My upsell experience today

[collectingcoke]

We are booked on the Epic 2/11 sailing. We had booked the haven 2 bedroom family suite. After final payment the price dropped. I know this happens and didn't really dwell on it.

Fast forward to today where I saw that our cabin was now 2200.00 less than what we paid and only 600.00 more for the deluxe owners suite with large balcony. So today 29 days out I called the upsell number. After putting me on hold she came back and said the best they could do was 4000.00 more to upgrade to the owners suite. What ?? 4000.00 more when a new booking would only be paying 600.00 more than we paid. I politely said no thank you and as I started to hang up she said that was a large price drop I should call the reservation number.

I did and got a very nice representative who after hearing everything put me on hold, came back and bingo - we got the deluxe owners suite with large balcony for an additional 399.00. We are very excited.

Just thought I'd share our experience- if upsell dept. can't help try the reservation number!!

[TravelingAPor]

Congrats! You lucked out! :D

[Sissaaaaaa]

Ask for Maria in the Epic Club when you have your first meal. You will love her!

[Até]

I totally feel the upsell process is only oriented towards moving people from lower cabins to the suites. If you are already in a suite there is little chance of getting a good deal to a higher suite. This seems true with the bidding process also, only there you have to start from a balcony to get a suite. This only further encourages people to wait and never book a suite more than a month out. I've experienced suite price drops where movement to a higher cabin was not possible, I was lucky to get 25% of the difference in OBC. My alternative has been to book a lower room and watch to either try to upsell around day 30 or uprgade when there is a drop to a reasonable suite price. Personally it's too much of a game for my taste, I'd gladly pay the equivalent of what suites cost several years ago.

[jnwrn11]

Good for you!! We are hoping to get an upgrade to the Haven on the same cruise! We are currently in a spa balcony, which will be fine... but it is my 40th birthday and our anniversary so we would enjoy a little more pampering :-)

[littlelulu01]

I totally feel the upsell process is only oriented towards moving people from lower cabins to the suites. If you are already in a suite there is little chance of getting a good deal to a higher suite. This seems true with the bidding process also, only there you have to start from a balcony to get a suite. This only further encourages people to wait and never book a suite more than a month out. I've experienced suite price drops where movement to a higher cabin was not possible, I was lucky to get 25% of the difference in OBC. My alternative has been to book a lower room and watch to either try to upsell around day 30 or uprgade when there is a drop to a reasonable suite price. Personally it's too much of a game for my taste, I'd gladly pay the equivalent of what suites cost several years ago.

 

I have a 2 bedroom Haven suite booked on a two week sailing. The guy who booked the balcony for a fraction is the one who will get the garden villa. If NCL offers it for 4k to anyone who will pay (new system sounds like its balcony or better). If his balcony originally cost 1k, he's in total for 5k in the garden villa. If my 2 bedroom is 10k the garden villa costs me 14k vs his 5k. He wins and ends up in the GV for 9k less than it would cost me. That's exactly how the system is set up. Sure would be nice if they instead offered me the GV for say 1.5 k and gave him my room for 2.5 k. They would get the same amount of money. As is it's risky business. Especially when top suites are priced so high they don't typically sell until upsell. Not so bad when suites are priced a little better and most sell out but that happens less and less frequently.

 

In op's situation there was a drastic price reduction and they got lucky. Most of the time upsells are done to fill rooms where the price has not gone down that much and the top rooms on the ship are still avail. but only at an extreme price so the suite passenger who has already paid a fortune for their room is not willing to pay double whereas the balcony stateroom is likely to pay the 4k upgrade fee - they get the top rooms in an upsell. The GV gets the limo ride, free bar set up, sky is the limit - one of the top suites at sea. That offer should be reserved for someone already paying for a suite and the other Havens given to top bidders in balcony rooms.

[BirdTravels]

Congratulations. A beautiful room! And a lovely ship!

[drneal]

Im on the ESCAPE and the upsell dept/"upgrade fairy" e-mailed my wife.

We have 2 rooms and if she upgrades to the 2 BR we still have to take my room.

Also we cannot speak with anybody about the upgrade dept. It is strictly a silent auction system.

At what point does it not make sense to book a haven cabin at $600/day/person

if you can go on Seabourne or Crystal for about the same fare?

If your not using the kids club or water slide why do you need the haven when the other ships have 450 passengers and 350 crew,

or Crystal yacht with 90 crew for 65 passengers?

For $1,500/week NCL is great. For $4,000/week it's fun but there are other options.

 

I'm just saying that if NCL is charging you more for the same product than another passenger why book the more expensive room?

Having said that my 11 year is upset with me for not getting the Haven when we used to get the suite rooms on RCCL.

 

I'm happy that everything worked out well for the OP but Ate(I can't include the oomlat)

may have a point with the cruise lines goal to introduce passengers not booked in the suites to the suite experience rather

than giving upgrades to those that already paid for the suite an upgrade before the other passengers.

 

At the end of the day we're all on vacation.

Those of us not in the Haven have to worry about getting to the port early to get VIBE passes and waiting for a dinner table.

 

OP and ATE have a point of paying more for the same cabin as someone that got upgraded.

In a sense it feels like you are subsidizing another passenger.

[cruise pup]

Congratulations! What a suite, I mean sweet deal. I hope they spoil you rotten. I myself have upgraded on cruises after final payment when fares dropped.

Edited January 13, 2017 by cruise pup

[luvtheships]

I booked a dirt cheap inside 7 months out

 

48 hours pre cruise I called Upsell and for $200 more in total I went to a balcony

 

So we sailed in a dirt cheap balcony

 

Don't need nor want anything more nor do we ever intend to pay anything more than dirt cheap. Lol

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[luvtheships]

Im on the ESCAPE and the upsell dept/"upgrade fairy" e-mailed my wife.

 

We have 2 rooms and if she upgrades to the 2 BR we still have to take my room.

 

Also we cannot speak with anybody about the upgrade dept. It is strictly a silent auction system.

 

At what point does it not make sense to book a haven cabin at $600/day/person

 

if you can go on Seabourne or Crystal for about the same fare?

 

If your not using the kids club or water slide why do you need the haven when the other ships have 450 passengers and 350 crew,

 

or Crystal yacht with 90 crew for 65 passengers?

 

For $1,500/week NCL is great. For $4,000/week it's fun but there are other options.

 

 

 

I'm just saying that if NCL is charging you more for the same product than another passenger why book the more expensive room?

 

Having said that my 11 year is upset with me for not getting the Haven when we used to get the suite rooms on RCCL.

 

 

 

I'm happy that everything worked out well for the OP but Ate(I can't include the oomlat)

 

may have a point with the cruise lines goal to introduce passengers not booked in the suites to the suite experience rather

 

than giving upgrades to those that already paid for the suite an upgrade before the other passengers.

 

 

 

At the end of the day we're all on vacation.

 

Those of us not in the Haven have to worry about getting to the port early to get VIBE passes and waiting for a dinner table.

 

 

 

OP and ATE have a point of paying more for the same cabin as someone that got upgraded.

 

In a sense it feels like you are subsidizing another passenger.

 

 

 

I agree. I just don't see Ncl as worth more than dirt cheap

 

We usually cruise for $600 a head on 10 day gem out of NYC cruises

 

And have gone as high as $1500 a head for 12 day princess Med cruises which was totally worth it

 

 

If I were inclined to pay more...which I can afford but choose not to spend ....especially on a line like Ncl or ccl....

 

You can bet it would be on a high end small ship luxury line

 

We choose to get the biggest bang for our buck though when traveling abroad and at home

 

So it's several pre and post cruise days....usually the longest cruise around....usually the med....

 

Of course that is not our only type of vacay...but we do try to do it as often as possible

 

 

We always fit in a 2 week beach vacay

 

Disney will always be on our list

 

The list goes on....but my real point is that we travel as often as possible for the best price possible in accommodations that please us

 

 

 

Again my point is that just because I won't pay for high end cruise ship cabins doesn't mean I'm not taking great frequent vacays

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Montanagirlalways]

Haven upsell is n the escape was well worth it. That's all I can say. I have been in a variety of cabins and I was in heaven in a haven room. Nice to splurge once in awhile

[Bootman4U]

We've been in the Deluxe Owner's on the Getaway twice. There is absolutely NOTHING IMO better than truly facing forward. No, not "kinda forward" or through some porthole "looking" forward but being on that huge balcony and actually looking forward over the top of the bridge and all those people down on the pier looking UP at you.

 

Enjoy it.

 

As to this supposed "limo ride" and all these other things you supposedly "get" when you PAID to be in this thing (the walk-in closet alone can hold a couple of people and then some) I guess those people had the week off when we sailed.

[dexddd]

We've been in the Deluxe Owner's on the Getaway twice. There is absolutely NOTHING IMO better than truly facing forward. No, not "kinda forward" or through some porthole "looking" forward but being on that huge balcony and actually looking forward over the top of the bridge and all those people down on the pier looking UP at you.

 

Enjoy it.

 

As to this supposed "limo ride" and all these other things you supposedly "get" when you PAID to be in this thing (the walk-in closet alone can hold a couple of people and then some) I guess those people had the week off when we sailed.

 

The limo ride is only for the ships that have a GV and on the disembarkation day.

[MizDemeanor]

Having been on Breakaway twice and going on Getaway soon, the real reason we would press and/or do press for Haven is because of the pool area set up on the main pool deck. We just don't care for it on this line.

[MoyCoy]

I totally feel the upsell process is only oriented towards moving people from lower cabins to the suites. If you are already in a suite there is little chance of getting a good deal to a higher suite. This seems true with the bidding process also, only there you have to start from a balcony to get a suite. This only further encourages people to wait and never book a suite more than a month out. I've experienced suite price drops where movement to a higher cabin was not possible, I was lucky to get 25% of the difference in OBC. My alternative has been to book a lower room and watch to either try to upsell around day 30 or uprgade when there is a drop to a reasonable suite price. Personally it's too much of a game for my taste, I'd gladly pay the equivalent of what suites cost several years ago.

 

How does one bid on a room?

 

WHO do you call for upgrades? Any further tips on how to upgrade from a balcony to a suite after final payment

Edited January 14, 2017 by MoyCoy

[cincicruisers]

Nice Upsell, bob voyage

[drneal]

How does one bid on a room?

 

WHO do you call for upgrades? Any further tips on how to upgrade from a balcony to a suite after final payment

 

YOU do nothing.

You get an e-mail, or would get a call. Now some of the ships have instituted this "bid" system for the upgrades.

You find out if you won the bid a few weeks before sailing.

[Até]

I have a 2 bedroom Haven suite booked on a two week sailing. The guy who booked the balcony for a fraction is the one who will get the garden villa. If NCL offers it for 4k to anyone who will pay (new system sounds like its balcony or better). If his balcony originally cost 1k, he's in total for 5k in the garden villa. If my 2 bedroom is 10k the garden villa costs me 14k vs his 5k. He wins and ends up in the GV for 9k less than it would cost me. That's exactly how the system is set up. Sure would be nice if they instead offered me the GV for say 1.5 k and gave him my room for 2.5 k. They would get the same amount of money. As is it's risky business. Especially when top suites are priced so high they don't typically sell until upsell. Not so bad when suites are priced a little better and most sell out but that happens less and less frequently.

 

I have been on both sides of the upsell. Booked in a suite and given the same upsell price as an another person in an inside to move to a higher suite (as in OP's case) and booked in a ocean view and getting the same deal as someone already in a suite (which I happily accepted). On my last cruise I experienced a new one for me. I ended up booking a suite as they were selling out, but could not tell if both GV were actually booked as one was booked early and the other kept coming and going from inventory then disappeared at about day 50 out. I called upsell at 6 weeks and 5 weeks to tell them I'd be interested and they would not confirm it was booked, but were not willing to talk. At 4 weeks they told me there were names in the cabin and that was it. Once on the ship I was able to meet fellow suite guests and it turned out there were three of us in 2br's trying to get the GV. I met the couple who got the cabin and we talked about the deal. They weren't even booked on the cruise, NCL called them at 4 weeks out and offered the GV to them. They offered to tell me the cost, but I didn't want to know as I knew it was more than I would have paid. I want to know how to get on that NCL list, actually I think I do know and it will never happen.

Edited January 14, 2017 by Até

[Always Cruising]

I would love to know also, Ate - please share your thoughts! Garden Villas are the best cabins on any ship.

[cathi007]

YOU do nothing.

You get an e-mail, or would get a call. Now some of the ships have instituted this "bid" system for the upgrades.

You find out if you won the bid a few weeks before sailing.

 

OP said they called the upsell number. I have been on many cruises and I have never been offered an upsell, neither has any of my family, so I think there must be a way for people to call this "upsell" number and get a better deal

[Always Cruising]

I was asking "Ate" about his thoughts on getting on the list of people who would be contacted if a Garden Villa was available on a sailing, even though they weren't booked on a ship. Sounds like a secret society!

[Até]

I was asking "Ate" about his thoughts on getting on the list of people who would be contacted if a Garden Villa was available on a sailing, even though they weren't booked on a ship. Sounds like a secret society!

 

They had a lot more NCL cruises than me, I think they said over 25 with many in the GV. Asking price for the GV was $30K on this cruise. H3's sold out at $11K, H4's sold out at $10K and I estimate an upsell would have probably been at least $4k to $6K over anyone's current cabin cost. So I'm sure they paid no less than $16K for NCL to make the deal as NCL was aware there was interest from several of us. In hindsight I should have got the actual amount, they were saying it was a great deal and I was a bit shocked and just said "Don't tell me". Maybe it wasn't that good of a deal as I met another family who were in an undesirable SC under the fitness center that was still unsold at day 25. They guy was telling me he upgraded last minute through his PCC at a great price which was actually the current asking price. He was unaware of some price drops since he first inquired months earlier. NCL was surely doing a happy dance with that one as I'm sure it was being offered for upsell by then. The GV couple seemed a lot more NCL savvy though.

 

Perhaps there was complication because of NCL's unwillingness to upsell one GV if the other was booked at full price, I was told it was common for one GV to sail empty if this happens. I don't know if this blind call offering is a more recent tactic for last minute suite clearance or a one-off due to our particular circumstances. This is the first I've seen this happen. Unfortunately the couple claimed they didn't know which section or who it was from NCL that called them, I guess that does rule out a PCC. I might call upsell next week just for fun and ask about it. I have no idea who decided or why this couple was selected to be called.

[littlelulu01]

They had a lot more NCL cruises than me, I think they said over 25 with many in the GV. Asking price for the GV was $30K on this cruise. H3's sold out at $11K, H4's sold out at $10K and I estimate an upsell would have probably been at least $4k to $6K over anyone's current cabin cost. So I'm sure they paid no less than $16K for NCL to make the deal as NCL was aware there was interest from several of us. In hindsight I should have got the actual amount, they were saying it was a great deal and I was a bit shocked and just said "Don't tell me". Maybe it wasn't that good of a deal as I met another family who were in an undesirable SC under the fitness center that was still unsold at day 25. They guy was telling me he upgraded last minute through his PCC at a great price which was actually the current asking price. He was unaware of some price drops since he first inquired months earlier. NCL was surely doing a happy dance with that one as I'm sure it was being offered for upsell by then. The GV couple seemed a lot more NCL savvy though.

 

Perhaps there was complication because of NCL's unwillingness to upsell one GV if the other was booked at full price, I was told it was common for one GV to sail empty if this happens. I don't know if this blind call offering is a more recent tactic for last minute suite clearance or a one-off due to our particular circumstances. This is the first I've seen this happen. Unfortunately the couple claimed they didn't know which section or who it was from NCL that called them, I guess that does rule out a PCC. I might call upsell next week just for fun and ask about it. I have no idea who decided or why this couple was selected to be called.

 

Well even if they sold it to them for 10k it's more then they would have received from a 4K upsell and them taking care of a customer who's paid full price in the past seems fair. Since the DOS doesn't cost as much they may be on offer more often in an upsell situation. They may be more discerning with the GV offers but you would think since you were already in an H4 full price you would definitely be in the running. I wonder if Ships with GV's will actually be moving to the bidding system. For the best suite at sea to go on the auction block would be interesting. I don't think they want to devalue such a commodity. I have seen them given as bingo prizes but more often it's a lower suite.

[Até]

Sorry, I made a mistake. Looking back the GV asking price was $20K at the 4 week out point that it was offered, the other numbers were correct and are still relevant. So if they got it for my guesstimated $16K that would only be an okay deal, but a lot more than I would ever have been willing to upsell for. It definitely worked for NCL to avoid the upsell process on any higher suites.