Upgrading after final payment

[zacdilone]

Our final payment is coming up for a cruise in Alaska in May. We are currently booked for an oceanview stateroom, which was the best we could afford. We originally were thinking inside stateroom, but then a couple of recent price drops brought the oceanview into budget-view.

 

My question is this--if there is an additional price drop between our final payment and departure date that would bring a balcony stateroom into our budget range, can you upgrade after final payment? Or do you have to pay a cancellation fee and re-book? We'd obviously love a balcony if possible, but right now it's just too much for our wallet. :)

 

Any thoughts/advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

[Demonyte]

Usually you can upgrade by paying the difference between the actual sum you have paid and the current price of the higher category. This is not granted though but we have never had a problem doing that.

 

Also you should check the price of your cruise now as there is a really good promotion going on so if you are still outside penalty cancellation period, you might benefit from cancelling and rebooking with the current promo (UDP or UBP or OBC) even with oceanview cabin.

 

More info about the promo here: http://www.ncl.com/promo/wave15

Edited February 17, 2015 by Demonyte

[sixesandeights]

Our final payment is coming up for a cruise in Alaska in May. We are currently booked for an oceanview stateroom, which was the best we could afford. We originally were thinking inside stateroom, but then a couple of recent price drops brought the oceanview into budget-view.

 

My question is this--if there is an additional price drop between our final payment and departure date that would bring a balcony stateroom into our budget range, can you upgrade after final payment? Or do you have to pay a cancellation fee and re-book? We'd obviously love a balcony if possible, but right now it's just too much for our wallet. :)

 

Any thoughts/advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

 

We have always been allowed to pay to upgrade after final payment if there is a price drop. There was no cancellation fee, and they seemed happy to do it. If you can get a balcony for Alaska even if its a little stretch it will be well worth it. Its great sitting out there watching the beauty float by.

 

6&8

[zacdilone]

Usually you can upgrade by paying the difference between the actual sum you have paid and the current price of the higher category. This is not granted though but we have never had a problem doing that.

 

Also you should check the price of your cruise now as there is a really good promotion going on so if you are still outside penalty cancellation period, you might benefit from cancelling and rebooking with the current promo (UDP or UBP or OBC) even with oceanview cabin.

 

More info about the promo here: http://www.ncl.com/promo/wave15

 

Thanks for the info--managed to add the UDP while saving money! Still find the balconies a little out of our range, but we're excited about the dining package!

 

Appreciate the answers, folks--looks like I'll keep checking prices even after final payment. Here's hoping a balcony comes into view for us!

[zacdilone]

OK, so they dropped the prices again today. We are still currently booked in the oceanview room. Final payment date is tomorrow. A balcony room is coming into view, budget-wise, but here's my question:

 

If we can take advantage of a price drop before final payment, wouldn't it be better to go ahead and take the price drop for our current level of room, then if the balconies drop even further in price we can upgrade at no penalty? If we take the upgrade to balcony now and make our final payment, we'll be unable to take advantage of any further price drops, correct?

 

AAARRRGGH! I love saving money, but the nuances of this are so, er...new. :)

 

Again, any advice is appreciated.

[mnventure]

Sometimes, if the price drops after final payment ncl will give you some OBC. It doesn't happen all the time though.

[bradleyk]

Right now we are booked on the Getaway (10/17/15) for a balcony guarantee for $799 with the UBP that we got with the current offer.

I am interested in upgrading from a balcony gty to an aft extended balcony, but it depends on our finances. I would love to upgrade closer to sailing if possible but I would not want to loose our UBP. Is that possible? To pay the difference form our current $799 to what ever the cost of the aft balcony is at that time and still keep our UBP?

[kgymn]

Yes I'd stay in the same room with a price drop, with the potential to upgrade after final payment. Reason being if there is a big drop, it will be after final payment date. If you upgrade to balcony now and after the final payment it drops, you may get some OBC but not a lower price. If you wait and see if it drops after, and it does, you will save more money than upgrading now

 

~Katy

[cage keeper]

I just upgraded to a spa and did get to keep my perks. Did pay 100 dollars more than I thought I would have to though. I really wanted it so I was willing to pay.

[bradleyk]

I just upgraded to a spa and did get to keep my perks. Did pay 100 dollars more than I thought I would have to though. I really wanted it so I was willing to pay.

 

$100 on top of the cost difference for the room?

[S.S.Oceanlover]

Right now we are booked on the Getaway (10/17/15) for a balcony guarantee for $799 with the UBP that we got with the current offer.

 

I am interested in upgrading from a balcony gty to an aft extended balcony, but it depends on our finances. I would love to upgrade closer to sailing if possible but I would not want to loose our UBP. Is that possible? To pay the difference form our current $799 to what ever the cost of the aft balcony is at that time and still keep our UBP?

 

 

If they are no longer offering the promo for the UBP and you upgrade you will lose that promo

 

Bill

[bradleyk]

If they are no longer offering the promo for the UBP and you upgrade you will lose that promo

 

Bill

 

I would definitely skip the balcony upgrade to maintain our ultimate beverage package promo. And just roll the dices on the guaranteed balcony. You would think that they would want to get the increase in booking.

[janicemarie29]

We've been paid in full for a couple weeks now. We first upgraded from a balcony to a mini suite for free after full payment. Then I upgraded, today, to a spa mini I suite for $180, total not per person. I think that's a great deal considering the spa passes are $199 each for the week.

[Randy000]

NCL will only give you OBC if no upgardes are available... so if you book the ocean view dont worry about the price of the balcony itself...watch the price of the room your booked for. If the Ocean view drops NCL will upgrade you at no cost.

 

My cruise dropped over $400 after final payment and I went from a regular BE balcony to a spa balcony.

Edited February 21, 2015 by Randy000

[SJ]

Right now we are booked on the Getaway (10/17/15) system a balcony guarantee for $799 with the UBP that we got with the current offer.

I am interested in upgrading from a balcony gty to an aft extended balcony, but it depends on our finances. I would love to upgrade closer to sailing if possible but I would not want to loose our UBP. Is that possible? To pay the difference form our current $799 to what ever the cost of the aft balcony is at that time and still keep our UBP?

 

I was told you don't lose your current promo when you upgrade. I know ncl system allows it as I have upgraded after final payment without losing ksf in the past. However, not all agents at ncl knows how to do this, so make sure before you let them make any changes to your booking. And at first you don't succeed, keep trying until you find a rep who knows how to do it. Some reps only know how to cancel and rebook, that's not the only option.

[bradleyk]

I was told you don't lose your current promo when you upgrade. I know ncl system allows it as I have upgraded after final payment without losing ksf in the past. However, not all agents at ncl knows how to do this, so make sure before you let them make any changes to your booking. And at first you don't succeed, keep trying until you find a rep who knows how to do it. Some reps only know how to cancel and rebook, that's not the only option.

 

Hopefully my agent does!

[S.S.Oceanlover]

I was told you don't lose your current promo when you upgrade. I know ncl system allows it as I have upgraded after final payment without losing ksf in the past. However, not all agents at ncl knows how to do this, so make sure before you let them make any changes to your booking. And at first you don't succeed, keep trying until you find a rep who knows how to do it. Some reps only know how to cancel and rebook, that's not the only option.

 

interesting. I have never heard of this being done before.

 

Gives you ammo if you need to do it in the future.

 

Bill

[Demonyte]

interesting. I have never heard of this being done before.

 

 

 

Gives you ammo if you need to do it in the future.

 

 

Really? People post here all the time about calling and asking for possible upgrades and as I said in the first reply, we have never had any problem doing that. Just keep your eye on the prices even after final payment and you can score nice upgrades.

[kgymn]

Really? People post here all the time about calling and asking for possible upgrades and as I said in the first reply, we have never had any problem doing that. Just keep your eye on the prices even after final payment and you can score nice upgrades.

 

I don't think they were referring to the upgrade itself, but being able to keep the promotion you booked under when doing so.

 

~Katy

[Raleigh Traveler]

We upgraded several times, all after final payment, from inside to eventually a mini-suite. It was all at no extra cost as the price for each category dropped below what we had paid. What I found out was that prices sometimes changed more than once in a day and the cabins at the new price were gone pretty quick. I checked the prices several times a day. It was a hassle but well worth the upgrades. Each time the price of the next higher category dropped to below what we had paid, I emailed our PCC and he made the changes.

[Demonyte]

I don't think they were referring to the upgrade itself, but being able to keep the promotion you booked under when doing so.

 

Still. In most cases I wouldn't have upgraded at all if it meant losing existing promotions. As long as NCL gets more money and there is no cancelling etc involved that would incur any penalties, it's no big deal for them (for example "upgrading" two regular cabins to one suite doesn't work because it'd require cancelling one reservation completely).

 

Not wanting to diss anybody or hurt any feelings, but I'd still say that this is quite common knowledge here. ;)

[S.S.Oceanlover]

I don't think they were referring to the upgrade itself, but being able to keep the promotion you booked under when doing so.

 

~Katy

 

Thank you:)

 

Bill

[S.S.Oceanlover]

Still. In most cases I wouldn't have upgraded at all if it meant losing existing promotions. As long as NCL gets more money and there is no cancelling etc involved that would incur any penalties, it's no big deal for them (for example "upgrading" two regular cabins to one suite doesn't work because it'd require cancelling one reservation completely).

 

Not wanting to diss anybody or hurt any feelings, but I'd still say that this is quite common knowledge here. ;)

 

I bow to your wisdom O' great one.

 

Still wonder why the person even asked the question since it's common knowledge around here.:rolleyes:

 

I guess it was just him and I that didn't know.

 

It's nice of NCL to do that though. No other cruise line that i have ever dealt with has let me refare, or upgrade without going with the promotion they were running at that time.

 

Have a great day.:)

 

Bill

[Demonyte]

Still wonder why the person even asked the question since it's common knowledge around here.:rolleyes:

 

 

 

I guess it was just him and I that didn't know.

 

 

First of all, I didn't say that everybody everywhere would know that, there are a lot of people that come here all the time asking about things that are common knowledge here.

 

It's nice of NCL to do that though. No other cruise line that i have ever dealt with has let me refare, or upgrade without going with the promotion they were running at that time.

 

 

Well, there is one confusion: upgrading to (and usually paying extra for) a better category cabin is very different from only repricing the reservation (obiviously that would be down - as who would ask the cruise line to adjustments the price up without any other reason; no one ever). In the first case the cruise line makes at least the same revenue as they would have before, in the second their revenue would be smaller because of the price drop.

 

Even with NCL you don't get to keep your cake and eat it too (trying to get new lower price but keep original promo perks).

[zacdilone]

So we've decided to bite the bullet and look to upgrade to a balcony. Everyone says "do it" when it comes to Alaska.

 

So now the question is...upgrade now? Or wait and see if at the last minute there is a great price on an upgrade? I hear these early Alaska cruises tend to not sell out, so I wonder if there will be some empty balcony rooms they'll be looking to sell as the date approaches.

 

So much fun being cheap! :)