Should I go for the upsell from Bal to Suite on Pride?

[dolphinwyo]

Hi

I rec'd a call today from Carnival trying to get me to "upgrade" to a Cat. 11 Suite, assigned room, on our upcoming Pride cruise. We are currently booked in an extended balcony room. We have only had an OV before, so the balcony room will be a treat anyway. Now - the cost, they said would be $640 more for our family of 4 (week long cruise). When I looked on Carnival that is about what it is for a Suite guarantee, but for an assigned suite it would be $1300 more on the Carnival site. So - technically, it is a 1/2 price savings from what they are offering online for the assigned suite. The suites sound amazing, VIP boarding would be nice, plus the extra space would be nice, but we survived in an OV before. $640 is a lot more money, and we were happy with our room before they called. Anyone have an opinion they would like to share? Thanks!

[Lilmatcat]

Hi

I rec'd a call today from Carnival trying to get me to "upgrade" to a Cat. 11 Suite, assigned room, on our upcoming Pride cruise. We are currently booked in an extended balcony room. We have only had an OV before, so the balcony room will be a treat anyway. Now - the cost, they said would be $640 more for our family of 4 (week long cruise). When I looked on Carnival that is about what it is for a Suite guarantee, but for an assigned suite it would be $1300 more on the Carnival site. So - technically, it is a 1/2 price savings from what they are offering online for the assigned suite. The suites sound amazing, VIP boarding would be nice, plus the extra space would be nice, but we survived in an OV before. $640 is a lot more money, and we were happy with our room before they called. Anyone have an opinion they would like to share? Thanks!

 

Sometimes when people tell them it's still too much for them, Carnival comes up with a counter offer. If they do, you can decide if it's worth it or not. Otherwise, if you're already happy and excited about your room, just keep it and save the money and enjoy some extra fun on the islands or on the ship.

[firefly333]

Strange they pick the best cabins, like your extended balcony to offer the upgrades to for a price?? Keep the extended balcony if you are happy with it, let them offer it to someone with a regular balcony.

[cuyahoga11]

I dont think I would give up my extended balcony unless the upgrade was a lot less money than what they are offering.

[leadout_kv]

I would take the offer. I love suites and getting the discounted rate is great. VIP status for embarkation is a nice perk too.

[dolphinwyo]

Does the extended balcony room have a larger balcony than the suite then? He said that the suite would have a balcony with a lounge chair and regular chair and table. Does anyone know what the extended balcony has for furniture?

[afcj1]

I was on the Pride in Oct, #8184/extended and there were 2 chairs and a table. When I read your post, I immediately said "no way" too much extra. A couple hundred, maybe...but I think that for $680 there are better things to spend your $$ on.

 

You'll enjoy the Pride, it's a very nice ship and easy to navigate. Enjoy your balcony:)

[Lidolounger]

Friends of ours are booked on the Triumph for a Jan sailing. They had a balcony and were offerd the suite for $400. I say bargain with them and if it doesn't work out - you still have the extended balcony.

[dan40]

Hi

I rec'd a call today from Carnival trying to get me to "upgrade" to a Cat. 11 Suite, assigned room, on our upcoming Pride cruise. We are currently booked in an extended balcony room. We have only had an OV before, so the balcony room will be a treat anyway. Now - the cost, they said would be $640 more for our family of 4 (week long cruise). When I looked on Carnival that is about what it is for a Suite guarantee, but for an assigned suite it would be $1300 more on the Carnival site. So - technically, it is a 1/2 price savings from what they are offering online for the assigned suite. The suites sound amazing, VIP boarding would be nice, plus the extra space would be nice, but we survived in an OV before. $640 is a lot more money, and we were happy with our room before they called. Anyone have an opinion they would like to share? Thanks!

 

 

Carnival established what they are------Now YOU haggle the price till you like it.

 

Dan

[lovesublime]

Hi

I rec'd a call today from Carnival trying to get me to "upgrade" to a Cat. 11 Suite, assigned room, on our upcoming Pride cruise. We are currently booked in an extended balcony room. We have only had an OV before, so the balcony room will be a treat anyway. Now - the cost, they said would be $640 more for our family of 4 (week long cruise). When I looked on Carnival that is about what it is for a Suite guarantee, but for an assigned suite it would be $1300 more on the Carnival site. So - technically, it is a 1/2 price savings from what they are offering online for the assigned suite. The suites sound amazing, VIP boarding would be nice, plus the extra space would be nice, but we survived in an OV before. $640 is a lot more money, and we were happy with our room before they called. Anyone have an opinion they would like to share? Thanks!

 

 

I actually think it's a good deal and I would take it. For our Conquest cruise a couple of weeks ago we were offered an upsell from our balcony on deck 8 to a Cat 12 penthouse suite for $1450 for the 3 of us. I thought it was too much and turned it down. I didn't even try to haggle. You would have more cabin floor space with the suite which, IMO, is more important than balcony sq. footage-especially with 4 people cruising.

[dolphinwyo]

I appreciate the advice, I hadn't even considered negotiating with them, thought it would be a take it or leave it deal - he said it was first come first serve....I will call him back tomorrow and see what can be done, otherwise, I am still happy with my ext. balcony, and can't wait for Jan!

[gail811]

If it is a corner AFT suite I would take it....they are two room suites. The regular suites will also give you quite a bit more room than a regular cabin; a suite has 275 sq. ft in the cabin/85 sq ft balcony, a regular extended balcony cabin is 185/60 sq ft.

[dolphinwyo]

It wasn't an AFT suite. It is a mid ship suite. So, balconies are similar, but room is huge difference. I have a call into them, see what happens...thanks for your help.

[ginam650]

I was also offered that same upgrade, although I'm crusing on the Pride the week before you. We currently were upgraded from 7A obstructed view balcony to an 8E for free. Then I just got a call last week to upgrade to a suite. The Carnival rep said it would be something like $300.00 extra/pp. I passed on the deal, but the other couple we are traveling with took it because it will be their honeymoon. They also liked the VIP service option, and the bigger room of course.

 

Good luck in your decision.

[tbjl24]

There seems to be a lot of these threads lately with Carnival calling to try and upgrade for a certain $$$ amount.

 

I guess the ecomony is hitting them now. :confused: Would make sense that the most expensive cabins are not selling.

 

Probably an easier sell to someone who is already booked than trying to sell to someone just thinking about a cruise.

 

Wish I could cruise right now, the prices are a droppin!

[aubriee]

I was also offered that same upgrade, although I'm crusing on the Pride the week before you. We currently were upgraded from 7A obstructed view balcony to an 8E for free. Then I just got a call last week to upgrade to a suite. The Carnival rep said it would be something like $300.00 extra/pp. I passed on the deal, but the other couple we are traveling with took it because it will be their honeymoon. They also liked the VIP service option, and the bigger room of course.

 

Good luck in your decision.

 

I am sailing on the Carnival Freedom in January. We booked a balcony guarantee and got an upgrade to a balcony on the Lido deck. We got a call last week offering us a Category 11 Suite for $600.00 more than our original guaranteed balcony price ($300.00 a piece). My friend and I took it. It is midship on the Empress deck and it just so happened that the people we are traveling with were already booked on the Empress deck in regular balconies. Our new cabin is only about four doors down from theirs.:D

[MrPete]

I guess what they used to do for free, they are now charging for. How many past poster said they got a free upgrade.

 

We happen to like the more floor space, and the tub, and the faux wood and wet bar, making the room seem less "plastic".

 

If I were offered this, I'd just see what I would have paid originally for this type cabin, compare, possibly haggle, and then decide.

 

If it were an aft wrap, the answer would be obvious. And by no means take the cat 11's in front of the wrap on deck 4.

[dolphinwyo]

I would love the extra space, especially with the kids, but will see what happens when it gets closer. The $600 ends up being $150 pp for the week, so it sounds reasonable, but that money will go a long way on our Sign and Sail, so we will stay put for now. Maybe we will get lucky and get a better deal when it gets closer. Either way - a warm cruise sounds good now!! Get out of this blizzard! Thanks for your thoughts.

[UtahCruisers]

We sailed on the Pride Nov 30-Dec 7. We had a total of 6 extened balcony's on the panarama deck. We did not book with Carnival but with an online TA and when I called them about 5 weeks before our cruise I asked if we could get an OBC because we booked so many cabins, they called Carnival for us and all 6 cabins got a small OBC but our cabin (me, dh, dd & ds) got upgraded to a suite on the same deck at no charge. I guess it never hurts to ask :) We loved the suite and everyone was way jealous of our bathroom and bigger balcony. Maybe you could call and see if they will upgrade you for free or a smaller fee.