MSC upgrade advice for YC bidding

[WirelessRoute]

Hi There!

 

Looking for some advice on Bidding/Offering for Upgrade for MSC Seashore for Late May Cruise.

We have Balcony Aurea currently booked. We usually blow off the upgrade notice or just bid very low amounts.

I wanted to give YC a try this time. I submitted offer for MSC Yacht Club Deluxe Suite with the Offer Strength showing Excellent and almost at the Max.

I went back and researched our cruise on MSC website and can see 11 rooms available for booking in MSC YACHT CLUB DELUXE SUITE DECK 16-19 Roughly $6500 for the 4 of us and 5 rooms of MSC YACHT CLUB DELUXE GRAND SUITE DECK at roughly $7100. Even with current offer was roughly $2000 less then current prices which I hope is a good deal. I only bid on the YC because the Grand Suite Aurea shows sold out.

 

Looking for some feedback/advice from anyone that has had success with bidding/offering for YC.

My question is how soon do they usually make the decisions on picking the upgrade offers? 

My understanding is that drinks are only free in YC areas, If we have the "Free Drinks and WiFi Package (Easy Plus Package)"

We would keep this if we are upgraded, correct? I assume that we can use our Easy Plus on the rest of the ship and get fancier drinks withing YC areas?

 

Any advice or tips appreciated in advance!

 

 

 

Edited May 9, 2022 by WirelessRoute

[deliver42]

I was also in Aurea, and did a bid of $50.00 over the minimum and won a bid to 18015. The aproval came in about one week. Our cruise is May14th.

[deliver42]

Your understanding is correct. Any drink is OK in the YC, and outside, the easy plus takes over. That's what I was told by an MSC rep.

[WirelessRoute]

1 hour ago, deliver42 said:

I was also in Aurea, and did a bid of $50.00 over the minimum and won a bid to 18015. The aproval came in about one week. Our cruise is May14th.

 

Ok well thats intresting for sure. I received multiple emails from MSC. Each one the max and mininum was diffrent. The emails I received closer to departure the min and max both decreased. In my case the YC upgrade Minimum was $815 and max $1370 pp I am bidding on the higher end in hopes of getting the upgrade. I curious if they take in cosideration the total amount you paid. My inital booking amount for 4 people (kids sale free) was very reasonable for balcony.

 

Edit now I am realizing I had Oringinally booked Bella B1 Balcony booked but the upgrade page show Aurea balcony now

Edited May 10, 2022 by WirelessRoute

[kernow]

Outside of YC you get the premium drinks package not the Easy plus.

[Stockjock]

Is there a link to bid on an upgrade?

[kernow]

20 minutes ago, Stockjock said:

Is there a link to bid on an upgrade?

You get sent an email with an offer to bid, they are randomly sent, not everyone gets one. You need to make sure you have ticked the box in your profile to receive offers.

[hamrag]

9 hours ago, WirelessRoute said:

.....My understanding is that drinks are only free in YC areas, If we have the "Free Drinks and WiFi Package (Easy Plus Package)"

We would keep this if we are upgraded, correct?....

If you are booked in YC, by original booking or via the bid process, you do not require any other drinks package on the booking. Outwith the YC areas, everything within the Premium Extra package is available to you. In practice that means any drink by the glass up to 13 euro or, on US sailings, up to $15. 

 

Any drinks purchased above those price limits are charged to your account in full, and not the differential as with some other cruiselines.

 

With the YC experience, WIFI is 'free' i.e. included within the price. 

Edited May 10, 2022 by hamrag

[WirelessRoute]

Thanks for the info and clearing that up. There was several places I read that made it appear we only get the premium drinks within the YC area. Its good to know the premium drink package is what we are upgraded to and it can be used outside the YC..

[defbref]

35 minutes ago, WirelessRoute said:

Thanks for the info and clearing that up. There was several places I read that made it appear we only get the premium drinks within the YC area. Its good to know the premium drink package is what we are upgraded to and it can be used outside the YC..

 

Up until MSC reclassified the drinks packages last year. YC was a bit nebulous as to what was included in the drinks package (outside of YC), they have made it much clearer now by stating the YC guests get the Premium extra package.

[dexddd]

How long is the trip?  If seven days and you are seeing $6-7k, that is about the normal price for four paying outright although I have seen some recent lower prices.

[WirelessRoute]

6 minutes ago, dexddd said:

How long is the trip?  If seven days and you are seeing $6-7k, that is about the normal price for four paying outright although I have seen some recent lower prices.

Correct 7 Day Caribbean on Seashore

[NMsunset]

YC drink package is valid over the entire ship and Ocean Caye too.

You also get unlimited use of Spa (adults).

It is a nice way to travel for sure...

 

But as others have said, the bid minimums are not always lower than if you bought/booked YC in advance...especially if you get any discounts, like Military, Educator, 1st responder, Voyagers, Casino, etc...

 

Cheers!

[WirelessRoute]

9 hours ago, hamrag said:

If you are booked in YC, by original booking or via the bid process, you do not require any other drinks package on the booking. Outwith the YC areas, everything within the Premium Extra package is available to you. In practice that means any drink by the glass up to 13 euro or, on US sailings, up to $15. 

 

Any drinks purchased above those price limits are charged to your account in full, and not the differential as with some other cruiselines.

 

With the YC experience, WIFI is 'free' i.e. included within the price. 

 

3 hours ago, NMsunset said:

YC drink package is valid over the entire ship and Ocean Caye too.

You also get unlimited use of Spa (adults).

It is a nice way to travel for sure...

 

But as others have said, the bid minimums are not always lower than if you bought/booked YC in advance...especially if you get any discounts, like Military, Educator, 1st responder, Voyagers, Casino, etc...

 

Cheers!

 

Yeah I am really curious as the regular going rates for these rooms. With our current bid plus what we already paid for the Bella Balcony we'd be at roughly $4700. I am checking the YC rooms now and seeing it $6100+ with 4 of us. Makes me think I'd get a good deal but you tell me could we get the same room for under 4500 booking in advance for 4? My wife thinks we should lower our bid some since there are 16 rooms available but I'd rather leave it on the higher end for better opportunity to be chosen for the upgrade. On the upgrade confirmation email looks like they Upgraded us to Balcony Aurea room on the 9th floor. We had Bella experience booked does that mean we get all the Aurea perks (This is of course if we don't get the YC offer upgrade)?

Edited May 10, 2022 by WirelessRoute

[NMsunset]

There are too many variables to know what bid will be successful.

 

We depart Saturday and have Deluxe Balcony, Fantastica, with Easy Plus Drink Package and basic WFI for two devices...two adults in cabin.

 

This is offer we received:

 

MSC Yacht Club Deluxe Suite

From $960 USD pp

[deliver42]

We're on the same cruise.

[WirelessRoute]

18 minutes ago, NMsunset said:

There are too many variables to know what bid will be successful.

 

We depart Saturday and have Deluxe Balcony, Fantastica, with Easy Plus Drink Package and basic WFI for two devices...two adults in cabin.

 

This is offer we received:

 

MSC Yacht Club Deluxe Suite

From $960 USD pp

This is on par with the offer I received. The top end was $1400+ pp. If you look at the YC rooms for the 5/14 sailing there is only 1 room left. We are on the sailing after yours and can see 16 YC rooms available for booking. Not sure how they pick or gauge but crossing my fingers that higher bid may win the offer. I'll post back my results here either way.

 

 

 

[deliver42]

The bidding process is done by a 3rd party, and no one has been able to figure out how it's done. The same goes for Royal, Celebrity, and NCL.

[Morgsmom]

16 hours ago, NMsunset said:

There are too many variables to know what bid will be successful.

 

We depart Saturday and have Deluxe Balcony, Fantastica, with Easy Plus Drink Package and basic WFI for two devices...two adults in cabin.

 

This is offer we received:

 

MSC Yacht Club Deluxe Suite

From $960 USD pp

Seems about right.  We are currently onboard the Divina, 4 night, Deluxe Balcony Fanastica with the Wifi and Drinks.  Our offer was $510 PP as a minimum to upgrade which we did not bid on.

 

[ddlb]

49 minutes ago, Morgsmom said:

Seems about right.  We are currently onboard the Divina, 4 night, Deluxe Balcony Fanastica with the Wifi and Drinks.  Our offer was $510 PP as a minimum to upgrade which we did not bid on.

 

 If I were to book an inside or balcony Bella no perks could I still get the option bid on a YC?  Would they start the bidding higher for a YC balcony then the package you had?  I was wondering if it would be best to book the cheapest possible cabin and then if no YC offer was forthcoming to just change the booking to the drink package offer as I presume you can still do that after final payment?

[WirelessRoute]

Strange I received a separate email today for the upgrade program.

When I click on the link it allows me to submit an offer for YC Deluxe suite. I've already submitted an offer prior to for same room.

I submitted a 2nd offer a few $ more than my first. I assume they'll only consider 1 of the 2 offers I submitted ? On the check out page it says you will only ever be charged for one upgrade if its accepted. So hopefully they don't try to charge me twice. Its strange that there automated system even allows me to submit multiple offers for the same category room.

Edited May 11, 2022 by WirelessRoute

[Morgsmom]

6 hours ago, ddlb said:

 If I were to book an inside or balcony Bella no perks could I still get the option bid on a YC?  Would they start the bidding higher for a YC balcony then the package you had?  I was wondering if it would be best to book the cheapest possible cabin and then if no YC offer was forthcoming to just change the booking to the drink package offer as I presume you can still do that after final payment?

Not everyone receives an upgrade email and when you do there is certainly a consideration for the "original price paid" and the minimum bid to upgrade.  For example, if you paid $2K for your cabin your minimum bid might be $500 per person whereas if you had paid $750 it might be $1200.  (Math not exact, but you get the picture.)

[ddlb]

3 hours ago, Morgsmom said:

Not everyone receives an upgrade email and when you do there is certainly a consideration for the "original price paid" and the minimum bid to upgrade.  For example, if you paid $2K for your cabin your minimum bid might be $500 per person whereas if you had paid $750 it might be $1200.  (Math not exact, but you get the picture.)

Makes sense. 

[Cooldoggie]

Not sure if this helps, but on our 4/28 three night cruise on Divina, I had booked an Aurea balcony. I received an upgrade email and bid $10 over the minimum (considered poor bid) and was accepted. Yacht club was awesome 😎

[NMsunset]

https://www.plusgrade.com/partners/