How is the bidding system doing? Any comments?

[Cruisintimer]

4 minutes ago, IndyKid said:

Thanks! I bid $350 (minimum was $250). We'll see what happens..

Hope you get it!  Sounds like a winner to me.  

Edited November 9, 2023 by Cruisintimer

[vakamalua]

Notified that bid wasn’t accepted the day before cruise started.

[Cruisintimer]

26 minutes ago, vakamalua said:

Notified that bid wasn’t accepted the day before cruise started.

Oh bummer, how was your cabin and cruise?

[vakamalua]

1 hour ago, Cruisintimer said:

Oh bummer, how was your cabin and cruise?

very happy with original cabin booked & cruise was great.  I think the moral of the story is to book something you’ll really like then you won’t be disappointed by not getting upgrade.

[Cruisintimer]

11 minutes ago, vakamalua said:

very happy with original cabin booked & cruise was great.  I think the moral of the story is to book something you’ll really like then you won’t be disappointed by not getting upgrade.

We just said the same exact thing.  We are seniors, spouse enjoys bathtub so mini suite it is.  Bidding was kinda fun, we have received two bidding upgrades but it came down to the wire this time and future cruises we have minis booked already.

 

Glad to hear your cabin and cruise were great.

[IndyKid]

As I mentioned earlier in this thread, I've bid on an upgrade to a mini-suite. I won't be upset if it's not accepted, our balcony room will be just fine. 

 

The only reason I'm trying to do it is for my wife. I'm handling all the arrangements, so she's totally unaware of what's going on. If I win the upgrade I'll surprise her when we open the door to our cabin....

[Cruisintimer]

9 minutes ago, IndyKid said:

As I mentioned earlier in this thread, I've bid on an upgrade to a mini-suite. I won't be upset if it's not accepted, our balcony room will be just fine. 

 

The only reason I'm trying to do it is for my wife. I'm handling all the arrangements, so she's totally unaware of what's going on. If I win the upgrade I'll surprise her when we open the door to our cabin....

What a kind gesture, truly hope you get it and what a great surprise it will be.  

[KKB]

On 10/30/2023 at 12:14 PM, poindexter said:

12 days before our 11 day, Nov. 4 Emerald cruise, we received an upgrade for inside to balcony, $500 total. This was after receiving an email 4 weeks prior telling me that we wouldn’t get our balcony, but making us a counter offer for an obstructed ocean view for $100 total. Didn’t accept it.

GOOD to know...we got that "counter" email on our Europe sailing last month on the Island.

Got a mini suite window room (no balcony). Lots of space but wouldn't get it again.

[IndyKid]

25 minutes ago, KKB said:

GOOD to know...we got that "counter" email on our Europe sailing last month on the Island.

Got a mini suite window room (no balcony). Lots of space but wouldn't get it again.

Hmmm, I made the assumption when bidding for an upgrade for a club-class mini-suite on the Caribbean Princess that it will have a balcony? I guess I will need to verify before I accept an upgrade...

Edited November 10, 2023 by IndyKid

[gypwoo]

I tried searching for the answer but couldn’t find it. If you book with Costco can you bid to upgrade?  Thanks. 

[Cruise Raider]

8 minutes ago, gypwoo said:

I tried searching for the answer but couldn’t find it. If you book with Costco can you bid to upgrade?  Thanks. 

Yea you can.  
Be sure to check your profile on their website to make sure the contact methods have a ✔️.  
My check marks seem to fall off to every so often.  They were unchecked again this morning when I went to see if they were still there.  
if you don’t sign up for emails, there is still a section on the Princess website where you can see if your cruise qualifies and is open for bids.  If it is, you can make your bid right from there, regardless if you used a travel agency or not.  

[kamelia]

@gypwoo and @Cruise Raider - Unless this has changed in the past six weeks, my most recent Princess cruise was booked through Costco and was ineligible to bid for an upgrade because my “travel agent does not participate in the upgrade program.” 😕

Edited November 10, 2023 by kamelia

[KKB]

2 hours ago, IndyKid said:

Hmmm, I made the assumption when bidding for an upgrade for a club-class mini-suite on the Caribbean Princess that it will have a balcony? I guess I will need to verify before I accept an upgrade...

I was aware the minisuite had no balcony when I bid.

Pretty sure all club class have balconies

[racj846]

7 hours ago, IndyKid said:

Hmmm, I made the assumption when bidding for an upgrade for a club-class mini-suite on the Caribbean Princess that it will have a balcony? I guess I will need to verify before I accept an upgrade...

If your upgrade bid is accepted, by the time you receive such advice the cost will have already been processed to your credit card.  At the onset of the upgrade program there was a grace period, but no more.  So you will not have the opportunity to accept or refuse.

[IndyKid]

42 minutes ago, racj846 said:

If your upgrade bid is accepted, by the time you receive such advice the cost will have already been processed to your credit card.  At the onset of the upgrade program there was a grace period, but no more.  So you will not have the opportunity to accept or refuse.

I went and double-checked, the description of the mini-suite gave the square-footage and stated it includes the balcony, so it's all good. I was just concerned because we currently have a balcony, and that's what we like.

[Cruise Raider]

14 hours ago, kamelia said:

@gypwoo and @Cruise Raider - Unless this has changed in the past six weeks, my most recent Princess cruise was booked through Costco and was ineligible to bid for an upgrade because my “travel agent does not participate in the upgrade program.” 😕

Whoa!  I know they have their restrictions on calling about upgrades, move over offers, etc.  I’m surprised this is the case with the bidding process, as they have nothing to do with it.  
Thank you for the info! 

[memoak]

3 hours ago, Cruise Raider said:

Whoa!  I know they have their restrictions on calling about upgrades, move over offers, etc.  I’m surprised this is the case with the bidding process, as they have nothing to do with it.  
Thank you for the info! 

I am betting that many “big book” TA groups don’t want to be bothered like with other offers they don’t pass along. Really happy with our Princess CVP

[Cruise Raider]

3 hours ago, memoak said:

I am betting that many “big book” TA groups don’t want to be bothered like with other offers they don’t pass along. Really happy with our Princess CVP

I’m happy with ours as well.  She may not be able to give extra perks or OBC but, she is always so responsive any time I call her with a request.  
Peace of mind is worth it for me!  
Don’t get me wrong, I did used to use many large online travel agencies and I was never unhappy with them.  There is even a travel agent that I really like that I use for cruises other than Princess.  I’d even use her for Princess during the big 3 day sale if nothing else is being offered.  But otherwise, I just go through my CVP!  She has done so much for us!  

[kgusto1878]

This is my first time attempting a bid upgrade for an Eastern Caribbean sailing out of FLL on Dec 10. Balked at the $285/pp cost quoted by the agent to go from an Inside to a Oceanview. I bid the minimum $30/pp for an obstructed OV and got notice one month before sailing that it was accepted! Saved us $510--very happy!

[IndyKid]

44 minutes ago, kgusto1878 said:

This is my first time attempting a bid upgrade for an Eastern Caribbean sailing out of FLL on Dec 10. Balked at the $285/pp cost quoted by the agent to go from an Inside to a Oceanview. I bid the minimum $30/pp for an obstructed OV and got notice one month before sailing that it was accepted! Saved us $510--very happy!

Excellent! We're on the same cruise, I bid the minimum ($250) to go to a Reserve Mini-suite from a balcony. Still waiting to hear back. 

[C & C Love to Cruise]

On 11/9/2023 at 4:08 PM, Cruisintimer said:

150pp,  hope you win an upgrade (how much did you bid?)  I upgraded our bid two days ago from 125/pp.

Are you happy with the location you received?  Right now I am in E424 in the middle of everything with a large balcony and don't know if I want to bid on a mini suite in a location I might not like with a smaller balcony.  

[IndyKid]

As I mentioned earlier we're booked on the Caribbean Princess for the 12/10 voyage out of Port Everglades. I bid the minimum $250/pp for an upgrade from a balcony to a CC Mini-Suite. Still shows "pending" when I checked earlier. I guess they want to wait and see if anyone come in with a late offer that's higher?

[marinating]

Our 13 day cruise departs in 2 days, I bid for an upgrade from mini suite to front facing mini suite. Last week informed I had been outbid and asked if I wanted to bid more which I declined, today received an email offering me a Penthouse suite for a fixed price, no bidding! Keeping my fingers crossed and checking my email every 5 minutes, I guess they probably sent out hundreds of emails and first in probably will win!

[Raymok]

Will be sailing on the Sky Princess next month and received an email yesterday that my bid was accepted. We went from a BF Balcony to a D4 Premium Deluxe Balcony. I bid slightly above the minimum.  

 

[deja moo]

I received notice my bid was accepted today. Leaving in seven days on the Emerald Princess. I had a bid from a gty inside to a balcony for $500 total, and an obstructed ocean view for $130 total. I won on the obstructed ocean view. I would have preferred the balcony, but the cabin they assigned me is center ship which is still good.