What are chances of upgrade?

[Iris5383]

I'm thinking of booking a cruise where HAL is still selling ocean-view partially obstructed but the website shows there are none available. There are only two Full Ocean View left (the next step up) but lots of verandas still vacant for lots more money. We (DH & I) are 4-star. If we book a guarantee partially obstructed, what are our chances of a free or small-additional-fee upgrade to a veranda? Has it happened to you? 

[DaveOKC]

Cruise lines have gotten more sophisticated in inventory management over the past few years (IMO) and now it is difficult to predict how many cabins are really available.  For example, if the company is showing 8 cabins open in your category, but they have already sold 7 guarantees for that category, there really is only 1 left and when that one sells, the cruise line will now show it as Sold Out!

 

On the other hand, I have noticed that HAL seems to be more aggressive in offering paid upsells, rather than simply giving people free upgrades, so that works in your favor (at least in getting an offer to pay for an upgrade).

 

In short, it is very difficult to predict what will happen on upgrades! 

[Essiesmom]

Chances are that they will offerthe verandah upsells to OV cabins, and upgrade you to an unobstructed OV, not to a verandah.  EM

[CruiserBruce]

Nobody is going to be able to tell you what the chances of an upgrade are. And, for the same reason, you can't really tell how many cabins are available. The reason, because it is not public knowledge how many guarantee bookings there are. Your 4 star status doesn't matter...it is whether they need your cabin or not.

[sambamama]

It depends on lots of things.  If the cruise is selling well, if your cabin is a type they really want (I had an aft balcony on a Panama Canal cruise that was highly sought after), if your cruise line deals with HAL a good bit, if HAL wants to open up some inventory-who knows?  One cruise they offered a pretty low upsell early on, so I moved from an inside to an ocean view, and then close to the cruise they had low upsells to verandas.  On my guarantees, I have always gone from an inside to an oceanview-once from an MM to an FF, and once from an MM to a C. Of course some people may think a C cabin on Main Deck not an upgrade.  I've had good luck with my guarantees-both with upgrades and upsells! But I am not particularly picky about where I am, and now that I am sailing single with a single supplement, I'd rather pay less and have a less desirable cabin and go cruising more!

[movie buff]

Last year we did a Alaska cruise/land package. We were booked in a guarantee inside cabin on a 7 night cruise portion of the trip. Holland contacted my travel agent with a upsell. Our agent sent me a email with the offer. This was a few days prior to the trip. They offered us to upgrade to either a ocean view for $125 per person or a balcony for $400 per person. Considering how much more they were selling the balcony's for compared to a inside the $400 per person was a bargain. We took the balcony upgrade. Saved quite a large sum compared to having booked a balcony when we first booked.

I have no idea how Holland picks who they contact for the upgrade. Sure glad they did with me.