Upgrade Advantage Program

[cruisincorgi]

How does the upgrade bidding process work? I’m sailing in March on Escape. Thank you.

[MyTMo777]

Offers to bid on an upgrade are entirely random. Some people receive them and some don't. If you've booked with a travel agent, check to see if they have opted out of the program or not. Some of them have, in which case you won't have a chance of receiving a bid offer.

 

Bid offers are sent by email and also show up in your messages on myncl.com. They are sent after final payment is due and they know what availability they have. They will give you usually 3 or so options to upgrade to specific categories of rooms, and they will tell you what the minimum bid is. Be aware: the minimum bid they show is per person, not per cabin. Once you place a bid, you can adjust it up or down or withdraw it completely. But once your bid is accepted, you MUST take it - you cannot stay in your currently booked room or decline it.

 

When you bid you will be able to see if your bid is in the low probability range, mid range, or high probability range of being accepted. However, there have been multiple reports on here of people placing low bids and winning them.

 

Bid results can start coming in as soon as the bidding process opens, or as late as 48 hours before travel.

 

I'm a little unclear on the "perks" issue, but my understanding from what I've read on here is that if you booked your room with some of their "free perks" options, those do not transfer with you to your new cabin won by your bid. Someone else can probably address that better.

[BirdTravels]

80 days prior to your cruise, you MyNCL login screen will have a link to allow you to place a bid. You are allowed to bid on rooms 2 cabin classes above you. For example, on a big ship, a balcony room would be given the option to bid on a mini suite, spa mini suite, and 5 or 6 different Haven rooms.

 

You are provided with the minimum and maximum bid amounts. And as you select a bid amount, the system gives a rating for your bid amounts from poor to excellent.

 

NCL can accept a bid from the day you submit it to 48 hours before cruise. 48 hours to cruise, they will send out rejections to all of the unsuccessful bids.

 

If you win a bid, your credit card is automatically charged, you are assigned a room (which can not be changed). Your booking perks are unaffected by the award (the remain the same as your original booking class).

[JennieCoconut]

All of our perks transferred to our new room last year when we were awarded the upgrade.

[cruisincorgi]

I am booked with a travel agent, so I’ll have to check with them. Thank you.

[JamieLogical]

It's not random. The upgrade offer goes out at 80 days to nearly everyone on a sailing, unless they booked through a TA that does not participate in the program.

 

While bids are per person and you will be charged for double occupancy if sailing solo, only the first two passengers will be charged. So, basically, if you bid, you are going to pay your bid times two no matter how many people are in your cabin.

 

Bidding is available for two "metas" above your own a "meta" is a category grouping, like "ocean view", "balcony", "mini-suite" or "haven". The balcony, mini-suite, and havens are broken down a bit, in that you can bid on a generic balcony or a spa balcony, generic mini-suite or spa mini-suite, and every individual category of haven.

 

If you win your bid, you DO NOT lose your free at sea perks!!! You also do not gain any new ones, even if you are moving up to a category that offers more. What you do lose are any features associated with the specific room category. So if you are in a Spa room and upgrade to a non-Spa room, you will lose the spa access. Likewise, if you upgrade to a room with additional room features (spa access, haven access, etc.), then you do get those features along with your upgrade.

 

Some rooms are ineligible for upgrading. Studio cabins are not included in the program. Also, some cabins that sleep five are not eligible.

[Rafa]

If you win a bid, your credit card is automatically charged, you are assigned a room (which can not be changed).

 

Not even to switch within the same category?

[ddlb]

The offers do not always go out 80 days as I found out on our Oct 15 sailing. We got our upgrade advantage to bid at about 40 days or so. Most on our cruise has almost given up receiving an email on our NCL account - we did not get emails direct. However once we placed bids we did get confirmation emails sent to our personal email account. NCL has up to 48 hours to accept or reject or bid. Today 32 days from sailing my niece had her bid accepted. Also note when receiving you options to bid it is based on your current cabin - for example - she was in ocean view and could only bid on balcony or mini-suite - I am in balcony and can bid on all Haven categories and mini-suite. Good luck! And the highest did doesn't always win either. As even if you are a first time NCL cruiser you can, indeed, win!

[JamieLogical]

Not even to switch within the same category?

 

No, you are locked in with no chance to switch or upgrade after that. Remember, for the most part, upgrades are processed in one giant batch for the whole sailing. You are assigned your room at the same time everyone else is and there are no free rooms after that to switch into.

[MyTMo777]

Unless things have changed in the past 9 months or so, everyone does not automatically receive an upgrade bid offer. On our sailing in January, some people on our roll call got upgrade bid offers, and some did not. Those who did not were not booked through a TA who had opted out of the program.

[esm54687]

Unless things have changed in the past 9 months or so, everyone does not automatically receive an upgrade bid offer. On our sailing in January, some people on our roll call got upgrade bid offers, and some did not. Those who did not were not booked through a TA who had opted out of the program.

You are 100% correct...... below is from the Upgrade Advantage Program T&Cs:

 

3.*First, as a prerequisite to the ability to make an Offer, you must receive an invitation (“Invitation”) from Norwegian Cruise Line. Sending an Invitation to anyone and at any time is entirely within Norwegian Cruise Line’s sole discretion.

[mexico8]

I am booked in an oceanview cabin and put in a bid for a mini-suite with balcony. Last spring on the Jade the mini suite with balcony had a really deep bathtub that I had a hard time to use (it was too deep for my short legs and I have back issues). Even able-bodied people had problems getting in and out of that tub. Are all the mini-suites with tubs deep? I want to have the extra room in the cabin (I have a mobility scooter) so I would like the bigger mini-suite but dread trying to get in and out of that tub. Any suggestions?

 

BTW - the regular balcony cabins are smaller so I prefer the larger mini-suite.

[DebQ5]

I have a 2 bedroom haven suite on an upcoming cruise. I got my offer to bid email, and of course it was on my NCL homepage as well about 2 weeks ago. There are only two cabins that are considered upgrades, and one is a one bedroom, so that wouldn't work. The only upgrade feasible is the deluxe owners suite, but the minimum bid is $750/pp. I have paid an enormous amount for the room I currently have, as I wanted to be sure to be in the haven and felt wealthy that day for some reason. I just ignored the bid offer. I just got another email, much more pointed, with links to bid on the upgrade (same minimum bids). I responded to the email saying it was too expensive after what I've already paid. NCL please just give me the upgrade and sell my room in an upgrade!! Has anyone ever heard of this happening anymore? :) Of course I'm perfectly happy with the room I have and can't wait for the cruise, but stop sending me emails!

[esm54687]

I have a 2 bedroom haven suite on an upcoming cruise. I got my offer to bid email, and of course it was on my NCL homepage as well about 2 weeks ago. There are only two cabins that are considered upgrades, and one is a one bedroom, so that wouldn't work. The only upgrade feasible is the deluxe owners suite, but the minimum bid is $750/pp. I have paid an enormous amount for the room I currently have, as I wanted to be sure to be in the haven and felt wealthy that day for some reason. I just ignored the bid offer. I just got another email, much more pointed, with links to bid on the upgrade (same minimum bids). I responded to the email saying it was too expensive after what I've already paid. NCL please just give me the upgrade and sell my room in an upgrade!! Has anyone ever heard of this happening anymore? :) Of course I'm perfectly happy with the room I have and can't wait for the cruise, but stop sending me emails!

I'm pretty sure that a 3rd party manages the upgrade program so NCL may not even see your email.....

[Maniacal Cruiser]

Offers to bid on an upgrade are entirely random. Some people receive them and some don't. If you've booked with a travel agent, check to see if they have opted out of the program or not. Some of them have, in which case you won't have a chance of receiving a bid offer.

 

Bid offers are sent by email and also show up in your messages on myncl.com. They are sent after final payment is due and they know what availability they have. They will give you usually 3 or so options to upgrade to specific categories of rooms, and they will tell you what the minimum bid is. Be aware: the minimum bid they show is per person, not per cabin. Once you place a bid, you can adjust it up or down or withdraw it completely. But once your bid is accepted, you MUST take it - you cannot stay in your currently booked room or decline it.

 

When you bid you will be able to see if your bid is in the low probability range, mid range, or high probability range of being accepted. However, there have been multiple reports on here of people placing low bids and winning them.

 

Bid results can start coming in as soon as the bidding process opens, or as late as 48 hours before travel.

 

I'm a little unclear on the "perks" issue, but my understanding from what I've read on here is that if you booked your room with some of their "free perks" options, those do not transfer with you to your new cabin won by your bid. Someone else can probably address that better.

 

 

Actually they are not random at all. There is a system to the process and it has nothing to do with randomness. The upgrade bidding does NOT have any impact on the FAS or other offers you have. You do not get any new ones with an upgrade and you do not liose any that you already have. All that changes is your cabin.

[Maniacal Cruiser]

I'm pretty sure that a 3rd party manages the upgrade program so NCL may not even see your email.....

 

 

You are correct it is an outside group. Their entire business model is handling upgrades of various types for other businesses.

[BirdTravels]

I am booked with a travel agent, so I’ll have to check with them. Thank you.

80 days prior to your cruise, you will see the "Let's Get You Upgraded" banner on your MyNCL account when you log on. You do not have to talk with your travel agent,,, and they may not have any ability to bid for you.

[English101]

 

NCL can accept a bid from the day you submit it to 48 hours before cruise. 48 hours to cruise, they will send out rejections to all of the unsuccessful bids.

 

 

I am 3 days away from sailing and haven’t heard either way. Based on tour comment, im thinking we didn’t win and they’re waiting until tomorrow to let us know. However, a part of me thinks there’s still a chance. We bid on DOS from 2 bedroom. I’m assuming they don’t place DOS winning bid til the bitter end. Then again, they’d have to place someone in our room as well. Uuuggghhh, I can’t stand the wait! I feel like a child on Christmas Eve!

[jdvmd]

You may find out as late as two days before sailing so there is still a chance.

[English101]

You may find out as late as two days before sailing so there is still a chance.

 

I know. 🤞

[dexddd]

I am 3 days away from sailing and haven’t heard either way. Based on tour comment, im thinking we didn’t win and they’re waiting until tomorrow to let us know. However, a part of me thinks there’s still a chance. We bid on DOS from 2 bedroom. I’m assuming they don’t place DOS winning bid til the bitter end. Then again, they’d have to place someone in our room as well. Uuuggghhh, I can’t stand the wait! I feel like a child on Christmas Eve!

 

Could be timing but currently all Haven showing sold out. WOW - insides as low as $299 though.

 

Having stayed in DOS on BA, I wouldn't be too upset not getting it - the wall leaks noise and the H4 is a very nice room in its own right.

[spacewoman]

Have Epic sailing 12/15. Got email yesterday from NCL with an email from TA as she was notified as well

 

I have a deck 9 minisuite now. They offered a spa mini suite and 5 Haven choices

 

Glad you have time to bid as my husband passed away 9/5 and I’m not sure as to whether I am going or not. He asked me if I would go if he died before the sailing and I said no. This would have been cruise number 16. I’ve also said to myself go and

Make it your last. If I go I’d like the opportunity to get a more expensive cabin at a cheaper rate. See how I feel in a few weeks

[JamieLogical]

Have Epic sailing 12/15. Got email yesterday from NCL with an email from TA as she was notified as well

 

I have a deck 9 minisuite now. They offered a spa mini suite and 5 Haven choices

 

Glad you have time to bid as my husband passed away 9/5 and I’m not sure as to whether I am going or not. He asked me if I would go if he died before the sailing and I said no. This would have been cruise number 16. I’ve also said to myself go and

Make it your last. If I go I’d like the opportunity to get a more expensive cabin at a cheaper rate. See how I feel in a few weeks

 

 

I am so sorry for your loss. My partner and I have also discussed what would happen should one or the other of us pass and we have both agreed to keep sailing. I know every situation is unique and you really have to do what is going to be best for you under your current circumstances. If you do decide to go and to bid on an upgrade, I hope you have a wonderful trip full of joy and not sorrow.

[spacewoman]

Thank you

[English101]

Could be timing but currently all Haven showing sold out. WOW - insides as low as $299 though.

 

Having stayed in DOS on BA, I wouldn't be too upset not getting it - the wall leaks noise and the H4 is a very nice room in its own right.

 

I agree, I’d be so happy with H4 AND MORE MONEY IN MY POCKET but part of me wants the most expensive room on the ship. Lol