'Upgrading' - a few questions

[Muffinz]

Can someone answer a few questions about ‘upgrading’ for me please?

 

We’ve received an e-mail from Princess saying we can still upgrade our stateroom for our December cruise on Crown Princess with the following options

Club Class Mini Suite $430pp

Mini Suite $170pp

Premium Balcony $190pp

 

This is the e-mail from Princess –

Dear Guests, You might have missed it – or maybe were mulling it over – but that upgrade is still yours for the bidding. With Princess Upgrade, all you have to do is make an offer on an even better stateroom before you sail. Don't miss out – bid today!

 

I’m assuming the prices above are in Australian dollars as we are cruising in Australia and paid our cruise and excursion in $AUD (we booked directly with Princess)

But are these prices per person per day or is it per cruise? - the e-mail from Princess doesn't say either way

If it is per person per day then we are not interested, but if it is per person per cruise then we would be interested in looking into a mini suite

 

The e-mail mentions ‘bidding’ so are these prices they stated just the suggested bidding amounts?

 

Also does anyone know where the mini suites are located on Crown Princess? E.g. what deck(s), are they mid-ship / fwd / aft?

 

The last thing we want to do is bid for and get an upgrade, only to find the upgraded stateroom is not in as good location as our original stateroom

 

Any advice would be helpful 🙂

[Arizona Wildcat]

You are bidding per person for your cruise.

Look at a deck plan as mini suites etc are on various decks and locations. 

The amounts you listed I presume are the minimum bid Princess will consider.  Bidding the minimum us not likely to win an upgrade 

You need to be flexible as the cabin you might get could be in a location you think us not acceptable.  It might be possible to move again, but limited probability 

[Beamafar]

Which cabin category did you book originally?  (Trying to figure out what kind of savings can be made by bidding up). 

[Muffinz]

2 minutes ago, Beamafar said:

Which cabin category did you book originally?  (Trying to figure out what kind of savings can be made by bidding up). 

sorry - we booked standard balcony stateroom A255 Aloha deck

we would have liked a stateroom midship but when we booked there were none available (that we could choose) according to Princess website

 

I'll google the Crown Princess deck plans to see the locations of the mini suites

[Beamafar]

1 minute ago, Muffinz said:

sorry - we booked standard balcony stateroom A255 Aloha deck

we would have liked a stateroom midship but when we booked there were none available (that we could choose) according to Princess website

 

I'll google the Crown Princess deck plans to see the locations of the mini suites

 

Thank you.  We have a December cruise booked, but haven’t received an offer to bid up - yet. 
 

Here’s a link for the deck plans

 

https://www.cruisedeckplans.com/ships/Crown-Princess

[reedprincess]

49 minutes ago, Muffinz said:

Can someone answer a few questions about ‘upgrading’ for me please?

 

We’ve received an e-mail from Princess saying we can still upgrade our stateroom for our December cruise on Crown Princess with the following options

Club Class Mini Suite $430pp

Mini Suite $170pp

Premium Balcony $190pp

 

This is the e-mail from Princess –

Dear Guests, You might have missed it – or maybe were mulling it over – but that upgrade is still yours for the bidding. With Princess Upgrade, all you have to do is make an offer on an even better stateroom before you sail. Don't miss out – bid today!

 

I’m assuming the prices above are in Australian dollars as we are cruising in Australia and paid our cruise and excursion in $AUD (we booked directly with Princess)

But are these prices per person per day or is it per cruise? - the e-mail from Princess doesn't say either way

If it is per person per day then we are not interested, but if it is per person per cruise then we would be interested in looking into a mini suite

 

The e-mail mentions ‘bidding’ so are these prices they stated just the suggested bidding amounts?

 

Also does anyone know where the mini suites are located on Crown Princess? E.g. what deck(s), are they mid-ship / fwd / aft?

 

The last thing we want to do is bid for and get an upgrade, only to find the upgraded stateroom is not in as good location as our original stateroom

 

Any advice would be helpful 🙂

You can adjust your bid amount - the prices they list are the starting bids. Once you click through to bidding - you can enter your amount and a small arrow indicates whether it's a weak, average or strong bid.  

 

On Crown Princess, mini-suites are the entire length of deck 9, and 16 of them aft in deck 8.  

 

Bids are pp, based on double occupancy and for entire cruise, not per night.

There is a detailed FAQs page at the website.. https://www.princess.com/en-us/plan/princess-cruise-room-upgrade

 

Yes, you do have to be flexible in being happy with whatever assigned if you win your bid.  You don't get to decline, nor choose your cabin.. bidding gives consent.

 

It can be worth it, it can not be a great deal. YMMV...

[Muffinz]

10 minutes ago, Beamafar said:

 

Thank you.  We have a December cruise booked, but haven’t received an offer to bid up - yet. 
 

Here’s a link for the deck plans

 

https://www.cruisedeckplans.com/ships/Crown-Princess

thanks for that - looking at the deck plan for crown princess it looks like all the mini suites are on deck 9 Dolphin deck

 

does anyone know what the difference between the mini suite categories M1, MB, MD, ME are?

 

 

and apart from the size upgrade (277 sqft for mini suite and 168 sqft for standard balcony) are there any other 'perks to having a mini suite?

 

thanks

[Muffinz]

22 minutes ago, reedprincess said:

You can adjust your bid amount - the prices they list are the starting bids. Once you click through to bidding - you can enter your amount and a small arrow indicates whether it's a weak, average or strong bid.  

 

On Crown Princess, mini-suites are the entire length of deck 9, and 16 of them aft in deck 8.  

 

Bids are pp, based on double occupancy and for entire cruise, not per night.

There is a detailed FAQs page at the website.. https://www.princess.com/en-us/plan/princess-cruise-room-upgrade

 

Yes, you do have to be flexible in being happy with whatever assigned if you win your bid.  You don't get to decline, nor choose your cabin.. bidding gives consent.

 

It can be worth it, it can not be a great deal. YMMV...

thanks for that information - much appreciated

I don't think I understand your last sentence 'it can not be a great deal'?

also what does YMMV mean?

[1KBAP]

I am booked in a mini-suite on a 10-day Mexico cruise out of LA.  I bid for an upgrade to a full suite.

 

A couple of weeks later, I received an e-mail that I had been "out-bid" and I should up my bid amount.

 

Huh?

[BamaVol]

1 hour ago, Muffinz said:

thanks for that - looking at the deck plan for crown princess it looks like all the mini suites are on deck 9 Dolphin deck

 

does anyone know what the difference between the mini suite categories M1, MB, MD, ME are?

 

 

and apart from the size upgrade (277 sqft for mini suite and 168 sqft for standard balcony) are there any other 'perks to having a mini suite?

 

thanks

Well, there is a couch. It sleeps one if opened.  There is a second television set.  And extra space. With a curtain for privacy. I think that’s about it.

 

The difference between categories is based on location.

Edited 23 hours ago by BamaVol

[1KBAP]

And a combo bathtub/shower rather than a small shower enclosure.

[BamaVol]

11 minutes ago, 1KBAP said:

I am booked in a mini-suite on a 10-day Mexico cruise out of LA.  I bid for an upgrade to a full suite.

 

A couple of weeks later, I received an e-mail that I had been "out-bid" and I should up my bid amount.

 

Huh?

They want more money from you.  You can resist or bid higher.  You still may or may not get the upgrade.

[BamaVol]

1 minute ago, 1KBAP said:

And a combo bathtub/shower rather than a small shower enclosure.

I forgot that.  Maybe because I don’t take baths.  The bathroom is still miniature.

[1KBAP]

19 minutes ago, BamaVol said:

They want more money from you.  You can resist or bid higher.  You still may or may not get the upgrade.

Why is it that I suspect it has nothing to do with other bids but that they just want a higher bid from me?

[BamaVol]

1 minute ago, 1KBAP said:

Why is it that I suspect it has nothing to do with other bids but that they just want a higher bid from me?

Rest assured you are not the only one bidding for an upgrade on your cruise. I suspect a large number bid the minimum and cross their fingers. I have also read here that folks who got the same message as you and didn’t up their bid still got an upgrade. That may not be the norm though.  Are you that kind of gambler?  I guess it depends on how badly you want it. I’d bump 5 or 10 bucks and hope that lifted me above the masses. 

[Beamafar]

1 hour ago, Muffinz said:

…what does YMMV mean?

Your Mileage May Vary - meaning you may have a different experience. 

[OzKiwiJJ]

1 hour ago, Muffinz said:

thanks for that - looking at the deck plan for crown princess it looks like all the mini suites are on deck 9 Dolphin deck

 

does anyone know what the difference between the mini suite categories M1, MB, MD, ME are?

 

 

and apart from the size upgrade (277 sqft for mini suite and 168 sqft for standard balcony) are there any other 'perks to having a mini suite?

 

thanks

M1 is Reserve Collection (previously called Club Class) and these are usually mid-ships. The other categories just indicate location ie MB is usually mid-aft or mid-forward and so on with ME probably right forward. They are all the same size and very comfortable. 

 

We actually won a lowish bid to upgrade from BA (midships) balcony cabin to a minisuite on this year's world cruise. We ended up in our favourite mid-aft location. The upgrade made such a difference on a cruise of that length.

 

However if you are really happy with the cabin you have booked then stay with it. But since you mentioned preferring a midships cabin then you might like to try for a Reserve Collection minisuite but I suspect you'll have to bid high to get one as they are very popular.

 

 

 

[reedprincess]

1 hour ago, Muffinz said:

thanks for that information - much appreciated

I don't think I understand your last sentence 'it can not be a great deal'?

also what does YMMV mean?

"It can not be a great deal" if you don't like your new location or you spent more than what a mini-suite is currently going for, or any number of reasons it may not be a good deal...

If can be a good deal - if you manage to secure a mini for much less than going rate - it can also not be a good deal if you don't like the cabin or spend more than going rate or whatever 

 

YMMV means : Your Mileage May Vary..

 

And yes, as noted, all minis on Crown are on deck 9, Dolphin. Balconies are completely uncovered and the cabins above look down into those balconies. The only exception is the 16 aft in Emerald deck 8, and those are generally booked ASAP as they're quite popular for the fully covered balcony..

[Muffinz]

Ok thanks for all the replies - very helpful

 

If we bid and it's successful, but we don't like the location, can we cancel the upgrade and keep our already assigned state room?

 

and when we bid, can you bid on the different categories like M1, MB, ME... or do you just bid for a mini suite and they (princess) just choose the category for you??

 

Wife might not like the ones in Deck 9 if everyone else above can look down on the balconies, so that's something else to consider

 

thanks again

[sewgood]

10 minutes ago, Muffinz said:

when we bid, can you bid on the different categories like M1, MB, ME... or do you just bid for a mini suite and they (princess) just choose the category for you??

 

No, you can't bid within the different categories of mini-suites.

Click on the button in the email and go and have a look at the site.

You can play around with different bids but nothing is in concrete until you press the submit button.

You can always go and alter you bid, up until rooms are allocated. But the question is when will they allocate the rooms?

I've had rooms allocated from less than a month out to less than a week out from the sail date.

I had cabins allocated midship and also one cruise the room was 11 cabins from the front of the ship.

It is a gamble.

[OzKiwiJJ]

You can bid for a Reserve Collection (Club Class) minisuite separately from the normal minisuites but that's the only way you can try for one in a specific part of the ship. 

Edited 18 hours ago by OzKiwiJJ

[reedprincess]

3 hours ago, Muffinz said:

Ok thanks for all the replies - very helpful

 

If we bid and it's successful, but we don't like the location, can we cancel the upgrade and keep our already assigned state room?

 

and when we bid, can you bid on the different categories like M1, MB, ME... or do you just bid for a mini suite and they (princess) just choose the category for you??

 

Wife might not like the ones in Deck 9 if everyone else above can look down on the balconies, so that's something else to consider

 

thanks again

As noted in my original reply - bidding is consent to accept whatever room assigned if your bid is accepted. You cannot not accept it and keep your original room.  

You bid, you've entered the contract to accept the new cabin, should your bid be accepted..

 

No, you don't get to bid in MB, MC, etc.  You're bidding on a mini-suite and you'll be assigned whatever is available, should A) one be available and B) your bid is accepted..

 

You can bid on whatever categories they offer for bidding, so you may have the option for a mini-suite or a Reserve Mini-suite - two different categories. Same exact.room itself, except Reserve cabins have some extra perks like Reserve dining (separate area of dining room, different linens and flowers and menu covers, extra dish or two each night, no wait no reservations needed), priority embarkation, and a few small other things. Cabin will still be deck 9, etc.  

 

If your wife wouldn't be happy with a deck 9 mini, with the balcony exposed to the elements, those above, etc. then don't bid, cuz the odds are eminently in your favor that those would be the ones assigned... 

 

Good luck.

 

 

 

[1KBAP]

5 hours ago, BamaVol said:

Rest assured you are not the only one bidding for an upgrade on your cruise. I suspect a large number bid the minimum and cross their fingers. I have also read here that folks who got the same message as you and didn’t up their bid still got an upgrade. That may not be the norm though.  Are you that kind of gambler?  I guess it depends on how badly you want it. I’d bump 5 or 10 bucks and hope that lifted me above the masses. 

I already bid about double the minimum.

[Muffinz]

Thanks for the replies… I’ve just gone into Princess site to do a booking- to see how much a mini suite would be and the website says mini suite all sold out (as well as interior/ ocean view/ reserve mini suite) so that’s bizarre…..

maybe Princess are holding back some staterooms to offer to some people to upgrade??

[OzKiwiJJ]

12 minutes ago, Muffinz said:

Thanks for the replies… I’ve just gone into Princess site to do a booking- to see how much a mini suite would be and the website says mini suite all sold out (as well as interior/ ocean view/ reserve mini suite) so that’s bizarre…..

maybe Princess are holding back some staterooms to offer to some people to upgrade??

That's similar to when we put in our bid for the world cruise upgrade which I really didn't expect to get. However people do end up having to cancel at the last minute for health or other reasons. By having bids in place the cruise lines know they can easily fill the expensive cabins even if they're not getting the full original fare, and it's easier to sell cheaper cabins last minute.