Upsell Pricing

[flashdog_1]

Unless it has changed in the last 2 weeks, that's not true. I called the upsell desk myself a week and a half ago, and got a good upsell from AF to A3.

 

It is true, that many TAs don't actually know how to contact the upsell desk. So they simply go through the reservation dept, and then they simply get the regular rate. My TA essentially told me that upsells did not exist. Which is what prompted me to simply call myself.

 

Just wondering Havoc315, if you used a travel agent, how did NCL break its own rule of not speaking with passengers who did not book directly with them? Did you have a 3 way call with your travel agency?Or did you just ask a travel agent you had used in the past, and this time had booked directly w/NCL? Let us know. Thanks

[havoc315]

Just wondering Havoc315, if you used a travel agent, how did NCL break its own rule of not speaking with passengers who did not book directly with them? Did you have a 3 way call with your travel agency?Or did you just ask a travel agent you had used in the past, and this time had booked directly w/NCL? Let us know. Thanks

 

They didn't object to talking to me, with the understanding that ultimately the TA would need to be brought into the loop. So they spoke to me, quoted me the rate, I agreed, and then we conferenced in the TA to make it official.

[brunolvr]

Has anyone ever heard of a upsell to a Garden Villa from an AB or similar level? The AB's are usually less than half the cost. I ask because the Villas are still available on our cruise 4/10/10 on the NCL Star. Curious, because it is such a big jump dollar wise. That level is the only upsell we'd be able to fit in being 5 of us from two rooms. (AB and inside). Guess I will hope and have a price limit in my head for the call.

 

I am set for my 5th NCL cruise and have had one upsell. On the POA for my very first trip. BA to AD. $400 total.

 

First trip I used an Online service and I have used a TA since. Does the upsell fairy call the TA instead of you with their offer?

 

Yes, it does happen. Last year on our cruise to Alaska on the Star, we were booked in an AB Suite and my brother & his wife were booked in an AF Mini-suite.

 

About 10 days before our cruise, I had a call from the upsell department offering the 4 of us a GV for an additional $5,240. I tried to negotiate the price and she lowered it to $4,302 additional, but I had to refuse since there was no way we could afford that much additional.

 

It would have been a once if a lifetime experience for us and it hurt to say no, but that's what we had to do. With what we paid for the AB & AF and the additional they were asking, the GV would have cost $12,685.

[mbisson]

About 10 days before our cruise, I had a call from the upsell department offering the 4 of us a GV for an additional $5,240. I tried to negotiate the price and she lowered it to $4,302 additional, but I had to refuse since there was no way we could afford that much additional.

 

 

 

If it happens again Sandy...call me (or jeff). One of us might take the 3rd bedroom and be one more couple to help split the costs ;)

[Oldsweets]

I have a saying that I enjoy because it just keep proving itself: No Good Deed shall go unpunished. I predict that the Upsell Fairy will get many calls and NCL will pull back and tighten up and they should. Otherwise they would need to raise prices because they put on more staff to deal with the upsell calls

[janice4559]

I have a saying that I enjoy because it just keep proving itself: No Good Deed shall go unpunished. I predict that the Upsell Fairy will get many calls and NCL will pull back and tighten up and they should. Otherwise they would need to raise prices because they put on more staff to deal with the upsell calls

 

Another way of looking at it is if they are upselling when they get a call, it saves them from making one. I have an alternate theory. I think that since it is much easier to call for an upsell and negotiate a lower rate if you don't have to involve a TA (in otherwise book direct), that the TA network saw the eventual changeover to direct booking and discouraged upsell calling and it died a natural death - for awhile. I've been thinking about this for awhile since coming on these boards and my belief is that a really good, loyal and hardworking TA is a rare breed these days. Years back, most were in this category. But with the advent of the internet and online everything, the majorty have turned to order takers with minimum service after the sale as their creed. As I've said on other posts, if you have one of these great TA's, hold onto them like they were gold because you truly have something special.

[brunolvr]

If it happens again Sandy...call me (or jeff). One of us might take the 3rd bedroom and be one more couple to help split the costs ;)

 

Sounds good, Monte, but I don't expect to ever receive a chance like that again! It was almost too good to be true! Only wish we could have accepted that offer!:)

 

In 2007 on the Pearl, we had a great upsell to the Deluxe Owner's Suite from our AE. And in 2008, we booked the same AE and got another upsell to an Owner's Suite. This year I think we'll be happy with our AB, although I'd love an A3 if there are any left!

[Oldsweets]

4559

 

I agree with much of your post though my belief is that NCL isn't set up to take upsell calls. Let say NCL has 30 rooms to upsell on the upcoming Pearl trip and the only call volume they to deal with is outbound calls to TA's to find customers. I know that NCL contacted one TA on my upcoming trip and had instant contact with 12 customers and upsold three rooms all with just one call to one TA. How many incoming calls would NCL deal with if it does take incoming customers calls? Lets run some math and start with just one ship for an upcoming cruise gets incoming calls, and now multiply it by how many ships in the fleet, and now multiply it again for thoses who call one, two, and even three weeks out, and don't foget to multiply it by some factor for those who call each of those weeks, or lord forbid multi times in a week just in case something changed. We won't tryy to include the number of calls from people outside a three week window. I think it's alot like a kids ballgame "get enough adults involved and thet will mess it up" However the game is played by NCL I will play it I just want to know the rules and I want NCL to enforce them so that I have a fair chance to win once and awhile. I wish if NCL is going to take calls then take them and NCL isn't going to take them then don't because it certainly isn't fair to those who don't know how to get in the back door market works.

 

Again you are right on target with you comments on the few good TA's

[mylesf]

Another way of looking at it is if they are upselling when they get a call, it saves them from making one. I have an alternate theory. I think that since it is much easier to call for an upsell and negotiate a lower rate if you don't have to involve a TA (in otherwise book direct), that the TA network saw the eventual changeover to direct booking and discouraged upsell calling and it died a natural death - for awhile. I've been thinking about this for awhile since coming on these boards and my belief is that a really good, loyal and hardworking TA is a rare breed these days. Years back, most were in this category. But with the advent of the internet and online everything, the majorty have turned to order takers with minimum service after the sale as their creed. As I've said on other posts, if you have one of these great TA's, hold onto them like they were gold because you truly have something special.

 

Sorry but your alternate theory is not flawed. TA still book over 70% of the cruise lines inventory so when there was an upsell desk that took in bound calls, by far, TA's were the ones calling in verses direct bookings. What became somewhat of a problem is that TA's would sell lower end cabins and then advise the client to hold off and as the sailing gets closer they could call in and get the client the balcony at a much lower rate, which if available, they did. Now TA's and direct bookings know to book the cabin you really want and don't count on the upsell option. The other comment floating around is that if you book through a TA you have less of a chance getting the upsell call. Also this is not true, it all depends on NCL's need at the time of sailing. When they start to work the upsell for a sail date there is no pecking order to the calls. If a cabin (not TA or direct booking) is booked into a category that NCL needs that cabin will be the first to get the call...Supply and demand. Also, if the Garden Villa's are unsold at the time the ship pulls away from the pier the captain has the flexiability to offer upsells during the cruise.

[rickechambers1@aol.com]

Maybe they should auction them off before the cruise. Something like ebay...

 

But there is potential that upselling will hurt direct bookings. It could become annoying for someone who pays full fare to spend thousands more because they pay the asking price vs. the customer who basically wants the same thing but isn't willing to pay for it. This could lower the appeal (or perception) of the product to the customers who are actually willing to pay the normal rate.

[janice4559]

Maybe they should auction them off before the cruise. Something like ebay...

 

But there is potential that upselling will hurt direct bookings. It could become annoying for someone who pays full fare to spend thousands more because they pay the asking price vs. the customer who basically wants the same thing but isn't willing to pay for it. This could lower the appeal (or perception) of the product to the customers who are actually willing to pay the normal rate.

 

All the more reason for direct bookers to be proactive and call instead of waiting for a call. They need to take advantage of having booked direct and the ability to call without their TA. I see direct booking with NCL as an advantage, not a disadvantage.