Upgrade/Upsell...

[pisces0318]

...what is the difference? I am booked in a mini suite and just realized we don't get any perks of a real suite....just more square footage. I saw on another thread that you can try to "upsell" when you get closer to sail date but I don't know what that means.

 

TIA.

[pengu1n]

"Upgrade" is being moved to a higher category cabin, free of charge. For example, you book a guarantee inside, category 'n' and are assigned a balcony cabin.

 

An "upsell" you have to pay for. You can go back to your TA and see if they can approach NCL and get you a deal or in some cases, people have been called by NCL.

[johnql]

Most of the time, when people refer to an upgrade, they're talking about a free upgrade. That is, the cruise line bumps you from one category to another, higher category.

 

You can also pay for an upgrade simply by paying the full, advertised difference in cost between the two categories.

 

An upsell is an upgrade that you've paid for but at a discounted rate. The general rule of thumb on an upsell is that NCL will offer it at half the difference between the two cabins. For example (all made-up numbers for simplicity's sake): if a balcony was sold for $800 pp and the current price for an AF is $1200 pp, the upsell offer would be to upgrade you for $200 pp (1/2 of the $400 difference). Anything under the 1/2 rule is usually considered more of a bargain, but it completely depends on what you're willing to spend.

[pisces0318]

Thanks for the info!!

[kapeppy]

Does anyone know if "upsells" are available for purchase from say an inside stateroom to an outside stateroom or balcony? It seems like every upsell I hear about mentions a suite? We booked through a TA and I'm wondering if it is worth it to give her a call to see if an upsell is available for our upcoming sailing. I know it doesn't hurt to ask but I hate to waste her time. We sail in less than 3 weeks and there are cabins of all types available at this time. Thanks!

[johnql]

Does anyone know if "upsells" are available for purchase from say an inside stateroom to an outside stateroom or balcony? It seems like every upsell I hear about mentions a suite? We booked through a TA and I'm wondering if it is worth it to give her a call to see if an upsell is available for our upcoming sailing. I know it doesn't hurt to ask but I hate to waste her time. We sail in less than 3 weeks and there are cabins of all types available at this time. Thanks!

Yes, I was upsold a couple years ago from an inside to a BA balcony on the Spirit. So, it does happen with non-suites.

[cynbar]

Has anyone had any luck calling NCL and negotiating an upsell? We booked direct with the cruiseline so don't have a TA. Most of what I have read says that you have to wait to be contacted, but I'm wondering if it pays to be more proactive. We are currently in an AE, but there are lots of empty suites available in higher categories. Any advice will be appreciated.

[havoc315]

Has anyone had any luck calling NCL and negotiating an upsell? We booked direct with the cruiseline so don't have a TA. Most of what I have read says that you have to wait to be contacted, but I'm wondering if it pays to be more proactive. We are currently in an AE, but there are lots of empty suites available in higher categories. Any advice will be appreciated.

 

There is a small upsell department. A couple years ago, they apparently got so flooded in calls, that they instituted, "don't call us, we'll call you."

 

More recently, they will entertain polite and realistic callers. But be aware that upsells are only available 2-3 weeks before the cruise. Before that, the only way to guarantee you get the higher cabin, is to pay the full upgrade price.

[patseacruiser]

Kapeppy - Doesn't hurt to call your TA - I'm sure you're no bother. We depend on our clients to call us.

[lambs2]

Does anyone know if "upsells" are available for purchase from say an inside stateroom to an outside stateroom or balcony? It seems like every upsell I hear about mentions a suite? We booked through a TA and I'm wondering if it is worth it to give her a call to see if an upsell is available for our upcoming sailing. I know it doesn't hurt to ask but I hate to waste her time. We sail in less than 3 weeks and there are cabins of all types available at this time. Thanks!

 

We booked our December Panama Canal cruise on the Star through an online TA and asked and received an upsell from a G category (obstructed oceanview) to a BA balcony cabin a month or so before our sailing. We got a very good deal and had a terrific cruise!

[kapeppy]

Two weeks to go! I will call my TA in the morning and keep my fingers crossed! Thanks!

[Oldsweets]

I tried calling the upsell Dept a couple diifferent times and on one trip last year I called and they wouldn't let me speak with them but said they would give them a message. A VERY VERY nice lady called me the next day and said she was from the upsell Dept and that they didn't have any upsells. I think that they had upsells but had already gotten rid of them because just days before I saw plenty of unsold rooms and on the ship that one could assume would be upsells. On that trip I spoke to three different couples who said they got upsells. I am a big believer in blind luck. We also asked our TA and they respond they will call us if they have anything. I have gotten 3 upsells after 20 plus cruises and all have happened because NCL called.

[flashdog_1]

Two weeks to go! I will call my TA in the morning and keep my fingers crossed! Thanks!

 

 

Kris, waiting to hear if you were successful!

[kapeppy]

No luck! There are plenty of balconies available and I would guess at least 10 mini-suites but my TA called this morning and they wanted the full price to upgrade! Darn! On the upside, the price did drop on my inside stateroom so I just called her back because they now have oceanview staterooms for the same price as our inside stateroom so I'm hoping at least we can get a window! Think I should have her try again next week? It's less than 2 weeks away right now so do you think no means no?

[havoc315]

No luck! There are plenty of balconies available and I would guess at least 10 mini-suites but my TA called this morning and they wanted the full price to upgrade! Darn! On the upside, the price did drop on my inside stateroom so I just called her back because they now have oceanview staterooms for the same price as our inside stateroom so I'm hoping at least we can get a window! Think I should have her try again next week? It's less than 2 weeks away right now so do you think no means no?

 

Unfortunately, even many travel agents do not understand upsells. If they, or you, just contact the regular ncl booking dept, full price will be quoted. You need to contact the actual upsell dept. Their number is not officially published. You can't ask to be connected to the dept. But the number has leaked, and can be found.

 

My travel agent did not understand upsells and simply quoted me full price. I called the upsell dept myself, got a good deal, and then we did a 3way call with the travel agent to make it official.

[kapeppy]

Well, I guess my travel agent is one of the un-informed. I wound up paying an extra $100 bucks to get a window but no luck with an actual great upsell as that was the full price difference. I have to say I am friends with my TA and I know she tried her hardest for me (she was on the phone with NCL for over an hour and called me twice during that time) but I told her to call and ask for the reassignment or upsell department and she was told by whoever she talked to at her regular TA phone number that there is no "upsell" department and that the reassignment department only offers upsells when they need to move people around to accomodate groups, etc.... NCL basically told my TA that her customer (me) was misinformed about the purpose of the reassignment desk and while I know she believes me as I am one of her best customers and am a pretty seasoned cruiser on several other cruiselines, I think she may feel I sort of wasted her time. My TA also told me to call back and sort of complain but they wouldn't talk to me at all - no supervisor, no reassignment desk, nothing as I was booked throught a TA. I actually knew that was to be expected but it's still a little exasperating. Granted, I knew what I was getting when I booked but after the price drop, reading that upsells are sometimes available and seeing all the balconies and mini-suites still available just a week and a half before sailing I really thought they might like to take some of my money as opposed to leaving the cabin empty and not getting any more money. I tried to find the secret phone number but had no luck and after the callous reception I received from NCL when I tried to call the regular number, I guess I will suck it up in my OV stateroom. Oh well! Enough venting! I'm still looking forward to my first NCL cruise!

[havoc315]

Well, I guess my travel agent is one of the un-informed. I wound up paying an extra $100 bucks to get a window but no luck with an actual great upsell as that was the full price difference. I have to say I am friends with my TA and I know she tried her hardest for me (she was on the phone with NCL for over an hour and called me twice during that time) but I told her to call and ask for the reassignment or upsell department and she was told by whoever she talked to at her regular TA phone number that there is no "upsell" department and that the reassignment department only offers upsells when they need to move people around to accomodate groups, etc.... NCL basically told my TA that her customer (me) was misinformed about the purpose of the reassignment desk and while I know she believes me as I am one of her best customers and am a pretty seasoned cruiser on several other cruiselines, I think she may feel I sort of wasted her time. My TA also told me to call back and sort of complain but they wouldn't talk to me at all - no supervisor, no reassignment desk, nothing as I was booked throught a TA. I actually knew that was to be expected but it's still a little exasperating. Granted, I knew what I was getting when I booked but after the price drop, reading that upsells are sometimes available and seeing all the balconies and mini-suites still available just a week and a half before sailing I really thought they might like to take some of my money as opposed to leaving the cabin empty and not getting any more money. I tried to find the secret phone number but had no luck and after the callous reception I received from NCL when I tried to call the regular number, I guess I will suck it up in my OV stateroom. Oh well! Enough venting! I'm still looking forward to my first NCL cruise!

 

Sounds like what I would expect, when the upsell desk is not contacted directly.

It is not in the cruiseline's interest to loudly broadcast their upsell information. After all, they want the default to be, paying full price. That said, to maximize revenue, they do upsell.

I don't know about upselling simply to an OV or Balcony, etc.... But I know that they will upsell to suites, having nothing to do with accomodating groups. They upsell, just to maximize revenue -- get something for the cabin, instead of leaving it vacant.

 

The lesson here --- Many travel agents do not really know how to get true upsells. And the regular NCL phone numbers will not be helpful in this respect either.

 

Some people talk about getting a "good deal" on an upgrade, a month or more before cruising. Often, this is not really a true "upsell." Simply, the prices have dropped. The OV is now only slightly more than what they originally paid for an inside cabin (as an example), and therefore they can make the jump for a low price.

 

My parents are traveling with us on our forthcoming cruise. We got an upsell. They did an ordinary upgrade -- From an inside cabin to a balcony cabin, for $50 or $100 per person. It was a "good deal" simply due to the fact that balcony prices had dropped. It was not any sort of secret insider deal.