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00:00:00 – 00:11:12
Aaron and Linda from Traveling Flamingos detail their experience with the Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) Upgrade Advantage Program, focusing on the process and implications of bidding for stateroom upgrades. They describe receiving an invitation to bid for upgrades two months before their cruise and explain factors influencing their bid decisions, including suggested amounts and likelihood indicators. Despite initial doubts, their bid was accepted, leading to a room change two weeks before departure. The benefits of upgrades, such as better rooms and spa access at lower costs, are discussed, along with shortcomings like less control over room assignment, potential accessibility issues, and additional costs. The video highlights that while you maintain benefits from the original booking, additional perks from higher-class cabins are not guaranteed unless initially included. Tips for a successful upgrade include checking floor plans for potential obstructions and strategically choosing room classes to ensure comfort regardless of upgrade outcomes. The speakers encourage planning and flexibility while inviting viewers to engage for more information.
00:00:00
In this part of the video, Aaron and Linda from Traveling Flamingos discuss the NCL Upgrade Advantage Program, addressing common questions from their previous videos. The program allows guests to bid for stateroom upgrades prior to their cruise. They explain their experience with receiving an email invitation to bid about two months before their cruise, the different stateroom options available, and the process of selecting and bidding on a desired upgrade. They highlight factors like suggested minimum and maximum bids, which are per person, and a color-coded indicator showing the likelihood of a successful bid. They specifically chose to bid $100 each for a thermal spa room upgrade, indicating their flexibility with the outcome.
00:03:00
In this part of the video, the speaker discusses their experience with a room upgrade bid for a cruise. They initially assumed their bid would not be accepted due to the competitive nature and priority given to higher bids. However, two weeks before their departure, they received an email confirming their bid was successful, resulting in a room change. The speaker clarifies their effort to contact NCL for more information, noting that any future responses will be shared in the video description. They highlight the advantages of room upgrades, such as getting a better room and spa access at a lower overall cost. However, they also address the disadvantages, including the lack of control over room assignment, potential issues with accessibility or view, and the need to budget for the upgrade cost, which is charged just before the cruise. Additionally, special offers for different cabin classes aren’t available in upgrade scenarios.
00:06:00
In this part of the video, it is explained that upgrading to a different cabin class on a cruise ship, such as the Haven, from a class with specific packages and offers, will allow you to retain only the benefits of your original booking. For instance, if your original cabin offered an unlimited drink package, you would keep it upon upgrading, but you won’t receive additional Haven-specific offers, such as free flights, unless they were part of the initial booking. The speaker advises booking a room with the desired benefits first and then attempting to upgrade. They also warn that bidding for upgrades may result in less desirable room placements. Additionally, they provide tips for using Norwegian Cruise Line’s Upgrade Advantage program, emphasizing the importance of checking ship floor plans to understand potential room obstructions and placements. They mention their personal experience on the NCL Breakaway, where they were confident with their unobstructed views and the implications of their upgrade choices.
00:09:00
In this segment of the video, the speaker provides tips on how to ensure a satisfactory stateroom upgrade experience. They emphasize checking the location of assigned staterooms on the floor plan after an upgrade and highlight that higher-class rooms, such as spa or Haven rooms, typically have excellent locations and unobstructed views. The speaker advises selecting a room class that meets one’s needs since there’s no guarantee that an upgrade bid will be accepted. They stress that while bidding for upgrades can often be cheaper than booking higher-class rooms outright, it is important to choose a room class that will still be comfortable without an upgrade. Finally, they invite viewers to leave comments and subscribe for more information and potential follow-up content.