Bid for cruse upgrades

NORWEGIAN Cruise
Line (NCL) is
piloting its Upgrade
Advantage Program, which
allows travellers to bid for
cabin upgrades.
Passengers who have
already purchased a cabin
will be sent an invitation
from NCL to make a bid
for an upgrade. They
can then bid up to two
categories higher than
the current class on their
original booking. This bid
may be accepted at any
time before the traveller’s
sailing date. Once the
bid is accepted, it is
non-refundable and the
passenger’s credit card
will be charged.
The bid can be revised
or cancelled up to 48
hours before departure as
long as the offer has not
been accepted by NCL.
Invitations for bids are
dependent on the number
of cabins available for
each sailing.
Christian Böll, md EMEA
of NCL, says travel agents
will receive commission on
a successfully upgraded
bid, and says the trials
have shown a big demand
for the programme.
Upgrade Advantage
Program is currently
only available in the
US domestic markets,
says Nick Wilkinson,
gm Northern Europe
and MEA of NCL. “From
here, we will develop the
implementation plan,
depending on the success
in other markets.”
George Argyropoulos, md
of Cruises International,
says at this stage there
is no such programme
available from the cruise
companies Cruises
International represents
but says it will only be
a matter of time before
another cruise line offers
something similar.