Upgrades

[firsttimecruiser77]

I've seen several posts recently about getting upgrades. We didn't get an automatic upgrade from RCI as our documents have arrived and its the cabin we booked (which is of course fine) BUT, I am now wondering if there is a chance we could purchase an upgrade at the pier. About how much does it usually cost for upgrades?

 

Secondly, where do I go to book on board since I'm told there is a good discount for booking while onboard. I never was approached at all on my last cruise. I didn't find out until after I got back that this was available.

 

Thanks

[wrp96]

Secondly, where do I go to book on board since I'm told there is a good discount for booking while onboard. I never was approached at all on my last cruise. I didn't find out until after I got back that this was available.

 

To book onboard, you'll go see the Loyalty Ambassador. When you get onboard, go find the LA's desk and they will have their hours posted and usually an appointment book. Definitely sign up for an appointment if you know you want to book onboard. I think the LA's desk is on deck 7 in the Centrum.

[firsttimecruiser77]

Your blog was great. Everyone should read this. I have two family members working for Celebrity (one a food and beverage manager and one a dancer) and I got more info from your blog than I could ever get out of them. They just complain about the rudeness of the passengers all the time.

 

Thanks for posting it!

[beachchick]

Just an FYI, when booking onboard, you do not get a "discount" off of the cruise you are booking and you do have to pay a regular deposit. What you get for booking onboard is an onboard credit for the cruise you are booking. The credit is per cabin (not per person) and depends solely on the length of the cruise (from $50 for the shorter ones to, I think, $200 for the longer ones).

 

Also, not a flame, but may I ask why you would have expected an "automatic" upgrade? RCI is very stingy with free upgrades and there is often no rhyme nor reason to how the rare upgrades happen. Sometimes it does seem like they will do moderate upgrades if a particular category is selling well (or the higher one is not selling well). By upgrading someone, they can then resell that popular cabin category. Otherwise, there is NO SUCH thing as an automatic upgrade on RCI. However, C&A Diamond Plus, the highest level of C&A, are sometimes eligible for free upgrades if a certain number of cabins are available and if it's close to the cruise date. To be C&A D+, you need 25 cruise points, so that's not available to most of us.

 

For pier upgrades, you can check in and then ask to be directed to the Pier Coordinator. He or she will be able to tell you if any cabins are available (this happens much less often now then in the past because so many ships are sailing full to the brim). There will also be a price list. It's not set in stone, but the average for a 7 night to go from one category to a better cabin within that type (e.g., inside to better inside) is about $100; to go up a type (inside to outside, etc.) is about $400; to go up two types (inside to balcony, etc.) is about $700; and to go to the Royal Suite varies from $1400 or so from inside to $700 or so from balcony or other level suite. These are just estimates. It changes depending on many factors. The prices are per cabin, not per person.

 

beachchick