Upsell

[SVBing]

Anyone recently get an upsell from HA?

[victory2020]

I got one for a 7 day - a generic email with not so great prices. Balcony from inside was $249pp, about the same price that I could have originally booked.

[MTAK]

I am sailing on Rotterdam April 3 in a Verandah and have not yet received any offers.

[DaveOKC]

Normally the upsells go out 2-4 weeks prior to sailing.  You do have to watch out though, as some people have pointed out, not all upsells are good deals.  Know what you are willing to pay and hold firm IMO.  

 

If you do get an upsell prior to 4 weeks out, it likely is not a good deal (IMO anyway), so hang tight and wait for the next round to come along (it usually does).

 

With the ships currently sailing WELL below capacity, I expect to see some good deals come out.

[jkrislc]

I called a few minutes ago for our 3/27 sailing on the Koningsdam. The agent claimed that he had rates that had not yet been released, but they were no better than the rates currently being offered online. That is, they matched the price difference between the cabin categories that existed when I originally booked; thus, no discount.

[MISTER 67]

Received an upsell on Club Orange for 25 dollars per person per night on our 3/20 Rotterdam cruise, not interested.

[14Canadian]

What does orange club include 

we are sailing on Rotterdam March 27-August 10

[oakridger]

2 minutes ago, 14Canadian said:

What does orange club include 

we are sailing on Rotterdam March 27-August 10

 

Look on the HAL website:

 

Club Orange Program (hollandamerica.com)

 

 

[DaveOKC]

13 hours ago, jkrislc said:

I called a few minutes ago for our 3/27 sailing on the Koningsdam. The agent claimed that he had rates that had not yet been released, but they were no better than the rates currently being offered online. That is, they matched the price difference between the cabin categories that existed when I originally booked; thus, no discount.

That is the standard response when you call and ask - same as posted on the website.

 

One time I called the upsell desk and offered them $500 for an upsell I really wanted.  No dice they said.  Two days later I received the standard upsell offer email and it was for $300, so obviously I took it.  I was fighting policy I guess.

 

[albingirl]

We take upsells sometimes, and sometimes we don't.  Recently, we did because I booked a guarantee, and I don't like to roll the dice on that one.

[opa&oma]

2 hours ago, DaveOKC said:

That is the standard response when you call and ask - same as posted on the website.

 

One time I called the upsell desk and offered them $500 for an upsell I really wanted.  No dice they said.  Two days later I received the standard upsell offer email and it was for $300, so obviously I took it.  I was fighting policy I guess.

 

Didn't know there was an upsell desk!  Can you post the number?

[GulfShoresCruiser]

2 hours ago, opa&oma said:

Didn't know there was an upsell desk!  Can you post the number?

 

888.628.8107

 

Do not tell anyone.  Also, have booking#, deck plan and credit card at your fingertips when you call and don't waste time chit chatting with them...put on big boy pants and make decision quick....the rest of us are waiting on hold........you have been forewarned!

 

Again, keep this number secret.  LOL. 

[DaveOKC]

3 hours ago, GulfShoresCruiser said:

 

888.628.8107

 

Do not tell anyone.  Also, have booking#, deck plan and credit card at your fingertips when you call and don't waste time chit chatting with them...put on big boy pants and make decision quick....the rest of us are waiting on hold........you have been forewarned!

 

Again, keep this number secret.  LOL. 

Exactly right on!  I JUST did this today!

 

[LMHSRN]

8 minutes ago, DaveOKC said:

Exactly right on!  I JUST did this today!

 

AND, what happened?

[DaveOKC]

13 minutes ago, LMHSRN said:

AND, what happened?

I received an email from HAL today offering an upsell on our late March cruise.  I had to call the number posted above, wait about 15 minutes on hold and got upraded from a V - Veranda to an SA Neptune right across from the lounge!  When I called I already knew which cabins were still not assigned ao I asked for the one I wanted - he said "no problem" and I was done.

 

It is so correct that they are VERY busy, so know what you want before you call and in less than 5 minutes you will be done (have your reservation number and credit card handy).

 

[opa&oma]

5 hours ago, GulfShoresCruiser said:

 

888.628.8107

 

Do not tell anyone.  Also, have booking#, deck plan and credit card at your fingertips when you call and don't waste time chit chatting with them...put on big boy pants and make decision quick....the rest of us are waiting on hold........you have been forewarned!

 

Again, keep this number secret.  LOL. 

I won't tell a soul!

[opa&oma]

1 hour ago, DaveOKC said:

I received an email from HAL today offering an upsell on our late March cruise.  I had to call the number posted above, wait about 15 minutes on hold and got upraded from a V - Veranda to an SA Neptune right across from the lounge!  When I called I already knew which cabins were still not assigned ao I asked for the one I wanted - he said "no problem" and I was done.

 

It is so correct that they are VERY busy, so know what you want before you call and in less than 5 minutes you will be done (have your reservation number and credit card handy).

 

After years on CC, the first time I ever heard about this!  Thank you!

[Texaggie]

DaveOKC, did you call before you got the email to upgrade or after? Can you call this number and request upgrade if you used a travel agent? I used one of the mass cruise sellers, so won’t be much help to call them. If you do call, do you just float a price for the upgrade or do they tell you what it is? I never seem to get an offer for an upgrade, but would like to sometime.

sorry, lots of questions, but thank you for the help.

[CM1984]

4 hours ago, Texaggie said:

DaveOKC, did you call before you got the email to upgrade or after? Can you call this number and request upgrade if you used a travel agent? I used one of the mass cruise sellers, so won’t be much help to call them. If you do call, do you just float a price for the upgrade or do they tell you what it is? I never seem to get an offer for an upgrade, but would like to sometime.

sorry, lots of questions, but thank you for the help.

Never have I ever either, but it would be fun to try!

[lgrover]

DaveOKC, did you get a good reduced price on your upgrade from V to SA. Cruising on the Rotterdam 3/13/22? Just wondering!!!

 

[DaveOKC]

5 hours ago, Texaggie said:

DaveOKC, did you call before you got the email to upgrade or after? Can you call this number and request upgrade if you used a travel agent? I used one of the mass cruise sellers, so won’t be much help to call them. If you do call, do you just float a price for the upgrade or do they tell you what it is? I never seem to get an offer for an upgrade, but would like to sometime.

sorry, lots of questions, but thank you for the help.

First, I got the email before I called (I called IMMEDIATELY to get the best selection).  If you call before they send out the emails, they will generally just quote you the non-deal price, same as you can get on the website.  If you call later, you could lose out or not get the best selection of cabins (as the direct email people will have already jumped on the deal).

 

Second, once in awhile they will accept offers, but this is rare IMO.  You can always try of course.

 

Third, getting upsells is the main reason I book directly with HAL (through a PCC).  I know some of the big online agencies have lower prices (or rebates), but I save alot more than that my using the upsell process.  In yesterday's deal the upsell was a bit more than I would have liked to pay (but I did it anyway for other reasons) but I still saved about $1500 pp over having booked the Neptune in the first place.  This on a 7 day cruise. 

 

And yes, I do get offers on almost ALL of my cruises (like 80-90% of the time).  IMO, with the ships sailing at such a low capacity, this is a GREAT time to use the upsell program.  I book a cabin I would be satisfied with in the first place, just in case I do not get an offer.

[Primus]

A couple weeks ago I booked directly with HAL a specific VB cabin on a mid-March cruise.  I usually use a big box store TA but went with HAL this time knowing that I would try for an upsell and would be able to communicate with HAL directly rather than go through the TA.  I did not receive an upsell offer but called 2 weeks prior to the cruise to see what was available.  Very short hold time and then HAL agent provided prices of higher tiered cabins.  I was happy with price offered for an SA cabin, requested a specific cabin I thought available, and then provided credit card info.  Less than 15 minutes for the entire process including hold time.  The total price I paid was less than half the price listed for an SA cabin.

 

I could have saved some money by taking a chance with booking a VF cabin to start with but wanted the VB cabin I would have been happy with if no upgrade was available.  I also might have been able to save a couple hundred dollars by waiting another week for a better upsell offer but that wasn't worth the risk of an SA cabin no longer being available.

[DaveOKC]

17 minutes ago, Primus said:

A couple weeks ago I booked directly with HAL a specific VB cabin on a mid-March cruise.  I usually use a big box store TA but went with HAL this time knowing that I would try for an upsell and would be able to communicate with HAL directly rather than go through the TA.  I did not receive an upsell offer but called 2 weeks prior to the cruise to see what was available.  Very short hold time and then HAL agent provided prices of higher tiered cabins.  I was happy with price offered for an SA cabin, requested a specific cabin I thought available, and then provided credit card info.  Less than 15 minutes for the entire process including hold time.  The total price I paid was less than half the price listed for an SA cabin.

 

I could have saved some money by taking a chance with booking a VF cabin to start with but wanted the VB cabin I would have been happy with if no upgrade was available.  I also might have been able to save a couple hundred dollars by waiting another week for a better upsell offer but that wasn't worth the risk of an SA cabin no longer being available.

Sounds like smart moves all around!  IMO, one should always book a cabin you would be comfortable with in the first place, then improve if you get the chance.  The only time we book a guarantee is if we are on a great casino "free cabin" promotion and even then we pay to move up to a higher category (even though still a guarantee).

[kentuckycruiser]

On 3/1/2022 at 5:48 PM, MTAK said:

I am sailing on Rotterdam April 3 in a Verandah and have not yet received any offers.

I called last night and there were no upgrades available from our Vista Suite. Looks like the 4/3 cruise is pretty popular, but it is spring break time so that's a likely cause. I'm hoping it's not a packed house.

[DaveOKC]

1 minute ago, kentuckycruiser said:

I called last night and there were no upgrades available from our Vista Suite. Looks like the 4/3 cruise is pretty popular, but it is spring break time so that's a likely cause. I'm hoping it's not a packed house.

Likely you are about a week early for an upsell.  Wait until next Wed or Thur and try again.