Accepting bid offer for Escape Bermuda Trip 10/6/19

[usazhangjx]

Hi, I have been keeping an eye on the bidding for a while, and finally got an invitation for my Escape Bermuda trip leaves on 10/6/19. I booked guaranteed inside cabin, and bid for spa balcony at $120, and regular balcony at $60, does anyone from the same trip already got accepting bid offers?

 

I cruised on Escape for 10 days south Caribbean in last November. The inside cabin assigned to me this time is just next to the cabin I got from last trip. I didn't get bid invitation last time. I am glad I got this time.

 

Any input about bidding and accepted offer is appreciated.

[Robin Gail]

I am leaving this Sunday Sept. 15th on the Escape to Can/NE.  I still haven't heard anything about my bids

yet.  I got the bid offer in July.  

[Mike_DeA]

9 hours ago, usazhangjx said:

Hi, I have been keeping an eye on the bidding for a while, and finally got an invitation for my Escape Bermuda trip leaves on 10/6/19. I booked guaranteed inside cabin, and bid for spa balcony at $120, and regular balcony at $60, does anyone from the same trip already got accepting bid offers?

 

I cruised on Escape for 10 days south Caribbean in last November. The inside cabin assigned to me this time is just next to the cabin I got from last trip. I didn't get bid invitation last time. I am glad I got this time.

 

Any input about bidding and accepted offer is appreciated.

 

There looks like a lot of capacity on that cruise right now.  I had success bidding in March on the Escape by bidding a bit higher than minimum ($130 x 2), which was accepted a month+ before sailing.  There was a lot of capacity on my cruise as well at the time.

 

Your current bids are on the low side, so you likely won't learn if one is accepted until a few days before the cruise,and to be honest, you're not likely to win at those bid levels.  If you want a better chance of your bid being accepted sooner, I would suggest upping it to $100+ for the balcony and $200+ for the spa balcony. 

 

Did you book the sailaway rate (no perks)?  Or a true guarantee where you get one perk?  Currently the difference between inside sailaway and balcony sailaway is only $150pp so you may consider just upgrading directly if you don't want/need the perks.

[Mike_DeA]

7 minutes ago, Robin Gail said:

I am leaving this Sunday Sept. 15th on the Escape to Can/NE.  I still haven't heard anything about my bids

yet.  I got the bid offer in July.  

 

What level were your bids?  That sailing does not seem to have a lot of capacity available.  You'll hear by tomorrow at the latest (48 hours prior to the cruise).

[billslowsky]

13 minutes ago, Mike_DeA said:

Currently the difference between inside sailaway and balcony sailaway is only $150pp so you may consider just upgrading directly if you don't want/need the perks.

 

Completely agree.  Lots of people bid on balcony upgrades so for an extra $30 pp, why not just take the sailaway?

[Robin Gail]

We bid 50.00 for a balcony and 100 for a mini suite.  I know these are low bids but last year we bid the minimum at 25.00 and got upgraded to a mini suite go figure.  It won’t bother me if we don’t get it.  I’m ok with our oceanview cabin.  

[Mike_DeA]

7 minutes ago, billslowsky said:

 

Completely agree.  Lots of people bid on balcony upgrades so for an extra $30 pp, why not just take the sailaway?

 

As you probably know, the biggest reasons are a) many people like to choose their cabin for real or perceived reasons  (I'm fine with a guarantee), and b) the beverage package. 

 

In this case it's a difference of $60 bid vs. $150 direct upgrade.  The spa balcony is much higher if upgrading directly so it would be a huge bargain if the $120 bid gets accepted.

[Mike_DeA]

12 minutes ago, Robin Gail said:

We bid 50.00 for a balcony and 100 for a mini suite.  I know these are low bids but last year we bid the minimum at 25.00 and got upgraded to a mini suite go figure.  It won’t bother me if we don’t get it.  I’m ok with our oceanview cabin.  

 

Good luck!  It's nice when a minimum bid works out.

[MotownVoice]

Is there a page where I can educate myself on what the whole Bid process entails, and when one becomes eligible for an offer?

[Mike_DeA]

32 minutes ago, MotownVoice said:

Is there a page where I can educate myself on what the whole Bid process entails, and when one becomes eligible for an offer?

 

Just google "ncl bidding" and you'll see videos, websites, etc which will help.  There are plenty of post here on CC as well.

[MotownVoice]

2 minutes ago, Mike_DeA said:

 

Just google "ncl bidding" and you'll see videos, websites, etc which will help.  There are plenty of post here on CC as well.

Done.  Excellent suggestion.

Aha.  It looks like the original motivation behind this program was for travel agents to earn additional commission.

So buyer beware, as always. 

[Mike_DeA]

1 minute ago, MotownVoice said:

Done.  Excellent suggestion.

Aha.  It looks like the original motivation behind this program was for travel agents to earn additional commission.

So buyer beware, as always. 

Great.

 

I don't know about the origin of the idea, but it's turned into a windfall for Norwegian.  And a benefit for passengers too.

[graphicguy]

18 minutes ago, Mike_DeA said:

Great.

 

I don't know about the origin of the idea, but it's turned into a windfall for Norwegian.  And a benefit for passengers too.

A “win-win”.  I see Royal has adapted the same sort of program, too!

[usazhangjx]

2 hours ago, Mike_DeA said:

 

There looks like a lot of capacity on that cruise right now.  I had success bidding in March on the Escape by bidding a bit higher than minimum ($130 x 2), which was accepted a month+ before sailing.  There was a lot of capacity on my cruise as well at the time.

 

Your current bids are on the low side, so you likely won't learn if one is accepted until a few days before the cruise,and to be honest, you're not likely to win at those bid levels.  If you want a better chance of your bid being accepted sooner, I would suggest upping it to $100+ for the balcony and $200+ for the spa balcony. 

 

Did you book the sailaway rate (no perks)?  Or a true guarantee where you get one perk?  Currently the difference between inside sailaway and balcony sailaway is only $150pp so you may consider just upgrading directly if you don't want/need the perks.

Thank you very much for your information.

 

I booked IF with 1 perk, I choose 3rd passenger free since I’m traveling with my little daughter. I tried a mock booking, the difference for me to go for a guaranteed balcony with perks (like free internet, no extra costs) would be $500. I think it might be wise for me to bid higher for the spa balcony : )

 

Thank you again for all the input.

[Mike_DeA]

6 minutes ago, usazhangjx said:

Thank you very much for your information.

 

I booked IF with 1 perk, I choose 3rd passenger free since I’m traveling with my little daughter. I tried a mock booking, the difference for me to go for a guaranteed balcony with perks (like free internet, no extra costs) would be $500. I think it might be wise for me to bid higher for the spa balcony : )

 

Thank you again for all the input.

 

You're welcome.  And think of it this way, you get a 2nd perk with the balcony upgrade, so if you would choose the 250 minute internet perk, that has a value of about $125 ($105 if purchased prior to the cruise) .  So if you were going to buy that internet package anyway that would drop the $500 difference you mentioned for a guaranteed balcony, down to under $400 net.