Pier Upgrades
 

We will be doing our very first cruise on Adv. of the Seas 10/19/03. We are currently booked in a balcony cabin on deck six. A friend said that sometimes you can get an upgrade at the pier at time of boarding if you are there early. He said sometimes the savings are significant. Has anybody had any experience with pier upgrades? Also, any comments on Adv. of the Seas welcomed.-Terry

What kind of upgrade are you looking for? You already paid for a balcony. I have asked for an upgrade to a balcony from just an outside room before and if they are available they will accomodate you for a price. Cheaper than if you had booked it originally.

I have gotten several upgrades on Carnival( that I didn't even know about) and have found that they give them to their returning customers first. I think it also has a lot to do with your travel agent. Some have more pull and can get better upgrades than other.

Hi Terry.

I would also have to ask the same question as MauiMaui, what kind of an upgrade are you looking for? People who purchase inside cabins hope for an upgrade to an outside, outside purchasers hope for a balcony upgrade, etc.

As a first time cruiser perhaps you don't know that you have already purchased the most expensive cabin (generally) on the ship, other than maybe a penthouse suite.

Did you mean an upgrade to a higher deck perhaps? I'd be careful of even asking for one if you have a balcony located in a good area already. You could end up upgrading to a location thats not as good, etc.

When you hear people post about getting a upgrade, they most commonly mean a "free" upgrade, which the lines commonly do, especially for repeat customers, and yes people sometimes learn about these when they arrive at the pier, but this most commonly happens when you don't select a specific cabin in advance. These type of cabins will commonly appear on your ticket as "TBA" or To Be Assigned.

Hope this helps, you might also what to get a deck plan of the ship to see where the cabin is located (usually best if in the middle of the ship to reduce motion) and, to assure that your cabin balcony view is not obstructed.

If you can be more specific about what it is you want to accomplish with an upgrade please post a more specific question and I'm sure one of us can help you.

Glad you're going on your first cruise.... hope you enjoy every second!

Here's a link to an article from the cruisediva.com website

It does a great job of explaining the realities of upgrades and debunks some popular misconceptions. Very good reading.

http://www.cruisediva.com/upgrades.htm

If you have a balcony cabin I would not upgrade. We had one on the NCL Wind and I would not trade it for anything. If you upgrade you get more room, but it doesn't compare to being able to sit outside on your balcony and watch the sunset and have drinks/coffee and hear the bands play while your docked at the pier.