Meta Upgrade

[Cruise Raider]

I was told by my TA that the Meta Upgrade is no longer available through Princess. I have not heard / read this anywhere else and wondering if this is so. I am perfectly happy with my current cabin but wouldn't mind being upgraded to a mini-suite if one came available. Anyhow, the TA noted she was a Princess Commodore and they recently changed this option from Meta Upgrade or Any Upgrade to Upgrade or No Upgrade.....

Anybody have any comment on this .... as of July 1st or after? :confused:

thanks!

[FlynnRider78]

When I booked direct with Princess last week I also asked for a meta upgrade and was told I could only answer yes or no to upgrade as they didn't have any other options on the screen!!

[shredie]

Call back and ask again. There is no consistency with those Princess representatives. You might get one who knows something.

[geoherb]

When I booked in mid June, my TA marked our reservation for meta upgrade only. He hasn't given me any news about changes since then. We have a Caribe Deck balcony cabin and don't want to lose the extra space to be upgraded to Riviera, Baja, or Aloha. But I would give up the larger balcony to move to a Dolphin mini suite.

[RickEk]

Yes, they still have the meta-upgrade. I requested and got one on my upcoming cruise.

 

The standard question when you are booking direct is "would you accept an upgrade or not?". That's a y/n question in their system. To request a meta-upgrade, they have to enter a code elsewhere in addition to putting a y in the upgrade field. It's possible that a newer agent might not be familiar with the meta-upgrade process...

[FlynnRider78]

Yes, they still have the meta-upgrade. I requested and got one on my upcoming cruise.

 

 

 

The standard question when you are booking direct is "would you accept an upgrade or not?". That's a y/n question in their system. To request a meta-upgrade, they have to enter a code elsewhere in addition to putting a y in the upgrade field. It's possible that a newer agent might not be familiar with the meta-upgrade process...

 

 

Thanks RickEk, I'll give them a ring next week and see what I can do!!

[knippsel]

Yes, they still have the meta-upgrade. I requested and got one on my upcoming cruise.

 

The standard question when you are booking direct is "would you accept an upgrade or not?". That's a y/n question in their system. To request a meta-upgrade, they have to enter a code elsewhere in addition to putting a y in the upgrade field. It's possible that a newer agent might not be familiar with the meta-upgrade process...

 

If you book with a TA they have a choice of 3 boxes to check.

 

Open To Any Upgrade

Only Upgrade to the Next Stateroom Type (ex. Balcony to Minisuite)

Do Not Upgrade

 

It's very clear for them, right on the page where they input your name. Hard to miss. The default is "Open to Any Upgrade" so they do have to change this if you don't want an upgrade. They can also make a change after the booking is completed.

 

RickEk - so all you had to do is request a meta-upgrade and you got it??? Very impressive!:D

[MCC retired]

Meta upgrade is still there for TA's to check the box using their online system.

Simple .

If booking direct just call back and get a different person to do it .

Some C/L Reps are not as eager or knowledgeable as others.

 

As others always state , book with a good TA and always pay less & or get OBC .

Unlike most other C/L's , PCL allows TA's to discount their rates . : )

 

 

 

 

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Edited July 11, 2014 by MCC retired

[Pam in CA]

Anyhow, the TA noted she was a Princess Commodore and they recently changed this option from Meta Upgrade or Any Upgrade to Upgrade or No Upgrade.....

 

A Princess Commodore has passed a test. They may or may not have ever taken a Princess cruise or know any more than what the classes they took included.

 

A friend is a Princess Commodore TA but has never set foot on a Princess ship nor does she have any practical experience on Princess. She knows everything about Carnival since that's her cruise line of choice. She may not be typical but I don't think she's unusual.

[seamwoman]

What is a meta upgrade? We always check "no upgrade" but I just want to know.

[RJ2002]

What is a meta upgrade? We always check "no upgrade" but I just want to know.

 

I would like to know as well, because after reading this thread, I am confused. I thought it meant you were willing to consider an upsell, but I might be wrong? :confused:

[lovevacadays]

What is a meta upgrade? We always check "no upgrade" but I just want to know.

 

A meta upgrade would be an inside to obstructed view(or higher category), a balcony to a mini-suite (or higher category), etc, as opposed to an upgrade within the same category. For instance being upgraded from an inside cabin on a low deck to an inside cabin on a higher deck is considered an upgrade but not a meta-upgrade.

[Disconnections]

We just requested a meta upgrade last week for our upcoming cruise and it was added to the reservation.

[sailmeaway]

When I booked in mid June, my TA marked our reservation for meta upgrade only. He hasn't given me any news about changes since then. We have a Caribe Deck balcony cabin and don't want to lose the extra space to be upgraded to Riviera, Baja, or Aloha. But I would give up the larger balcony to move to a Dolphin mini suite.

 

Are Caribe balconies larger than other cabin balconies?

[bulldog on water]

Yes, except on the new Royal and Regal

[RickEk]

If you book with a TA they have a choice of 3 boxes to check.

 

Open To Any Upgrade

Only Upgrade to the Next Stateroom Type (ex. Balcony to Minisuite)

Do Not Upgrade

 

It's very clear for them, right on the page where they input your name. Hard to miss. The default is "Open to Any Upgrade" so they do have to change this if you don't want an upgrade. They can also make a change after the booking is completed.

 

RickEk - so all you had to do is request a meta-upgrade and you got it??? Very impressive!:D

 

Well, it wasn't quite that easy... :p I had booked many months ago and had gotten an upgrade from the booked sideways inside cabin on Riviera deck to a "better" category. I, of course, had specifically requested that room and thought that the no upgrade option was checked. I declined the upgrade, but in my conversation with the agent, they were able to put in the code that allows the meta-upgrade. Fast forward a month or so and I was upgraded to an obstructed ocean-view...

[Cruise Raider]

thanks everyone. I will try contacting the TA again to have this put on my reservation. I always request it, but have never got anything from it except for one cruise which I had to cancel.

I am currently in a Caribe deck balcony and wouldn't want to be moved to the Baja or Aloha deck to a smaller balcony but I wouldn't mind an upgrade to a mini if any upgrades are to being doled out. thanks for the feedback....it didn't sound right that they canceled this option.

[Pam in CA]

Are Caribe balconies larger than other cabin balconies?

Yes, except for the Royal, Regal, Sun, Sea, Dawn, Pacific and Ocean Princess. "Regular" balconies are approximately 9'x5' and are covered; Caribe balconies are 9'x9' and are partially covered. This does not include mini-suites which are 9'x7' and are fully uncovered on Dolphin deck and fully covered on Emerald deck.

[canadarocks]

Does this mean that if I put in a request for a meta upgrade for our upcoming Royal cruise I can only be moved from our current inside cabin to a balcony? (since there are no ocean view cabins on the Royal)

[caribill]

If you book with a TA they have a choice of 3 boxes to check.

 

Open To Any Upgrade

Only Upgrade to the Next Stateroom Type (ex. Balcony to Minisuite)

Do Not Upgrade

 

 

The above terminology is important. What we have been calling "meta" upgrade is the "Only Upgrade to the Next Stateroom Type" option.

 

It is not a surprise that agents do not recognize the term "meta." It is not on their screen.

[SoCal Cruiser78]

Call back and ask again. There is no consistency with those Princess representatives. You might get one who knows something.

 

You are correct on this. It took me three tries the other day to find a phone rep who knew what a meta upgrade was, and he said "no problem". I believe it was after July 1.

Edited July 12, 2014 by Ryndam2002

[Hflors]

A meta upgrade would be an inside to obstructed view(or higher category), a balcony to a mini-suite (or higher category), etc, as opposed to an upgrade within the same category. For instance being upgraded from an inside cabin on a low deck to an inside cabin on a higher deck is considered an upgrade but not a meta-upgrade.

 

I have an obstructed view on the crown would my upgrade be to an "ocean view" if I had it noted META upgrade?

[likeadisguise]

I have an obstructed view on the crown would my upgrade be to an "ocean view" if I had it noted META upgrade?

No, the next meta is balcony.

[TracieABD]

I suspect that the days of the meta-upgrade are coming to an end. As more people are willing to upsell to the next higher category, I think the cruise lines are moving in that direction. Princess seems to be one of the last to get on board with the upsell.

 

We took an upsell on our upcoming cruise on the grand Princess. It was very worth it to us to move from a mini Suite to a full suite for the amount of money they requested.

 

 

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[Cruise Raider]

thanks everyone.... called back and got the meta upgrade added. As one poster mentioned, they called it an upgrade to the next stateroom type instead of meta.

 

Keeping my fingers crossed for a mini (I am currently in a balcony) but not counting on it. That way, happy if I get it but not disappointed if I don't. :)