Upgrade to mini suite or not?- your advice please

[sunshinebob]

Those very nice folks at P&O called me today to ask if I would like to spend £500 of my hard earned cash in upgrading from an outside cabin to a b deck mini suite on my forthcoming 14 day Caribbean Oceana cruise..

I looked at what it would cost me today to book my current level of accommodation and what it would cost be to book a mini suite on the same cruise and the difference is about £2000. So on the face of it £500 seems cheap... The mini suite does look nice and its twice the size with room for loungers on the balcony, but £500 is £500 at the end of the day... Are there any extra benefits in having a mini suite that might just tip the balance? I read on this forum that you used to get champagne and chocolates on arrival and canapés in you cabin at 5pm but don’t know if that’s gone by the wayside along with all the other cost cutting that the industry have gone through. Is there anything else??

Your comments and advice would be appreciated.

SSB

[cruisebore]

Difficult one this SSB, had to make a similar decision recently, but costing £600. We went with it on the basis that we could enjoy the experience which we would never justify at the normal price; it would be our Christmas pressie to each other. Don't know if you can wear jeans in them though.;)

 

Also live every day as if it's your last, cos one day it will be!!!!

When will you be sailing?

 

Regards Cb

[K8T]

Hi there

 

This is standard practice, if the mini suites haven't sold and are still available, they will offer them at a cheaper rate to passengers who have already booked, as it is easier to sell the one that you are currently in.

 

A mini suite is nice, you have much more room and usually bathrobes!! Depends how much you are likely to be in the room, but I suppose at £250 each - presuming there are two of you! It is a good deal.

 

Whatever you do, enjoy!

 

Kate

[Merlin Cruiser]

We had a mini suite on Oceana for honeymoon, and it was worth every penny, from the exrta large balcony to canapes. We only wish we could afford a mini-suite every time! Sounds a bargain for an extra £500, you never know what is round the corner in life, so if you can afford it go for it.

 

Enjoy your cruise

[Druke I]

We had a mini-suite on Sun Princess, one of Oceana's sisters, and it was very spacious - almost as large as a full suite on some of the other Princess ships.

 

The bathroom is huge, with both a tub and separate stall shower.

 

We thought the mini-suite was quite nice - although the balcony was smaller than those of most of the Princess ships.

[annieuk]

There are two types of minis on Oceana - I would go for either but the aft ones are particuarly spacious with very large balconies. The midship ones are like two cabins joined together so they have a very wide but narrow balcony with access from the sitting area and the bedroom area. The aft ones are like one huge room with bedroom, walk-in wardrobe and bathroom at one end and the sitting area with doors out onto the balcony the other. The balconies are very deep on the aft minis. The ones on C deck are the largest.

 

The perks you get with the mini are well worth having too, makes things just that more special.

 

Annie:)

[Glenndale]

I'd certainly go for it.

We were offered an upgrade to an aft suite on Arcadia last year and the extra room was wonderful.

An extra benefit are the Molton Brown toiletries, very nice :)

I wasn't too bothered about the canapes, but there was a bottle of fizz and a box of chocolates.

We had already booked a celebration package and we cancelled that when we took up their offer so the extra didn't seem that much at all.

If you were only in an outside previously the balcony on it's own will be worth the extra.

Enjoy, these offers don't happen every day.

[Pontius Navigator]

TY all, you have answered my question before I posted it :)

 

However a supplementary. How soon before the cruise were you made the offer? Clearly it has to be early enough to give them time to sell the other cabin.

 

OTOH it could be on the day to increase revenue. I understand on Celebrity they call these dockside upgrades. I guess the finer you cut it the better the deal?

 

Keep an eye on the web booking pages and see what remains unsold. I guess you could also let P&O know that you are open to offers.

[cruisebore]

TY all, you have answered my question before I posted it :)

 

However a supplementary. How soon before the cruise were you made the offer? Clearly it has to be early enough to give them time to sell the other cabin.

 

OTOH it could be on the day to increase revenue. I understand on Celebrity they call these dockside upgrades. I guess the finer you cut it the better the deal?

 

Keep an eye on the web booking pages and see what remains unsold. I guess you could also let P&O know that you are open to offers.

 

Three weeks before sailing we got the offer. We had a good midships balcony which they presumably resold at a higher price than we paid.

There was nothing showing on the booking page so i assumed that it was a cancellation.

 

Regards

Cb

[tom_uk]

Questions to the OP:

 

a) is that £500 total, or £500 each?

 

b) was your original Outside cabin a Balcony outside, or non-balcony?

 

I think if I was offered an upgrade from a non-balcony Outside cabin to a mini-suite, for £500 total, for a 14-night cruise - I'd take it. But from a balcony outside cabin to a mini-suite - hmm, not so sure; you've already got all the basics, the mini-suite just adds space & frills.

 

But YMMV, of course.

[sunshinebob]

Thanks all for taking the time to reply..

 

We go in three weeks and I said yes. The price is £500 for the room upgrade (i.e. £250 each ) and its from an outside balcony to a mid ship mini suite.

 

I was offered a choice of about four mini suites all in the same area. I guess P&O either offered an upgrade ( to the aft ) to the folks that were in it previously or it was just unsold. I also imagine that my old cabin is now being offered to someone else who previously had not booked a balcony and so on and on.....

 

Whilst its an extra £500 I think ( hope ) it will be money well spent. The only issue is that if its a good as some say I know we would never be 100% happy in anything less in the future!

 

Thanks again.

[daiB]

Thanks all for taking the time to reply..

 

We go in three weeks and I said yes. The price is £500 for the room upgrade (i.e. £250 each ) and its from an outside balcony to a mid ship mini suite.

 

I was offered a choice of about four mini suites all in the same area. I guess P&O either offered an upgrade ( to the aft ) to the folks that were in it previously or it was just unsold. I also imagine that my old cabin is now being offered to someone else who previously had not booked a balcony and so on and on.....

 

Whilst its an extra £500 I think ( hope ) it will be money well spent. The only issue is that if its a good as some say I know we would never be 100% happy in anything less in the future!

 

Thanks again.

 

You had to take it as you would be wondering about it for months. We went from a mini-suite to a suite on Arcadia and would do it again at the drop of a hat.

 

 

 

 

:):)Happy Cruising:):)

 

 

 

 

:cool:

 

 

Dai

[pretenda]

You won't be sorry. They are lovely, separate bedroom (separated by curtained arch and a really big bathroom with jacuzzi bath etc) - with two doors, one accessed from the lobby and one from the bedroom. Upgraded toiletries and canapes and a bottle of champagne.

Have a truly wonderful time.:)

Glenda

[dollyg]

........is it based on the length of time your booking has been made or are there other criteria.

We were asked at the time of booking our balcolny cabin if we would accept an upgrade at some future date.Yes we responded.

Your upgrade sounds excellent ,we would have grabbed it with both hands for only £500 extra

 

Enjoy your cruise

Malcolm