Cruise Update: Upgrade Secrets

The other day I got curious about price drops for my upcoming cruise on April 26.  I checked the Cruise Critic price drop website and saw that the cost of suites had gone down.  I had already upgraded from a Promenade stateroom to an Ocean View balcony room for no additional cost, so I wasn't sure if they would let me do it again.  I called Royal Caribbean out of curiosity and told them that the Junior Suite had dropped in price and asked whether I could be moved to one.  The customer service rep I spoke to said that there was only one Junior Suite available and that someone had it on hold.  So he checked with his supervisor who then checked with their supervisor and they eventually got it released.  He assured me that because the price of the Junior Suite was lower than what I already paid, I wouldn't have to pay for this upgrade either!

Here is what a Junior Suite looks like on the Liberty of the Seas:

Compared to the original Promenade room I was going to have that was 160 square feet, the Junior Suite has much more room to move around, measuring in at 297 square feet with a 94 square foot balcony!

Other than more space, there are other perks to being in a Junior Suite.  Not only is the shower much bigger, but you also have a bathtub, which will come in handy each night when I want to soak my sore and tired feet in cold water.  Also, the balcony is much larger and will include two lounge chairs.  This will be really nice when I don't want to fight the crowds at the pool and would rather soak up the sun on my own private balcony!  

All together the lesson I have learned from this experience is to watch the price drop websites closely and make a quick call when you see the price drop on a room you like.  It doesn't hurt to ask and you may end up with an even better room than you expected!  If it doesn't work out in your favor, just remember that you booked your original room for a reason and be happy with what you chose to begin with.  At least that is what I will be telling myself when my luck eventually runs out and the free upgrades don't happen!