Cabin Upgrades

[Cruisemeister2002]

Hi all, have received from Princess a link to bid for an upgrade. What I am a bit confused about is that if I had purchased an inside cabin now and decided to upgrade to a sea view the difference is £500 but the cheapest upgrade on the sliders from an inside to a sea view is £700 and more depending on what I am prepared to bid. I was interested in a balcony but the cheapest is £1300 p.p. although having gone through the availability of these cabins there are a lot available. It seems that those booking this cruise are either going for inside or the better grade balcony cabins. A further question, we have when booking opted in to being upgraded and although I notice that there are different grade inside cabins they all appear to be the same price. Therefore if I receive an upgrade will it just be a higher grade inside ( personally, never noticed the difference between one inside grade and another) or would we get a sea view or better ? 

[JF - retired RRT]

2 hours ago, Cruisemeister2002 said:

Hi all, have received from Princess a link to bid for an upgrade. What I am a bit confused about is that if I had purchased an inside cabin now and decided to upgrade to a sea view the difference is £500 but the cheapest upgrade on the sliders from an inside to a sea view is £700 and more depending on what I am prepared to bid. I was interested in a balcony but the cheapest is £1300 p.p. although having gone through the availability of these cabins there are a lot available. It seems that those booking this cruise are either going for inside or the better grade balcony cabins. A further question, we have when booking opted in to being upgraded and although I notice that there are different grade inside cabins they all appear to be the same price. Therefore if I receive an upgrade will it just be a higher grade inside ( personally, never noticed the difference between one inside grade and another) or would we get a sea view or better ? 

If a cabin you want, i.e. ocean view, is 500 more, but the bids start at 700, why not just change to an ocean view?

If you bid on an upgrade, you would receive the category cabin that you bid on...not another inside cabin.

[Abercrombie2019]

3 hours ago, Cruisemeister2002 said:

A further question, we have when booking opted in to being upgraded and although I notice that there are different grade inside cabins they all appear to be the same price.

Princess has sales that include “Free Room Upgrades”. Which means that you can book a stateroom that is the highest category in that cabin type for the price of the lowest category in that cabin type.  All of the staterooms of that type will appear as the same price.

 

Free Room Upgrade Offer applies to booking the stateroom location you wish to sail in for the price of the lowest non-guarantee category within that stateroom type during this Offer only and is subject to availability

Edited June 23 by Abercrombie2019

[cruzsnooze]

I just looked at several cruises and none had this upgrade offer.

[EDDY0827]

4 minutes ago, cruzsnooze said:

I just looked at several cruises and none had this upgrade offer.

OP is not in the U.S.

[Wishing on a star]

About upgrades:  I am in the U.S. market, so I don't know how different the situation might be...

But, yes, the more of an upgrade, the more the cost.   

It might look like there are a lot of cabins available, but know that Princess has really been trying to get people to book RESERVE or GTY cabins.  There might be a LOT of these bookings.  And those cabins probably have not been assigned yet.

 

That is why they now have this bidding process...  To get as much revenue for upgrades as possible.

 

It sounds like the minimum cost to upgrade thru bidding is even higher than the difference in fare, right now?  (Assuming that you are past Final Payment) and can not re-fare or cancel and re-book.).  Maybe this will be adjusted???  Or maybe this is the price that Princess has come up with.    I do not know if this is usual or not???   Maybe others will post here.

 

I am sure that there is some 'algorithm' the comes up with the availability and costs for these upgrades.

 

Assuming that there is no mistake with these upgrade offers, you really have to look at the fare increase and decide how much you are comfortable paying for either an Ocean View or a Balcony.

 

Know that if you win an upgrade, your cabin assignment will be pre-determined and could be in that higher category ANYWHERE on the ship.   Could be higher deck, lower deck, far forward, far aft, etc.   The location that you have placed on RESERVE does not indicate the location of the higher category cabin.

[Wishing on a star]

38 minutes ago, cruzsnooze said:

I just looked at several cruises and none had this upgrade offer.

What it would probably look like, for example, the system would show the SAME fare for far-aft and mid-aft and far forward and mid-forward.  (supposedly a discount on the mid aft and mid forward cabins). We have heard that, in some cases, some cabin categories seem to be excluded.  Mid-ship Mid-deck balconies might not show that same FARE and cost more.

[Abercrombie2019]

1 hour ago, cruzsnooze said:

I just looked at several cruises and none had this upgrade offer.

the current sale on the North American website includes free upgrade offer.

[Rick&Jeannie]

And I have some ocean-front property near Phoenix that I have priced at a real steal....