HiCCCs

So far so good!!! It was a sunny and spectacular Sydney sail-away.....but it's grey and feels like early winter (back home) here in Melbourne!!! Received my email notice last night that my upgrade bid didn't win! So glad....I'm happy not to pack up and have to move.

Received my email this AM that segment 1 (today is sail away out of Sydney) of this B2B did not win an upgrade. I thought about canceling my bid for segment 2 but I’ve decided to let it roll. Not expecting that to win either, but who knows. All that matters is, I’m going on a cruise!!! Toot-toot!!!

Smart decisions. It's the difference of a loveseat in the room and maybe a few extra inches of the balcony. I'm 30-hours away from dropping off my luggage and getting to Alfredo's for lunch!!!! Still no email.....time to get packing!!!

Congrats on the Discovery upgrade! I swear.....once you've gone mini-suite you never want to go back. I'll see how I feel after my upcoming cabin experience aboard the Grand Princess. So spoiled....any cabin is fine since I'm going on a cruise!!! Yahoo!!!

I received this email in the middle of the night (here in Australia): Your Princess® vacation is only a few days away! We've recently improved our OceanReady® process. Green Lane means you've completed your travel checklist and had your Medallion® wearable device delivered to your home. Blue Lane means you might have some required items left to complete in your travel checklist, or you'll be picking up your Medallion wearable device at the port. Please check the home screen of your Princess MedallionClass® app for your lane assignment. As always, our Accessibility Lane will be available for guests with mobility limitations or other accessibility needs. This is a dedicated lane for streamlined support and will be marked by signage. Now you no longer need to select an arrival group - Please refer to your OceanReady® Pass on your mobile device to see what time check-in will open and close. FYI.....the app says my check-in is between 1PM-3PM. I never check in that late. Sure hoping I can drop off my luggage at the port earlier than that. Another interesting thing is that after the voyage disappeared from the app just a day ago and then it reappeared, it went from specifying the deck and the cabin reflecting the reserved deck and cabin. Now, both the deck and the cabin say "pending". Someone has said that's because of the pending upgrade bid. But the status changed on the app from pending...then to the specific deck and cabin of the original reservation...and now it's back to pending status again. Who knows.......Lady Luck smile on me!!!

I received this email in the middle of the night (here in Australia): Your Princess® vacation is only a few days away! We've recently improved our OceanReady® process. Green Lane means you've completed your travel checklist and had your Medallion® wearable device delivered to your home. Blue Lane means you might have some required items left to complete in your travel checklist, or you'll be picking up your Medallion wearable device at the port. Please check the home screen of your Princess MedallionClass® app for your lane assignment. As always, our Accessibility Lane will be available for guests with mobility limitations or other accessibility needs. This is a dedicated lane for streamlined support and will be marked by signage. Now you no longer need to select an arrival group - Please refer to your OceanReady® Pass on your mobile device to see what time check-in will open and close. FYI.....the app says my check-in is between 1PM-3PM. I never check in that late. Sure hoping I can drop off my luggage at the port earlier than that. Another interesting thing is that after the voyage disappeared from the app just a day ago and then it reappeared, it went from specifying the deck and the cabin reflecting the reservation and now both the deck and the cabin say "pending". Someone said that's because I have an upgrade bid pending. But the status changed from pending to the deck and cabin of the reservation...and now it's back to pending again. Who knows.......

Congrats on your upgrade!!! You're a winner!!! I am three days away from embarkation...still no email. I'm not getting my hopes up.

Same thing happened to me. But all is back on and up and running again .... at least for now!

You hit the jackpot! Especially that far out and for such a low bid!

Yup.....everything has been erased from the app. I wonder if they have upgraded the app? A major change to deactivate its functionality until we're on board???

WOW!!! WOW!!! WOW!! Thanks, very much, wallyj. You have a wealth of information. Can we be best friends?? I have never heard of this special on board promo and, quite frankly, I haven't really bothered the Future cruise folks in the past until most recently going through the Panama Canal and decided to chat them up. Well, they certainly were a big help - more so than my Cruise Planner who I often have to hound to get help on issues. They were able to get reduced fairs on two of my future cruises, secured a more preferred cabin on an upcoming sailing aboard the new Sun Princess, and they found some additional OBC to put in my pocket. Needless to say, a special "Thank You" card with a little "green" treat was delivered to him before the Panama sailing ended. It's sad to hear they might be ending this on board promo you've mentioned. Seems to me a good way to reward folks who are already on board and wanting to sail again...and again. Maybe Princess will change their mind....but if they've gone from 5 pages of special deals on select sailings down to only 2 pages it doesn't sound like it. I heard about the change in the future cruise deposit from a 2-year shelf-life down to 1-year. Again, thanks so very much, wallyj, for all of your tips and tricks. I will be certain to plan to meet with the Future cruise department sooner rather than later on the first leg of my B2B.

I hope I don't get an email confirming my winning my bid on the cabin upgrade AFTER the cruise is over!!! 🤣

Dear wallyj..... Thank you for all of this information. Sorry that I wasn't clearer in my query that I will be crossing the 15 cruise segments upon completing the first leg of the B2B...and jump in line as Elite status as I begin the second leg of the B2B. Without being overly obnoxious ("Who? Me?") I won't make too much of a fuss about it but will check in with Future Cruises as I have a few things to clean up or discuss on current scheduled cruises and want to purchase Future Cruise Deposits. I'm really starting to itch for this B2B in less than 6 days!!! YAHOO!!! Sail away, sail away, sail away!

Thanks for that recommendation to swing by Captains Circle desk to confirm their records. I'm looking forward to the perks and privileges finally arriving at Elite.

I am going to try!!! Just to see what they say and do. There are some nice wines here in Australia that I doubt will be onboard for this Sea-cation from Sydney to Melbourne to Adelaide/Kangaroo Island and back to Melbourne. It's nice to have a bottle of wine in the cabin so as not to have to run to the nearest bar. It wasn't that long ago it was only $15 for the xtra bottle. COVID has cranked up the fees on everything!

Yes....I suspected as much. Nonetheless, it's a bit stingy since solo cruisers are paying "as if" there were another person in the room. I wonder if they cut the suite and Elite complimentary mini-bar in half for solo travelers??? I'll be turning Elite on the second leg of a B2B and will see if they set up my cabin on that second leg with a complimentary mini-bar. I certainly plan to let the cabin steward know I'm turning Elite on the second leg!

Does anyone know ... if you're traveling solo can you bring two bottles of wine on board without having to pay the fee since I had to pay double for the room?

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

Hi friends!!!! One week until sail away.....and today, my Princess app popped up a new screen when I opened the booking and it has one of those scan code things and it says my deck is "pending" and it says my cabin is "pending". However, I haven't received an email saying my bid has been accepted or rejected. I think this is the same issue reported earlier by "I object 2" .... and they didn't get the upgrade. I'm guessing that I'm not getting it either. But that's fine. I have a nice balcony room with which I will be very satisfied as a solo ..... and I won't have to pack up and change rooms since I'm doing a B2B. AND I'M GOING ON A CRUISE!!!! Oh, did I forget to mention, I'M GOING ON A CRUISE!!!!

That's an interesting observation. Two weeks back I had gone in and "played around" with the bids on my B2B and saw that I had to increase the bid because the original bid wasn't available. But then I thought maybe it's a promotion gimmick.....I didn't cancel my original bid...I just attempted to modify it...and the only way to modify it was to increase the bid. I wonder what would happen if I cancelled the bid and then tried to bid again. Would it drop back down and be able to make the lower/original bid. Does that make sense? Anyone have experience with that?

That's right!! Traveling solo gets you double the rewards...but also double the price for the perks. I found it reasonable on my B2B (less than $350 total) to try upgrading from a balcony to a mini-suite. I'm hoping I'll win....but so far no news with 16 days from sailing.

I Right....I think there is misunderstanding. On the "Upgrade" page it shows pending. But on my Princess Medallion app it has my original Cabin Number assigned--it doesn't say pending on the Princess app. But I sure do wish it did!!!

Congratulations on winning the upgrade! I wonder if you're still in the race for the first segment of your B2B and possibly find out at the last minute that you are upgraded (or not). The further advance notice anyone gets on their upgrade, the greater chance of calling Princess to see if there is another stateroom within the same category at a different location if a different location is preferred. And with respect to a B2B..if it's possible to get the same cabin and not have to change rooms. Still, changing rooms is a small price to pay for the upgrade-especially from a balcony to a mini-suite! Again, congratulations! I bet you're counting the days!

Based on my recent experience, and it's a B2B sailing....for the first segment (2-days), the price difference between deluxe balcony and mini-suite / reserve collection mini-suite had I gone with the Guaranteed Reservation was $60, and $100, respectively. I've posted a $20, and a $40 bid on a mini suite and the reserve collection mini-suite, respectively. For the second segment (5-days), the price difference between a deluxe balcony and a Guaranteed Reservation on a mini-suite / reserve collection mini-suite was significantly more.....$1,000 more for a mini-suite and $1200 more for a reserve collection mini-suite. I've posted a $75, and a $140 bid on mini-suite and the reserve collection mini-suite, respectively. For me, I am happy with the deluxe balcony and didn't want to pay that much extra for a Guaranteed Reservation at the time I booked-especially on such a short cruise. I have placed my bid and will take my chances to get an upgrade at a steal-of-a-deal price....I hope!!!

If money is no object, I would say that nothing is served. If, however, you like to gamble and are interested in possibly getting a higher category stateroom along with the associated perks but without having to pay the full price, much is served....and gained if your bid wins! Keeping my fingers crossed that I'll get a favorable email and not a "Dear John" letter.