Radio ads for "The Upgrade Wave" What do you know about how it works?

[2Oregonians]

Background:

 

Our cruise is on the Jewel to Alaska in July of this year.

 

We're traveling with a group of 17 people in 6 rooms. We have categories ranging from inside to mini-suite.

 

We have put down a deposit, but haven't yet paid the balance.

 

We booked through a TA who is sometimes less than enthusiastic over our questions and requests.

 

Ok, so we've been hearing a big push on the radio that we should "Catch the NCL Upgrade Wave". It says that if you book an inside, you get an oceanview, if you book an oceanview, you get a balcony, if you book a balcony, you get a mini-suite.

 

So today I called our TA. She checks into it and calls me back to say that this promotion is called "Wave '13", and that although NCL is making a big push of it right now in terms of advertising, it was actually in place when we made our reservations, and that it was in fact applied to our booking.

 

I have a few head-scratchers about it though.

 

It's probably just a matter of making the radio ads sound better than the actual promotion. What I mean is, the ads make it seem like you would be upgraded to a new room type. (inside to outside, etc.) However, that did not happen with any of our 6 rooms. Our people that asked for an inside GOT an inside. My parents-in-law asked for a reg balcony and GOT a reg balcony. So if the TA claims we received the "Wave '13" promotion, then why didn't our people requesting an inside get upgraded to an outside and my in-laws receive a mini instead of their requested balcony? (etc)

 

Yes, I realize that the promotion is probably upgrading CATEGORIES, and that if you pay for an inside that is forward on the ship, you will receive, for example, an inside that is mid-ship. Same room type - higher category. So.... my question is what would it take, per the "Wave '13" promotion, to actually receive an upgraded room TYPE like they make their advertisement sound? Would you have to be at the highest category level of that type of room to be bumped to a different type of room?

 

Along those lines, my husband and I are in room 11026, which is a mini in the forward 1/3 of the ship. When I've done a mock booking online, it does NOT fall under the "mid-ship mini suite" category. So why would we not be upgraded to a mid-ship mini? Is there a LOWER category than our forward mini-suite, and we in fact got upgraded TO the one we currently have? Our TA looked up our room and said, "oh, it's considered a mid-ship", to which I told her that I have looked at ncl's website and it does NOT fall under their "mid-ship mini suites" selection category.

 

Also, my nephew and his girlfriend are in an inside that is even further forward than ours. I believe it's 11029. Why would they not receive a mid-ship inside as an upgrade?

 

The TA can be a bit snippy and make you feel like you're just bugging her. Makes me mad.

 

Wow, that was a long question. I'm sorry. I hope I explained it ok. So what do you guys know about this promotion and the issues I described? And thank you very much in advance!

[Jasalth]

Alas how the ad's make it sound with upgrading going from an inside to an OV, or an OV to a balcony and so forth IS how it is.

 

The only problem, it is only for the highest category for those rooms. So for an inside, only the highest category gets moved up. I checked the sailing in your signature on their web site. It's only for inside >> OV and OV >> Balcony for your sailing. It is an I1 > OK (highest to lowest) and a O1 > BD.

 

It really all depends on what categories they are booked in. Your room is deffinatly not a mid-ship mini but that isn't in the promotion for your sailing anyways.

 

Your nephews might be a different story. There isn't a 11029 though. If it is 11019 then it isn't the "right" room for the promo. If it is 11021 though that is an I1 (family inside) and it eligible for the promo to an OV. But it would be on a different part of the ship. If everyone's wanted to be near eachother that might be a problem. They would be moved to an OK which are only on deck 8.

[bugspost]

Depending on the cruise depends on the upgrades....we are booked on the Pearl......we got a mini suite by upgrading from a family balcony.

 

Others got an enclosed balcony on deck 8 upgraded from an family oceanview window. So the upgrades aren't necessarily book an oceanview & get a regular balcony.

 

The inside upgrade is just better location...The porthole is upgrade to oceanview picture window. I am sure it depends on the cruise you are booking..........you can go to NCL and look at your particular cruise to see what the upgrades are.

 

Our cruise isn't till Nov 2014............and the oceanview to enclosed balcony is gone now on our cruise since they had so few but the family balcony to mini suite is still there.

 

The wave was going on a while back. It went away for a few days & then they brought it back. We also got a $50 OBC w/the promotion when we booked in January.

 

I don't know if you booked a family balcony & got the mini suite upgrade....but if you booked mini suite....you wouldn't get an upgrade of better location(mid ship) because booking mini suite there isn't any upgrades.

 

We have 30+ in our party. 4 mini suites........all free upgrade (meaning we paid family balcony prices) 11020,11022,11026 & 11028. Others that paid for an oceanview got enclosed balcony...8028,8046 &8522. Some just paid regular balcony & received better location of balcony cabin w/the upgrade.

 

Too bad your TA isn't more helpful. The location of your mini suite should be a free upgrade for the price of a family balcony so I would definitely verify that you are only paying price of family balcony.

[bugspost]

Yep........just checked and there wasn't an upgrade for family balcony to mini suite on your cruise...and looks like if anyone did the family oceanview upgrade to balcony...........it would be deck 8 IF they still had any............the enclosed balconies are way up front.

[bugspost]

 

The top is open & bottom is plexiglass............some people like the privacy but don't like that they are up front & on deck 8...............my TA has travelled in them. They are great for solo travellers as they are a lot cheaper...........the ones in our party saved $450-$500 over a regular balcony........(w/the upgrade,AARP discount!)

[Mrs. Squirrel]

OP, I know this isn't your actual question, but having been in a similar situation as you once before, I advise you to take control of the TA now to avoid a lot of headaches later. It sounds like he/she doesn't want to work. You will have lots of questions going forward with 17 people in your group going to Alaska. You should not be made to feel a bother. This TA is getting a lot of business from you! She works for you. She is not doing you a favor by booking your trip.

 

The best way is to address it directly with her. 1. "I feel you seem bothered by my asking questions. That is what I am suppose to do. I ask questions and you answer them. If it is a problem for you to handle your side of the equation for any reason, then let's make arrangements now to transfer this booking to another TA in your group" or however you'd like to word it. If future conversations don't improve, 2. a call to the supervisor or owner, if it's a small company, and requesting a TA change should get the job done. Still doesn't work? 3. Cancel and rebook your travel with an agency who respects your business.

 

Sorry for the soapbox, but as I said, I've had to deal with this same situation. FWIW, it was taken care of in step 1. and we've gone on to have a wonderful relationship since.

 

Back to your question. The wave 13 promo is indeed a true upgrade, not just a better cabin within the same category. We just booked Pearl for 12/8 with kid's sail free and wave13. We paid for an I1 and got the OK upgrade. I had been watching prices before the sale rolled out and NCL did not increase the price on our sailing to compensate for the 2 promos as I have seen lines do in the past. It's a good promo and it's worth it to push for those in your group to get it. It may take a cancel and rebook to get it done on their cabins, so maybe that is what the TA is avoiding. Make sure you ask about cancel fees!

[Twelvevman]

Is it possible that the TA gave you the upgrade without saying it? If you have your confirmation statemnt from NCL it would have the code 13WAVE in the promo code section. Underneath the price section it would tell you about the upgrade. "Please note, in an effort to provide you with the best Freestyle Cruising experience, we have given you a complimentary upgrade tostateroom 8028."

 

When you said you wanted a balcony, the TA might have grabbed a balcony by selecting an OV with the free upgrade.

 

 

 

[Sequim88]

We originally booked a handicap accessible balcony (wife uses wheelchair) on Star for 2014 and the fare was to be the standard balcony rate. Later the TA called back (before deposit was made) and said she spoke to NCL and when she booked had not thought the HC cabins were eligible but NCL told her it could be done. So we ended up "booking" Family Oceanview and being assigned a HC Balcony at the Oceanview rate. About a $200 difference each. Now online in My NCL it lists cabin as Family Oceanview BUT has the HC Balcony cabin number we had requested. Balcony for two weeks for $867 - sweet!

 

Had not noticed before but top of confirmation has promo codes WAVE13 and DASHSALE. Not sure what DASHSALE is but don't suppose any promo bad. :rolleyes: Maybe that's the whopping $30 OBC we get.

[CruiserNic]

Didn't really want to start an all new thread, but I have a question about the Wave sale. Does anyone know how much longer it is really lasting? I am getting emails saying that it is in it's final days, and the website says the same, but does anyone have an actual date? I am new to NCL, but have decided for sure (finally) that our cruise in 2015 (yep, OCD planner) will be with NCL. So when does this Wave end, and is it something that is offered every now and then or once a year or maybe never again?? Thanks for any help!!