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Does RCCL often offer free balcony upgrades?

Millenia98
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leaveitallbehind

leaveitallbehind

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Balcony discounts are offered for RCI's higher tier Crown & Anchor loyalty members. Although not a free balcony, I guess this would be similar to what you refer to receiving as an NCL repeater.

 

Occasionally they will run promotions or special itinerary pricing where balcony rooms will be priced the same as ocean view rooms.

Edited by leaveitallbehind
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bouhunter

bouhunter

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HaaaaaHaaaaaHeeeeeeeHeeeeee!!!!!!! Sorry I couldn't help myself.:D Don't count on any "free upgrades". Best you can hope for is that their website works when you need it..... :)

 

All kidding aside, we love RCCL and have cruised them nine years in a row. But don't expect any upgrades they are VERY rare.

Edited by bouhunter
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Daghis

Daghis

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Royal Caribbean has offered some free-upgrade promotions recently including inside-to-outside and outside-to-balcony.

 

However, right before the promotion started, the pricing for the lower categories increased to their higher counterparts. For example, on a sailing that included free outside-to-balcony upgrades, when the promotion started, the price of the outside cabins increased to the price of the balcony cabins. Thus, it really wasn't a free upgrade.

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leaveitallbehind

leaveitallbehind

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I have seen cases where the balconey ,which gets the D+ balconey discount, becomes less than an ocean view stateroom, which does not get the discount.

 

Balcony discounts for C & A members begin at Platinum and increase in value with each tier to a maximum at D+ / Pinnacle, and applies to all balcony staterooms.

Edited by leaveitallbehind
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rubrrick

rubrrick

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I’m usually an NCL repeater and they always do. I just wanted to hold off in case this is something that RCCL does.

 

 

From the number of cruises in your signature block, on NCL, I can understand why you would be so familiar with their product and programs.

 

I see several lines that quite often offer a "free" upgrade to the next category, on promotions.

 

Unfortunately, Royal Caribbean does not have a program that will put you in a higher category than the category you booked. One scenario is to book a balcony guarantee, and you might get bumped to a better balcony......it's just a roll of the dice.

 

Most book the category and cabin they want, as there is very little, but some upgrading on Royal Caribbean. When I say some......it's a very small amount.

 

Hope you get what you want.:)

 

Rick

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Eng23

Eng23

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I’m usually an NCL repeater and they always do. I just wanted to hold off in case this is something that RCCL does.

I've never seen it done......They will definitely let you pay to upgrade though....:D

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sunsetbeachgal

sunsetbeachgal

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If you have your heart set on a balcony, then suggest you book it. Shop around, usually the Incentives such as free prepaid gratuities and on board credit (wow sale) are better for balconies, narrowing the price differential between Outside cabins.

Edited by sunsetbeachgal
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Reijo

Reijo

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On our Allure cruise last week, we had booked a partially obstructed ocean view stateroom about three weeks out. We were notified by our TA a week before sailing that we had be offered an upgrade (first ever) by RCCL to a balcony for $150 per person more. It sounded like a good deal, especially for Allure. It wasn't free though! Apparently they must have had a lot of empty staterooms BUT we had 6,200 passengers sailing so they all must have booked at the very last minute!

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looking4info

looking4info

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no such thing as free.

 

at best you book a balcony guarantee and maybe end up with the highest category of one or if the gods are really nice, a Junior Suite.

 

Care to explain? While it is not something they "always do" it does happen. On more than one occassion we have booked a balcony cabin and have been upgraded prior to sailing to a JS at no additional cost. On more than one occassion we have booked a JS and have been upgraded to a GS at no additional cost. Explain how this is not a free upgrade. Thanks.

Edited by looking4info
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spookwife

spookwife

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Care to explain? While it is not something they "always do" it does happen. On more than one occassion we have booked a balcony cabin and have been upgraded prior to sailing to a JS at no additional cost. On more than one occassion we have booked a JS and have been upgraded to a GS at no additional cost. Explain how this is not a free upgrade. Thanks.

 

are you a frequent cruiser/C&A member? have you checked the box that says upgrade me?

 

any of those "pay for a OV get a balcony" deals are NOT a deal. they UP the price on the OV to equal the cost of a balcony ( and also increase the price of a balcony so you think you are getting a discount).

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chadbeck

chadbeck

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are you a frequent cruiser/C&A member? have you checked the box that says upgrade me?

 

any of those "pay for a OV get a balcony" deals are NOT a deal. they UP the price on the OV to equal the cost of a balcony ( and also increase the price of a balcony so you think you are getting a discount).

 

I have been upgraded free many times and have also done the sales with a upgrade to a higher cat. for no additional cost. The price was increased on that cruise anyway. Maybe yours was booking faster. The less rooms available will increase the cost.

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looking4info

looking4info

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are you a frequent cruiser/C&A member? have you checked the box that says upgrade me?

 

\/ These are two different things and have nothing to do with each other /\

 

any of those "pay for a OV get a balcony" deals are NOT a deal. they UP the price on the OV to equal the cost of a balcony ( and also increase the price of a balcony so you think you are getting a discount).

 

The question was not about the "pay for a OV get a balcony" deals it was whether or not RCI offers free upgrades you clearly stated "no such thing as free" which is not accurate. As stated by myself and several others RCI does in fact offer upgrades at no cost thus making them FREE

Edited by looking4info
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Millenia98

Millenia98

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On our Allure cruise last week, we had booked a partially obstructed ocean view stateroom about three weeks out. We were notified by our TA a week before sailing that we had be offered an upgrade (first ever) by RCCL to a balcony for $150 per person more. It sounded like a good deal, especially for Allure. It wasn't free though! Apparently they must have had a lot of empty staterooms BUT we had 6,200 passengers sailing so they all must have booked at the very last minute!

huh. That's cool, but I'm def. referring to a booking incentive type of upgrade. NCL often offers balconies for the price of booking an oceanview room. Or an oceanview upgrade for the price of an inside cabin.

I was referring to that kind of special.

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Millenia98

Millenia98

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The question was not about the "pay for a OV get a balcony" deals it was whether or not RCI offers free upgrades you clearly stated "no such thing as free" which is not accurate. As stated by myself and several others RCI does in fact offer upgrades at no cost thus making them FREE

Good to know! I should have worded better but couldn't think of exact wording at the time.

 

I meant pay for an OV and get a balcony - that type of scenario. To me, that's a free upgrade but maybe it's the company's way of playing with your mind or something.

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katydyd

katydyd

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I've been upgraded from an interior to a balcony twice, and from an interior to an oceanview once.

 

However, when they offer the "free category upgrade" sales, they, typically, have increased the cost of the lower category cabin to what the higher category cabin was before the sale started.

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