How is the bidding system doing? Any comments?

[MishelleMcc]

My understanding is that if your upgrade bid is accepted, they send you a notification including the pertinent information and amount to pay.  I think you have the ability to decline.  And if you don't pay within the time allotted, then the upgrade offer expires and you remain in your currently book cabin... 

 

Per "Bid for a Stateroom Upgrade FAQ" 

"What happens when my bid is accepted?
You’ll receive a bid acceptance email letting you know that your upgrade will be processed, and you’ll receive a new booking confirmation within two business days. This confirmation will provide your new stateroom location and your balance is due within 48 hours."

 

Does someone have any information on this or are able to confirm/clarify this?

Edited December 30, 2022 by MishelleMcc
add Princess site info

[roxievegas]

we received the email.  I called the next day and paid the amount.  We were on Deck 10 in a regular Balcony and are still on Deck 10 in a mini suite.

 

Not sure what happens to those that don't want to pay for the new cabin

[BargainMan]

Does the minimum bid amount go down or change as departure time comes near if there are many cabins unsold?

I have little above minimum bid from Balcony to CC Mini suite and its 7 days to cruise and no reply. Anyone here got upgrade bid accepted for CC mini suites?

[azbirdmom]

1 hour ago, MishelleMcc said:

My understanding is that if your upgrade bid is accepted, they send you a notification including the pertinent information and amount to pay.  I think you have the ability to decline.  And if you don't pay within the time allotted, then the upgrade offer expires and you remain in your currently book cabin... 

 

Per "Bid for a Stateroom Upgrade FAQ" 

"What happens when my bid is accepted?
You’ll receive a bid acceptance email letting you know that your upgrade will be processed, and you’ll receive a new booking confirmation within two business days. This confirmation will provide your new stateroom location and your balance is due within 48 hours."

 

Does someone have any information on this or are able to confirm/clarify this?

 

In my case I got a flurry of emails indicating that various bids weren't successful 8 days before departure.  I went to the Cruise Personalizer and we had already been moved to the new cabin.  The notice of the successful bid and the invoice came 24 hours later.  We wanted the upgrade so it wasn't an issue but I did check and saw that our original cabin was already gone.  So if you ultimately don't want to accept the upgrade, there may be little chance to get your old cabin back, especially if someone else successfully bid to upgrade to your old cabin.  This is the only language that I could find in the T&C - nothing is stated that would allow a guest to simply decline:

 

"Once a Bid is accepted, the Guest is legally bound to complete payment for the price stated in the Bid. If a Guest's credit card does not go through, is declined, or cannot otherwise be charged, PCL may (but is not required to) reach out to the Guest for an alternate method of payment or may disqualify the Successful Bidder and return the Guest to their original category, all in its sole discretion."

[Bwana Tom]

45 minutes ago, azbirdmom said:

 

In my case I got a flurry of emails indicating that various bids weren't successful 8 days before departure.  I went to the Cruise Personalizer and we had already been moved to the new cabin.  The notice of the successful bid and the invoice came 24 hours later.  We wanted the upgrade so it wasn't an issue but I did check and saw that our original cabin was already gone.  So if you ultimately don't want to accept the upgrade, there may be little chance to get your old cabin back, especially if someone else successfully bid to upgrade to your old cabin.  This is the only language that I could find in the T&C - nothing is stated that would allow a guest to simply decline:

 

"Once a Bid is accepted, the Guest is legally bound to complete payment for the price stated in the Bid. If a Guest's credit card does not go through, is declined, or cannot otherwise be charged, PCL may (but is not required to) reach out to the Guest for an alternate method of payment or may disqualify the Successful Bidder and return the Guest to their original category, all in its sole discretion."

So, have I got this correct: they automatically charge your credit card that you on file immediately without you accepting the offer? I  know other cruise lines do this, but I thought Princess sent an email and you could either accept or deny it. I only ask about this because there seems to be some confusion whether or not you have a grace period of a couple of days to accept.

Thanks in advance for the clarification.

 Tom 

[azbirdmom]

10 minutes ago, Bwana Tom said:

So, have I got this correct: they automatically charge your credit card that you on file immediately without you accepting the offer? I  know other cruise lines do this, but I thought Princess sent an email and you could either accept or deny it. I only ask about this because there seems to be some confusion whether or not you have a grace period of a couple of days to accept.

Thanks in advance for the clarification.

 Tom 

 

No they don't automatically charge your credit card.  You only put your credit card on the original bid to ensure that it isn't a frivolous bid (or so they imply).  You still need to pay it when you are notified that your bid has been accepted.  In our case the new booking confirmation with the amount due indicated that the balance was due on the same day contrary to the FAQs which state this:

 

[sunviking90]

1 hour ago, BargainMan said:

Does the minimum bid amount go down or change as departure time comes near if there are many cabins unsold?

I have little above minimum bid from Balcony to CC Mini suite and its 7 days to cruise and no reply. Anyone here got upgrade bid accepted for CC mini suites?

I was watching our bids for a month or so after I submitted it. I never saw the minimum bids go down. My bid was minimum and was accepted (not for a CC mini) but our cruise looks only 65% full and all categories are still available.

If there are CC minisuites available on your cruise, I would think they offer to the higher bidders first, then to you. Are there still some available?

Edited December 30, 2022 by sunviking90

[Jemnibabe]

3 hours ago, Bwana Tom said:

So, have I got this correct: they automatically charge your credit card that you on file immediately without you accepting the offer? I  know other cruise lines do this, but I thought Princess sent an email and you could either accept or deny it. I only ask about this because there seems to be some confusion whether or not you have a grace period of a couple of days to accept.

Thanks in advance for the clarification.

 Tom 

You have 48 hours to pay

[wen_c82]

10 hours ago, MishelleMcc said:

My understanding is that if your upgrade bid is accepted, they send you a notification including the pertinent information and amount to pay.  I think you have the ability to decline.  And if you don't pay within the time allotted, then the upgrade offer expires and you remain in your currently book cabin... 

 

Per "Bid for a Stateroom Upgrade FAQ" 

"What happens when my bid is accepted?
You’ll receive a bid acceptance email letting you know that your upgrade will be processed, and you’ll receive a new booking confirmation within two business days. This confirmation will provide your new stateroom location and your balance is due within 48 hours."

 

Does someone have any information on this or are able to confirm/clarify this?

I received the ‘congratulations’ e mail first then second email came within 15 minutes with updated invoice and new cabin assignment. 
 

Next day I signed into cruise personalizer to pay. Very easy 

[tawlaw1526]

14 hours ago, merryjewelhound said:

tawlaw....when we won our bid this month we were book as far aft interior as you could go. We won the bid for obstructed deluxe as far forward as you can go. Again this is just our experience. 

Thank you for replying.   Sounds like they don’t try to keep you in the same general location.   

[Shelly97060]

22 hours ago, tawlaw1526 said:

I have a question:  I like staying mid-forward on the ships and always book mid-forward cabins.   I am afraid to bid of fear they will give me a cabin in the aft of the ship.   Does anyone know if they try to keep you in the same location of the ship as you have booked?     I have a balcony booked mid-forward.   There are several mini suites Mid-forward and would love to bid if I felt relatively certain I would stay in that location of the ship.   There are still several mini suites in the aft of the ship as well.    Just wondering if anyone as any insight as to how they assign cabins after a bid is accepted? 

Based on the three cruises I have bid on and had accepted, no, the cabin you are upgraded to will not necessarily be in the same section your original cabin was it (none of mine have been).  

[tawlaw1526]

27 minutes ago, Shelly97060 said:

Based on the three cruises I have bid on and had accepted, no, the cabin you are upgraded to will not necessarily be in the same section your original cabin was it (none of mine have been).  

Thank you for sharing.   I appreciate it!   

[Steelers36]

My understanding of Princess' policy on a successful upgrade bid is that the guest is bound and committed to pay and accept the upgrade.  @azbirdmom has accurately posted the information as I understand it and agree with her. 

 

If reality is that a guest can wriggle out by not paying, well that is another thing.  But then I ask, where does said guest expect to stay on the ship since their original cabin is likely gone?  In a different similar cabin assigned by Princess and that may not be desirable.  What if there are no similar cabins?  I suppose Princess could upgrade someone else and stick it to the guest who just stuck it to Princess.  Maybe they would be blocked from future bidding by not having any success??  (Speculation that part).

 

[BargainMan]

I am offered an upgrade bid on deluxe balcony and premium deluxe balcony on Royal Princess. On going to Princess website I could see only balcony and deluxe balcony categories. Has anyone bid and won the Premium Deluxe Balconies? I have a BB balcony now and wondering is it worth to even bid the minimum of $80 pp for a 10day cruise.

[merryjewelhound]

BargainMan, See my post above, We tried it just to see how it worked last voyage (we were pleased) but we were in the lowest cabins category available for the Caribbean. We didn't care where we were on the ship due to burning off credits before they expired. We have a March Hawaiian cruise where we are located Mid Obstructed Deluxe Balcony. I don't think we will bid (never say never). It would cost another (prices are each) $325 each for a mini-suite, $135 Premium Deluxe and $70 Deluxe Balcony. So the only one we would even look at is the Mini (we have never sailed in one)

[sunviking90]

8 hours ago, BargainMan said:

I am offered an upgrade bid on deluxe balcony and premium deluxe balcony on Royal Princess. On going to Princess website I could see only balcony and deluxe balcony categories. Has anyone bid and won the Premium Deluxe Balconies? I have a BB balcony now and wondering is it worth to even bid the minimum of $80 pp for a 10day cruise.

I would bid the minimum on that. You have nothing to lose and if you win you’ll have a larger stateroom (couch) or larger balcony with the premium. A lot of January cruises are not full, so your chances are good. I also notice the availability changes daily as people are moved up, bids accepted, etc. 

[Mike45LC]

1 hour ago, sunviking90 said:

I would bid the minimum on that. You have nothing to lose and if you win you’ll have a larger stateroom (couch) or larger balcony with the premium. 

You have a lot to lose — if you upgrade to a mini, your wife will never be satisfied with a plain old balcony again!  

[Bwana Tom]

49 minutes ago, Mike45LC said:

You have a lot to lose — if you upgrade to a mini, your wife will never be satisfied with a plain old balcony again!  

So true!

[KLM3164]

50 minutes ago, Mike45LC said:

You have a lot to lose — if you upgrade to a mini, your wife will never be satisfied with a plain old balcony again!  

This is true. My DH and I used to book balcony cabins. In 2018 we received an upsell offer for a mini-suite and we took it. After that cruise I told DH we would be booking mini-suites in the future. Fortunately for him I didn’t have the same reaction when we stayed in an aft-facing Penthouse Suite. While I enjoyed it I’m perfectly happy in a mini-suite, especially if it’s forward facing on a Royal class ship.

[Mike45LC]

35 minutes ago, KLM3164 said:

Fortunately for him I didn’t have the same reaction when we stayed in an aft-facing Penthouse Suite. While I enjoyed it I’m perfectly happy in a mini-suite, especially if it’s forward facing on a Royal class ship.

My wife disagrees, but to be onboard, I’d even take an interior!!

[Island wannabe]

We just had our bid accepted from a BW to a DB for $60 (CAD $) pp for a 7 day on the Regal in January.   Our bid for a premium deluxe balcony was turned down and for that I also bid the minimum (I can’t remember exactly what the bid was - maybe $75 pp).  I’m happy with this as we actually started with an obstructed balcony for a really great price, got a free upgrade to an unobstructed balcony, and are now in a deluxe balcony all for about $1,800 less than what the deluxe room is current selling for.    Our first vacation in 3 years, so yes I really am doing a happy dance.

[Princessfan20]

We are booked on a 10 day January cruise and had a Mini-Suite and bid on Club Class.  Received an email late last week from Princess saying a Club Class Mini Suite was not available but they offered us an upgrade to Penthouse Suite for the same price we had bid on getting Club Class.  We were surprised and happily took the upgrade.  Happy New Year Princess!!

[Musky Ike]

1 hour ago, Princessfan20 said:

We are booked on a 10 day January cruise and had a Mini-Suite and bid on Club Class.  Received an email late last week from Princess saying a Club Class Mini Suite was not available but they offered us an upgrade to Penthouse Suite for the same price we had bid on getting Club Class.  We were surprised and happily took the upgrade.  Happy New Year Princess!!

WOW cool!

[Don9992]

1 hour ago, Princessfan20 said:

We are booked on a 10 day January cruise and had a Mini-Suite and bid on Club Class.  Received an email late last week from Princess saying a Club Class Mini Suite was not available but they offered us an upgrade to Penthouse Suite for the same price we had bid on getting Club Class.  We were surprised and happily took the upgrade.  Happy New Year Princess!!

Now that's a deal I could live with!

[suekel]

On 12/31/2022 at 1:07 AM, BargainMan said:

I am offered an upgrade bid on deluxe balcony and premium deluxe balcony on Royal Princess. On going to Princess website I could see only balcony and deluxe balcony categories. Has anyone bid and won the Premium Deluxe Balconies? I have a BB balcony now and wondering is it worth to even bid the minimum of $80 pp for a 10day cruise.

I have twice won my bid to go from a balcony to a premium deluxe.  I bid the minimum both times.  I like having a place to sit beside the bed or the desk.  And the bigger balcony.