Can we get a free upgrade on our cruise? I've heard of it but is it true and if so how do we do it.?

Question

We are going on a Norweigian Cruise - Pride of Hawaii in December 2007. We are getting married on one of the island's by someone local. Anyways, I was just curious to see if this was true and if so how do I do it. I read that you want to call the travel agent but my dad purchased the cruise through his Time Share people. Well any information would be awesome.

Thanks!!!

Answer 1

If you haven't booked your cruise yet check out this site they have good rates and really nice upgrades.

www.paradiseclubtravel.com

Answer 2

Only way that usually you get a upgrade if you book a guar, Im thinking this is probably a group rate since you said he booked with Time Share People if thats the case you will not get a upgrade. in the future use a travel agent and book a guar room

Answer 3

contact the agent that booked the cruise and give them the details ...if you are booked as a guarantee you might have a better shot of an upgrade w/out paying for it.

good luck

Answer 4

Norwegian has upsells and upgrades.  

As the departure time of the cruise gets close, Norwegian will evaluate how the cabins are selling.  If Norwegian needs more lower cost cabins, it will call some of the people that are already booked and offer them an upgrade at a reduced cost.  This is called an upsell.  

For example, say a balcony is $1000 per person and a suite is $1500 per person.  Say there are more suites than Norwegian thinks it can sell prior to the cruise.  However, Norwegian believes there are less balcony cabins available than it can sell prior to the cruise.  So Norwegian wants to move some people up from a balcony to a suite so that it can sell the balcony to someone else.  

Norwegian might decide to call someone who has a balcony.  Most likely a long time customer or someone who booked early.  Then Norwegian offers an upsell, say for $250 per person.  This way the balcony person gets a suite for $1250 per person instead of the normal price of $1500 per person.  Norwegian gets to sell the suite to someone and gets a little extra money for the suite (over the price of the balcony).  Then Norwegian gets to sell the balcony to someone else who wants a balcony.

However, you are asking about a free upgrade.  This rarely happens to someone who has booked a specific cabin (though it can happen).  It more likely will happen to someone who booked a guarantee cabin.  When you book a guarantee cabin, you don't book a particular cabin, you book a minimum cabin category that can be anywhere on the ship.  You could end up in any cabin at that minimum category or higher (but never lower).  

These are regularly offered for inside, ocean view and balcony cabins, and sometimes offered for suites.  Usually the upgrade is within the same category.  For example, you book an inside cabin guarantee.  You are booked in the lowest level inside cabin.  You could end up in the lowest level inside cabin or you could end up in a higher level inside cabin.  It is still an inside cabin, just a higher level inside cabin (for example, on a more popular deck).

Sometimes there is an upgrade to a better category of cabin.  For example, you book an inside cabin and get upgraded to an ocean view cabin.  It is rare that an upgrade is more than one category (inside to ocean view, ocean view to balcony).

In either case you cannot just ask for a free upgrade (or Norwegian would be swamped with calls).  All you can do is hope.  It would not hurt to make sure Norwegian is aware that you are on your honeymoon.  As a honeymoon present Norwegian might decide to upgrade you.

However, if the ship is selling well, no upgrades or upsells will be offered if Norwegian thinks they will sell out prior to the cruise.

Answer 5

If there are available suites or balcony cabins available when you board the ship you can upgrade to one of those at that time.  

Also - you can try to call NCL closer to your sail date, and ask if any upgrades are available.  Good luck.