Upgrade or Upsell at check in?

[hobbshadow]

OK, I have a quick question. I booked our cruise through an internet site and was looking to pay for an upgrade from an interior to a AF mini-suite. I emailed the site and they gave me one price that I was OK with, but when I emailed them back to tell them to go for it, the price had almost doubled when they called NCL to process.

 

I didn't want to pay that much but would still really like a balcony. The agent at the website suggested that I just ask at check in to see if they have any upsells available when I check in at the port.

 

Has anyone done this? Did you have any kind of luck getting a good cabin at a good price this way.

 

Also, what is the best upsell that anyone has ever been offered from an interior cabin?

 

Thanks,

 

Lee

[SeattleCruiselover]

99.99% of the time, the answer is going to be a resounding no. It is rare for the ships to sail less than full anymore, because they will do pretty much anything to make sure that they do. Sure, there are people that no show, but they leave those cabins open in case of a need to move pax around. You can always ask, but be prepared in advance for a negative response.

[hobbshadow]

I am in the hotel business, so I am familiar with having an empty room as forever being lost revenue. But with a little over a month to go, there are still lots of cabins left (at least judging by searching for a cabin on NCL.com).

 

Hopefully the upsell fairy will call, or maybe the rates will drop closer to the cruise and I'll be able to upgrade through the online agency.

[tarps14]

Hobbshadow-do NOT wait for a possible upsell at the pier. Our cruise this week was sorely undersold until about 2-3 weeks ago. NCL really turned it on the last couple of weeks and EVERYTHING sold out (and, yes, we know this first hand, not just from what we were "told" at the pier). If you want a balcony, bite the bullet and pay for it. It is highly unlikely, as the previous poster stated, that you will be able to upgrade (i.e. upsell) at the pier.

[Travel Angel]

I am in the hotel business, so I am familiar with having an empty room as forever being lost revenue. But with a little over a month to go, there are still lots of cabins left (at least judging by searching for a cabin on NCL.com).

 

Hopefully the upsell fairy will call, or maybe the rates will drop closer to the cruise and I'll be able to upgrade through the online agency.

 

Hotel business and cruiselines are two different animals and cannot be compared when it comes to upgrades at time of sailing. It is RARE when there will be an upgrade available at the pier as ships for the most part go out full and if the sailing was soft (staterooms available), the calls to TA's from the cruiselines with upgrade opportunities to provide to clients are made to get the ship full BEFORE it sails. Also, it will usually be posted on the ship that no upgrades are available due to full sailing. If you want that upgrade get it now ! Many times cruiseline websites are not on "Real Time" and it actually takes a call to the cruiseline to get accurate info regarding staterooms remaining. Keep your eye on it and perhaps that opportunity to upgrade at an affordable cost will happen for you !

[tunseeker1]

Remember that any upgrades at the pier will be for full fare of the room minus what you already paid.

[Lynne79]

just curious, but why do you want to go all the way from an inside to an AF mini-suite. there are balcony cabins available that would be a cheaper upgrade, are there not?

[hobbshadow]

Lynne,

 

Long story, but at first I was under the impression that the mini-suites came with the concerige reservation perk...that was when I was given the intial price for the upgrade. I was OK with the jump in price because I was willing to pay a little extra to not have to get up early to make reservations. Well, before I upgraded, I discovered that the perk no longer applied and I was debating on whether or not to spend the $ on the upgrade. When I decided to go for it anyway, the price had jumped WAY up for the mini-suite and the balcony's were now higher than the original upgrade price for a mini-suite.

 

For the price of the balcony upgrade alone, I could book a 7 day balcony on a future cruise for us later...so that is the route I will be taking...Unless I happen to get an offer from the Upsell fairy:)