Bidding on an upgrade

[TowandaUK]

11 hours ago, majortom10 said:

We are due on QV at the end of November in a PG and unfortunately away on another cruise with different cruise line so it looks as if we do get the chance of an upgrade by e mail we will be unable to make an offer so will miss out.

There is a section on the Cunard website that gives the option to request an upgrade. It might be worth trying it that way before you set sail on your other cruise. I couldn’t paste a link but try googling Introducing Cunard upgrade. 
 

[TowandaUK]

3 hours ago, TowandaUK said:

There is a section on the Cunard website that gives the option to request an upgrade. It might be worth trying it that way before you set sail on your other cruise. I couldn’t paste a link but try googling Introducing Cunard upgrade. 
 

 

[BigMac1953]

I note that it states you're only eligible if you've booked direct with Cunard (which most of us don't).

[bitob]

I booked through ta

 I was invited to bid on upgrade q5 to ph

still haven’t heard either way. We sail sept 11 on qm2 rt

Edited August 3, 2023 by bitob

[3rdGenCunarder]

On 8/3/2023 at 7:10 AM, BigMac1953 said:

I note that it states you're only eligible if you've booked direct with Cunard (which most of us don't).

 

I use a TA and I got an invitation to upgrade in an email this morning. Trying to decide on a bid.

 

I'm in Britannia, and the offers were for Club and Princess. But when I did a dummy booking to see what's available, both show as sold out. QG is available, but that wasn't offered.

Edited August 9, 2023 by 3rdGenCunarder

[Selbourne]

19 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

I use a TA and I got an invitation to upgrade in an email this morning. Trying to decide on a bid.

 

I'm in Britannia, and the offers were for Club and Princess. But when I did a dummy booking to see what's available, both show as sold out. QG is available, but that wasn't offered.

Presumably some currently in Club and Princess Grill will successfully bid to upgrade, thus leaving options for those in Britannia to bid. Interesting that you booed via a TA and still had the option, as it was sold as only being available to those who booked direct. 

[3rdGenCunarder]

3 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

Presumably some currently in Club and Princess Grill will successfully bid to upgrade, thus leaving options for those in Britannia to bid. Interesting that you booed via a TA and still had the option, as it was sold as only being available to those who booked direct. 

 

I was surprised to get the offer. I don't think Club is worth the price jump, but I will try for PG. The suggested bids looked good until I remembered that as a solo, I will pay double the bid. Also, since I'm close to sailing, I won't have the chance to decline. My upgrade will be final. Not that there's a bad PG, even under the Winter Garden.

[Selbourne]

Just now, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

I was surprised to get the offer. I don't think Club is worth the price jump, but I will try for PG. The suggested bids looked good until I remembered that as a solo, I will pay double the bid. Also, since I'm close to sailing, I won't have the chance to decline. My upgrade will be final. Not that there's a bad PG, even under the Winter Garden.

Would you mind sharing the minimum bids for Britannia to Club and Britannia to PG (and for how many nights your cruise is)? Thanks. 

[3rdGenCunarder]

It's 12 nights. The per person minimum bid is $460 for club and $970 for PG. I don't know if the minimum depends on the booked category. My Britannia is a BB, so I'm close to the top of the balcony price range. Iwonder if the minimum bid is more for someone in a BE or an inside? 

[bluemarble]

19 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

Presumably some currently in Club and Princess Grill will successfully bid to upgrade, thus leaving options for those in Britannia to bid. Interesting that you booed via a TA and still had the option, as it was sold as only being available to those who booked direct. 

 

The stated terms and conditions for the Cunard Upgrade program are different between the US and the UK.

 

From the Cunard UK website, one of the stated eligibility requirements is

•  you have booked directly with Cunard

 

The equivalent eligibility requirement listed on the Cunard US website is simply

•  you have booked a fare that qualifies for the Cunard Upgrade program

 

I reside in the US and I also received an upgrade offer email for my upcoming voyage even though I booked through a travel agent.

[Selbourne]

1 hour ago, bluemarble said:

 

The stated terms and conditions for the Cunard Upgrade program are different between the US and the UK.

 

From the Cunard UK website, one of the stated eligibility requirements is

•  you have booked directly with Cunard

 

The equivalent eligibility requirement listed on the Cunard US website is simply

•  you have booked a fare that qualifies for the Cunard Upgrade program

 

I reside in the US and I also received an upgrade offer email for my upcoming voyage even though I booked through a travel agent.

Thanks. Yes, I’m in the U.K.  Interesting that the detailed terms and conditions in the U.K. now don’t say that you have to book direct, whereas the frequently asked questions before you get to them still do. Maybe it’s going to be extended? Anybody’s guess. 

[exlondoner]

2 hours ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

I use a TA and I got an invitation to upgrade in an email this morning. Trying to decide on a bid.

 

I'm in Britannia, and the offers were for Club and Princess. But when I did a dummy booking to see what's available, both show as sold out. QG is available, but that wasn't offered.

But when they fill the QG gaps with bidders from, say, PG, there will be room there, I imagine.

[3rdGenCunarder]

2 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

But when they fill the QG gaps with bidders from, say, PG, there will be room there, I imagine.

 

There are some QG suites available. I guess it's like musical chairs. Who knows where I'll end up? Likely in my original balcony cabin, which is fine. I never book less than I will accept in hopes of an upgrade. The Upgrade Fairy hasn't visited me in a very long time.

[LadyL1]

33 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

 The Upgrade Fairy hasn't visited me in a very long time.

Is she still alive? 🧚‍♀️ Perhaps her demise came with the bidding system.

[Winifred 22]

2 hours ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

I was surprised to get the offer. I don't think Club is worth the price jump, but I will try for PG. The suggested bids looked good until I remembered that as a solo, I will pay double the bid. Also, since I'm close to sailing, I won't have the chance to decline. My upgrade will be final. Not that there's a bad PG, even under the Winter Garden.

As a solo two I would not pay for upgrade given its a double fee. I certainly wouldn’t pay nearly a1000$ dollars for club just to get my own table and a slightly varied menu. I get my own table to myself with fixed dining and the time I have 2nd sitting is when I would eat anyway. I am not very adventurous with my food choices so would be wasted on me. 

[fourmile.ranch]

Just off QE and spent some time at the pub with another guest who was a travel agent. Although it's become fairly obvious, he confirmed that Bid On An Upgrade had now been rolled out to eligible booking made through a TA.

[3rdGenCunarder]

Because it's so close to sailing, if my bid is accepted, payment is immediate. No time to think it over. For cruises farther out from sailing date, it appears you have 72 hours to decide if you will upgrade or stay in your current room. BUT if you miss the 72-hour window for accepting the upgrade, there's this warning:

Please note, while you can make offers for multiple stateroom grades, each offer will be considered independently and only one of your offers will be accepted. If your payment is not successful within 72 hours, you will no longer be eligible for the upgrade offered, and it may not be possible to reassign you your original stateroom.

 

So if someone else has accepted the upgrade to your original stateroom, where do they put you????

 

 

[bluemarble]

48 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

Because it's so close to sailing, if my bid is accepted, payment is immediate. No time to think it over. For cruises farther out from sailing date, it appears you have 72 hours to decide if you will upgrade or stay in your current room. BUT if you miss the 72-hour window for accepting the upgrade, there's this warning:

Please note, while you can make offers for multiple stateroom grades, each offer will be considered independently and only one of your offers will be accepted. If your payment is not successful within 72 hours, you will no longer be eligible for the upgrade offered, and it may not be possible to reassign you your original stateroom.

 

So if someone else has accepted the upgrade to your original stateroom, where do they put you????

 

I don't think you actually have 72 hours to decide if you want to accept the upgrade according to the terms and conditions that apply in the US for upgrade offers submitted on or after July 13, 2023.

 

They do state "All payments must be made within 72 hours (3 days) of us notifying you that your upgrade offer is accepted...". But these additional paragraphs in the terms and conditions for the US Cunard Upgrade program indicate payment for the upgrade is automatic if your offer is accepted.

 

"8.1.  If your upgrade offer is accepted we will immediately and automatically collect payment from you using the credit or debit card details you provided when making your upgrade offer."

 

"9.3.  If we attempt to collect payment from you using any credit or debit card details that you provide to us and these payments are declined, we may (but are not required to) contact you to arrange an alternative method of payment.

If we are unable to contact you in a reasonable time, or, if we decide it is necessary for us to allocate the upgraded stateroom to another guest, we will inform you by email that our acceptance of your upgrade offer is withdrawn. In these circumstances, we will allocate you a new stateroom in the same grade as your stateroom and you will not be entitled to travel in the upgraded stateroom. Any stateroom we allocate to you will be an equal or higher grade to your stateroom but may not be the same stateroom you originally booked or which was first assigned to you."

Edited August 9, 2023 by bluemarble

[3rdGenCunarder]

That is definitely clearer than what it says in the confirmation email. That sounded to me like you had time to think it over. I thought the before/after July 13 had to do with time until sailing, but it's actually changes in T&C.

 

What happens if I'm successful?

• If your offer is successful, you will receive an email to inform you as well as a new booking confirmation to reflect the upgrade. If applicable, the total amount charged will include any additional CunardCare travel protection fees based on your adjusted cruise fare.
   
• If your offer was made prior to 13th July you will have 72hrs to make your payment to secure your upgrade. If you offer was made on or after 13th July the payment will be automatically processed using the card you had provided during the offer submission.

What happens if I'm not upgraded?

• You'll keep your existing stateroom.

 

 

[alibabacruisers]

When do you receive these upgrade offers? (how much time before your cruise)?

[3rdGenCunarder]

My cruise departs last week of October and I got the offer this morning. So after final payment, but about 10 weeks before the cruise.

[bluemarble]

16 minutes ago, alibabacruisers said:

When do you receive these upgrade offers? (how much time before your cruise)?

 

I don't know if the Cunard Upgrade program applies to Australia yet. I don't see any mention of it on the Cunard Australia website. The pages for the Cunard Upgrade program are found on the Cunard US and UK websites at "www.cunard.com/en-us/stateroom-upgrade" and "www.cunard.com/en-gb/stateroom-upgrade" respectively. I don't see a corresponding "/en-au/" page. I suppose it could be in a different location on the Cunard Australia site although a search for "Upgrade" on the Cunard Australia site does not produce any relevant hits.

 

The terms and conditions for the Cunard Upgrade program found on the Cunard US and UK websites state the following.

 

"The period in which you can submit an upgrade offer is called the “offer period”. The offer period starts eighty (80) days before the advertised departure for your voyage."

[3rdGenCunarder]

And the offer period can extend until before departure. I suppose if they don't get a lot of good bids at the start of the offer period, they wait and hope for better later on. My TA says that Cunard isn't handling this in house. It's done by an outside company. 

 

Amtrak has a similar bid for upgrade, but I've never tried it.

[sfred]

2 hours ago, alibabacruisers said:

When do you receive these upgrade offers? (how much time before your cruise)?

 

1 hour ago, bluemarble said:

I don't know if the Cunard Upgrade program applies to Australia yet. I

 

As @bluemarble indicates, the Aussie T&Cs do not yet mention the Cunard Upgrade program.  I can confirm that I did not receive an offer for our upcoming QE San Francisco to Barcelona voyage.  I booked directly with Cunard.  Of course, it might also have been due to the voyage being completely sold out in all categories.  Have any other Australia or NZ cruise critics received an offer?

[WoorimBeachLady]

Australian booked direct with Cunard: