Unwanted upgrade vent and question

[trbarton]

About a month ago I booked us on two cruises, one in October, the other in November. No, we're not taking them both, but when I booked I wasn't sure which one we could take based on a variety of reasons. So I booked/deposited them both!

 

On both voyages, we booked ME mini-suites on Emerald deck for the very reason so many others do (covered balconies) vs. non-covered minis on Dolphin deck.

 

Today, we decided to stick with the November voyage and cancel the one in October. As I was preparing to email the TA with instructions which one to cancel, which one to keep, etc, I looked up both booking on line on Princess website. To my surprise, our October sailing had been "upgraded" (downgraded IMO!) from ME on Emerald to MB on Dolphin. Thankfully, this is the voyage we are cancelling and our ME Emerald mini in November has remained untouched (so far). So in that email to the TA I told her to have Princess mark the November sailing as "do not upgrade" to keep my coveted ME on Emerald.

 

Lesson learned........

 

Have you though about having your reservation marked "Meta Upgrade"? This means that you are willing to except an upgrade to the next category like from Mini Suite to Suite. I have my reservations marked like this as I'm willing to except this type of upgrade.

 

Tom:)

[SoCal Cruiser78]

Have you though about having your reservation marked "Meta Upgrade"? This means that you are willing to except an upgrade to the next category like from Mini Suite to Suite. I have my reservations marked like this as I'm willing to except this type of upgrade.

 

Tom:)

 

That's what I have done. Just an FYI, if you book directly with Princess, not all phone reps know how to do this. I have had two tell me they didn't know how. A third one I spoke with said "no problem". So it pays to be persistent.

[caribill]

Forgot to state I never received any notification of cabin change, so I have no idea if it happened 10 hours or 10 days ago.

 

Since you used a TA, Princess should have notified the TA who then should have notified you about the upgrade.

 

Princess will only notify you if you were not using a TA.

[SoCal Cruiser78]

Since you used a TA, Princess should have notified the TA who then should have notified you about the upgrade.

 

Princess will only notify you if you were not using a TA.

 

Doesn't it also show up in your personalizer even if you use a TA?

[caribill]

Doesn't it also show up in your personalizer even if you use a TA?

 

Yes, and that is how many people first learn about it whether they used a TA or not.

 

That is how the poster first knew about it.

[SoCal Cruiser78]

Yes, and that is how many people first learn about it whether they used a TA or not.

 

That is how the poster first knew about it.

 

Thanks. I see it now--I had misread that part. Glad it worked out okay for the poster!

Edited July 9, 2014 by Ryndam2002

[janecambridge]

What I don't understand is why Princess 'upgrade' so many people.why can't people be left where they are and they sell the remaining cabins.what is their advantage over this?

And is it best to book through a TA? I would like to know some good British ones please.It seems the good ones I read about are not from the UK.

We have only done one other cruise ( our first ever) with Princess to the Antarctic and we were recommended and sold a 'Very popular' cabin.We had been booked for 16 nights under the outside lido deck with 24 hour scraping of chairs..We were naive to cruising and hadn't got any advice from cruise critic

[BEAV]

Have you though about having your reservation marked "Meta Upgrade"? This means that you are willing to except an upgrade to the next category like from Mini Suite to Suite. I have my reservations marked like this as I'm willing to except this type of upgrade.

 

Tom:)

 

I will probably do that after speaking with the TA today. I didn't know about "meta" until reading this thread.

[dorisis]

Every time I have booked either directly with Princess or with a TA I have been asked if I would accept an upgrade during the booking process.

 

I always book with a TA and have never been asked if I would accept an upgrade. Not always the same agent either.

[SoCal Cruiser78]

I always book with a TA and have never been asked if I would accept an upgrade. Not always the same agent either.

 

As I understand it, being willing to accept an upgrade is the default booking procedure. You have to request "no upgrade" or "meta upgrade only".

 

In my opinion, a good TA should explain this. But not all do.

[Colo Cruiser]

I just wanted to let everyone know that Princess was able to get our cabin back for us - we are really pleased that they did!

 

 

Thats great. :)

[Colo Cruiser]

Forgot to state I never received any notification of cabin change, so I have no idea if it happened 10 hours or 10 days ago.

 

 

I think I would blame that on your TA. :(

[Colo Cruiser]

I always book with a TA and have never been asked if I would accept an upgrade. Not always the same agent either.

 

Maybe you need to find a new TA. :confused:

[A.stew12305]

My husband and I want to book an Emerald Mini for our upcoming cruise. I have been watching the rooms like a hawk, waiting for our money to come in. I noticed last night that you can still book an Emerald mini with a guarantee cabin, but when looking at other categories they all show as sold. I wonder if they see how many people they can 'upgrade', while overselling the Emerald minis. Alternately, it shows no balconies available until you view all cabin types.. then there is a premium aft facing balcony available. Are they keeping it a secret??

[caribill]

What I don't understand is why Princess 'upgrade' so many people.why can't people be left where they are and they sell the remaining cabins.what is their advantage over this?

 

If, for example, balcony cabins are full or almost full but mini-suites are not selling well, then the marketing folk (via the computer programs they have) have two choices.

 

a) Leave everybody where they are and probably not sell all the mini-suite cabins with the result being the ship does not sell full

 

or

 

b) Give upgrades to some of the passengers in balcony cabins to mini-suites freeing up balcony cabins to resell.

 

Option b brings more income to Princess as unsold mini-suites generate no income but selling the balcony cabins again does bring in new $$ and gives a better chance of being able to sail full.