Premium Plus Package Bought Prior to Yacht Club Upgrade Bid. Should I cancel the Premium package now?

[lexxfield]

When we booked the April 28 Seashore cruise last month, we also bought the Premium Plus drink package upgrade.  Subsequently, we received an offer to submit an upgrade bid for the Yacht Club which we did.  Yesterday, while reading the upgrade information, MSC appears to state that should the upgrade bid be accepted, there would NOT be a refund of any packages or services bought previously that will be included in the Yacht Club upgrade. Since the Premium Plus package is included in the Yacht Club, I assume that we will lose the money already paid for the drink package upgrade if our bid is accepted. Has anyone experienced this situation?

 

If this is the case I assume that we should cancel the already-purchased drink package upgrade now.  If our bid is not accepted, does anyone foresee any problems with repurchasing the Premium Plus beverage upgrade four days before sailing date.  
 

Thank you in advance for your guidance.

[Até]

I've seen posts here from email conversations with MSC/Plusgrade stating items pre-purchased, like beverage and internet packages, are factored into the Yacht Club bid acceptance algorithm.  So theoretically if you book an inclusive rate or buy them separately it would give you an advantage versus the same bid by someone without them.

 

In practice I don't believe this is 100% correct and shrewd booking/bidding can prevail.  You can cancel the package anytime before the bid is accepted (within two days of sailing) but not after a bid is won.  If you don't get the bid accepted early enough you won't have time to pre-purchase and will pay the on board 15% gratuity on the drinks package.  Four days is likely a correct guess since MSC seems to make the bid acceptances well before that.

Edited April 7 by Até

[lexxfield]

Thank you for your insight and advice, Ate.

[Essiesmom]

Note the last sentence in the instructions for bidding.

 

[lexxfield]

On 4/7/2024 at 3:46 PM, Até said:

I've seen posts here from email conversations with MSC/Plusgrade stating items pre-purchased, like beverage and internet packages, are factored into the Yacht Club bid acceptance algorithm.  So theoretically if you book an inclusive rate or buy them separately it would give you an advantage versus the same bid by someone without them.

 

In practice I don't believe this is 100% correct and shrewd booking/bidding can prevail.  You can cancel the package anytime before the bid is accepted (within two days of sailing) but not after a bid is won.  If you don't get the bid accepted early enough you won't have time to pre-purchase and will pay the on board 15% gratuity on the drinks package.  Four days is likely a correct guess since MSC seems to make the bid acceptances well before that.

Your advice was absolutely correct, Ate. We cancelled the Premium Plus upgrade the day you posted your comment, and three days later, our Yacht Club bid was accepted.  It appears that canceling the beverage upgrade has nothing to do with whether one’s bid is accepted.  Hopefully, this post will help others in the same situation that we were in.