Educate me on Princess Upsells

[FlaMariner]

First time Princess cruiser......Help me understand upsells.

 

• Does the TA get them and then send them on ?
• Is there an inventory area you can call and ask for an upsell?

 

 

 

 

[pathi]

Things are a little strange right now. The old procedure was that your TA would get them and fwd to you. If you booked directly with Princess they would send the email to you instead. This was time sensitive)1st come, 1st served)

 

Right now this does not seem to be happening. Instead you wait until you board and go to Passenger Services and ask for an upgrade. They will quote you a price then.

[FlaMariner]

Thanks for the info!

[Astro Flyer]

There have been a few posts from passengers who since the restart received an upsell offer the way ‘pathi’ described via their TA or directly from Princess if booked that way. I have never found a way nor read about anyone else who was able contact them to request an upsell offer which is determined by their yield management algorithm.

[Steelers36]

4 hours ago, pathi said:

Things are a little strange right now. The old procedure was that your TA would get them and fwd to you. If you booked directly with Princess they would send the email to you instead. This was time sensitive)1st come, 1st served)

 

Right now this does not seem to be happening. Instead you wait until you board and go to Passenger Services and ask for an upgrade. They will quote you a price then.

And that asking on board could peter out later this year if ship occupancy levels continue to climb and reach pre-Covid levels.

[geoherb]

I still received an email for an upsell on one of my cruises since the restart. On the Caribbean Princess last month, an employee at guest relations was writing down the names and cabin numbers of people wanting upgrades/upsells on the first afternoon. He said someone would contact the people to see if they still wanted to move and what the cost would be if any. He did not know how much an upsell would be from my inside cabin to a balcony. I decided not to put my name on the list because I had already unpacked everything. 

 

Solo passengers generally pay double for upsells. Princess has also changed it so that people purchasing upsells to suites no longer receive double cruise credits. Only people paying full price for a suite get the double credit. 

[Thrak]

13 hours ago, pathi said:

The old procedure was that your TA would get them and fwd to you. If you booked directly with Princess they would send the email to you instead. This was time sensitive)1st come, 1st served)

 

Actually it seemed to depend on who your "TA" was. If you used the "big box" store to book your cruises they are more of a "cruise booking service" than a real TA. Numerous people have stated that they didn't receive the upgrade offer from that entity. My local TA was on the offers right away and contacted me right away. There is a big difference between booking services and actual Travel Agents. Of course there have also been many post saying their !%@^! TA didn't contact them about the offers either... A good TA will always be on top of things and try to get you the best deal offered. Others, like the "big box"  are really more of a "booking service".

[coopco]

Before the pandemic, we received upsell offers a couple times. I was booking directly with Princess at the time. I would receive an email that if I was interested to call. When you called, you always got an answering machine and left your contact information and would get a call back. I would immediately scope out which cabins I wanted and rank ordered them. I believe I would get a call back the next day but don't hold me to that because it was a long time ago. We would upgrade from an interior to a balcony for $100 each if I remember correctly. Likely the cruise was 5-7 days but I can't remember exactly. I believe they were on cruises where interior cabins were selling out and they wanted to be able to offer them cheap to get more people onboard. In both instances, I got my first choice from the available balconies.

 

Now we book through a TA and my understanding is they contact you with upsells. This is a little concerning to me because my TA is incredibly busy these days with re-bookings from cancellations and the like. So I've contacted upgradeoffer@princesscruises.com. We've only been on one cruise since the restart so I only have one experience so far. I contacted the email twice for that cruise about 6 weeks apart, once before final payment and once after. Both times I immediately got a routine reply that no upsells were available currently but keep an eye on my inbox. If an upsell becomes available, they would contact me. I never got an email. Once onboard I immediately checked at guest service. I was told an upsell from our interior to a balcony would be $60 for our 5 day cruise. I believe I was quoted something ridiculous like $200 a day for a mini-suite. I heard a few hours later on our roll call that a balcony upgrade was $100 but at that point we were already unpacked and I wasn't interested in packing up and unpacking again. Our next cruise is in April. My plan is to contact the email address a couple times again. Then when we board, go to the Lido bar, have a drink as is our customary first thing to do after guest service for things like Chef's Table or Ultimate Tour. Then to the MDR for lunch. And leisurely head over to guest services before I unpack to ask about upsells. I'm hoping that will do the trick because there were so few people on the last cruise, I'm sure they could have sold balconies to everyone who wanted one if they just asked for a reasonable amount! 

[trbarton]

13 hours ago, FlaMariner said:

First time Princess cruiser......Help me understand upsells.

 

• Does the TA get them and then send them on ?
• Is there an inventory area you can call and ask for an upsell?

 

 

 

 

FYI….I was on the October 31st cruise on the Ruby Princess & a few days before the cruise I noticed I was upgraded from an Obstructed Ocean View to a balcony on the caribe deck which I loved. 
 

Seem’s like their is no regular system. 
 

Tom😀

38 minutes ago, geoherb said:

I still received an email for an upsell on one of my cruises since the restart. On the Caribbean Princess last month, an employee at guest relations was writing down the names and cabin numbers of people wanting upgrades/upsells on the first afternoon. He said someone would contact the people to see if they still wanted to move and what the cost would be if any. He did not know how much an upsell would be from my inside cabin to a balcony. I decided not to put my name on the list because I had already unpacked everything. 

 

Solo passengers generally pay double for upsells. Princess has also changed it so that people purchasing upsells to suites no longer receive double cruise credits. Only people paying full price for a suite get the double credit. 

On my December 17th cruise on the Ruby Princess I paid $100 to go from an obstructed ocean view to a balcony on the Caribe deck which I accepted. $300 to go to an mini suite which I declined. 
 

Tom😀

[trbarton]

Just now, coopco said:

Before the pandemic, we received upsell offers a couple times. I was booking directly with Princess at the time. I would receive an email that if I was interested to call. When you called, you always got an answering machine and left your contact information and would get a call back. I would immediately scope out which cabins I wanted and rank ordered them. I believe I would get a call back the next day but don't hold me to that because it was a long time ago. We would upgrade from an interior to a balcony for $100 each if I remember correctly. Likely the cruise was 5-7 days but I can't remember exactly. I believe they were on cruises where interior cabins were selling out and they wanted to be able to offer them cheap to get more people onboard. In both instances, I got my first choice from the available balconies.

 

Now we book through a TA and my understanding is they contact you with upsells. This is a little concerning to me because my TA is incredibly busy these days with re-bookings from cancellations and the like. So I've contacted upgradeoffer@princesscruises.com. We've only been on one cruise since the restart so I only have one experience so far. I contacted the email twice for that cruise about 6 weeks apart, once before final payment and once after. Both times I immediately got a routine reply that no upsells were available currently but keep an eye on my inbox. If an upsell becomes available, they would contact me. I never got an email. Once onboard I immediately checked at guest service. I was told an upsell from our interior to a balcony would be $60 for our 5 day cruise. I believe I was quoted something ridiculous like $200 a day for a mini-suite. I heard a few hours later on our roll call that a balcony upgrade was $100 but at that point we were already unpacked and I wasn't interested in packing up and unpacking again. Our next cruise is in April. My plan is to contact the email address a couple times again. Then when we board, go to the Lido bar, have a drink as is our customary first thing to do after guest service for things like Chef's Table or Ultimate Tour. Then to the MDR for lunch. And leisurely head over to guest services before I unpack to ask about upsells. I'm hoping that will do the trick because there were so few people on the last cruise, I'm sure they could have sold balconies to everyone who wanted one if they just asked for a reasonable amount! 

I’ve tried the upgrade email & was told it’s only for an upgrade offer from Princess. 
 

Tom😀

[coopco]

7 minutes ago, trbarton said:

I’ve tried the upgrade email & was told it’s only for an upgrade offer from Princess. 
 

Tom😀

I'm sorry. I'm confused. Isn't that what we're talking about? Are you saying the email isn't for upsells? Maybe that's why it doesn't work 😀.

[trbarton]

19 minutes ago, coopco said:

I'm sorry. I'm confused. Isn't that what we're talking about? Are you saying the email isn't for upsells? Maybe that's why it doesn't work 😀.

I was told by Princess that email address was only for people that got an upgrade offer vs people interested in an upgrade. 
 

Tom😀

[coopco]

1 minute ago, trbarton said:

I was told by Princess that email address was only for people that got an upgrade offer vs people interested in an upgrade. 
 

Tom😀

Oh I get it now. Sorry. No wonder the email doesn't work! I'm still going to try it because I know my TA is so busy, I'm not confident I'd get the email if it has to go through her. She's fantastic and gets us extra goodies I didn't get when booking directly with Princess (e.g. slightly cheaper prices, freebies I wouldn't have gotten, gifts from her, casino credit, etc.) so don't get me wrong, we love her. I just think it's likely she'd miss forwarding an upsell offer so if I miss it, Princess can forward it. The stock email says look for an email in your inbox (vs. check with your travel agent). So I'm hoping if an upsell is available, they would add me to the email address list. Am I dreaming?

[Ombud]

1 hour ago, trbarton said:

I’ve tried the upgrade email & was told it’s only for an upgrade offer from Princess. 
 

Tom😀

I was moved to a midship balcony. Then I called 1-844-525-0942 and was moved to a mini-suite for the December cruise, the August cruise was marked no upgrade and I had to ask to be moved back. 

 

(Now i know i prefer Deluxe Balconies over mini-suites)

Edited January 14, 2022 by Ombud

[chubbypiggy]

17 hours ago, Ombud said:

I was moved to a midship balcony. Then I called 1-844-525-0942 and was moved to a mini-suite for the December cruise, the August cruise was marked no upgrade and I had to ask to be moved back. 

 

(Now i know i prefer Deluxe Balconies over mini-suites)

Why you prefer Deluxe balcony cabin over mini-suite cabin?  I am trying to decide if I should book Deluxe balcony or mini-suite for my next cruise on the Regal Princess.

[Ombud]

@chubbypiggymy mini-suite was 323 sq ft with a small dividing wall down the middle. Previous cruise I was in a deluxe balcony, DW, which was 303 sq feet. Same sofa. Just no divider. And not stepping into a tub. That's a definite plus for a claustrophobic who likes a large shower. 

[chubbypiggy]

27 minutes ago, Ombud said:

@chubbypiggymy mini-suite was 323 sq ft with a small dividing wall down the middle. Previous cruise I was in a deluxe balcony, DW, which was 303 sq feet. Same sofa. Just no divider. And not stepping into a tub. That's a definite plus for a claustrophobic who likes a large shower. 

Thank you.

[chubbypiggy]

31 minutes ago, Ombud said:

@chubbypiggymy mini-suite was 323 sq ft with a small dividing wall down the middle. Previous cruise I was in a deluxe balcony, DW, which was 303 sq feet. Same sofa. Just no divider. And not stepping into a tub. That's a definite plus for a claustrophobic who likes a large shower. 

Deluxe balcony cabins have larger shower than regular balcony cabins?

[Ombud]

Larger than shower / tub combo

[Shelly97060]

The standard process for Upsells is that Princess sends an upsell offer to you or your TA. Your TA forwards the offer to you and you respond to Princess letting them know you want the offer.  If you have already told your TA you are interested if an upsell comes your way the TA may respond on your behalf ( to get you on the contact list as quickly as possible).  Princess then contacts those who have responded in the order received to finalize the deal and cabin selection. 

[jeanandjim]

On 1/13/2022 at 10:24 AM, FlaMariner said:

First time Princess cruiser......Help me understand upsells.

 

• Does the TA get them and then send them on ?
• Is there an inventory area you can call and ask for an upsell?

 

 

 

 

On 1/13/2022 at 10:24 AM, FlaMariner said:

First time Princess cruise

We are currently on the Emerald Princess Panama canal sailing. We boarded and headed directly to guest services and inquired about an upgrade from our casino interior to a balcony. We were told that after all requests were in they would work on them that first evening and we would get a call in the morning. Sure thing, around 8AM we got a call asking if a particular room would suit us, go visit it, your medallion would let you in and get back to us. It is a port balcony on Baha about twenty doors down from our booked interior. We accepted it and since we had not unpacked the night before we were in by 9AM..... NO CHARGE!!!!

Jim

[FlaMariner]

Wow.  Congrats....that's not an upsell but a genuine and real upgrade!  

 

Thanks for sharing.....Enjoy the cruise!

[trbarton]

21 hours ago, chubbypiggy said:

Deluxe balcony cabins have larger shower than regular balcony cabins?

 Curious is that true about the shower on all Princess ships or just some of them?

 

Tom😀

[Steelers36]

On 1/14/2022 at 2:02 AM, Ombud said:

I was moved to a midship balcony. Then I called 1-844-525-0942 and was moved to a mini-suite for the December cruise, the August cruise was marked no upgrade and I had to ask to be moved back. 

 

(Now i know i prefer Deluxe Balconies over mini-suites)

That number was the OCEAN team support line which was discontinued some time back and customers are directed to call the main number now.  Can't have been the upgrade line. 

 

[trbarton]

On 1/13/2022 at 8:26 PM, geoherb said:

I still received an email for an upsell on one of my cruises since the restart. On the Caribbean Princess last month, an employee at guest relations was writing down the names and cabin numbers of people wanting upgrades/upsells on the first afternoon. He said someone would contact the people to see if they still wanted to move and what the cost would be if any. He did not know how much an upsell would be from my inside cabin to a balcony. I decided not to put my name on the list because I had already unpacked everything. 

 

Solo passengers generally pay double for upsells. Princess has also changed it so that people purchasing upsells to suites no longer receive double cruise credits. Only people paying full price for a suite get the double credit. 

I was on the Ruby Princess in December, solo for a 10 day cruise, & I only paid $100 to go from an Obstructed Ocean View to a balcony on the Caribe deck. 
 

Tom😀