If I mark my Reservation with Princess as "Will accept upgrade"...

[ManhattanCruiser]

I have a reservation directly through Princess (oddly enough their past cruise fare was lower than any other TA) and I have an inside Aloha cabin, two doors from the aft pool.

 

Currently my reservation is marked "Will NOT accept an upgrade if one becomes available"... and I usually have my rez's done that way because I get specific rooms (Aft balconies, furthest aft Mini's, etc.)...

 

But since THIS time I'm travelling in an inside cabin... I'd, of course, be thrilled to get an upgrade to a balcony (and, yes, I know how rare that is...but it HAS happened).

 

If I WERE to change my status to "WILL accept an upgrade"... do they give you a certain period of time to accept a specific room...or do you just see a new room on the personalizer?

 

I guess it's obvious that I fear being "upgraded" to a higher category cabin that feels like a "downgrade"...maybe even another inside cabin...there IS one category higher than a category "I".

[Toto2Kansas]

I have a reservation directly through Princess (oddly enough their past cruise fare was lower than any other TA) and I have an inside Aloha cabin, two doors from the aft pool.

 

Currently my reservation is marked "Will NOT accept an upgrade if one becomes available"... and I usually have my rez's done that way because I get specific rooms (Aft balconies, furthest aft Mini's, etc.)...

 

But since THIS time I'm travelling in an inside cabin... I'd, of course, be thrilled to get an upgrade to a balcony (and, yes, I know how rare that is...but it HAS happened).

 

If I WERE to change my status to "WILL accept an upgrade"... do they give you a certain period of time to accept a specific room...or do you just see a new room on the personalizer?

 

I guess it's obvious that I fear being "upgraded" to a higher category cabin that feels like a "downgrade"...maybe even another inside cabin...there IS one category higher than a category "I".

 

Normally, if you select 'will accept an upgrade', you are giving them freedom to place you where ever they wish, even within the category you actually booked to a different location (I have heard of this before).

As you said, the chance of going from an inside to a balcony is so slim, it really isn't worth discussing as the 1 in 1000 or more chance that it might happen isn't worth even thinking about.

[Sandytoes]

You would see the change in your Cruise personalizer.

In your case, I would call and have them change it. You might look out and get a nice upgrade.

Good Luck!

[ManhattanCruiser]

Thanks Toto and SandyToes...

 

Toto, I think I agree that I shouldn't risk it. Somewhere along the way, though, I heard someone say that Princess contacts you and asks permission to move your cabin. I guess either that was "Cruise Passenger Myth" (which is out there people) or Princess changed their procedure.

 

If anyone has information to the contrary please let me know. In the meantime, I guess I'll be keeping my $600 pp cabin twenty feet from the aft pool. :)

[Toto2Kansas]

Thanks Toto and SandyToes...

 

Toto, I think I agree that I shouldn't risk it. Somewhere along the way, though, I heard someone say that Princess contacts you and asks permission to move your cabin. I guess either that was "Cruise Passenger Myth" (which is out there people) or Princess changed their procedure.

 

If anyone has information to the contrary please let me know. In the meantime, I guess I'll be keeping my $600 pp cabin twenty feet from the aft pool. :)

 

I think what you might have read is that IF you book an assigned stateroom and mark your booking as no upgrade, and they wish to change your stateroom, then yes, they are supposed to contact you before making any changes. But if you mark your booking as 'will accept' then that would give them the freedom to place you where you wish without notifying you.

[kblee]

Is this something that you can change online? I don't see this as an option anywhere within the cruise personalizer. I'd like to check and see how mine is currently set.

[JWJs]

I guess I'll be keeping my $600 pp cabin twenty feet from the aft pool. :)

 

Excellent! We had an inside cabin located 20 or so feet from the aft pool on our 15 day Hawaii cruise and it was absolutely PERFECT! We did not check the "will accept an upgrade if one becomes available" box for that very reason.

[ssantow]

The following is quoted direct from Polar Online which is the agent booking section for Princess. Bold highlite is mine.

Princess offers complimentary automatic upgrades. Occasionally, a voyage is set for automatic upgrade, and bookings are selected to be upgraded to higher categories at no additional cost to the passengers. These upgrades are automatic and based on availability. Since we are not able to upgrade every booking, you should book your clients in a category in which they will be happy to sail.

 

If an upgrade occurs, it will be automatically added to the booking some time prior to sailing, and a confirmation will be sent to the agency.

 

When the complimentary upgrade is given, a confirmation is automatically sent. If your clients are not happy with the new cabin and category, you may call Princess to have the booking changed. The Reservations Agent will advise the correct department, who will address the issue. In most cases, the booking will be moved back to the original cabin if we are notified promptly. However, if the booking was originally a guarantee, the passengers must accept the upgrade, since there is no cabin to which the booking can be returned.

[ManhattanCruiser]

The following is quoted direct from Polar Online which is the agent booking section for Princess. Bold highlite is mine.

Princess offers complimentary automatic upgrades. Occasionally, a voyage is set for automatic upgrade, and bookings are selected to be upgraded to higher categories at no additional cost to the passengers. These upgrades are automatic and based on availability. Since we are not able to upgrade every booking, you should book your clients in a category in which they will be happy to sail.

 

If an upgrade occurs, it will be automatically added to the booking some time prior to sailing, and a confirmation will be sent to the agency.

 

When the complimentary upgrade is given, a confirmation is automatically sent. If your clients are not happy with the new cabin and category, you may call Princess to have the booking changed. The Reservations Agent will advise the correct department, who will address the issue. In most cases, the booking will be moved back to the original cabin if we are notified promptly. However, if the booking was originally a guarantee, the passengers must accept the upgrade, since there is no cabin to which the booking can be returned.

 

Interesting. That's what I had heard rumored...yet I'm not sure if that policy can be trusted. I might risk it on another sailing...but a poorly-situated "inside" would be a bitter pill to swallow.

 

Has anyone had Princess "upgrade" them, then move them back to their previous cabin?

[ManhattanCruiser]

Excellent! We had an inside cabin located 20 or so feet from the aft pool on our 15 day Hawaii cruise and it was absolutely PERFECT! We did not check the "will accept an upgrade if one becomes available" box for that very reason.

 

JWJs... great to hear! Can I ask what cabin you were in, if you recall? Were you on the Golden?

[Sandytoes]

 

Has anyone had Princess "upgrade" them, then move them back to their previous cabin?

 

Booked a mid-ship cabin.

Checked my personlizer and noticed my cabin changed.

Princess upgraded me to one deck higher forward cabin.

I didn't like the location.

Called my TA. They said because I did not tell them I didn't want an upgrade - Princess will upgrade to a cabin that isn't selling.

I wanted my cabin back. Which I had to fight for.

Lucky enough it was still available, so I was given back my original cabin.

I now make sure I tell Princess and TA that I don't want an upgrade.

[ManhattanCruiser]

Booked a mid-ship cabin.

Checked my personlizer and noticed my cabin changed.

Princess upgraded me to one deck higher forward cabin.

I didn't like the location.

Called my TA. They said because I did not tell them I didn't want an upgrade - Princess will upgrade to a cabin that isn't selling.

I wanted my cabin back. Which I had to fight for.

Lucky enough it was still available, so I was given back my original cabin.

I now make sure I tell Princess and TA that I don't want an upgrade.

 

Thanks Sandy. I wonder when they would've notified you if you HADN'T been someone who checks her personalizer. Thanks for the warning though.

[Pam in CA]

Excellent! We had an inside cabin located 20 or so feet from the aft pool on our 15 day Hawaii cruise and it was absolutely PERFECT! We did not check the "will accept an upgrade if one becomes available" box for that very reason.

The default on all bookings is to accept an upgrade. If you don't want an upgrade, you must tell your TA to change your booking to "No upgrade."

[Colo Cruiser]

I have a reservation directly through Princess (oddly enough their past cruise fare was lower than any other TA) and I have an inside Aloha cabin, two doors from the aft pool.

 

Currently my reservation is marked "Will NOT accept an upgrade if one becomes available"... and I usually have my rez's done that way because I get specific rooms (Aft balconies, furthest aft Mini's, etc.)...

 

But since THIS time I'm travelling in an inside cabin... I'd, of course, be thrilled to get an upgrade to a balcony (and, yes, I know how rare that is...but it HAS happened).

 

If I WERE to change my status to "WILL accept an upgrade"... do they give you a certain period of time to accept a specific room...or do you just see a new room on the personalizer?

 

I guess it's obvious that I fear being "upgraded" to a higher category cabin that feels like a "downgrade"...maybe even another inside cabin...there IS one category higher than a category "I".

 

 

Usually by the time you see the change, it is too late to get your old cabin back. :)

[Sandytoes]

Thanks Sandy. I wonder when they would've notified you if you HADN'T been someone who checks her personalizer. Thanks for the warning though.

 

When I first noticed the change, I immediately called Princess asking why I wasn't notified about my cabin being changed. They said my TA should have called me. Which they didn't....:rolleyes:

 

When I requested my cabin back the TA gave me a hard time. Saying it's gone. :eek: I told them no it's not - cause I see it available on line....I went directly to my TA's site and search my cabin and sure enough there it was....(clever me to see if it was available) At which point my TA had no choice but to call back Princess to change the cabin back.

 

I learnt a big lesson with this one.

I now know to state no upgrade because I always book a cabin in the location I want and don't want the misfortune of losing it again.

[LARGIN]

Wondering.. Can you tell Princess you only want a real upgrade not just movement into a higher category of the same class of cabins.. Like inside to outside, outside to balcony, balcony to mini, mini to suite.. :confused::confused:

[Coral]

I have a reservation directly through Princess (oddly enough their past cruise fare was lower than any other TA) and I have an inside Aloha cabin, two doors from the aft pool.

 

On a side subject as it sounds like others have answered your question.

 

The TAs you checked with must not have run your Captain Circle number as they would be able to quote you the same price (or better) then what Princess quoted you. This is the number 1 reason why people say that Princess is cheaper then agents. Princess will not quote a price that agents don't also have access to.

[Sandytoes]

Wondering.. Can you tell Princess you only want a real upgrade not just movement into a higher category of the same class of cabins.. Like inside to outside, outside to balcony, balcony to mini, mini to suite.. :confused::confused:

Hahaha that's a good one...:D If that was the case all of us would book the bottom of the boat and ask for the family suite. Gotta think positive. ;) Wouldn't hurt to ask...

Honestly, for those who are new to Princess yes they have upgraded passengers from one Category to another. Sometimes you have to pay for it.

[Toto2Kansas]

Wondering.. Can you tell Princess you only want a real upgrade not just movement into a higher category of the same class of cabins.. Like inside to outside, outside to balcony, balcony to mini, mini to suite.. :confused::confused:

Nope, you can only say a yes or no for a complimentary upgrade, but you can not stipulate.

Honestly though, many think it is possible to say things such as 'will only accept an upgrade to a Balcony stateroom, or to a full suite'. Doesn't happen, can't do it. But I have talked to some where they swear that is what their TA told them they can do. My advise was to get a real TA. ;)

[ManhattanCruiser]

On a side subject as it sounds like others have answered your question.

 

The TAs you checked with must not have run your Captain Circle number as they would be able to quote you the same price (or better) then what Princess quoted you. This is the number 1 reason why people say that Princess is cheaper then agents. Princess will not quote a price that agents don't also have access to.

 

Well, yes and no. I had said that I was a past passenger (in the registration process on a website that matches passengers with competing TA's), but I said I "didn't have my number". In the past I had a TA use my CC number to "hold" a room for me without my permission...so I'm careful about who I give it to.

 

Maybe when I got quotes from competing TA's I should have emailed them back with my CC number.

 

Do TA's need actual CC numbers to get our Past Pax rates?

[Colo Cruiser]

Do TA's need actual CC numbers to get our Past Pax rates?

 

 

Princess won't quote past passenger fares to anyone

without your CC #. :)

[ManhattanCruiser]

Nope, you can only say a yes or no for a complimentary upgrade, but you can not stipulate.

Honestly though, many think it is possible to say things such as 'will only accept an upgrade to a Balcony stateroom, or to a full suite'. Doesn't happen, can't do it. But I have talked to some where they swear that is what their TA told them they can do. My advise was to get a real TA. ;)

 

Yes...the "upgrade to full suite only" option was a myth passed along by certain TA's...one of mine along the way.

 

By the way...glad to have you back Toto!

[ManhattanCruiser]

Princess won't quote past passenger fares to anyone

without your CC #. :)

 

We're all so careful about identity theft. Maybe it's just me...but I hate giving numerous people certain account numbers.

 

Would it be at all risky giving many different TA's my CC number?

[Toto2Kansas]

We're all so careful about identity theft. Maybe it's just me...but I hate giving numerous people certain account numbers.

 

Would it be at all risky giving many different TA's my CC number?

 

MC-If you don't supply them with your Captain's circle number, you can not get the correct pricing. So, just pricing a cruise without supplying it will not give you an accurate price that you would pay if you decide to book.

 

Even with your Capt Circle number, they can not access your credit card info, remember even on your Princess Personalizer, once it is put into the system, it will show up as XXXXX.

[JWJs]

JWJs... great to hear! Can I ask what cabin you were in, if you recall? Were you on the Golden?

 

We were on the Diamond in A729. Like I said...it was perfect for an inside for us. Here's a link to my pictures of that cabin area leading to the aft Terrace pool and deck: (Click on the picture to see more)