8 Easiest And Proven Ways To Get CRUISE CABIN UPGRADES
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- čas přidán 9. 06. 2024
- What is the best and easiest way to get a cruise cabin upgrade on your next and future cruises? I discuss the 8 things that I do that have helped to me getting a cruise cabin upgrade on my cruises, and things that I have seen work for others using these cruise cabin tips to get an upgrade. So, why not discover how you too can get a cruise cabin upgrade in a proven and easy way?
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Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers aims to help you make more of your precious travel time and money on land and when cruising the oceans or rivers of the world. To help you, in every video I draw on my first-hand tips and advice from travelling every month for over 20 years and 77 cruises at time of making this video.
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I was on Majestic Princess last month. I booked a balcony cabin, thinking it would be similar in size as a HAL balcony. I was wrong. It was smaller, especially the bathroom. So morning of second day, I went to the front desk and asked about upgrading as it was smaller than I had pictured. They upgraded us to a mini-suite and didn't charge us for it. I was amazed and pleased!
Princess rooms are always smaller than any of their competitors
This was probably possible due to the economy. Regardless, congrats.
@@ericpowell4350….depends. I always book a balcony and have been upgraded to a mini-suite four times, and to a premium balcony cabin at least four times out of 24 cruises with Princess. I think it has to do with availability first, then member status (we’re Elite). However, there are many cruisers who have Elite status.
3.5
@@wingandhog how?
I just enjoy listening to Gary, no matter what he's talking about!
Same. His voice is so relaxing. I have never even been on a cruise, and I watch his videos.
When is it going to start Galveston
He's okay to listen to, but I really like Emma. Her voice is great!
Me too, cruises aren’t for me, I never want to go on one, I just find the videos relaxing
Years ago I booked a cruise with Carnival and booked a cheap small interior room. My birthday fell on the 3rd day out. So, not realizing this is a big deal we arrived at Port And boarded. The number on my check in info was strange and bam! They’d upgraded us to a large balcony room. What a great surprise. No extra money but I did get embarrassed in the main dining hall when they sang happy birthday 🎉
I don’t know if you read these comments so long after you’ve posted the video, but I wanted to tell you that I got off an Alaskan cruise a little over a week ago, and followed your tips. I booked four rooms that were ocean view. With these wonderful tips, and because the ship was not at full capacity, I was upgraded to four balcony rooms. The balcony rooms were not obstructed view, had cabins above and below them, and were just spectacular! Before watching your videos, I would have never known to try these tips! Thank you so much!
Hi!! I am so pleased to hear the tips in the videos helped you so much and added to your cruise. I really appreciate you watching and for letting me know. It’s always these good stories that keeps me motivated!
Can I ask with tip you used
Thanks for the tips, Gary. I have an upcoming cruise (hopefully) and will definitely utilize your recommendations. Also, phenomenal job on your videos, I love your production style as you keep going from stock footage of ships and cabins in between your direct camera shots, it's a very nice touch indeed. Keep up the great work and I'll definitely keep watching.
Last November I booked a guaranteed inside cabin for a cruise in January with MSC Fantasia and I got an allocated inside cabin on the fifth floor of the ship. Then I started sending emails to customer service of the company asking them if I could get an inside cabin on a higher floor. One month prior my cruise I got an upgrade for a balcony cabin totally for free. I was so happy and the cruise was fantastic!
I think you just got lucky. My cruise line gets a zillion people asking for upgrades. The upgrade system is complex because cabin allocation and pricing is a dynamic system. Yours is not common but it happens.
I really appreciate the guidance on a cruise ship by getting upgrades in various ways. You were very informative. It's helpful!
I have done 8 Royal Caribbean sailings.. I was called by Royal Caribbean a few years ago and offered an upgrade from an ocean view to a balcony, on Allure of the Seas for just 50 $ p.p. It was my 5th sailing with them, and a good move by Royal, because since that - we realised how much more nicer a balcony is . So they won us over for future reservations of a Balcony ! Clever Marketing move by RCI !..
We got a handicap cabin once by mistake… amazing! They told us we might be asked to leave if they needed it … if so they would upgrade what I thought was already an upgrade. Huge room.
You have the best cruise channel 😀 you provide so much useful information without all the fluff. Thanks so much!
Wow, thank you! Much appreciated !
Hi Gary. Our cruise in 2021 out of Port Everglades the first week of April was upgraded from a standard balcony to a mini suite, no additional cost to us. We checked out the location and it's excellent. Not sure how it happened, but we do have a very great TA who has done well for us in the past, but this time was amazing. Now we just have to hope things get straightened out with our world by that time! All the best, be safe, be well! 👍👍👍
The guaranteed upgrade option is a win win for both the company and customer. Now I understand the reason behind it. Thanks for explaining it!
I was upgraded from a balcony to an AFT Junior Suite on RCI. I told them I needed a bathtub due to my medical condition at the time, and it worked. They wanted to speak to my doctor on the day at the last minute over the phone, and it paid off. I also asked nicely to go to the bridge for a private visit with the Captain and sat in his chair and it was fun. I pulled the cancer card. I am grateful to have survived and to RCI Australia for being so empathetic and accommodating.
Thanks for the tips Gary and keep up the good work.
Thanks 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Thank you for the tips, very informative, we have a family cruise in May and this will serve us as a guide, not only in a cruise but in other places as well.
I'm a recent subscribed and love every video I've seen so far! Great content each and every time!
We LOVE the balcony cabins! 🛳 Carnival! Love the vids! 👍🏾
Glad you the videos! Agree on balcony too!
Thank you Gary for this great information. Since joining your channel I have been going through all your videos. We had a guaranteed stateroom for our cruise next month on HAL "Zaandam". I found out the rate went up a bit for our cruise so I did what you suggested. Called HAL and asked for an upgrade. They moved us from BC class to A class and gave us a preassigned stateroom midship on the Verandah deck. I learned to make sure it does not have an adjoining door and not above or underneath a noisy area of the ship (also away from elevators). I would have never known to do this unless I watched your videos. We not only landed a better location on the ship, but they assigned us our stateroom (which was not going to happen until just prior to embarkation). Thanks again.🚢
great to hear, and thanks for supporting the channel !
Great information! Thank You 🙏🏾.
My mom got an upgrade on Norwegian bliss from mini suite with large balcony to the haven forward facing penthouse suite
How l?
I think this was your best content to date. Excellent!! 🚢🚢🚢
We had a cruise with P&O last year, we ticked to auto-upgrade option. Five days before we sailed we received an email from them saying we had been upgraded from a standard balcony cabin. When we received the cabin number we found we had given one of the two top suites on the ship including our own butler.
Thank you very much for all tips! Since we r doing Alaska cruise planning
We have a 16 day to Norway and Longyearbyen in June 2022. I had booked early and with a watchful Travel Agent I've had a couple price reductions. To date, we have had a total discount of over $2,300. And an upgrade from standard balcony to a deluxe balcony. It pays to ask.
Please do not ask your agent to keep checking for a reduced price. If they have a hundred clients, and they checked at least once a week for all clients, they would be getting nothing else done. I was an agent for 30 years, and had to explain this to clients, it is far too much work for one person to check for all their clients. I used to tell them to watch their own price and let me know, then I can get to work and get the better price. That in itself is hard for agents, as with a lower price, an agent has a lot of work to do, by imputting new info, re-issuing a new invoice and all this for less commission on the lower price. The one time I did used to check for them was just before they paid final. I also did check if i was not too busy.Thx Gary, great stuff.
Great tips Gary! I did in fact just get a huge upgrade on MSC to the Yacht Club because my original cabin was not what I thought at all…no closet, only a pull out sofa and I could barely even believe how tiny it was…so my complaint worked beautifully!
Thank you for your really good tips!!!
Great work Gary!
I'm definitely going to keep this video in mind on my next cruise.
@James Hama I'm great...especially since I booked a cruise yesterday! Only 2 weeks away.
Thank you for your video about NCL. We are going in two months so looking for info on the Bliss. Your info will definitely help!
Great tips will try this on my upcoming cruise thank you 🎉
Very good information. Thank you. I think it really depends on the cruise line that you are on and learning which ones are good with customer service and ones that are not. I appreciate your video more than I can tell you. Thank you again.
I LOVE your vintage cruise poster background!!!
I love the Canadian Pacific poster...awesome
As soon as i watch your video, i immediately checked my email from NCL about a cabin upgrade..i just bid on the lowest price and hope for the best we will be upgraded to a Haven suite room..fingers crossed🙏🙏🙏
Thank you for the advice.
Thanks for the great tips.
Thanks for those great tips.
I bid the lowest with Royal Caribbean and they gave us a HUGE upgrade
Love all your videos Gary! You have really helped us in all our cruises
Glad you like them! Great to hear. Thanks for watching
Great Information ! 😀👍
I subscribed. Going on a chartered cruise on the Regal Princess (Rome to Athens) next week! Thank you for the tips. I like the 2nd day upgrade tip!
For cruisers needing accessible cabins, I've learned that when cruise lines offer "free upgrades" as part of the package, you often can't get it. For example, when Princess offers an "upgrade," it is usually the same level cabin, but in what they consider a better location. There are no "better" locations for the HA cabins, so you won't get this perk. That said, we have been upgraded several times prior to needing the HA cabin, both free and for a small fee. And, on one cruise, we got a full refund by accepting a downgrade of our cabin. No, we weren't thrilled with the downgrade, but they'd had a corporate booking of many cabins and needs the balcony accessible that we had....and I couldn't argue with cruising free!
I like this! Good tips
Booked a cruise for march 2023. I’ve had all room types. Unfortunately to save money we have to book inside room this time. Definitely going to use some of your suggestions. 🤞actually just downloaded cruise watch
Update, my cruising friend upgraded us to balcony rooms 😁 🥳
Thank You!!
Just set up a price watch, thank you so much for the tip.
My first time cruise is royal Caribbean, 5 night Caribbean march 19
I have never been asked what I thought of my cabin while still aboard.
I guess it helps to be a celebrity.
We love your channel Gary!
Always such good information and advice!
Thanks for watching! Good to hear !
Boy, you no all the tricks, very helpful
Do you use the same strategy for room placement on the boat with the upgrades?
Go on the smaller cruise ship, you'll have good size cabin, we went on Holland American cruise, there ship is pretty small but all the rooms has port holes and big rooms for the base price it felt like 1st class cabin.
From what ship are the cabins you're showing in this video? They're simply wonderful.
Another helpful element in snatching an upgrade is to be a loyal, frequent cruiser with a specific Line. I’ve been upgraded at least five times on HAL from inside cabins to balconies or suites precisely because I’m a 5-Star Mariner and the availability happened just before check-in. At least ... that’s what I was told. For example: on my last cruise, January of 2020, when I checked in to board the Koningsdam I discovered that I had been upgraded from an inside cabin all the way up to a Vista Suite. When I asked what happened I was told that they had several last-minute cancellations and I was selected due to my status with the Line. I had that reason independently confirmed by both the Check-in staff at the pier and my Personal Cruise Consultant at HAL, so while I used to doubt that loyalty had much of a role (if any) to play in upgrade decisions, I now have begun to think that such isn’t always the case.
Your loyalty level is always a plus. I have to tell you, its rare indeed to get such an upgrade. There likely were a number of 5-Star Mariners who had booked cabins in higher categories than yours who could have been offered an upgrade. Upgrades to suites are very rare from even a mini suite. Tha main factor is that suites book up very fast because there are so few of them and the guests who want them grab them quickly. Ships tend to book from the top down and the bottom up at least on my line.
How many cruises is it for the 5 star Mariner? We are Princess elite with 17 cruises and are hoping for an upgrade from an inside cabin. It's during Christmas so they might be more full. I have a rented scooter but don't require a handicapped room. But there are 8 of them still available and lots of balconies too. So I'm hoping for an upgrade. It's happened 2 times in the past.
I got a cheap upgrade to a suite one time on Holland America. I was in a balcony and the ship still had cabins to fill, so they made me an offer to upgrade for a small amount and I took it. I think it was only $100 or thereabouts. It worked out well, because it was one of the few times I was travelling with someone and the extra space was nice.
Hi David thank you for your post i am gonna take Holland America next month so 100 dollar are the full amount for the upgrade or it is 100 dollar per day x total cruise days please let me know thx very much Leo
@@canadahu The offer I received was $100 total, not per day.
@@davedove67 hi david Thank you so much !
When you ask about upgrades on day two, were they free or did they charge you? If charged was it at a discounted rate?
Hi Gary. Nice video today
Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks :-)
TY
We booked a cruise a week before departure! Oh my! What a deal!!!! its nice to be retired! 🥰
Really? That works?
@@deekang6244 sure did!!!
@@kathyd1010 thanks!
Sounds like a real blast. I mean PITA.
One other way to get an update is if you are a loyalty cruiser like RCC has a Crown & Anchor society and you are eligible to have upgrade when available.
Great video! Thanks 🇨🇦
Glad you enjoyed it!
how likely are you to get selected for the auto upgrade?
I did that with P&O Australia recently when they had a upgrade promotion from a Oceanview to a Balcony Cabin with no extra charge so I went for it. It is a Australia Day Cruise for 2022 and I am very sure cruises will be up and going before then
Nope!!!
Wrong.
How long before the trip would you recommend we booking it? Thanks!
Old saying Gary squeaky wheel gets the grease!
It would be amazing to get an upgrate!! We are going on our first cruise ever (for both of us) and it will be our honeymoon!
Planning on doing an Hawaii cruise next year.bhave you done an Hawaii cruise video?
Asking for an upgrade after seeing a price drop compared to when I paid for it did not work on TUI Cruises. They advised to send a email to their complaints departments. Have you (Gary) or anyone else in this community had experiences with TUI Cruises?
Is it harder to get a free upgrade today wiith guarantee cabin since Cruise are sailing with 50% capacity?. Im assuming that they are open cabins of all types so there is no need to upgrade
Is the deal better for upgrade at the ship day OF than bidding? Im wondering if we can chose our upgrade day of at the ship. I dont want to end up under a night club or gym lol
Hello. I have one question regarding your tip about approaching the service desk on the second day / first morning of the cruise. When asking if there are any upgrades available, and if there is, does it incur additional cost? Thank you.
Thanks for all of the information! We are cruising with Royal Caribbean from Florida to Spain in April and are working on booking a world cruise with MSC for 2023!
Definitely seconding the price tracking. I saw that my upcoming cruise was a good chunk cheaper than what I paid and called the cruise to re-price it. They gave me 2 options: Guaranteed Ocean View or Guaranteed Interior Balcony. Both were cheaper than my existing rate and so now I have a (small in a sense) upgrade to Guaranteed Ocean View. Now to see if I get an upgrade from that to a suite either via luck, bids, or something with the fact it's my birthday on day 2 of the cruise :D
How would you deal with getting upgrades if you also need an accessible cabin?
Just got email from NCL about bidding on an upgrade. We have never done this before. I’d like the spa balcony upgrade the asking 130€ what do you think is a good bid it’s only for 7 days. Thanks in advance
I told Royal Caribbean how it was mine and my wife’s first anniversary and it was our honeymoon as COVID prevented us from taking a one earlier. They said, “Awh that’s nice.” Then tried to sell me a 100 dollar bottle of wine lol. No upgrade haha.
Hello Gary, I am booked on the Carnival Horizon for a April 29 2023 sailing, I am a solo traveler and paid in full already the price for 2 on my inside cabin ,no discount, after seeing a few youtube videos on Cove Balconies I thought I would upgrade, the youtube videos say the cove balcony is less money then all the other balconies, my travel agent tells me Carnival has 3 left and they want $1250.00 more on top of what I have already paid, talk about a rip off.
Gary, I think your tips and tricks videos are terrific. I’m wondering how you think the COVID-response provisions the cruise lines will be forced to deal with, especially sailing with reduced capacities, e.g., 50-60%, will affect the upgrade options you describe? Assuming the cruise can sell the maximum allowed, say 60%, are they likely to want to sell only the higher grade cabins and leave all the cheaper inside cabins empty?
No they will sell all categories but space them out between cabins.
They aren’t spacing anyone out, lol. Closing entire runs of cabins, yes, spacing people out, no
Another excellent video, Gary! Great job!
Did the guaranteed cabin thing twice and twice got screwed.
We complained of a noise, very loud machinery noise that started at 12 pm and stopped at 5 am. They sent someone to have a listen at 10 am, we explained again when the noise started. He came back the following day with a kind of trumpet like object and stuck it against the window frame ( we had a huge porthole type window, once again we stated the time was all wrong, he said he couldn’t test it during the night as he didn’t work those hours. We kept complaining because we simply got no sleep. They moves us up a deck five days later with just two days left of the cruise. They told us the noise was the loose surrounds around the window but we had already found out that it was the machine that mulches up all leftover food, ads water to it then releases it. A big thanks to RCC Explorer OTS, never again.
I just want to clarify. DO NOT ask at check in if you can upgrade wait until you get ON the ship to ask. As the check-in system at least in Australia can let you check-in and that is it. It is a basic system (pre-pandemic anyway). Once you get on the ship they have more functions you can do. This could be because it is such a short and new destination. But be awear if they say they can only check you in it is because that is all they can do.
In the US, you can get upgraded when checking in. Disney Cruise Lines for example, has a Captains desk that you can go to once you’ve received your boarding documents, which is literally next to the check in section. There, you can pay for an upgrade for a fraction of the price.
@@GrumpyMeow-Meow that is still AFTER you check in.
How can I get a better price on NCL Hawaii cruise. Their advertised prices are around $200 a day
I am going to try asking on the second day as you recommend.
Is it best to book with an Agent , Expedia or cruise line itself.
What are you a question of the morning yet like a property
Great info about the upgrades. I complained about the disgusting balcony cabin I had on the Carnival Mardi Gras. The worn and stained couch, which I didn't sit on during my entire cruise. The light not working above the bed. Supposedly repaired and still didn't work. Horrible worn sinks in the bathroom. I could go on and
on. I even sent a letter about how depressing the cabin was. Worse than a 2 star motel room. The cabin stewart could only say to me he was sorry and there was nothing he could do about it. No one ever responded to me I was so upset because I was traveling solo and had to pay double for the balcony cabin and it wasn't cheap. As always you give great advice. Thanks for the info.
Similar experience on Carnival. Will NEVER cruise with them again.
Carnival Mardi Gras?? Thats a brand new ship.
I suspect complaining works a lot better when you have a cruising tube channel with thousands of followers, lol, but these tips were very helpful, thanks 👍!
@@sandyhart5991 This cruise was prior to the new Mardi Gras. They had scheduled this one out shortly before building the new one. That one I'd like to cruise on.
@@sandyhart5991some people just manifest things to complain about to try and get some thing for free
I am looking forward to my first cruise!! I have viewed your videos and I still have questions. I am handicapped and do I made a reservations ahead of time?
Yes!!!! Let your travel agent know!!
I’ve been trying to get in touch with our agent for over a month to ask about upgrading from an Oceanview to a balcony & she’s never called me back . Now we leave in 1 week & I doubt seriously that their are any balconies left
What would say when you have booked and proces go down. Do you just ask directly?
Do you feel good about yourself, complaining all the time? And telling others to complain? I bet the staff LOVE people like you...
How do you approach the cruise company if you see prices are going down? Do you just ask for an upgrade?
Princess upgraded my inside Lido deck to a mid ship inside lowest level. If they upgrade me again I will be below the water line.
Can I just ask for an upgrade? Does that ever work?
0:16 I watched this video several times before my current New Years cruise to Mexico but they claimed it wa completely sold out and there were no other cabins available.
We get upgraded so often! When I was younger, I thought maybe it was just plain luck, but after dozens of cruises and listening to tips like yours I now know why it happens to us and doesn't happen to some others that we have cruised with (we almost always do a guarantee, when we were younger we always did an inside, even when we said six star lines we go for the lowest category generally, etc).
Like you said though, sometimes a guarantee with a seemingly huge upgrade isn't always for the best. We tried Regent a couple of years ago and went from the lowest category to the highest concierge! On paper the cabin looked great, but in reality it was hot and never really got cool enough for us. On Crystal last year we went from the lowest guarantee to the second highest balcony--but were only four cabins from the aft where a passenger door can slam very hard in the wind and shake the walls.
So it's a mixed bag--with mostly awesome results. Thanks, Gary!
Dirtbag
Hi Gary, thank you for the great information you provide! I am doing a trip from Australia next September which is organised with flights to Seattle, Yellowstone National park, then cruising to Canada and Alaska. Is it possible to obtain upgrades in this sort of situation. The Royal Caribbean is the cruise line . They changed the ship that they were initially using. Is it possible to contact them and request an upgrade?
What happens if a hurricane or major storm is starting prior to your leaving port on day 1.?
If you're on the Queen Mary 2, she laughs and sails on.