Cunard - What are the chances of being upgraded?

We're about to book a 4 night Canada cruise for next August 31, 2007. I know Princess often upgrades, even with a full ship. Does Cunard upgrade? If so, what are the chances of upgrading. For example, if I book a Category A, do I an good to very good chance of being upgraded to a Princess Grill? How about if I book a Princess Grill...any chance we'd be upgraded to a Queen's Grill cabin? Any information is appreciated.

Eddie

Does Cunard upgrade?

The Cunard upgrade fairy is someone very unusual indeed, there is no set format or system in place for such things, and it does cause annoyance with some people. personally l have known a lady of some 42 cruises with Cunard and has never been upgrade, and yet 1st timer bookings have been upgraded.

While l do realise its not a god given right to be upgraded, Cunard do them selves no favours at present the way its done.

On my Med trip in 04 l met an american couple who booked in Mauretania grade and on checking in were upgraded to Grill class, and it was their 1st cruise.

However good luck and l hope the fairy does bless you with an upgrade!!

cheers

Myles

PS l have everything crossed in the hope that the fairy comes along and blesses me with an upgrade:rolleyes:

I am not really answering your question, sorry, but posting another observation that from all the reading I have done on these boards that it does not seem like any of the cruise lines have any reasoning or methods for granting upgrades, and I have also read on numerous occasions that a first time cruiser (not that I agree with this) could be more likely to receive any upgrade to get them "hooked" rather that the person mentioned above with 40 plus cruises- What we need is a reply or some insight from one of the people that work in the "revenue" department as that is whom I have been told assigns these magical upgrades- We also are hoping for a visit from the fairy for our December QM2 trip Good luck

We just returned from the QM2 westbound transatlantic crossing. I had meticulously chosen our cabin. I made sure there were cabins above us, below us and also that we are at least two cabins from the elevator. I wanted an in-hull balcony due to the inclement weather during the crossing. I chose cabin 5156. We arrive at Southampton on the day of our crossing. The woman checking us in at the terminal, informed us that we had been upgraded from a B2 category to an A1, which has a glass balcony. I asked if we could get our original cabin back and not be upgraded. The check-in woman said "no, that our cabin had already been given to someone else." So, I'm thinking what could be possibly wrong with our new cabin, 11095. We didn't realize the problem until 6:30 a.m. the next morning. Our cabin was below the shuffleboard area, the "virtual golf" simulator and the Pavillion Pool. Joggers liked to jog over our heads. We would sit straight up in bed as the "herds of elephants went over our room." The ship was full and there was no way we could change cabins.

I can only speak for the QE2 upgrade fairy.We have been so lucky in our travels.The fairy has visited us a few times and has been so very welcolme.We have had a few problems ,but have been so far treated very well.I cant think of a better way of traveling this wonderfull world of ours.!!!!

p.s Been in M4 and it was o.k.But still looking forward to the 16 th October.!!!!

KATHIE :)

Yet 1st timer bookings have been upgraded.

I have only ever once officially been upgraded and that was on my first time aboard - albeit from a Mauretania inside to a Mauretania outside.

:mad: My first time on QE2 I was "up-graded" from an outside cabin to a "larger" inside. I was not able to see the original cabin as it was in use. Since then I have booked inside .......... no boosts. On TransAtlantic a cabin is not really needed.

We're about to book a 4 night Canada cruise for next August 31, 2007. I know Princess often upgrades, even with a full ship. Does Cunard upgrade? If so, what are the chances of upgrading. For example, if I book a Category A, do I an good to very good chance of being upgraded to a Princess Grill? How about if I book a Princess Grill...any chance we'd be upgraded to a Queen's Grill cabin? Any information is appreciated.

 

Eddie

there is no rhyme or reason to upgrading but i am one of those that believe first time cruisers get upgraded more often then others> thats exactly what happened to us we upgraded to the grill cat on our first cunard cruise and now we are spoiled> as i mentioned on another thread I do believe you have an excellent chance of being upgraded from A to grill cat and i also believe if you booked a p-3 you would be upgrade to a p-2 or p-1 which the only difference im told is the location of the cabin not the size of the cabin. Go enjoy its a beautifull ship no matter which cabin you are in!! bon voyage

While again not a certain thing (I was not upgraded so cannot confirm) is that they tend to upgrade within the 'class' that you were originally booked. For example, within Princess Grill accomodations, you would be accomodated in better PG cabin. They would NOT move you to a Queen Grill accomodation.

My Q5 suite stayed a Q5 . tho the ship was full.

I would never count on an upgrade.

I was upgraded on QE2 once from a Caronia C-3 to Princess P-1; another time I went from Princess P-1 to Queens Grill Q-3. I am booked in a Caronia CA single for the full world cruise and not expecting an upgrade, especially given how booked the ship seems to be.

I never think of being "upgraded" I book what I think will be nice for us and thats it. Why worry about upgrades? - relax and enjoy the wonderful cruise or TA that you have booked.

Doesn't the chance of being upgraded depend on whether you are booked on a guarantee basis rather than an assigned cabin? I have no experience of this but was told by my TA that on a guarantee you are guaranteed that grade of cabin as a minimum but in return for not knowing exactly which cabin you'll get you might be upgraded. Or have I missed something? (probably!)

Doesn't the chance of being upgraded depend on whether you are booked on a guarantee basis rather than an assigned cabin? I have no experience of this but was told by my TA that on a guarantee you are guaranteed that grade of cabin as a minimum but in return for not knowing exactly which cabin you'll get you might be upgraded. Or have I missed something? (probably!)

I can't really add much to the thread. We were upgraded last year from an obstructed balcony to the Princess Grill purely as a result of it being our honeymoon. The upgrade for us was done at the time of booking. We chose or "B" room and then got a receipted invoice from Cunard naming room 10008 with a message along the lines of "Please enjoy this complimentary upgrade courtesy of Cunard".

I've read from others that they've been upgraded 'at the gate' so to speak but I'm not aware that how you book has any influence on the possibility of an upgrade.

Sadly my 100% upgrade record will shortly diminish to a 50% one ... but I still can't moan, loved the room I was in last time and at the end of the day you room is little more than cupboards and a bed, it's the rest of the ship that is the great attraction!

Doesn't the chance of being upgraded depend on whether you are booked on a guarantee basis rather than an assigned cabin? I have no experience of this but was told by my TA that on a guarantee you are guaranteed that grade of cabin as a minimum but in return for not knowing exactly which cabin you'll get you might be upgraded. Or have I missed something? (probably!)

i have had both .....room # assigned and a week before we depart we were up gradeded and i have been gty and got exactly what we paid for ?????

For what my experience is worth, I am taking my first Cunard crossing on the QM2 WB TA on 24 September. I was advised by my "cruise broker" (I used an internet outfit that regularly reminds you they are a broker not a Travel Agency) that almost everyone gets an upgrade if you book a guaranty. So, we booked an A2 guaranty. I called Cunard about 3 months ago (just after final payment was due) to inquire when we would be assigned a cabin and was told it could be anytime but prepare to be surprised as guaranty bookings generally get upgrades.

Boy, was I surprised when about 6 weeks before the sail date we were assigned an A2 cabin. I wasn't thrilled with the cabin because it was one which could be opened to the adjacent cabin. The cruise broker was able to get us a different cabin.

The long and short of it is that I will not book a guaranty again (I did the same thing on HAL last year and received no upgrade). I've learned my lesson.

Having booked a mini cruise departing Oct 28th for 2 nights and always being told book early and save by Cunard its comforting to know that the same cruise is now being offered in my single grade for £157 LESS than l paid, and thats only for a 2 day trip, Now surely the powers of be that work in Cunard must realise that this does cause annoyance.

Does this put me off cruising with Cunard NO, but it would be nice to be aware that my loyality is appreciated...

To quote from a friends recent email

Cunard... Book early and be shafted!!!

cheers

Myles

I sailed on the QM2 last year out of NYC for 8 nights to the carribbean.

We have booked an inside gty and when we got to the pier we were upgraded to a balcony hull cabin. IT WAS BEAUTIFUL. We could not believe that we went from an inside cabin to a balcony

We are now hooked on the QM2. It was our 2nd time on Cunard.

Dave from NJ

The long and short of it is that I will not book a guaranty again

We booked a Princess Grill Guarantee in May. About two weeks before we went we found that we'd got P1 cabins - far nicer than the P2's we'd paid for at Christmas. I don't count a guarantee cabin as an upgrade - it's just stating the minimum level you'd be satisfied with.

I think you have the same chance of being hit by lightning as being upgraded. I don't believe there are really any theories behind how they are assigned other than number of bookings in certain grades and just overall number of bookings on a particular sailing. A seasoned World Club member has about the same chances as a novice although we love to believe that novices are given better treatment with such regards. Although, has anyone really tried to bribe someone at the check in desk? (Hey, only kidding!!!!!)

Its not something I would ever book a cruise with the intention that you book the minimum you can stand and hope for something better. Far from a experienced cruiser but have not yet been upgraded and always got the cabin I booked. Malcolm is right in that you book a guarantee knowing its the minimum you are going to get. If its not to your liking then don't book it.

Glad for those who to date have received upgrades and enjoyed them. I wouldn't necessarily say no to one either. It may or may not happen to me some day. I am okay with my booking in a Caronia closet on the QE2 next year (oh, the other half is just blissfully unaware of the square footage especially in light of our bigger balcony cabin in December on the QM2) but if the upgrade fairy wants to sprinkle her magic on that sailing I'd let her. I'm just thankful there is no downgrade fairy - a chance to sleep in the crew's quarters? Now, that may be interesting if not cramped!

David

I'm just thankful there is no downgrade fairy - a chance to sleep in the crew's quarters? Now, that may be interesting if not cramped!

Who cares about cramped? I'm all for interesting:D How do I bribe that Downgrade Fairy?:D