Upgrade offer rules ?

[jinpasco]

Our TA received an email saying we can get an upgrade for $$-$$$ depending on what category we choose. What it does not say is are we able to choose the room, are we stuck with a room they choose, does it restrict us to a certain section or deck etc. Its not a " bid ".  It doesn't say $$ and up.

Has anyone chosen this type of upgrade ? our TA will check later but nothing like first hand information. Thanks.

Edited February 2 by jinpasco
Spelling

[Mary229]

I always ask which rooms are available?  I never take an unknown position.  I take upsells quite often 

[jinpasco]

1 minute ago, Mary229 said:

I always ask which rooms are available?  I never take an unknown position.  I take upsells quite often 

Exactly, we have done the " they choose " route before  and most part has worked out but now I want to be in control.  This will be a test cruise as we will be on the same ship for 4 weeks next year and will be doing some scoping out the room we have then and where things are on the ship etc. 

[*Miss G*]

No idea what the experience is like when you have a TA, but when you speak with HAL, directly, they tell you which rooms are available and you choose from those.  It helps to have a deck plan handy..

 

In my experience, paid upgrades go quickly.  There usually aren’t too many rooms available for purchase so you need to act fast if you want one.

[Sea42]

53 minutes ago, *Miss G* said:

No idea what the experience is like when you have a TA, but when you speak with HAL, directly, they tell you which rooms are available and you choose from those.  It helps to have a deck plan handy..

 

In my experience, paid upgrades go quickly.  There usually aren’t too many rooms available for purchase so you need to act fast if you want one.

We use a TA and when we received an upgrade offer (it had been forwarded to us from the TA) we called HAL directly and selected our room.

[kazu]

I use a TA and have received upsell offers.  She calls me with the offer and although I am quick on my deck plans (I’ve usually been watching if it looks promising anyways), she has the list of available cabins for me and we choose and she gets it done and I pay.  It’s always worked out.

[Haljo1935]

Same - have deck plan handy so you can select the cabin you want from the ones they offer - it will not be a TBD if you're paying. Using a TA, you can have them loop you in when they call HAL so you can hear the cabin #s and make selection w/o the delay of back and forth. And remember, prices are negotiable on upsells.

Congrats - enjoy your upsell!

[sunviking90]

2 hours ago, Sea42 said:

We use a TA and when we received an upgrade offer (it had been forwarded to us from the TA) we called HAL directly and selected our room.

This is what we did also. Our TA forwarded us the email with the number to call.

[DaveOKC]

18 minutes ago, sunviking90 said:

This is what we did also. Our TA forwarded us the email with the number to call.

Awhile back I booked through a TA and got an upsell offer.  It was a hassle to go back and forth between them, HAL and me, but we did get it done.  Since I now book with HAL, I get an email upsell offfer, call them directly and get it done in minutes without a fuss.  I do my homework before hand and know which cabins I like, which are likely still open, and I call immediately.  Usually this happens 2-4 weeks prior to sailing and has always been on a weekday.

 

[Iamthesea]

2 hours ago, Haljo1935 said:

And remember, prices are negotiable on upsells.

Congrats - enjoy your upsell!

 

Curious about this statement.  The only negotiating that I have been involved with is I either pay what HAL is asking, or I don't pay and don't upsell.   Do you actually try to negotiate a lower rate?

[OlsSalt]

Our best upsell was turning down a few prior Neptune offers at decreasing prices, but agreeing to ourselves we would later take another one if it came along, Only to learn we were granted a complimentary Neptune upgrade anyway when the sailing time arrived.  

 

Pulling back the curtain in the cabin revealed a very large crack in the balcony window, so we assumed they knew they could not sell this at full Neptune price anyway. So we lucked out and did not feel this was a material defect, which should have been the case for any other full Neptune paying passenger.

 

So you just never know............. 

[kazu]

38 minutes ago, Iamthesea said:

 

Curious about this statement.  The only negotiating that I have been involved with is I either pay what HAL is asking, or I don't pay and don't upsell.   Do you actually try to negotiate a lower rate?

 

I did negotiate just once.  I had my eye on the PS for a very special date and treat and told my TA I would consider an upsell offer.  She reached out to HAL and got a price for me before it came out.  I told her I wouldn’t pay that and why.  She thought I made excellent points and asked how much I would be willing to pay.  I told her.  HAL came within $500 from my price and I took it.

 

It was a very different circumstance - the smallest PS in the fleet - I didn’t think it was worth the price.  Otherwise for normal upsell rounds I don’t think there is negotiation unless the offers have gone out a a few times.  Then it might be possible.

 

[sunviking90]

I tried to negotiate last time when I first called about the offer. I was following what @DaveOKC(I think) had said in an old thread about paying 1/3 of the current difference in price between what I had booked and the better cabin. They refused. This was about a month before sailing. I called a few more times in the next few weeks and just asked what upsells were available. 3 days before sailing I called and got my Vista for what I had originally offered. Interestingly every time I called I got different answers as to availability, etc. Some said I didn’t have a current offer, some didn’t even check if I did. 
When we boarded the stateroom keys, and various info sheets in the room had another person’s name on them. He must have cancelled last minute. 

[jinpasco]

I never thought to negotiate. Interesting. I was.pleased.with their upgrade offer.

My TA, the rep.and myself were on a 3 way call. I had to ship deck plan in front of me. I picked a room 3 doors down from the one we will have in Nov ! Perfect .  Thanks to all that gave me ideas.

[Mary229]

2 hours ago, Iamthesea said:

 

Curious about this statement.  The only negotiating that I have been involved with is I either pay what HAL is asking, or I don't pay and don't upsell.   Do you actually try to negotiate a lower rate?

I have and sometimes successfully 

[57redbird]

Didn't know upsells were negotiable....I'll remember that for next time.

[FlaMariner]

8 hours ago, jinpasco said:

What it does not say is are we able to choose the room, are we stuck with a room they choose, does it restrict us to a certain section or deck etc.

 

We've scored on two upsells over the past two years and we were able to choose from the particular "available" cabins. 

 

My advice is to respond quickly, have a deck plan out, credit card number ready and agreement w/Her Majesty already confirmed....do not dilly dally.

[jinpasco]

1 hour ago, FlaMariner said:

 

We've scored on two upsells over the past two years and we were able to choose from the particular "available" cabins. 

 

My advice is to respond quickly, have a deck plan out, credit card number ready and agreement w/Her Majesty already confirmed....do not dilly dally.

Done and done this afternoon.😁. Much better than a " bid " because you don't get to choose. 

[Iamthesea]

I am terrible at negotiating.  I normally would not think to do so.  In the past, I have been to a few yard sales (even had a moving sale or two.)  Attendees almost always ask for a lower price, even if it's from 10 cents to 5 cents. 🙄  If I see an item that I want, I had the money over.  However, I did negotiate a price recently for a beautiful low country marsh scene oil painting.  It was on Ebay.  The seller approved!

[YourWorldWithBill]

On our previous HAL cruises I haven't needed to try for an upsell, but for our cruise in May I will make the effort. I noticed that everyone has a different experience. When is the best time to start asking? My feeling would be to try about a month before sailing, as @sunviking90 did, and then just trying again if it doesn't work, hoping that eventually it happens.

Does everyone think that's the way to approach this?

[FlaMariner]

12 minutes ago, YourWorldWithBill said:

When is the best time to start asking?

 

Seems like two weeks was when they started having/offering upsells when I called for a cruise last October.

[daisy-mae]

4 minutes ago, FlaMariner said:

 

Seems like two weeks was when they started having/offering upsells when I called for a cruise last October.

We received our first upsell offer about 5 weeks before our February departure, and another one at the 18 day mark. The uptake must be lower than expected, or the price still too high.

[Haljo1935]

14 hours ago, Iamthesea said:

 

Curious about this statement.  The only negotiating that I have been involved with is I either pay what HAL is asking, or I don't pay and don't upsell.   Do you actually try to negotiate a lower rate?

Yes, we do try to negotiate a lower rate on upsells. Success, I believe, depends on how full the ship is and what the cancelation rate is. We're not always successful and sometimes it takes a couple calls before we land on an acceptable price, but the answer is always "no" if we don't ask.

We do try to be reasonable with our offers.

With that said, I have not had an upsell opportunity since they started the $49 standby program, so I don't know what impact that might have on successful negotiations. 

[Iamthesea]

Thought that program just started a month or so ago.

[dobiemom]

I work with a wonderful TA. I let her know how much I’m willing to spend if an upgrade offer comes in. She knows me so if an offer comes in at or below my price, she will grab it and choose my cabin. If the offer is higher, she will contact me.