How to Upgrade Your Cruise Cabin for Free

Curated by Doug Taeckens

Cruise experts share tips and tricks for scoring a room upgrade on your next sailing.
By Colleen Sullivan of Travel & Leisure
Book a guaranteed cabin.
When you book this category, you won’t be assigned a specific stateroom until right before your departure. “You could end up in the same category or get lucky and be bumped up to a better category if your original one sells out,” says Rob Clabbers, founder + president, Q Cruise + Travel. The drawback here is the cruise line chooses your room.
“While they’ll never assign a room in a category lower than the one you booked, you may end up in the last remaining or least desirable room in your booked category or one higher up,” notes Clabbers. “That could mean a stateroom in a location all the way at the bow or aft, even if it’s technically considered an upgrade from what you’ve booked.”
Monitor price drops.
A cruise line may drop prices on specific stateroom categories if a sailing hasn’t sold out. You can monitor the rates by setting up a price tracker on sites like CruiseWatch or Cruiseline, which will alert you if the fare on your cruise has fallen. “If that happens, call your cruise line or travel agent and ask them for the lower fare or a room upgrade,” suggests Clabbers.
Join a loyalty program.
“Some loyalty programs offer upgrades when there’s a need to move inventory on a specific sailing,” says Baker. These programs may make you eligible for discounted or free upgrades, and if you cruise enough or refer a certain number of travelers, you may even do one better with a free cruise (check out Viking’s Explorer Society program and the Seabourn Club).
“If the ship has availability, a member may get a free upgrade simply because of their loyalty,” shares Simon Blacoe, Azamara’s director of hotel operations.
Ask for an upgrade once on board (but not on the first day).
The staff at the guest relations desk on a cruise ship is often overwhelmed on the first day of the trip when passengers have many questions and requests. Translation: Now may not be the best time to ask for a free stateroom upgrade.
On day one, the staff doesn’t have a full read on the vacancy rate, which is usually determined after the first port of call. Waiting a day or two also allows the staff to identify staterooms vacated by those who may have already upgraded due to cabin issues. Baker suggests inquiring about an upgrade at the port during check-in to check whether someone on an extended voyage may have had to disembark early.
Work with a travel agent specializing in cruising.
Travel agents who book many cruises often have leverage and influence with cruise companies and are notified about free room upgrade promotions early on.
Make it known you’re celebrating a special occasion.
You most likely won’t get an upgrade because it’s your birthday, but you may have a shot at landing a better stateroom if it’s your honeymoon, a big anniversary, or a milestone (like your 10th trip with the cruise line). Remember to put a note in your reservation or remind your travel agent what you’re celebrating on the journey. “These days, many travelers choose a cruise to celebrate a special event so it’s more likely you’ll be offered the opportunity to pay an upcharge for an upgrade,” says Clabbers.
Check “yes” on an auto upgrade.
When booking on lines such as Cunard and Princess, passengers often have the option to opt in or out of an auto upgrade. If the sailing has empty cabins, the cruise line will sometimes move people who have agreed to an auto upgrade one or two grades higher.
Communicate legitimate complaints.
If you’ve been assigned a room in a high-traffic area or close to a noisier part of the ship — next to a nightclub, below the pool deck, or by a housekeeping pantry, for example — or your stateroom has a mechanical issue such as a leak in the bathroom, you stand a better chance of being upgraded for free if the ship isn’t sold out.
“Often, the cruise line is aware of challenging cabins and will do their best to move you to a better room if the ship is not at capacity,” notes Baker. “They frequently hold back a few cabins for this occurrence.”
Take part in a bidding program.
Many cruise lines offer bidding programs for room upgrades. While not free, in some cases, you can score a room upgrade for $20.
Here’s how it works: About a month before sailing, an email invite goes out to select cruisers — often loyalty club members — and directs them to a website where they can submit their bid. The cruise line posts a minimum bid, and once your offer is made, you can sometimes see your bid relative to others. Some offers are accepted immediately, others a few days before sailing.
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