5 Sure Fire Ways To Get A Cruise Cabin Upgrade in 2024

I never tried upgrading. In a Celebrity survey, I wrote that as long that they charge a 100% single supplement and have little solo cabins, I sadly can’t cruise with them. Prices are high. Thanks for showing travellers how to get the best value for their money 🚢!

We took our first MSC cruise last year. We paid for a regular balcony room but we were assigned a Grand Suite Aurea. Not sure how it happened, but wow. What a surprise!

Thank Gary, your videos are always superb!

Gary has one of the biggest brains in the deep blue

Thanks Gary. BTW, I love your new graphics.

Great video, and I agree with all your points. I only rarely directly booked the "ship within a ship" rooms I have stayed in and instead I bid... Won every time, even with fairly low/poor bids. I booked an NCL repositioning cruise last year for this November and a month ago I checked the rates... Only to find out that a Club Balcony Suite was now LESS than my Oceanview room. I called the cruise line, got the nicer room and almost $600 back. Now I am one class down from The Haven which is currently almost completely empty, so we are hoping to put in an upgrade bid when the 100 day window hits.

I'm retired on a disability pension. So I have a ton of time but not resources. I don't get seasick though, and don't mind cold weather. So the off season and repos are mostly what I go after. The biggest problem is that repositioning cruises involve at least one long flight and 5+ hours in coach is beyond agony for these old broken bones.

Seems like cruising is a massive game , with where you need a phd to get the most out of your cruise. When you are paying out of your nose to begin with.,

My first trip on Royal with balcony "Allure of the Sea." It has been terrible! From our our cabin assistant (2 weeks of experience), delayed luggage and messing up the delivery of day in-cabin packages (strawberry's with no champagne, originally tried to say it was an additional charge until I showed them on the receipt) to our cabin smelling like the Animal Kingdom at Disney World. Next was the double charge for excursions (had to show them the receipt again). I booked this 3 months in advance and followed bunches of videos for what to do.

We upgraded on HAL to Club Orange, it was cheaper to do it through the travel agent that we had booked a Canadia/Alaska tour than do it online within the HAL web page once you have your HAL booking code, in HAL web site/app everything is charged in US dollars. Also you can book your shore activities sooner with Club Orange as they book out quickly.

I have an upcoming HAL cruise. I haven't thought of the Club Orange perks. Thanks for reminding me.

On my April 2024 embarkation, there was a sign at the terminal indicating that upgrades were available and cruisers should talk to their check in host if interested. The funny thing is that it was the most full cruise I'd experienced on that line in terms of absolute passenger numbers. In fact, it was a bit too full for my liking. For those who don't know, cruise lines consider a sailing 100% full when every solo cabin contains 1 person and every other cabin contains 2.Since many cabins are made to hold 3, 4 , or more, that's how you get an occupancy over 100% (put 2 kids in a cabin with the parents, for instance). It is worth looking at both the percentage and the absolute numbers as a cruise at 104% may still have empty cabins! Amazing that you got such a nice upgrade for Africa. My experience with those "3 category upgrade free" offers has been that they take you from a low end balcony or inside to a better location, but not to a better type of cabin. Then they tell me or my TA that it isn't available to us as my travel partner needs an accessible cabin.

Hi Gary, My wife and I enjoyed the Regent Explorer on its May ‘24 Alaskan voyage from Seward to Vancouver. I booked the voyage about 1 1/2 years out from its cruise date. I booked the Regent per your recommendation for their size and amenities. What a perfect cruise for our first cruise on our 35 year anniversary. Shortly after booking the cruise, I upgraded from a Veranda Suite to a Concierge Suite. A beautiful suite and it would have been a perfect fit for us. About a month prior to our cruise date, Regent offered an upgrade to its Explorer Suite for a bargain price, I quickly accepted the upgrade and our Alaskan Cruise aboard the Regent was made even better than we could have imagined. So yes great upgrades are possible when you least expect them. Without your Regent recommendation, this trip would never have been possible. Thank you so very much.

Thanks Gary, We are currently preparing plans to travel abroad Windstar Breeze for an 11 day cruise to Tahiti. Your guidance, once again, has been very useful.

Great tips. Thank you for the video!

HAL. Booked in Sept 2023 for July 10, 2024 sailing ex Reykjavik. Price for inside 1400€/p for 10 days Price dropped in April of 2024 to almost half the price. Contacted HAL, they only offer 100$ obc Very disappointing, since we do not consume alcohol, do not go to speciality Restaurants nor to the Spa and all the shore excursions we are interested are sold out! Plus - two weeks ago they have the nerve to offer an Upgrade for "only 549 €" to a verandah!!! We are already paying much more for the inside than what a balcony is costing - PLUS 549 extra???? That would be more than 1950 per person. No way. We are very disappointed and cant believe how they treat return guests. Okay, HAL is a Company that wants to make money - that is their right. Nevertheless - we feel awful about them now.

You're the best, Gary!❤

Love repositioning cruises! Not only are they good deals financially, but you also get to visit the ports that are not always frequented on more traditional routes. Wife and I were on the Celebrity Edge last fall going from Rome to Dubai. It was part 1 of 3 in a repositioning of the boat from Rome to Sydney, and about 1/3 of the boat was onboard for all 3 segments.

Great advices. I think we may look out for promotions on Viking, just to ‘see’ the difference, if any, from Oceania.

Have always sailed on HAL and booked a Neptune suite after our first cruise and never looked back. Doubt anyone gets a Pinnacle Suite upgrade. Thanks for sharing.