So I get this message from HAL about an upgrade....

[crusinbanjo]

Hal called my T/A today to offer me an upgrade on my June 25 departure on the Prinsendam. The funny part was that they offered to upgrade me to a full suite if I was willing to pay the full price difference from an SS suite to an S or penthouse Suite. Always wanting a full suite, I offered to pay 1/2 of the difference, they declined my offer, (of course). Now I do and will book a full suite on many occaisions, but on this occaision, I felt the price vs benifits was not worth the money. So does anybody think HAL might change their corporate mind?

 

So HAL if you are reading this, I would love to be in a full suite, but if I wanted to pay full price, I would have booked the suite already! :confused:

[pms4104]

Hal called my T/A today to offer me an upgrade on my June 25 departure on the Prinsendam. The funny part was that they offered to upgrade me to a full suite if I was willing to pay the full price difference from an SS suite to an S or penthouse Suite. Always wanting a full suite, I offered to pay 1/2 of the difference, they declined my offer, (of course). Now I do and will book a full suite on many occaisions, but on this occaision, I felt the price vs benifits was not worth the money. So does anybody think HAL might change their corporate mind?

 

So HAL if you are reading this, I would love to be in a full suite, but if I wanted to pay full price, I would have booked the suite already! :confused:

If there are no takers, HAL might reduce their offer to something more acceptable to you.

[cruie4ever]

If there are no takers, HAL might reduce their offer to something more acceptable to you.

 

Yes I agree .Hal always wants to improve the top line . Why have a open suite when you can make more money ,lol

[Pete Jackson]

I agree that there's no reason for them to call you or your TA if they aren't offering a better price for the S than you could have booked initially.

 

If you had changed your mind and wanted the S, you can always call them.

 

By the way, the S suites are very lovely rooms, with more shelf space than you ever could fill with checked baggage. Bear in mind that, while marketed as 'suites', they don't get the full suite privileges such as access to the Neptune Lounge, etc. This can reasonably confuse some people.

[pms4104]

I agree that there's no reason for them to call you or your TA if they aren't offering a better price for the S than you could have booked initially.

 

If you had changed your mind and wanted the S, you can always call them.

 

By the way, the S suites are very lovely rooms, with more shelf space than you ever could fill with checked baggage. Bear in mind that, while marketed as 'suites', they don't get the full suite privileges such as access to the Neptune Lounge, etc. This can reasonably confuse some people.

Is that unique to the Prinsendam? On the S and R class ships, the S suites are the only suites, other than the PH, and are entitiled to full suite perks.

[Pete Jackson]

Is that unique to the Prinsendam? On the S and R class ships, the S suites are the only suites, other than the PH, and are entitiled to full suite perks.

 

Yes, I think it's unique to the Prinsendam.

[Pete Jackson]

....

By the way, the S suites are very lovely rooms, with more shelf space than you ever could fill with checked baggage. Bear in mind that, while marketed as 'suites', they don't get the full suite privileges such as access to the Neptune Lounge, etc. This can reasonably confuse some people.

 

Wow, my bad.:confused:It's the SS suites that are very lovely rooms, and while marketed as 'suites', they don't get the full suite privileges such as access to the Neptune Lounge, etc. This can reasonably confuse some people. And it confused me again! I think the problem is that an unknowing person would think that SS would mean a higher class than S, whereas it's actually a class below.

[Aunty Pat]

The suite categories are alphabetically categories with A being higher than B etc... The SS suites are superior Veranda Suites of a higher category than the SY & SZ.

HAL always tries to first sell the upgrades at the full fare difference. If there are no takers at that rate they will lower the price until they are sold. If no one is willing to pay the extra fare you could be surprised whit an upgrade when you check in at the pier. My best upgrade (4 categories) at no additional fare was an AA to an S on the Prinsendam. This was done at the pier after I’d turned down 3 different attempts to up sell me.

Aunty Pat

 

Barefoot Windjammer - Phantom ‘81

K&D German Rhine Line ‘84

NCL - Norway ’85, Pride of America ’05, Southward ’87, Star ’97 & ‘05, Starward ’92, Sun ’02 & Windward ’93

RCCL - Song of America ‘89

American Hawaiian - Independence ‘98

HAL - Volendam ’99, Noordam ’06, Oosterdam ’07 & ‘09, Statendam ’02 & ‘08, Prinsendam ’03 & ’06, Westerdam ‘09 & Zuiderdam ’04, ’06 & ’07

Carnival - Spirit ‘05

Celebrity – Summit ‘05

Cruise West - Yorktown Clipper ‘06

Princess - Golden Princess ‘07

A & K - East Queen ‘07

Cunard - QM2 ’08

Crystal – Serenity ‘09

[crusinbanjo]

The suite categories are alphabetically categories with A being higher than B etc... The SS suites are superior Veranda Suites of a higher category than the SY & SZ.

 

HAL always tries to first sell the upgrades at the full fare difference. If there are no takers at that rate they will lower the price until they are sold. If no one is willing to pay the extra fare you could be surprised whit an upgrade when you check in at the pier. My best upgrade (4 categories) at no additional fare was an AA to an S on the Prinsendam. This was done at the pier after I’d turned down 3 different attempts to up sell me.

 

Aunty Pat

 

 

So there is hope for me yet! I have booked the S suites on Veendam and have an SS suite on Prinsendam. I would pay more for a Penthouse or full suite, but not full price..... ....Price is why we are booked in SS class. Ha

[Cruise Fanatic]

Several years ago, we had booked a SY catagory cabin on the Oosterdam. The day before we were to sail, we got a call from our TA, with a upsell offer to a SA for an additional $150.00 per person. We did accept the offer.

[jtl513]

Is that unique to the Prinsendam? On the S and R class ships, the S suites are the only suites, other than the PH, and are entitiled to full suite perks.

 

Yes, I think it's unique to the Prinsendam.

 

And it confused me again! I think the problem is that an unknowing person would think that SS would mean a higher class than S, whereas it's actually a class below.

If you forget the letter order again: the Prinsendam SS and SY are "Superior", and like the SS/SY/SZ "Superior" on the Vistas do not get Neptune access like the DeLuxe.

[zelker]

On our first cruise (second sailing of the Westerdam, 12 nights, out of Venice), we had booked a deluxe verandah cabin (don't remember category). About two weeks before we sailed we got a call from our TA asking if we wanted to upgrade to a mid-ship SB for $500 total. Uh, how fast can you say YES!! :eek: :D (of course as we came to find out, that's a dangerous way to do a first cruise.... kind of sets the bar WAY too high ;))

 

One side note: a couple that I had befriended on our Roll Call, and who we wound up doing some private tours with in a few ports, were booked in the same verandah class as us. As soon as I wrapped up our upgrade, I contacted them and suggested they contact their TA and see if they could get the same offer. They did, and were able to get the suite next to ours for the same deal. :)

[Diane Rose]

So does HAL always try to upsell now to give upgrades? I booked a suite guarantee in the SS category for an upcoming cruise, hoping for an upgrade to a suite. Does that mean I will probably get an upsell offer as opposed to just being upgraded by HAL?

 

I was asked by my TA if I wanted an assigned cabin (with a note that I would take an upgrade) or if I just wanted the suite guarantee. She said that it did not matter which option I chose to improve my chances for an upgrade.

 

Has anyone had any experience with this?

[DrFUN]

Also interested in any advice (and also wonder if there's a way to get "instant notification" without having to POST?).... :)

 

BTW: We had booked an SS on the Osterdam's BCN-VEN sailing last June and then a few weeks prior to sailing learned from our roll call that up-sell offers were being made--at which point we upgraded to an aft corner SB (with HUGE wrap-around balcony) for about half of the actual cost difference, though it wasn't cheap to do so. However, we felt it was more than worth it.

[crusinbanjo]

.....Got another call from the T/A today, HAL is offering the upgrade I was offered before, but now at a significant discount, getting close to my price after all! Not only that, but this year marks 30 years married to Mrs Banjo, I think she deserves the upgrade, (free of course), but if they hit my magic number, I'll jump on it and treat my lovely wife to a full suite as an extra anniversary gift.... ....Hope spings eternal! :rolleyes:

[Krazy Kruizers]

.....Got another call from the T/A today, HAL is offering the upgrade I was offered before, but now at a significant discount, getting close to my price after all! Not only that, but this year marks 30 years married to Mrs Banjo, I think she deserves the upgrade, (free of course), but if they hit my magic number, I'll jump on it and treat my lovely wife to a full suite as an extra anniversary gift.... ....Hope spings eternal! :rolleyes:

 

Hope the Upgrade Fairy is reading that you will be celebrating 30 years of marriage!!

Congratulations!!

[crusinbanjo]

Hope the Upgrade Fairy is reading that you will be celebrating 30 years of marriage!!

 

Congratulations!!

 

Me too! HAL if you are reading this..... and what an exciting 30 years it has been. I would not trade it for anything, looking forward to the next 30 years!

:)

[TracieABD]

Me too! HAL if you are reading this..... and what an exciting 30 years it has been. I would not trade it for anything, looking forward to the next 30 years!

 

:)

 

Sweet! I have my fingers crossed for you, but I strongly suspect that you don't need much luck!

Happy 30th Anniversery!!!:)

[alpal1993]

we just got offered an upsell to an obstructed outside for 99,or out side for 149pp.We turned it down at this time as we have a midship on lower promanade and really like the location.Like cruisinbanjo we will wait for a better offer.It was nice to receive the offer and we do appreciate it.

[Oceanwench]

So does HAL always try to upsell now to give upgrades? I booked a suite guarantee in the SS category for an upcoming cruise, hoping for an upgrade to a suite. Does that mean I will probably get an upsell offer as opposed to just being upgraded by HAL?

 

I was asked by my TA if I wanted an assigned cabin (with a note that I would take an upgrade) or if I just wanted the suite guarantee. She said that it did not matter which option I chose to improve my chances for an upgrade.

 

Has anyone had any experience with this?

 

The last two times I cruised, HAL offered upsells to suites to the SY-SS pax.

The first time we were lucky enough to get one. The second time they sold out all the suites soon after they offered the upsells.

 

I have to think they'd rather make a little extra money by offering upsells before they give away the suites to someone booking a lower category.

[jeniferlyn]

We are sailing on the Zuiderdam on June 12th. We had originally booked a SY last December but before the final payment was due the price went down $200.00 per person. I wanted to upgrade to a full suite but the price was too high. I put my name on a waitlist because they told me the ship was sold out as of last week. Yesterday, on my way home from work, HAL called and offered me a SA for $198.00 per person. I told them yes and I am very excited. So, after the original price reduction, I got the SA suite for our original price for the SY.

 

We also had a VH guarantee for my DS and nephew and they got a VB. I thought that was a nice upgrade too.

 

This is our first cruise on HAL and so far we are happy. I am sure we will be spoiled by the end of the week with our suite!!

[crusinbanjo]

OK I broke down and went for HAL's last offer to buy the upgrade to a full suite. It was within $$ of my price, so I'm giving Mrs Banjo an extra treat for our 30th wedding anniversary......

 

.....Now the T/A calls back and says, oh, that wasn't for an S class suite, they gave you the Penthouse...... .....Thank YOU, even better!

 

Going to be quite the cruise! :D

[maxout]

Wonderful!! :D

 

Enjoy making those memories...

[kelleherdl]

I trust you are buying your lottery tickets today. :D Days like this are not to be passed up.

[Bakincakes]

.....Got another call from the T/A today, HAL is offering the upgrade I was offered before, but now at a significant discount, getting close to my price after all! Not only that, but this year marks 30 years married to Mrs Banjo, I think she deserves the upgrade, (free of course), but if they hit my magic number, I'll jump on it and treat my lovely wife to a full suite as an extra anniversary gift.... ....Hope spings eternal! :rolleyes:

 

 

You may just get lucky.

 

HAL will keep calling as long as they have open cabins...it is exciting when you get the call and the upgrade is a bargain and a half!!!:D

 

 

ACK!!! Didn't see your newest post before I responded...guess you did/will get lucky!!!