Is this true? No more upsells?

[Meggiewegs]

I just called NCL to inquire about an upsell on the Oct. 8th sailing of the Spirit. I was told that they are not authorized to do this anymore... the bookings are final or something like that for ALL sailings. Now, seriously, when has that happened? I got an upsell in May with no problem.

 

The woman then transferred me to some other woman's voicemail and told me to leave a message re: I'd like to have an upsell. :confused: I did it, but I have no idea what that was about.

 

Anyone?

 

ETA: I called NCL & got my own upsell last May, I didn't wait for them to call me.

[mtchg]

..I have never heard it in regard to cruise bookings in this manner.

 

Could you explain it please, and I'm sure someone will answer your question.

 

 

Mitch

[2Cruise4Ever]

An upsell is an offer made by the cruiselien for a higher category cabin at a substantially lower price. We had originally booked an AF Mini-Suite on the Dawn last year and were offered an upsell to the AB Penthouse for only 25% of the difference. We naturally jumped on it. And, the ploy worked: we booked the AB outright for next Summer ~ Whaaa Hoooo!!!

[garycarla]

....Could you explain it please, and I'm sure someone will answer your question. Mitch

 

There is a great tool here at Cruise Critic called SEARCH that will bring lots of information on upsell, and of course lots of other topics.

 

As to the posting above, there was another message recently that NCL had gone from the "don't call us, we will call you" because the volume of calls were getting out of control. That MIGHT be what you ran into here.

[newlywedcruisers]

The stories seem to always flipflop. I think you just got a PO'd CSR. Sorry!

[mistybaby]

I just spoke with the upsell desk. They are currently locked out of doing upsells (it has been this way for the past day or two) and they do not know when they will be allowed back in...

[ladymanor1]

I called today and was told the same thing that they had been locked out for the last three days.

The pleasant young lady (pamela) also told me that they are no longer authorized to give upsells to people who call in, that it is basically a don't call us, we'll call you type of system now.

I won't give up, I will keep trying and calling, and maybe just maybe I will be able to work something out. :)

 

debbie

[Meggiewegs]

Thanks everyone! I appreciate your replies.

[B4andAFT]

I received a call last night from our TA regarding an upsell on our upcoming Majesty cruise to Bermuda. NCL had called her to see if we were interested in moving up to a suite from our CC. We declined, as we are very happy with the stateroom we have. :)

[beachchick]

I called today and was told the same thing that they had been locked out for the last three days.

The pleasant young lady (pamela) also told me that they are no longer authorized to give upsells to people who call in, that it is basically a don't call us, we'll call you type of system now.

I won't give up, I will keep trying and calling, and maybe just maybe I will be able to work something out. :)

 

debbie

 

I don't know for sure, but I have seen mentioned several times (and have heard directly from NCL) that this is actually one of the main reasons that they went to "don't call us, we'll call you" because people were calling in repeatedly and the small department simply couldn't handle the volume of calls. You may want to call and check in again, but I wouldn't recommend calling every day because they really seem to have become serious about not offering upsells to pax who call in and ask for one.

 

I'm thoroughly disappointed about this as DH and I wanted to try for one for our PoH cruise (I figured I'd call after final payment and then again about a month before the cruise), but our NCL agent told us that the best she could do was to put a note on our reservation that we are interested. I wrote to NCL about another matter and asked about this as well. I got two responses a letter from one of the CS coordinators and a phone call from the upsell coordinator. Both said the same thing: We are now doing it as "don't call us, we'll call you" because that's the only way we can keep the volume of calls under control and keep it running smoothly. Like I wrote though, I don't know for a fact that is true or if it's simply what they are telling people. However, over the past several months numerous posters here would report that they called the upsell # daily, day after day, and sometimes more than once a day, so it very well could have been the reason.

 

In any case, I hope you are lucky enough to get an upsell call for a terrific deal that will make your cruise even more special.:D

 

beachchick

[Maxsboubie]

My TA called to say that NCL called her to offer us an upsell. We jumped many categories and paid $70pp. Friends we are going with also called their TA and got on upsell , also. So it is "don't call us......."

[Welove2cruise2]

It's true that NCL is now taking a "don't call us, we'll call you" stance; however, if you see that the price of a cabin above what you have booked has dropped you can always call and get an upgrade -- in other words, you'd pay the difference between what you paid for your current stateroom and the cost of the new stateroom. We did this on our June Majesty cruise -- noticed about a week and a half after we booked that the cost of an owner's suite had dropped significantly (had to be a mistake, because the AB suites were more than the AA's) -- the cost difference between what we'd paid for our EE and the AA was only $400 -- of course we jumped on that one!:D

 

We'll still pray for a call from the upsell fairy after we book the next cruise! There's no where to go on our upcoming Majesty cruise (in two weeks) so I guess we're back to the EE...::cool:

[Planer's Edge]

The "don't call us" has only to do with who is making contact. NCL will not accept calls from individuals but will accept calls from TA's. The TA can call and get your name put on the "interested in upsell" list. Then when they start working on the cabin juggling they have a list to work from.

 

This is the procedure our TA used and sure enough we have moved up from a BA to an AC for our upcoming Jeweel cruise.

 

PE

[angeljt]

We'll still pray for a call from the upsell fairy after we book the next cruise! There's no where to go on our upcoming Majesty cruise (in two weeks) so I guess we're back to the EE...::cool:

 

Hi Peggy,

Glad to see you booked the Majesty again. I know you and Joe will have a great time, but try not to miss 903 too much....

Jackie

[jerhardt]

The "don't call us" has only to do with who is making contact. NCL will not accept calls from individuals but will accept calls from TA's. The TA can call and get your name put on the "interested in upsell" list. Then when they start working on the cabin juggling they have a list to work from.

 

This is the procedure our TA used and sure enough we have moved up from a BA to an AC for our upcoming Jeweel cruise.

 

PE

 

Ah, this logic sound fine if you have a TA, but what if like myself, you book directly with NCL using a personal cruise consultant? NCL doesn't want to talk to you either. And, the PCC will only email the reassignment desk, not actually call them for you. So, I had better luck in March with a TA in getting an upsell than with dealing with NCL directly.

[Planer's Edge]

Ah, this logic sound fine if you have a TA, but what if like myself, you book directly with NCL using a personal cruise consultant? NCL doesn't want to talk to you either. And, the PCC will only email the reassignment desk, not actually call them for you. So, I had better luck in March with a TA in getting an upsell than with dealing with NCL directly.

 

Are you saying that your PCC would not or could not get you on the upsell list. Wouldn't emailing them accomplish the same thing (i.e. getting your name on the upsell list)?

 

Besides upsells are always a crap shoot. I think there are a lot of factors in there decision as to whom to contact. I personally believe they take care of their past passengers (most previous cruises to fewest previous cruises) first. Then again that could be wishfull thinking. There is also the factor of what kind of cabin you have now as compared to what they are trying to fill and also what they need for other "new" passengers.

 

PE

[UKmen]

Amazing stuff! Never heard of an 'upsell' here in the UK. Is it a good thing?

[Welove2cruise2]

Hi Jackie! Can you believe we're going again??!! The price just couldn't be beat (though not the deal we got on the OS;) ). Yes, we'll miss being that spoiled, but hope to book a suite on the Dawn for New Year's Eve.

 

I think Joe needs this vacation (BTW, he's been retired since June 30th) more than I do -- and I work 40+ hours a week! :D

 

In any case, we are SO looking forward to going on the Majesty again! Our favorite ship!

[angeljt]

Hi Jackie! Can you believe we're going again??!! The price just couldn't be beat (though not the deal we got on the OS;) ). Yes, we'll miss being that spoiled, but hope to book a suite on the Dawn for New Year's Eve.

 

I think Joe needs this vacation (BTW, he's been retired since June 30th) more than I do -- and I work 40+ hours a week! :D

 

In any case, we are SO looking forward to going on the Majesty again! Our favorite ship!

Hi Peggy,

I'm very happy for you guys, just wish we were going too. I thought about it, but Terry only has so much time off, so we're going to wait until a little later in the fall/early winter. I hope you get a suite on the Dawn and will be spoiled again. The OS on the Dawn is so much different from the OS on the Majesty, but both are great to be in.

Have a few 'pops' for us!!! What week are you going in September?

Jackie

[szdiver]

We have a NCL personal consultant, and she says that she isn't allowed to contact the upsell desk for us....that upsells go to the "guaranteed" passengers first in any event. I had better luck with a TA last year - from a BE to an AB for $350. The pearl is sold out of anything other than a suite right now, so an upsell would be great - we are in an aft facing BA, hoping for upsell to call......

[seahorse]

We have a NCL personal consultant, and she says that she isn't allowed to contact the up sell desk for us....that up sells go to the "guaranteed" passengers first in any event. I had better luck with a TA last year - from a BE to an AB for $350. The pearl is sold out of anything other than a suite right now, so an up sell would be great - we are in an aft facing BA, hoping for up sell to call......

 

Sorry, I don`t agree with your consultant. Up sells DO NOT go to the GTY pax first. That is nonsense. There are many variables in up sells.

 

Aft cabins are great. If you are "stuck" with it I am sure you will be satisfied:)

[alemap]

We are booked on the Oct 8 Crown to Bermuda and were also told "don't call us, we will call you". However, yesterday my mother, the TA who booked the trip, decided to try again, and this time managed an upsell for them from a suite to an owner's suite, and my deluxe inside to a suite. I guess it just depends on who does the calling and when, and who you get.

 

Pamela

[newlywedcruisers]

We are booked on the Oct 8 Crown to Bermuda and were also told "don't call us, we will call you". However, yesterday my mother, the TA who booked the trip, decided to try again, and this time managed an upsell for them from a suite to an owner's suite, and my deluxe inside to a suite. I guess it just depends on who does the calling and when, and who you get.

 

Pamela

 

Would you mind listing the price per person on those upsells. Just curious, you don't have to if you dont feel comforatble w/ it.

[alemap]

Funny that you asked, my mother would not tell me because it is an anniversary gift to us! However, she did say that to go from her suite to owner's would have outright been more than 1000 pp, and that it was out of the question, so I am going to assume that it was around 400 pp or thereabouts, don't think she would have paid more. She said that she did talk the agent down from the original offer and that she got a great deal- totally worth it. As for our suite- I am guesing she got it for around 150-200 pp but again, just guessing. Sorry I cannot be of more help!

 

Pamela

[newlywedcruisers]

Funny that you asked, my mother would not tell me because it is an anniversary gift to us! However, she did say that to go from her suite to owner's would have outright been more than 1000 pp, and that it was out of the question, so I am going to assume that it was around 400 pp or thereabouts, don't think she would have paid more. She said that she did talk the agent down from the original offer and that she got a great deal- totally worth it. As for our suite- I am guesing she got it for around 150-200 pp but again, just guessing. Sorry I cannot be of more help!

 

Pamela

 

Hey thanks though, I'm betting you understand well how your mother thinks, so I bet you're in the neighborhood.