Want a better cabin on your cruise? Norwegian Cruise Line gives you the opportunity to bid on a cabin category upgrade before you sail. However, before you place a NCL Upgrade Bid, here are 5 things you need to know.
How much does it cost to bid for upgrade on NCL?
There is NO fee to bid. However, if your bid gets accepted, Norwegian will charge your credit card immediately. There are no refunds.
All bids are based on double occupancy. This means that your bid is PER PERSON based on two people sharing the same cabin.
If you bid $400 and Norwegian accepts your bid, NCL will charge your credit card $800 ($400 x 2) since all bids are based on double occupancy.
If your stateroom has four guests, Guest 1 will pay $400, Guest 2 will pay $400, but Guests 3 and 4 will have no extra fee. Thus, the bidding program is advantageous if you have more than two guests sharing the same stateroom.
However, if you are travelling solo and bid $400, the charge to your credit card will be $800 ($400 x 2) if your bid is accepted. The bidding process is based on double occupancy regardless of how many people actually occupy the room.
Charges to your credit card only happen if your bid is successful. If your bid does not get accepted, there are no charges to your credit card. You can withdraw your bid at anytime before your bid is accepted. Once your bid is accepted, you cannot withdraw your bid.
Can you pick your stateroom in the Norwegian Upgrade Advantage Program?
You cannot pick your stateroom in the Norwegian Upgrade Advantage Program.
Should you select to participate in the NCL Upgrade Advantage Program, you can only bid on a stateroom category. The categories on Norwegian Cruise Line are:
- Solo (for individual travellers only)
- Inside
- Oceanview
- Balcony
- Spa Balcony
- Club Balcony Suite
- Spa Club Balcony Suite
- The Haven
If your bid is successful, Norwegian will assign you a stateroom within the upgraded category. You have no control over the location of your stateroom and no option to select the following:
- Stateroom Floor
- Stateroom Section on Ship (Aft, Mid, or Forward)
- Stateroom Position on Ship (Starboard or Port Side)
- Stateroom Proximity to Elevator, Casino, etc.
Accessible or Handicap stateroom bookings are not eligible to participate in the Upgrade Advantage Program due to limited supply of Accessible rooms.
How do I bid for a cruise upgrade on NCL?
Prior to your cruise sailing, you may receive an email from Norwegian introducing you to the NCL Upgrade Advantage Program. You can place a bid through the NCL App or use the link in the email to place your bid.
Norwegian will dictate the minimum price that you must bid if you choose to participate in the program. Below is a snapshot of the minimum bids on my 7-day cruise aboard the Norwegian Bliss.
On the desktop version, there is also a speedometer-like chart that shows the likelihood of your bid getting accepted. The higher your bid, the more likely that it will be accepted. The option to bid on “The Haven” (the highest available category) is available to guests with original reservations in the Balcony category or higher.
When does NCL accept bids for upgrades?
It is possible for Norwegian to accept your bid immediately OR 24 hours prior to your cruise sailing OR not at all. There is no set timeline.
Acceptance of your bid depends on how many staterooms are available and how much other passengers on your cruise are willing to spend on cabin upgrades.
The limiting factor in the bidding process is the availability of rooms. Norwegian will try to sell as many rooms as possible before it sets sail. Any “leftover” rooms will be filled with existing cruise passengers bidding for room upgrades.
To get a quick indication as to how many staterooms are available on your cruise, do a mock booking to see what categories are “sold out” and what categories are still available for your cruise sailing.
You can play the bidding for upgrades one of two ways: (1) by using your pocketbook (i.e. bidding really high); or (2) by exercising patience.
Is bidding for travel upgrade on NCL worth it?
Bidding for travel upgrade on NCL might be worth it, but not always. Before you decide to bid for a cabin upgrade on NCL, consider the cost and benefit of the upgrade.
In the example above, the minimum bid to upgrade a room is $105 per person. That means that if you were to make a successful bid, it would cost you at least $210 ($105 x 2) for the upgrade. If you were to bid on any other room category, it would cost you more.
When you bid on a cabin upgrade, it encourages you to imagine what it would be like to stay in a different (and more expensive) stateroom. For some people, the “bigger-is-better” mentality sets in and their bid keeps rising to the point where they bid more money than what it would have cost them to upgrade their stateroom in the first place.
For others, it is not about the upgrade or the prize, but rather about “winning” the bid. The “gaming” mentality sets it. Don’t let that happen to you.
Here is a decision tree to help you decide whether or not to bid of cruise upgrade:
Question 1: Are you particular about the location of your stateroom?
a) Yes. (Do not bid. If your bid is accepted, you cannot pick the location of your stateroom.)
b) No. (Move to Question 2.)
Question 2: Do you prefer to spend lots of time in your room?
a) Yes. (Move to Question 3.)
b) No. (Do not bid. Allocate funds toward experiences instead.)
Question 3: Why didn’t you book the upgraded stateroom originally?
Consider the reasons why you didn’t book the room upgrade originally and whether those reasons are still applicable.
All cruise lines are in the business of making money. One way to maximize revenues is to sell more cabins. Another way is to offer cabin upgrades to existing passengers. Therefore, it is in the cruise’s best interest to accept the highest bids AND as many bids as possible.
If you want to increase your odds of winning your NCL bid, check out How to Win a NCL Bid.
Until next time,
Shelley