Is this unusual?

[neilkear]

Yesterday morning I posted a question, E Docs, having to do with my getting them 70 days out and did it affect my upgrade bid. I got some good feedback and learned it had nothing to do with my bid. Now this morning, (69 out), I check my email and there is one from NCL informing me that my bid is accepted and I went from a standard balcony on 12, aft, to a spa mini suite mid ship on 14. My bid was the lowest into the 'fair' range and I still got it $600 below list. Every thing I've read on CC about bidding upgrades tells me this isn't normal. (A) this far out from sailing. (B) first cruise in 13 years. © first timer at NCL. (D) and I'm a solo. Nevertheless, I am happy with the result, but did I just step into the proverbial poop! Isn't this just a bit unusual?

[All-ready2cruise]

It's a bit unusual but not unheard of especially in the shoulder/hurricane season. As far as being solo, that has nothing to do with the upgrade since you're paying exactly the same as a couple would pay.

 

Have a great cruise.

[YVRBassElectric]

I was upgraded 60 days out, 3rd NCL cruise this year.

 

Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth! Some mini suites are in locations that people don’t like (I’m on a cruise!), so aren’t a popular for bidding. NCL has enough data to know it’s a good time to take your bid!

 

On another note edocs printed 70 days out! You are very organized, I would lose them, they are the last thing I pack!

[BirdTravels]

Yesterday morning I posted a question, E Docs, having to do with my getting them 70 days out and did it affect my upgrade bid. I got some good feedback and learned it had nothing to do with my bid. Now this morning, (69 out), I check my email and there is one from NCL informing me that my bid is accepted and I went from a standard balcony on 12, aft, to a spa mini suite mid ship on 14. My bid was the lowest into the 'fair' range and I still got it $600 below list. Every thing I've read on CC about bidding upgrades tells me this isn't normal. (A) this far out from sailing. (B) first cruise in 13 years. © first timer at NCL. (D) and I'm a solo. Nevertheless, I am happy with the result, but did I just step into the proverbial poop! Isn't this just a bit unusual?

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

 

This is totally normal. If the ship has inventory, they will accept bids early (bidding starts 80 days out). That is why when people ask about waiting to submit a bid, I always tell them that the sooner you bid, the more chance you have to getting the award.

 

The only bids that are not awarded [far] in advance are the Haven rooms. Those can get awarded a bit earlier, but normally only on week of cruise (3-6 days prior to departure).

 

All other rooms are fair game for upgrades.

 

Getting a spa room ($200+) value is great. The Thermal Suite on the Breakaway is beautiful. Carve out a couple of hours a day to rest and relax after a hard day of touristing. Wet and dry saunas, steam room, salt bath, and the wonderful hydrotherapy pool. Stretch out on the hot stone loungers with beautiful forward facing views. The spa minis are our rooms of choice (we just had one on the Bliss, we have one booked on the Getaway this month and another booked on the Encore next year).

 

Oh yeah,,, printing out your edocs yesterday was the key to getting your upgrades :) Wait on the edocs until you have 100% of your reservations (dining, shore ex, shows) made since it provides of summary of everything you have booked.

 

You're already a winner! Have a great cruise!

Edited August 8, 2018 by BirdTravels

[davy jones]

A similar thing happened to me on a cruise late last year. I got my upgrade notice from OV to mini suite about 60 days out with a similar bid.

[Falckon]

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

 

 

The only bids that are not awarded [far] in advance are the Haven rooms. Those can get awarded a bit earlier, but normally only on week of cruise (3-6 days prior to departure).

 

 

I guess this was a rare exception, but our bid for a Haven suite on the Epic in January 2018, was accepted 67 days out.

[JamieLogical]

It is unusual, but not unheard of. Mini-suites are the least-bid category. Most people in Balconies don't want to risk a poor location for only a slightly larger bathroom. And there aren't many OV suites on the Breakaway/Breakaway Plus class ships to compete with. Plus, passengers in the 5-person OV rooms aren't eligible to bid on upgrades, because there are no balconies or mini-suites that accommodate 5 people.

 

So, I think you had good odds of winning your bid in the fair range. Probably could have even won in the poor range, since October cruises on the Breakway/Breakaway Plus ships seem to have a lot of excess inventory from what I have seen.

 

Congrats! I hope you enjoy your new room and you definitely lucked out with the Spa passes!

[JennieCoconut]

Congrats OP!

Question, I just put in a bid today (80 days out). If you bid on a mini suite, is that seperate from a spa mini? What's the difference exactly? Can I just get awarded a spa suite? Do all boats have them? I'll be on the Gem. I didn't even know about them and I love anything spa related so this got my interest!

[neilkear]

Congrats OP!

Question, I just put in a bid today (80 days out). If you bid on a mini suite, is that seperate from a spa mini? What's the difference exactly? Can I just get awarded a spa suite? Do all boats have them? I'll be on the Gem. I didn't even know about them and I love anything spa related so this got my interest!

I bid on just a mini and got the spa!

[JennieCoconut]

I bid on just a mini and got the spa!

 

 

Bummer. It doesn't look like they even have spa suites on my ship. :(

[neilkear]

Congrats! I hope you enjoy your new room and you definitely lucked out with the Spa passes!

 

 

Thank you for the info JamieLogical. The irony is that I may not even use the spa. I'm a 72 year old, 6'3", 260 lb, retired Teamster, not exactly a spa candidate. Unless, does the spa have craft beer on tap and TV's playing football on Sunday's?

[FLcruisergrl]

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

 

 

The only bids that are not awarded [far] in advance are the Haven rooms. Those can get awarded a bit earlier, but normally only on week of cruise (3-6 days prior to departure).

 

 

I guess this was a rare exception, but our bid for a Haven suite on the Epic in January 2018, was accepted 67 days out.

 

Happened to us, too. New Years cruise. We were in an aft facing and got upgraded to a Haven aft 70 days out.

[JamieLogical]

Unless, does the spa have craft beer on tap and TV's playing football on Sunday's?

 

 

Ha ha ha! I am not the spa type either. I think if I had access to the spa, I would go there in my full clothes maybe just to get away from the crowds/noise if it was a particularly crowded cruise? Is anyone sharing your cabin with you? If so, maybe he/she will get some use out of their pass?

[neilkear]

Ha ha ha! I am not the spa type either. I think if I had access to the spa, I would go there in my full clothes maybe just to get away from the crowds/noise if it was a particularly crowded cruise? Is anyone sharing your cabin with you? If so, maybe he/she will get some use out of their pass?

 

 

No, I'm doing a solo so I guess the pass will go to the souvenir pile.

[JamieLogical]

No, I'm doing a solo so I guess the pass will go to the souvenir pile.

 

Oh well. At least you'll have that nice big shower!

[YVRBassElectric]

Congrats! I hope you enjoy your new room and you definitely lucked out with the Spa passes!

 

 

Thank you for the info JamieLogical. The irony is that I may not even use the spa. I'm a 72 year old, 6'3", 260 lb, retired Teamster, not exactly a spa candidate. Unless, does the spa have craft beer on tap and TV's playing football on Sunday's?

 

My hubby was a forklift driver - he NEVER goes to a spa at home but loves the thermal suite, try it once, since it's free for you on this cruise - think swimming pool hot tub, instead of froo froo spa, you will find lots of people similar age and shape to you

[neilkear]

Oh well. At least you'll have that nice big shower!

 

 

Which brings it full circle to the reason for bidding on a mini suite originally.

[neilkear]

Thank you for the info JamieLogical. The irony is that I may not even use the spa. I'm a 72 year old, 6'3", 260 lb, retired Teamster, not exactly a spa candidate. Unless, does the spa have craft beer on tap and TV's playing football on Sunday's?

 

My hubby was a forklift driver - he NEVER goes to a spa at home but loves the thermal suite, try it once, since it's free for you on this cruise - think swimming pool hot tub, instead of froo froo spa, you will find lots of people similar age and shape to you

 

 

 

I'm in shape, round is a shape!

[zqvol]

Yesterday morning I posted a question, E Docs, having to do with my getting them 70 days out and did it affect my upgrade bid. I got some good feedback and learned it had nothing to do with my bid. Now this morning, (69 out), I check my email and there is one from NCL informing me that my bid is accepted and I went from a standard balcony on 12, aft, to a spa mini suite mid ship on 14. My bid was the lowest into the 'fair' range and I still got it $600 below list. Every thing I've read on CC about bidding upgrades tells me this isn't normal. (A) this far out from sailing. (B) first cruise in 13 years. © first timer at NCL. (D) and I'm a solo. Nevertheless, I am happy with the result, but did I just step into the proverbial poop! Isn't this just a bit unusual?

 

Not at all unusual, especially considering the time of year you are sailing, since the kids are in school then.

[Zippeedee]

The thermal spa is amazing. I don't care who sees big old me in a bathing suit in there, I enjoy every minute. There are always solos, women and men, in the sauna, in the massage pool, just enjoying life. Try it!

[tgloersen]

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

 

This is totally normal. If the ship has inventory, they will accept bids early (bidding starts 80 days out). That is why when people ask about waiting to submit a bid, I always tell them that the sooner you bid, the more chance you have to getting the award.

 

The only bids that are not awarded [far] in advance are the Haven rooms. Those can get awarded a bit earlier, but normally only on week of cruise (3-6 days prior to departure).

 

All other rooms are fair game for upgrades.

 

Getting a spa room ($200+) value is great. The Thermal Suite on the Breakaway is beautiful. Carve out a couple of hours a day to rest and relax after a hard day of touristing. Wet and dry saunas, steam room, salt bath, and the wonderful hydrotherapy pool. Stretch out on the hot stone loungers with beautiful forward facing views. The spa minis are our rooms of choice (we just had one on the Bliss, we have one booked on the Getaway this month and another booked on the Encore next year).

 

Oh yeah,,, printing out your edocs yesterday was the key to getting your upgrades :) Wait on the edocs until you have 100% of your reservations (dining, shore ex, shows) made since it provides of summary of everything you have booked.

 

You're already a winner! Have a great cruise!

My Haven bid on the BA this past January was awarded 64days out.

[MaryZ]

My haven bid on a holiday cruise was also awarded about 60 days out. Other bids were accepted anywhere from weeks to days before.

You simply cannot go by what has happened this past week or year. Put your bid in and wait to see. At one point after that day you will find out if it's accepted or declined.

There are thousands of people who cruise who are not on cruise critic. This is a very small sampling of bids on these boards.

Analyzing this data is fairly useless.

 

The only data that is absolute is to book a cabin you are comfortable with for your cruise because you may be staying in it.

[neilkear]

I'm the OP and I just wanted to make known a fact I just found out. I won the bid and was assigned a spa cabin but I do not get the complimentary Thermal Spa Suite pass. I had to call NCL about another issue with my new docs and I asked about that, and the rep I spoke to took it all the way to her supervisor. I keep all my perks that I had on the balcony, but I do not get any perks associated with the upgrade cabin. The Thermal Spa Suite pass is a perk of the spa mini, so no go!

[laurabegorrah]

I'm the OP and I just wanted to make known a fact I just found out. I won the bid and was assigned a spa cabin but I do not get the complimentary Thermal Spa Suite pass. I had to call NCL about another issue with my new docs and I asked about that, and the rep I spoke to took it all the way to her supervisor. I keep all my perks that I had on the balcony, but I do not get any perks associated with the upgrade cabin. The Thermal Spa Suite pass is a perk of the spa mini, so no go!

 

You keep your booking perks from the balcony/original room, but the spa access goes with the room, not the booking. It's considered a room amenity (like the larger shower) not a booking perk (like SDP, UBP, Wifi, etc). You will definitely have access to the spa with your room key.

 

As another posted mentioned, you need to at least visit the spa, just to see what's there. The heated tile loungers are to die for and a wonderful place to nap on a sea day! :)

[FLcruisergrl]

You keep your booking perks from the balcony/original room, but the spa access goes with the room, not the booking. It's considered a room amenity (like the larger shower) not a booking perk (like SDP, UBP, Wifi, etc). You will definitely have access to the spa with your room key.

 

As another posted mentioned, you need to at least visit the spa, just to see what's there. The heated tile loungers are to die for and a wonderful place to nap on a sea day! :)

 

I agree with this, the rep is incorrect. The spa pass is a room amenity, not a perk. Similar to when you win a Haven upgrade. You get all the amenities of the Haven.