We're one of the exceptions to the "no upgrades" rule also. However, I think we paid in non-monetary ways for our upgrade.

For our honeymoon on the PG in 2002, we booked the lowest level cabin (we stretched to be able to afford that). We had planned 3 days pre-cruise at le meridien also. We booked it all through our travel agent and had the cruise line arrange our air, hotel, trasfers, and everything. Getting there was a disaster. It's too long to type out, but let's just say the first night of our honeymoon was not spent in a suite at our hotel in Tahiti, but in the LAX airport hilton. We had to *fight* the airlines to get us there the next day (this took hours, multiple calls to our travel agent, and off-site management of air tahiti). Our travel agent was so upset with the way we were treated (again, long story, but RSSC was at fault for the problems that led to our being stuck in LA) she emailed a high up at RSSC (may have been the president?) and, well, let him know what she thought of how we were treated after all the money we gave them. He wrote back and said "they'll be taken care of once they get on the ship."

Well, after our 2 (not 3) days in tahiti, we went to board the ship, got in line for our deck, and when the RSSC woman pulled our card, she said "you have received a very nice upgrade!" She went somewhere else, and came back with room cards for us on deck 7 - the balcony suites.

So, RSSC caused a problem, and acknowledged it (after our travel agent told them to!) and tried to make up for it. Only problem - we were then spoiled. Instead of being used to a porthole room (that was our first cruise), we had a balcony. Now we just can't imagine cruising without one - bad to start out with high expectations!

So, I wouldn't recommend this method, but we got a "free" upgrade also!

:)
Liz