New way to Bid for an upgrade

[ajs922]

I have been cruising NCL since 2009 and have seen a number of changes to their upgrade option. Now I do have to say I have not cruised in about 10/11 months so things might have changed over that time.

 

I am on the Joy sailing on 10/28. I had put in a bid for 4 upgrades, all in the Haven. In the past, I always either did not hear about my bid or I got an email saying I got it. Today I got 4 emails telling me that I was outbid and I could increase my bid if I wanted to. I decided to see what was involved in doing it so I went and tried. I was told how mamy others were bidding and was told I could increase my bid. I did this once to see what would happen and after I submitted my increase I was told it was not high enough. At that point, I was not going to play their game and just gave up. Have never seen this before but now wondering if this i the way they are doing it. just asking. 

[nhtravels]

It seems that they have been doing it for several months now.  It's not always however.  And if you follow the upgrade thread, there have been instances of people ignoring the "Live Bidding" and then later having their original bid accepted.  

[bomabound]

1 hour ago, ajs922 said:

I have been cruising NCL since 2009 and have seen a number of changes to their upgrade option. Now I do have to say I have not cruised in about 10/11 months so things might have changed over that time.

 

I am on the Joy sailing on 10/28. I had put in a bid for 4 upgrades, all in the Haven. In the past, I always either did not hear about my bid or I got an email saying I got it. Today I got 4 emails telling me that I was outbid and I could increase my bid if I wanted to. I decided to see what was involved in doing it so I went and tried. I was told how mamy others were bidding and was told I could increase my bid. I did this once to see what would happen and after I submitted my increase I was told it was not high enough. At that point, I was not going to play their game and just gave up. Have never seen this before but now wondering if this i the way they are doing it. just asking. 

I had the same thing happen today, and did what you did.  I increased my bids a bit, despite that I had already bid what I wanted my max bid to be, and was immediately informed again that I needed to bid more.  That was enough of that for me!  This actually has me feeling like cancelling my bids entirely.  It feels manipulative.

[BirdTravels]

1 hour ago, ajs922 said:

I have been cruising NCL since 2009 and have seen a number of changes to their upgrade option. Now I do have to say I have not cruised in about 10/11 months so things might have changed over that time.

 

I am on the Joy sailing on 10/28. I had put in a bid for 4 upgrades, all in the Haven. In the past, I always either did not hear about my bid or I got an email saying I got it. Today I got 4 emails telling me that I was outbid and I could increase my bid if I wanted to. I decided to see what was involved in doing it so I went and tried. I was told how mamy others were bidding and was told I could increase my bid. I did this once to see what would happen and after I submitted my increase I was told it was not high enough. At that point, I was not going to play their game and just gave up. Have never seen this before but now wondering if this i the way they are doing it. just asking. 

 

[peg013]

1 hour ago, bomabound said:

I had the same thing happen today, and did what you did.  I increased my bids a bit, despite that I had already bid what I wanted my max bid to be, and was immediately informed again that I needed to bid more.  That was enough of that for me!  This actually has me feeling like cancelling my bids entirely.  It feels manipulative.

 

In May of 2022 I received notice that I was outbid for the Joy 2 BR suite. I immediately went in and lowered my bid. (Can't make me bid more 🤣) Two days later I got the email that we were upgraded from the HI to the 2-bedroom suite. I think when they don't have what they consider high enough bids, they try to get you to bid more. Why else did we get awarded it when I lowered our bid? Just my humble opinion.

[ajs922]

Thanks for all the comments. Sounds like this is just a way for NCL to get more money.

[bluesea777]

6 minutes ago, ajs922 said:

Thanks for all the comments. Sounds like this is just a way for NCL to get more money.

 

Right on!!

 

 

[schmoopie17]

12 minutes ago, ajs922 said:

Sounds like this is just a way for NCL to get more money.

For your convenience...of course.

[bomabound]

After increasing my bids yesterday when live bidding opened I changed my mind this morning and decided to lower them.  Well, once live bidding has started they do not make this easy!  The system will only let you enter amounts that are higher than your current bid.  After trying to enter the system a couple different ways, the only way I was able to lower my bids was to completely cancel my offers and start over, entering credit card info, etc.  This doesn’t seem reasonable to me.

[bluesea777]

Just remember that nowadays the Haven can always be full and possibly crowded (and with kids) on all ships that have Haven proper. This is due to winning upgrade bids.

 

 

[destar]

Squeeze all that juice the juice on that orange, thats the name of the game, just like they do on some real estate transactions.

[ajs922]

bomabound

• I also wanted, and did do, to go back to my original bids, but as you said it was not easy. Had to completely cancel my bid and reenter my original bid.
•  
• Do not like this "NEW" way of doing business. From a business point of view,  I can see why NCL is doing this. This way NCL is making more money, at our expense, (As the Haven is where people want to be) and it's not costing them anything. I hope people stop increasing their bids and this might end this type of business practice. ate to say it, but as long as one or two people increase their bid this will continue.

[RocketMan275]

10 hours ago, ajs922 said:

Do not like this "NEW" way of doing business. From a business point of view,  I can see why NCL is doing this. This way NCL is making more money, at our expense, (As the Haven is where people want to be) and it's not costing them anything. I hope people stop increasing their bids and this might end this type of business practice. ate to say it, but as long as one or two people increase their bid this will continue.

Are you planning on bidding?

If you aren't bidding, why does it matter?

 

BTW,  the only way NCL makes money is at 'our expense'.

Edited October 19, 2023 by RocketMan275

[wolft927]

I for one like the bidding process. I have one 2 Haven Bids from a Balcony and saved alot of money. Now Wife and I simply book the Haven. We travel during off peak seasons but even now Havens are selling out leaving less oppertunity to win a bid. 

 

 

[ajs922]

Wolft927 if you like the bidding so much, and said you saved a lot of money doing so, why are you paying the normal price (off-peak or not) ("Noe Wife and I simply book the Haven")??

[RocketMan275]

6 minutes ago, ajs922 said:

if you like the bidding so much, and said you saved a lot of money doing so, why are you paying the normal price (off-peak or not) ("Noe Wife and I simply book the Haven")??

There are many of us who won't participate in the bidding process. 

We won't sail in anything but the Haven. 

No need to book a cabin elsewhere and hope to win a Haven bid.

Edited October 19, 2023 by RocketMan275

[wolft927]

15 minutes ago, ajs922 said:

Wolft927 if you like the bidding so much, and said you saved a lot of money doing so, why are you paying the normal price (off-peak or not) ("Noe Wife and I simply book the Haven")??

So, WhenI won both bids it was during the restart. Now I will not cruise outside the Haven anymore. I like the bidding process but also now, will not take the chance of not winning. 

[ajs922]

2 hours ago, RocketMan275 said:

Are you planning on bidding?

If you aren't bidding, why does it matter?

 

BTW,  the only way NCL makes money is at 'our expense'.

I did Bid, as I have in the past, but do not like how they changed the process. It used to be you made your best offer and waited to see if you got it. Now you make what you feel is a "Just" bid and they come back with the "E-Bay" -you were outbid and bid more, and bid more and bid more. At least on E-bay you know what the higher Bid is and can decide how much more you need to bid to win it.

 

In the NCL bidding system, you have no idea who your bidding against, if you were really outbid or not, and by how much. To me, it's not a game I want to or should need to play. When I make what I feel is a fair bid, my time to too valuable to sit in front of my computer and keep upping my bid over and over again, because NCL said I was outbid. I always understood the bidding to be like a silent auction where you make what you felt was a fair/just bid and the highest bidder would win. It seems that NCL changed the rules of their auction, which they have the right to do, and I was not aware of it until now and was only asking about it. That's why it matters.

Edited October 19, 2023 by ajs922
spelling

[RD64]

If you do not like the process - that is a fair statement. There are others that do like the process - everyone is entitled to their opinion. However, at the end of the day, nobody is forcing you to use the process. You are always free to purchase your desired stateroom at the outset, and not engage in bidding wars.

[ajs922]

16 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

There are many of us who won't participate in the bidding process. 

We won't sail in anything but the Haven. 

No need to book a cabin elsewhere and hope to win a Haven bid.

RocketMann275, if you looked at my response, that you responded to, I was responding to Wolft927(his name was at the start of my response) and not to you .

[ajs922]

5 minutes ago, RD64 said:

If you do not like the process - that is a fair statement. There are others that do like the process - everyone is entitled to their opinion. However, at the end of the day, nobody is forcing you to use the process. You are always free to purchase your desired stateroom at the outset, and not engage in bidding wars.

Totally agree with you. I started this because I have not been on a cruise in about 10/11 months and this was new to me. Just wanted to see how long this has been going on and if others were aware of it. I understand that some will like it and others, like myself might not.

[RocketMan275]

1 hour ago, ajs922 said:

RocketMann275, if you looked at my response, that you responded to, I was responding to Wolft927(his name was at the start of my response) and not to you .

Anyone can respond to any one or any post.

You asked why someone might not wish to participate in the bidding process.

I explained why some of us don't use the bidding process because we want to be sure to get the types of cabins we prefer.

I have an email offering me the opportunity for two different Haven upgrades.

I booked the Haven cabin I wanted and have no reason to compete for something I don't want.

[RocketMan275]

1 hour ago, ajs922 said:

I did Bid, as I have in the past, but do not like how they changed the process. It used to be you made your best offer and waited to see if you got it. Now you make what you feel is a "Just" bid and they come back with the "E-Bay" -you were outbid and bid more, and bid more and bid more. At least on E-bay you know what the higher Bid is and can decide how much more you need to bid to win it.

 

In the NCL bidding system, you have no idea who your bidding against, if you were really outbid or not, and by how much. To me, it's not a game I want to or should need to play. When I make what I feel is a fair bid, my time to too valuable to sit in front of my computer and keep upping my bid over and over again, because NCL said I was outbid. I always understood the bidding to be like a silent auction where you make what you felt was a fair/just bid and the highest bidder would win. It seems that NCL changed the rules of their auction, which they have the right to do, and I was not aware of it until now and was only asking about it. That's why it matters.

You used to make a bid and then wait for an indeterminate time to learn if you'd won.  Sometimes you didn't know until you did check in at the terminal.  The only way the process has changed is this: now you know instantly if your bid was accepted, no waiting.  Some find that preferable to waiting for days sitting at their computer to see if they won.  Even in the old system you  had no idea who you were bidding against or even if you were outbid.

The best thing about  this new system is this: you no longer have to wait to know if you won.  You know immediately.

We have no idea if this new process produces more revenue for NCL.  It might start a bidding war, other times not.

[ajs922]

44 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

You used to make a bid and then wait for an indeterminate time to learn if you'd won.  Sometimes you didn't know until you did check in at the terminal.  The only way the process has changed is this: now you know instantly if your bid was accepted, no waiting.  Some find that preferable to waiting for days sitting at their computer to see if they won.  Even in the old system you  had no idea who you were bidding against or even if you were outbid.

The best thing about  this new system is this: you no longer have to wait to know if you won.  You know immediately.

We have no idea if this new process produces more revenue for NCL.  It might start a bidding war, other times not.

If you think for one minute that this new way is not a money-maker for NCL why are they doing it?. They would not be doing it if they did not think it would increase their revenue.

[RocketMan275]

11 minutes ago, ajs922 said:

If you think for one minute that this new way is not a money-maker for NCL why are they doing it?. They would not be doing it if they did not think it would increase their revenue.

It may or may not increase their revenue.  We won't know for sure until after they've tried it for awhile.  They may go back to the old way.

I'm all in favor of NCL making a good profit.  Otherwise they'll be out of business. 

Edited October 19, 2023 by RocketMan275