Many Unsold Cabins Close to Sailing

[Richjoxyz]

We sale on the Volendam in two weeks.  There are still about 100 unsold cabins.  We have an inside guaranty.  I wonder if this means we have a good chance at an upgrade?

[Cruising Is Bliss]

Available cabins does not equal unsold cabins.

 

If they've sold 100 guarantees, and still have 101 free cabins, they show all 101 as available.  People willing to pay more to pick a specific cabin have full choice of what's available. When the number of unsold cabins left equals the guarantees, they all disappear.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Don't count on it as explained above.

[DaveOKC]

Take a look a how many of the Neptunes are still open.  There are only about 35 on your ship as I recall.  If there are more than 5-6, IMO it means that there will be alot of upsells happening (if they have not already).  Then the upsells trickle down to the other categories.  In fact, I bet they are already going on, as they normally start 2-4 weeks out (I just got one a couple of weeks ago at the 4 week mark).

 

If you get an upsell, I would seriously consider it, as sometimes the deals are very good (but not always).  By paying a bit for the upsell (vs the free upgrade) you normally get to move up to the next category (oceanview) and you may be able to pick your cabin, plus often these upsells are to higher "ranked" cabin within the category (like C od D in the Oceanview.  You might even get an offer to move up to a Vista cabin, which would be great with the balcony.

 

 

[3rdGenCunarder]

4 hours ago, Cruising Is Bliss said:

Available cabins does not equal unsold cabins.

 

If they've sold 100 guarantees, and still have 101 free cabins, they show all 101 as available.  People willing to pay more to pick a specific cabin have full choice of what's available. When the number of unsold cabins left equals the guarantees, they all disappear.

 

This is the best and simplest explanation of the guarantee "count" that I have seen. 

[magictam]

I sail on Sunday on the Nieuw Amsterdam.  I don’t know how to tell how many cabins are open but  looking online it appears quiet if you are still available.  I booked this cruise in February since that time I’ve gotten three upgrade offers.  The best one was going from my original inside guarantee to an unobstructed balcony for $189 total.

I received my current offer yesterday to go from that balcony to a signature suite for 229 pp.  as I’m traveling single would have to pay the single supplement. it’s over $400 to me it’s just not worth it.

I would imagine this will be the last offer I get before I sail.  So I guess it’s time to print my luggage tags and boarding pass.   I’ll keep my fingers crossed that you get an upgrade email offer.  

[iancal]

One way of knowing is to follow pricing on a category basis  from pre final payment though to the final payment window.  More availability, lower prices. 

[Himself]

Frequently one does not get notified of an upgrade until a week orr less before sailing.  I recently sailed on the Niieuw Statendam and I was already in flight when I was  emailed with an offer to upgrade to a full suite. .  When I went to my computer in Ft. Lauderdale that evening the time had already passed

[rothbury]

Same thing happened to us back in February, Himself.  Literally the day before sailing on the Koningsdam while traveling to FLL they offered us a Neptune Suite at an unbelievable price.  By the time we got to the hotel and checked email it was already gone.  I guess they have their reasons for doing upsells that way.  I've missed out before because I don't have access to email for several hours sometimes and when the offers go out, they don't last long.  

[tommui987]

How does one determine how many cabins remain unsold?

[CruiserBruce]

1 hour ago, tommui987 said:

How does one determine how many cabins remain unsold?

 

You can't really. As given in the examples above, you can only tell, with some research, what is unassigned. The difference between unsold, and unassigned is critical. All it takes is one booking to take what appears to be lots of available cabins, to being sold out.

 

The example in post #2 is excellent.

[LocoLoco1]

1 hour ago, CruiserBruce said:

 

You can't really. As given in the examples above, you can only tell, with some research, what is unassigned. The difference between unsold, and unassigned is critical. All it takes is one booking to take what appears to be lots of available cabins, to being sold out.

 

The example in post #2 is excellent.

That's a good way to describe it. We sail in 2 days. They offered a great TransAtlantic $Upgrade$ offer for only $129p/p. I had the DECK plan in hand so I simply asked, "Are any of these following Cabins, ABCD or E,  Avail.?" Answer: "YES, B and C". Bam. Done.

[Moriah]

22 hours ago, CruiserBruce said:

 

You can't really. As given in the examples above, you can only tell, with some research, what is unassigned.

 

How can you tell how many are unassigned?

[CruiserBruce]

17 minutes ago, Moriah said:

 

How can you tell how many are unassigned?

By doing test bookings. Various websites will offer various numbers of unassigned cabins. This gives you some idea, but as there is no way to know the number of guarantee bookings, you can't really tell how many are truly available in a given category. 

[LocoLoco1]

I am suggesting that a simple Phone call to the Cruise line would assist, if in fact you want to truly KNOW if a certain Cabin is available

[CruiserBruce]

27 minutes ago, LocoLoco1 said:

I am suggesting that a simple Phone call to the Cruise line would assist, if in fact you want to truly KNOW if a certain Cabin is available

 

True. But the gist of this thread, and many like it, is people say "I can see XXX number of cabins available" (or "the ship doesn't seem very full"), so my chances of an upgrade must be good, right? A nearly impossible question to answer.

[LocoLoco1]

You are correct.  Again!!