Able to add third person if win bid for upgrade on a 3 person room?

[Eli_6]

TLDR: 10 yo suddenly wants to come on cruise in 12 days. In 2 person balcony currently. Cruise purportedly sold out but given upgrade offers. If I win an upgrade on a room that is a 3 person room, can I add my kid? When will they likely notify me of upgrade?  How much is it to typically add a 3rd person in a balcony, mini-suite, etc?  

 

Long story:
I took my older son on a cruise to Australia and Asia for 3+ weeks. Younger son (10) didn't want to go so stayed home with his Dad/husband.  Dad/my husband couldn't go because is a dr and couldn't be away from his practice that long.  (Also, we went to Italy in May/June.)  Younger son said the flight was too long. (Houston to Syd = 19 hours; Singapore to Houston through Manchester = 25 hours.)  However, after his brother and I left, he had regrets.  I just got home on Tuesday from Aust/Asia. I am supposed to leave next Tuesday with my Mom for an 8-day cruise to Denmark and Norway.  My Mom's Dad is from Denmark and she has never been there.  Now my 10-year-old wants to go. My Mom doesn't care if he goes.

 

I call Princess to add him.  I find out since we are in a regular balcony and not an extended balcony or mini-suite, it doesn't have a fold out couch and so we can't add him to the room.  I ask to upgrade to a 3 person room, but they say it is sold out.  Next day, I get an email to bid to upgrade on a variety of rooms ranging from simply a (?extended or premium?) balcony with a sleeper sofa to Medallion class mini-suite.  I put bids on all of them.  Haven't heard anything back yet.  

 

I then try messaging Princess last night and calling, but it was after 9 pm ET.  So, I wait until this morning and call princess and try to get answers as to whether I will definitely be able to add my son if I win the upgrade.  (Also, I need to know "when" I will know since if I only find out 2 days before, my Mom and I will already be in Europe.)  The thought occurs to me that there are lifeboat/occupancy restrictions on the boat such that even if I have a 3 person room, I may not be able to add him.  It also occurred to me, "What if I win the fancy suite for not much but then they want me to pay some outrageous amount to add my son?" The person I got on the phone was no help.  They just kept trying to say, "Yes, you can add your son to your room if you have a three person room."  They didn't seem to understand the bid process or any of that. They didn't seem to at all understand my question about max occupancy of the ship based on life boats, etc.  I in no way mean this to be mean--because I know how hard it is to learn a second language and God bless him for doing as well as he did--but I don't think that English was their first language so I think perhaps there were translation issues.  So, then I try to talk to them via the chat. It says there are 99 people in front of me.  Forget that!  I call back again, sit on hold, get someone else, explain the whole thing, they seem stumped...then the phone goes dead.

 

What us mothers do for our kids! I am about ready to just say forget it and tell my kid, "Too bad. You should have changed your mind earlier." 

 

Can anyone give me any guidance on this?  Should I just forget the whole thing?

[Eli_6]

Also, I don't understand why they will let me bid on an upgrade but won't just allow me to pay full price to upgrade us to a three person room...

[Charles4515]

11 minutes ago, Eli_6 said:

 They didn't seem to understand the bid process or any of that. They didn't seem to at all understand my question about max occupancy of the ship based

The upgrade program is outsourced so the Princess reps don’t know the process and won’t know anything about it unless you actually win an upgrade. 

Edited August 12 by Charles4515

[Charles4515]

11 minutes ago, Eli_6 said:

Also, I don't understand why they will let me bid on an upgrade but won't just allow me to pay full price to upgrade us to a three person room...

The upgrade program is based on the expectation that there will be late last minute cancellations, (there usually are) It is a way of filling those rooms. You won’t possibly win a bid unless a room opens up. 

[PacnGoNow]

It’s really a gamble now, as you said it’s sold out.

If you have a TA/CVP reach out to them.  They could see if there are any cabins open, that yiu don’t see online.

 

Did you bid on a mini suite?  You can try and see if you’re lucky.  There are cancellations sometimes close to departure.  But, sometimes 2 days before.  
 

 

Edited August 12 by PacnGoNow

[Eli_6]

41 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

The upgrade program is based on the expectation that there will be late last minute cancellations, (there usually are) It is a way of filling those rooms. You won’t possibly win a bid unless a room opens up. 

Oh, I see. That explains so much.  

[Eli_6]

42 minutes ago, PacnGoNow said:

It’s really a gamble now, as you said it’s sold out.

If you have a TA/CVP reach out to them.  They could see if there are any cabins open, that yiu don’t see online.

 

Did you bid on a mini suite?  You can try and see if you’re lucky.  There are cancellations sometimes close to departure.  But, sometimes 2 days before.  
 

 

No, unfortunately, I don't have one. 

 

Yes, I bid on a premium deluxe balcony, a mini-suite, a club class mini-suite, and a forward facing club class mini-suite. 

[startedwithamouse]

You can bid on a room that sleeps 3 or more, but that doesn't mean they will be able to accommodate a third person in your cabin, due to lifeboat capacity.

[Eli_6]

4 minutes ago, startedwithamouse said:

You can bid on a room that sleeps 3 or more, but that doesn't mean they will be able to accommodate a third person in your cabin, due to lifeboat capacity.

I know. That is one of my concerns.

[startedwithamouse]

8 minutes ago, Eli_6 said:

I know. That is one of my concerns.

As parents, we can't fix everything.