Getting Upsells--How and when to get one?

[Spot]

All reservations are subject to the UPSELL promotion if space becomes available. Unfortunately this is a random pick that is done in the revenues department at NCL and clients are not able to request the UPSELL, they only receive the notice if they are chosen by the revenue department.

I tried to request the UPSELL for you but the cruise line can not request this as it is selected randomly and not on an individual basis.

There is still a chance that you may be selected for this UPSELL by the revenues department and if so they will contact us so we can let you know.

[WaldosPepper]

The server has gone berserk on this particular thread, and Spot's post at 4:32PM is not showing, so I'm posting this in an attempt to bump the thread and hopefully snap the server into showing Deb's post. Hey, I'll try anything shy of throwing the computer across the room :rolleyes: if it helps get the server to cooperate! :D

 

PS - Hey Jetskier! Semper Fi my Brother!

[Another ship trip]

I am not sure I agree with the "cut in half" the cost part though. If I can get a Penthouse for 1700 pp and I paid 750 for my inside, using your math, I cut the 1700 in half giving a price of 850. That means I pay 100 pp going from an inside to a Penthouse. Doesn't work that way. They are not really cutting that price in half and there is no way you will get an AD for practically what you paid for an the best inside cabin. We just got the upgrade but it was for 800.00 and that was after making a deal down from 1000. We still got it for a much better price than we could have originally booked it for, especially since there are three people in the cabin. But NOT at the "cut in half the original price first" price. Now that WOULD have been an awesome bargain for a holiday sailing!

[Spot]

WaldosPepper - how in the world would you know that about my post??

I'd think you were my alterego if it weren't that I know no one in NH.

This board acts up so often that I now type out my response on word and transfer it over in order to have my original message to send again when the server decides to poop out.

 

Y'all are so wonderful on these boards!!!!

[10s nut]

I have to disagree with the random pick thing. I think it is more who gets there first. In other words, NCL is NOT going to go out of their way to call people for an upsell. It is the persistent, and being in the right place at the right time person who gets the bargain. I can only tell you that our suite experience for $250 a person on the Spirit to Alaska will NEVER be topped. So now I am holding my breath to try to repeat it to Mexico. Right now for 1/28 the Star is almost a ghost ship!:D

[jetskier]

I am not sure I agree with the "cut in half" the cost part though. If I can get a Penthouse for 1700 pp and I paid 750 for my inside, using your math, I cut the 1700 in half giving a price of 850. That means I pay 100 pp going from an inside to a Penthouse. Doesn't work that way. They are not really cutting that price in half and there is no way you will get an AD for practically what you paid for an the best inside cabin. We just got the upgrade but it was for 800.00 and that was after making a deal down from 1000. We still got it for a much better price than we could have originally booked it for, especially since there are three people in the cabin. But NOT at the "cut in half the original price first" price. Now that WOULD have been an awesome bargain for a holiday sailing!

 

Remember that the half is from the brochure price, not what you can get the room at discounted. Secondly the amount subtracted is what you paid the pp rate not total cost of cruise. This is just a general rule of thumb, if the ship is way undersold, there will be better deals and vice versa if getting full.

 

In our case the upgrade was to a BB, brochure was $1100, half is $550. Our cat M was $259pp and we were quoted $300pp for our upsell which we were able to get down to $275pp because out TA was willing to cut part of her commission. Also dont figure port/taxes in what you paid initially as that is not figured into the brochure rate.

 

Dave

[jetskier]

The server has gone berserk on this particular thread, and Spot's post at 4:32PM is not showing, so I'm posting this in an attempt to bump the thread and hopefully snap the server into showing Deb's post. Hey, I'll try anything shy of throwing the computer across the room :rolleyes: if it helps get the server to cooperate! :D

PS - Hey Jetskier! Semper Fi my Brother!

 

WaldosPepper,

I had to go to another thread to read her post. It showed up in her profile but would not let you see it when the thread was expanded.

 

Hopefully you had a good birthday. I luckily got sick after our cruise a couple of weeks ago but was unable to attend our local Marine Corps Ball because of it.

Dave (USMC '80-86)

[WaldosPepper]

WaldosPepper - how in the world would you know that about my post??

I'd think you were my alterego if it weren't that I know no one in NH.

This board acts up so often that I now type out my response on word and transfer it over in order to have my original message to send again when the server decides to poop out.

 

Y'all are so wonderful on these boards!!!!

 

Deb, I had hit the refresh button and it showed on the right that you had posted, and at what time. However, every time I tried to read your post it wouldn't show. Finally, in frustration I tried to add a post, which still didn't work. It wasn't until NotAnotherShipTrip posted that the thread finally smoothed out and was visible to the end again. Amazing how those of us addicted to these boards loose our minds when the server jams itself up! :p

[szdiver]

I don't know how NCL does the upsell, but when I talked with the rep yesterday, he told me they would flag our reservation that I would like an upsell and when they were ready to do so at the end of next week, my TA would get a call. He also told me that if my TA does not call me, I should call back after next week, and talk with them personally. Sounds like some TAs don't wish to bother with it.

On Celebrity, we asked at the pier and were upgraded from a Royal Suite to the Penthouse for only $1000.00, after our TA told us it would cost $6000.00

I cannot really figure out TAs and what they do.

[WaldosPepper]

WaldosPepper,

I had to go to another thread to read her post. It showed up in her profile but would not let you see it when the thread was expanded.

 

Hopefully you had a good birthday. I luckily got sick after our cruise a couple of weeks ago but was unable to attend our local Marine Corps Ball because of it.

Dave (USMC '80-86)

 

Jestkier, sorry to hear you missed the Ball. We were not able to attend this year either, as we were out of town for a funeral.

 

My DH always gets a kick out of the ball, because those who don't know us always assume that HE is the Marine. (We go in formal dress, I do not wear my uniform anymore, because it is out of date and some folks are rather uptight about that). Invariably each year someone is stunned to find out that I am the Marine, not he. We get a good chuckle out of it.

 

Hope you're feeling better now, and a belated Happy Birthday to you!

[jetskier]

Waldo and Pepper,

You are definitely one of the few as there are not many WMs. I believe it is around 8-10% of the Corps. As far as the uniform, technically if you are not retired or on active/reserve duty, you are not allowed to wear it. Our group also frowns on it. Not that I could get my 31" waist into 29" trousers anymore.

 

When we cruise I have a 9" Eagle, Globe and Anchor magnetic decal that I put on our room door. On our last cruise at the Military meet and great, we had 5 Marines show up. The oldest guy was in WWII and the youngest guy had just got back from Iraq.

 

Feeling much better now, took me about a week and half to shake an upper respiratory infection. What is funny is that I am 2 for 3 on getting sick after a cruise.

Dave

[tjosh7]

All of these posts on upsells - sounds like many folks here dissatisfied are ones with uncooperative travel agents. Find one that you like - one who goes out of her/his way to assist you, including trying to get you an upsell. There's no better way to express dissatisfaction than to take your business elsewhere...

 

Personally, like many of you here, I disagree with the above post about the random thing.

 

My TA told me recently that when it comes to upsells, the squeeky wheel gets the grease...

 

I admit - I was alittle disappointed when I first called NCL about an upsell and they told me that since I booked with a TA, they would only communicate with and/or through them. Of course, I'm happy now because I got my upsell!!!

 

HAPPY CRUISING & HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

[angel41]

My sister is cruising in Feb. When she called, they told her they don't do upsells???? Is that b/c of an uneducated rep? Or just b/c she's still pretty far out?

[shoreguy]

All of these posts on upsells - sounds like many folks here dissatisfied are ones with uncooperative travel agents.

 

Personally, like many of you here, I disagree with the above post about the random thing.

 

 

HAPPY CRUISING & HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

 

I think there are two parts to the upsell - there is in fact some method that prompts NCL to call pro-actively and offer upsells. I am not sure what goes into it but one factor for sure is to open cabins they are certain they can resell.

 

My upsell on the Sun to Alaska was a complete surprise. I planned to become that squeaky wheel 30 day prior. 6 weeks prior my phone rang and it was NCL offering me an outstanding deal to move to an AD. I had an AF aft facing and it was a hard decision but I am certain that the saleability of the AF played a roll.

 

As far as TAs. I had used in the past a large cruise broker who no longer sells NCL. When I saw open suites I would call the TA who booked the cruise and beg her to call. Never got a call back. I would call and the answer always was sorry nothing open. I was certain they never even tried.

 

I may have saved a couple $100 booking but lost control of that booking. I did as you suggested and they missed out on $30,000 in business from me.

[WaldosPepper]

My sister is cruising in Feb. When she called, they told her they don't do upsells???? Is that b/c of an uneducated rep? Or just b/c she's still pretty far out?

 

Could be a little bit of both, but could also be that she was calling the reservations department instead of the reaccomodations desk. Which phone number did she call?

[shoreguy]

My sister is cruising in Feb. When she called, they told her they don't do upsells???? Is that b/c of an uneducated rep? Or just b/c she's still pretty far out?

 

Two reasons perhaps - First too far out. Second if she contacted the normal reservation agents the answer was correct.

 

Everyone keep in mind the official program changed about a year ago. The rules (which as we all know are made to be broken) don't call us we will call you.

 

There are only a handful of people that work this. It is not a call center, I believe that change was in part driven by the flow of information online and 100s calling some with cruises 6-12 months out.

 

If we flood them again the door will slam shut again. "squeeky wheel" can and will backfire

[Bobgaffney]

If we flood them again the door will slam shut again. "squeeky wheel" can and will backfire

 

A very good point. Lets not ruin this.

[Spot]

I won't be a squeeky wheel and pester the hell out of NCL but I must admit that the process is frustrating at best (not to mention so erratic that it can appear unfair) but I had to try and now that I have, I'll be satisfied with what I originally bargined for - hey, at least I'll be on the cruise!!!

 

I have learned from this thread however and I'm thankful for all of your input, suggestions, etc (and really no flamming which is really appreciated).

[cod]

My TA called me yesterday saying she got a call from NCL asking if we wanted to upgrade from an inside to a balcony for $200 each for our Sun 12/4 sailing. I asked my husband and he thought it was too much and that that could basically be our 'fun' money. We decided to ask her to call NCL back and see if they would do it for $100 each. She did (I heard her call to them while I waited) but the person who would have had to okay it wasn't there and would have to call back. Haven't heard anything today so I guess it is a no.

 

Here is my take. We booked this back in January! I picked a specific inside cabin (we don't mind inside but agree that balconys are very nice) for it's location and were perfectly happy with that. I think the price was okay as I never saw anything less on any web-site prior to Katrina. I know that after the 'cancel by 9/30 without penallty' period passed that there were probably cheaper rates out there which really didn't bother me as we were getting the $100 latitudes credit, plus - my TA assures me - the $100 for not canceling our booking made before 9/1 so I figured things pretty well evened out.

 

After the call from my TA yesterday, I looked at a web site I like to check prices on, just to see what a BE balcony (which is what we were offered) is going for. Nothing was listed as available for the 12/4 Sun sailing, but they had BE's available for the 12/11 sail date for over a hundred dollars cheaper (total) than our original cost plus the additional $400 they were asking!!! Based on that, I think a $200 offer was fair but it evidently didn't work.

 

Oh well, I STILL like my inside cabin location and I am definately in a count-down mode! I really just wanted to say to be careful of upsell offeres because, after this, I'm not sure they are always so great!

[szdiver]

cod: How do you get a $100.00 latitudes credit?

[cod]

It's what was called a 'latitudes cruise'. I don't know how many of these there are (not a lot me thinks) but this was advertised as one and we booked this particular week, in part, because of the onboard credit.

[cod]

Oops, should have explained you have to already be a latitudes member to qualify.

[cruisebliss]

This thread has provided so much helpful information that I was not aware of. I gather that it is better to book directly with NCL. If I book a cruise 8 weeks in advance, would it be possible to buy an upsell 2 weeks in advance?