It's been long awaited by many, and it's finally here... almost.
P&O Cruises HQ has recently launched a new upgrade initiative, and many upcoming cruisers have already received emails inviting them to bid for an upgrade onboard. This appears to be a trial for now, so not everyone will have the chance to bid. However, we expect P&O to roll this out to all cruises soon. The emails are being sent out to cruisers with upcoming trips on all of the P&O fleet, so it's not dependent on the ship, which is great!
Similar to MSC Cruises' upgrade program, those who are invited will receive a link to view different upgrade options and decide if they want to take the gamble on a new cabin grade. The minimum bids for alternate cabins vary, but we have seen one cruiser offered a minimum bid of £30 per guest to upgrade from an outside to a balcony cabin on Iona for their 7-night cruise to the Norwegian Fjords. The most common price range we have seen is between £60 and £140 per guest for a similar bid. The bids work on a sliding scale, so you get to choose how much you want to bid. Although there is a chance the bid may not be accepted, it seems comparable to MSC Cruises' program.
Who is eligible?
If you are over 18, the lead guest, have booked direct with P&O Cruises, have paid your remaining balance, and have not opted out of pre cruise communications, then you will be eligible for the upgrade programme. This is likely to be extended to all upcoming cruisers who have booked via a travel agent, but at present P&O are limiting the offerings - we assume this is to accommodate for any 'teething' issues that may arise.
When may I receive the invite email?
You may receive an invite to the bid programme 80 days prior to your cruise departure date.
Which cruises will be included?
Most cruises will be included in the programme, but as always P&O may exclude certain cruises for commercial reasons.
Can I still upgrade if I haven't received the email?
P&O states that if you haven't received the email but you believe you are eligible, you can call their contact centre (0344 338 8003), and choose the 'Upgrade Programme' option.
Will the upgraded cabin be accessible if I've booked an accessible / wheelchair cabin?
If your original booking is for an accessible / wheelchair cabin, then P&O Cruises will only upgrade your booking if the accessible cabin in your chosen upgrade cabin great is available.
Can I choose the cabins location?
Just like the MSC upgrade programme, you will be unable to select particular cabin or location, but will be allocated a cabin in the grade you have chosen to bid for.
How will I know if my offer has been accepted?
Your upgrade offer may be accepted as soon as it is submitted, but you should be told at least 7 days prior to departure if your bid has been successful. 6 days before you cruises you may receive an email to let you know that your offer was unsuccessful, you won't be charged any additional amount and you will stay in your originally booked cabin. There is however a clause in their terms and conditions stating "...we reserve the right to upgrade guests up until 1 day prior to departure.". So we assume that if you do not receive the email of unsuccessfulness 6 days prior, then you are still in with the chance.
Can I modify or cancel my offer?
If you are debating the offer you have submitted, or you wish to cancel the offer all together then you are able to do this. But be aware, you are only able to do this until your offer is accepted by P&O Cruises. So, be sure you want to
How do I pay the upgrade cost?
If you receive confirmation that your bid has been accepted by P&O Cruises, you will also a receive a new booking confirmation showing your new 'outstanding balance', payment must be received within 72 hours of your upgrade offer being accepted. However, if your cruise is within 7 days of receiving the offer acceptance email, you will be required to pay immediately.
Other handy info
You can use Future Cruise Credit on your upgrade bid - there's an tick box option "I have a future cruise credit I would like to apply towards the payment of my upgrade"
If you are a solo traveller, you will pay 200% of the offer you make as the upgrade prices are based on two adults sharing a cabin.
If there are more than two persons in one cabin, you will only have to pay for the first two guests for the upgrade.
You can place multiple offers on different cabin types, but you cannot offer on an individual cabin more than once.
If you are travelling with a group, then each bid offer is considered individually. Therefore, there is no guarantee that all reservations within the group will all be successful in their bids, or that your cabins will remain close together if you've booked a specific area on the ship.
Please note, this post has been put together with the information that is available at the time of publication and some things may change. Check out the terms and conditions set by P&O Cruises in regards to P&O Cruises Upgrade Programme here - Full Terms
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