What Is A Free Upgrade?

I think we all secretly hope that we will one day, get an upgrade, one way or another. It would be even better if it was free, but lets face it anything that says “free” isn’t really is it?

One of the cruise lines who ask if you would like a free upgrade is P&O. When booking you probably get asked “if there was a free upgrade would you be happy to have it,” of course anyone in their right mind would not turn down a free upgrade would they? So, let me start by talking about the P&O “select” fares. These are the ones which normally have something attached with it, say free parking or coach and on board credit, as well as the booking conditions which are a little more flexible.

Problem is that these upgrades are not as we perceive a upgrade to be. This is where you have to be really careful.  So, let’s pretend you have booked a outside cabin. When you look at the deck plans of the ship you see there are 5 grades of outside cabin and yours is the lower one.  An upgrade therefore will be say the 4th highest of that grade and still a outside cabin, not a balcony cabin . P&O deem the more mid-ships locations as more desirable as many people will pay a premium for that location therefore the higher grade of a outside will most probably be mid ship.

Same would be of course for inside, obstructed, balcony and mini suites. The higher the cabin grade the more it will be a mid-ship location.  If you really did not mind where the cabin is situated then please remember that the cabin may be in a noisy place or somewhere you didnt want in the first place.  Once you say yes, and then they allocate you another cabin you can NOT change it.  This rule i can tell you causes alot of problems. Please remember this because there are many people out there who say they don’t mind and then when they find out where it is, they don’t want to stay in it! NO flexibility, you have to stay.

If you booked a Saver I’m afraid you have to have what you are given as Select fare passengers will have chosen all the best cabins and you have to have what is left.  With a saver fare you are automatically added for a upgrade too, just again, bear that in mind.  Far be it for me to put the damper on these free upgrades as sometimes people do come out trumps. From my own experience of booking these on a daily basis i would 100% say to you if you are happy with the position of your cabin then stick to it.

Would be interesting to hear if you all agree with me?

Till next time x