive feeling toward the cruise line, and that can make a person a customer for life. When the process is reduced to an economic transaction, there is no sense of gratefulness to achieving the upgrade and likely no positive return for the cruise line. But when the cruise line bestows upgrades to people gratis, it creates good customer relations and a sense of being made to feel special that can imprint on the guest and turn them into a loyalist. This is far more valuable to the cruise line long term than some extra cash. I would argue that the bidding process could actually achieve the reverse and leave the losing bidders feeling bitter and shut out. Maybe it isn't the cruise line's fault, but the cruise line will bear the brunt of the ill feelings about the entire transaction and that is bitterness that the cruise line would rather live without.

[voljeep]

There is an emotional uplift when getting an upgrade that instills a positive feeling toward the cruise line, and that can make a person a customer for life. When the process is reduced to an economic transaction, there is no sense of gratefulness to achieving the upgrade and likely no positive return for the cruise line. But when the cruise line bestows upgrades to people gratis, it creates good customer relations and a sense of being made to feel special that can imprint on the guest and turn them into a loyalist. This is far more valuable to the cruise line long term than some extra cash. I would argue that the bidding process could actually achieve the reverse and leave the losing bidders feeling bitter and shut out. Maybe it isn't the cruise line's fault, but the cruise line will bear the brunt of the ill feelings about the entire transaction and that is bitterness that the cruise line would rather live without.

 

 

and I would counter - that when these wonderful upgrades are bragged about here on CC, that it pi$$es more people off - but those people can't/don't post about it ...

 

and a blind bid system - silent auction hurts noone - you put in a bid - this is not a bidding war - like Storage Wars...

 

you know exactly what you are bidding on and the amount

[happicruzer]

There is an emotional uplift when getting an upgrade that instills a positive feeling toward the cruise line, and that can make a person a customer for life. When the process is reduced to an economic transaction, there is no sense of gratefulness to achieving the upgrade and likely no positive return for the cruise line. But when the cruise line bestows upgrades to people gratis, it creates good customer relations and a sense of being made to feel special that can imprint on the guest and turn them into a loyalist. This is far more valuable to the cruise line long term than some extra cash. I would argue that the bidding process could actually achieve the reverse and leave the losing bidders feeling bitter and shut out. Maybe it isn't the cruise line's fault, but the cruise line will bear the brunt of the ill feelings about the entire transaction and that is bitterness that the cruise line would rather live without.

 

 

Agree.

 

Princess has my interest based on our last couple of cruises, with or without an automatic upgrade or upsell offer. Celebrity sent me four bidding offers with pricing much higher than our last Princess - suite - upsell for much less benefit. No sale.

 

I like both cruise products and it comes down to departure port - FLL over Miami - as the seven day cruises are pretty much identical itineraries- in fact, CB and Equinox were both in St Maartin today along with Allure of the Seas.

[Pam in CA]

Why would I want to bid on a cabin when I can already get a great fare from my TA, saving at least 10% as well as OBC over any Princess fare?

[skynight]

Should Princess do something like this? ( taken from a previous thread...)

subscribe to a blind auction for your specific cruise and get notifications with minimum bid amounts for the cabins and closing date/time seems more fair for all... and beers !! :beer-mug:

No, not a good business plan.

[geoherb]

I say book the category of cabin you'll be happy with. I'll take the small upgrades that Princess has given us in return for booking guarantees. Most of the time, they've been like the one we received on our upcoming cruise next month on the Royal--just to a higher category in the same type of cabin. Occasionally we've been lucky/unlucky to get upgrades to a higher type of category--going from obstructed view to unobstructed (including once to a cabin with a balcony). Once, though, was the unlucky time that we went from unobstructed guarantee to the tiniest obstructed view cabin possible on a Grand-class ship (P201).

 

 

The way Princess sells guarantees and then moves people willing to take a gamble must be working out for it. And it's working most of the time for those of us willing to risk a guarantee. I wouldn't want to see Princess switch to making us bid on upgrades.

[voljeep]

it would make it fare for everyone...;p

[lbfluffy]

and I would counter - that when these wonderful upgrades are bragged about here on CC, that it pi$$es more people off - but those people can't/don't post about it ...

 

and a blind bid system - silent auction hurts noone - you put in a bid - this is not a bidding war - like Storage Wars...

 

you know exactly what you are bidding on and the amount

 

I don’t think it wrong to post good news when receiving an upgrade. I’m happy for them. I would love a big upgrade, but I’m happy I’m on a cruise. We have received upgrades as well, biggest one obstructed OV to Caribe balcony. I’ve received many tips on CC regarding promos, like the most recent the Ca resident special saving me more.

[caribill]

Once, though, was the unlucky time that we went from unobstructed guarantee to the tiniest obstructed view cabin possible on a Grand-class ship (P201).

 

 

unobstructed guarantee to obstructed view sounds like a downgrade to me

[Sea Hag]

Once, though, was the unlucky time that we went from unobstructed guarantee to the tiniest obstructed view cabin possible on a Grand-class ship (P201). .

I don't think P201 is an obstructed cabin on a Grand class ship. It's not a cabin I'd want for sure, but it's not obstructed.

[Reader0108598]

should princess do something like this? ( taken from a previous thread...)

 

subscribe to a blind auction for your specific cruise and get notifications with minimum bid amounts for the cabins and closing date/time

 

seems more fair for all...

 

 

And beers !! :beer-mug:

 

 

no!!

[memoak]

This NCL bidding thing is a really bad idea - I don't want to bid and then wait and wait to see if it is accepted. Also if you win a bid do you keep all your promos (like Sip and Sail) or lose them. When I call in response to an upsell offer - I can a call back the same day (at least I always have), pick my cabin or suite and keep all my promo items - much better way to go

[memoak]

Those who want to do the bidding thing should cruise with NCL in my opinion. Each cruise line has its ways and we all pick the one that suits our lifestyle and personal preferences

[Potstech]

it would make it fare for everyone...;p

No it wouldn't because some can not afford to bid the prices that others can. Nothing is "fare".

[caribill]

should princess do something like this?

subscribe to a blind auction for your specific cruise and get notifications with minimum bid amounts for the cabins and closing date/time

 

 

No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No!

[Potstech]

No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No!

 

Fully agree.