Frustrating discounted up-grade experience!

[detroitlions]

Sounds like both of you been contacted by the Upgrade Fairy, very seldom seen or heard of. It's usually 40% of the difference between what you paid and the Suite book price. These offers do not stay on the table for a long time. Did both of you ask what Haven suite it is? It could be a Deluxe Owners Suite. If you can't afford or justify the $1000 it's a moot point. Those rooms are not marginally nicer, they are MUCH nicer. Either way you'll have a great cruise and if you think you may do this act FAST.

They emailed me today I sail sunday. It says $500 pp to $1000 pp depends what room you choose. I dont think it is worth it. I alrady have UBP and paid for UDP so with out the extras which would amount to only $500 with DSC and OBC for 3 people I am staying where I am at.

[detroitlions]

I was searching on NCL.com just now and it seems like all the suites are booked already for the Epic this weekend. There was only 1 "Guarantee" suite showing up. Seems like everyone snatched up the upgrade offers that were available.

Not true they still have a few left they dont show up on line.

[detroitlions]

Not true they still have a few left they dont show up on line.

They all just disapeared acording to upgrade fairy lol stinks if your really into it I would not have had to cancel and rebook with this one.

[detroitlions]

Sounds like both of you been contacted by the Upgrade Fairy, very seldom seen or heard of. It's usually 40% of the difference between what you paid and the Suite book price. These offers do not stay on the table for a long time. Did both of you ask what Haven suite it is? It could be a Deluxe Owners Suite. If you can't afford or justify the $1000 it's a moot point. Those rooms are not marginally nicer, they are MUCH nicer. Either way you'll have a great cruise and if you think you may do this act FAST.

For that person I think it would have been worth it for me not so much I would have paid at least $1500 on the smaller room and $3000 for the big room and I would be upgrading from a extra large balcony. If it was just me and my DW I would have done it. And I think the lady said I keep all my other perks.

[TrumpyNor]

I just wanted to clarify something:

There are two different kinds of upgrades that are being mixed here - the one where you pay the online price difference (the online price that everybody have access to (meaning that prices have dropped as you are getting closer to the sailing date), and if you do that then you get any promo that is going on at the time of the NEW booking (as it is considered as cancel & rebook, but without any penalties, since you are upgrading to a more expensive cabin type = paying more money than originally), but you loose the original perks. In this case the new perks would have been more or less the same as the old ones, since you would pay the "full" online price (that is actually reduced from what it was originally). This has absolutely nothing to do with the "upgrade fairy", and the online prices I can guarantee you were still much higher than the special offer you received by e-mail.

 

The e-mail was indeed from the "upgrade fairy", giving you (and others) a personal offer that was significantly lower than the lowest online rate available at the same time, hoping to sell all the suites that way, and maybe at the same time get more passengers "hooked" on the sweet suite life for future cruises.

 

Personally I have upgraded both ways in the past - by receiving a special offer through my PCC (it has happened twice, when she was acting as the "upgrade fairy"), and twice by monitoring the Haven suite prices myself the last week or two before sailing date, and then ask to purchase the upgrade when the price was right for me (in both cases I actually got a really good price for the upgrade, because it was the very last suite available).

 

I have in the past paid $400p.p. to $800p.p. for the upgrade (from a balcony cabin or a mini-suite to a Haven suite), and I can assure you that to me it was worth it to pay the extra money. Especially on the Epic, where the Haven area (courtyard, sundeck, restaurant, etc,) is superb! But of course - if you don't have the money needed for an upgrade, then you don't have it. And then you just forget about the upgrade, and stay in your originally booked cabin with your original perks and you will have a great cruise anyway.

 

PS: I just want to apologize that my English is not 100% perfect, since it is not my first language - but hopefully you will understand me anyway.... :)

Edited March 23, 2015 by TrumpyNor

[TrumpyNor]

Thanks guys. Does anyone know if there are any actual public smoking areas in the haven area? Also can someone explain more about the H4 and smoking on that?

 

I can answer the first question - when we had a Haven suite on the Epic 18 months ago, they had 3-4 small tables in a corner near the bar at the "Posh sundeck" where you could smoke. Not certain if it is still the same, but I believe so, since I have seen others report that the "outside public spots" where you are allowed to smoke now are more or less the same as they were before they banned smoking on balconies.

[wesnliz]

Actually I managed to snag one of the aft facing havens, they keep fluctuating the rooms - this was 10 minutes ago.

[TrumpyNor]

Actually I managed to snag one of the aft facing havens, they keep fluctuating the rooms - this was 10 minutes ago.

 

Fantastic news, I am certain you will be very happy with it - especially with the Haven perks.

[kjquilts]

Actually I managed to snag one of the aft facing havens, they keep fluctuating the rooms - this was 10 minutes ago.

 

 

Wonderful Upsell. Here is youtube video of aft facing Epic Penthouse 11321 I found for you

 

 

Category is different now (H6) because this video was done in 2010.

[Leavethekidswithmom]

Actually I managed to snag one of the aft facing havens, they keep fluctuating the rooms - this was 10 minutes ago.

 

 

Congrats

[BendORcruiser]

It is completely normal that if you upgrade, you will get the appropriate promotions active on your original booking date. Also as others have said, this is even more reduced fare as it is an offer from the upgrade fairy instead of a regular drop in list price, so normal procedures wouldn't apply anyway.

 

You get current promotions usually only if you cancel and rebook, and since you are within non-free cancellation period, that is probably not an option for you.

 

I just want to confirm (should I be lucky enough to hear from the UF) that I can KEEP any promotions that applied at the time of my original booking (in my case, I am booked in an MB room with $50 OBC and the UBP.)

 

Also, does the UF only contact people who booked directly with NCL? Or might I hear from my TA with an offer?

[Demonyte]

I just want to confirm (should I be lucky enough to hear from the UF) that I can KEEP any promotions that applied at the time of my original booking (in my case, I am booked in an MB room with $50 OBC and the UBP.)

 

Also, does the UF only contact people who booked directly with NCL? Or might I hear from my TA with an offer?

 

Yes, in that case you'll get to keep your original perks (maybe get OBC updated to what the new cabin category was offered at the time of original booking because the promo code stays the same and the amount of OBC is based on the category - this is not granted though).

 

We haven't heard of the fairy either way. :D

[rpb718]

I haven't read this whole thread, but a similar thing happened right before our March 8th cruise. The email said $1K for the 2 of us to upgrade from a balcony to a suite. We already had re-booked our balcony to get the UBP a couple months earlier, and they did say we wouldn't be in line for the additional packages for suites but would keep the UBP when we called.

 

The common mistake most folks make is thinking the price is not negotiable. We made a counter-offer of $400 total and NCL split the difference. So instead of $500 each it was $350 each - which was worth the upgrade to a suite for us.

[wesnliz]

I actually tried to counter but they were not willing to budge but I think it was because it was the last cabin :(

 

With that being said when I called eariler in the day when they all showed sold the lady was willing to do a h4 for h6 price. Disappointed I missed out on that!

[Demonyte]

With that being said when I called eariler in the day when they all showed sold the lady was willing to do a h4 for h6 price. Disappointed I missed out on that!

 

 

Yep, with upsell fairy one needs to act fast - there are people here who have missed their chance after getting a call and then calling their spouse to negotiate and when they have decided and called back, somebody else getting the call had decided immediately and snagged the deal already.

Edited March 23, 2015 by Demonyte

[Chuck2810]

On our first cruise I got the message at work - called my wife immediately and she had already been called and snapped up the offer. $200 total to go from a BA balcony to the Owner's Suite on the Sky - yes. Glad we didn't miss that - or NCL would be a poorer company today....:rolleyes: #nevernothingbutasuite

[Granny DI]

Our biggest upsell was on a 14 day cruise on Celebrity...we went from a balcony cabin to the Royal suite for $700. I saw it as a flash sale very late on a Friday night...sent email to my TA...she got up early and went to the office on Saturday morning. We were offered the owners suite for another $500 but we didn't need a piano.

[SissasMomE]

Epic. I was pretty excited, ready to bite the bullet and then asked about canceling my dining and she said I could not get the other promotions that are included with haven.

 

I wouldn't pass up the Haven on Epic. Other ships, yes ... but not Epic. You may want to reconsider.

[watchdiva]

We've had a strategy for years...we book the category suite that we will be happy in. then, if the Fairy does call with an offer, we already have a capped $$ amount in mind and if the price falls within that amount for a suite we would want, it's a go. It would have to be an awesome upsell for us to move from our beloved Deck 10 AFT penthouses though.

Edited March 23, 2015 by watchdiva

[SissasMomE]

Thanks guys. Does anyone know if there are any actual public smoking areas in the haven area? Also can someone explain more about the H4 and smoking on that?

 

You may not smoke on your balcony - Haven or no haven.

[SissasMomE]

Actually I managed to snag one of the aft facing havens, they keep fluctuating the rooms - this was 10 minutes ago.

 

Good pick

[wesnliz]

Thanks sissasmome I wasn't asking about the balcony just the outdoor public bar area

[SissasMomE]

Thanks sissasmome I wasn't asking about the balcony just the outdoor public bar area

 

Oh, sorry.

[DandDM]

 

The common mistake most folks make is thinking the price is not negotiable. We made a counter-offer of $400 total and NCL split the difference. So instead of $500 each it was $350 each - which was worth the upgrade to a suite for us.

 

I'll second this. Slightly off topic with the OP's situation, I'll share a couple of my upgrade stories:

 

On RCCL we were able to negotiate perks on a last minute upgrade to a Grand Suite. In this case we already had the drink package as a perk and were looking to snag a great last minute rate on a suite. We had to make a few phone calls and talk to a few people, but eventually were able to get the low rate and keep the drink package (it was for a 14 day cruise, so a big deal to us).

 

For our upcoming Epic cruise (next week) we recently were able to upgrade to a 2-bedroom haven with all the perks in the current package (udp, ubp, prepaid gratuities and OBC). We initiated the request and started at the list price, but were able to get a discount on the rate, plus got additional OBC. We had previously prepaid our tips (before the price went up) and got credit for that.

 

So it never hurts to ask! (and sometimes ask again and again and again).

[BendORcruiser]

What is the consensus, are you more likely to get a call from the UF offering a Haven Suite if you've already booked a "higher" level mini-suite or balcony? How about Lattitudes level?

Edited March 24, 2015 by BendORcruiser