How is the bidding system doing? Any comments?

[Bwana Tom]

Sure like to hear any comments you folks might have on the new bidding system.

[StrawberryHill]

Have not seen any info   Should I be looking for an email ?  I checked the website and there was nothing that I could find

[ceilidh1]

I'm wondering too! Today it is meant to go live for anyone on (select) ships sailing after October 1st, providing they have made final payment. I'm surprised no one has mentioned anything...

[voljeep]

6 minutes ago, ceilidh1 said:

I'm wondering too! Today it is meant to go live for anyone on (select) ships sailing after October 1st, providing they have made final payment. I'm surprised no one has mentioned anything...

nothing yet... CB - after 10/1 - we've paid final, not due until 9/9

 

as per the Princess website - we are in the highest balcony (deluxe) with no mini's or suites showing as available to book ...  we are true aft - so 'maybe' we could bid on a middle? - no desire for a mini, even if it comes available for bid - we would possibly look at a bid for a full suite, again, if it becomes available - but our bid wouldn't be a lot based on our short cruise - maybe $50 pp per day MAX

[Steelers36]

Our Oct voyages on REGAL should qualify.  However, the first two are sold out with nothing available to book.  When I access the third one in Cruise Personalizer, I see nothing about bidding on another cabin (and, NO, we wouldn't want to move mid-voyage in the B2B2B).  All I have for offers is the opportunity to upgrade from Standard package to PLUS or PREMIER.

[dreaminofcruisin]

We're on the Ruby on October 1st. My understanding is that would qualify. Final Payment made. Many balconies and minis available. We have a balcony and likely wouldn't bid on a mini as I am picky about where it would be.... but....I was curious to see what the process looks like,

I haven't seen anything yet.

[HBCcruiser]

No Email yet for us either. We are on a B2B on Discovery in November. We won't get a bid on the Cabo leg (in a suite) but perhaps for the second leg (4-day CA Coastal Comedy cruise) because we are in a Club Class mini. 

[voljeep]

How Does Princess Upgrade Work?

1. You will receive an email invitation after all eligibility requirements are met and have opted-in to receive marketing emails from Princess.

 

Log in , go to your profile and make sure you have opted-in to marketing emails

 

EDIT: a suite is now showing as available for our cruise - it is $1,340 pp more than our current price for a deluxe true aft balcony

 

Whadda ya think I should bid if contacted? - 5 day cruise

Edited September 6, 2022 by voljeep

[WmFCoyote]

Seems a bit steep to me. About $500 sounds about right

[JimmyVWine]

1 hour ago, Steelers36 said:

Our Oct voyages on REGAL should qualify.

I'm not so sure.  The rules posted on the website say the following.  Based on this, your October cruises are long past 5 days within final payment.  Bidding for those cruises would have opened up in July and presumably would have closed shortly after that.  But the program wasn't open yet.  Despite the process going into effect today, it might be that it only applies to cruises whose final payment date was last Friday or later.  So people with cruises departing in December might start to get emails whereas people with cruises in October would not. And this would be for the reasons you stated.  Your cruises are all showing as "Not Available", i.e., Sold Out.  Can't play musical cabins with a sold out cruise.  The whole point to this is to move people into more expensive cabins so that they can re-sell cheaper ones with flash sales, drop and go pricing, or make them available to Travel Agents.

 

Bidding Eligibility

To be eligible to submit a bid you need to meet the following requirements:

• Must be 21 years or older.
• The booking must be paid in full.
• The voyage must be at least five days within final payment.

 

Voyage length	Final payment due before sailing sate	Bidding opens before sailing
5 days or less	75 days prior	70 days prior
6-24 days	90 days prior	85 days prior
25+ days	120 days prior	115 days prior

[Steelers36]

9 minutes ago, JimmyVWine said:

I'm not so sure.  The rules posted on the website say the following.  Based on this, your October cruises are long past 5 days within final payment.  Bidding for those cruises would have opened up in July and presumably would have closed shortly after that.  But the program wasn't open yet.  Despite the process going into effect today, it might be that it only applies to cruises whose final payment date was last Friday or later.  So people with cruises departing in December might start to get emails whereas people with cruises in October would not. And this would be for the reasons you stated.  Your cruises are all showing as "Not Available", i.e., Sold Out.  Can't play musical cabins with a sold out cruise.  The whole point to this is to move people into more expensive cabins so that they can re-sell cheaper ones with flash sales, drop and go pricing, or make them available to Travel Agents.

 

Bidding Eligibility

To be eligible to submit a bid you need to meet the following requirements:

• Must be 21 years or older.
• The booking must be paid in full.
• The voyage must be at least five days within final payment.

 

Voyage length	Final payment due before sailing sate	Bidding opens before sailing
5 days or less	75 days prior	70 days prior
6-24 days	90 days prior	85 days prior
25+ days	120 days prior	115 days prior

I understand when bidding OPENS, but I don't think it is clear that it CLOSES quickly.  I would think it would remain open up until the day or two before that is mentioned as notice period for success.  OR .. at least as long as cabins are available to upgrade to.

 

Our third voyage is not sold out, BTW.  I am not overly concerned - I was just curious to see the process and how much the bid range would be.  Our final voyage is on Island and it is not part of the initial roll-out.  Anyway, I don't see why Princess would exclude upcoming voyages with cabin availability.  Could be they are slow off the mark updating the website as it is by particular voyages and needs some sort of new link in the Cruise Personalizer like they added for upgrading the fare package to Plus or Premier.  That's my thinking at least.

Edited September 6, 2022 by Steelers36

[HBCcruiser]

4 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

needs some sort of new link in the Cruise Personalizer like they added for upgrading the fare package to Plus or Premier.  That's my thinking at least.

I agree with you. Other cruise lines allow you to bid for upgrades online. My guess is they know the emails may be missed or sent to Spam folders. 

[pompeii]

The "Upgrade Terms and Conditions" say bidding starts five days after final payment and ends three days before sailing, so October and November sailings should be included.  We're on the Regal Nov. 17 and the cruise is not sold out, so I'm watching for an email.  

 

Bidding Period and Availability: PCL shall determine, in its sole and absolute discretion, the Eligible Cruises that will be available for the Program. For each Eligible Cruise, upgrade Bidding will be available for Guests starting five (5) days after such Cruise's final payment date and ending three (3) day before the Cruise's departure date (the "Bidding Period"). Guests must have made final payment on the Cruise by the Cruise's final payment date in order to submit a Bid.

[voljeep]

OK ... looks like we have a week or so until any potential bidding opens on our cruise for late November.

 

 

[JimmyVWine]

15 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

I understand when bidding OPENS, but I don't think it is clear that it CLOSES quickly.  I would think it would remain open up until the day or two before that is mentioned as notice period for success.  OR .. at least as long as cabins are available to upgrade to.

I don't think we have seen any reports of people with October cruises getting the invitation email yet.  That fact would seem to be telling. Maybe too much of a scramble for them.

Edited September 6, 2022 by JimmyVWine

[kiwimum]

If I remember correctly during the presentation the gentleman from the company running the program indicated not all ships are participating in the launch of the bidding process.   Cannot remember which ships are participating.

[PacnGoNow]

45 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

  Could be they are slow off the mark updating the website as it is by particular voyages and needs some sort of new link in the Cruise Personalizer like they added for upgrading the fare package to Plus or Premier

Yes!

[Thrak]

Our December 2nd cruise had final payment due September 3rd. It's a 12 day cruise so bidding "should" become available 85 days out. We are fully paid and currently at 87 days out so, in theory, we should possibly get a notice in a couple of days. It will be interesting to see if we do get an offer and, if so, how it's structured.

[sonomaphil]

From Princess:

 

"Upgrades will be available initially on five North America-based ships (Caribbean Princess, Discovery Princess, Enchanted Princess, Regal Princess and Ruby Princess), with plans to roll out fleetwide by the end of October."

[dave_k58]

I just went to the online princess chat and they said the system is down and to  try again tomorrow.

[ceilidh1]

1 minute ago, dave_k58 said:

I just went to the online princess chat and they said the system is down and to  try again tomorrow.

Lol. Figures.😁

[vjmatty]

Actually I hadn’t thought about it since our 10/1/22 Regal sailing is sold out, but after seeing this thread I went to the Cruise Planner…..there is a link for the upgrade program but it’s just a tutorial, no actual bidding interface. I’m guessing it’s either too early or they won’t bother unless something opens up. 

[cr8tiv1]

@Bwana TomThank you for starting this thread.  I do not have any intentions of bidding for any upgrades.  I am enjoying the interest of others and all the mishaps being posted.  There seems to be a lot of people interested in giving bidding a try.  

 

I am not surprised at this roll out.  Seems as though Princess really needs a much better PR department.  That's in addition to a NEW President and IT department.  Hmmmm, maybe Princess needs to dump all and start from the beginning. 

[GonzoWCS]

4 hours ago, sonomaphil said:

From Princess:

 

"Upgrades will be available initially on five North America-based ships (Caribbean Princess, Discovery Princess, Enchanted Princess, Regal Princess and Ruby Princess), with plans to roll out fleetwide by the end of October."

Spot on thanks

 

Cheers

[cruzsnooze]

6 hours ago, HBCcruiser said:

No Email yet for us either. We are on a B2B on Discovery in November. We won't get a bid on the Cabo leg (in a suite) but perhaps for the second leg (4-day CA Coastal Comedy cruise) because we are in a Club Class mini. 

The 4 day coastal comedy cruise Nov 10 has no available suites, all sold out. They have been sold out for a long time because when I booked this cruise months ago I took an S5 GTY and I have not been assigned yet. I'm guessing there will be no bidding on a full suites unless after assigning the GTY's there are cancellations.