Bigger chance of upgrade???

[ambushangel]

I am sure that this topic has been discussed at length, so if this is a repeat question, please forgive me.

We are booked for a 4 day on the Wonder in March '06. If it's all paid off before the date given to us does that increase our chances of an upgrade?

I know that it has been mentioned that there is really no real justification for upgrades, I just thought it might give me incentive to pay it off sooner.

Thanks,

 

[markey]

I have been on 5 cruises, 1-4 day and 4-7 day. Every cruise was paid off at least 1 month, some earlier, before the payment due date. We have had 1 up-grade (cat9 to cat6), the 1st cruise, 4 day in 2000. I think more has to do will the time of sailing, how full the ship is, then anything else. If no higher cats are available there cannot be any upgrades. Although all our sailing were in August this was also the first sailing of the 7 day Magic summer cruises, or else they like to target 1st time cruisers, to get you hooked on a higher cat. If tha's the case it didn't work, have book and sailed in a cat 9 for all 7 day cruises, to me the cat 9 is great I would rather sail every year then everyother if the cost was higher.

 

[Rence]

You are correct, this topic has been discussed at great length. People have collected information on a ton of upgrades and the conclusions were:

1) Booking a GTY over a specific room MAY give a modest increase chance for an upgrade.

2) Nothing else appears to make any difference at all:
Booking early vs. booking late
Paying early vs. paying late
First time cruiser vs. multiple cruises
Booking with DCL vs. Booking with Travel Agent
Paying Cash vs. Using DVC points
Special occasion (honeymoon, birthday, anniversary) vs. none.
etc. etc. etc.

It appears to be entirely random. This makes some sense, because if there were a pattern to it, everyone would start doing whatever it was that increased the chance of an upgrade and throw the whole system out of whack.

However, and I am revealing this for the first time anywhere. I have poured over the upgrade reports and I have learned one particular action that if you do will absolutely guarantee that you will NOT get an upgrade. I have found absolutely zero cases of people being upgraded who have done this. So if you want to prevent yourself from getting upgraded......

....
...
...
...

Book a category one

 

[septbride2002]

I did the gurantee cat 12 and got......................................a cat 12.

 

[alexandrew]

I'm inclined to believe that DCL upgrades based on:

1) Demand in a specific category

AND

2) How often youve cruised in the past

on our last 2 3-day cruises we were booked in cat 9 staterooms....we were upgraded to cat 5 both times to cat 5 verandahs.....

 

[Lloyd Dobler]

Sadly, our experience does not mirror alexandrew's. We've sailed 14 times now on DCL and have always gotten just what we paid for.

I also believe that upgrades are made as random as possible, for the reasons stated above. I've said before (and the DIS board old-timers are saying, "alright, Lloyd, we get it!") that the best advice is to put upgrades out of your mind. Don't plan on it, don't hope for it. Book the category that you will be comfortable in. Doing otherwise is setting yourself up for disappointment.

 

[meandmad]

When I first started planning our cruise for me and my daughter, I thought I'd just book the absolute cheapest room. Then I asked my mom to join us and she absolutely had to have at least a porthole. Then good old dad came in and upgraded us to a Category 6 (verandah) with him paying the difference.

Sorry, couldn't resist!

 

[mmouse37]

We have sailed 13 times and had about 4 upgrades.....but I do not think it is based on frequency of crusing.....I do believe it has to do with cabin demand and that is about it.....

 

[Rence]

So it appears that we have at long last discovered a way to increase the chance of getting an upgrade --

Invite Meandmad's parents along and let them upgrade the room.

 

[ljql_5969]

When I first started planning our cruise for me and my daughter, I thought I'd just book the absolute cheapest room. Then I asked my mom to join us and she absolutely had to have at least a porthole. Then good old dad came in and upgraded us to a Category 6 (verandah) with him paying the difference.

Sorry, couldn't resist!

Congrasts on your "upgrade". LOL

 

[meandmad]

So it appears that we have at long last discovered a way to increase the chance of getting an upgrade --

Invite Meandmad's parents along and let them upgrade the room.

LOL!!! Actually, dad isn't even going! He's a wonderful father and grandfather but does not tolerate other kids very well. I reminded him, in an effort to get him to go along, that there are adults-only areas of the ship and even an adults only beach at CC. When he found out there was no casino, that was the end of the discussion. He'll be going to Vegas while we're cruising.....