How common are upsells?

[Two@Sea]

No one told me this Sail, Lore, Lisa and all others who see errors to my thoughts. I was just thinkjing about those that I knew were on our Roll Calls over the last few years and the upgrade fairies visiting.

 

It just seems like more of us who are on Roll Calls are offered than those who are not.... I'm not fully convinced my self, but.... I think it comes down to "I had WAY to much time to sit and think while enjoying my days on Zuiderdam, and we all know that Joanie and thinking are a Very Dangerous thing:D

 

Joanie

 

I would be upset to learn that HAL was somehow able to discern my identity through CC. In the unlikely scenario that my name was posted for some purpose on a roll call, it would also upset me to think HAL would "farm" those identities.

 

When you suggest that those on roll calls are offered upsells/upgrades far more often than those who do not participate, unless every single person on a cruise were questioned about the issue there is no way to know how many offers were made to people who never even heard of CC or a roll call.

 

So, in your experience with perhaps 2% of ship capacity, your theory might seem possible. But there is no way for any of us to know about the remaining 98%.

 

I'm goin' with Lisa's explanation. ;)

[IRL_Joanie]

I would be upset to learn that HAL was somehow able to discern my identity through CC. In the unlikely scenario that my name was posted for some purpose on a roll call, it would also upset me to think HAL would "farm" those identities.

 

When you suggest that those on roll calls are offered upsells/upgrades far more often than those who do not participate, unless every single person on a cruise were questioned about the issue there is no way to know how many offers were made to people who never even heard of CC or a roll call.

 

So, in your experience with perhaps 2% of ship capacity, your theory might seem possible. But there is no way for any of us to know about the remaining 98%.

 

I'm goin' with Lisa's explanation. ;)

 

So am I:) Now!!:)

 

Joanie

[sail7seas]

Sail I do not know the exact numbers but know is it EXTREMELY high but almost every new cruiser to HAL purchases a Guarantee cabin. Alaska has the highest number of first time cruisers and the percentage is staggering of how many book guarantees. It stands to reason they are going to get an Upsell. It is simply a numbers game.

 

 

:confused: Why does such a huge number book guarantees?

 

We never, not ever, booked a guarantee and would not. We were once new cruisers. :)

 

Why don't TA's let their customers know they can select specific cabin they want? Makes no sense to me.

 

[LAFFNVEGAS]

:confused: Why does such a huge number book guarantees?

 

We never, not ever, booked a guarantee and would not. We were once new cruisers. :)

 

Why don't TA's let their customers know they can select specific cabin they want? Makes no sense to me.

 

 

Because they do not know any better and it is cheap. People are looking for the best value, they are constantly looking for a bargain. The average new cruiser looks on the interest for the cheapest price and buys. Most do not care or really have any idea what they are getting it is all about the final price. It is only the experienced cruiser that has a good idea of what and where they may like to be but even many of the experienced cruisers have learned how HAL operates and now waits for the bargains after final.

[DaveOKC]

:confused: Why does such a huge number book guarantees?

 

We never, not ever, booked a guarantee and would not. We were once new cruisers. :)

 

Why don't TA's let their customers know they can select specific cabin they want? Makes no sense to me.

 

 

I think most of the guarantee bookers are looking at the price savings, which can be alot at times. Also, I suspect alot of first time cruisers do not really know what to look for in a cabin location (nor do they want to spend the time learning how to select a cabin), so they take the guarantees and leave the location to chance.

 

Personally, I like to pick out my cabin, but sometimes have to take a guarantee (like on a repositioning cruise). When I do take a guarantee, I make sure that I will be happy with the worst cabin in that category AND in the categories superior to it.

 

Sometimes you can also luck out and get a specific cabin in a category that is usually reserved for guarantees only. I was able to do this for our upcoming Westerdam cruise in category SZ. All you can do is ask and sometimes it happens.

 

DaveOKC

[chloes nana]

:confused: Why does such a huge number book guarantees?

 

We never, not ever, booked a guarantee and would not. We were once new cruisers. :)

 

Why don't TA's let their customers know they can select specific cabin they want? Makes no sense to me.

 

 

I personally book VF guarantees because:

a) it is usually a better deal price wise with the option for upgrades and upsells.

b) we only book longer itineraries so the balcony far outweighs the lower catagories for views and comfort.

and

c) I don't usually spend all that much time in my cabin. I am on a vacation to see and do things, not hang out in the cabin. And if after 30 some years of marriage DH and I cannot get along in a veranda cabin then a suite or the penthouse really won't make a difference.;)

Give me the crows nest and a good cup of coffee and I am just as happy as a bug in a rug, on a sea day.

[sail7seas]

I personally book VF guarantees because:

a) it is usually a better deal price wise with the option for upgrades and upsells.

b) we only book longer itineraries so the balcony far outweighs the lower catagories for views and comfort.

and

c) I don't usually spend all that much time in my cabin. I am on a vacation to see and do things, not hang out in the cabin. And if after 30 some years of marriage DH and I cannot get along in a veranda cabin then a suite or the penthouse really won't make a difference.;)

Give me the crows nest and a good cup of coffee and I am just as happy as a bug in a rug, on a sea day.

 

Thanks everyone for thoughts on why so many guarantee cabins.

 

The first cruise we booked around 1990, we knew nothing about cruises/ships and we had no internest and no CC. We managed to have a lovely mini suite on Royal Princess, mid ship, and it was hard to accomplish that. :) We liked the cabin fine and understood the difference without lots of tutorials about inside cabin and verandah cabin..... in the most important ways they are different.

 

DH and I will celebrate our 44th Anniversary on our upcoming cruise and we don't need a Suite to do so but like, want and have one. :)

 

I totally understand it means nothing to many other people.

 

[paksey]

I think most of the guarantee bookers are looking at the price savings, which can be alot at times. Also, I suspect alot of first time cruisers do not really know what to look for in a cabin location (nor do they want to spend the time learning how to select a cabin), so they take the guarantees and leave the location to chance.

 

Personally, I like to pick out my cabin, but sometimes have to take a guarantee (like on a repositioning cruise). When I do take a guarantee, I make sure that I will be happy with the worst cabin in that category AND in the categories superior to it.

 

Sometimes you can also luck out and get a specific cabin in a category that is usually reserved for guarantees only. I was able to do this for our upcoming Westerdam cruise in category SZ. All you can do is ask and sometimes it happens.

 

DaveOKC

We also like to book a specific cabin, but are also interested in upsells.

Our first HAL cruise is in 4 weeks. Should we have our TA call a few different times for possible upsells, or do we just wait until HAL contacts her? Thanks

[DaveOKC]

We also like to book a specific cabin, but are also interested in upsells.

Our first HAL cruise is in 4 weeks. Should we have our TA call a few different times for possible upsells, or do we just wait until HAL contacts her? Thanks

 

I would not wait for your TA to call you - I would contact him/her starting about 3 weeks out and ask them to call HAL and see what they can do about an upsell. It would be best to tell your TA what you are looking for and how much you are willing to pay, so they can jump on a deal quickly if offered. You might not get the absolute best price this way, but IMO, your chances of getting an upsell is better is you call them.

 

IMO, and thats all it is, my opinion, some TAs are better at handling this than others. Like anything else, some are proactive, some reactive and some are unactive!

 

DaveOKC

[taba]

I am sorry but I am just shaking my head at some of the comments and of how upsells are offered :eek: First off every single sailing is totally different!!! It is based on percentages of availability for cabins. To make sure you might get an offer you MUST not have your booking marked DO NOT UPGRADE, you also much not be linked with others traveling to at least get the first upsell offer. If you have chosen a guarantee and are linked with others then YES that does put you into the pool for the computer to spit out the upsell offer when it comes time.

The most likely ships to be given an offer are Vista and Signature Class ships, the others do but not nearly as frequently purely due to shear numbers. The most common category to be offered upsells are the Signature Suites. For my Alaska sailing the broadcast went out with others traveling with me and they got the offer because the cabin was not marked DO NOT UPGRADE mine was and never saw an offer for my own.

This summer there have been more offers than ever for Europe and Alaska with just a few sailings being the exception.

 

Thanks Lisa. You answered my questioned and and your answer makes sense.

For the record, I was not and am not using the Roll Call for this trip. I am also not on Facebook, Twitter, or any other social media except CC.

 

We are traveling with friends, but our reservations were not linked. Our friends asked to be on the upgrade list and got the free upgrade from VH to VA. They are very happy with their cabin. They did not get an upsell offer.

 

We are in our mid 50s, and probably fit the demographic for HAL. We have been considering switching to Celebrity, but if this trip goes well, we may switch to HAL instead.

 

We booked less than 2 weeks before the sailing date.

 

There is a karma factor. My year started poorly with a trip to the emergency room in January. I spent the next few months in and out of the hospital, so we cancelled a spring cruise meant to celebrate our 35th anniversary. At one point, my DW thought that I had died in her arms. Through the persistant and skilled care of a heart specialist, I have been cured and have fully recovered. A week ago, my angelic wife mentioned that it would be nice to go on a cruise with our friends. On Monday morning, my friend said that he had booked a trip for a great rate and asked if we would come along. You know the rest of the story.

[jtl513]

:confused: Why does such a huge number book guarantees?

 

We never, not ever, booked a guarantee and would not. We were once new cruisers. :)

We've chosen guarantees eight times on Vista and Signature ships because in general we don't care where we are on those ships. We are rarely in the cabin except to sleep/change/bathe etc. We usually choose at least a VE because we don't want a deck 4 VF or VH. We did once take a chance and booked a VH gty (not our first cruise, and long after we had been CC members to hear the advice) and happily we got a VA or stern VB. (I can't remember exactly all of what we booked and got, but I know we;ve never booked more than a VD or sailed in less than a VB.)

 

On S&R ships we choose a Lower Promenade cabin because we like it there.

 

As you know, on our recent Prinsendam cruise we booked an Inside guarantee because that was all we wanted to pay for, and at first we were unhappy with the location of the "porthole" cabin we were assigned. In the end it worked out fine, and if we took another cruise on the P'dam we might even book the same cabin! :)

[Rowsby]

There is a karma factor. My year started poorly with a trip to the emergency room in January. I spent the next few months in and out of the hospital, so we cancelled a spring cruise meant to celebrate our 35th anniversary. At one point, my DW thought that I had died in her arms. Through the persistant and skilled care of a heart specialist, I have been cured and have fully recovered. A week ago, my angelic wife mentioned that it would be nice to go on a cruise with our friends. On Monday morning, my friend said that he had booked a trip for a great rate and asked if we would come along. You know the rest of the story.

 

Sounds like this cruise is well deserved.....!!

Enjoy your suite.....we sure loved ours.....

[PathfinderEss]

I know how you feel.

 

But you are like us, we like certain cabins and we want to make certain that we get them.

 

I HEAR you, Melodie.

 

<snip>

 

 

Thanks KK and Sails, at least someone understands how I feel.

 

<snip>

As I stated, I believe some is random, some is purposely directed at new cruisers.... you know - wow them with their first cruise and they'll come back, hopefully with all their friends and family. :D

 

Us long time, high day cruisers they know they 'own'.

 

They aren't very worried about losing too many of us as they know we'll get older and stop cruising anyway. ;)

I am likely a fool to write so directly and express my opinion so loudly on a public forum I know is read by many HAL people but that is who I am. I am direct, honest to a fault and if it's on my mind, it's on my tongue. :D

 

So, anyone in Inventory Control or any other position with authority to do so,,,,,,,, If you want to upgrade us to a Penthouse, please feel free. :)

 

Thanks in advance. ;)

 

 

Well said Sails. I don't think your foolish for writing that on this forum, your only stating what many of us have been thinking but have been hesitant to say ourselves.

[wander]

Enjoy reading all your speculations, I too wonder how it is done, but I suspect alot of it is computer driven and luck. Don't know, but my recent experience (April) does not match much of what is being "guessed".

 

I am a just 500 day on HAL cruiser and recently went on a 23 day cruise with a friend who is an "in between" days cruiser, neither high nor low. We received a very nice upsell offer which we accepted, about a month before sailing. We had originally selected a specific cabin but my travel agent knows that I am more than willing to consider offers.

 

I did participate in the CC roll call for the cruise, BUT the e-mail address and my handle are different for CC than anything I ever use with HAL or my TA.

 

Of course I realize that most of the speculations are in general, but this upsell offer did not fit into any of the speculations being made. Thus I am not saying any of them were wrong, just not "the" answer.

[sail7seas]

I don't think there is One Answer.

IMO there is no 'the' answer but rather a combination of situations.

[canadianbear]

Our friends just left on the Z for Alaska today and had booked a balcony guarantee less than a month ago through a HAL PCC. This is their 2nd cruise on HAL.

 

About 10 days ago they received an e-mail for an upsell to a Signature suite for a very, very reasonable price and took it. 3 days later they received another e-mail from the PCC for an upsell to a Neptune SA Suite. Again it was very, very reasonable and they took it.

 

Neither are on CC or FB; both retired and recently went on their first cruise on HAL.

 

It really makes me wonder if the computer searches for guests that are newbies and offers them the upsells.

 

I am absolutely thrilled for them and can hardly wait to see what they thought of the SA. We were with them on their first HAL cruise in October and they had a window only cabin so this will be a huge treat for them in an SA with all the perks.

[Hflors]

I think that most of the upsells are computer driven, but I think each ship and each itinerary is different. Like any other computer program is a certain thing happens it trigers something else to happen, which in turn trigers something else to happen... And so on, and so on.

 

I though am in the other camp. IF I as a customer at some point I decide that I want to upgrade my cabin. I have and will intiate my own upsell. I did it on my last and I will do it on my next cruise if I decide to. Why wait? That is why I have a TA. She has the experience to manage these items of my trip. I just call her and tell her what I want and have her contact HAL. Another thing. One call may not do it. I had our TA call 5 or 6 times our last cruise until HAL finally gave us a price we were happy with.

 

It would be nice if the upgrade fairy visited us, but sometimes the upsell fairy has to be wacked over the head by our TA to have her point the upsell in our direction! :D

 

Helen

[kstan]

I though am in the other camp. IF I as a customer at some point I decide that I want to upgrade my cabin. I have and will intiate my own upsell. I did it on my last and I will do it on my next cruise if I decide to. Why wait? That is why I have a TA. She has the experience to manage these items of my trip. I just call her and tell her what I want and have her contact HAL. Another thing. One call may not do it. I had our TA call 5 or 6 times our last cruise until HAL finally gave us a price we were happy with.

 

When should we expect to see an upsell, if we get one at all? We booked through crucon with a VE guarantee on the Nieuw Amsterdam leaving August 31st (europe). If we dont get this, you say to do it yourself through TA. What price is a reasonable price to offer to go from a VE to a sig. suite?

[momtwins]

We are inexperienced cruisers (one cruise Alaska) and in reading this post I notice that several people book at the last minute. Is this common?

 

We are thinking of taking a Panama Canal cruise in November. Is it too early to book? I thought I read some place that refunds are given if the price goes down?

 

Thanks!!!

[AZNative2000]

We are inexperienced cruisers (one cruise Alaska) and in reading this post I notice that several people book at the last minute. Is this common?

 

We are thinking of taking a Panama Canal cruise in November. Is it too early to book? I thought I read some place that refunds are given if the price goes down?

 

Thanks!!!

I booked our upcoming October TA in February of last year (as soon as it became available) because I wanted a particular cabin.:)

 

We have benefitted from three price drops and one event of increased OBC since then.:D Our final payment isn't due until August. So, I would say it is never too early to book.:)

 

Cheers!

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

We book as soon as we can , And do price drops with our TA ..

[kamac56]

I booked directly thru Holland and booked four rooms together and today we got an upsell for all 4 rooms on our cruise to Alaska this Aug for 7 days for 199. per person. That upsell brings it close to the price we originally booked our SY at, I watched the price and called when there was a drop so it ends up being a bit less than the original cost. Went from SY to SA for all four rooms. None of us have ever cruised Holland before but we have been on others. So not sure why the offer to us but who are we to question it. :D

[Linda&Vern]

I booked directly thru Holland and booked four rooms together and today we got an upsell for all 4 rooms on our cruise to Alaska this Aug for 7 days for 199. per person. That upsell brings it close to the price we originally booked our SY at, I watched the price and called when there was a drop so it ends up being a bit less than the original cost. Went from SY to SA for all four rooms. None of us have ever cruised Holland before but we have been on others. So not sure why the offer to us but who are we to question it. :D

More likely than not everyone who booked an SY or SS received the same offer. YOU must have called as soon as you received it :D ... therefore you get to spend your first HAL cruise in Neptune Suites. You will love it!

[Windsailer]

If you booked a specific cabin through a TA and had the reservation marked "Do Not Upgrade" will my TA still get the upsell emails?

[kamac56]

More likely than not everyone who booked an SY or SS received the same offer. YOU must have called as soon as you received it :D ... therefore you get to spend your first HAL cruise in Neptune Suites. You will love it!

 

Got the e-mail to my phone called within 10 minutes got hold of the other three couples that were going and got the same offer and within three hours had them all up graded to SA. Was looking forward to it before but REALLT looking forward to it now!.