Paid Upgrades: How Much and Best Strategies

[soxfan2013]

I am taking a 7 night cruise and am booked in a Sky Suite (approx $4k). The ship is basically sold out, except for two Royal Suites @ $9K.

 

Aside from paying $5k to upgrade now, which I won't do, do I have any better options:

 

1) People have talked abt upgrading on board...if one of these rooms are stilll available, how much would this OB UG cost, if anyone has done it? Of course, by that time, these two rooms could sell, or they could UG someone in a CS.

 

2) Call the cruise line and negotiate? Anyone had any success?

 

3) Email the hotel director and develop a rapport and inquire?

Edited January 27, 2015 by soxfan2013

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

I am taking a 7 night cruise and am booked in a Sky Suite (approx $4k). The ship is basically sold out, except for two Royal Suites @ $9K.

 

Aside from paying $5k to upgrade now, which I won't do, do I have any better options:

 

1) People have talked abt upgrading on board...if one of these rooms are stilll available, how much would this OB UG cost, if anyone has done it? Of course, by that time, these two rooms could sell, or they could UG someone in a CS.

 

2) Call the cruise line and negotiate? Anyone had any success?

 

3) Email the hotel director and develop a rapport and inquire?

 

You're talking about a two category upgrade. Don't think it's going to happen except by paying $5k. What makes you think that e-mailing the hotel director would develop a rapport? It's more likely to annoy him/her.

 

I have seen unsold royal suites offered as prizes at bingo on the ship. Or they may take the opportunity to replace the carpet or otherwise refresh the suite. I've seen that happen as well.

 

Edited January 27, 2015 by Happy Cruiser 6143

[soxfan2013]

These guys are really good at revenue mgmt and that would be pretty stupid to raffle off an UG vs selling it.

 

Yes, it's a two Cat UG, and I am willing to pay something for it.

 

This is expiring inventory. The cost diff between a CS and RS was very small...like $1000. I don't know how a hotel manager would be annoyed by advance commications w a premium passenger abt paying for an UG. Not only is that their JOB, but it's a typical and frequent conversation among hotel managers and guests.

[neverbeenhere]

Trying to figure out how I can add to this without stepping on a premium passenger's toes. But... If your cruise is a long way out, contacting the HD and developing an ongoing conversation might increase your chances of an inexpensive upgrade. However, if you had cruised with the HD often in the past and had frequently sailed in a high suite your chances would be a lot better. Not many HD are going to bend over for a passenger they have never met. Setting a precedent as being an easy touch won't get that person far in the business.

[Gordoncruickshank]

These guys are really good at revenue mgmt and that would be pretty stupid to raffle off an UG vs selling it.

 

Yes, it's a two Cat UG, and I am willing to pay something for it.

 

Ther have been reports that the bingo game is $25 per ticket and they can get hundreds of players. They can quite easily beat what you seem to want to offer.

[cruiseerf]

Hotel Directors cannot help you with this, so I think that is done. Head office and their computer systems often decide who goes where. Your Celebrity Elite status etc is not used to determine upgrades....I have been told this by several people.

 

My experience was as follows: I was on Solstice in a Sky Suite for a 14 night AU/NZ cruise. I had contacted the cruiseline to try and negotiate etc about three weeks before.....no luck. Travel agent tried...no luck. Prices are what they are.

 

Two weeks before it was 1AM and went online to look at the cruise and the online offering had a "Celebrity Suite" Guarantee for $2000 more then we had paid ($1000 more per person). There were however no Celebrity Suites showing available?....but had 2 Royals open. Travel agent grabbed the Celebrity suite guarantee.....There is NO bad Celebrity Suite so I was fine for the $2000 for 14 nights. 3 days later I was assigned one of the empty Royal Suites.

 

I was told the computer uses complex algorithms to determine what to release and when. The Royal Suite was fine.....we enjoyed the second Bathroom.

 

Good luck and keep an eye out.

[need2bespoiled]

I tried to pay this game once (Sky Suite to Royal Suite) as I watched 1-2 open up until the night before the cruise. I made offers to Celebrity and even asked for a price to book onboard. It ended up being more than it would have been had I just paid for the upgrade.

 

Moral of my story? Be satisfied with what you book, or willing to pay for want you want.

 

Happy sailing,

Jenna

[MarkusToe]

had the following experience on Summit

 

B2B in A1 - asked for paid upgrade to suite - first leg rejected - sold out

the worst thing I dont understand: sec leg rejected, but given for free to a couple with was complaining because they had to move from one inside to the other and there TA did not tell them this fact....:mad:

[Merriem]

This was some years ago. I just went up to guest relations and ask "what would the cost be to upgrade to a suite" they told me, and it was a good price. We took it. The second time, same question..it was too much, so we stayed where we were. I don't think you will get something for nothing.

[Rob the Cruiser]

Ther have been reports that the bingo game is $25 per ticket and they can get hundreds of players. They can quite easily beat what you seem to want to offer.

 

They did so on the December 7th Exotic Southern Caribbean cruise aboard the Eclipse.

[Iamthesea]

These guys are really good at revenue mgmt and that would be pretty stupid to raffle off an UG vs selling it.

.

 

Happy Cruiser is correct.:) Seen Suites go many time with a BINGO game.

 

This was some years ago. I just went up to guest relations and ask "what would the cost be to upgrade to a suite" they told me, and it was a good price. We took it. The second time, same question..it was too much, so we stayed where we were. I don't think you will get something for nothing.

 

I don't think they do that much anymore. Usually staterooms are sold off before the cruise. The last time we tried to pay for an upgrade on a ship, we had to put our name on a waiting list. Never received a call.

[soxfan2013]

This was some years ago. I just went up to guest relations and ask "what would the cost be to upgrade to a suite" they told me, and it was a good price. We took it. The second time, same question..it was too much, so we stayed where we were. I don't think you will get something for nothing.

 

The cruise is soonish...I am not asking for something for nothing. Just trying to determine what the process and costs would be. It seems clear that:

 

1) Calling and trying to negotiate pre-departure accomplishes nothing (no none reported success).

 

2) Rate may drop for a CS gtee a few days before departure, and that could be a way to go, depending on how far it drops.

 

3) Sometimes, some people have been able to UG on board for a seemingly reasonable price that was better than what the website was offering the previous day (curious how much).

 

4) Sometimes, a suite gets raffled off in Bingo.

[cynbar]

We were on Reflection last week and were upsold to the Reflection Suite 3 days before sailing --- Celebrity called us, we didn't call them and had made no overtures. They quoted us a figure and we grabbed it, still less than the going rate--- we were thrilled. We were previously in a Signature Suite and I spoke to the couple who ended up there, they also got an upsell call and grabbed it. About a week before sailing, there were several suites still available (Royal and Celebrity), they all disappeared at once so apparently there were a number of calls made. I have no idea why we were selected, we were not the top suite below the Reflection and we have sailed several Celebrity cruises but are not high up the Elite list.

Edited January 28, 2015 by cynbar

[Adoremus]

We were on Reflection last week and were upsold to the Reflection Suite 3 days before sailing --- Celebrity called us, we didn't call them and had made no overtures. They quoted us a figure and we grabbed it, still less than the going rate--- we were thrilled. We were previously in a Signature Suite and I spoke to the couple who ended up there, they also got an upsell call and grabbed it. About a week before sailing, there were several suites still available (Royal and Celebrity), they all disappeared at once so apparently there were a number of calls made. I have no idea why we were selected, we were not the top suite below the Reflection and we have sailed several Celebrity cruises but are not high up the Elite list.

 

 

Did you book through a TA or Celebrity?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Leviathan2772]

It's a crapshoot. I'm always looking at pricing. I just make it a habit of looking for CS and RS pricing at 4 weeks till the cruise departure date. Sometimes I've scored with a great deal, and other times I haven't. I have learned one thing, if you want it, you have to put in the effort to score a deal on a CS or RS. Trying to negotiate a deal, I think the only time that could happen would be the day of or day before departure. I was contacted once by Celebrity to upgrade from a CS to RS for a very reasonable cost which I turned down but was upgraded anyhow. Just luck I guess?

[soxfan2013]

There's a big jump from Sky Suites to CS -- like $4k. Now a very small jump from CS to RS ($1K). Tick, tick, tock.

[cynbar]

We booked directly with Celebrity. I should add that I was watching prices, more out of curiosity than anything else, and the posted price for the upper suites never went down too much. We were called 3 days before departure, so there may be some merit in calling just a little before that to try and negotiate an upsell.

[soxfan2013]

Well, just upgraded from an S1 to a RS and thought it was a fair value proposition..turns out this was the last bookable cabin available on board.

 

Remember: they get to resell your room, so if it's a full cruise, that's money in the bank...so, you gotta put 2+ 2 together.

[CathyCruises]

Well, just upgraded from an S1 to a RS and thought it was a fair value proposition..turns out this was the last bookable cabin available on board.

 

Remember: they get to resell your room, so if it's a full cruise, that's money in the bank...so, you gotta put 2+ 2 together.

 

So how did you do it?? Since you started the thread asking for suggestions, I am curious which one worked!!

[soxfan2013]

So how did you do it?? Since you started the thread asking for suggestions, I am curious which one worked!!

 

It takes a little of everything: full cruise, close to departure (10 days for us), common sense -- realizing what they are selling the suite for and what they can probably resell your cabin for...but I think you have to get beyond the reservations dept.

 

As a guideline, I would say you can do this kind of UG for abt 40-50% of the then current retail value of the Upgraded Room/Suite and your already booked/paid room. But I do think two key ingredients are:

 

1) They have to believe that they DO NOT have a high chance of selling at their then current published rate (i.e., close to departure); and

 

2) They have to believe they DO have a high chance of reselling your original cabin for a high price.

 

My two cents...still a big splurge, but hopefully will figure out how to have fun...would come close to paying for itself if the RS benefits to be in place in April were applicable (esp free signature restaurants, free prem. bvs, and free unlim. internet), as the April rates don't seem much different.

Edited January 29, 2015 by soxfan2013

[bighairtexan]

On my Panama Canal cruise on the Millennium, they raffled off one of the 2 Penthouse Suites at Bingo and someone from our roll call won it! THey went from a 2Cbalcony to the Penthouse. And then very generously opened it to the roll call for a huge party while going through the canal.

[Gordoncruickshank]

I hope they give me a call for our EC 1 March cruise. A PH has just appeared on the available cabin list. Will probably be more than I want to pay for a 2 week break as I won't pay the £7000 they want for a sky suite compared with what I got those for in 2016 and 2017.

 

I do have a vary desirable AQ centre hump cabin to trade with though!!!

Edited January 29, 2015 by Gordoncruickshank