How common are upsells?

[taba]

This will be my our cruise on HAL. We have been on three on Royal Caribbean. We booked a last minute cruise online directly through HAL at a great rate in a VH category on Monday morning. By early afternoon we were offered via email an upsell for $50 pp to an SS or $150 pp to a SA-SC. I called the next morning and got the VH to SA for $127 pp. Is this common? It seems like a great deal, but I have never been on HAL, so I don't know what to expect.

[sail7seas]

Upsell offers seem to go to new HAL cruisers vs those who have sailed the cruise line a lot in the past. If you like the offer, accept it. If you don't, no problem. :)

 

[canadianbear]

Which ship and when is the cruise? I think that is a steal of a deal the upsell you got and very, very worth every cent of it.

 

Make sure you research all that comes with having the SA. You will love it. Please let us know when you get back how it was:)

[PathfinderEss]

I don't know, seems to me like it is getting more common all the time. In fact I feel stupid that I pay full price for my cabin.:(

[jtl513]

... offered via email an upsell for $50 pp to an SS or $150 pp to a SA-SC. I called the next morning and got the VH to SA for $127 pp. Is this common? It seems like a great deal, but I have never been on HAL, so I don't know what to expect.

Upsells that great are not common at all IMO. I suspect you just got very lucky and booked late on a cruise that was selling poorly. The only upsell offer we've ever gotten in 15 HAL cruises was to go from an obstructed OV to a low verandah for something like $150 pp - for a three day cruise! We said "no thanks".

[Krazy Kruizers]

Congratulations on the wonderful upsell. You did very well.

How common? -- getting more common than years ago. Ships are not selling out -- especially for European cruises.

Enjoy your cruise.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I don't know, seems to me like it is getting more common all the time. In fact I feel stupid that I pay full price for my cabin.:(

 

I know how you feel.

But you are like us, we like certain cabins and we want to make certain that we get them.

[taba]

Upsells that great are not common at all IMO. I suspect you just got very lucky and booked late on a cruise that was selling poorly. The only upsell offer we've ever gotten in 15 HAL cruises was to go from an obstructed OV to a low verandah for something like $150 pp - for a three day cruise! We said "no thanks".

We are traveling with friends. They booked the same category a few days before we did. They didn't receive the offer. The only difference was, we are a few years younger and they booked through a TA. Our friends did get moved from a VH to a VA.

 

We have been looking for another cruise line. We liked Royal Caribbean, but their ships are getting too big for our taste. If we like this cruise, we may end up switching and booking at normal fares.

[jtl513]

Our friends did get moved from a VH to a VA.

That is very common, as VH are regularly overbooked with guarantees. The only time we tried a VH gty we got either a VA or a stern VB ... I can't remember which that gty was (we've done 9).

[IRL_Joanie]

Upsell offers seem to go to new HAL cruisers vs those who have sailed the cruise line a lot in the past. If you like the offer, accept it. If you don't, no problem. :)

 

 

Sail, I mentioned yesterday that it seems to me that those being offered both free upgrades and up sells vs those who have never received either may be dependent upon whether they have signed up for their Cruise Critic Roll Call and/or are active on it. Now that HAL has Face Book Roll Calls also, it may be that they are getting the offers first....

 

I thought on this a great deal while on my last cruise and came to my own conclusion based on the following:

 

I've been either the starter of our Roll Calls or extremely active in them and have received both offers on all but our first cruises (before we joined CC) with HAL.

 

Talking with others who've received the same offers, and they usually accepted, and they've almost always been members of a Roll Call when they received the offers.

 

Reading here on CC those who say they have never received those same offers I also note those same CC members also state they do not sign up for the Roll Calls.

 

I think, and please remember that I said I THINK, that there may in fact be some sort of correlation between the CC Roll Calls and these offers.

 

I also think that if we check or our TA's check the little box that says something to the effect, "Will take upgrade at no expense", that this also plays a factor in it, though I, and my HAL PCC, always say NO Upgrade and yet I still am offered....Inventory people do not always read what the customer/client/TA/PCC says on their initial booking.....

 

Joanie

[expectGREATthings]

How would HAL be able to offer me an upgrade based on my CC roll call participation? I don't list my contact information. I think that's a stretch.

Michael

[sail7seas]

I don't know, seems to me like it is getting more common all the time. In fact I feel stupid that I pay full price for my cabin.:(

 

 

 

I HEAR you, Melodie.

 

 

 

 

 

Sail, I mentioned yesterday that it seems to me that those being offered both free upgrades and up sells vs those who have never received either may be dependent upon whether they have signed up for their Cruise Critic Roll Call and/or are active on it. Now that HAL has Face Book Roll Calls also, it may be that they are getting the offers first....

<snip>

 

Joanie

 

 

 

I Know you said it but I'm not YET convinced you are right.

 

Regardless, I will not be doing Roll Calls anymore in the future than I do now.

Just not my thing.

 

BUT...... OP

Were you immediately signed up for your Roll Call? This upsell offer came just about immediately so, Joanie, it is almost impossible there is any link given this booking the the timing of upsell offer. Even if your theory is true, it cannot apply in this case.

 

I'll go so far to say that even if you were told this theory by someone on the ship, someone who one would think has 'reason to know', I'd still be very dubious. Those on the ships are sometimes not the first to know what those in Seattle are thinking and doing. ;) I postively believe they absolutely think it to be true if they say it but they could be mistaken.

 

JMO.....

 

[cruz chic]

Sail, I mentioned yesterday that it seems to me that those being offered both free upgrades and up sells vs those who have never received either may be dependent upon whether they have signed up for their Cruise Critic Roll Call and/or are active on it. Now that HAL has Face Book Roll Calls also, it may be that they are getting the offers first....

 

I thought on this a great deal while on my last cruise and came to my own conclusion based on the following:

 

I've been either the starter of our Roll Calls or extremely active in them and have received both offers on all but our first cruises (before we joined CC) with HAL.

 

Talking with others who've received the same offers, and they usually accepted, and they've almost always been members of a Roll Call when they received the offers.

 

Reading here on CC those who say they have never received those same offers I also note those same CC members also state they do not sign up for the Roll Calls.

 

I think, and please remember that I said I THINK, that there may in fact be some sort of correlation between the CC Roll Calls and these offers.

 

I also think that if we check or our TA's check the little box that says something to the effect, "Will take upgrade at no expense", that this also plays a factor in it, though I, and my HAL PCC, always say NO Upgrade and yet I still am offered....Inventory people do not always read what the customer/client/TA/PCC says on their initial booking.....

 

Joanie

 

Yeah, I don't think that's it at all. I think it's way more likely that those who book thru the cruise line are way more likely to see upsells. I've gotten one upsell in all my many, many cruises with Hal and I am active on the roll calls.

[Linda&Vern]

I think it is all computer generated. I can't figure out the criteria for who gets what offers ... but I'm not convinced a "human" would have the time to look over all the room assignments and pick out who should get an upsell offer or upgraded cabin.

[Linda&Vern]

I think it is all computer generated. I can't figure out the criteria for who gets what offers ... but I'm not convinced a "human" would have the time to look over all the room assignments and pick out who should get an upsell or upgrade.

[Rowsby]

I didn't join our roll call until after our upgrade (upsell)....

However......(and I hate to mention this)....but we never received offers when booking thru our previous TA....she made so many errors......I'm not sure she would have notified us.........

This last time I booked directly with HAL and received offers one week later....and then 5 days after that.....

I still think it has more to do with available cabins...

[Rowsby]

This will be my our cruise on HAL. We have been on three on Royal Caribbean. We booked a last minute cruise online directly through HAL at a great rate in a VH category on Monday morning. By early afternoon we were offered via email an upsell for $50 pp to an SS or $150 pp to a SA-SC. I called the next morning and got the VH to SA for $127 pp. Is this common? It seems like a great deal, but I have never been on HAL, so I don't know what to expect.

 

It's a great deal.....you'll love the SA...

Enjoy......!!!

[LAFFNVEGAS]

I am sorry but I am just shaking my head at some of the comments and of how upsells are offered :eek: First off every single sailing is totally different!!! It is based on percentages of availability for cabins. To make sure you might get an offer you MUST not have your booking marked DO NOT UPGRADE, you also much not be linked with others traveling to at least get the first upsell offer. If you have chosen a guarantee and are linked with others then YES that does put you into the pool for the computer to spit out the upsell offer when it comes time.

The most likely ships to be given an offer are Vista and Signature Class ships, the others do but not nearly as frequently purely due to shear numbers. The most common category to be offered upsells are the Signature Suites. For my Alaska sailing the broadcast went out with others traveling with me and they got the offer because the cabin was not marked DO NOT UPGRADE mine was and never saw an offer for my own.

This summer there have been more offers than ever for Europe and Alaska with just a few sailings being the exception. The category that gets offered upsells the least is actually Obstructed Ocean Views category HH, H, G and GG on the Vista and Signature Class. The reason being is HAL has a percentage of cabins they must keep people in for each category . The category is the least desirable.

It has absolutely nothing to do with being first time HAL cruisers, nor does it have absolutely nothing to do with being here on CC or Facebook or if you have a TA or booked direct with HAL. It is simply a numbers and revenue process plain and simple. I do believe more people are cruising but more are spending less so reserving lower priced accommodations. The lower level cabins in most cases are what sells first. This is HAL's way to move people up. A very larger percentage of those who purchase do purchase during a Flash sale with Guarantee cabins. Those who want a balcony cabin and what to not do a guarantee will most likely chose a category VE or VD because of the price point some may even chose the VC but most do not chose the VA and VB simply because of the cost. After final they can purchase a Signature Suite Guarantee for less than the regular price VB or VA so why do that. This leaves many of the VB and VA Available.Same holds true with Neptune Suites except the percentage of those who purchase a Neptune Suite is becoming lower each year therefor HAL must dangle the carrot out there to entice those to move up. Cruise lines like Celebrity Royal Caribbean and Princess rarely do this and most due to the fact they do not have the numbers of Full Suites that HAL has. They also offer special pricing quite early 9 or more months out for Past Passengers. NCL is the same way while on their newer ships have a larger percentage of Full Suites the offers the give 9 or more months out are great and are then sold out early.

 

Through the years HAL has taught potential passengers to hold out till their prices drop then buy a guarantee Flash. Not quite the philosophy of some of the other cruise lines but HAL is still hanging in there with this method.

[sail7seas]

Yeah, I don't think that's it at all. I think it's way more likely that those who book thru the cruise line are way more likely to see upsells. I've gotten one upsell in all my many, many cruises with Hal and I am active on the roll calls.

 

 

We book directly with HAL and we have had poor upsell offers a few times. For us, there is only one category to which they can upsell us but the offers weren't good. We said No.

 

 

 

I think it is all computer generated. I can't figure out the criteria for who gets what offers ... but I'm not convinced a "human" would have the time to look over all the room assignments and pick out who should get an upsell or upgrade.

 

 

I agree it is computer .... to a point.

I think at some point, some of the upsell/upgrade offers a human in Inventory Control is involved. I don't think it is totally electronic/mechanical.

 

 

 

I read all Lisa wrote and it makes sense and I accept her 'expertise' but don't think it is the whole story. Actually, I'm quite sure there are a few more facets that weren't mentioned.

 

She is in the business and knows HAL.

Lots of us who have been around HAL for years have a bit of background info also.

Just yesterday, I predicted to DH that HAL would take a certain action in regard to a situation about which we were familiar. He disagreed. He told me today he found out the action and I had called it accurately. :D

 

 

 

 

 

 

[cruz chic]

I think the only people that know how Hal functions is Hal. I've seen things written on here as fact that were later disproved so I'll take what I read with a grain of salt.

[Rowsby]

Through the years HAL has taught potential passengers to hold out till their prices drop then buy a guarantee Flash.

 

This was our first guarantee....and we did buy it on a Flash Sale.......

Great......but not when you want that certain cabin.......

[IRL_Joanie]

I HEAR you, Melodie.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I Know you said it but I'm not YET convinced you are right.

 

Regardless, I will not be doing Roll Calls anymore in the future than I do now.

Just not my thing.

 

BUT...... OP

Were you immediately signed up for your Roll Call? This upsell offer came just about immediately so, Joanie, it is almost impossible there is any link given this booking the the timing of upsell offer. Even if your theory is true, it cannot apply in this case.

 

I'll go so far to say that even if you were told this theory by someone on the ship, someone who one would think has 'reason to know', I'd still be very dubious. Those on the ships are sometimes not the first to know what those in Seattle are thinking and doing. ;) I postively believe they absolutely think it to be true if they say it but they could be mistaken.

 

JMO.....

 

 

 

No one told me this Sail, Lore, Lisa and all others who see errors to my thoughts. I was just thinkjing about those that I knew were on our Roll Calls over the last few years and the upgrade fairies visiting.

 

It just seems like more of us who are on Roll Calls are offered than those who are not.... I'm not fully convinced my self, but.... I think it comes down to "I had WAY to much time to sit and think while enjoying my days on Zuiderdam, and we all know that Joanie and thinking are a Very Dangerous thing:D

 

Joanie

[sail7seas]

Jaonie,

I think there could be a small sliver of maybe but I'm not convinced.

 

As I stated, I believe some is random, some is purposely directed at new cruisers.... you know - wow them with their first cruise and they'll come back, hopefully with all their friends and family. :D

 

Us long time, high day cruisers they know they 'own'.

 

They aren't very worried about losing too many of us as they know we'll get older and stop cruising anyway. ;)

I am likely a fool to write so directly and express my opinion so loudly on a public forum I know is read by many HAL people but that is who I am. I am direct, honest to a fault and if it's on my mind, it's on my tongue. :D

 

So, anyone in Inventory Control or any other position with authority to do so,,,,,,,, If you want to upgrade us to a Penthouse, please feel free. :)

 

Thanks in advance. ;)

 

 

 

[LAFFNVEGAS]

I think there could be a small sliver of maybe but I'm not convinced.

 

As I stated, I believe some is random, some is purposely directed at new cruisers.... you know - wow them with their first cruise and they'll come back, hopefully with all their friends and family. :D

 

Us long time, high day cruisers they know they 'own'.

 

They aren't very worried about losing too many of us as they know we'll get older and stop cruising anyway. ;)

 

[/b]

Sail I do not know the exact numbers but know is it EXTREMELY high but almost every new cruiser to HAL purchases a Guarantee cabin. Alaska has the highest number of first time cruisers and the percentage is staggering of how many book guarantees. It stands to reason they are going to get an Upsell. It is simply a numbers game.

[travelnnana]

Booked on 19 days on Eurodam sailing Aug 8th (Fjords + Baltic) - I have booked both Meet & Greets - most of us have balcony guarantees - I suspect the ship is not full - so there will have to be some upsells I think - will let everyone know if I get one