Why is it considered an upgrade?

[Pammie poo]

Why is it considered an upgrade if it's to the same size cabin, same deck, same side of ship but instead of being in the back we are in the front....

 

Did someone just want our cabin and they moved us? We were a BF now we are a BC....Any ideas?:confused:

[Toto2Kansas]

A BC cabin is further up on the food chain, so to speak. The higher the rating inside the category, usually, the more expensive.

I am one that doesn't actually look at 'a cabin move within the same category' such as outside to outside (just a higher category) or mini suite to mini suite (in a higher category) as a true upgrade. Just moved around to a different area of the ship.

A true upgrade is to the next higher classification of stateroom. Balcony to mini suite, inside to outside.

 

On our boarding summary for our upcoming cruise I noticed this tonight. It may have always been there, but this is the first time I have noticed this statement on our booking summary.

 

This is at the bottom from Princess:

Carrier may, without liability for refund or damages, change your booked accommodations at anytime without notice.

[BND]

As far as I know though, while they may "change" you cabin, they won't downgrade you. What about all those posters that say make sure you tell them you won't accept an upgrade? That paragraph seems to supersede even that.

[Pammie poo]

Thanks for your insight...I was think the same...an upgrade should be large or better but not the same...maybe they should change the name to "moved" instead of "upgrade":p I was so excited when I got the email from my TA....Owners suite was on my mind.....too funny! Then reality set in when I pulled up the cabin number :( Oh well, at least I'm going, I have a nice room and don't have to do dishes....:)

[bjkTX]

I would disagree that a within category bump isn't an upgrade. We have only booked mini suites on our 4 Princess cruises, and the two times we didn't book the top category (AA) we were bumped up two categories each time (from AD to AB etc). On our next cruise the difference in price between our AA min and an AC mini is over $400 per person - so someone getting bumped from AC to AA for example in my opinion is getting an upgrade. Of course then you have to factor is indiv preferences in ship location. We prefer mid ship which costs more, and is where most of the AA minis are located. Someone who prefers an aft cabin who gets bumped to a mid ship AA might not consider it an upgrade I suppose.

[cruisemom42]

It's considered an upgrade if they are putting you into a more expensive cabin -- which is what they did. It is getting pretty rare to hear of people getting upgrades that are OUT of a particular class. (In other words, you don't often get an upgrade from a balcony to a mini-suite, but you might get an upgrade to a higher category balcony room.)

 

Many people (myself included) pick their cabin carefully and are sure to tell the TA "no upgrades"!

[cherylandtk]

On our boarding summary for our upcoming cruise I noticed this tonight. It may have always been there, but this is the first time I have noticed this statement on our booking summary.

 

This is at the bottom from Princess:

Carrier may, without liability for refund or damages, change your booked accommodations at anytime without notice.

 

As far as I know though, while they may "change" you cabin, they won't downgrade you. What about all those posters that say make sure you tell them you won't accept an upgrade? That paragraph seems to supersede even that.

Generally speaking, that is correct. BUT, the contract has always had wording that superseded those booking designations. So while rare, it is possible. And in the past, Princess has usually been very nice about working with the moved passenger, offering a choice of upgraded rooms and/or onboard credit if they have to change a No Upgrade booking.

 

I suspect that more and more passengers are now aware of, and using, the No Upgrade designation. While Princess certainly tries to accomodate those bookings, there are times that they cannot. And then the passenger is disappointed and/or raises holy heck on these boards or calls an attorney. So Princess has chosen to ensure passengers are aware that all room bookings are a request rather than a guarantee; and putting this sentence on the booking summary is a reminder of that.

[Toto2Kansas]

I have noticed lately that hotels are doing pretty much the same. There always seems to be the disclaimer now when you book, that the room you choose is not guaranteed at time of check in. Which really gives them the out to move you to another room other than the type you actually booked.

 

Airlines, although most times will honor seat requests, are also able to do the same thing. Had it happen to us not long ago when they decided they needed to move us to the very back of the plane and nothing could be done about it.

 

So, back to the old saying I guess, nothing is for sure except death and taxes in this world. :(

[crusdiva]

Why does all of this remind me of the Seinfeld episode?

"You know how to take the reservation but you don't know how to hold the reservation." ;) :D

[JLC@SD]

We were a BF now we are a BC....Any ideas?:confused:

 

......sort of like getting the Queen of Hearts.....for the Queen of Diamonds.......not a big deal.

 

There are some many categories now.....it is anyones judgement whether a BC is better than a BF.....:)

[cherylandtk]

Why does all of this remind me of the Seinfeld episode?

"You know how to take the reservation but you don't know how to hold the reservation." ;) :D

LOL, yes that is the one....exactly.

:p

[Pam in CA]

I would disagree that a within category bump isn't an upgrade. We have only booked mini suites on our 4 Princess cruises, and the two times we didn't book the top category (AA) we were bumped up two categories each time (from AD to AB etc). On our next cruise the difference in price between our AA min and an AC mini is over $400 per person - so someone getting bumped from AC to AA for example in my opinion is getting an upgrade. Of course then you have to factor is indiv preferences in ship location. We prefer mid ship which costs more, and is where most of the AA minis are located. Someone who prefers an aft cabin who gets bumped to a mid ship AA might not consider it an upgrade I suppose.

I agree with Toto in that just because you've been "upgraded" to a higher-priced cabin in the same category, it's not necessarily an upgrade. For instance, we've booked AD mini-suites specifically because we wanted the covered balcony. An AA, AB or AC is NOT an upgrade IMHO since they have uncovered balconies. An upgrade is in the eyes of the beholder and I'll stand by Toto in saying that what Princess rates as an upgrade is not always one to the passenger.

[tequilasunrise]

Why is it considered an upgrade if it's to the same size cabin, same deck, same side of ship but instead of being in the back we are in the front....

 

Did someone just want our cabin and they moved us? We were a BF now we are a BC....Any ideas?:confused:

 

An "upgrade" to Princess means to a higher priced category. Usually these are priced higher as you go up the ship, because they are a closer walk to many things you might access (like pools, buffet, etc). However, personally I consider them a phoney upgrade because if you can walk well, it is not necesarily an upgrade to be taken from stable midship to high front, especially in an inside where view isn't an issue. I call these the "seasick" cabins. There's a reason why they are still available at the last minute!

 

When you book, have your travel agent tell them you wish to approve any upgrade (no automatic upgrades) to prevent this. We do, and have had some real upgrades, and turned down a few too!

[bjkTX]

Upgrade or not an upgrade - it's up to the customer. BUT, the law of supply and demand says they charge more for the cabins most in demand - so most folks would consider it an upgrade to get in that location. If the more expensive cabins don't get sold they will upgrade people into them because the cheaper cabins are easier to sell at the last minute.

[inventorycoordinator]

The category system works like this:

 

Balconies are for the most part the same. But we have to categorize them in sub categories so that they can differenciate which should be more expensive than the other. A cabin more towards mid ship is going to be more expensive than a ship that is FAR forward or aft. Just based on sales and cabin placement in the ship depends on if it is more or less expensive and higher in category.

 

So just because the location is different doesn't mean you didn't upgrade, it just means that if you upgrade you don't go "up" in deck. You go up in category.

 

<3

=)

[shofer]

We booked a Cat BE (Emerald Deck forward) balcony guarantee and got a BB balcony midships Aloha Deck. The difference in price was $180/pp. Since we are paying for 6 adults, this was an upgrade for us! The amt saved is 2/3 the cost of airfare. We are very pleased.

[BND]

We're in a mini, almost exactly mid-ships. Upgrading to an aft mini, while a "better" cabin by a lot of accounts, would not appeal to me and would not be an upgrade, as I'm prone to motion sickness and the aft feels movement a lot. We picked the exact cabin we wanted and would only accept an upgrade to anothe mid-ships cabin (full suite is all that is left). There are plenty of posts by people who book guarantees solely hoping to get an upgrade which is fine, but when you select a specific cabin, upgrades shouldn't be at Princess' discretion, but yours to accept or decline if offered. How can you booking a specific cabin be just a request once it's booked? When you book a specific cabin, you are not booking a class or level of cabin, but a specific cabin so it's not the same as a hotel where you book a type of room, not a room number.