Paid upgrades at reduced cost

[Sunseeker322]

Does anyone have any experience with paid upgrades at reduced cost? 

When I did my groups on HAL I was able to get everyone reduced cost upgrades, but have never gotten anyone on the phone that knows what I am talking about at Celebrity.

 

I don't mean just pay the difference upgrades I mean reduced cost.  Let me know if this has been offered to you. 

 

Thank you 

[jelayne]

 Celebrity has a Move Up program where on some sailings you can bid on higher level cabins.  You can find the details on the Celebrity website.

 

if you booked your group with the Group Sales department you could also contact them. 

Edited January 1, 2019 by jelayne

[Sunseeker322]

I book all my groups with group sales but this is the first I have heard about this. So it's like an auction not a sure thing , I must check it out. 

Thank you !

[phoenix_dream]

Not sure how it always ends up, but so far our experience has been that the move-up bid starting points tend to be higher than the cost we could have booked at when we first made the reservation.  And there's no guarantee the minimum cost bid will even be accepted, nor do you get to pick your cabin.  And last but not least, even if you 'win' a suite bid, you do not get the 'Best' package which normally goes with suites.  So a bargain?  Not in our experience, but then we have only been offered these on about 5 cruises so far.

[14cruisegirl]

I don’t know if this helps. The last cruise I took the move up option was not available for me in Aqua Class but my friends I am OV and Balcony both out in for the move up and did not get. 

[Sunseeker322]

Thank you for this info 😊

[gold1953]

It is what ever the going rate is .. not a reduced cost

[mediator]

We are leaving on the 12 th for the Equinox.  I received a move up offer.  We booked an inside guarantee at a ridiculous price of $479 pp, not including taxes. With no perks.  We are elite and get a little of this and that, and that works for us.

Having  just come off the crown princess for 20 days, we said let’s just do the inside.

 

So now we have a decision to make.    I’m reading the offer now.  It was an ocean view from $100 pp, veranda from $150 pp, a family veranda from 225 pp concierge class , Aqua from 400 pp.  I thought you could offer what you wanted when I first heard of the program, but you have to start at their minimum.  There is a half circle clock that shows if your bid is weak or strong.  We decided to “play” and went in with the weakest ( minimum) of bids on the veranda and family veranda.  We were in so cheap, the numbers worked for us.  We have not received an answer, other than to say it was accepted.  You have to put in a credit card number and if you win, you’ve bought it “sight un seen”.  It said you might not know until 48 hrs before.  I guess I won’t make my luggage tags!

[Sunseeker322]

A far cry from when I contacted ship inventory on HAL. The upgrades were confirmed immediately and at times they would let me chose cabins out of what they had for inventory.

 

I wonder if it's better at the pier or onboard to upgrade on Celebrity ? 

[wrk2cruise]

It's been years since I've heard anyone successfully upgrading at the pier or onboard with Celebrity.  Onboard it will be at the going rack rate, not discounted if they entertain upgrade at all.

 

 

[phoenix_dream]

2 hours ago, Sunseeker322 said:

A far cry from when I contacted ship inventory on HAL. The upgrades were confirmed immediately and at times they would let me chose cabins out of what they had for inventory.

 

I wonder if it's better at the pier or onboard to upgrade on Celebrity ? 

I have never heard of anyone in recent times being able to do this.  We had asked several times and were always told the ship was sold out.  Not sure if it was or they just didn't want to offer upgrades.

[MamaChach]

Is there a way to try to ask for an upgrade or pay for an upgrade or is this just rebooking to a higher cabin?

[jelayne]

If it is after final payment & the price of your cabin has dropped below what you paid and pif there is a higher category cabin available for at least $1 more than you paid you can pay the difference & move to the higher category.

 

We did that in Jan & paid $ 62 to move from a SS to a CS.  Also have moved from a concierge to SS for $.118- both were on 14 day cruises.

[jagoffee]

10 minutes ago, jelayne said:

If it is after final payment & the price of your cabin has dropped below what you paid and pif there is a higher category cabin available for at least $1 more than you paid you can pay the difference & move to the higher category.

 

We did that in Jan & paid $ 62 to move from a SS to a CS.  Also have moved from a concierge to SS for $.118- both were on 14 day cruises.

Great deals on both.  Was this before the Move Up bidding process was introduced?  I am wondering if the new process will change the pricing dynamics after the final payment date.

[jelayne]

40 minutes ago, jagoffee said:

Great deals on both.  Was this before the Move Up bidding process was introduced?  I am wondering if the new process will change the pricing dynamics after the final payment date.

 

It was before Move Up but it was also just after final payment.  From what I have experienced with Move Up they don’t start that until 4 weeks or less before sailing, if at all.  

 

I know that some on 1 of our upcoming. cruises  saw prices drop  below what they paid and have upgraded like I did previously.

 

[Sunseeker322]

Excellent question 

[Sunseeker322]

Jelayne that sounds like a re-faring due to price change option

 

[CaptCrunch]

2 hours ago, jelayne said:

If it is after final payment & the price of your cabin has dropped below what you paid and pif there is a higher category cabin available for at least $1 more than you paid you can pay the difference & move to the higher category.

 

We did that in Jan & paid $ 62 to move from a SS to a CS.  Also have moved from a concierge to SS for $.118- both were on 14 day cruises.

Can you clarify just a bit Jelayne?  Did you pay $62 total to move from a SS to a CS or $62 per day (62x14 = $868 total)?

[jelayne]

11 minutes ago, CaptCrunch said:

Can you clarify just a bit Jelayne?  Did you pay $62 total to move from a SS to a CS or $62 per day (62x14 = $868 total)?

 

It was $62 total.  We were booked in a SS2 and right after final payment the priced dropped to $1100 less than we paid.  Since it was after final payment I couldn't get a refund of the difference to take advantage of the lower price.  The price of the CS had also been reduced so I was able to pay the difference between what I had already paid for the SS and the price of the CS which was $62

[wrk2cruise]

To be clear I don't believe your originally booked cabin has to be lower fare than you paid or even have available inventory.  If a higher cabin is available and the published fare is at least $1 more than you paid you can upgrade after final payment by paying the difference.  Perks will only be what's available with the rate in the published fare.

 

For example if you book a S2 at $2000 with 4 perks and after final you see a RS at $2500 at a senior discount.  You can upgrade for $500 but will have no perks since senior rates don't come with perks.  However you do get whatever comes included with the category for example with the RS you would get the Premium Bev package, Unlimited Internet and free specialty since it comes with the category (not booking perk).  Unlike the MoveUp upgrades you get the CC points for the new category since you are paying published fare

[Sunseeker322]

That's very true . After final the only cabin changes are upgrades where you pay more. Which tax the cabin will have is always a mystery , today's taxes or the tax when you originally booked.