LCV Upgrade Program

[excitedofharpenden]

Just something I noticed on the website that may be of interest to some.  It relates to the new Veranda Plus category.  The upgrade price to one of these if you score one from an OV category is $598.  To an ordinary veranda is $398.  So you pay $200 for V Plus with a bar set up and the extra amenities (if you actually use them over your LCV perks). If you go from any balcony to a Club Continent Suite you still pay $398.  More amenities that you will actually be able to make use of and a bigger room.  This makes no sense to me at all.  The more I think about this new Veranda Plus category the less impressed I am with the rationale behind this crazy idea.

 

Phil

[Riocca]

2 hours ago, excitedofharpenden said:

Just something I noticed on the website that may be of interest to some.  It relates to the new Veranda Plus category.  The upgrade price to one of these if you score one from an OV category is $598.  To an ordinary veranda is $398.  So you pay $200 for V Plus with a bar set up and the extra amenities (if you actually use them over your LCV perks). If you go from any balcony to a Club Continent Suite you still pay $398.  More amenities that you will actually be able to make use of and a bigger room.  This makes no sense to me at all.  The more I think about this new Veranda Plus category the less impressed I am with the rationale behind this crazy idea.

 

Phil

Phil, another anomaly is if you get a LCV upgrade from a CC suite to a Spa suite it’s $599 ( or equivalent in local currency) but you still qualify for the $300 OBC per person, so for a couple it’s effectively free.

[ellbon]

31 minutes ago, Riocca said:

Phil, another anomaly is if you get a LCV upgrade from a CC suite to a Spa suite it’s $599 ( or equivalent in local currency) but you still qualify for the $300 OBC per person, so for a couple it’s effectively free.

But very hard to get. i like them and could not get one for the next cruise.

[Grandma Cruising]

The upgrade table is strange anyway as there’s no option to upgrade from Veranda to Verandah Plus, which suggests they don’t see it as a higher class than a Verandah, yet they charge more.  Seems very odd.

[excitedofharpenden]

That’s probably because there is absolutely no reason to upgrade from a Veranda to a Veranda Plus, unless you are set on one of the four upfront forward facing, six aft rear facing, or one under the potentially noisy areas on deck 8.  

 

Phil

[QueenP]

I agree it's a stupid new category. You are paying significantly more to be on deck 8 basically. The inclusions aren't needed by us, so for our preferred cabin we are just having to pay a lot more. Annoying!

[nordski]

1 hour ago, excitedofharpenden said:

That’s probably because there is absolutely no reason to upgrade from a Veranda to a Veranda Plus, unless you are set on one of the four upfront forward facing, six aft rear facing, or one under the potentially noisy areas on deck 8.  

 

Phil

 

Does it make more sense if you have a low level on the LCV table?

[laurieb]

3 hours ago, Host Grandma Cruising said:

The upgrade table is strange anyway as there’s no option to upgrade from Veranda to Verandah Plus, which suggests they don’t see it as a higher class than a Verandah, yet they charge more.  Seems very odd.

 

I have read that there will be an offer from regular verandah to verandah plus for  198.00. 

[Grandma Cruising]

9 hours ago, laurieb said:

 

I have read that there will be an offer from regular verandah to verandah plus for  198.00. 

Interesting - where did you see that?

[excitedofharpenden]

13 hours ago, nordski said:

 

Does it make more sense if you have a low level on the LCV table?

At the Adventurer and Explorer level it might be and I suppose reading again you have to add in the  $60 value of one night in the Specialty for two people, but to pay an extra $200 to be potentially under the Pool Deck would be my main fear, with or without four half bottles of spirit (that I rarely drink).  Just seems really poor value when for $398 you can move from a balcony to a suite with more space, bar set up, more internet and free unlimited specialty dining.  Gawd, I hope I’m not giving them ideas.  I will now 😷

 

Phil

[nordski]

17 minutes ago, excitedofharpenden said:

At the Adventurer and Explorer level it might be and I suppose reading again you have to add in the  $60 value of one night in the Specialty for two people, but to pay an extra $200 to be potentially under the Pool Deck would be my main fear, with or without four half bottles of spirit (that I rarely drink).  Just seems really poor value when for $398 you can move from a balcony to a suite with more space, bar set up, more internet and free unlimited specialty dining.  Gawd, I hope I’m not giving them ideas.  I will now 😷

 

Phil

 

Thanks for your analysis.

 

 

[nordski]

1 hour ago, nordski said:

 

Thanks for your analysis.

 

 

 

1 hour ago, excitedofharpenden said:

 Just seems really poor value when for $398 you can move from a balcony to a suite with more space, bar set up, more internet and free unlimited specialty dining.  Gawd, I hope I’m not giving them ideas.  I will now 😷

 

Phil

 

Your last comment made me laugh.

 

This autumn, while we were talking to the wonderful future cruise agent and she mentioned Verandah Plus, I responded that being at Discoverer Level made the perks for that stateroom rather unnecessary.

 

As soon as I said it, I thought "That's not a thought that I should share." 

 

[laurieb]

8 hours ago, Host Grandma Cruising said:

Interesting - where did you see that?

It’s at the bottom of the LCV stateroom upgrade offer page; verandah to verandah plus from 200.00 

Edited November 24, 2018 by laurieb

[Grandma Cruising]

11 minutes ago, laurieb said:

It’s at the bottom of the LCV stateroom upgrade offer page; verandah to verandah plus from 200.00 

Ah, I see it now. I missed it because it wasn’t in the table, I think. Seems a bit odd that it’s there as a bit of an afterthought!

[comas]

I love this thread and thank Phil for his observations.  I am inclined to think Azamara are out to confuse passengers! 

In 2016, we decided to book a Med. cruise quite late in the day.  The only room available was a Club Continent on deck 8, port side.  There was some noise from above at certain times. The room was spacious, but the balcony was almost impossible to use.  The large bathroom, the bowl of fruit, 4 half bottles of spirit and speciality restaurant concessions would not tempt me to pay the additional £££’s.

I would rather pay as I go for the speciality restaurants as everything else we enjoy is included. 

Ann.