Bella to Fantastica

[pamrose228]

I booked a Bella OV for NYE CRUISE. Got a upgrade bid notice last week. This morning my upgrade email came $60 pp for a midship fantastica balcony. Do I get the perks like free room service with this upgrade. Thanks. Btw my dining time changed.

[GOLDENBONNY]

23 hours ago, pamrose228 said:

I booked a Bella OV for NYE CRUISE. Got a upgrade bid notice last week. This morning my upgrade email came $60 pp for a midship fantastica balcony. Do I get the perks like free room service with this upgrade. Thanks. Btw my dining time changed.

If you happy with your cabin location I don't see a point to upgrade now. How many times you order room service? 

[Até]

There is no mention of the MSC experience levels in the Plusgrade bidding system regarding Bella, Fantastica or Aurea because you are bidding on the cabin only.  The FAQ is awkwardly worded but basically states you keep the experience level that you booked with your original cabin.  For some reason, probably because NCL uses the term, they call it "promotions" in the FAQ.  Maybe they are intentionally obscure because they want people to incorrectly believe they will get the regular perks of the cabin.  So in your case you will still have the Bella experience, luckily in your case it's not really a big deal.  There is a possibility that upgrades to Aurea might be getting My Choice dining, but none of the other Aurea perks like massages, Easy package and spa access.  It took a while for them to fix that wording with YC upgrades and now when making YC bids the new what's included wording is "MSC Yacht Club benefits including dedicated 24-hour concierge and butler service, unlimited drinks, all-inclusive meals in the private MSC Yacht Club restaurants, and entry to exclusive areas like "The One Sun Deck".   So a YC bid is the only one that gives you the new cabin's experience level.

 

https://upg.stage.plusgrade.com/faq/partner/9Ck2Ks4MSC

[twruger]

On 12/17/2019 at 12:27 PM, Até said:

There is no mention of the MSC experience levels in the Plusgrade bidding system regarding Bella, Fantastica or Aurea because you are bidding on the cabin only. 

 

Unfortunately this is true.  Recently on MSC I almost pulled trigger on Fantastica to Mini-Suite Aurea upgrade, but after much research found that I would get the mini suite, but none of the Aurea package amenities.  Given that, it wasn't worth it at all and I stayed put.

 

Now that we sailed under Fantastica, we booked our next cruise on Bella experience.  The price difference for Fantastica didn't seem worth it in the end.  We never used room service, and the free morning breakfast was pitiful.  The coffee was bad and there were zero meat choices, just fruit, yogurt, and cereal.  We were already getting a daily fruit bowl.  So after the first couple of days we didn't even bother ordering the free breakfast.  We were better off just heading to the buffet for real food.  The best thing about Fantastica was better room locations, and that's it.

 

For the OP, since you booked a Bella OV though, getting to a Fantastica room is great just to get the better view.  I hate the sound of "OV", as the last thing I want to do is look at a bright orange lifeboat for a week!  But you won't get those Fantastica perks, but like I said above, you're really not missing anything either.

[HappyInVan]

On 12/16/2019 at 8:10 AM, pamrose228 said:

I booked a Bella OV for NYE CRUISE. Got a upgrade bid notice last week. This morning my upgrade email came $60 pp for a midship fantastica balcony. Do I get the perks like free room service with this upgrade. Thanks. Btw my dining time changed.

 

$60 pp upgrade to a balcony. I would take it if I was assured that the balcony had no obstructions. Check the deck plan for Fantistica balconies?

Edited December 20, 2019 by HappyInVan

[pamrose228]

4 minutes ago, HappyInVan said:

 

$60 pp upgrade to a balcony. I would take it if I was assured that the balcony had no obstructions. Check the deck plan for Fantistica balconies?

No obstructions midship deck 10

[HappyInVan]

14 minutes ago, pamrose228 said:

No obstructions midship deck 10

 Actually, midship on deck 10 is a good quiet location. The balcony cabins look significantly larger than the inside cabins. The balcony itself is small, but the view is better than OV. Near the panoramic lifts?

 

BTW, you didn't mention what ship. I'm looking at the Bellissima.

Edited December 20, 2019 by HappyInVan

[pamrose228]

9 minutes ago, HappyInVan said:

 Actually, midship on deck 10 is a good quiet location. The balcony cabins look significantly larger than the inside cabins. The balcony itself is small, but the view is better than OV. Near the panoramic lifts?

 

BTW, you didn't mention what ship. I'm looking at the Bellissima.

It’s the Meraviglia.

yes the new cabin is around 12 cabins away from the panoramic lift.

 

My theory since I was assigned the cabin so soon after bid. The new cabin is a connecting one total fits 8 people. I believe the prior occupants bid on a two bedroom YC cabin freeing up these two cabins. When I get onboard I will ask my neighbor if they bid on the cabin.

 

Guess I was lucky this time would not have liked a front of ship cabin.

[HappyInVan]

13 minutes ago, pamrose228 said:

It’s the Meraviglia.

yes the new cabin is around 12 cabins away from the panoramic lift.

 

My theory since I was assigned the cabin so soon after bid. The new cabin is a connecting one total fits 8 people. I believe the prior occupants bid on a two bedroom YC cabin freeing up these two cabins. When I get onboard I will ask my neighbor if they bid on the cabin.

 

Guess I was lucky this time would not have liked a front of ship cabin.

 

Enjoy!

[perakcruiser]

18 hours ago, twruger said:

The best thing about Fantastica was better room locations, and that's it.

The two main advantages of Fantastica are the free photo and more Voyager points imho. "Location" is difficult to say, some want to be in this part of the ship, some in that. 

[Até]

1 hour ago, HappyInVan said:

$60 pp upgrade to a balcony. I would take it if I was assured that the balcony had no obstructions.

With the Plusgrade upgrade system a balcony bid could just as easily ended up with a Bella balcony with an obstructed view and/or a noisy location.  There is no assurance you will get a good cabin, once you bid and it's accepted you get what they assign, period.  Lately Meraviglia sailings have had lots of unsold Fantastica balconies so pamrose228 probably got better odds.

[LMaxwell]

I've had Bella and Fantastica and can tell no material difference in my cruise.  Save your money if you are happy with your current location