MSC "BID UP" program launch

[gadaboutgal]

Just got an email from MSC :"MSC Cruises is excited to announce the launch of our new program, BID UP with MSC, designed to offer your clients the unique opportunity to upgrade their stateroom category. Through this program, MSC Cruises will offer guests the opportunity to bid for a higher stateroom category after their booking is paid in full. MSC Cruises will review the upgrade bid and decide whether to accept it."  

This is following in the footsteps of NCL's and Royal Caribbean's programs.  Will be interested to see how this works out for them.

[Beamafar]

No more 'free' upgrades, then!

 

It certainly will be very interesting to see how it works out.  Do people on the other boards share what it cost them to upgrade?

[MyTMo777]

There's more than one thread on the Norwegian forum where people share exactly what they bid, what was accepted, and what was not.

[Rou-Dyliq]

I freaking hate this.  I cannot stand "bidding".  It's a large part of why I don't sail NCL anymore.  That coupled with poor customer service and one extremely bad experience on board I just won't use them anymore.  I book months if not years in advance, and we sail suites only.  We can only take time off one time a year, and usually only in early December due to our business so we like a bit of pampering and luxury.  Now I feel if I just book a suite I'll be wasting money and if I have to bid I might not get it.  Not a happy girl over this.  

[Epos Man]

possibly only USA based nothing through on the UK side yet

[ziggyuk]

1 hour ago, Beamafar said:

No more 'free' upgrades, then!

 

It certainly will be very interesting to see how it works out.  Do people on the other boards share what it cost them to upgrade?

 

They do Bea, there is a huge thread on NCL with what people bid on each category and what was successful.

Generally NCL do very well out of bidding, people often bid more than they could do a direct upgrade by making a phone call but equally many report fantastic bids on cruises with a lot of availability.

 

[ziggyuk]

Just to add,

Plusgrade do it for NCL and many, many clients, MSC are not listed but I expect they will do it for MSC too:

https://www.plusgrade.com/partners/

 

Edited May 23, 2019 by ziggyuk

[Beamafar]

 

5 minutes ago, ziggyuk said:

 

They do Bea, there is a huge thread on NCL with what people bid on each category and what was successful.

Generally NCL do very well out of bidding, people often bid more than they could do a direct upgrade by making a phone call but equally many report fantastic bids on cruises with a lot of availability.

 

 

Thanks, Ziggy.  I look forward to reading on this forum how people get on with bidding for MSC cruises, so, when it's introduced.

 

Interesting times ahead, that's for sure.  Don't the Chinese curse you by saying "May you live in interesting times"?  😱

 

[ziggyuk]

7 minutes ago, Beamafar said:

 

 

Thanks, Ziggy.  I look forward to reading on this forum how people get on with bidding for MSC cruises, so, when it's introduced.

 

Interesting times ahead, that's for sure.  Don't the Chinese curse you by saying "May you live in interesting times"?  😱

 

I heard that before too, I just asked my Chinese partner (Hong Kong, Cantanese) but he has never heard it? I'm not sure now?

[sidari]

So MSC have taken the decision to become just another US, cruise line! In all but name.

[Beamafar]

3 minutes ago, sidari said:

So MSC have taken the decision to become just another US, cruise line! In all but name.

 

Funny how so many of MSC's "improvements" tend to be retrograde steps instead, or non-events (such as renaming the highest tier in VC for no discernible reason).

[ziggyuk]

19 minutes ago, sidari said:

So MSC have taken the decision to become just another US, cruise line! In all but name.

 

I agree but from a business perspective it is perfect, you move all the high bidders up 2 days out and sell off all the insides to deal hunters..... full ship.

Edited May 23, 2019 by ziggyuk

[GOLDENBONNY]

I really wish they would stay old MSC and stop adding all this nonsense 

[Até]

Once NCL opened up the bidding process it set off an ugly chain of events regarding the Haven and suites.  Pretty much right at the start they lost a lot of loyal customers by irritating people like me who regularly booked suites and don't want to take chances on a mystery cabin location.  Additionally, once they made the Haven available to a supposedly discounted bidding system I'm sure bookings plummeted.  It basically cheapened the experience and makes it less likely people who consider booking suites are going to pay asking price if NCL is going to offer a discounted way to get into the Haven.  But NCL's strategy was actually to raise suite prices because they had a new new target suite passenger who was the inexperienced cruiser and had no idea what those suites normally sold for.  Advertising the suites at multiples of the old rate most often fuels ridiculous bids from the unsavvy.  It's a game controlled by NCL.

 

After reading hundreds of bid reports I feel the true suite bid deals are few and far between, most of the claims of great deals are made in comparison to the new fictional suite prices rather than historic prices before the bidding system.  The fact that NCL keeps the system shows overall people end up paying more than what NCL was getting before, even if a majority of suites go out for bidding.  I guess so far it is working for NCL and the loss of customers like me doesn't really matter.   I still hold hope the long term effects of their bidding system's implementation, along with the continuous "Free at Sea" promotional tactic are still not recognized by NCL.

 

Hopefully MSC will find a way to implement the program in way that I don't get the feeling they are only trying to squeeze every possible dollar out of me and everybody else on the ship.  I've stayed with MSC so far because they have conveyed an appreciation for their customers and value their continued patronage.  I do believe some of the other lines' (Azamara?) bidding systems do take into account things like loyalty status.  I don't know if that would be enough.  I've watched MSC prices for about three years so if I see a similar trend to NCL I may have change my booking strategy or just move on.

[mianmike]

2 hours ago, ziggyuk said:

 

I agree but from a business perspective it is perfect, you move all the high bidders up 2 days out and sell off all the insides to deal hunters..... full ship.

Hopefully they will follow NCL and make most upgrades well before the 48 hour deadline.  

[sverigecruiser]

7 hours ago, gadaboutgal said:

Just got an email from MSC :"MSC Cruises is excited to announce the launch of our new program, BID UP with MSC, designed to offer your clients the unique opportunity to upgrade their stateroom category. Through this program, MSC Cruises will offer guests the opportunity to bid for a higher stateroom category after their booking is paid in full. MSC Cruises will review the upgrade bid and decide whether to accept it."  

This is following in the footsteps of NCL's and Royal Caribbean's programs.  Will be interested to see how this works out for them.

 

If they do it like NCL, we have done our last MSCcruise!

[sverigecruiser]

7 hours ago, Rou-Dyliq said:

I freaking hate this.  I cannot stand "bidding".  It's a large part of why I don't sail NCL anymore.

 

The same for us!

 

Now they might increase the prices for YC and hope to sell them for that price. If they don't they let people bid to get them.

[ziggyuk]

If they use the NCL model, they will overprice the YC because they know they get a second bite of the cherry and can fill any unsold rooms through bidding and then sell the insides a second time.

 

I wish they would just promote the sale of upgrades at the last minute, if they just sent an email with set prices to upgrade on a first come basis it would be much nicer process.

[Captain-John]

Hmm. Never used the NCL system but I agree the trend is to raise prices for the higher cabin categories so your if your bid is accepted, you think you've got a bargain. 

 

I suppose I'd dip my toe into this system if I get a good deal on a B2 or B3 and want to roll the dice for a YC1 without paying full sticker. On the less popular routes and off-peak it may work - remains to be seen. 

[Beamafar]

I'm not sure that I'd be keen to bid for a YC cabin without knowing its location.  There are some that are in less-than-desirable areas (though, maybe if I got one for little more than a regular balcony I might reconsider 😜).

 

Até ... great post which highlights the flaws in the concept,  but I did have a slight problem with the following:

 

" I've stayed with MSC so far because they have conveyed an appreciation for their customers and value their continued patronage."

 

Personally, I don't believe that MSC does have an appreciation for their customers, nor do I believe that they value their continued custom.  JMHO.  I accept that your opinion differs.

[Epos Man]

Do you think this will stay stateside and not rear its ugly head over in europe

[sverigecruiser]

6 minutes ago, Epos Man said:

Do you think this will stay stateside and not rear its ugly head over in europe

 

The worst scenario might be that they raise the prices everywhere but only Americans can bid!

[Beamafar]

2 minutes ago, sverigecruiser said:

 

The worst scenario might be that they raise the prices everywhere but only Americans can bid!

 

My thoughts, exactly, SC!

[emmas gran]

This is part of the email I recently received from Celebrity regarding my cruises with them

Celebrity MoveUp is an online programme that allows you to bid to upgrade your stateroom after you purchase your cruise.

HOW DOES IT WORK? IT'S SIMPLE.

1. If your booking is eligible for a Celebrity MoveUp upgrade you will receive an email invitation to make a bid to upgrade your stateroom. To make sure you receive Celebrity MoveUp emails, sign up for email updates >
2. From the email you will be able to browse your stateroom upgrade options and bid the amount you are willing to pay for the upgrade. To increase your chances of getting upgraded you can make offers on multiple staterooms, but you'll only ever pay for one upgrade.
3. If your bid for an upgrade is successful, we'll notify you via email and you'll be automatically charged for the upgrade. If not, you pay nothing and enjoy the stateroom you orginally booked.

[dexddd]

1 hour ago, Beamafar said:

I'm not sure that I'd be keen to bid for a YC cabin without knowing its location.  There are some that are in less-than-desirable areas (though, maybe if I got one for little more than a regular balcony I might reconsider 😜).

 

Até ... great post which highlights the flaws in the concept,  but I did have a slight problem with the following:

 

" I've stayed with MSC so far because they have conveyed an appreciation for their customers and value their continued patronage."

 

Personally, I don't believe that MSC does have an appreciation for their customers, nor do I believe that they value their continued custom.  JMHO.  I accept that your opinion differs.

You haven't experienced NCL.  As a past loyal NCL Platinum Plus member MSC is a walk in the park.