Visited by the Downgrade Fairy?

ArtByCrawford · #1 (**permalink**) October 28th, 2011, 09:36 PM

We travelled at this time last year for a 10 day Southern Caribbean route on the STAR. We had an obstructed view cabin on Deck 8, which suited us just fine. For our 11 day cruise next week on the Dawn we booked for the same category and were told we would be OX on Deck 8 again. We didn't mind a porthole instead of a picture window this time.

Today we were assigned our cabin with the notice that we had been "upgraded" to an unobstructed view. We will be on Deck 4, cabin #4500---that is the first portside cabin behind the anchor, above the port thruster, and under the theater mainstage. It's also mainly a crew and service deck if I read right online. Some research online online pulled up several pages calling it the worst cabin on the ship.

Is it an upgrade moving from upper decks, midship to having to man the oars?

Trip · #2 (**permalink**) October 28th, 2011, 09:51 PM

I will tell you I would not be thrilled with this move, just with noise issues.
Was your ta contacted? I would make the phone call and state, you are not happy with the new location they so graciously gave you

Let us know how you make out....If you booked directly get on the horn early in the morning,and ask for a supervisor..good luck

ArtByCrawford · #3 (**permalink**) October 28th, 2011, 10:56 PM

We've contacted the TA. Yet to hear back from them. Talking to NCL directly they said their hands were tied. We're usually not picky about a cabin as we don't spend alot of time in it, but we'd rather the cabin we thought we were getting and paid for and skip the "upgrade."

fun2cruiz · #4 (**permalink**) October 29th, 2011, 11:53 AM

Your TA should have been advised of the "upgrade" and then contacted you for your ACCEPTANCE...... That is normal procedure UNLESS your TA told the cruiseline that you would be willing to take a FREE UPGRADE and it is noted on the reservation....thats a whole different game and USUALLY the upgraded stateroom change is made w/ or w/out your OK !

Looking back at your post it appears you booked a "Category" guarantee and when stateroom was assigned, it appears to be an "Upgrade" but only because of being an unobstructed view, but a not so good location.

The pitfalls of booking a "Guarantee"...... sometimes ya win and sometimes ya don't !
When in doubt or concerned of the end result....book a stateroom that you are happy with in the beginning, even if it costs you a little more $$$.

Perhaps your TA will be able to see if another stateroom is available that is more apealing.

johnthed0g · #5 (**permalink**) October 29th, 2011, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fun2cruiz

Your TA should have been advised of the "upgrade" and then contacted you for your ACCEPTANCE...... That is normal procedure UNLESS your TA told the cruiseline that you would be willing to take a FREE UPGRADE and it is noted on the reservation....thats a whole different game and USUALLY the upgraded stateroom change is made w/ or w/out your OK !

Looking back at your post it appears you booked a "Category" guarantee and when stateroom was assigned, it appears to be an "Upgrade" but only because of being an unobstructed view, but a not so good location.

The pitfalls of booking a "Guarantee"...... sometimes ya win and sometimes ya don't !
When in doubt or concerned of the end result....book a stateroom that you are happy with in the beginning, even if it costs you a little more $$$.

Perhaps your TA will be able to see if another stateroom is available that is more apealing.

Says it all I think, people are not aware of the ''free upgrade'' problem.

nlb1050 · #6 (**permalink**) October 29th, 2011, 01:44 PM

I will tell you that for our last 2 cruises we have had similar cabins. And we knowingly booked them. First forward and under the theater. Well we found out that the cabin is actully under the side lines of the theater and never did we hear any noise from the theater. The only noise we ever really heard was a few times of waves hitting the ship. But the last time we were high enough up that we did not even hear that.

No we were not on NCL but just wanted to let you know that if you are not able to get a cabin change it might not be as bad as you think it will be.

fun2cruiz · #7 (**permalink**) October 29th, 2011, 01:49 PM

Being located near the anchor or thrusters would be the main concern other than possibly some rough seas the bow of the ship will find first, and causing a little rockin' & rollin' affect while sleeping (which to me is a good thing !). As for the theatre....activities in that venue should not affect you stateroom experience during sleep or early in the morning.

kandajones · #8 (**permalink**) October 30th, 2011, 10:10 AM

Hi there, I read with some interest your visit from the Downgrade Fairy, as it looks like we have been visited too.

We are booked on a P&O ship next year, and picked our cabin, as we have travelled in the same area of the ship on other similar builds (Grand Princess and Queen Victoria), so imagine our 'surprise' to read that P&O have chosen to upgrade us to a higher deck, in the same 'style' of cabin, directly below the Laundromat. We have experienced that sort of cabin before & rest assured the machines are running at 07:30 every morning, and we reckon that some of the crew must also use them as they've been running overnight - they are NOT quiet machines!!

A call to our TA revealed that with P&O unless you state you do not want to have your selected cabin changed, without so much as a courtesy 'phone call from either P&O or the TA, then you MUST state this at time of booking.

So the question is, why on earth have we paid brochure price and ended up with a cabin we woul dhave never selected, when we could have paid much less with a 'guaranteed' grade & taken the risk. :evil:

Alan

johnthed0g · #9 (**permalink**) October 30th, 2011, 10:20 AM

Someone on Facebook was saying the same thing, how come they are "upgrading" people now? surely the cruise is still on sale & someone could buy the cabin they have moved you too? I know about the upgrade thing but you would think they would ask! We usually book the cabin we want & don't want an upgrade, OK, we risk missing out on a free suite but how often does that happen?

nmnita · #10 (**permalink**) October 31st, 2011, 12:03 PM

Upgrades are not always that, I hope your TA can get this straightened out for you. Keep us posted.

Nita

kandajones · #11 (**permalink**) October 31st, 2011, 01:58 PM

Hi there, and Monday brings with it some good news for us. P&O have accepted our grievance, and moved us back to our original cabin

The moral: tell your TA exactly what solutions would be acceptable, then hope that they have a good relationship with the cruise line.

Alan & Katrina

johnthed0g · #12 (**permalink**) October 31st, 2011, 06:03 PM

GREAT NEWS!! never thought that was possible!

nlb1050 · #13 (**permalink**) October 31st, 2011, 07:29 PM

CONGRATS on getting your original cabin back.

Spartan kent · #14 (**permalink**) October 31st, 2011, 08:24 PM

The downgrade fairy visited us on the Crown Princess, we booked an inside cabin on Lido deck as we did the check list the night before leaving my wife asked about some detail i printed off what i thought she was on about, then she noticed the cabin number had changed. We had been moved to the bottom of the ship under the theater opposite the laundry

I contacted the cruise line and the agent they all blamed each other well no time for messing about with who's fault it was I contacted the big boss by e-mail at just after 09.00 in the morning got an messege back by ten past then a phone call and all was sorted back to the cabin we booked.

An upgrade is not all it appears to be we always select our cabin with care, inside as they appear bigger with all the mirrors and when I have my afternoon nap they are dark so I can sometimes sleep from around 15.00 until 06.00 or 07.00 in the morning it might not be your idea of heaven but it is mine. We like the spa and the pool for breakfast it's just across the deck.
Why do the cruise companies think they are doing you a favour by upgrading

fun2cruiz · #15 (**permalink**) October 31st, 2011, 08:46 PM

Because by moving you to a stateroom they could not sell at the rate that it was going for allowed them to sell your stateroom and make themselves APPEAR as HEROES bysupposedly upgrading you !

With Princess and HAL, and if booking a specific category and stateroom, the agent doing the booking (TA or Princess/HAL agent) MUST NOT CHECK MARK THE "Complimentray Upgrade Box" in order for your booking to be least probable of a so called "upgrade". If that box has not been checked, any upgrades are supposed to be provided to the TA or your Princess rep which must be accepted or declined by the passenger usually within a 24 hr. window, if however the box IS CHECKMARKED, and an upgrade is available (albeit good or bad) you may be in for a surprise if not watching your booking carefully !

In theory, that is a good method, if everyone is communicating properly to the passenger and passenger understands the game plan, which seems to be not being done of late !

Happily you got your problem resolved.

kandajones · #16 (**permalink**) November 1st, 2011, 09:23 AM

Well done Spartan kent for also getting your requested cabin back. There's nothing quite like requesting a 'down grade' to keep yourself happy is there ;o)

Alan & Katrina