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Upsell Fairy Visited Us

Djptcp

By Djptcp,
in Holland America Line

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Djptcp

Djptcp

Posted
Posted

I received an extremely sweet deal to upgrade from a Signature Suite to a Neptune Suite on our Thanksgiving week cruise on the Nieuw Amsterdam!! Called DH and had the last forward one on Deck 7 booked within 15 minutes. Could not pass up the deal. DH and I had a Neptune Suite on our last HAL cruise in 2009 and loved it and the amenities. We have had mostly suites on Carnival and there are no amenities to speak of, so this will be a real treat again on HAL. We are also part of the VIP Casino Cruise group, so also looking forward to that.

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SetAnOpenCourse

SetAnOpenCourse

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Did you get the offer today? I'm wondering because this morning I was looking at that cruise on the HAL website and it showed the two highest categories as sold out (signature suite and neptune suite). Maybe they show sold-out after they send out the upsell offers, to allow people some time to decide.

 

Would you be willing to share how much the upsell cost? I'm thinking of booking a Caribbean cruise on HAL the following week, so the info may come in handy.

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frankc98376

frankc98376

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I really believe that a good TA is worth a lot. they will periodically check with the cruise line to see if up-sells are available instead of waiting the the line to call them. It's really a win-win as it increases their commission and the customer's loyalty.

When I was in the business I always asked my customers up front if they would be interested in up-sells and the maximum price point they were willing to pay for an up-sell. I could then accept an offer without the chance of missing a great deal playing phone tag.

As departure date approached I would check a couple of times a week for up-sell opportunities.

I know I could have gotten "bitten" by this but never happened- 100% of the people that got these upgrades were thrilled. More than once I was asked not to not tell their S/O as it would be a surprise on embarkation day.

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cruz chic

cruz chic

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I really believe that a good TA is worth a lot. they will periodically check with the cruise line to see if up-sells are available instead of waiting the the line to call them. It's really a win-win as it increases their commission and the customer's loyalty.

When I was in the business I always asked my customers up front if they would be interested in up-sells and the maximum price point they were willing to pay for an up-sell. I could then accept an offer without the chance of missing a great deal playing phone tag.

As departure date approached I would check a couple of times a week for up-sell opportunities.

I know I could have gotten "bitten" by this but never happened- 100% of the people that got these upgrades were thrilled. More than once I was asked not to not tell their S/O as it would be a surprise on embarkation day.

 

This is exactly why I book thru HAL direct. Although many TA's will tell you they have pull, very few of them actually do.

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maxout

maxout

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Posted (edited)
Yesterday I accepted a great upgrade on the Oosterdam at a very reasonable price. My ship leaves Sidney on 11/21/14 for twenty eight days.

 

We'll see you on board on 12/5. :D

Edited by maxout
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crystalspin

crystalspin

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About two weeks ago, we received an upsell offer from Deck 1 OV to Deck 6 or 7 Vista "Suite". I put the suite in quotes because it's just what a simple balcony on NCL or others would be, plus a one-touch concierge we will not use. I was leery of my DH being seasick at the higher level, but the availables on the Verandah Deck (6) were very central and after TEN days, those same cabins were still available!

 

A different UPGRADE thread in this forum got me to reconsidering and we took the bait, as I said: ten days later the deal was still there (not better or worse). The day after I booked the cabin I desired -- having used HAL-Facts to determine which mirror-image I wanted -- the block of rooms that HAD been available was NOT, but a different block on Deck 6 was. Much farther aft. Can only think they are juggling the life-boat capacities? Because those 7 cabins sat unclaimed for ten days... seems unlikely the other six sold just when I put three people in the one I did.

 

Anyway, we paid $499pp for the upsell ... for the first two people -- nothing at all for our third person, my mom! so that averages $333pp -- for a 14-day cruise. With compelling scenery, glaciers, fjords, et al. WooHoo!

 

Oh and speaking of surprises -- we're not telling my mom until she sees it (or notices the number on the luggage tags, but I intend to attach them on the dock). AND we bought her a new digicam, one with a decent amount of megapixels! I'm so excited!:D

 

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ICUQT

ICUQT

Posted
Posted
I really believe that a good TA is worth a lot. they will periodically check with the cruise line to see if up-sells are available instead of waiting the the line to call them. It's really a win-win as it increases their commission and the customer's loyalty.

When I was in the business I always asked my customers up front if they would be interested in up-sells and the maximum price point they were willing to pay for an up-sell. I could then accept an offer without the chance of missing a great deal playing phone tag.

As departure date approached I would check a couple of times a week for up-sell opportunities.

I know I could have gotten "bitten" by this but never happened- 100% of the people that got these upgrades were thrilled. More than once I was asked not to not tell their S/O as it would be a surprise on embarkation day.

 

I agree with you post. I use a TA because it works for ME. To avoid any arguments I emphasize "ME". I fully realize that after so many cruises with HAL I can do it myself. But I chose not too for many of the reasons Frank (Loren) has stated above. My TA checks on everything from the time I book to the time I board. I am sure I get the lowest price before final payment and I have a set pre-authorization for any upsell/upgrade offer that comes along. Does she get a commission? Yes. Does that commission come off the booked cruise fare price I pay HA? Yes. I have put through some dummy bookings on the HA site and never once have I gotten a reduced price show up for booking through them on my own. It is the same price that I pay through my TA. Does my TA have any pull with HA? Not to my knowledge. I do not know if you telephone a PCC to book if HA passes that commission they would have paid a TA along to you. Maybe someone can inform me on that point.

 

bob

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cruz chic

cruz chic

Posted
Posted
I agree with you post. I use a TA because it works for ME. To avoid any arguments I emphasize "ME". I fully realize that after so many cruises with HAL I can do it myself. But I chose not too for many of the reasons Frank (Loren) has stated above. My TA checks on everything from the time I book to the time I board. I am sure I get the lowest price before final payment and I have a set pre-authorization for any upsell/upgrade offer that comes along. Does she get a commission? Yes. Does that commission come off the booked cruise fare price I pay HA? Yes. I have put through some dummy bookings on the HA site and never once have I gotten a reduced price show up for booking through them on my own. It is the same price that I pay through my TA. Does my TA have any pull with HA? Not to my knowledge. I do not know if you telephone a PCC to book if HA passes that commission they would have paid a TA along to you. Maybe someone can inform me on that point.

 

bob

 

No, they do not pass the commission back to you. I'm not really sure why they would. I like a PCC because I like to have control of my booking. I don't want to deal with someone that could be away. The TA's that I've had have been useless. More power to anyone that can find one that actually is helpful and not just saying they are.

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ICUQT

ICUQT

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Posted
No, they do not pass the commission back to you. I'm not really sure why they would. I like a PCC because I like to have control of my booking. I don't want to deal with someone that could be away. The TA's that I've had have been useless. More power to anyone that can find one that actually is helpful and not just saying they are.

 

Thank you cruz chic for the information. I guess it comes down to personal choice TA or PCC whatever works best for your given situation. I don't want to high jack this thread but my thought on the commission aspect was if your cut out the middle man (TA) would HA offer some type of discount for a direct booking. You answered that and I thank you.

 

bob

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SilvertoGold

SilvertoGold

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Posted
No, they do not pass the commission back to you. I'm not really sure why they would. I like a PCC because I like to have control of my booking. I don't want to deal with someone that could be away. The TA's that I've had have been useless. More power to anyone that can find one that actually is helpful and not just saying they are.

 

We have come to agree with this over the past few years.

 

We, too, like to have control of our bookings, especially having upsells emailed directly to us. That can be a huge plus, because we seldom feel our TA is completely on top of this.

 

However, we do use a TA when she can give us a better price than HAL can and/or when she gives us OBC, Pinnacle, Internet packages or whatever.

 

On longer cruises (over 21 days) our bottom line is the most important consideration, so we book a guarentee accordingly and get the TA benefits.

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Hgwells01

Hgwells01

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Posted
Yesterday I accepted a great upgrade on the Oosterdam at a very reasonable price. My ship leaves Sidney on 11/21/14 for twenty eight days.

 

Hope its Sydney Australia you are leaving from as I know the Oosterdam is based here for our summer, :)only Sidney I can think of is Poitier the actor.

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