Boston Babe Posted May 23, 2018 Report Share Posted May 23, 2018 Had an interesting conversation yesterday with my Celebrity Planner. I had asked her about bidding for an upgrade (saw someone did that on another board), she says yes, Celebrity just started it, it's by invitation about 2-3 weeks before sailing. Have any of you heard of this regarding RC implementing something like this? I know NCL has had this for awhile. I'm not sure how I feel about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjac Posted May 23, 2018 Report Share Posted May 23, 2018 Wouldn't be surprised at all if RCI does this and throws in an 18% gratuity fee on top of what your winning bid is! Todd W, Galveston Steve, coneyraven and 4 others 1 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boston Babe Posted May 23, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2018 8 minutes ago, rjac said: Wouldn't be surprised at all if RCI does this and throws in an 18% gratuity fee on top of what your winning bid is You are so funny!! It's interesting, if your bid wins, they want their money THAT MINUTE when they accept it. This may be a test program before RC starts it. My planner is not happy with it! LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted May 23, 2018 Report Share Posted May 23, 2018 45 minutes ago, Boston Babe said: Had an interesting conversation yesterday with my Celebrity Planner. I had asked her about bidding for an upgrade (saw someone did that on another board), she says yes, Celebrity just started it, it's by invitation about 2-3 weeks before sailing. Have any of you heard of this regarding RC implementing something like this? I know NCL has had this for awhile. I'm not sure how I feel about it. I've never heard of this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boston Babe Posted May 23, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2018 6 minutes ago, Matt said: I've never heard of this I was quite surprised to hear about this, if anything, I would have thought RC would follow suit. I guess I should have put this on the Celebrity page huh? LOL https://www.celebritycruises.com/bid-on-cruise-room-upgrade Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twangster Posted May 23, 2018 Report Share Posted May 23, 2018 I would imagine now is good time to place low ball offers before news of this becomes wide spread. With few people bidding, low offers are more likely to be accepted. Once it's main stream and well known, lots of people may bid. coneyraven and Boston Babe 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twangster Posted May 23, 2018 Report Share Posted May 23, 2018 Adding that my initial reaction to this concept is positive. I've never been granted an upgrade so the upgrade system right now is non-existent to me. Somehow up this point the cruise line has (or has not) made cold calls or had some other system to offer upgrades if they have at all. That or they attempt to dump their premium cabins at the last minute and a few lucky guests who happen across them get a deal. This is potentially more efficient for them requiring no employees to somehow figure out who to make cold calls to offering them an upgrade or to sail with empty premium cabins. It introduces a potential new revenue stream which could help to keep base cruise fares from going up. Maybe the Zenith crowd (Celebrity version of Pinnacle) won't be pleased if they were the frequent benefactors of last minute upgrades. I don't know if that was the case, just assuming that the top elite may have been the recipients of such upgrades in the past. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monctonguy Posted May 23, 2018 Report Share Posted May 23, 2018 I thought for sure this topic had come up here before....? Maybe it's on the "other"site that I saw it but...lol. My opinion is that this will not be to the advantage of the customer. There will be no complimentary upgrades offered or cheap options to upgrade. This way you have no idea what you should bid or what others will.....they will not have to accept any of the offers but if it makes them money they will. Many airlines are doing this....and I don't know about in the US but here in Canada the minimum amount that you can even start to bid at is a crazy amount. It is defn NO deal for the consumer. Do you think they would offer this to LOSE money out of what they would normally get? No, this means they make more $ in the end and the consumer ends up paying a higher rate. With changes to the cancellation policy, the introduction of non-refundable deposits and now this.......the customer is the one that loses out. I'll take the old fashioned way.....if they have cabins to fill, offer some deals to fill them. But we know that is not the case as the CEO said he would rather sail with empty cabins than offer them cheaply....and since then..EVERTYHING Royal has done regarding cabin pricing and rates and options has reflected that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovetocruise2002 Posted May 23, 2018 Report Share Posted May 23, 2018 15 minutes ago, monctonguy said: I thought for sure this topic had come up here before....? Maybe it's on the "other"site that I saw it but...lol. I think it was elsewhere...I remember it too. Someone was asking if RCL did it because NCL does..or something like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fonemanbob Posted May 23, 2018 Report Share Posted May 23, 2018 And remember when you could check the box to be upgraded. You can bet if R.C. starts bidding you will lose your deposit and current room and credits and who knows what else. Oh your bid was not accepted and and now you must re book at the new rates. It is all in the mouse print. L.O.L. Boston Babe 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boston Babe Posted May 23, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2018 18 minutes ago, monctonguy said: ..they will not have to accept any of the offers but if it makes them money they will. I agree, but I'm waiting to hear back from someone who bid and it was accepted. She was in Aqua Class and bid on Sky Suite. I bet RC will follow suit (same company) if this works in their favor (monetarily of course! LOL) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovetocruise2002 Posted May 23, 2018 Report Share Posted May 23, 2018 Just now, Boston Babe said: I agree, but I'm waiting to hear back from someone who bid and it was accepted. She was in Aqua Class and bid on Sky Suite. I bet RC will follow suit (same company) if this works in their favor (monetarily of course! LOL) You can bid on Star Class! LOL!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twangster Posted May 23, 2018 Report Share Posted May 23, 2018 18 minutes ago, fonemanbob said: And remember when you could check the box to be upgraded. You can bet if R.C. starts bidding you will lose your deposit and current room and credits and who knows what else. Oh your bid was not accepted and and now you must re book at the new rates. It is all in the mouse print. L.O.L. I bet you won't lose your deposit , your current cabin or any promos you have. If a bid is not accepted nothing changes with your booking. If a bid is accepted your credit charge is charged your bid amount and they assign you the upgrade. The FAQ on the Celebrity site addresses this: Q. What happens with the promotions I already have? A. You get to keep the promotions you already have. However, no additional promotions will be added to your reservation. Q. Does the upgrade include any additional promotions? A. The upgrade does not include any additional promotions. However, you get to keep whichever promotions you already have. If Celebrity does not accept the Offer, the original booking will continue and persons associated with the booking will travel in the original stateroom category. Celebrity will not offer and guests will not receive any compensation, consideration, or other benefit as a result of the Offer not being accepted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twangster Posted May 23, 2018 Report Share Posted May 23, 2018 With a bidding system I'll have a chance at an upgrade at a price point that I am willing to pay. in the current system I've never received an upgrade and knowing there are always a dozen or more Pinnacle on any given sailing I'm unlikely to get a complimentary upgrade ever in my future. It beats checking the website 12 times a day hoping to see a suite deal pop up before someone else does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boston Babe Posted May 23, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2018 23 minutes ago, twangster said: With a bidding system I'll have a chance at an upgrade at a price point that I am willing to pay That's the way I look at it, it's what we are willing to pay. If not excepted no loss. Very well put. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boston Babe Posted May 23, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2018 1 hour ago, Lovetocruise2002 said: You can bid on Star Class! LOL!! LOL, I was thinking the same thing! I decided I am going to do Star Class once the new deployment comes out. (At least that is my plan). YOLO!!!!!! My 2 Pups aren't going to Harvard! WAAAYTOOO and Lovetocruise2002 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twangster Posted May 23, 2018 Report Share Posted May 23, 2018 8 minutes ago, Boston Babe said: That's the way I look at it, it's what we are willing to pay. If not excepted no loss. Very well put. Bottom line - the current upgrade system hasn't worked out very well for me (never) so maybe a change would be good. As a frequent flier I receive a benefit of potential upgrades to first class. Those were very common when I was top elite. As a second from the top elite they aren't as common but they happen. Over the years there have been changes to the upgrade system and the flier forums are full of people complaining when they don't get an upgrade. I've always looked at it like this: If I end up flying in economy that's the cabin I booked, so I've got nothing to complain about if I don't get my upgrade. If I want to fly in first class, I should buy a first class seat. I feel the same applies here. If I want a suite, I should book a suite. If I want a balcony, I should book a balcony. If someone else manages to score a deal or get an upgrade that's awesome for them. In the future if they outbid me, good for them, it was worth more to them than I was willing to pay, but in the end I will sail in the cabin that I booked and paid for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjac Posted May 23, 2018 Report Share Posted May 23, 2018 I can remember years ago, when booking online directly with RCI I was always offered something like "you can upgrade your cabin to a junior suite for $XXX.00 per person per day." Don't see that anymore, but then I don't book directly through RCI. I use my travel agent and she saves me money. Of course, this post doesn't have a darn thing to do with the OP's subject line, but I thought I would throw it in for s&g. Boston Babe 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jticarruthers Posted May 23, 2018 Report Share Posted May 23, 2018 I don't have any official documents to reference but when I first started climbing the C&A ladder it was "known" that the higher your status was the more likely you were to get a call ... never happened but I kept checking that box in my cruise preferences saying I wanted one. I seem to recall reading somewhere on the C&A website a year or two ago that "free upgrades" would be offered to D+ and above if available .... not there now, may get there in a few years but I doubt it. Now it might go to a bidding process ... no loss since I never got a call but feels like once again a perk of C&A status is converting to a pay to play model. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J. Woody Posted May 24, 2018 Report Share Posted May 24, 2018 Air Canada’s bidding upgrade is a joke! They already set the minimum and don’t accept under. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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