Upsell list??

[Susieinph]

I booked my inside guarantee through a big box store.  Will I be on the HAL list for possible upsells? Or do you have to book with them directly to get the offers?  I am anxious to get one because I think my guarantee will be bottom of the barrel or should I say ship! I will ultimately be satisfied with whatever I get because any day on a cruise ship is better than none!

 

 

 

[canadianbear]

The problem with big box stores is do they actually phone clients?  Make sure your reservation is marked ok to upgrade but I don’t know if they will take the time to phone you.  We have received upsell offers in the past from our PCC and TA but usually mark do not upgrade when we book with a big box store.  Hopefully someone will chime in that they’ve received the upsell offers.  

[Mary229]

I actually mark mine as no upgrade without consent.  I have gotten some lousy surprise upgrades.  I rather go through upsell. I call the cruise line a few days after final payment day and notify them I would entertain upsell offers. I have always received multiple offers but most I reject

[*Miss G*]

It’s been reported on other threads that the big box store does not forward upsells to its customers.

[DaveOKC]

2 hours ago, Susieinph said:

I booked my inside guarantee through a big box store.  Will I be on the HAL list for possible upsells? Or do you have to book with them directly to get the offers?  I am anxious to get one because I think my guarantee will be bottom of the barrel or should I say ship! I will ultimately be satisfied with whatever I get because any day on a cruise ship is better than none!

 

 

 

Others have reported (on this board) that the big box store and SOME other large on-line agencies do not pass on upsells to their clients.  This does make senses to me, as it can be alot of extra work for them to do so, for little or no reward. I cannot verify this, as I only use a HAL PCC.  I can say however, that using a HAL PCC has gotten me upsells on about 80-90% of our cruises.

 

I am considering trying the big box store, but if I do book a guarantee with them I will definitely select a category where I will be comfortable with any cabin in that category (or higher).

[syesmar]

Hi All!

I know the upsell department is closed on weekends.  What are its hours during the week?  THANKS!

[DaveOKC]

27 minutes ago, syesmar said:

Hi All!

I know the upsell department is closed on weekends.  What are its hours during the week?  THANKS!

I checked my March offer from them and no hours were listed, but they are on Pacific time.

[syesmar]

Thanks, DaveOKC!

In the meantime this morning, I actually got another one of the Upsell Emails.😃  The price range wasn't what I'm looking for, but I did ask about the hours.  Hours are 8am-5pm, Pacific Time (however, it's in the 7 o'clock hour right now, so . . . 😊).

Edited June 3, 2019 by syesmar

[Susieinph]

Which number do you call for the upsell deals?

[DaveOKC]

9 minutes ago, Susieinph said:

Which number do you call for the upsell deals?

You can call this number below, but unless you first get an email offer from them I seriously doubt that it will do you any good.  They generally do not do offers before they are ready (about 2-4 weeks out).  Last March I called them 30 daysout and made them a good offer (IMO).  They turned me down flat.  Then two days later I get an email from them (which a bunch of other people on my roll call also got at the same time) and it was $100 LESS than what I offered them!!  Go figure!

 

Anyway - here is what I got from HAL:

 

A special upgrade offer just for you!

Open the attachment for more details on this Preferred Limited Upgrade Special

Relax into a world of comfort and easy elegance aboard the luxurious ships of Holland America Line. Enhance your cruise and reward yourself by taking advantage of a reduced rate to upgrade your accommodations. Call 1.888.628.8107 or 206.626.7381 to confirm today! Hurry! Offers are first come, first serve — and space is limited!

[dobiemom]

23 hours ago, Susieinph said:

I booked my inside guarantee through a big box store.  Will I be on the HAL list for possible upsells? 

I don't think there is a "list," the upsell/upgrade fairy just lands. 😉 😄

[syesmar]

For those who have had success “negotiating” an even better price with the Upsell Department:  what is the best approach?  I have been told the rates are non-negotiable, but have also read reports where people have counter-offered successfully.

 

Any tips would be greatly appreciated!  THANKS!

Edited June 5, 2019 by syesmar

[Mary229]

On 6/5/2019 at 8:39 AM, syesmar said:

For those who have had success “negotiating” an even better price with the Upsell Department:  what is the best approach?  I have been told the rates are non-negotiable, but have also read reports where people have counter-offered successfully.

 

Any tips would be greatly appreciated!  THANKS!

There is not a lot of leeway.  They give you a list of cabins, pick one or two from the list and make a counter offer.  You will usually get the lesser cabin if they decide to grant your counter so know that and don't just offer based on any cabin.  Any cabin might not be worth the bargain.  Even if you lose the counter you can come back and take the original offer if it has not been taken in the meantime.  Those offers move quickly.  There is sometimes a second round so be sure to say you still would entertain offers if your counter is not accepted.  I have always gotten multiple offers unless I am super specific about location.  On my last cruise, Koningsdam, I could have had a variety of cabins that they countered my counter with but I didn't like the deck location. 

 

That all said, sometimes the best offer is in the last round.  There are usually at least 2 rounds unless it is a very full cruise.

[DaveOKC]

10 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

There is not a lot of leeway.  They give you a list of cabins, pick one or two from the list and make a counter offer.  You will usually get the lesser cabin if they decide to grant your counter so know that and don't just offer based on any cabin.  Any cabin might not be worth the bargain.  Even if you lose the counter you can come back and take the original offer if it has not been taken in the meantime.  Those offers move quickly.  There is sometimes a second round so be sure to say you still would entertain offers if your counter is not accepted.  I have always gotten multiple offers unless I am super specific about location.  On my last cruise, Koningsdam, I could have had a variety of cabins that they countered my counter with but I didn't like the deck location. 

 

That all said, sometimes the best offer is in the last round.  There are usually at least 2 rounds unless it is a very full cruise.

You just never know with HAL and upsells.  On my April cruise, there were reportedly 20-25 Neptune cabins open 4 weeks prior to sailing.  I got an offer to upsell fro $99 (quite a deal IMO) and jumped on it, getting a very good location.  A number of people on the roll call also reacted the same day and within 2 days there were only 2 Neptunes showing open.  No other offers came along (that I heard of on the roll call board).  On previous cruises, HAL has started high about 4 weeks out and then lowered to a more reasonable level two weeks out.

 

I am sure HAL has some procedures that they use for these upsells and I am certainly not smart enough to figure out what it is.

[Cruise Raider]

On 6/3/2019 at 10:42 AM, dobiemom said:

I don't think there is a "list," the upsell/upgrade fairy just lands. 😉 😄

 

I believe you are right!  I once asked who gets these offers and was told it was random.  Maybe others will get an offer while you, being in the same cabin type are not considered for the offer.  I was also told by one of the cruiseline's agents that it depends on you cabin type (if they need one), when you book and how much you paid for the cruise.  Not sure if that is valid info.  

What I can tell you is on a roll call for which I belonged, all sorts of people were talking about getting upsell offers.  They posted the number to call, which I did.  When I called in, they looked and noted I was not on the list even though they were making offers at the time.  

And yes, to the OP,  most big box and large agencies do not forward upsell offers to their clients.  They don't even try to keep that a secret (anymore?).  I booked many cruises through these agencies and wondered why I was never offered an upsell ... never!  Well, when I learned why, I left my booking with the cruiseline for the first time in a very long time.  Well, lo and behold, I got my first and only upsell offer.  I expect more to be coming in as that was less than a year ago.  

It's my understanding that  offers are only for selected passengers, regardless of whether or not the passenger booked through the cruiseline or an outside agency.  A fax go out from the cruiseline to those agencies with that list of selected passengers.  Some agencies forward these offers to their clients, some do not.  I now simply ask when I make a booking and have gotten some honest answers.  Either way, if you are on the list and you haven't been notified by your TA, you can still call the cruiseline to see if you're eligible for the upsell offer.  But, if the cruiseline finds themselves bogged down with these types of calls, be aware that process can and probably will change.  

[AtlantaCruiser72]

I work for a large online agency and recently asked a member of our senior management team why the HAL upsell offers are not being forwarded to agents.  Their response was that due to the time-sensitive nature of the offers, by the time it was forwarded to the agent (24-48 hrs post receipt), and the agent contacted the client the space was often already taken, leading to a disappointed client.  So they decided carte blanche not to forward them to the agents.  I understand the company's viewpoint, but at the same time see how that devalues the experience of booking with a large agency for many loyal HAL passengers.  

[kevingastreich]

On our very first cruise we were booked into a veranda cabin and two days out my wife called and asked if any upgrades were available.  They offered us a Signature Suite on deck 6 (Oosterdam) for $99pp. We took it and never looked back.  That was for a 7 day Alaska cruise.

[DaveOKC]

16 hours ago, AtlantaCruiser72 said:

I work for a large online agency and recently asked a member of our senior management team why the HAL upsell offers are not being forwarded to agents.  Their response was that due to the time-sensitive nature of the offers, by the time it was forwarded to the agent (24-48 hrs post receipt), and the agent contacted the client the space was often already taken, leading to a disappointed client.  So they decided carte blanche not to forward them to the agents.  I understand the company's viewpoint, but at the same time see how that devalues the experience of booking with a large agency for many loyal HAL passengers.  

 

Thanks for the first hand confirmation of what many of us have assumed and the reasoning the agency uses.  While I do not understand why it would take them 24-48 hours to get the offer to the agent, taking that long would  result in most cases of the "good" upsell offers being already taken, thus alot of customer disappointment and what I also expect is the upspoken part of the logic - alot of wasted time by their agents.at yo

 

I am very glad that you confirmed this issue for us, as we most times do take advantage of upsell offers.

[sail7seas]

On 6/6/2019 at 4:13 PM, DaveOKC said:

You just never know with HAL and upsells.  On my April cruise, there were reportedly 20-25 Neptune cabins open 4 weeks prior to sailing.  I got an offer to upsell fro $99 (quite a deal IMO) and jumped on it, getting a very good location.  A number of people on the roll call also reacted the same day and within 2 days there were only 2 Neptunes showing open.  No other offers came along (that I heard of on the roll call board).  On previous cruises, HAL has started high about 4 weeks out and then lowered to a more reasonable level two weeks out.

 

I am sure HAL has some procedures that they use for these upsells and I am certainly not smart enough to figure out what it is.

 

HAL is a for profit business and one would think the procedures Inventory  control  lives by is  one that nets  the  most incoming revenue.    🙂

 

sail.noordam@gmail.com

Edited June 9, 2019 by sail7seas