Upgrades

[Beth & Rob]

First let me say I am very happy with the cabin I am in as I specifically picked it. As I cruise on a budget, I am quite fine with the least expensive inside cabin as long as it's mid ship.

 

That being said tho.......2 years ago I sailed at just about this same time. We received offers of an upgrade to an obstructed view at the front of the ship and I politely declined. Then a couple weeks later another offer, this time an very nice cabin with a view, just tucked behind the excursion desk on the other side of the art gallery. What a great cabin!

 

We are on the Sapphire out of L.A on 11/8 and I've not had any offers. As said before, that's really quite ok, just wondered if you've been offered an upgrade - up until what time prior to sailing have you been contacted?

 

Thanks much!

[Colo Cruiser]

First let me say I am very happy with the cabin I am in as I specifically picked it. As I cruise on a budget, I am quite fine with the least expensive inside cabin as long as it's mid ship.

 

That being said tho.......2 years ago I sailed at just about this same time. We received offers of an upgrade to an obstructed view at the front of the ship and I politely declined. Then a couple weeks later another offer, this time an very nice cabin with a view, just tucked behind the excursion desk on the other side of the art gallery. What a great cabin!

 

We are on the Sapphire out of L.A on 11/8 and I've not had any offers. As said before, that's really quite ok, just wondered if you've been offered an upgrade - up until what time prior to sailing have you been contacted?

 

Thanks much!

 

Don't count on it 11/08 Mex Riv may not be as popular as the prior cruise that you were upgraded on. :)

We have had them up to 5 days prior.

[Beth & Rob]

I guess I should have clarified that it was this same trip, but on the Diamond and just a couple weeks earlier.

 

Not that I want anyone to lose their opportunity to go on vacation, but thought perhaps, due to the distressing financial times the first thing canceled is the nice vacations.....

 

leaving the door open for me to move up to perhaps.....an owners suite. hahahahaha!!!

 

We will be happy wherever we are. Two of my girlfriends are coming with and they've never been on a cruise, never been to Mexico, so I will so enjoy sharing this with them.

[Toto2Kansas]

The one thing about upgrades is that you can NEVER actually count on them. Even if you were upgraded a dozen times in the past, you never know if it will EVER happen again.

 

Best of luck on this one!

[LuvTheGoodLife]

Also, it is unusual to get the opportunity from Princess to decline an upgrade if you think it is less desirable than your current cabin.

 

My understanding was you could mark your booking as Willing to Accept Upgrade or Do not upgrade. If Princess decided to upgrade you, you might find a different cabin # in your personalizer or when you arrive to check-in but that Princess did not always call first to see if you were interested in accepting.

[Beth & Rob]

When we were upgraded before, the reservation, as in this one, were made through my TA. I received the call from her, so I really don't know how she filled out the initial paperwork.

 

Well just a couple weeks to go and we'll see.

[Toto2Kansas]

I agree, if your TA checked that you would accept an upgrade, then whatever they assign you is what you will end up with. They rarely will contact you ahead of time when this is how the booking is done. Now, if you booked a specific stateroom number and the TA marked the booking as No upgrade, then before they move you they would contact you.

 

One thing you can do is to keep an eye on your Princess personalizer. If they change your stateroom, without contacting you, it will show up there.

 

Best of Luck!

[martinchem]

We've had offers as close as 1 week before departure.

[paul929207]

Once, we got upgraded three days before we sailed. The people who had been assigned to our new cabin found out that they were upgraded at the pier.

[chrysalis]

We have been upgraded at the pier.

[notentirelynormal]

I've been upgraded before. It really would have been a better cabin but I wanted 3 in a row and this upgrade split us up. My TA was notified before they made the change but she was out that day so they did the upgrade. When she came in on Monday - she called me to tell me the "news". I told her I didn't want it for the above reasons and she had to call them to put it back, which they did. The point being, my TA was notified before changing us so we did have the option to choose.

[Scooter-n-GB]

A couple that is traveling with on the Crown this coming Sunday, just got upgraded from a BB to an AC! I kind of thought that was cutting it very close for changes, being how it is so close to sailing..

[YellowDog]

Once, we got upgraded three days before we sailed. The people who had been assigned to our new cabin found out that they were upgraded at the pier.

 

 

I was wondering for anyone upgraded at the pier: did you ask at the pier or did they just do it? Has anyone ever asked? I wonder if that could work?

[Scooter-n-GB]

I was wondering for anyone upgraded at the pier: did you ask at the pier or did they just do it? Has anyone ever asked? I wonder if that could work?

 

I would think that they would have to tell you, because you need to know what room number to put on your luggage tags, yes?

[Sandytoes]

I was wondering for anyone upgraded at the pier: did you ask at the pier or did they just do it? Has anyone ever asked? I wonder if that could work?

In years past, cruise lines use to have cheap "last minute" cruise deals.

Not any more!

Cruise lines now fill up their ships way before the sailing date. They even have a waiting list in case a passenger cancels at the last minute.

Since 9/11 and all of the security requirements of homeland security final departure manifest must be done at least 60 minutes prior to departure and cruise registration must be processed at least 6 days prior to departure even though Princess offer Stand-by Program.

So, in other words, can you get an upgrade at pier? No!

[rdsqrl]

I was wondering for anyone upgraded at the pier: did you ask at the pier or did they just do it? Has anyone ever asked? I wonder if that could work?

 

I would think that they would have to tell you, because you need to know what room number to put on your luggage tags, yes?

I think what most people mean when they say they got upgraded at the pier is that they were upgraded sometime between when the Cruise Personalizer became unavailable 5 days prior to sailing and the time they checked in. That's how it happened for me: I printed my boarding pass on the very last day possible, and then five days later when I got to the pier, was informed by the nice lady at checkin that I was not in fact in R747 but A738. So you may indeed be upgraded without them telling you in advance and, no, you may not know in enough time to adjust the cabin number on your luggage tags -- my suitcase was in fact delivered to my original cabin door, but it was no big deal since I figured out that was probably what was going to happen and just went and checked outside that cabin every so often until my bag appeared.

[caribill]

So, in other words, can you get an upgrade at pier? No!

 

Can you first be notified of an upgrade at the pier? Yes.

 

Your name is already on the manifest, so the government paperwork is taken care of.

[texanslovetotravel]

A couple that is traveling with on the Crown this coming Sunday, just got upgraded from a BB to an AC! I kind of thought that was cutting it very close for changes, being how it is so close to sailing..

 

We are sailing on the Crown on 11/9, and if they upgraded my BB cabin to an AC even at the pier would be fine with me. I'm kinda hoping a mini suite comes available. I should have booked it in the first place, but will be fine with my balcony if no upgrade comes along...:)

[maryevelyn]

Why not have your travel agent call Princess? My ds is my TA and she just got us a lovely upgrade from a guarantee G (obstructed view) to a BB--Caribe balcony. We are thrilled, but she did call and push for it. The ships are not filling up as fast as you think. Almost every category on our sailing has guarantee's available. This is the CP sailing 12/10. Several people on our roll call have received upgrades, which is how I first heard about it and nudged my TA to call.

[Sandytoes]

Can you first be notified of an upgrade at the pier? Yes.

 

Your name is already on the manifest, so the government paperwork is taken care of.

Yes, this is true.

However, what happens if no one agrees on an upgrade?

Upgrades are only to move pax from hard to sell cabins to another.

They do not just upgrade because your Mr Jones.

 

Let's say that it is the day of sailing and someone calls the cruise line and cancels & they have a mid-priced cabin.

Princess may do a "chain reaction" upgrade. Category "4" cancels, so they move up someone from category "5", then move someone up to the now empty "5" from category "6" and so on.

This accomplishes one thing - it opens up an inexpensive cabin to sell at the last minute.

If Upgrades were easly given at pier passengers would wait and not buy ahead of time, instead they would wait until the last minute to see what kind of deal they would get. A really cheap "last minute" cruise deal!!!

But by giving an upgrade & moving pax around ship, Princess would not have to pass out refunds on lowest fares. Great marketing strategy.

If you request an upgrade at pier, it will cost you. They just don't give them away for nothing, unless it benefits Princess - $$$$. It all comes down to the almighty dollar.

[Beth & Rob]

OK, so as of just now, DD and I looked at our cruise which is 11/8 to Mexico on the Sapphire. Every cabin has a wait list for it. So....I would venture to say the liklihood of an upgrade is slim. And that's ok as I said in the first place, I like my cabin.

 

That being said...........if I were to get to the Pier and discover they have upgraded me.........what if I don't want it? I don't want to be in the front of the ship, but if it were mid ship, outside, then that would be great.

 

Oh well, I guess rather than speculating all the possibilities, I will just wait until I get there and deal with it then should the offer even arise.

[Toto2Kansas]

OK, so as of just now, DD and I looked at our cruise which is 11/8 to Mexico on the Sapphire. Every cabin has a wait list for it. So....I would venture to say the liklihood of an upgrade is slim. And that's ok as I said in the first place, I like my cabin.

 

That being said...........if I were to get to the Pier and discover they have upgraded me.........what if I don't want it? I don't want to be in the front of the ship, but if it were mid ship, outside, then that would be great.

 

Oh well, I guess rather than speculating all the possibilities, I will just wait until I get there and deal with it then should the offer even arise.

 

This is one of those times where if you get to the pier and find out you were upgraded to a stateroom you didn't want, you would probably be totally out of luck to change it. Especially if the sailing is sold out or waitlist only. You could always try, but my guess is it would be a waste of your vacation time.

If someone doesn't want certain areas of the ship for the stateroom, always let Princess or your TA know that you aren't interested in an upgrade. Remember, some don't care where their cabin is located, but for those that do, always tell them NO UPGRADE just to be sure as all upgrades are not great upgrades. ;) Best of luck!

[aquagirl1]

I'm going on the Ruby Jan 17/09 and got notice of an upgrade from a BE to a BA yesterday Oct 15/08. It is on the Lido deck which IMHO will be very handy. Read a few forums on the Lido deck and there were mixed opinions. I'm hoping that we will get a second upgrade to a mini suite-a girl can dream-lol!

[LoveThisCruisingThing]

I have had two upgrades. The first I knew literally when I checked in. The second I knew a few weeks before. I always book what I can live with and afford. That being said, I am hoping (but not counting on) for an upgrade when my mom and I do our cruise in July. We have an ocean view since we are doing a 14 day cruise to Alaska and I must have a window for that length of time. LOL

[attilamom1217]

I agree, if your TA checked that you would accept an upgrade, then whatever they assign you is what you will end up with. They rarely will contact you ahead of time when this is how the booking is done. Now, if you booked a specific stateroom number and the TA marked the booking as No upgrade, then before they move you they would contact you.

 

One thing you can do is to keep an eye on your Princess personalizer. If they change your stateroom, without contacting you, it will show up there.

 

Best of Luck!

 

 

We will be on the Crown in a couple of weeks. We booked a BD balcony during a sale (it was the same price as the BG, BF, BE). After final payment was made, we went online to fill out the paperwork and I noticed that we had been upgraded to a BB. :D Larger balcony, same size cabin. My TA had been away so he didn't know about the upgrade until I told him. When he back to his office, he saw the fax from Princess.

 

We weren't asked, but we are not unhappy!