Got Upgrades?

[MosaicSun]

I've read other posts where people have stated that a lot of first time cruisers get upgraded if space allows. We booked our cruise several weeks ago and payed the additional $$ for an 'outside' room, but no balcony rooms were available when we booked.

How likely is it that we will be upgraded if RCI has already assigned us a room. I'm a little dissappointed that we are all the way down on Deck 3 :(. I hear it all the time that you are barely in your room, but I had hoped for something better than that.

[Fisherlady48]

I was upgraded on RCCL several years ago, from the bottom of the ship to a balcony on the day of sailing. I called the RCCL office in Miami and they worked majic..

 

It can happen, and I LOVE the balcony. I am waitlisted for it on my next cruise..

[madforcruising]

I've read other posts where people have stated that a lot of first time cruisers get upgraded if space allows. We booked our cruise several weeks ago and payed the additional $$ for an 'outside' room, but no balcony rooms were available when we booked.

 

How likely is it that we will be upgraded if RCI has already assigned us a room. I'm a little dissappointed that we are all the way down on Deck 3 :(. I hear it all the time that you are barely in your room, but I had hoped for something better than that.

 

I don´t say that it can´t happen but the chances to be upgraded are very very low. I wouldn´t set my heart to the idea of being upgraded. The golden rule is book the room you are happy with and pay for it. If you get upgraded take it as an additional nice perk.

 

I´m not sure as your post is not clearly about this. Have you booked an outside guarantee? And has your cabin now been assigned to one on deck three??

 

Of course if there are better cabin categories available you can always pay for a higher level room. If there are some available you might still be able at to do this at the pier. But here again there is no guarantee that anything is available at the pier. So I have to say again book upfront what you are happy with.

 

BTW I´ve been in rooms on deck 2 outside for several cruises and they are not really bad. OK once you are spoiled with a balcony it might be hard. But hey as long as you are on a cruise nothing can be really bad.

[Elexman]

How likely is it that we will be upgraded if RCI has already assigned us a room. I'm a little dissappointed that we are all the way down on Deck 3 :(. I hear it all the time that you are barely in your room, but I had hoped for something better than that.

 

 

I don't understand why so many folks are so "dissappointed" in getting exaclty what they paid for. It just seems to me that if it was important to have a better cabin location, than they would pay for it. Just book what you want, then there is no way that cabin location is disappointing.

[4merlurker]

How likely is it that we will be upgraded if RCI has already assigned us a room. I'm a little dissappointed that we are all the way down on Deck 3 :(. I hear it all the time that you are barely in your room, but I had hoped for something better than that.

 

 

I don't understand why so many folks are so "dissappointed" in getting exaclty what they paid for. It just seems to me that if it was important to have a better cabin location, than they would pay for it. Just book what you want, then there is no way that cabin location is disappointing.

 

Alot of us newbies don't know any better when we book. It's only after we are on these boards a while that we know all the "inside" info.

 

~Lurker

[over the edge]

4merlurker, I totally agree with you. I had my D1 on RCCL booked for my family of 4 before I found the wonderful informed people on this board. Once I started reading this wealth of information, I changed my cabin twice. We couldn't have been more pleased once we stepped foot on Voyager of the Seas and saw our staterooms!! We would have had 4 adult sized people in a D1. So happy after reading the info here that we switched to 2 cabins! Tks again to everyone. :)

[katiel53]

I have booked a few guarantees. Never again! The ones that we were upgraded to were the cabins at the very front of the ship and we could hear the anchor etc. We now book the cabin we want and are fine paying for what we want. When you book a guarantee, you might get what you pay for, or be upgraded to a higher level which is worse than what you paid for. Good luck and hopefully you won't get worse than what you paid for.

 

Katie

[MrsPete]

Consider: Most people book either an inside cabin (because they're going for the lowest price) or a balcony room (because they want the nicer room). On the other hand, few people book ocean view rooms -- they're just not the rooms that people say, "I've gotta have". The most typical free upgrade is an inside room to an ocean view. Think about it from the cruise line's point of view: They want to have plenty of "cheap rooms" available, and no one's buying the ocean view rooms. So they bump some people up to ocean view. The bump-ups are happy 'cause they're getting a nicer room, and the cruise line now can book more people at the lower price. They typically do not bump ocean view people up to balconies (because the balcony rooms sell themselves, and they don't have to give them away).

 

I think you have no chance of getting the balcony for free, but you're still not hopeless: When is the final bill due? 60 days out? I'd suggest you start calling every day at 70 days to see if someone's cancelled -- out of all the cabins on that ship, someone's not going to be able to pay the final bill. Keep calling past 60 days. Call the week before, too. Someone might suddenly have to work or might get sick; I wouldn't want to wish misfortune on anyone, but if that person isn't going to use the room, I'd try to grab it!

 

In the meantime, try to get yourself psyched up about just being on the ship -- with an ocean view room. Since the balconies were all booked, you know that changing rooms is a long shot, but you'll have a blast on the cruise with or without a private balcony.

[MosaicSun]

I don't understand why so many folks are so "dissappointed" in getting exaclty what they paid for. It just seems to me that if it was important to have a better cabin location, than they would pay for it. Just book what you want, then there is no way that cabin location is disappointing.

 

I DID book an outside guaruntee which the choices when I booked were: Inside, Outside, Balcony, or Suite, of which Balcony was not available. While I did not want to spend the extra $$ for a suite on my first cruise, I did want an outside room. IT IS MY FIRST CRUISE...get over your attitude.

Alot of us newbies don't know any better when we book. It's only after we are on these boards a while that we know all the "inside" info.

Thank you for posting this:) . I too only found these sites AFTER we decided to go on a cruise, somewhat last minute decision. We did not book a year in advance like some seasoned cruisers have and it is only after reading the posts that I have gotten some great tips of things to bring. Then you get the nasty,:mad: extremely rude individuals that feel it necessary to mock or ridicule every post that doesn't meet their passion for cruising. I HAVEN'T GONE ON MY CRUISE YET! I MIGHT LOVE DECK 3:p . Point being, I just wanted a nice view and I though from being so low on the ship you would have ocean spray across the window the whole time.

[Elexman]

I DID book an outside guaruntee which the choices when I booked were: Inside, Outside, Balcony, or Suite, of which Balcony was not available. While I did not want to spend the extra $$ for a suite on my first cruise, I did want an outside room. IT IS MY FIRST CRUISE...get over your attitude.

 

Geez...forgive me for simply posting another perspective. If you post something, there is bound to be more than just a "Mr. Rogers" perspective. But you did get the outside guarantee cabin, so why should there be disappointment? I'm sorry if having a different point of view means that I have an attitude. So please accept my apologies.

[Elexman]

MrsPete,

 

Great ideas for the OP, but they are only a week or so out right now for their cruise. But your advise is just as valid. It may be possible for the OP to try for the infamous "pier upgrades" if they are able to be at the port for embarkation early enough.

[beachchick]

Okay, here's the straight scoop (my experience and listening to others), RCI does NOT give free upgrades to "a lot" of cruisers, first timer or not. The new Diamond Plus C&A level members are the ones whom they are giving upgrades to when space allows--and it's well deserved because these cruisers have cruised with RCI 25 times or more (I think it's 25, but it could be 20). Anyway, "several years ago" has no meaning in today's cruising environment (this is not a flame, just a fact)--cruising has become so popular that (1) most ships are sailing full and (2) the cruise lines have no incentive to give away what they can sell.

 

Sometimes (though rarely) RCI will give a free upgrade, but other than Diamond Plus, there seems to be no rhyme nor reason to how they do it or who they choose. If space if available, you may be able to upgrade at the pier (for a price, but the cost is usually substantially less than if you had upgraded before the cruise). If you are willing to pay (and the cost is per cabin, not per person at the pier), check with the Pier Coordinator. And be sure to get to the pier early; pier upgrades tend to go fast.

 

Please understand, I am not judging you or your post. You are a newbie, you had a question. No problem there. I think though that there have been numerous first time cruisers lately where their first post (or close to it) is "so, when am I going to get an upgrade?" (or words to that effect). For those of us who've cruised many times with no free upgrades, it could be annoying--as if they expect that they deserve to be upgraded. This is NOT directed at the OP!

 

My advice to everyone is book the exact cabin you will be happy with, if you book a guarantee expect the worst cabin in that category group--then if you get that rare free upgrade or a fabulous guarantee location you will be pleasantly surprised (someone recently wrote in that their E1 guarantee assignment ended up being a coveted corner aft--you just never know).

 

And to new cruisers, don't listen to or expect things to be how they were many years ago--much has changed. Do go with a good attitude and have realistic expectations and you will be hooked on cruising for life.

 

beachchick

[Wighty]

I am in complete agreement with beachchick's comments on this issue - and well written I might add!

 

In my experience with RCI, I'v only been upgraded once (inside to oceanview) and was pleasantly surprised. I have never expected an upgrade, but if it happens...:D A win-win situation!

[Schplinky]

I don't understand why so many folks are so "dissappointed" in getting exaclty what they paid for. It just seems to me that if it was important to have a better cabin location, than they would pay for it. Just book what you want, then there is no way that cabin location is disappointing.

 

 

Because most people are essentially optimistic and hopeful people. It takes a board like this to drum it out of you! :D

[Marie51]

I have been on 19 cruises.......9 on RC....... and have never been upgraded. On the other hand my son booked an inside cabin on Carnival and was upgraded to a balcony cabin ( it was his first cruise on Carnival).

Basically you just can't tell. I say book a cabin you will be happy with.