Cruise Cabin Upgrade Bids: When Is an Upgrade Worth It?

Many cruise lines these days will invite you to bid on a cruise cabin upgrade.

Gone are the days when you might show up at the check-in counter and get a pleasant surprise that you’ve been upgraded for free.

Cruise lines are much smarter about upgrades now—they know passengers are often willing to pay for a better cabin, so they give you the chance to bid on one instead.

It can be exciting to get that upgrade email. Maybe you booked an inside cabin and now you have a chance at a balcony.

Or maybe you’re already in a balcony cabin and you’re being offered the opportunity to move into a suite.

But before you place a bid, there are a few things you should think about.

After more than 25 cruises, I’ve learned that a higher cabin category doesn’t always mean a better cabin.

I’ve actually turned down the opportunity to bid on upgrades many times because I preferred keeping the cabin I had carefully chosen.

Here’s how cruise cabin upgrade bidding works, when I think it’s worth it, and when I would skip it.

How Cruise Cabin Upgrade Bidding Works

After you book your cruise, you may receive an email inviting you to bid for a cabin upgrade.

Cruise lines including Norwegian Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises, Royal Caribbean and MSC Cruises have offered upgrade bidding.

Instead of paying a fixed upgrade price, you’re given one or more higher cabin categories and asked how much you’re willing to pay.

Think of it like a silent auction.

You choose your bid, but you don’t know how many other passengers are bidding or how much they’re offering.

There is usually a slider where there is a minimum bid.

If your bid is accepted, the cruise line charges you for the upgrade and assigns you a cabin in the new category.

And that’s the part I think cruisers sometimes overlook.

You may be choosing the cabin category, but you usually aren’t choosing the actual cabin.

Why I Turned Down a Cruise Cabin Upgrade

On one of my MSC cruises, I received an upgrade offer after booking a balcony cabin.

One option was to bid for a Suite Aurea with a terrace and whirlpool. Another was an upgrade into MSC Yacht Club.

Those are significant upgrades.

But I didn’t bid.

Why?

Because I had already carefully chosen my cabin.

I had a midship balcony in a location I liked, and I was traveling with family members whose cabins were nearby.

For me, giving up that location wasn’t worth the risk.

1. You May Lose Control of Your Cabin Location

This is probably the biggest reason I hesitate before bidding on an upgrade.

When you originally book your cruise, you may spend a lot of time choosing the right cabin.

Maybe you want to be midship.

Maybe you want to be close to the elevators.

Maybe you’re trying to stay away from the nightclub, theater or pool deck.

Or maybe you specifically picked a cabin with other family members nearby.

If you win an upgrade bid, the cruise line generally assigns your new cabin.

That means you could move into a higher category but end up in a location you would never have chosen yourself.

For some people, that won’t matter at all.

For me, it matters a lot.

2. A Higher Category Isn’t Always a Better Cabin

This is one of the biggest misconceptions about cabin upgrades.

A balcony cabin is technically an upgrade from an inside cabin.

A suite is technically an upgrade from a balcony.

But that doesn’t mean every balcony or every suite is better than the cabin you already booked.

You could end up with an obstructed view.

You could be underneath the pool deck.

You could be near a noisy entertainment venue.

You could end up all the way forward or aft when you specifically wanted to be midship.

So don’t look only at the cabin category.

Think about where that upgraded cabin could potentially be located.

3. I’m Prone to Seasickness

This is one of the main reasons cabin location is so important to me.

I’m prone to seasickness, so I generally prefer a cabin located around the middle of the ship where I tend to feel less movement.

If I bid on an upgrade, I could potentially end up in a cabin much farther forward or aft.

I might have a larger room, a nicer balcony or even a suite—but if I’m feeling sick every time I’m in the cabin, that’s not much of an upgrade.

If you’re also sensitive to motion, think carefully before giving up a cabin location you know you’re comfortable with.

4. You Could Be Separated From Your Family or Group

This is another big reason I’ve declined an upgrade.

When I cruise with family, we often book multiple cabins.

I try to get our rooms near each other—ideally on the same deck and in the same area of the ship.

That makes everything easier, especially when you’re traveling with kids.

But if one cabin wins an upgrade and the others don’t, your group could suddenly be spread across different parts of the ship.

On one cruise, we had three cabins for eight family members.

Getting one nicer cabin wouldn’t have been worth splitting everyone up.

If you’re traveling as a couple or solo, this may not matter.

If you’re traveling with several cabins, it definitely can.

5. Compare the Bid With the Price of Upgrading Normally

Before placing any bid, I would always check what the upgraded cabin actually costs.

Don’t assume the bidding offer is automatically a bargain.

Go back to the cruise line website or contact your travel agent and find out how much it would cost to simply change your reservation to the higher cabin category.

Sometimes the difference may be surprisingly small.

If you can upgrade directly for around the same price, I would usually rather do that.

Why?

Because you have more control over your cabin selection- you can choose your cabin.

With an upgrade bid, the cruise line chooses the cabin for you.

Sure, you could save money—but you need to make sure you’re actually saving enough to justify giving up control over where your cabin will be.

6. Decide Your Maximum Before You Bid

Upgrade bidding can feel a little like gambling.

The cruise line may show you a slider indicating whether your bid is weak, fair or strong.

That can make it tempting to keep increasing your offer.

I wouldn’t.

Before you even touch the slider, decide the maximum amount the upgrade is worth to you.

Then don’t go above it.

There is no guarantee that a larger bid will win, and you usually don’t know what anyone else is bidding.

The goal isn’t simply to win.

The goal is to get an upgrade at a price that actually makes sense.

7. Make Sure You Understand How the Price Is Calculated

This is really important.

Depending on the cruise line’s program, the amount displayed may be calculated per person rather than as one total price for the cabin.

And sometimes it’s the price for the first and second passenger only. So if you’re in a cabin for 4 people, it may be worth the upgrade.

Read the terms carefully before submitting your bid.

Know exactly what your total cost will be—not just the number displayed on the bidding screen.

8. The Best Upgrades Can Come With More Than a Bigger Cabin

This is where I think upgrade bidding can become really interesting.

Sometimes you’re not simply bidding for a bigger room.

You’re bidding for access to an entirely different cruise experience.

For example, an upgrade into MSC Yacht Club can include access to exclusive areas such as dedicated dining, butler service, lounges and VIP pool.

Norwegian’s Haven also offers suite guests access to private areas and additional amenities.

In that situation, I wouldn’t compare the upgrade based only on the cabin size.

I’d look at everything that comes with it.

If an upgrade gives you access to amenities you were already considering paying extra for, the value can be much higher.

9. A Suite Upgrade May Come With Additional Costs

Don’t look only at the price of the winning bid.

Moving into a more expensive cabin category can sometimes affect other costs associated with your cruise.

For example, gratuities can be higher for suite categories, and a higher trip value could potentially affect the amount you spend on travel insurance.

Before bidding on a major upgrade, I would check whether there are any other costs that come with it.

The upgrade may still be worth it.

Just make sure you’re comparing the true total cost.

10. Don’t Bid Unless You’re Okay With Actually Winning

This sounds obvious, but it’s worth mentioning.

Don’t place a bid just to see what happens.

If your offer is accepted, your card will be charged and your cabin will be reassigned.

It’s basically non-refundable once you win.

Don’t assume you can change your mind afterward because you don’t like the cabin location.

Before submitting the bid, ask yourself:

If I win this upgrade and the cruise line puts me in the least desirable location within that category, will I still be happy?

If the answer is no, I wouldn’t bid.

When I Would Bid on a Cabin Upgrade

Despite turning down upgrade offers myself, I definitely think bidding can make sense.

I’d be much more likely to bid if:

• I didn’t care where my cabin was located.
• I was traveling alone or with just one other person.
• I wasn’t worried about seasickness.
• The upgrade price was significantly cheaper than booking the cabin directly.
• I was moving from an inside cabin to a balcony at a very good price.
• The upgrade included valuable suite-only perks.
• I was already unhappy with my original cabin category.

This is especially tempting if the upgrade is into something like MSC Yacht Club or Norwegian’s Haven because you’re potentially getting much more than just a bigger cabin.

When I Would Skip the Upgrade

I’d probably skip the bidding offer if:

• I already love my cabin location.
• I’m prone to seasickness and want to stay midship.
• I’m traveling with family members in nearby cabins.
• The upgrade price is close to what it would cost to change cabins directly.
• I’m worried about noise or being placed in a bad location.
• The upgraded cabin doesn’t include any benefits I actually care about.

Sometimes keeping the cabin you carefully selected is the better choice.

Can You Get a Free Cruise Cabin Upgrade?

Free upgrades do happen, but I wouldn’t build my cruise plans around getting one.

Cruise lines may occasionally move passengers for operational reasons, because of cabin availability or because of an issue with a room.

I’ve experienced an unexpected upgrade myself.

On our Princess cruise to Alaska, we had a major leak affecting our cabins.

We had booked two rooms, and both were eventually moved.

One went from an inside cabin to a balcony, while the other went from a balcony to a one bedroom suite with a private outdoor area and hot tub.

That was a very nice upgrade—but it happened because there was a legitimate problem with our original cabins.

I wouldn’t complain about a cabin just hoping for an upgrade.

But if there really is something wrong with your room, tell guest services.

Give the cruise line a chance to fix the problem.

Is a Cruise Cabin Upgrade Bid Worth It?

It can be.

But I don’t think you should automatically bid just because the cruise line sends you an offer.

Before bidding, I would ask myself three questions:

How much am I actually saving?

Am I comfortable letting the cruise line choose my cabin?

What am I gaining besides a higher cabin category?

If the savings are substantial, you don’t care about cabin location and the upgrade gives you something you’ll genuinely enjoy, bidding can be a great way to get a better cabin for less.

But if you’ve already chosen the perfect midship room, you’re traveling with family nearby or you’re prone to seasickness like I am, keeping your original cabin may actually be the better than an upgrade.

After more than 25 cruises, I’ve learned that the best cruise cabin isn’t always the biggest or most expensive one.

Sometimes it’s simply the cabin that’s in exactly the right location for you.