Upgrade my cabin?

[shanna135]

Me again.  Sorry  Only have an interior cabin for our first cruise on the 7th out of FLL.  Learning about bidding for an upgrade.  Any suggestions for our 10 day cruise in the eastern Caribbean.  Thanks

[startedwithamouse]

3 minutes ago, shanna135 said:

Me again.  Sorry  Only have an interior cabin for our first cruise on the 7th out of FLL.  Learning about bidding for an upgrade.  Any suggestions for our 10 day cruise in the eastern Caribbean.  Thanks

What type of suggestions? 

 

Do you want to spend more money on accommodation?

 

Do you enjoy a balcony or plan to spend more time in your cabin?  

 

Would you rather spend money on excursions or Plus/Premier package?

 

[Rick&Jeannie]

Let me preface this by saying that we have never stayed in an inside cabin...so I can't say anything first-hand in regards to that.  But, we just totally enjoy being able to sit out on the balcony and "watch the world go by".  Ever since our very first cruise on Carnival (ocean view cabin) we have only booked either balcony or mini-suite.  As @startedwithamouse asks...what is most important to you?  Sometimes people are very cost-conscious on a first cruise.  If this is not so much of an issue, I suspect that you would enjoy at the minimum a balcony cabin...especially for a Caribbean cruise. (Just my 2 cents worth!)

[HotRoot]

Here is a hint, if you keep the inside cabin.  Turn your TV on the Bridge Camera.  That will then be your window.  You will know when the sun comes up.

[JGmf]

Your first cruise?  And it's a 10-day cruise.   And you're from Nebraska.  And it's the middle of winter.

 

Um, my suggestion it that you should treat yourself to a balcony and bid on one to a price you feel comfortable paying.  Once you are sailing in warm waters, you'll want to spontaneously spend some time, even if only 5 minutes, enjoying the sun on your skin, the warm air, the view of the ocean, the expanse of the ports you visit....mere steps from your bed.  Can't get that at home or in an interior cabin.

 

Interiors are a fine affordable option, but based on my own experiences staying in them, I felt like it was staying in a cave, especially at night.

[Wonders By Wallis]

26 minutes ago, HotRoot said:

Here is a hint, if you keep the inside cabin.  Turn your TV on the Bridge Camera.  That will then be your window.  You will know when the sun comes up.

I may be in my first inside cabin in April. If my upgrade doesn't come through, this is a brilliant idea. Thanks for suggesting it.

[skynight]

My suggestion is be careful on your upgrade request. Upgrades can be anything from an inside to inside with what Princess considers a better location or inside to balcony. Read the upgrade bid carefully.

Have been on over 50 cruises. Three of them have been in window cabins. All others have been in balconies. Reason. I really don't spend very much time in the cabin, but what time I am there I enjoy the large window and access to the outside. 

[phabric]

 I have been in an inside cabin.  Every time, you enter your cabin,  you have to turn on the light.  If you have any problems sleeping, great cabin as it is dark.  Inside cabin is great if going solo.  If an inside cabin is what you can afford.

 

Think about an ocean view cabin that way you would have light and a view  from the window.

 

I like a balcony, if I find it is too noisy around pool, I go back to my balcony to have peace and quiet.

Edited February 8 by phabric

[Itchy&Scratchy]

7 minutes ago, skynight said:

Upgrades can be anything from an inside to inside with what Princess considers a better location or inside to balcony. Read the upgrade bid carefully.

I have never seen an inside-to-inside bid offers. Unless it's a different category of inside, like regular inside to Ultra Deluxe Spacious Family sized inside. But mostly it's inside to oceanview or balcony and above.

 

2 hours ago, shanna135 said:

Only have an interior cabin for our first cruise on the 7th out of FLL. 

which ship, which deck and where (forward, middle, aft) is your inside cabin at?

 

We sailed many times in the inside cabin before we finally ponied up the cash for a balcony. Most of the time the price difference was significant. If it's less than $400 total for the 3 of us, we go for the balcony. It doesn't happen every time.

With the bidding process you never know where your new cabin is going to end up being, so if you like the location of your current cabin, keep it. Always remember not to stay under the pool deck, above the theater, below the buffet, main dining rooms or other restaurants, or white spaces on the deck plan.

Edited February 8 by Itchy&Scratchy

[SCX22]

I think people should also remember, just because you bid, doesn't mean your bid will be accepted.  Have some expectation of disappoint in the event that your bid isn't accepted and you remain in your original cabin.

[Abercrombie2019]

13 minutes ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

Always remember not to stay under the pool deck, above the theater, below the buffet, main dining rooms or other restaurants, or white spaces on the deck plan.

I think that these are all good suggestions, and I would agree that it would be safe to follow this advice - but the best room that I have ever stayed in was on Emerald Deck (Regal Princess), and it was directly above Crooners.  We never noticed any noise from Crooners, but that might have been because we were siting at the bar a lot of the time. 🍸😉

[Itchy&Scratchy]

1 minute ago, Abercrombie2019 said:

the best room that I have ever stayed in was on Emerald Deck (Regal Princess), and it was directly above Crooners. 

we've stayed in a cabin on Emerald Deck above Crooners as well, but it's not a restaurant or a buffet, with the service corridor and a kitchen connected to it.

[skynight]

44 minutes ago, phabric said:

Think about an ocean view cabin that way you would have light and a view  from the window.

The poster is on the Enchanted Princess. There are only 6 ocean view cabins all the way forward on deck 17. There is an entire deck of obstructed view balcony cabins. 

[Itchy&Scratchy]

40 minutes ago, skynight said:

The poster is on the Enchanted Princess.

cool. We are on Enchanted in June, also in an inside cabin. 

[shanna135]

Thanks for all the help again.  I'm assuming if you bid and it's nor accepted you might be able to bid again?

[Cruise Raider]

4 minutes ago, shanna135 said:

Thanks for all the help again.  I'm assuming if you bid and it's nor accepted you might be able to bid again?

Possibly, however you may not find out if you bid was denied right before you board.  

[Rick&Jeannie]

20 minutes ago, Cruise Raider said:

Possibly, however you may not find out if you bid was denied right before you board.  

^^^^^ This.  You are NOT notified if your bid is not accepted...so you really don't know when to potentially up your bid.  The *absolute* guaranteed way to do an upgrade is to have your TA do it.  (I don't recall if you booked with a TA....)  Or, conceivably you could contact a CVP.

[Wonders By Wallis]

1 minute ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

You are NOT notified if your bid is not accepted...so you really don't know when to potentially up your bid.  The *absolute* guaranteed way to do an upgrade is to have your TA do it.  (I don't recall if you booked with a TA....)  Or, conceivably you could contact a CVP.

Not always true. My last two sailings my bid for a mini-suite was accepted two weeks before the sailing.

[Itchy&Scratchy]

1 minute ago, Wonders By Wallis said:

Not always true. My last two sailings my bid for a mini-suite was accepted two weeks before the sailing.

Rick meant a straight up upgrade, not a bid upgrade.

[Rick&Jeannie]

1 minute ago, Wonders By Wallis said:

Not always true. My last two sailings my bid for a mini-suite was accepted two weeks before the sailing.

Sorry...not following.  What are you saying is not true?  You seem to be discussing an *accepted* bid.  I was talking about not knowing if they *don't* accept a bid...there's no notification.

[Rick&Jeannie]

1 minute ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

Rick meant a straight up upgrade, not a bid upgrade.

Correct...just bypass the whole "bid" process altogether because there are just too many unknowns (in my opinion.)  If you *know* you want a better cabin and are willing to pay...

[Cruise Raider]

41 minutes ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

^^^^^ This.  You are NOT notified if your bid is not accepted...so you really don't know when to potentially up your bid.  The *absolute* guaranteed way to do an upgrade is to have your TA do it.  (I don't recall if you booked with a TA....)  Or, conceivably you could contact a CVP.

I was notified when my bid was accepted a couple of weeks ago.  I’ve also been notified when it hasn’t been accepted in the past.  But, there is no consistency in those notifications.  

[Over from NZ]

1 hour ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

cool. We are on Enchanted in June, also in an inside cabin. 

We had 21-nights last June on the Enchanted in an interior room. We weighed it up. Would have been over $5k more to go balcony. We've had Balconies before.. and seldom get much use out of them.. so, although they're nice.. just couldn't justify it. Particularly as there was only 5 sea-days. I can't be bothered going on a cruise and then spending most of my time staying in a little room with a balcony.. much rather enjoy the bigger spaces on the ship 🙂. 

 

Edited February 8 by Over from NZ

[Wonders By Wallis]

1 hour ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

Sorry...not following.  What are you saying is not true?  You seem to be discussing an *accepted* bid.  I was talking about not knowing if they *don't* accept a bid...there's no notification.

Sorry about that. My bids have always been accepted. I haven't heard back on my latest one though. 

[Over from NZ]

33 minutes ago, Wonders By Wallis said:

Sorry about that. My bids have always been accepted. I haven't heard back on my latest one though. 

If your bids are accepted.. then obviously you hear about it. What they're saying - is if your bid isn't accepted - you won't get notified that your bid has missed out. You'll just hear nothing and keep your existing room.