The Norwegian Cruise Line Upgrade Advantage Program gives you the opportunity to bid on a higher room category. Before you place your bid, check out the 5 Things You Must Know BEFORE You Bid on NCL Cruise Upgrade. Do you still want to make a bid? If so, here are my top four tips on How to Win a NCL Bid.
1. Bid higher than the minimum
Is it possible to win a NCL Upgrade if you bid the minimum?
Yes, you bet!! However, the higher you bid, the better your chances of winning your bid.
Should I bid higher than the minimum on the Norwegian Cruise Line Upgrade Advantage Program?
To increase your odds of winning your bid, you should bid higher than the minimum.
Even if you bid just $5 over the minimum bid, you increase your odds of winning your bid.
How many people bid on a NCL cruise upgrade?
The number of bidders and number of available rooms varies with every cruise. The NCL Upgrade Advantage program operates a lot like a silent auction.
In a silent auction, you do not know the bidders or the bids. The same is true when bidding in the NCL Advantage Program. You do not know how many people are bidding for a room upgrade nor do you know how much they are bidding.
Can I get an upgraded cruise cabin without bidding?
Yes! Simply phone Norwegian Cruise Line and ask how much an upgrade will cost.
If there are staterooms available, the NCL Agent will quote you a price based on the difference between the price you originally paid and the going rate of the upgraded stateroom. Sometimes the cost to upgrade your cabin is cheaper than the minimum bid.
2. Bid Early
The awarding of bids is computer-automated. Therefore, to increase your chances of winning your bid, bid early. To demonstrate, if the top bid is $500 and there are 10 cabins available, the computer will select the first 10 bids at $500 according to the date and time the bid was placed.
Bidding for a cabin upgrade is much like shopping at Best Buy on Black Friday. If Best Buy offers a $25 Gift Certificate to the first 25 customers, only the first 25 customers will get the $25 Gift Certificate regardless of how many people visit the store that day. So, how do you increase your odds of getting a $25 Gift Certificate at Best Buy on Black Friday? Show up early.
Likewise, to increase your odds of winning your Norwegian Upgrade Advantage bid, bid early. Being the first person “in the queue” increases your chances of winning.
The early bird catches the worm (or at least increases its odds).
3. Know your game
How many cabins are available when bidding for NCL upgrade?
The number of cabins available in the NCL Upgrade Advantage Program varies from cruise-to-cruise.
To get an indication of how many rooms are available on your cruise, do a mock booking for the date of your cruise sailing. If you see that most rooms are “Sold Out” on the dates of your cruise, the odds of winning your bid for a stateroom upgrade are extremely low. See example below:
If there are no “Sold Out” signs, there will be a higher number of rooms available for bid. Check approximately 14 days prior to your cruise departure date for greater accuracy of ship occupancy rates.
4. Be patient
Although it is possible for Norwegian to accept your bid immediately, it is not probable. According to Norwegian Cruise Line, most bids are evaluated between 14 and 0 days before sailing.
How will I know if Norwegian accepts my bid?
- If Norwegian accepts your bid for a cabin category upgrade, they will send you an email and charge your credit card immediately.
- When you log into your “My NCL” account, you will also see the assignment of your new room number.
What happens if NCL accepts my bid on the day of sailing?
- NCL will send you an email notification and charge your credit card in the currency of your bid. If the charge to your credit card doesn’t go through, Norwegian will bill your onboard account in US dollars (and use the current day exchange rate if applicable).
- Stop by guest services to pick up your new key card.
What if Norwegian Cruise Line doesn’t accept my bid?
- NCL will notify you via email that your bid was not accepted. (I received an email around 6pm after the cruise ship set sail.)
- There will be no charges to your credit card.
There are no guarantees that there will be rooms available for bid or that you will win your bid. Always go into the bidding process with no expectations to avoid disappointment…. and always book a cabin that you will be happy with from the start.
Before you bid on a stateroom cruise upgrade, be sure to check out 5 Things You Must Know BEFORE You Bid on NCL Cruise Upgrade.
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Thanks for stopping by.
Until next time….
Shelley