Watch out for those upgrades!

[Bugslyboo.com]

We are booked on the Star within the next couple of months to Hawaii. We booked a balcony cabin (Category BF) on Lido deck - a cabin category we know very well. We booked one forward of the stairs/elevators to ensure maximum quietness. When we booked we made sure to tell the online TA that we wanted that specific cabin.

 

Checked cruise personalizer last weekend only to discover that they had moved us to a cabin right near the entrance from the pool area, i.e., aft of the elevators/stairs (look at the lido deck plan on Star and you'll see what I mean). These cabins are category BC and other than being a few yards closer to mid-ship, there is no difference to the BF cabins.

 

I called the online TA and they recognized the problem. Princess had advised the TA of the upgrade and gave them 48 hours to react...which they didn't. They dropped the ball. Well, anyway - after long periods of being on hold while the TA and then the TA's supervisor called Princess, we were assured that, despite the cruise being wait list only, we would get our old cabin back. Checking last night, we were successfully downgraded to our old cabin!

 

All ended well, and nobody got loud or nasty. I commend the TA for admitting their mistake and making things right.

 

Moral of the story: Keep an eye on the personalizer and your cabin number. Some category upgrades may not be upgrades that you want!!

[chrysalis]

Thanks....there have been a few cases like this recently.

 

Good lesson for all of us.

[f-mattox]

That was a wise move, not taking the upgrade. I recently booked the first cabin in from the pool area on Lido deck on Golden Princess--BIG MISTAKE! Not only because of the boom boom boom from the live band outside, the noise from MUTS, the constant foot traffic past our door, but every time the door to the outside was opened, it slammed shut. We kept propping it open but apparently somebody wanted it closed. Thank goodness it was only a 3 day cruise.

[Pam in CA]

Often, "upgrades" are only what Princess figures is an upgrade.

[AKman2495]

I was also upgraded from a room that specifically wanted. We were on the CB booked into a room on the Plaza deck and were upgraded to a room on Baja fort her forward.

 

I was not thrilled about it, but accepted it.

 

As it turned out, I think it was a once move. Our cruise has a lot of wind and what they called "moderate" seas. The ship was rocking and rolling quite a bit. When we were on the Plaza deck, the stabilizers were pretty loud. I imagine that sleeping ton the Plaza deck would have been a lot of fun. As it was , the Baja deck was a lot quieter.

[Bugslyboo.com]

That was a wise move, not taking the upgrade. I recently booked the first cabin in from the pool area on Lido deck on Golden Princess--BIG MISTAKE! Not only because of the boom boom boom from the live band outside, the noise from MUTS, the constant foot traffic past our door, but every time the door to the outside was opened, it slammed shut. We kept propping it open but apparently somebody wanted it closed. Thank goodness it was only a 3 day cruise.

 

Phew!! That was EXACTLY what I was worried about (they had assigned us to the first cabin in). Sorry to hear that you had to put up with that for 3 days. I couldn't even begin to imagine what our nerves would be like after 15 days...

Edited January 15, 2014 by Bugslyboo.com

[paul32]

Is there a mechanism to ensure one will not get upgraded (i.e, downgraded) to a different stateroom?

 

TIA

[Gunner22aa]

Yes there is a way. You either tell them or have your TA tell them to mark your reservation "No Upgrade"

 

As we only sail in aft suites we do this all the time so as not to get upgraded to a higher level of suite but on the side of the ship. TA called me today to say that a suite had opened up on a deck we prefer more than where we were. As it too was on the aft we jumped on it but Princess would not have moved me without my consent.

 

Is the system perfect, no. Some on here have been moved when their reservation was supposedly marked no upgrade.

[paul32]

Yes there is a way. You either tell them or have your TA tell them to mark your reservation "No Upgrade"

 

As we only sail in aft suites we do this all the time so as not to get upgraded to a higher level of suite but on the side of the ship. TA called me today to say that a suite had opened up on a deck we prefer more than where we were. As it too was on the aft we jumped on it but Princess would not have moved me without my consent.

 

Is the system perfect, no. Some on here have been moved when their reservation was supposedly marked no upgrade.

Thank you, Gunner! I will phone them today to mark my upcoming reservation as No Upgrade.

[DrSch]

My recommendation is to have your TA mark your reservations as upgrade to next type of cabin only.

 

Thus if I am in a Balcony, I know if I get an upgrade it is to a Mini or Suite.

[Cruisin' Chick]

So glad you were able to get your cabin back.

 

It seems that if Princess wants to move you, they will, a no upgrade booking or not. IMO, how it should work is, if you have indicated you want to keep your booked cabin, you should not be moved. But if they're interested in your cabin, they can offer you a cabin, but like moveover offers, it should only take if you say yes (just in case you don't mind the new location). You shouldn't have to hope that Princess passes on the offer to your TA and that your TA contacts you. With a moveover offer, you get some perks (partial or full refund, all expenses for switching flights taken care of, OBC, etc.) to switch the date of your cruise. But you don't get switched unless you agree to the moveover; it's not automatic. Unsolicited upgrades should work the same.