Upgrade once on board. Any success stories?

[Seekup]

Our ship is nearly full so my upgrade bids didn't get accepted. A NCL rep suggested I go to the guest services desk once on board and ask about an upgrade. But I'm wondering if it would just be an offer to pay the most recent posted prices (no deal), which are really high.

 

Any experience?

 

Thanks!

[mjkacmom]

I’ve never heard of anyone being able to upgrade onboard.

[CruisingSince1982]

It has been years, if not decades, since we have been able to do this! 

[The Traveling Man]

27 minutes ago, Seekup said:

Our ship is nearly full so my upgrade bids didn't get accepted. A NCL rep suggested I go to the guest services desk once on board and ask about an upgrade. But I'm wondering if it would just be an offer to pay the most recent posted prices (no deal), which are really high.

 

Any experience?

 

Thanks!

We have been on about three dozen cruises with NCL.  On virtually every one there has been an engraved sign on the Guest Services desk indicating that the ship was at full capacity and that no upgrades were available. Not a hastily printed sign, but a permanent, carefully crafted one, indicating that it would be displayed on a regular basis. 

[ColeThornton]

Chances are slim and none and slim has already debarked the ship.  😉

[graphicguy]

1 hour ago, Seekup said:

Our ship is nearly full so my upgrade bids didn't get accepted. A NCL rep suggested I go to the guest services desk once on board and ask about an upgrade. But I'm wondering if it would just be an offer to pay the most recent posted prices (no deal), which are really high.

 

Any experience?

 

Thanks!

Sounds like you PCC was just passing you off to the Guest Services desk.

 

As mentioned, I have seen signs stating that there were "no cabins available" for upgrade by the Guest Services desk once on board.  As pointed out, probably true for decades.  I can't even fathom what they'd charge for an upgrade even if they had some.  That would be a "ch-ching" moment for NCL if they could do it.

 

Last time I upgraded on board was on a Celebrity Edge Cruise.  Weird, as I had already checked in and went to the Customer Service Desk to change my credit card on file.  I was in an Aqua Cabin and casually mentioned I would LOVE to be in the Retreat.  Rep did a bunch of typing and said they had one Retreat Sky Suite available.  There was an upcharge but don't recall what it was.  I vacillated, but she said if I wanted it, to do it now as it would be gone within a few minutes.  Not sure how true that was, but I snagged it.

 

Had to do a completely new check in and get new key cards, etc.  That was my foray into the Retreat.  Very similar to the Haven.  Enjoyed it so much, I booked another for the Apex while on board.

[Seekup]

Thanks for all of the responses. If the line isn't too long I may give it a shot, if nothing else just to know and I'll report back!

[complawyer]

to my  understanding, trying to upgrade your cabin once not board, id not like the bidding process. if by chance there is a cabin that you wish to upgrade too, you will be charged the regular cabin price, and  not save any money.

 

not wishing to seem like a debby downer, after 30cruises with ncl, i have not sailed on one that did not have the no upgrade signs at guest services.

 

good luck any  way

[Anoynmous Phoenix]

@Seekup

 

Even if you KNOW that there are cabins that are not occupied there are probably only three ways of getting moved to one.

 

Have a major problem with your cabin that cannot be fixed the day it happens.

Get a disease that requires you to be in isolation.

Do something major so that you have to be removed from circulation to be disembarked at the next port.

[BirdTravels]

15 hours ago, Seekup said:

Our ship is nearly full so my upgrade bids didn't get accepted. A NCL rep suggested I go to the guest services desk once on board and ask about an upgrade. But I'm wondering if it would just be an offer to pay the most recent posted prices (no deal), which are really high.

 

Any experience?

 

Thanks!

 

For many years, NCL's policy has been not to do any upgrades onboard. And not to do any room changes (very limited exceptions apply). 

 

The only upgrade that they would do onboard is for an empty suite from a last minute cancellation or no-show. They won't upgrade steerage class rooms. And the upgrade will go to the top Upgrade Advantage bidder, not a random inquiry at Guest Services. Bidding technically remains open for all rooms until the ship leaves the dock. 

Edited Thursday at 04:24 AM by BirdTravels

[BirdTravels]

21 minutes ago, Anoynmous Phoenix said:

Get a disease that requires you to be in isolation.

I have been isolated on an NCL ship before (recently). I stayed in my balcony cabin, far from the medical center. I just kept the room service people busy bringing food and snacks. And removing dirty trays of dishes. 

[SomewhereGirl]

10 hours ago, Seekup said:

Thanks for all of the responses. If the line isn't too long I may give it a shot, if nothing else just to know and I'll report back!

 

There's no harm in trying.  I was able to pay for a reduced-price upgrade at Guest Services after the Covid restart when ships were sailing at reduced capacity.  Years before Covid I was able to switch balconies once onboard but I think that was a Pacific Coastal, not like a sailing in Alaska in the middle of Summer at max capacity.  The only other time I inquired was on a Baltics cruise on the Star, when I was at the end of my rope with a snoring cabin mate.  GS offered me another cabin for sleeping for $200.

[wolft927]

Getting an upgrade on board is no more. Remember, the upgrade advantage can be awarded even when someone is on board. So, say there is a no show, or day of cancelation say for a Haven Suite, they will simply take the most profitable bid from the upgrade advantage. Traveled with friends and we were on board for over 2 hours already and they got a call from the Front desk advising they had won the bid and could change cabins. 

 

 

[Pat.D]

On 9/18/2024 at 11:02 AM, graphicguy said:

As mentioned, I have seen signs stating that there were "no cabins available" for upgrade by the Guest Services desk once on board.

 

I've seen that sign at guest services on every single NCL sailing I've been on in the last 5-6 years.  Same on most RCCL and Celebrity sailings. 

[BirdTravels]

14 hours ago, Pat.D said:

 

I've seen that sign at guest services on every single NCL sailing I've been on in the last 5-6 years.  Same on most RCCL and Celebrity sailings. 

Sure. They don’t need or want 1000 people in like trying to negotiate a deal for a couple of hundred bucks. They have a bidding system that they can use, if they want, and that is all automatic. 

[biker@sea]

We got a free upgrade from an inside to a port hole ocean view on the second day of the second leg of a Boston Quebec cruise about 12 years ago.

[ysolde]

On 9/19/2024 at 4:42 AM, SomewhereGirl said:

 

There's no harm in trying.  I was able to pay for a reduced-price upgrade at Guest Services after the Covid restart when ships were sailing at reduced capacity.  Years before Covid I was able to switch balconies once onboard but I think that was a Pacific Coastal, not like a sailing in Alaska in the middle of Summer at max capacity.  The only other time I inquired was on a Baltics cruise on the Star, when I was at the end of my rope with a snoring cabin mate.  GS offered me another cabin for sleeping for $200.

You can do that?  Wait, no, that's DH doing the snoring . . . every night of our lives . . . never mind , , ,