Upgrade to Neptune Suite

[Florida_gal_50]

5 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

Not my experience...sailed 3 cruises last year...maxed out Mariner points on 2 of the 3, just missed on the third. We had HIA for all 3, including grats, but without shore excursions. 2 cruises we did zero excursions, so no spending there. No other way to explain how we got $300 in on board spending Mariner credits for about 28 total days.

And that's exactly what I'm saying.  They are handing credits out like candy without spending to back it up just as I mentioned upthread but only for couples.  I've yet to hear of anyone that sails single getting that.  I have gotten maybe 5 spending credits each time for the several cruises I've done.  Certainly not close to double and I've had hia and tons of actual spending that does count.

[mikebsxm]

I'm in a signature suite, SS-6095, (original booking) on the Oosterdam, 4 star mariner,  only 57 days out from departure.  Checking online, I see 22 Neptune suites still unbooked and available.  When up-sells are offered, do the first offers go to signature suite holders first, or is it random ?  And when do the offers start ?

[oaktreerb]

3 hours ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

And that's exactly what I'm saying.  They are handing credits out like candy without spending to back it up just as I mentioned upthread but only for couples.  I've yet to hear of anyone that sails single getting that.  I have gotten maybe 5 spending credits each time for the several cruises I've done.  Certainly not close to double and I've had hia and tons of actual spending that does count.

You don’t get the double points because you are one person in the stateroom.  You would not have two HIA packages.  If you have HIA you have it for one person.  You may have to cover the stateroom charge for the second “nonperson” in your stateroom but they don’t pay for HIA or spend for anything onboard.  With two people with HIA in the stateroom they both get the points for both HIA packages and any other onboard spending.  It’s not double points, it’s points earned for both people in the stateroom.  Each person earns credit points, both get the same mariner spending credits for the stateroom account.

[Florida_gal_50]

4 minutes ago, oaktreerb said:

You don’t get the double points because you are one person in the stateroom.  You would not have two HIA packages.  If you have HIA you have it for one person.  You may have to cover the stateroom charge for the second “nonperson” in your stateroom but they don’t pay for HIA or spend for anything onboard.  With two people with HIA in the stateroom they both get the points for both HIA packages and any other onboard spending.  It’s not double points, it’s points earned for both people in the stateroom.  Each person earns credit points, both get the same mariner spending credits for the stateroom account.

Once again there is no way even with people drinking 15 drinks a day people should be getting double points.  You can slice it, dice it and put it in a Cuisinart.  It makes no sense whatsoever.  People love to explain things away until it happens to them, then it's a problem. 

[oaktreerb]

8 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

Once again there is no way even with people drinking 15 drinks a day people should be getting double points.  You can slice it, dice it and put it in a Cuisinart.  It makes no sense whatsoever.  People love to explain things away until it happens to them, then it's a problem. 

If you have paid for HIA you don’t have to drink the drinks.  You have already paid for them whether you drink them or not.   Because you paid for the drinks you get the points (credit).

Edited April 21, 2023 by oaktreerb

[Florida_gal_50]

7 minutes ago, oaktreerb said:

If you have paid for HIA you don’t have to drink the drinks.  You have already paid for them whether you drink them or not.   Because you paid for the drinks you get the points.

I think people are very, very confused on this. It's part of your cruise fare.  It's just like club orange.  You don't get extra points for that, correct? Also when I've priced the hia fare it's about $2k more for it than the advantage fare so you are paying for 2.  I'm  talking cruises in shorter duration.For a cruise I have booked for fall it was $1k more so I purchased it.  Have you actually priced a cruise out for one person or do you just know how the price works? Princess also does it the same way, charges for 2 people for their inclusive package.

Edited April 21, 2023 by Florida_gal_50

[oaktreerb]

I would not expect to pay HIA on a fare that is for a “nonperson”.  Maybe pay the HIA for #1 and the advantage for the “nonperson” #2 fare, a child as #2 would not have to purchase HIA, would they?  I would consult my PCC on that issue.

 

My DH and I always get the same points added to our mariner account.  We sailed to Hawaii for 18 nights in a VB stateroom and got 18 (days) and 18 spending points (max) for a total of 36 points.  We did both have HIA and that expense and CO must have earned us the spending points.  

[CruiserBruce]

1 hour ago, mikebsxm said:

I'm in a signature suite, SS-6095, (original booking) on the Oosterdam, 4 star mariner,  only 57 days out from departure.  Checking online, I see 22 Neptune suites still unbooked and available.  When up-sells are offered, do the first offers go to signature suite holders first, or is it random ?  And when do the offers start ?

You can't tell how many are available because you can't see how many guarantee (GTY) bookings there are. You are only seeing unassigned. Literally there could be 21 GTY bookings out there, so all it takes is one more Neptune booking, and the Neptunes will be full.

 

Upsells and upgrades vary every cruise, depending on what has been booked below that level.

[BermudaBound2014]

25 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

  Have you actually priced a cruise out for one person or do you just know how the price works? Princess also does it the same way, charges for 2 people for their inclusive package.

 

Yes, I have. Several times.

 

There are ways to price the inclusive packages as a solo without paying double. When I have booked as a solo, the Have it all Package (or whatever the line is calling their version of inclusive) is double only if included it in the original booking. There is an easy work around. Don't book it in the original booking and add it after :).

 

Recent sailing on Celebrity the cost was $875 to add the inclusive package at time of booking. However; I added it afterward and the cost was only $450 ish. In other words, the inclusive package is not always part of the cruise fare. 

 

I recently booked a 35 day HAL cruise. Had I booked Have it All with the original booking the cost was close to $4,000 more. However; it is currently offered for $50 per day ($1,750) on my pre-planner. Still not sure I'm going to book Have it all since it doesn't include gratuities on HAL, but you do not have to pay for 2 people when including the inclusive package if sailing as a solo on Celebrity, NCL, or in my most recent case, HAL. The workaround likely works on other cruise lines as well.

 

 

 

 

Edited April 21, 2023 by BermudaBound2014

[DaveOKC]

15 hours ago, mikebsxm said:

I'm in a signature suite, SS-6095, (original booking) on the Oosterdam, 4 star mariner,  only 57 days out from departure.  Checking online, I see 22 Neptune suites still unbooked and available.  When up-sells are offered, do the first offers go to signature suite holders first, or is it random ?  And when do the offers start ?

We have experienced upsell offers on this class of ship very often (almost every sailing) I think in part due to the large number of Neptunes and Signatures versus the other HAL ship classes.

 

Generally they start as early as 4 weeks out, but it depends on the sailing schedule for that ship I have found.  Best thing to do is watch your emails CLOSELY starting about 5 weeks out and once you get an offer jump on it quickly if you like the deal (one time we got the only Neptune available).  Know what you consider to be a good deal (I use $200-300 for a 7 day cruise) as HAL has been known to start out high priced on the upsells and then 1-2 weeks later to come back with a lower amount.  Also, know what cabins you would like (from the unsold list you mentioned) before you call the Upsell Desk - they really appreciate this and you will be happier IMO.

 

As to who gets the offers first, I THINK that they all go out at the same time, but I do not know this for certain.  One time we were in a Signature and my friend was in a Verandah and we both got the offer at the same time, but I do not know if this is the norm or not.

[waiting2retire]

OP back to verify we received Mariner cruise day credits at the single rate only for our recent upsell, which is exactly as stated in the upsell offer email. And exactly what I expected 😊

[mcrcruiser]

On 4/19/2023 at 1:49 PM, Florida_gal_50 said:

I can tell with 100 percent certainty it will be returned to you. I just took an upsell this month to a Neptune and I didn't ask for it to be returned. He did it without me asking.

How do you get the upsell to a suite?

[Florida_gal_50]

5 hours ago, mcrcruiser said:

How do you get the upsell to a suite?

I booked through HAL directly (PCC) so the upsell came directly to me. I was on the phone within a minute of receiving the offer.

[alyssamma]

7 hours ago, mcrcruiser said:

How do you get the upsell to a suite?

Fyi, I booked through a TA and the offer goes to them and they forward to me. I've gotten 4 offers so far on my cruise in the 14th, including one today.

[mikebsxm]

Somewhere on CC recently, I saw a post about a special phone number for HAL's "Up Sell Desk".

Can't find it.  Does anyone have it, if it exists.

 

[Suzanne123]

I think it is 1-888-628-8107