Confussed about upgrade… will I loose balcony?

[marktwothousand]

I’m kinda confuzed about the upgrade bid process on MSC. I currently have a regular (fantastica) balcony cabin…
 

I was offered to bid on a choice of 3 upgrades, a regular yacht club balcony, an aurea balcony suite w/whirlpool, and an interior yacht club suite. I submit one bid…the aurea whirlpool.

 

does this mean, I could potentially lose my current balcony and be put into a yacht club interior? Is that considered an “upgrade”? Similarly, could I end up being placed in the yacht club regular balcony?

 

I’m going solo…so the yacht club is really of no interest to me, and I would be shattered if I was actually “upgraded” to an interior. Does anyone have an experience to share where they lost a balcony and were placed into an interior, or bid on a whirlpool?

 

Below is the info on the room I submitted for the upgrade:

 

Suite Aurea with Terrace and Whirlpool

 

• Comfortable king bed that can be converted into two single beds on request
• Large balcony with a private whirlpool bath
• Walk-in closet
• Sitting area with double sofa bed
• Bathroom with shower, vanity area and hairdryer
• Interactive TV, telephone, safe and minibar
• Wi-Fi access available ($)
• Approx. 291 -420 ft² with a balcony that is approx. 280 - 388 ft²
• Located on deck 12 

[PTC DAWG]

You are only going to possibly get what you bid on…

[marktwothousand]

6 minutes ago, PTC DAWG said:

You are only going to possibly get what you bid on…

DAWG! Where ya bin, long time no see. 
 

I don’t care if I don’t win the bid for a suite with whirlpool, I just wouldn’t want to be “upgraded” to a yacht club interior or balcony. If anyone has had an experience with bidding on a whirlpool, do they actually get one if they win. 

[vaindioux]

This won’t help you but between cruising MSC with a regular balcony room or inside in yacht club.

 

I pick yacht club any day!

 

My wife too.

 

Pat

[phred119s]

7 minutes ago, vaindioux said:

This won’t help you but between cruising MSC with a regular balcony room or inside in yacht club.

 

I pick yacht club any day!

 

My wife too.

 

Pat

Same!!

[Mark_T]

2 hours ago, marktwothousand said:

If anyone has had an experience with bidding on a whirlpool, do they actually get one if they win. 

You are over-thinking this, if you win a bid for a whirlpool suite then that is what you get, if you don't win you don't get the whirlpool suite you stay where you are.

 

 

[marktwothousand]

Just now, Mark_T said:

You are over-thinking this, if you win a bid for a whirlpool suite then that is what you get, if you don't win you don't get the whirlpool suite you stay where you are.

 

 

I think you’re probably right that I’m overthinking it, but it wouldn’t be a stretch for MSC (or any cruise line) to consider an interior yacht club room a step up from an existing regular balcony 

[marktwothousand]

15 minutes ago, vaindioux said:

This won’t help you but between cruising MSC with a regular balcony room or inside in yacht club.

 

I pick yacht club any day!

 

My wife too.

 

Pat

I don’t disagree with the sentiment but I’m going with a group and I would be alone in YC the whole time so what’s the point. Also I hope you don’t mind sunbathing in public because you won’t be able to get sun in the privacy of your own cabin with an interior 

[Mark_T]

19 minutes ago, marktwothousand said:

I think you’re probably right that I’m overthinking it, but it wouldn’t be a stretch for MSC (or any cruise line) to consider an interior yacht club room a step up from an existing regular balcony 

It would however be a considerable stretch to imagine them giving you a YC cabin that you didn't bid on when you are currently in a Fantastica Balcony.

 

Given you are in a group I probably wouldn't have bid on the Aurea suite either as you will have different dining arrangements to the rest of your group... but you can fix that once onboard, just talk to the Maître d' and see if they can move you to whichever dining room the rest of your group is in...

[marktwothousand]

1 minute ago, Mark_T said:

It would however be a considerable stretch to imagine them giving you a YC cabin that you didn't bid on when you are currently in a Fantastica Balcony.

 

Given you are in a group I probably wouldn't have bid on the Aurea suite either as you will have different dining arrangements to the rest of your group... but you can fix that once onboard, just talk to the Maître d' and see if they can move you to whichever dining room the rest of your group is in...

I don’t care about any of fhe aurea stuff, I just want the whirlpool 

[Mark_T]

2 minutes ago, marktwothousand said:

I don’t care about any of fhe aurea stuff, I just want the whirlpool 

Understood, but your initial dining assignment will be different so you will need to get that fixed once you are onboard, unless you all plan to eat in the buffet every day...

 

If you win the bid of course which is always far from certain...

Edited May 11 by Mark_T

[marktwothousand]

3 minutes ago, Mark_T said:

Understood, but your initial dining assignment will be different so you will need to get that fixed once you are onboard, unless you all plan to eat in the buffet every day...

 

If you win the bid of course which is always far from certain...

we’ll probably be eating together at the beginning of the cruise…but not by the end of it LOOOOOL

[Illbcruzn4life]

1 hour ago, marktwothousand said:

I think you’re probably right that I’m overthinking it, but it wouldn’t be a stretch for MSC (or any cruise line) to consider an interior yacht club room a step up from an existing regular balcony 

i'd say it's a big upgrade to most people

 

[Até]

You can be upgraded to a cabin type that you didn't bid on as long as the cabin category (and minimum bid amount) was higher than what you bid on/for the lower cabin.

 

I'm not sure if technically a YC interior is a higher category than Aurea suites.  But if the YC interior minimum bid is less than the Aurea suite minimum bid you should never get assigned the YC interior.  However, since the YC Deluxe is definitely a higher category than the Aurea suite it is possible to get the YC Deluxe even without bidding for that particular cabin.

 

There's several reports of people bidding on a YC interior and or Aurea suite cabins and being assigned a YC Deluxe.  The PlusGrade Terms (#19) state you can be assigned to a higher cabin category than what you bid on.

 

Plusgrade .pdf

 

https://upg.stage.plusgrade.com/terms/partner/9Ck2Ks4MSC?lang=en

[Até]

2 hours ago, marktwothousand said:

I think you’re probably right that I’m overthinking it, but it wouldn’t be a stretch for MSC (or any cruise line) to consider an interior yacht club room a step up from an existing regular balcony 

A YC interior is definitely considered an upgrade from balconies.  I've even been in Aurea suites and offered an upgrade to a YC interior, but that was when the system was new and I'm not sure it would still be rated that way.  Luckily YC interior from balconies is not usually an expensive bid amount, especially considering what you are getting if you don't have any add-on packages with your original booking.

[SailorfromBrazil]

In the upgrade bid you'll only go to the chosen cabin type/experience or a better one.

 

I actually did exactly that, upgraded from e Deluxe Balcony to YCI and it was an amazing trade! 

DW loved the (hidden) surprise 😂🥂

 

But, unlike you, we only got back to the cabin to shower and sleep, if you like to sunbathe alone, you can bid only to the Balcony offered.

[RichYak]

3 hours ago, marktwothousand said:

I think you’re probably right that I’m overthinking it, but it wouldn’t be a stretch for MSC (or any cruise line) to consider an interior yacht club room a step up from an existing regular balcony 

It wouldn’t be a stretch for anybody to consider it a step up. It for sure is a step up. What you gain (YC experience) exceeds by far what you lose (a balcony). 

[marktwothousand]

4 minutes ago, RichYak said:

It wouldn’t be a stretch for anybody to consider it a step up. It for sure is a step up. What you gain (YC experience) exceeds by far what you lose (a balcony). 

This is just bizarre to me. I can see why it might be an upgrade if someone BID on it, but to consider it an upgrade from an Aurea whirlpool suite with its own full wraparound balcony and private pool is another matter.

 

You get no private outdoor space with an interior, so cabin-wise it is a downgrade. 

[RichYak]

9 minutes ago, marktwothousand said:

but to consider it an upgrade from an Aurea whirlpool suite with its own full wraparound balcony and private pool

That’s not what I wrote. I responded to your comment about considering it an upgrade from a regular balcony cabin. 

[vaindioux]

6 hours ago, marktwothousand said:

I don’t disagree with the sentiment but I’m going with a group and I would be alone in YC the whole time so what’s the point. Also I hope you don’t mind sunbathing in public because you won’t be able to get sun in the privacy of your own cabin with an interior 

We don’t use the balcony much. It’s just nice to arrive and leave ports.

we hang at the deck.

 

If the other people in your group are not doing YC, it makes no sense to book it, i would not book it either.

 

Pat

 

 

 

[gizfish]

Just as an aside, the Aurea upgrade would also include access to the thermal spa area.  If you don't get the upgrade, you can purchase a pass to that area.  The thalassotherapy pool and whirlpools there will help your back recover from the bed.

[marktwothousand]

Well for those that are still following I decided to drop the bid bc my agent believes there could have been a chance I would have lost my balcony for a YC inside. 
 

on the upshot, I got a free upgrade to an aft balcony! looking forward to that

[bucfan2]

7 hours ago, marktwothousand said:

 an aft balcony! looking forward 

Made me laugh.  Enjoy your cruise.

[perakcruiser]

On 5/11/2024 at 10:46 PM, marktwothousand said:

I don’t care about any of fhe aurea stuff, I just want the whirlpool 

I guess thousands including myself would say this sentence also, but if you want to have one of the best cabin on the ship (excluding YC) you HAVE to book Aurea, that is part of the MSC game. 

 

10 hours ago, marktwothousand said:

Well for those that are still following I decided to drop the bid bc my agent believes there could have been a chance I would have lost my balcony for a YC inside. 

I hope your agents gives nice cashback, because he has obviously no idea about MSC Cruises 😄

 

10 hours ago, marktwothousand said:

on the upshot, I got a free upgrade to an aft balcony! looking forward to that

Great stuff, congrats! 

[Morgsmom]

2 hours ago, perakcruiser said:

I hope your agents gives nice cashback, because he has obviously no idea about MSC Cruises 😄

 

THIS!!! 🙂 I was coming here to say that.