They've oversold our cruise! And we got the offer!

[love_the_life]

So. Lets close this off. This morning was the time we would find out.

Did I mention that celebrity runs a Move up offer, where you can place a bid for a higher level category. This was a balcony - plus sold out cruise, hence the original email so none of this made any sense. Yesterday morning I thought why not, and put in the minimum allowed bid for a cabin upgrade, at a price which was cheaper than the premium beverage package I'd bought. And around $10000 less than if I'd bought in our case, a basic suite outright.

So we have two things in play. I had no idea if one countered the other.

So this morning I received the email from celebrity. It was.........the UPGRADE!

But now, I had to explain all this to MrP. His head is still spinning. He just says he trusts me so he'll go with it. .

So I've cancelled the premium drinks package, that refund will be in the credit card by Thursday. The payment for the upgrade has already been processed. While this suite doesn't come with the drinks package, there is a suite bar where all drinks are free, premium alcohol etc. And can be taken back to the cabin and into various areas. Plus an indoor lounge and an outside relaxation lounge which is new.

So, an interesting outcome. Turns out they only needed one cancellation. And it clearly wasn't a full ship as I know of three groups who got an unpgrade this morning. And we have a large balcony.

Winner winner, chicken dinner

 

[Cruise Luxury]

Also the cost of cruises in Japan is up around 50 per cent the last 12 months, so rebooking for a similar deal is going to be tricky.

 

[Pushka]

Also the cost of cruises in Japan is up around 50 per cent the last 12 months, so rebooking for a similar deal is going to be tricky.

Yes. I’m guessing it won’t be Japan as it needs to be completed high season. They will already be booked out for the dates.

Post automatically merged: Sunday at 8:18 PM

Well when they were booked on the cruise their bank balance was say $X. After cancelling it is $X+10000. Then a future cruise voucher for $10000 dollars Now if yo wanted to book another cruise you effectively have twice the money to do so than what you had to book the cruise you had just cancelled.
Now it depends on the cruise line but when we have had future cruise vouchers from Silversea for cancelled cruises we were able to use them for cruises already booked but not paid for in full.
However if you have to book a completely new cruise these days it is invariably more expensive than the one you have just cancelled.

So you had $10000 to book a cruise. As a result of cancelling you now have $20000 to book a cruise. So to me that makes sense that you think you have doubled your money.

Ok. I get that. I think.

Post automatically merged: Sunday at 8:18 PM

By forgoing an experience. If I have a trip booked and paid for $10K and had to cancel, and got refunded by travel insurance, I would never think 'yippee, I'm $10K ahead'; I'm simply back to my starting position. Add in a bonus compensation and I'm $10K ahead, not $20K.

You might consider you have doubled your available money but not absolute funds.

I get that too

 

[drron]

Some of us consider a glass is half full and others that it is half empty. I am usually a full guy. And you can take that whichever way you want.

 

[Quickstatus]

I am usually a full guy.

I win reverse lotto every week.
Each week I write the lotto numbers down, and pretend I buy the normal lotto games. I win reverse lotto every week as my numbers don't come up. Monetarily I'm ahead because I didn't have to buy any games and even though my bank account stays the same

 

[Pushka]

Some of us consider a glass is half full and others that it is half empty. I am usually a full guy. And you can take that whichever way you want.

yes and that attitude made you cope with your experience in Japan last year so much better than I would have. Mrsdrron is also a legend being on her own and not being able to see you.

Overnight I came to the same conclusion as you. They have the equivalent of say, $20,000 (more than that but it's a base). But then this morning I thought, hey $10,000 of that was money they paid anyway. I think for them, the main benefit was that their kids had cancelled and the trip was supposed to celebrate one of their 30th birthdays. So it was an excellent escape situation without losing money,by their cancellation. Very much a win win for them.

This morning I have another data point. The couple whom I've been messaging from the beginning - we have a private shoreex for Hiroshima together, were in the same category as us, Aqua. They too put in a downgrade bid. Didn't happen. They put in a bid for the highest level cabin, at the medium level, which if it had been us doing that would have been an extra $5000, got it. They get pretty much the whole ship for free. I think we might make friends with them.

 

[Quickstatus]

They get pretty much the whole ship for free

You mean the Retreat level?

$5000 per person or $5000 all up?

 

[Pushka]

You mean the Retreat level?

$5000 per person or $5000 all up?

Plus the fare they paid. They get all specialty restaurants for free. A separate lounge, dining room and bedroom just in their ‘cabin’. Huge balcony and spa pool. They are personally escorted everywhere by butler. There’s more but I gotta go. The retreat level is what we now have.

 

[NM]

Some of us consider a glass is half full and others that it is half empty. I am usually a full guy. And you can take that whichever way you want.

I like to think of myself as a "my glass needs filling up" type of guy

 

[Quickstatus]

bedroom

What's the twice daily room service

They are personally escorted everywhere by butler

Why would that be a benefit?

 

[Quickstatus]

They get all specialty restaurants for free. A separate lounge, dining room and bedroom just in their ‘cabin’. Huge balcony and spa poo

Sounds like they need a friend and not a butler

 

[Pushka]

Sounds like they need a friend and not a butler

check this out for Royal Suite. This US TA does some excellent info tubes.

 

[ellen10]

I like to think of myself as a "my glass needs filling up" type of guy

 

[drron]

I win reverse lotto every week.
Each week I write the lotto numbers down, and pretend I buy the normal lotto games. I win reverse lotto every week as my numbers don't come up. Monetarily I'm ahead because I didn't have to buy any games and even though my bank account stays the same

Even I think that is an empty glass.

 

[Pushka]

What's the twice daily room service

Why would that be a benefit?

I told mrP about the butler escort. He said he would ditch that as soon as he could. But I can imagine spending the rest of the cruise talking a peek out the door to see if the coast was clear

 

[Quickstatus]

check this out for Royal Suite

Does the butler personally escort them from one part of the room to the other. Can imagine needing assistance to get to bathroom

 

[Pushka]

So I have just messaged her and congratulated her on her upgrade. Lets see what happens next. We will be together in Hiroshima and there's a few days after that on the cruise.

 

[markis10]

check this out for Royal Suite. This US TA does some excellent info tubes.

The butler needs to get some ice for the bubbles stat

 

[Quickstatus]

The only benefit of a butler is to be able to page him/her if you need something from the room and you are on the other side of the ship several decks up/down.

Or if MrP is lost and you can summon butler to find him.

 

[RooFlyer]

The only benefit of a butler is to be able to page him/her if you need something from the room and you are on the other side of the ship several decks up/down.

The butler (bow tie & tails!!) service you get on SilverSea is that he looks after the deck - maybe ?30 cabins. Available on call (goes to his pager) and they do things you ask for. I never used them much (I'm pretty low maintenance) - but on my Antarctic cruise I asked for fresh limes and ice when I returned from the PM zodiac trip, for G&T on my balcony and a small bowl of cashews to go with it. Always there like clockwork. Any issues, you go to the butler to fix.