Bid Upgrade on Sold Out Cruise

[Jeter02]

Has anyone attempted a bid upgrade on a sold out cruise that's weeks away from sailing? Any luck on getting that bid accepted?

[pathi]

Assuming you got the upgrade bid email you can bid on whatever cabins they offered. I have 3 active bids on my cruise in 11 days. Cruise has been sold out, or not available several times in the last couple of months. Last friday a bunch of outside and balconies showed up for sale.

[azbirdmom]

I had a bid accepted for a category that showed as sold out for many months prior to sailing.  It was a Penthouse suite and I hesitated putting the bid in since there hadn't been any showing as available.  A week before the cruise our bid was accepted and we later learned that the same thing happened to our neighbors.

[Rick&Jeannie]

You've got to remember...in "Princess-speak" sold-out does not necessarily mean sold-out in real world terminology!  They ALWAYS hold back some cabins for various reasons...probably because they feel that they can make a bit more money from the existing reservation holders by offering the "upgrade carrot".

[Mike45LC]

1 hour ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

You've got to remember...in "Princess-speak" sold-out does not necessarily mean sold-out in real world terminology!  They ALWAYS hold back some cabins for various reasons...probably because they feel that they can make a bit more money from the existing reservation holders by offering the "upgrade carrot".

There are cabins held back for various reasons.  If a VERY important person wants to cruise at the last minute, the Presidential Suite (or some such) will be available.  Was it a Groucho Marx joke, "If the President wanted a room, would there be one available?  Give me his room, he isn't coming tonight."  

 

There are also cancellations, freeing up cabins in "sold out" categories.  

 

It does no harm to bid on a sold-out category.  Just don't count on your bid being accepted.  

[Jeter02]

2 hours ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

You've got to remember...in "Princess-speak" sold-out does not necessarily mean sold-out in real world terminology!  They ALWAYS hold back some cabins for various reasons...probably because they feel that they can make a bit more money from the existing reservation holders by offering the "upgrade carrot".

This I do know! I actually got my assignment for a guaranteed cabin. And I call them to see if there was any chance to change it as I am never a fan of a third and fourth birth pull down from the wall of an inside. I hate when it protrudes and I always beg my head on it. And they told me there's absolutely nothing available because it's fully sold out but like I said you and I both know there is stuff still available because I even questioned then why do I keep getting the emails for the bid upgrade so clearly there's rooms available.

[AllAboardatSea]

My Discovery Princess sailing this weekend has been ‘sold out’ for months, but I put in one (and only one) bid at the minimum amount for a deluxe balcony. It cleared about two weeks ago, so to answer your question it is certainly fairly likely to be accepted.

[Jeter02]

1 hour ago, AllAboardatSea said:

My Discovery Princess sailing this weekend has been ‘sold out’ for months, but I put in one (and only one) bid at the minimum amount for a deluxe balcony. It cleared about two weeks ago, so to answer your question it is certainly fairly likely to be accepted.

See. I thought so. Thank you so much. And congratulations on your upgrade. 

[Rick&Jeannie]

Yep...this business of being "sold out" is just a bunch of hogwash.

[WAvoyager]

37 minutes ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

Yep...this business of being "sold out" is just a bunch of hogwash.

 They may also have sold out of cabins - oversold at lower categories, so they have to move someone up.  Might as well collect some extra money from the people who will get the upgrade, instead of the people paying for the lower category guaranteed cabin.

 

This happens with car rentals all the time.  “Sold out” means they’ve rented all the cars.  They may not have rented all their convertibles, and oversold their economy cars.  Doesn’t mean they’ll have extra cars sitting in the lot, just that they have to give someone something nicer than they originally paid for, and they’re hoping they can get some to pay last minute for that upgrade.

[wcflats]

Ok then how does one overcome the sold  out issue?

[WAvoyager]

18 hours ago, wcflats said:

Ok then how does one overcome the sold  out issue?

Overcome in what way?