What was your upgrade offer and what did you bid

[MaryZ]

Thought I would post this since I have been doing research over the last month or so trying to decide on what to bid on my upcoming cruise. Given that this is a September cruise and not fully booked, I went back and forth on what to bid. We had an aft balcony on the Getaway. Last time I checked there were quite a few Haven rooms still available to book (as of a week out of the cruise). I didn't bid on any mini-suites as I preferred my large balcony. I bid the absolute minimum on spa haven room and courtyard penthouse room. I bid low-fair on forward-facing penthouse, and medium-fair on aft-penthouse. Today is Tuesday before the cruise and received an email saying we got the forward-facing penthouse H7. So excited because it's my husbands 50th birthday trip! I had no idea what to expect but I thought I would put this out there for anyone else who's trying to figure out if this whole bidding thing actually works. Glad to say it worked for us and I'm comfortable with the amount I paid. I had to stop myself from over-bidding in these last few days as I started to get my heart set on staying in the haven and was afraid my bid was too low. Good luck to everyone else, hope your bids work out, too!

 

Congratulations and have a wonderful Happy Birthday Cruise!

[Susandt]

Thought I would post this since I have been doing research over the last month or so trying to decide on what to bid on my upcoming cruise. Given that this is a September cruise and not fully booked, I went back and forth on what to bid. We had an aft balcony on the Getaway. Last time I checked there were quite a few Haven rooms still available to book (as of a week out of the cruise). I didn't bid on any mini-suites as I preferred my large balcony. I bid the absolute minimum on spa haven room and courtyard penthouse room. I bid low-fair on forward-facing penthouse, and medium-fair on aft-penthouse. Today is Tuesday before the cruise and received an email saying we got the forward-facing penthouse H7. So excited because it's my husbands 50th birthday trip! I had no idea what to expect but I thought I would put this out there for anyone else who's trying to figure out if this whole bidding thing actually works. Glad to say it worked for us and I'm comfortable with the amount I paid. I had to stop myself from over-bidding in these last few days as I started to get my heart set on staying in the haven and was afraid my bid was too low. Good luck to everyone else, hope your bids work out, too!

 

We have a aft balacony on epic 3/19, what was the minimum bid for haven penthouse or haven spa?

[Starry Eyes]

We have a aft balacony on epic 3/19, what was the minimum bid for haven penthouse or haven spa?

Hi Susan,

I am on the same sailing as Austingrl, and I also won an upgrade to an H7 with a low-fair bid from a balcony today.

 

My minimum bids to go from balcony (sail away, assigned a BC) to Haven Spa or lower priced Penthouses was $400. Another bidder on my roll call was in an aft balcony; her minimum bids were the same as mine for those categories. Your minimums are likely to be different, of course, since it is a different ship and sail date, etc, but I hope that helps a little bit.

[BEAV]

My minimum bids to go from balcony (sail away, assigned a BC) to Haven Spa or lower priced Penthouses was $400.

 

I assume the $400 is per person?

[Starry Eyes]

I assume the $400 is per person?

Yes, my minimum bid was$400 per person.

[travelgals]

I posted this on another thread but it probably should be here instead:

 

I booked a Haven- the only Haven catagory avaialble. I immediately got an email to bid an upgrade. So I bid, but I believe I am bidding on what is not avaialble. I think, perhaps in some cases, they just use the bidding process for market research? The cruise is not sold out, but the haven levels are except for one - the one i booked.

 

A similar thing happened a year ago when I booked (not Haven) but close to sailing and was told the cruise was sold out at all levels above mine, yet I got an offer to bid. i bid high with no sucess. The travel agent I used said it would never happen since the cruise was sold out. This time i went direct, so can only ask ncl. I’ve called a few times to try and pay to upgrade, and they just say its not available. The answer they give as to why they are asking me to bid for something not available is “maybe someone will cancel.” Really? We are past cancellation date.

 

Any thoughts?Note, while I was happy with the cabin we booked we decided to try and take my mom with us so need the second bedroom, hence the request for upgrade.

[erdoran]

my own experience was similar - we booked a CY PH, then got the offer to upgrade to a 2 BR or DOS. The DOS was sold out. There were several 2 BRs left, and at 60 days they all vanished! I know one upgrade (not mine) was accepted, no idea about the other two, whether they were bought or were upgrades. I suspect upgrades as they all vanished within a single day. But I left my two bids in place and both went nowhere.

[Starry Eyes]

I posted this on another thread but it probably should be here instead:

 

I booked a Haven- the only Haven catagory avaialble. I immediately got an email to bid an upgrade. So I bid, but I believe I am bidding on what is not avaialble. I think, perhaps in some cases, they just use the bidding process for market research? The cruise is not sold out, but the haven levels are except for one - the one i booked.

 

A similar thing happened a year ago when I booked (not Haven) but close to sailing and was told the cruise was sold out at all levels above mine, yet I got an offer to bid. i bid high with no sucess. The travel agent I used said it would never happen since the cruise was sold out. This time i went direct, so can only ask ncl. I’ve called a few times to try and pay to upgrade, and they just say its not available. The answer they give as to why they are asking me to bid for something not available is “maybe someone will cancel.” Really? We are past cancellation date.

 

Any thoughts?Note, while I was happy with the cabin we booked we decided to try and take my mom with us so need the second bedroom, hence the request for upgrade.

Remember people sometimes must cancel during the penalty period, sometimes just days before the cruise...medical, family issues, death in family, work requirements, etc. it happens. When it does, if NCL already has bids they can collect extra money and refill those cabins quickly. Odds of it happening on your cruise are rather low, I suppose, but bidding is quick and cost nothing. And, yeah, NCL also gets pricing info.

[Cruzin Fool]

I posted this on another thread but it probably should be here instead:

 

I booked a Haven- the only Haven catagory avaialble. I immediately got an email to bid an upgrade. So I bid, but I believe I am bidding on what is not avaialble. I think, perhaps in some cases, they just use the bidding process for market research? The cruise is not sold out, but the haven levels are except for one - the one i booked.

 

A similar thing happened a year ago when I booked (not Haven) but close to sailing and was told the cruise was sold out at all levels above mine, yet I got an offer to bid. i bid high with no sucess. The travel agent I used said it would never happen since the cruise was sold out. This time i went direct, so can only ask ncl. I’ve called a few times to try and pay to upgrade, and they just say its not available. The answer they give as to why they are asking me to bid for something not available is “maybe someone will cancel.” Really? We are past cancellation date.

 

Any thoughts?Note, while I was happy with the cabin we booked we decided to try and take my mom with us so need the second bedroom, hence the request for upgrade.

 

 

Cancellations happen, even last minute! Many people take out insurance especially when they have booked a very expensive suite. Someone gets sick, injured or has their vacation revoked from their job or even loses their job. It happens. We were going to travel with a couple that we are friends with. The wife was notified by her job (she's a nurse) that she couldn't go on vacation a week before we were leaving. They told her she can go but she won't have a job when she returns. They lost over $2,000 in pre-paid vacation expenses.

[don't-use-real-name]

OK consider this - you are in a stateroom suite mini-cabin and you are offered the opportunity to bid/upgrade

to the next two levels and what is this those categories are FULL SOLD-OUT and you are being offered an

upgrade ! Sounds ridiculous but as noted above cancellations do happen for any number of reasons. Now of

course NCL is going to get its share of the cancellation on a sliding scale but wait - NCL can get full value and

then some for that canceled stateroom by playing musical cabins moving lower category cabins up a notch

and then subsequently moving this all the way to an Inside Cabin being upgraded to an Ocean View and

that OV to a Balcony a Balcony to a Mini-Suite a Mini-Suite to a Suite a Suite to Owners Suite Haven Garden

etc. This maximizes the yield no prime cabin left unoccupied - an empty Inside Cabin is a much better yield

situation than an empty multi-big bucks suite.

NCL has a window of about 78 days to play the game (80 days before sailing till 2 days).

It is not a bad game - for a few dollars more winning a bid gets you a little bit bigger better cabin albeit maybe

not quite in the location one would want but never the less a win-win situation for both you and NCL.

You don't lose any of the perks promos from your previous booking and might gain more from being in a suite

i.e. butler concierge services priority tendering etc.

An empty cabin at the top of the ship (Haven suite etc.) starts a sort of reverse domino stage filling each of

the cabin categories as the bids are processed.

If there are no bids or the bid level is unsatisfactory to NCL there maybe no movement at all - but I doubt that

NCL is going to let this go - thus a second round of bid offerings emails maybe entertained.

 

Nobody knows or has found out the algorithm NCL uses for bidding/upgrading YET !

But as CC members post their wins and losses we are getting there.

 

Filling cabins is like airline seats - it is a perishable enterprise - once the ship has sailed - game over.

Think of FULL SOLD-OUT cabins as being like airline reservations flights showing full and someone

cancels and the seats (cabins) are then made available on a standby basis - with NCL it is on a monetary basis.

Thus FULL SOLD-OUT is only a status until the two days from sailing when all these cabins will be filled

or be open for bidding/upgrading - cabins filled - ship sails - game over.

[travelgals]

Yes, I understand the basic premise, but wouldn't they want to sell the cancelled cabin at full price first? For instance, I would have paid for it. Not that I'm happy about it, would much rather bid and perhaps get a better deal, but I'm stuck and need the space:(

So why play the game of musical cabins for a few bucks more. Makes sense if they have a bunch of empty cabins but not if they are sold out at the top of the ship and just get one or two back.

But thanks all, for the insight.

[don't-use-real-name]

Yes, I understand the basic premise, but wouldn't they want to sell the cancelled cabin at full price first? For instance, I would have paid for it. Not that I'm happy about it, would much rather bid and perhaps get a better deal, but I'm stuck and need the space:(

So why play the game of musical cabins for a few bucks more. Makes sense if they have a bunch of empty cabins but not if they are sold out at the top of the ship and just get one or two back.

But thanks all, for the insight.

 

In your quest for more livable cabin space - beware of doing a cancel and rebook when in the final 90 days

before sailing. Sort of an oxymoron situation 90 days before sailing and then the bidding at 80 days presents

changes that can be real costly with only the upgrade bidding solution. With the FULL SOLD-OUT situation

this makes alterations even more troublesome. Pray that there will be cancellations or other actions resulting

in some room to work this to your favor.

As you get closer to the sailing a cancellation of a cabin and reposting it for full sale may not be lucrative to

NCL since it may not even be noticed for sale and then potential cruisers just overlook it - well it is sold out

so no need to look further here. Reason for savvy shoppers to come back again and again and check.

But with a few days before sailing - no one is going to be looking for this cancelled cabin really.

 

 

On an outside chance that a cabin somewhere else opens on the ship you maybe able to have your mom

or party have access to visit you in the Haven with restrictions that maybe waived.

Wish you well that this can be worked to your favor - your next cruise you will do better !

[Starry Eyes]

Yes, I understand the basic premise, but wouldn't they want to sell the cancelled cabin at full price first? For instance, I would have paid for it. Not that I'm happy about it, would much rather bid and perhaps get a better deal, but I'm stuck and need the space:(

So why play the game of musical cabins for a few bucks more. Makes sense if they have a bunch of empty cabins but not if they are sold out at the top of the ship and just get one or two back.

But thanks all, for the insight.

It may depend upon when that cancellation occurs. Say it is 20 days before the cruise and there are still other cabins in lesser categories to see; the suite might go back on the open market at full price. If no takers, somebody is apt to get it via bidding in the final days before the cruise. If the cruise is sold out except that now-vacated upper level suite, a chain of accepted bids may occur at any time as NCL tries to max out total revenue. If that cancellation happens due to an emergency 60 hours before the cruise, that suite probably goes straight to Upgrade Advantage...there is no time to market it effectively and since NCL has already collected bids, they are ready to go.

[travelgals]

We are just over 60 days out. Ship is wide open except for Haven, which is booked except for the category I booked last week. That's all that is left, so I figure if they have a cancellation they would try and book it (although I swear I think I bid more than the difference between my cabin and the 2 BR but not sure since can't find any to compare it to, lol.

In any event, I'll leave the bids there a few more days and then pull them and plan to bring my mom another time. Not to bore you to tears, I really can only take her on board in Haven, since walking is painful and we figure for the most part in Haven she can use the dining room, lounge, pool deck and it will substantially cut down on walking around this huge ship. She will manage to grit her teeth and get to the casino! And maybe a show. No, she will not use a scooter or anything.

Bottom line, I will let you know what I bid and the outcome as soon as I know.

And, Thanks for your insights!

[Starry Eyes]

We are just over 60 days out. Ship is wide open except for Haven, which is booked except for the category I booked last week. That's all that is left, so I figure if they have a cancellation they would try and book it (although I swear I think I bid more than the difference between my cabin and the 2 BR but not sure since can't find any to compare it to, lol.

In any event, I'll leave the bids there a few more days and then pull them and plan to bring my mom another time. Not to bore you to tears, I really can only take her on board in Haven, since walking is painful and we figure for the most part in Haven she can use the dining room, lounge, pool deck and it will substantially cut down on walking around this huge ship. She will manage to grit her teeth and get to the casino! And maybe a show. No, she will not use a scooter or anything.

Bottom line, I will let you know what I bid and the outcome as soon as I know.

And, Thanks for your insights!

Oh, if your timeframe only allows you to wait a few more days, odds of a cancellation in that short time in just the right suite category are certainly against you. As you said, another time might work better for the trip with your mother.

[kia1914]

I did this on our upcoming Alaska cruise. We went from a balcony to PH suite for less than the minimum bid. All I did was call and they charged me the difference. Plus I got the extra free at sea promos I would not have gotten if I had bid and won the upgrade. Call them!

 

I did exactly the same thing and it was WAY cheaper than going through the bidding process. We went from Balcony to Aft Penthouse on Pearl. However we did not get the extra perks, just what we chose with our original room. I called about 30 days out.

[don't-use-real-name]

Oh, if your timeframe only allows you to wait a few more days, odds of a cancellation in that short time in just the right suite category are certainly against you. As you said, another time might work better for the trip with your mother.

 

The ODDS of your getting a cabin with more room are significantly reduced in that someone in that larger

cabin would have to cancel or win a bid/upgrade to an even bigger cabin or which there are fewer of those.

Consider a pyramid with the Owners suites on the top and you are on level 4 needing to go to level 3 and

then someone on 3 going to 2 and so on.

 

A valid point in that NCL may take the bidding/upgrading down to the 2 days before sailing wire and your

personal time frame is not within that space.

Since you are now in the penalty (final payment) period changes adjustments have financial consequences.

Therefore bidding/upgrading is the only solution to this situation still costing money.

 

Other factors to consider unless you live right next door to the port of departure getting airline tickets on short

notice may also cost more or the flight schedules not terribly convenient.

 

Again Good Luck - wish that you could stay around a few more days to see what develops.

 

Reviewing my post before submitting the one just above about CALLING do that and see what happens.

[littlelulu01]

September 22 Bliss Alaska sailing. Got the decline notifications for all Haven suites yesterday around 11 am pst. Had, “strong” bids on Haven Penthouse, Haven spa. Mid good level on forward and aft Haven. Fair on the two bedroom Haven and a poor bid on the owners suite. They did award some bids even though the sailing showed sold out. Had we gone any higher with the bids (with the exception of the deluxe owners suite) it would have been a better deal to book outright prior to the staterooms selling out or being awarded. Not sure if they actually sold the staterooms at listed price. They had a good selection available with many disappearing the last 45 days. We originally had a sail away mini suite. We’re still excited to finally try out a big new ship and I’m going to the Apple store to get some new iPhones with some of the money Ncl didn’t want.

 

In the past have been awarded Haven bids further than 60 days on other ships when I placed the dial at just touching the, “good” mark. Went higher on the Bliss after getting a little scared about the reviews but the reviews lately look much better.

[GlobalDrift]

We are sailing 9/23 on the Getaway this weekend. Finally received notice yesterday ~72 hrs before embarkation that we were upgraded to a B2 balcony from an IB inside! Our bid was in the poor range but the ship definitely had a good number of rooms left, likely due to hurricane season in the Caribbean. Super happy as it would have cost triple what we paid to get the upgrade outright :cool:

[maggie1968]

NICE!!!! Enjoy!!!

[JamieLogical]

We are sailing 9/23 on the Getaway this weekend. Finally received notice yesterday ~72 hrs before embarkation that we were upgraded to a B2 balcony from an IB inside! Our bid was in the poor range but the ship definitely had a good number of rooms left, likely due to hurricane season in the Caribbean. Super happy as it would have cost triple what we paid to get the upgrade outright :cool:

 

Congrats!

[merle65]

No upgrade for us on Bliss tomorrow.

[sebgaspesie]

we are sailing on the gateway 30/09 and 7/10 and we have not received anwser yet. I bet minimum 50$ each to upgrade from inside to balcony for 2 adult and 2 kids.

 

I hope i will receive anwser soon, because the gateway left a lot of balcony because hurricane season....

 

I should up $$ my bet ?

[Ottawa_Cruiser]

This is great info for the Getaway. My October 28th sailing still seems to have quite a bit of room left.

[flying fingers]

Sailing on Getaway Sunday and no word on upgrade. No acceptance or rejection?