New 30-day policy for last-minute upgrades

[insidecabin]

UK, email for Nov cruise offers with choice

[punkincc]

I am 27 days out to my cruise and just went from an Obstructed view to a GTY Balcony. I called my travel agency who called NCL and they worked out a deal, I paid a little bit of money for the change. I also kept my UDP.

 

Well, so much for no upsells or upgrade requests honored <30 days out. Your post was ignored a few days ago. Bumping this up as there is a new thread posted today by AZ ParrotHead which also recounts how he called and got an upsell yesterday for a cruise leaving the 29th. Your experience and his sound like business as usual for upsells at NCL.

 

The other thread is "Guess Who Just Got a Call From the Upsell Fairy. Despite his thread title, he confirms that he initiated the calls himself, and it was not in response to any phone call or email offer. Went from MX to H6 Suite for $500 per person, total of $1,549 pp for a suite he says has been listed previously for $4,600 pp.

 

So this does not seem to mesh with this supposed new policy. If NCL wants to change their policy then so be it, but it would be nice if they didn't tell callers one day that policy does not is allow upgrades or upsells <30 days out, and then the following day accept calls and allow upsells in this same time frame.

[DevCruise]

Well, so much for no upsells or upgrade requests honored <30 days out. Your post was ignored a few days ago. Bumping this up as there is a new thread posted today by AZ ParrotHead which also recounts how he called and got an upsell yesterday for a cruise leaving the 29th. Your experience and his sound like business as usual for upsells at NCL.

 

The other thread is "Guess Who Just Got a Call From the Upsell Fairy. Despite his thread title, he confirms that he initiated the calls himself, and it was not in response to any phone call or email offer. Went from MX to H6 Suite for $500 per person, total of $1,549 pp for a suite he says has been listed previously for $4,600 pp.

 

So this does not seem to mesh with this supposed new policy. If NCL wants to change their policy then so be it, but it would be nice if they didn't tell callers one day that policy does not is allow upgrades or upsells <30 days out, and then the following day accept calls and allow upsells in this same time frame.

 

Could the difference be between a paid upgrade and a price drop upgrade? ie. in your example and the previous poster, both paid at least a little for the upgrade. Versus say I have a balcony booked at $1500pp and mini-suites drop to $1450pp, so I upgrade to a mini.

 

Or are they still allowing that scenario too?

[punkincc]

Could the difference be between a paid upgrade and a price drop upgrade? ie. in your example and the previous poster, both paid at least a little for the upgrade. Versus say I have a balcony booked at $1500pp and mini-suites drop to $1450pp, so I upgrade to a mini.

 

Or are they still allowing that scenario too?

 

Well according to what NCL said recently, the free upgrade to the minisuite which is now priced below the $ you paid for your balcony would not be allowed inside 30 days, as the cheaper MiniSuites would be reserved for new bookings only. So essentially, once the 30 days mark is hit, you are locked into your current cabin, no free upgrade of upsell at any price.

 

A paid upgrade or upsell was always allowed in the past if the cabins were available, but usually, only in the last 30 days or so pre sail are there significant enough price drops to warrant asking for one. AZ would never have gotten this upsell offer to this suite several months back. Of course they would have made an offer based on pricing at the time, but I doubt he would have liked it. Now according to NCL, those offers cannot be made to any booked passengers inside 30 days.

 

Of course NCL can call select passengers or email select passengers with offers to meet NCL's needs anytime they want. But to tell booked passengers who call that it is "not policy", and to then honor requests for those who have a "special unpublished number" to call, or who have a TA who can call for them and then have their requests honored inside 30 days just doesn't sound right.

 

Either have a policy, or don't.

Edited November 18, 2015 by punkincc

[drvalo]

Well according to what NCL said recently, the free upgrade to the minisuite which is now priced below the $ you paid for your balcony would not be allowed inside 30 days, as the cheaper MiniSuites would be reserved for new bookings only. So essentially, once the 30 days mark is hit, you are locked into your current cabin, no free upgrade of upsell at any price.

 

A paid upgrade or upsell was always allowed in the past if the cabins were available, but usually, only in the last 30 days or so pre sail are there significant enough price drops to warrant asking for one. AZ would never have gotten this upsell offer to this suite several months back. Of course they would have made an offer based on pricing at the time, but I doubt he would have liked it. Now according to NCL, those offers cannot be made to any booked passengers inside 30 days.

 

Of course NCL can call select passengers or email select passengers with offers to meet NCL's needs anytime they want. But to tell booked passengers who call that it is "not policy", and to then honor requests for those who have a "special unpublished number" to call, or who have a TA who can call for them and then have their requests honored inside 30 days just doesn't sound right.

 

Either have a policy, or don't.

 

In the last week or so, several folks (including Squidward above) on our December Panama Canal cruise have been able to pay for an upgrade and keep their promos. No one reported getting a "free" upgrade. Perhaps it is the "pay more policy" here that rules. Before the new policy, a NCL rep told me that I could always pay more to upgrade after final payment. As far as I know those on our cruise all made their own calls to request the upgrade. I don't think it was to the secret number either. But it also seems that those cold calls are no different than before....if you don't like the answer, hang up and call to talk to someone else. Some things never change. :(

Edited November 18, 2015 by drvalo

[punkincc]

In the last week or so, several folks (including Squidward above) on our December Panama Canal cruise have been able to pay for an upgrade and keep their promos. No one reported getting a "free" upgrade. Perhaps it is the "pay more policy" here that rules. Before the new policy, a NCL rep told me that I could always pay more to upgrade after final payment. As far as I know those on our cruise all made their own calls to request the upgrade. I don't think it was to the secret number either. But it also seems that those cold calls are no different than before....if you don't like the answer, hang up and call to talk to someone else. Some things never change. :(

 

Well, I hope you are right, but if you go back and read the first few posts on this thread, it certainly sounds like they are talking about upsells. I really do not expect any price drops on our next couple of cruises, but you never know. Will just have to call if and when the situation arises. Some of the earlier comments in this thread mentioned "OBC" which has very rarely been granted by NCL if a free upgrade was requested but none were available. I have never requested OBC to recoup any money after a price drop. Have only requested upsell like balcony to mini or mini to suite. If that is still a possibility, then I am happy.

[econ]

Tried to receive an OBC a few days ago, because higher levels suites were less expensive than mine. Willing to move me - but since within 30 days of sailing - no deal on the OBC[emoji20]

[drvalo]

Well, I hope you are right, but if you go back and read the first few posts on this thread, it certainly sounds like they are talking about upsells. I really do not expect any price drops on our next couple of cruises, but you never know. Will just have to call if and when the situation arises. Some of the earlier comments in this thread mentioned "OBC" which has very rarely been granted by NCL if a free upgrade was requested but none were available. I have never requested OBC to recoup any money after a price drop. Have only requested upsell like balcony to mini or mini to suite. If that is still a possibility, then I am happy.

 

At 30 days out our cruise had a HUGE (and I mean really huge) price drop with no promotions. Yes, they were upsells but for not much additional and PX kept their promotion(s). So you should be happy. :)

 

Actually, I kind of like this new policy. I hope it sticks. I wish we lived closer to a port for easier last minute cruising. Most of the promotions did not interest us much anyway and a lower fare with just paying for what we want seems best.

[drvalo]

Tried to receive an OBC a few days ago, because higher levels suites were less expensive than mine. Willing to move me - but since within 30 days of sailing - no deal on the OBC[emoji20]

 

With no promotions on the lower fare (not sure what you got when you booked), perhaps what you have is still a good value. It does seem like the OBC for lower fare is now a thing of the past. Have a great cruise anyway!

[econ]

They offered to move me forward with a higher level suite, including initial promotions. But wanted to keep my aft suite. Was still hoping for some OBC with the price drops[emoji4]