Can anyone give me an idea of how the concept of "buying up" to a higher category cabin works? I've read how people will initially buy a lowest category inside cabin, and then "buy up" later to an oceanview cabin or suite. I suspect that doing it this way saves money, but I don't know the details (do you contact the cruise line and offer to buy up, does the cruise line offer it to you, etc)

Gary

Get your travel agent on it two weekd or so before the cruise. Late bookers have to pay through the nose to get air fare and so the cabins often remain open. Decide what you are willing to pay for the upgarde and roll the diace.

If rooms are not filling up on a ship sometimes the cruise line will allow you to pay a minimum charge to be updated to another category. Sometimes they will contact your TA or you and make the offer. Your TA can always check for you to see if there are any upgrades available.

I don't know anything about "buying up" but I do know that we always try to book what is called a "Guarantee" or a "Run of the ship". This means that you pay for the very lowest cabin category early on (months in advance). You do not reserve a particular cabin. You agree to take whatever cabin they assign you to. Then you hope for an upgrade when you arrive at the ship. We have always gotten an upgrade and we have done this several times on different cruise lines. Once we got a 7-category upgrade at no extra charge! What's the worst that can happen....You will get a cabin in the lowest category, which is what you paid for anyway. Beside, once you exit your cabin, you are on the exact same ship as everyone else.