Do first time cruisers ever get upgrade offers?

[NCLuckyWon]

Have any first time cruisers ever gotten a last minute upgrade offer? I am holding out hope, but wondering if it's a pipe dream.

 

Our cruise is 10 days out and for what it's worth it appears that there are 8 Signature Suites and 8 Neptunes still available.

[SilvertoGold]

If there are upsells, HAL seems to send them out to everyone.

 

You might phone your TA or PCC and ask if there any specific to your situation.

 

Good luck! And enjoy your cruise!!

[jmps]

For our first cruise with HAL we got upgraded at the pier from a Signature Suite to a Neptune Suite. This was for an Alaskan 7 day cruise a few years ago. This is the only upgrade we have ever gotten.

[SilvertoGold]

For our first cruise with HAL we got upgraded at the pier from a Signature Suite to a Neptune Suite. This was for an Alaskan 7 day cruise a few years ago. This is the only upgrade we have ever gotten.

 

Wasn't that great!

 

Possibly the OP is asking about an upsell, though.

Edited March 20, 2015 by SilvertoGold

[NCLuckyWon]

Wasn't that great!

 

Possibly the OP is asking about an upsell, though.

 

You are correct. I didn't think about the two being different (upgrade vs. upsell). I noted that I didn't want an automatic upgrade when I booked, so I think that rules out the free upgrade option. However, I did tell HAL that I would be open to an upsell. I have been checking my inbox many times every day hoping some magical offer will be there. No luck as of yet, but there's still time, right?

 

P.S. Thanks so much to all for the input!

[sail7seas]

Keep checking your e-mail. Maybe you'll get an upsell offer. :)

[versuco]

We are also sailing on Eurodam, 3/29 and have received 2 upsell offers.

 

This is our 4th cruise with HAL and have received upsell offers with each cruise.

 

Keep checking your e-mail, hopefully you will get a nice offer. There seems to still be lots of vacant staterooms.

[PathfinderEss]

It happens all the time. I remember the first time my DB booked a cruise with Hal in a veranda cabin he got an upsell offer to a Neptune Suite and this was a holiday cruise.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Did you book a specific cabin?

If so and since you indicated that you weren't interested in an upgrade, all you may be offered will be an upsell. And that may not happen at all once HAL takes care of their guarantees.

[cruz chic]

Upsells do not go out to everyone. When I had a ta I would not see them when others that booked directly with hal did. As a newbie I think you possibly have a better chance.

[HALrunner]

On my parent's first HAL cruise they booked the lowest possible category, inside guarantee. Two days before sailing they were offered an upsell to a verandah for $99/person.

We cruise HAL often and have only gotten upsell offers (and not even close to that good!) twice.

Keep the hope alive!

[Hlitner]

According to two different cruise agents we know, a first time cruiser is "more likely" to get an upgrade then a 4 or 5 Star Mariner. In the past this has been a topic here on CC with some folks thinking that HAL takes better care of new customers then their older loyal customers. If true this does make some sense since hooking new customers is vital to HAL.

 

Hank

[NCLuckyWon]

We're in a VB category aft-facing room with a veranda. It's encouraging and gives me hope to hear that sometimes upsell offers to Neptunes from verandas actually happens. That's my dream...however much of a long shot it might be.

 

*Now I will continuously check e-mail again all day.* :D:D:D

[versuco]

What deck are you on? We may be neighbors:D

[NCLuckyWon]

What deck are you on? We may be neighbors:D

 

Deck 4 - Upper Promenade. I never would have known to book an aft facing room if not for these forums. I'm so glad we get to experience it on our first cruise. I just wish it was from one of the corner Neptune Suites (except without having to pay full price - lol).

[versuco]

We are on deck 5, also hoping for another upsell offer to a suite, but very happy with the cabin we have. We started with an inside, got an upsell to a oceanview, and then another upsell 6 days ago to the aft balcony. Would love to get an aft wraparound, but don't see that being in my budget.

[NCLuckyWon]

We are on deck 5, also hoping for another upsell offer to a suite, but very happy with the cabin we have. We started with an inside, got an upsell to a oceanview, and then another upsell 6 days ago to the aft balcony. Would love to get an aft wraparound, but don't see that being in my budget.

 

Have you stayed in an aft balcony on the Eurodam in the past? I understand that they're larger than most of the other veranda rooms and have a bigger balcony too. Of course, that's all meaningless to me since I have no basis for comparison. :)

[versuco]

This is our first time on the Eurodam. We have sailed in aft balconies before on other lines and love them. They do appear to be larger than the regular balconies on the Eurodam.

[cruz chic]

We are on deck 5, also hoping for another upsell offer to a suite, but very happy with the cabin we have. We started with an inside, got an upsell to a oceanview, and then another upsell 6 days ago to the aft balcony. Would love to get an aft wraparound, but don't see that being in my budget.

 

Wow, you've done well. Good luck!

[Cruising-along]

We get very few *upsell* offers, and the ones we get are laughable.

On the other hand, we have been *upgraded* nearly every cruise (we book guarantee almost every time). Yes, we did get a free upgrade on our first cruise too. Yesterday we were upgraded from a BB to an A for our cruise on the 30th.

[Friend100]

Our last cruise on HAL last Christmas as a 2nd time HAL cruiser, we booked VH GTY, assigned a VB balcony. Then 4 days before sail date, received upsell offer of $249 pp to Signature Suite, or $649 pp to Neptune Suite. But by the time we call back they were all gone.

 

Good luck.

[NCLuckyWon]

Our last cruise on HAL last Christmas as a 2nd time HAL cruiser, we booked VH GTY, assigned a VB balcony. Then 4 days before sail date, received upsell offer of $249 pp to Signature Suite, or $649 pp to Neptune Suite. But by the time we call back they were all gone.

 

Good luck.

 

I will be doing cartwheels if that happens to me. I would snap the Neptune Suite up for that price!

 

*Obsessively checking e-mail even more frequently now* :D

[take us away]

ABSOLUTELY!

 

My DH's 1st cruise was an upgrade from a standard ocean view cabin to a full, 2 room suite! complete with a butler and a marble bathroom with full tub, extra shower, a towel warmer and a towel hamper built into the wall. Oh, and a half bath off the living room. Te got the call from our TA on the way to the pier. Talk about spoil a person for life...

 

Then there was the lady in the Lido who was giving tours of the penthouse suite as she and her husband had been upgraded from an interior to the PH! It was years ago and she had no clue what the DVD player was as this was their 1st trip out of Iowa.

 

We don't cruise at that level on our own dime! Good luck!

[winddawn]

Have any first time cruisers ever gotten a last minute upgrade offer? I am holding out hope, but wondering if it's a pipe dream.

 

Our cruise is 10 days out and for what it's worth it appears that there are 8 Signature Suites and 8 Neptunes still available.

I will be sailing on the same cruise as you, and this will be my second HAL cruise. HAL emailed me an upsell offer earlier this month, but it was only for balcony upgrade to "VQ to VH." I'm booked in a large interior cabin (which was a free cabin offer).

 

I don't know if that helps you or not, but second cruise is pretty close to first. :-)

[RuthC]

Then there was the lady in the Lido who was giving tours of the penthouse suite as she and her husband had been upgraded from an interior to the PH!

Trust me, if I'm ever upgraded from my inside cabin to the penthouse, I'll be selling tours of the place!

That way, maybe I can afford to book it next time. ;)