Upsell Pecking Order for HAL

[sail7seas]

Lisa,

Is it Inventory Control working with Revenue Department?

 

Edited March 19, 2016 by sail7seas

[Old As Dirt Mom]

Is it Inventory Control working with Revenue Department?

 

 

A partial answer, perhaps:

 

For what it's worth, according to my travel agent (whose agency does a lot of business with HAL), it is the inventory control department that allocates cabins prior to departure, and makes the decisions regarding upgrades and paid upgrades (upsells). They operate under a system known only to themselves, and yes, their purpose is to maximize revenue for HAL.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Is it Inventory Control working with Revenue Department?

 

 

Yes, they are a linked department. Inventory Control works with moving cabins around when there are numerous segments and Collectors series. A cabin may be offer for a 14 day but not on the 2 seven day. They watch which segments are selling and can move cabins where they need to be to sell. Inventory Control also watches with numbers of Guarantee cabins sold. But sometimes this gets slipped through the crack and they have an Over Sold Situation. Inventory also does the assignment of those Guarantee cabins.

Often times the department that sells Upsell offers is called Inventory and it sounds better than Revenue. But in fact it is Revenue trying to make the most money for HAL on unsold cabins.

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

I was under the impression that every day a different HAL employee put all the passenger names in one of 3 hats. Then a member of HAL's upper management mixed up the hats keeping one for himself. Then a management trainee took the 2 remaining hats to the zoo and hired a monkey to pull out the names. When the monkey pulled from the hat in the right hand it was for upgrades; from the left hand it was for upsells.:D

 

I appreciate Lisa's explanation but love the this explanation!!

[wesport]

So, if I understand Lisa correctly, if there is going to be an upsell offer lets say for instance verandah(100 left), the offer will got to all ov and inside, or just ov if your reservation isn't linked to another cabin?

[taxmantoo]

Cannot speak for upgrades as they seem to happen at HAL's whim or the little leprechaun hiding inside their computer.

 

Upsells can be more predictable and usually involve an offer one category above what one has booked; i.e. insides are offered upsells to outsides, outsides are offered upsells to balconies, balconies are offered upsells to Signature Suite, etc. Been around for a while and have never heard of an inside cabin being offered an upsell to a Neptune Suite. ;)

Edited March 20, 2016 by taxmantoo

[sail7seas]

Thanks, Lisa.

[Toad]

First three cruises on Hal, no upsells. Last three cruises, 2 upsells each time. Our Maasdam cruise on March 29th, we have two first time cruisers, yep, two upsells, we have two other two star mariners, one got two upsells, the other none. So, if there is a system...I bet a NASA super computer is involved! [emoji6]

 

On this very same cruise with you. Have booked a guarantee with a PCC, stating we would be interested in an upsell or of course an upgrade. Have cruised with HAL 13 or 14 times. Sometimes book with HAL, sometimes online. To date, do not have a cabin assignment nor have we been offered an upsell. Just odd the way this seems to work. Always wondered if your chances are better if you book with HAL rather than an online agent. There really does not appear to be any way of figuring this out and maybe HAL likes it that way.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

On the Lower categories, you can get an offer from Inside to Ovstructed OV, Unobstructed OV and Lanai, or Inside to OV and obstructed OV and even once in a while an offer to Balcony. Often time these offers show all three with pricing differences to move up depending on the category. An OV will get an Upsell to balcony, Lanai's can get an upsell off to a Vista Suite, Signature Suite or Vista Suite to Neptune. The Koningsdam brings in a whole new level that I am not sure HAL knows how they will deal with since there is Signature Suite and Vista Suites. Vista Suite being the lessor priced. There are actually Less Neptune Suites and Signature Suites than on the Vistas so I am think they think there will be less opportunity for Upsells and if there are they will not be cheap.

[sail7seas]

On this very same cruise with you. Have booked a guarantee with a PCC, stating we would be interested in an upsell or of course an upgrade. Have cruised with HAL 13 or 14 times. Sometimes book with HAL, sometimes online. To date, do not have a cabin assignment nor have we been offered an upsell. Just odd the way this seems to work. Always wondered if your chances are better if you book with HAL rather than an online agent. There really does not appear to be any way of figuring this out and maybe HAL likes it that way.

 

Of course, HAL likes it that way.

Why would any of us pay the full prices if we figured out the path to getting more than we paid for given to us?

 

Most people would certainly use the path to an upsell rather than pay considerably higher amounts for the same cabin.

 

[Toad]

Why would any of us pay the full prices if we figured out the path to getting more than we paid for given to us

 

 

Oh I don't know, I guess it is because you can afford to, and you would find it unacceptable to sail in anything BUT a suite, and your preferred suite at that, so maybe that is the reason you are willing to pay the price.

 

If you could get your preferred cabin for less wouldn't you do that? I am sure that some people pay less by booking with big online agencies are they too "getting more than they(you) paid for given to them?"

 

For us we can sail in something less than a suite, but it would be a lovely surprise to get an upgrade. My guess is that most people book what they can afford but do enjoy nice surprises and upgrades, upsells.

[bphman]

We are 2 star and have had upsell offers on every cruise but the first. They have all been to Neptune suites from either a booked balcony or Vista. The balcony was a double upsell but on a second round. And, we always booked through a TA.

[Skoogs]

On this very same cruise with you. Have booked a guarantee with a PCC, stating we would be interested in an upsell or of course an upgrade. Have cruised with HAL 13 or 14 times. Sometimes book with HAL, sometimes online. To date, do not have a cabin assignment nor have we been offered an upsell. Just odd the way this seems to work. Always wondered if your chances are better if you book with HAL rather than an online agent. There really does not appear to be any way of figuring this out and maybe HAL likes it that way.

 

 

Hi Toad, I look forward to meeting you at the M&G. We used a PCC, a first for us, we originally booked an OV FF guarantee. The PCC offered us an upsell to a Lanai, we went for it. Then Wednesday we received an upsell email from Hal for a Vista suite. To much money for us. Plus I really like the Lanai . Still no cabin assignment yet. If Hal is listening, I'd like to go to a Neptune suite, let's say $300.00 per person. I know, keep dreaming Skoogs! Lol [emoji1]

[Toad]

Hi Toad, I look forward to meeting you at the M&G. We used a PCC, a first for us, we originally booked an OV FF guarantee. The PCC offered us an upsell to a Lanai, we went for it. Then Wednesday we received an upsell email from Hal for a Vista suite. To much money for us. Plus I really like the Lanai . Still no cabin assignment yet. If Hal is listening, I'd like to go to a Neptune suite, let's say $300.00 per person. I know, keep dreaming Skoogs! Lol [emoji1]

 

I'm dreaming with you.... I must look five times a day!

[monkey@cruise]

I was under the impression that every day a different HAL employee put all the passenger names in one of 3 hats. Then a member of HAL's upper management mixed up the hats keeping one for himself. Then a management trainee took the 2 remaining hats to the zoo and hired a monkey to pull out the names. When the monkey pulled from the hat in the right hand it was for upgrades; from the left hand it was for upsells.:D

 

I like your theory, Jane. the luck of the draw and by a monkey so no bias.:)

[sail7seas]

Oh I don't know, I guess it is because you can afford to, and you would find it unacceptable to sail in anything BUT a suite, and your preferred suite at that, so maybe that is the reason you are willing to pay the price.

 

If you could get your preferred cabin for less wouldn't you do that? I am sure that some people pay less by booking with big online agencies are they too "getting more than they(you) paid for given to them?"

 

For us we can sail in something less than a suite, but it would be a lovely surprise to get an upgrade. My guess is that most people book what they can afford but do enjoy nice surprises and upgrades, upsells.

 

Not many people I know want to pay more for something than they have to. If they can have the suite they like for a lower price rather than higher,,,,,, yes, that would please most of us.

 

Just because one may have the money, not too many would be happy to hand over more than necessary to have the 'thing' they are buying.

 

I actually thought that was rather obvious. :) If people knew a path to paying/booking lower and getting the higher cabin as an upsell, are you suggesting there are those that would not do that? :confused: :D

 

 

 

Edited March 20, 2016 by sail7seas

[TheEmerson]

On my current booking, we booked a SB via the PCC. I asked at the time of booking a year ago that Upgrades are okay for the booking. Last week I sent an email to my PCC on a whim to see what the cost would be to goto an SA. He informed me he does not see them available for sale, but he would make sure I am on the waitlist. This was the week for final payment (yeah me, boo wallet) and before I made the final payment an email came out with a waitlist offer for a specific cabin number for a total of $400 (three people on the booking) and I had one week to decide. So I took it and made final payment.

[DaveOKC]

I also do not agree with this TA's "facts" on how upsells are assigned. I think being a newbie on HAL has an advantage if anything.

 

On my brother's first HAL cruise, and my 12th (being a 3 Star at the time), he received an upsell offer and I did not! This was from a Signature to a Neptune.

 

Same booking too - HAL PCC!

Edited March 20, 2016 by DaveOKC

[Cruising-along]

We have gotten upsell offers on nearly every cruise, from when we were newbies to now, at almost 4-star. We have always booked with a PCC. The problem is, every single offer was laughable. We didn't take them. And they were always for a category way above what we had booked. I would love to see some of these fantastic upsell offers that others are reporting.

 

Our next cruise has been transferred to a TA, now we'll see if those upsell offers improve or not, and whether our streak of great guarantee upgrades continue. :cool:

[wesport]

I have taken 13 cruises on HAL, and here is my history

 

cruise #7 Upsell offer that we declined. Ship was the Eurodam

 

cruise #9 Purchased Signature suite. Received complimentary Neptune upgrade the day before we left. Ship was the Noordam. Really enjoyed that cruise!!

 

#13 on the third round of upsells, we bit the bullet and went from vista suite to Signature suite on the Prinsendam. Worth every penny.

 

The other 10 no upsell or upgrade.

 

4 stars prior to cruise number #13

[scluvsrain]

I had to check my calendar. I thought it was April Fool's Day for a moment :)

 

bahahahahaha. Ain't that the truth!!!

[veryseasonedtraveler]

We have have been 5 Star on two cruises. We had a veranda upgrade last time. We were wondering at the time if it had anything at all to do with our new status.

[glutenhab]

In theory this is how it is suppose to work, in reality this is not how it works;) The days of Free Upgrades are a rarity and not to be counted on. HAL has actually gone to the point for Neptune or Pinnacle Suite to leave them empty. They would rather have an empty cabin to move someone to if there is a need to last minute or problem with a cabin. Now if there are more than two then the Upsell offers can occur.

Upsell offers are NOT sent out based on your Mariner Status, if an Upsell offer goes out then it goes to EVERYONE that is eligible.(see below on what makes you eligible)

If you are wanting an Upsell offer first you must not have your reservation linked with another cabin for dining or traveling together because in the first round of offers for those reservations are NOT included. Depending on the number of cabins being offered they might be included in the second round of offers but often not till the third round.

If there are just a small number of cabins available there may not even be an offer sent. Numerous agents know the drill and know timing and keep contacting HAL. Often Upsells are gone before notices go out.

Pricing is also based on percentage of remaining cabins. It is the revenue department that handles this, and YES Revenue is seeing how much MORE money they can make the company, NOT how many they can GIVE AWAY to 4 and 5 star Mariners. One has to remember HAL is still a company that needs to make a profit. Pricing for these Upsells and been increasing over the past few years and if you see a crazy low price you will know that this is the 3rd of 4th round :D

The likelihood of an offer grows by the size of the ship, the smaller the ship is not nearly as likely unless it is Interior to OV. Vista Class and higher get the most offered Upsells.

The other thing is that offers do not come very frequently if you are on a Collectors Series or a Segment that is linked with other segments. The cabins availability gets quite complicated at that point.

 

We always book "Collector's Series" or "B2B" cruises & never get offered up-sells or upgrades.

I assumed that was the reason. Definitely unfair but I can see how it would be complicated for HAL to coordinate.

[dockman]

Perhaps the better question is WHY doesn't HAL reward their most loyal customers who have spent a lot of money becoming 3,4, 5 star cruisers rather than giving upgrades or upsells seemingly at random?

 

Imagine you're a 4 or 5 star and you meet a few relative newbies who are bragging that they got better upgrades/upsells than you? Fair? I don't think so.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Perhaps the better question is WHY doesn't HAL reward their most loyal customers who have spent a lot of money becoming 3,4, 5 star cruisers rather than giving upgrades or upsells seemingly at random?

 

Imagine you're a 4 or 5 star and you meet a few relative newbies who are bragging that they got better upgrades/upsells than you? Fair? I don't think so.

 

Let me pose a question to you....if you owned a business and you had excess merchandise to sell and you were going to place the excess merchandise on sale would you ONLY offer this sale to those who frequented your business or would you open this up to everyone to maximize your profit?? What if those that frequented your bushiness did not want what your were offering and you were on a time restraint to liquidate?

 

First off I do not always believe what other cruisers tell me, unfortunately many like to brag ;) second not everyone qualifies for the same offers.