How is the bidding system doing? Any comments?

[IndyKid]

I just bid to upgrade from a balcony to a Reserve Class Mini-Suite. It's for a 7-day Eastern Caribbean cruise in December. Just curious if anyone here won a successful bid for this and how much they paid?

[photomikey]

I woke up this morning having a nightmare that I'd bid on every category for my next cruise and didn't get an upgrade.  I was terrified!  Then as I came to, I thought... wait, I booked a room I love in an ideal location.  What am I worried about?!

Perhaps I'm thinking about the bidding system a bit too much!

[JeffM1]

17 minutes ago, photomikey said:

I woke up this morning having a nightmare that I'd bid on every category for my next cruise and didn't get an upgrade.  I was terrified!  Then as I came to, I thought... wait, I booked a room I love in an ideal location.  What am I worried about?!

Perhaps I'm thinking about the bidding system a bit too much!

Welcome to my world, LOL.  Pretty sure it is part of their master plan!!

[Musky Ike]

Bid accepted yesterday for our October 15th sailing. BB to MB, happy camper.

[HiCCCs]

3 hours ago, Musky Ike said:

Bid accepted yesterday for our October 15th sailing. BB to MB, happy camper.

Congratulations.  I wake up each day and check my emails immediately so see if I'm so lucky....cruise is B2B is October 21-23 and 23-28.  Hopefully, I'll hear something soon.

[joeflow80]

Couple of questions here...

 

Do they ever do upgrades upon request on embarkation day? Perhaps if the ship isn't sold out? If they do, who would one ask?

 

I've been considering putting in an upgrade bid, but it feels wrong when the minimums are more than the marginal increase in fares between categories. 

 

For example, there is a $160 difference in base fares between an interior and balcony. I'm currently booked in an interior and the minimum bid on the standard balcony is $210. An obstructed view balcony's minimum is $35 more than the fare difference. Is this normal? I'd think the bidding option should be seen as a potential 'good deal'.

[Mary Ann 2]

7 hours ago, joeflow80 said:

Do they ever do upgrades upon request on embarkation day? Perhaps if the ship isn't sold out? If they do, who would one ask?

Most ships are back to sailing full these days. It's not like 2 years ago when they were sailing at 50-60%. I doubt that you would be successful asking for an upgrade upon embarkation. Even in May 2022 when we asked, they had apparently had no rooms because they said they would let us know, and we never heard from them. You should look for a sign that says sailing full (or something like that) during embarkation to see if it is. You ask at the Passenger Services desk upon embarkation.

[1cruiselvr]

11 hours ago, joeflow80 said:

Couple of questions here...

 

Do they ever do upgrades upon request on embarkation day? Perhaps if the ship isn't sold out? If they do, who would one ask?

 

I've been considering putting in an upgrade bid, but it feels wrong when the minimums are more than the marginal increase in fares between categories. 

 

For example, there is a $160 difference in base fares between an interior and balcony. I'm currently booked in an interior and the minimum bid on the standard balcony is $210. An obstructed view balcony's minimum is $35 more than the fare difference. Is this normal? I'd think the bidding option should be seen as a potential 'good deal'.

If you are interested in upgrading, then I suggest bidding. It's been years since upgrading onboard has been available. 

[flying boat]

Bid accepted yesterday for 29 Oct cruise, inside to premium ocean view.  Cruise has been showing sold out for a while so never give up hope.

[LouCoop]

Our bid was also accepted for 29 Oct. cruise. Ours is balcony to deluxe balcony. ☺️

[HiCCCs]

20 minutes ago, LouCoop said:

Our bid was also accepted for 29 Oct. cruise. Ours is balcony to deluxe balcony. ☺️

Everyone's a winner on that cruise!!!!  I'm three weeks out from mine....not giving up hope that Lady Fortuna will smile on my B2B bids!!!

[BlerkOne]

It took about 2 days for them to accept my low bid for an upgrade to a mini-suite from a regular balcony for Oct 21 sailing.

[JeffM1]

So we are 1 week out from our CA coast cruise on the Discovery.  Ship appears to be virtually sold out.  We are in a mini suite and I placed two bids for cabins above ours about a month ago, and as of today I have heard nothing.  My bids still show as pending, and all cabin types above ours are still available to bid on, up to and including the Sky Suite.  Each day I check a couple of times (OK maybe more) and still nothing.  Pretty sure when the cruise is over I will still be checking and I will have to go to Princess Bidding Rehab to get clean!

[jjack413]

30 minutes ago, JeffM1 said:

So we are 1 week out from our CA coast cruise on the Discovery.  Ship appears to be virtually sold out.  We are in a mini suite and I placed two bids for cabins above ours about a month ago, and as of today I have heard nothing.  My bids still show as pending, and all cabin types above ours are still available to bid on, up to and including the Sky Suite.  Each day I check a couple of times (OK maybe more) and still nothing.  Pretty sure when the cruise is over I will still be checking and I will have to go to Princess Bidding Rehab to get clean!

I was on a sold out cruise on Discovery. I booked a mini suite over a year prior to the cruise. So I was ok either way because I picked my preferred location. My cruise was on the 20th, was notified on the 19th that my bids were not accepted. I’m a compulsive checker. Little advice…..no need to check. You will get an email at the same time you are accepted or denied. Some of those locations for Reserved Mini’s were not the best for me. Higher traffic patterns near elevators that always had people jammed up waiting. I am on an almost sold out cruise for 2025 on the Sun. Not my preferred location so I will bid again and check all the time 😃.

[stevenr597]

I do wonder how much is served with the bidding system, as compared to asking for a guaranteed cabin in the class that you are bidding for at the time one initiates the booking. 

[Petersonfcu]

6 hours ago, stevenr597 said:

I do wonder how much is served with the bidding system, as compared to asking for a guaranteed cabin in the class that you are bidding for at the time one initiates the booking. 

I am not entirely sure about what you are asking.  In my personal experience, I have bid for upgrades twice.  In both cases the sum of 1) the price I paid for my original cabin and 2) my upgrade bid was significantly less than what a guaranteed cabin in my target category would have cost at the time of booking.  And, yes, I won both bids.  In one of those cases I had a free interior room on a casino deal and I upgraded to a balcony with my winning bid, so maybe that is not a fair comparison.

[HiCCCs]

7 hours ago, stevenr597 said:

I do wonder how much is served with the bidding system, as compared to asking for a guaranteed cabin in the class that you are bidding for at the time one initiates the booking. 

If money is no object, I would say that nothing is served.

 

If, however, you like to gamble and are interested in possibly getting a higher category stateroom along with the associated perks but without having to pay the full price, much is served....and gained if your bid wins!

 

Keeping my fingers crossed that I'll get a favorable email and not a "Dear John" letter.

[stevenr597]

2 hours ago, Petersonfcu said:

I am not entirely sure about what you are asking.  In my personal experience, I have bid for upgrades twice.  In both cases the sum of 1) the price I paid for my original cabin and 2) my upgrade bid was significantly less than what a guaranteed cabin in my target category would have cost at the time of booking.  And, yes, I won both bids.  In one of those cases I had a free interior room on a casino deal and I upgraded to a balcony with my winning bid, so maybe that is not a fair comparison.

What I was trying to say that if you had selected a guaranteed room in the upgrade category at the time you did the booking, would it have been a significantly higher price than initially booking a lesser category and then entering the bidding process.  

In one case you know at the start of your booking that you will get a room in either that category or at a higher level.  In the other, there may be savings, but one may not know until the last minute if they will get an upgrade.

Just wondering. 

 

[HiCCCs]

2 hours ago, stevenr597 said:

What I was trying to say that if you had selected a guaranteed room in the upgrade category at the time you did the booking, would it have been a significantly higher price than initially booking a lesser category and then entering the bidding process.  

In one case you know at the start of your booking that you will get a room in either that category or at a higher level.  In the other, there may be savings, but one may not know until the last minute if they will get an upgrade.

Just wondering. 

 

Based on my recent experience, and it's a B2B sailing....for the first segment (2-days), the price difference between deluxe balcony and mini-suite / reserve collection mini-suite had I gone with the Guaranteed Reservation was $60, and $100, respectively. I've posted a $20, and a $40 bid on a mini suite and the reserve collection mini-suite, respectively.

 

For the second segment (5-days), the price difference between a deluxe balcony and a Guaranteed Reservation on a mini-suite / reserve collection mini-suite was significantly more.....$1,000 more for a mini-suite and $1200 more for a reserve collection mini-suite. I've posted a $75, and a $140 bid on mini-suite and the reserve collection mini-suite, respectively.

 

For me, I am happy with the deluxe balcony and didn't want to pay that much extra for a Guaranteed Reservation at the time I booked-especially on such a short cruise. I have placed my bid and will take my chances to get an upgrade at a steal-of-a-deal price....I hope!!!

[Mikelynn]

I just had a bid accepted for upgrade from balcony to mini-suite, cruising on 4th November for a week. Bid the minimum plus £10.00 if I remember correctly.

Also tried for the previous week but this has not been accepted, we are doing a b2b but now will be moving cabin for the 2nd week. 

[HiCCCs]

1 hour ago, Mikelynn said:

I just had a bid accepted for upgrade from balcony to mini-suite, cruising on 4th November for a week. Bid the minimum plus £10.00 if I remember correctly.

Also tried for the previous week but this has not been accepted, we are doing a b2b but now will be moving cabin for the 2nd week. 

Congratulations on winning the upgrade!  I wonder if you're still in the race for the first segment of your B2B and possibly find out at the last minute that you are upgraded (or not). The further advance notice anyone gets on their upgrade, the greater chance of calling Princess to see if there is another stateroom within the same category at a different location if a different location is preferred. And with respect to a B2B..if it's possible to get the same cabin and not have to change rooms.  Still, changing rooms is a small price to pay for the upgrade-especially from a balcony to a mini-suite!

 

Again, congratulations!  I bet you're counting the days!

[I object 2]

We board the Discovery in 3 days.  We booked an MB category mini suite and placed bid for a Reserve Class mini and penthouse suite.  When I checked the Medallion app just now, the cabin and deck are showing "Pending".   Does anyone know if this means one of our bids could be in the process of being accepted?   Our deck and cabin number have been listed before.   Crossing our fingers!   

[JeffM1]

4 minutes ago, I object 2 said:

We board the Discovery in 3 days.  We booked an MB category mini suite and placed bid for a Reserve Class mini and penthouse suite.  When I checked the Medallion app just now, the cabin and deck are showing "Pending".   Does anyone know if this means one of our bids could be in the process of being accepted?   Our deck and cabin number have been listed before.   Crossing our fingers!   

LOL we are in the same category, same cruise as you, and placed bids on the same two types of cabins.  We have been "pending" for a month, and still haven't heard anything more.

[I object 2]

Just now, JeffM1 said:

LOL we are in the same category, same cruise as you, and placed bids on the same two types of cabins.  We have been "pending" for a month, and still haven't heard anything more.

I guess we'll both be pleasantly surprised when we board.  LOL   We like our current location but thought it'd be fun to place bids and see what happens.  

[JeffM1]

4 minutes ago, I object 2 said:

I guess we'll both be pleasantly surprised when we board.  LOL   We like our current location but thought it'd be fun to place bids and see what happens.  

We felt exactly the same when we bid.  I hope you are right!!!!