Thread: Free Upgrades?

A friend of mine booked a cruise, last year and told me when she booked it she only booked it for an inside stateroom. A few weeks before her cruise she got an email from Carnival, stating they upgraded her room to an oceanview for free. Has anyone ever had this happen to them?

It is possible!
Doesn't happen a lot, but it does happen.

Do you know if your friend booked a guarantee stateroom? Not picking out the exact room, but just booked the inside category? This will result in more upgrades than booking a specific room. However quite a few folks would rather pick out their room because they like particular areas of the ship and want to have their room in that location.

You never know when the upgrade fairy will favor you!

Originally Posted by Sweet-FireEyez2

A friend of mine booked a cruise, last year and told me when she booked it she only booked it for an inside stateroom. A few weeks before her cruise she got an email from Carnival, stating they upgraded her room to an oceanview for free. Has anyone ever had this happen to them?

By all means yes it does happen .. the same exact thing happened on our first cruise many years ago..

Char is so so correct the up grade fairy still lives!

As was stated, if you get a 'guarantee' cabin, then it's possible to get an upgrade. However, this is one of those good things bad things - the good thing is you can usually save money over purchasing a cabin assignment and you might get lucky and get an upgrade. The bad thing is that you could end up in a cabin that is very undesirable, like in the very front of the ship or under a noisy area.

Sometimes, however, the price may have gone down and instead of offering a refund, they bumped them up so they can keep the difference. And thus, a 'complimentary' upgrade was nothing of the sort.

But don't go under the disillusionment that booking with Carnival as opposed to booking with an agent is the way to go. It's exactly the same and the price is the same, but the cruise line will look after themselves where an agent will look after you.

Upgrades still happen, but not as often as they use to. The trick is to know when it truly is an upgrade and not just a gimmick to take your money. I've seen too many times when someone thought they got something for nothing and it really wasn't the case.

Pete

Originally Posted by Char

It is possible!
Doesn't happen a lot, but it does happen.

Do you know if your friend booked a guarantee stateroom? Not picking out the exact room, but just booked the inside category? This will result in more upgrades than booking a specific room. However quite a few folks would rather pick out their room because they like particular areas of the ship and want to have their room in that location.

You never know when the upgrade fairy will favor you!

She booked, it through Carnival and not an agent. She said that they gave her a guarantee stateroom, she didn't pick. I was just wondering, because she was telling me that I may get one because I just booked a regular room. I don't plan on spending to much time in there so it really doesn't matter if I have an ocean view or not. My last Cruise, I do not think I made it to bed before midnight anyway....was having to much fun, to even care about the room, as long as it was clean and had a bed, I was good.

Originally Posted by Sweet-FireEyez2

She booked, it through Carnival and not an agent. She said that they gave her a guarantee stateroom, she didn't pick. I was just wondering, because she was telling me that I may get one because I just booked a regular room. I don't plan on spending to much time in there so it really doesn't matter if I have an ocean view or not. My last Cruise, I do not think I made it to bed before midnight anyway....was having to much fun, to even care about the room, as long as it was clean and had a bed, I was good.

Whatever you end up with I'm sure you will have a great time! Maybe the upgrade fairy will smile on you and give you a nicer room than the one you booked.

Yes, the "UpGrade Fairy", that's the best description I have ever heard. Sure beats the half hour explanation I've gottne from some cruise line field reps's.

My first cruise was with my husband's whole family, must have been at least 12 cabins booked, all oceanview stateroom. DH & myself was bumped to a penthouse suite. My SIL who has only done Carnival cruises (20+) was very upset we got the upgrade and not her.

For sure upgrades do happen!

.... but The Upgrade Fairy can be a very fickle fairy!

Originally Posted by Char

Whatever you end up with I'm sure you will have a great time! Maybe the upgrade fairy will smile on you and give you a nicer room than the one you booked.

I am going to have a great time, regardless of what room I am in. On my last Cruise, I spent so little time in there on my last cruise (sleep and shower). I am so ready for this up coming Cruise, only thing is I am trying to figure out what to do in Grand Caymans...LOL, so much to choose from.