I denied a Cat 12 Upgrade!

[Catrin]

I got a call from Carnival today.... about our upcoming Inspiration Cruise...

 

We are booked in a 6A. When we booked, we could have been upgraded to a higher deck, but the cabins available were too far forward.

 

The call I received today... was an offer to be "Upgraded" to a Penthouse suite... with full VIP Privledges, Flat Screen TV, Couch that seats seven, Huge Balcony... etc (that was the sales pitch).

 

I kept saying... Ok, bottom line? But he kept telling me about how wonderful it would be...... but, sad to say, I knew it was too good to be true....

 

The final cost?? $268.00 MORE... for the FIVE of US!! So, for $1340.00 more we could be more comfortable for our 5 Day - "Lets squeeze another one this year budget" cruise.

 

I think if it was that cost, for a 7 day once a year cruise, we would jump at it. We were able to book this cruise because of the extra tax rebate..and that was our total budget.

 

Would any of you taken the upgrade?

Catrin

[DqALEX]

I got a call from Carnival today.... about our upcoming Inspiration Cruise...

 

We are booked in a 6A. When we booked, we could have been upgraded to a higher deck, but the cabins available were too far forward.

 

The call I received today... was an offer to be "Upgraded" to a Penthouse suite... with full VIP Privledges, Flat Screen TV, Couch that seats seven, Huge Balcony... etc (that was the sales pitch).

 

I kept saying... Ok, bottom line? But he kept telling me about how wonderful it would be...... but, sad to say, I knew it was too good to be true....

 

The final cost?? $268.00 MORE... for the FIVE of US!! So, for $1340.00 more we could be more comfortable for our 5 Day - "Lets squeeze another one this year budget" cruise.

 

I think if it was that cost, for a 7 day once a year cruise, we would jump at it. We were able to book this cruise because of the extra tax rebate..and that was our total budget.

 

Would any of you taken the upgrade?

Catrin

Only if it were free I would take it. I agree with you I could book another summer cruise for the cost of the upgrade. I paid $500.00 per person for my cruise on the Inspiration for Aug.16. I'm driving to the port because the price for air would have made the cruise to expensive.

[Elaine515]

NOPE.... you did the same thing I would have done... Thank you but no thank you.

 

As it is, we always book a 4A and if we want to see water, we go up to the Lido Deck. You at least can do that in your 6A. I can think of lots of things I would do with that extra money instead of spending it on the Cat 12.... Especially with the kids...

 

Have a great cruise....

[Pegs222]

I got a call from Carnival today.... about our upcoming Inspiration Cruise...

 

We are booked in a 6A. When we booked, we could have been upgraded to a higher deck, but the cabins available were too far forward.

 

The call I received today... was an offer to be "Upgraded" to a Penthouse suite... with full VIP Privledges, Flat Screen TV, Couch that seats seven, Huge Balcony... etc (that was the sales pitch).

 

I kept saying... Ok, bottom line? But he kept telling me about how wonderful it would be...... but, sad to say, I knew it was too good to be true....

 

The final cost?? $268.00 MORE... for the FIVE of US!! So, for $1340.00 more we could be more comfortable for our 5 Day - "Lets squeeze another one this year budget" cruise.

 

I think if it was that cost, for a 7 day once a year cruise, we would jump at it. We were able to book this cruise because of the extra tax rebate..and that was our total budget.

 

Would any of you taken the upgrade?

Catrin

 

You did the right thing, but the space would be nice since you have five. He probably failed to tell you that you would be paying the fuel tax again too. At least I would guess they add that to it. Whenever we have gotten a credit, they add some of the fuel tax too.

[umwife11]

Err, isn't an upgrade usually free? That's what makes it an upgrade, right? At least in my book, lol.

 

I probably would have stayed in my cabin. NOW, if it were $268 TOTAL for all five, then I might have seriously considered it. But for more than 1K? Nah...

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[ManyMore]

Pay for an upgrade? What is this NCL? lol

[Pegs222]

Err, isn't an upgrade usually free? That's what makes it an upgrade, right? At least in my book, lol.

 

I probably would have stayed in my cabin. NOW, if it were $268 TOTAL for all five, then I might have seriously considered it. But for more than 1K? Nah...

 

Enjoy your cruise!

 

Nope an upgrade means you are upgrading to something better than you have. They can give it to you free, or you have to pay for it. We got an upgrade to a balcony at the tune of $350.00 p/p. But I wanted that balcony so I paid it.

[mom2girls]

No, I wouldn't have taken the "upgrade" either. I received a similar phonecall a few weeks before my Legend cruise. They left a message, but I didn't call back because I wasn't interested in paying more when I was perfectly happy with the room I had.

[truecruiser]

Pay for an upgrade? What is this NCL? lol

 

actually, i suspect it's a UG thing.

 

same thing happened to me for my miracle cruise 2 weeks prior to sailing.

 

a large group cancelled 20 cabins. rather than trying to sell the higher priced cabins on the market so close to sailing, they decided to try to offer them at a discount to pax already booked so that they cld then offer the booked pax less expensive cabin at a discount (b/c they wld obviously have a better chance of unloading those).

 

is this definitely the future of CCL and a product of UG? i do not know. is that what i suspect? yes.

 

if UB was still there, the upgrade wld have been free.

 

just my thoughts.

[misguidedangel]

I need a balcony, I can't go witout a balcony. Needless to say, if I cruised on any of the Fantasy class ships it would be Cat 11 or 12 suite only for me. I WILL NOT go without a balcony. I'll pay the extra price to have the balcony, it is worth every penny!!!

[aggieastrosfan]

I need a balcony, I can't go witout a balcony. Needless to say, if I cruised on any of the Fantasy class ships it would be Cat 11 or 12 suite only for me. I WILL NOT go without a balcony. I'll pay the extra price to have the balcony, it is worth every penny!!!

 

Funny, it was DH who came to this conclusion when booking our Ecstasy cruise for next year. For a 5-day cruise in a cat 11 for 3 people, we're paying about the same as we are for 9 days in a balcony with the 3 of us. Not that I'm complaining, but it's funny that the one who's not so big on spending money on cruises insisted on a suite. At least we have over a year to come up with the money!

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

We had a message on our answering machine two days ago for our 8/30 Glory sailing. We are booked in a 9A (aft corner) cabin. We intentionally picked that cabin - something that we do for every sailing.

 

The "upgrade" offer was for a "penthouse suite" for only $x dollars more. I can't recall the amount.

 

I called back to decline - and make sure that our reservation was marked as DO NOT UPGRADE - even if it was a true (free) upgrade.

 

It is obviously a gimmick that they are currently pushing. I'm sure that they must have some success. Not with me though.

 

Tom

[PINEVIEW01]

Err, isn't an upgrade usually free? That's what makes it an upgrade, right? At least in my book, lol.

You are right! What the OP was offer is called an "up sale". Some other cruise lines do this regularly. RCCL people look foward to this.

 

I wouldn't have taken this one either. Way to much for a 5 day to me.

[LHP]

Another voice saying I would have declined if additional money was involved.

 

You did the right thing!!!

 

Have a great cruise!!

[leadout_kv]

Looks like most would have declined BUT I would have taken the upgrade in a heartbeat. From a 6A to a 12 is usually a pretty significant cost and having that much more room for 5 would have been very nice.

 

Sorry, I say yes.

[DEcruiser1]

I don't think that they were offering an upgrade. I think that this was more of a suggestion that a bigger room would have been more comfortable for a large group, although they may have called it an upgrade.

Whenever I've been "upgraded" it has always been free. (well, ok. Its only happened once.)

[cdoc29]

They called me and offered an upgrade at a special rate cause someone cancelled, from my cat 11 to 12 on Valor on Aug 31st..... total cost $425pp for a total of $850 about $100 less than had i booked it in the first place. Not much of a special rate

[dan40]

I got a call from Carnival today.... about our upcoming Inspiration Cruise...

 

We are booked in a 6A. When we booked, we could have been upgraded to a higher deck, but the cabins available were too far forward.

 

The call I received today... was an offer to be "Upgraded" to a Penthouse suite... with full VIP Privledges, Flat Screen TV, Couch that seats seven, Huge Balcony... etc (that was the sales pitch).

 

I kept saying... Ok, bottom line? But he kept telling me about how wonderful it would be...... but, sad to say, I knew it was too good to be true....

 

The final cost?? $268.00 MORE... for the FIVE of US!! So, for $1340.00 more we could be more comfortable for our 5 Day - "Lets squeeze another one this year budget" cruise.

 

I think if it was that cost, for a 7 day once a year cruise, we would jump at it. We were able to book this cruise because of the extra tax rebate..and that was our total budget.

 

Would any of you taken the upgrade?

Catrin

 

That was not an upgrade. That was an attempted UPSELL! A sales pitch, nothing more.

 

Dan

[nolaAlive]

If they were really offering a penthouse suite, that is several levels above a Cat 12 on Fantasy Class ships, but if more than you need, wanted or were prepared to pay for, then passing was a good thing.

 

Once you get on the ship (the earlier the better), you can head for the purser's desk and see if still available for a better price.

[Catrin]

Original Poster here....

 

I should have used the words "Upgrade" in quotes.... because that is the word they used, but I knew immediately it was just a sales pitch to sell the Cat 12 cabins that were not booked.

 

Looks like quite a few of you have recieved the same sales pitch. Because of this, it looks like there will be a lot less "surprise upgrades" in the future.

 

Thanks for the feedback!

Catrin

[nolaAlive]

Unless something has changed, the penthouse suites are the two cabins overlooking the pool area with balconies off to the side.

 

The two that are above and to the left or right of "Fantasy"

 

[Luv4dacruise]

That was not an upgrade. That was an attempted UPSELL! A sales pitch, nothing more.

 

Dan

 

Beat me to it, the term (as ive come to know it on the other boards) is upsell. An upgrade is totally free.

[nolaAlive]

Beat me to it, the term (as ive come to know it on the other boards) is upsell. An upgrade is totally free.

 

Anyone who stops by the purser's desk on embarkation day and asks if upgrades are available, expects to have to pay something.

 

Upgrades are not free, and if so, are marketing tools, the same as an upsell.

 

More than once I have been "upgraded" (without permission) from premium 1A cabins with picture windows or portholes to inside cabins with no view. That kind of upgrade was free. It also sucks.

[Leo Jay]

More than once I have been "upgraded" (without permission) from premium 1A cabins with picture windows or portholes to inside cabins with no view. That kind of upgrade was free. It also sucks.

 

:eek: Thanks for the warning! I'm going to call right now and have them designate my 1A Porthole booking as "DO NOT UPGRADE"!

[Luv4dacruise]

Anyone who stops by the purser's desk on embarkation day and asks if upgrades are available, expects to have to pay something.

 

Upgrades are not free, and if so, are marketing tools, the same as an upsell.

 

More than once I have been "upgraded" (without permission) from premium 1A cabins with picture windows or portholes to inside cabins with no view. That kind of upgrade was free. It also sucks.

 

I will just agree to disagree i guess. I myself have been upgraded for no extra cost, on the same note, have also gotten a call from NCL offering an upsell for X amount.

 

While the terminology is not set in stone, i think it is easier to understand what one is speaking about have the 2 separate terms.