Upgrades - Bids

[howdyi]

Wanted to share our recent experience.  We booked a Guaranteed Room in which RC chooses the cabin.  There were only 12 cabins with obstructed views so we decided to take our chance.  As luck would have when we received our cabin notification we had an obstructed view.  A few days later we were invited to bid for an upgrade.  We did so.  Our bid was accepted and now we have payed $300 more for another obstructed view.  The only difference seems to be that instead of being on Deck 7 in the middle of the ship,  we are on Deck 9 at the back of the ship.  Never again!!!

[cb at sea]

What you got was an UPSELL, not an upgrade!  Upgrades are free!  But, depending on the ship, the "obstruction" could be nothing that bothers you at all.  Good luck and enjoy your vacation!

[crystalspin]

On 6/4/2019 at 6:19 AM, howdyi said:

Our bid was accepted and now we have payed $300 more for another obstructed view.  The only difference seems to be that instead of being on Deck 7 in the middle of the ship,  we are on Deck 9 at the back of the ship.  Never again!!!

In fact, in cruise line lingo, you did get an upgrade (a paid upgrade is called an upsell ONLY on Cruise Critic). The lines have their own reasoning, but what it comes down to is this: cabins that sold well last year (or in the time since they last readjusted) get bumped up in ranking and vice versa. Or sometimes they do it the other way! so that they can put people with guarantees (or on RCI, those bidding for an upgrade) into cabins they can't otherwise sell in sufficient quantity. So it's some balance of the two, that they think will make them the most money and sail with the fullest ships. Then they come up with reasoning for the ranking -- not the other way around. 

 

My experience with that 'system' was booking through a mailorder group travel agency that must remain nameless. All cabins were essentially guarantees, dealt out of their blocks of rooms. They advertised that their insides were all K or better. Ks and Js (the lower the letter of the alphabet the "better" the room in this line's system) were all large square rooms with a wrap-around sofa+desk chair in addition to the bed. Cool, I thought! Then I noticed there were higher rated "I" cabins on a much higher deck that were long and narrow and had only a SINGLE DESK CHAIR for seating. I was told "Oh yes, they are more desirable because they are higher in the ship!" NoNoNo I said and paid for an upgrade to an Oceanview. The OV we were finally assigned was under the Jazz Club!!!

 

I would really really need to be on a cruise so sold out that only Guarantees were available, to take one now, and I throw that TA's mailings in the trash after a glance! On the other hand, I did learn on that cruise, how much better my husband did with natural light, so I try only to book rooms with a window now. 

 

Maybe there is a silver lining in your room assignment. You will be closer to the open deck(s) above, for one. Maybe the view is less obstructed that the other would have been, and at least you will get daylight. I hope you will be able to enjoy your cruise and not beat yourselves up over your learning experience.

[Ashland]

Buyer beware, in this case bidder !!! What RCI thinks is an upgrade may not be what in reality is true. Book the cabin/location you want, don't leave it to chance...the house usually wins.