Do you think this is fair? no upgrade for suites

[Cruishappy@aol.com]

Hi - I am interested in hearibg from my fellow cruisers on this topic --- I spoke with a representative at the C & A and questioned hin as what the status was for a Diamond Plus member to be upgraded --- the way that he explained it to me is that if you are a Diamond Plus member and you have an inside cabin -- you can be upgraded to and outside cabin - if you have an outside cabin then you can be upgraded to a verandah cabin --- however if you have a suite ---- THEN THERE ARE NO UPGRADED AVAILABLE --- this does not sound very air to me --- he was in agreement with me --- inasmuch as a person making reservations for a suite and paying a great deal more than someone that is in a lower category there is no compensation for someone that has been loyal to RCI and paying for a suuite --- please not mis-interpret what I am saying --- I say GREAT for anyone that can possibly be upgraded --- but I do not think just bcause a person is able to have a suite there should be no consideration or reward for them --- I am interested in what the opinion is of everyone else ----

[Newcastle]

Sounds fair to me.

[FitzLA]

A few things...

 

1st of all, I agree with you to a point. I think a Junior Suite should have the opportunity to be upgraded, or some of the other family suites etc. But it gets to a point when they can't upgrade anymore. Their is only 1 royal suite on each ship, so who is to say who gets the upgrade? And then EVERYONE who didn't get the upgrade would complain that they did not. The larger suites are very limited in how many their are, and there are a lot of diamond members out their deserving an upgrade. But upgrading to a JS or GRand Suite, seems fair to me since there are a lot more of them. If you are already booked in say a Grand Suite, then where would you expect to be upgraded to? There are just not enough of the higher suites to accommodate, AND they usually book up pretty fast anyway. Does that make any sense?

[daveky]

Hi - I am interested in hearibg from my fellow cruisers on this topic --- I spoke with a representative at the C & A and questioned hin as what the status was for a Diamond Plus member to be upgraded --- the way that he explained it to me is that if you are a Diamond Plus member and you have an inside cabin -- you can be upgraded to and outside cabin - if you have an outside cabin then you can be upgraded to a verandah cabin --- however if you have a suite ---- THEN THERE ARE NO UPGRADED AVAILABLE --- this does not sound very air to me --- he was in agreement with me --- inasmuch as a person making reservations for a suite and paying a great deal more than someone that is in a lower category there is no compensation for someone that has been loyal to RCI and paying for a suuite --- please not mis-interpret what I am saying --- I say GREAT for anyone that can possibly be upgraded --- but I do not think just bcause a person is able to have a suite there should be no consideration or reward for them --- I am interested in what the opinion is of everyone else ----

 

I see your point. Couple of comments. Looking at the marketing standpoint there are generally less that 10 Diamond Plus members on any given cruise and being a new category not much pressure on RCI to give an incentive. If you're a Diamond member, you've already shown you are a loyal customer and if you book a suite, then they have the best of both worlds.

 

Now as for upgrades, I usually get a Standard room with a balcony. If you call exactly 3 weeks before your sailing date and ask to speak to a Diamond Plus rep and there are 5 or more suites available (no matter what category), you have your pick. Got the Owner's Suite on AOS 3 weeks ago at no extra charge. Could have had the RS if available. BTW, the Diamond Plus rep wasn't privy to all of the above info and I had him go to his supervisor to comfirm what I told you and he came back and said I was right. Use to be 2 weeks instead of 3 weeks. So from what I have seen, they are still tweaking with the perks for Diamond Plus and keep checking with them for changes.

 

Dave

[Cruise-Nut]

I think it is very fair. They don't have to upgrade you at all. The rates go up dramatically starting with the suites. Why lose that major jump in revenue. I think they are going above and beyond. Of course the CSR is going to agree with you because he is trying to be empathatic. Good luck trying to be upgraded - it won't happen.

[SRQfireman]

don't forget you're getting your Diamond C+A discount when you book a balcony...so you're not getting "jipped" in that regard

[sally r]

Daveky, I have never heard about the upgrades for Diamond Plus. You are totally serious? Is there a special number to call? Wow, this is an awesome perk!

[daveky]

Daveky, I have never heard about the upgrades for Diamond Plus. You are totally serious? Is there a special number to call? Wow, this is an awesome perk!

 

Yes, this info came in my Diamond Plus package last year when the new member category was announced. Sailed in December 2004 and there were less than 5 suites available so no perk there, but did get the free upgrade to an Owner's Suite 3 weeks ago on AOS.

As I mentioned in early post, if you're a Diamond Plus member, 3 weeks before sailing, call the C & A phone line and ask to speak to a Diamond Plus representative and tell them you're sailing in 3 weeks and wanted to see about the possiblity of upgrading to a suite. They'll ask for your booking number and check to see if they're 5 suites or more available for your sailing, and if so, they'll ask which cabin you want and it's done right then, free upgrade.

You can log into RCI advance boarding registration site and you'll see your new cabin posted right then. Pretty nice perk....

[countrymoon]

:) Please explain the process of becoming a Diamond Member. I am going on my first cruise in November on the Soveriegn. I sure expect to be making more.

Countrymoon

[cruisldy]

Countrymoon, you will need to complete 10 cruises with Royal Caribbean to become a Diamond Crown and Anchor member. Don't forget to fill out the applications to become a member when you are on your first cruise.

[Straughn]

Cruishappy:

I hear you loud and clear! We always book as GS or an OS and there is no place for us to go, so to speak. I feel that they could offer other amenties to Diamond + cruisers who book a suite and cannot be upgraded. As several people have pointed out, we pay considerably more and will never use the upgrade option. Since we want to make sure that we are in suite and not risk that the upgrade would be unavailable, we always book the cabin we want.(If we wanted the RS, we would book it.) I know that a couple of complimentary bottles of good wine (not the house stuff) would be a great perk for DH and me. In fact they could offer that perk to all Diamond + cruisers.

[PappaSiera]

countrymoon,

 

 

Just for clarification, the free upgrade is for Diamond Plus members. You become 'Plus' after your 24th cruise credit. I'm 14 away, more reason to get out there more often. For details, check out the Crown & Anchor page on RCI's web site.

[daveky]

Cruishappy:

I hear you loud and clear! We always book as GS or an OS and there is no place for us to go, so to speak. I feel that they could offer other amenties to Diamond + cruisers who book a suite and cannot be upgraded. As several people have pointed out, we pay considerably more and will never use the upgrade option. Since we want to make sure that we are in suite and not risk that the upgrade would be unavailable, we always book the cabin we want.(If we wanted the RS, we would book it.) I know that a couple of complimentary bottles of good wine (not the house stuff) would be a great perk for DH and me. In fact they could offer that perk to all Diamond + cruisers.

 

On AOS 3 weeks ago, Captain gave all Diamond+ members a bottle of champaign at the C & A repeat party. There were 7 of us. This was different as in the the past, champaign (or other gift) was given to only the top RCI cruiser in attendance at the C & A party.

This probably is different on each ship.

 

Dave

[Former Goalie]

Hi - I am interested in hearibg from my fellow cruisers on this topic --- I spoke with a representative at the C & A and questioned hin as what the status was for a Diamond Plus member to be upgraded --- the way that he explained it to me is that if you are a Diamond Plus member and you have an inside cabin -- you can be upgraded to and outside cabin - if you have an outside cabin then you can be upgraded to a verandah cabin --- however if you have a suite ---- THEN THERE ARE NO UPGRADED AVAILABLE --- this does not sound very air to me --- he was in agreement with me --- inasmuch as a person making reservations for a suite and paying a great deal more than someone that is in a lower category there is no compensation for someone that has been loyal to RCI and paying for a suuite --- please not mis-interpret what I am saying --- I say GREAT for anyone that can possibly be upgraded --- but I do not think just bcause a person is able to have a suite there should be no consideration or reward for them --- I am interested in what the opinion is of everyone else ----

At the price point you are talking about, if RCI were offering upgrades from, let's say, a JS to a GS, RCI would be leaving a lot of money on the table. For the sailing we are going on, the difference is $400/pp. The upgrade from ocean view to balcony, actually saves RCI money. The upgrade from inside to oceanview costs RCI $140/pp.

I think RCI is hesitant to give up the suite upgrade $$$$ difference.

[caviargal]

I am Diamond Plus and do not expect to get any upgrades. While it would be wonderful to have a suite (I was upgraded once after boarding to a Suite but nothing to do with D+) I would be quite shocked to ever actually be offered one. I always call 3 weeks out but so far, nothing, and I have never been surprised by that.

 

No, I do not think its unfair. RCI has a great past pax program and the rest of the perks are enough for me. Just the Concierge Lounge is enough to keep me happy.

[Cruishappy@aol.com]

I must be missing something in the interpretation --- it still does not make sense to me --- if a person is in a suite -- and another person is in an outside cabin - with verandah - or an inside -- why do they not just move up the ladder in sequence--- ie - outside with verandah to suite - iinside to outside ---- when there are suites available - GS why should a passenger pass out someone with a suite --- for sure I can understand those that are jumping 2 0r 3 categories or even more feeling that it is fair --- but don't forget those that are paying the high price should be rewarded --- it they just jumped o a couple of categories - including suite passengers -- then everyone would be happy --- do not mean to offend anyone - but this is not the best method of rewarding suite passengers ---

[logan1_2000]

Warning--this is a flame, and I may make enemies or offend some people. Hey, I like living dangerously.----

 

Fair is getting what you paid for. Anything else is gratutitous. Lagniappe, as we used to say back in the now defunct city of New Orleans. There is nothing unfair in a haphazard or even random upgrade practice, because there is no one who did not get what they paid for. The OP seems to want there to be an absolute hierarchy of staterooms based upon having "paid more"--so, are we going to differentiate between those in a category who paid more than others in the same category than others, because they booked later, perhaps? So, we are penalizing someone who booked 18 mos. or more in advance, and thus got an early booking discount, because we want to upgrade the later reservation that paid more? But what if the early reservation was made by someone who, after many cruises, has learned the tricks of booking early, the better to get a bit of a savings (to inevitably be spent on board anyway)...so are we perhaps penalizing more frequent cruisers by an absolute dollar hierarchy? Maybe yes, maybe no.

 

Which is not to say a dollar hierarchy is bad--after all, there are different classes of staterooms, and guess what, some are more expensive than others.

 

And the "put upon" class of people being slighted according to the OP are those in suites--which except for JS folks includes Concierge service on the newer ships, right? So they paid for a suite, got a suite, got a concierge, got double cruise credits...and something is not fair?

 

Perhaps a system as complicated as the BCS (college football fans, help the others who ask what a BCS is) could be devised, but there will be an inequity lurking around every corner.

 

So it is for a limited population. It does not apply to all levels. And if someone doesn't want to end up feeling that this rule was "unfair" to them, they can just avoid booking a suite. And hey, maybe get one after all in the process.

 

Sorry--I'm no diamond, or diamond plus. Booked a JS for my upcoming Radiance cruise, thought about it, really wanted a GS, and I stuck a crowbar in my wallet and had my TA change the ressie to a GS. JS's were all gone when I did that, plenty of GS openings. Might I have received an upgrade to a GS and not spent the extra $? I dunno, maybe. Maybe not. But I paid for the room I wanted and expect to get the room I booked at the agreed upon price. Fair.

 

And if someone gets bumped from a D1 to an OS over me, on their first cruise even, its lucky and happy for them, not unfair to me.

[TheWog]

Warning--this is a flame, and I may make enemies or offend some people. Hey, I like living dangerously.----

 

Fair is getting what you paid for. Anything else is gratutitous. Lagniappe, as we used to say back in the now defunct city of New Orleans. There is nothing unfair in a haphazard or even random upgrade practice, because there is no one who did not get what they paid for. The OP seems to want there to be an absolute hierarchy of staterooms based upon having "paid more"--so, are we going to differentiate between those in a category who paid more than others in the same category than others, because they booked later, perhaps? So, we are penalizing someone who booked 18 mos. or more in advance, and thus got an early booking discount, because we want to upgrade the later reservation that paid more? But what if the early reservation was made by someone who, after many cruises, has learned the tricks of booking early, the better to get a bit of a savings (to inevitably be spent on board anyway)...so are we perhaps penalizing more frequent cruisers by an absolute dollar hierarchy? Maybe yes, maybe no.

 

Which is not to say a dollar hierarchy is bad--after all, there are different classes of staterooms, and guess what, some are more expensive than others.

 

And the "put upon" class of people being slighted according to the OP are those in suites--which except for JS folks includes Concierge service on the newer ships, right? So they paid for a suite, got a suite, got a concierge, got double cruise credits...and something is not fair?

 

Perhaps a system as complicated as the BCS (college football fans, help the others who ask what a BCS is) could be devised, but there will be an inequity lurking around every corner.

 

So it is for a limited population. It does not apply to all levels. And if someone doesn't want to end up feeling that this rule was "unfair" to them, they can just avoid booking a suite. And hey, maybe get one after all in the process.

 

Sorry--I'm no diamond, or diamond plus. Booked a JS for my upcoming Radiance cruise, thought about it, really wanted a GS, and I stuck a crowbar in my wallet and had my TA change the ressie to a GS. JS's were all gone when I did that, plenty of GS openings. Might I have received an upgrade to a GS and not spent the extra $? I dunno, maybe. Maybe not. But I paid for the room I wanted and expect to get the room I booked at the agreed upon price. Fair.

 

And if someone gets bumped from a D1 to an OS over me, on their first cruise even, its lucky and happy for them, not unfair to me.

 

Logan, I got your back!

 

I think it is fair, as Logan has said. You are getting what you paid for and as many have said you don't always get upgraded. But if you are certain to be upgraded, then book an inside and wait for the upgrade. I book the cabin I want and the cabin I can afford. I don't expect any upgrades and have not received one. I have been more than happy with each of my cruises. I think we should be happy for the person that booked the inside room and got a verandah. Any upgrade is a present or a luxury, not an entitlement.

[breal6]

YAY LOGAN!!! very nicely said, and i couldn't agree more.:D

[MrsPete]

Fair is getting what you paid for. Anything else is gratutitous.

I have to agree. If you want a certain room, pay for it. Where's the argument?