Cruise Upgrades and Cutting TSA Lines

Jan. 8, 2011— -- Question: My family is going on a cruise in February with my sister and her family. We each booked our own inside cabin. Last night I pulled up our reservation online, and saw we've been upgraded to an outside cabin. We've cruised twice before, once in an interior and once in an exterior cabin, and the outside cabins are considerably nicer. My husband and I told our kids (because they hated the idea of another inside cabin) and we all got excited … until I realized that if my sister didn't get upgraded too, she's going to hit the roof. She already complains that I always get all the breaks, and this will be one more example. What should I do? Call her and tell her now? Tell her in person at Christmas? Feign ignorance till we board? Help!

Answer: You told your kids, so you can't feign ignorance. If you're all getting together over the holidays, I'm sure conversation will turn to the cruise … and your kids are liable to spill the beans. So don't even try it. You don't need her thinking you're lucky and duplicitous.

I'd bite the bullet and tell her now. If she's the sort of person who likes to make other people miserable when she's mad, you're better off breaking the news well before Christmas. Then you won't risk her initial anger spoiling everyone's holiday. She'll have some time to get used to it, and hopefully won't be too grumpy when you see her.

Be casual when you tell her -- I'd say something like, "Hey, have you checked your reservation lately? Looks like we got a new cabin assignment, and it has windows. I guess this is that random 'upgrade fairy' they talk about on Cruise Critic. I really hope you got upgraded too!"

If she hasn't been, and she goes off on you, just keep repeating that it's random. You didn't ask for it and you weren't even expecting it -- it was a total surprise. And it's still something that could happen for her, too, right up till the day you sail.