Does the "upgrade fairy" discriminate?

[davaller]

We have been lucky our first cruise on the original Sitmar Fairsky we had a four berth with out a bathroom and when we boarded with our 4and 6 year olds got one with a bathroom each we sailed on the fairstar 5 times and got upgraded each time our first Princess cruise Fair princess from an inside 2 berth to a outside twin bed and on the Sun princess twice from and inside to a deluxe outside and the other time to a balcony on Riviara

 

There is no rhyme or reason to who gets what or when it just happens it is a nice surprise when it happens at checkin of course there are many times it does not happen

 

David and Maureen

[Astro Flyer]

Just wondering if anyone has ever had an upgrade from an inside cabin? How high up did you go? Also, I have noticed that most people who get upgraded have been on numerous cruises before. Is there any chance for newbies with one cruise under our belts and not enough money to pay for a balconey. Don't worry, I'm happy with the room we have just like to dream!

My wife can be prone to motion sickness so we book mid-ship cabins on lower decks. Sometimes we won't gamble (particularly on ocean crossings) & stick with our booked cabin. An "upgrade" could be in name only & if location isn't an issue, then guess you can hope for an upgraded cabin. The "upgrade" may merely be to a higher deck & fore or aft which doesn't help my wife. We did get a nice upgrade once from an obstructed o/v "E" category cabin to a mid-ship BA balcony cabin. :D

[Richie2pies]

Upgrades are for those who fantasize going from an inside to a balcony. I would rather book the cabin I want rather than to hope for something that will only happen once in a blue moon. I'll bet those who hope for an upgrade are the same people who play the lottery regularly.

[Cruisin' Chick]

We were offered an upgrade from an inside to a balcony for our first Princess cruise, but through a moveover offer. We didn't want to wait a few weeks, so we didn't take the offer.

[runnerodb83]

We are in a JJ inside guarantee on the island princess 4 day repo this may and hoping for an upgrade as it seem like our category is waitlisted and the cruise seems to be rather popular. For those ships, any upgrade is fine as the OV rooms are all midship. We are an ocean view obstructed on a Star Princess Cape Horn cruise and i made sure we selected the cabin with a medocre view and declined any upgrade, going from a decent view (E219) to a porthole at the front of the ship i dont think should be considered an upgrade in all honesty!

[SiBreeze]

I think they tend to upgrade on the first cruise luring you into thinking it will happen every time. That was my experience. After getting some bummer cabins in the guarantee pool I only cruise if I can pick my own cabin then mark it no upgrade, even if it is an inside. ;)

[whale-watcher]

We have always cruised with family and like adjacent cabins, so always mark no upgrades for our cabins. I am very picky about cabin location so not sure we would take a chance even it were just DW and I.

[Posaune]

On our second cruise we were upgraded from a J Inside to a BA Balcony. We will probably never have that kind of luck again!

[Katie333]

If anything the upgrade fairy seems to be biased against repeat cruisers! Maybe she knows that once you're hooked, you're hooked. :D

 

In reality, I think there is truly no logic, but I'd love to get some sort of official policy from Princess.

 

We've received one cabin to cabin upgrade (higher category) in 7 sailings and that's it. In fairness, more often than not, we mark do not upgrade. We choose our cabin very intentionally and have only booked a guarantee once and that was the time we got the 'upgrade'.

 

We are booked in an AD mini suite on our next two cruises. Technically, an AC would be an upgrade but we would be steaming mad for this upgrade as the covered mini is the best choice for us. Dutifully both cruises marked do not upgrade.

[recyclelady]

We have been on six Princess cruises. We have always picked our exact cabin, but have never enacted the "Do not upgrade" option.

 

We have been upgraded twice. Once from an interior cabin to an OV. And once from an obstructed OV to a Caribe balcony. The second upgrade we did not learn of until we got to the pier!

 

I think it is all luck of the draw!

[iancal]

We have never had a real upgrade on any cruise line that we have been on. But we are always optimistic that it will happen.

 

Sure, we have often been 'supposedly' upgraded from a BB to a BB but nothing like being upgraded from an oceanview to a balcony to a mini to a suite. We keep hoping. Having said that, we have enjoyed many, many price reductions between time of booking and final payment. In some of those situations we could have remained at the same price point and realized a true upgrade but our preference was to take the cash and spend it elsewhere or on another trip!

[scmexico]

On our New England Cruise last September we booked the lowest inside guaranty class of cabin. I kept my fingers crossed waiting for an upgrade before the cruise and it never happened. When we arrived at the dock for boarding I was pleasantly surprised with an upgrade to a window cabin on Plaza deck just a short walk to the IC. It was one of the best cabins we have ever had. The location was absolutely wonderful.

[don24]

recently off crown.i didnt get an upgrade but couple i was with did .inside to balcony on first princess cruise .

[TERESAh]

Just wondering if anyone has ever had an upgrade from an inside cabin? How high up did you go? Also, I have noticed that most people who get upgraded have been on numerous cruises before. Is there any chance for newbies with one cruise under our belts and not enough money to pay for a balconey. Don't worry, I'm happy with the room we have just like to dream!

 

We've been upgraded several times---usually 4-5 upgrades but never from an inside to outside or better--just better location on the ship. On our cruise coming up we were upgraded one level, but I just realized its right above the Wheelhouse Bar so I figure someone didnt want that cabin and may be a problem We are just down the hall about 12 cabins from our original room. So, yes not all upgrades are for the better.

[small talk]

Just wondering if anyone has ever had an upgrade from an inside cabin? How high up did you go? Also, I have noticed that most people who get upgraded have been on numerous cruises before. Is there any chance for newbies with one cruise under our belts and not enough money to pay for a balconey. Don't worry, I'm happy with the room we have just like to dream!

 

 

We were upgraded on our second cruise (my husband's fourth as he had been on two cruises before meeting me!) from an inside on Plaza deck to and outside on Emerald deck. The reason being is because six months after booking our cruise we realised the price had dropped by about £250 per person. Our travel agent told us Princess were one of few cruise lines who did not price match. Furious, we wrote two letters of complaint (the second being about their non-reply) and we were sent an apology and an upgrade to 'keep us sweet'. It worked! We didn't expect an upgrade, just an apology or maybe a voucher off our next cruise.

 

It didn't alter our feelings towards them. We still think of them as a brilliant cruise line. So much in fact, we won't sail with anyone else!;)

[small talk]

Oh and booked to go on Caribbean Princess on April 17th just five weeks ago. We paid for a guaranteed K cabin and got a JJ cabin on Aloha Deck instead.

We don't hope - it just happens and we end up liking it!:D

[KEG306]

On our first cruise with Princess we were upgraded from outside obstructed to Balcony. We booked fairly late, November for a February sailing. Only reason our TA could figure for the upgrade was we had requested linked cabins as our daughters were traveling with us in their own cabin. TA thought this was maybe the only way they could give us side by side cabins at this late date.

The location we got moved to was on an upper deck and fairly far forward, so probably not the best location, but it was a balcony and we enjoyed it, so the upgrade fairy definitely did a good job.

[keylimepie]

Last summer we booked a mini-suite Dolphin Deck on the Emerald last minute...about 3 weeks from sailing. A week before we left, on my birthday no less, we were upgraded to the St. Thomas Suite! It was our third Princess cruise but I still had no idea what VS meant when I read the email. Then I pulled up the deck plan and was floored. :eek:

My only guess was that perhaps we were one of the last to book in that mini category and paid the highest price, plus there were three of us. I don't know, but we were thrilled and now unfortunately spoiled rotten!

Good luck OP, you just never know! I hope it happens for you!

[sunshine100]

where do you mark "no upgrade"? is it on the princess website somewhere?

[Toto2Kansas]

[quote name='sunshine100']where do you mark "no upgrade"? is it on the princess website somewhere?[/quote]
You have to contact Princess if you booked direct, or your TA if you booked with one. You can not go back in and mark the 'no upgrade' yourself.

[nwwinelady]

[B][FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=blue]On our first Princess cruise, we had booked an inside cabin and were "upgraded" to another inside cabin an a deck higher at the VERY FRONT OF THE SHIP. This was good in that I love the movement of the ship in 12 foot swells; but not so good because our room was taking in the varnish fumes from maintenance work. I was barely beginning to recover from a horrible illness and we had to keep complaining about the fumes. After 2-3 days, they finally stopped the maintenance work and sent chocolate covered strawberries to us. The ship was totally booked so we could not move to another room.:confused:[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/B]

[runnerodb83]

[quote name='nwwinelady'][B][FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=blue]On our first Princess cruise, we had booked an inside cabin and were "upgraded" to another inside cabin an a deck higher at the VERY FRONT OF THE SHIP. This was good in that I love the movement of the ship in 12 foot swells; but not so good because our room was taking in the varnish fumes from maintenance work. I was barely beginning to recover from a horrible illness and we had to keep complaining about the fumes. After 2-3 days, they finally stopped the maintenance work and sent chocolate covered strawberries to us. The ship was totally booked so we could not move to another room.:confused:[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/B][/QUOTE]

You are fortunate that you enjoy the swells! While I enjoy movement to remind me that its a unique experience, 12' swells in a forward room would not be enjoyable. Then again, I recently talked to someone who explained that the best way to combat seasickness is to east some greasier food and drink heavier beverages (milk, wine, beer) as they dont tend to "slosh" in your stomach thus giving you the stomach issues. As far as the little "Balances" in your ears, i think thats just getting used to it or dramamine/meclizine.

[seacat65]

Dang!....looks like I may have to switch "cruise lines" and go with Princess.

Have only been upgraded once with current cruise line and do not foresee any upgrades in the near future. A lot of their policies have changed lately and I believe upgrading fairy is one of them.....:mad:

Congratulations to all of you who have been lucky enough to get upgraded and for the first time at that!...;)

[JanetAlice]

[quote name='seacat65']Dang!....looks like I may have to switch "cruise lines" and go with Princess.

Have only been upgraded once with current cruise line and do not foresee any upgrades in the near future. A lot of their policies have changed lately and I believe upgrading fairy is one of them.....:mad:

Congratulations to all of you who have been lucky enough to get upgraded and for the first time at that!...;)[/quote]

We will be on our sixth Princess Cruise this summer and have never been upgraded. This is probably because we always book a balcony. We wouldn't mind a min-suite upgrade however.

[p_toasty]

We are cruising on the Dawn in 51 days AND it is our honeymoony so we have our fingers crossed the upgrade fairy will visit, as we are currently in an inside cabin....:confused: