A seasoned cruising expert has offered advice that can help tourists get a cabin upgrade the next time they sail without having to spend a fortune.
Gary Bembridge runs the YouTube channel Tips for Travellers, in which he creates videos offering guidance to help tourists get the most from their time away and avoid common issues.
In a recent video, Gary discusses ways in which tourists can get a discounted upgrade, stating that many cruise lines offer sales at quieter parts of the year.
He explained: “This year, I saw cruise lines, especially during key sales periods, offering promotions where I book one grade but get a given grade or two higher. So, I can lock in an upgrade when I book to get more bang for my buck.
“This is now one of my main tools for getting upgrades these days. For example, just a few weeks before I made this , I was waiting for one of those sales. I booked one of my bucket list cruises and got a bigger cabin, two grades above, at the price of a standard, entry-level balcony cabin.”
In the video, Gary recalled that he booked his cruise whilst the company had a sale, which gave him additional extras including a hotel stay before the cruise, transfers and free laundry.
Tourists looking to get a similar upgrade deal should start looking in the first months of the year when more tourists are booking holidays and cruise lines are at their most competitive in order to stand out.
Some lines also offer flash sales at the end of each quarter of the year in order to meet their sales targets, with the YouTuber stating that they are most notable when companies launch new itineraries.
The cruising expert also recommended that tourists look out for emails inviting future passengers to bid for cabin upgrades, however warned passengers to set themselves a limit.
He added: “The opportunity to do this kicks in during the run-up to the cruise, usually about a month before. Only a few lines used to do this, but this year, most are offering it, even the premium line Cunard has ditched offering free upgrades to those with a high loyalty status.
“I always make sure that I don’t bid too high and check how much it would cost me to simply just upgrade. I’ve met so many people on board cruises and found out that they got carried away and bid more to upgrade than if they had just simply done it themselves.”
Finally, Gary suggested that tourists can boost their chances of getting an upgrade by going on quieter journeys, noting to keep an eye out for repositioning trips.
He continued: “Go on repositioning cruises or sail out of season, as you can usually get on a better cruise line or into a bigger cabin than any other time of the year for way less money.
“Repositioning cruises are when cruise lines move their ships from one region at the end of the season to another that is just coming into season. The main repositioning are between the Mediterranean and Alaska, heading to and from the Caribbean, and they happen in April and October.”
Source: express.co.uk