"My TA Said I Would Most Likely Get an Upgrade"

[DD]

Oh? How about if it's a slow time of the year, and the TA can see that there are lots of empty cabins in the levels above what you're booking, and s/he has had considerable experience with similar circumstances? That sounds to me like that would rate a "likely" or even a "most likely" ... but NOT a "promise". :D

 

I'm still standing by "stupid". There's no way to predict the future and as an agent, I have aboslutely no control over what the cruiseline does. So, to go out on a limb and say "likely" or "most likely", well, I'd just be stupid to say something like that. I may have booked 999 people in this same situation and all of them got upgrades--I still wouldn't tell person 1000 that it's likely they'll get an upgrade.

 

Slow time of the year? That's becoming more and more rare. Ships are sailing out full much more often than they used to.

[heavenly]

Can only speak for myself, but I have never been actually promised an upgrade by a TA.

 

Have been lucky enough to have gotten 2 upgrades ( both were same category just a little better location ). But one I didn't know about until I got to the dock and one i didn't know about until my docs came.

 

But at the time of purchasing the cruise in the TAs office, an upgrade wasn't even mentioned in the conversation.

 

I can't see how a TA could actually make such a promise to a customer. But to someone taking their first cruise, it sure would sound attractive wouldn't it?

 

Speaking as an agency owner, you can never promise an upgrade. The only time our agency brings up the issue is if someone wants to book the lowest level in any given category- then we ask if they would like to book a guarantee or want a specific stateroom. Usually (especially with our groups) if they didn't book at the last minute and did book a guarantee, they are upgraded. This particular sailing most of my N and L cabins are sailing in J with most of our lower level verandah's sailing in VA.

[jtl513]

I'm still standing by "stupid". ... I may have booked 999 people in this same situation and all of them got upgrades--I still wouldn't tell person 1000 that it's likely they'll get an upgrade.

 

Well, obviously your definition of "likely" is far different from mine. Would you at least tell the 1000th person that people "usually" get upgrades in similar circumstances? Please read post #27.

[heavenly]

Oh? How about if it's a slow time of the year, and the TA can see that there are lots of empty cabins in the levels above what you're booking, and s/he has had considerable experience with similar circumstances? That sounds to me like that would rate a "likely" or even a "most likely" ... but NOT a "promise". :D

 

If it's a slow sailing AND they booked a guarantee, I would most like use "there is a possibility of an upgrade." If you state "upgrade likely" a lot of customers see that as "upgrade granted" instead.

[DD]

Well, obviously your definition of "likely" is far different from mine. Would you at least tell the 1000th person that people "usually" get upgrades in similar circumstances? Please read post #27.

 

No, I would NEVER tell person 1000 that they are likely to get an upgrade because it doesn't matter what happened to the last 999 people--what happened on those sailings may or may not happen on this sailing. You can't throw words out like "likely" or "most likely" because clients hear WILL and because that upgrade or lack of an upgrade is outside of an agent's control.

 

You asked me to read post #27. I'm not sure why though. I agree with what the agency owner stated. He/she said you can never promise an upgrade.

 

I'm a cruise specialist. It's what I do best. I do a tremendous amount of volume in cruise sales and I would never ever go on record with a client saying something is likely or most likely because I can't predict the future. Until I'm on a first-name basis with the Upgrade Fairy (or her computer), I would be stupid to tell a client that something is likely when it may not happen.

 

When I sell a gty, I explain the pros/cons. I explain to the client that he/she may or may not be upgraded at the sole discretion of the cruiseline and if he/she is upgraded, it will be at no additional charge. I explain that some "upgrades" may appear to be downgrades (for example, on some ships, particularly some NCL ships, you can be "upgraded" from a non-obstructed view to an obstructed view). That's it. I don't go on to provide false hope to people. I don't promise things or lead someone to believe something is likely unless I can control whether or not it will happen.

[jtl513]

You can't throw words out like "likely" or "most likely" because clients hear WILL and ...

 

No, I hear "likely", and if it doesn't happen que sera sera.

 

{quote=DD}You asked me to read post #27. I'm not sure why though. I agree with what the agency owner stated. He/she said you can never promise an upgrade.

 

I am NOT talking about any "promise"! Certainly no TA should do that, even for guarantee bookings. Post #27 says "Usually (especially with our groups) if they didn't book at the last minute and did book a guarantee, they are upgraded." That's what I'm pointing out.

 

I would be stupid to tell a client that something is likely when it may not happen.

 

That's precisely what likely means to me. It MAY or MAY NOT happen, but it "usually" or "likely" will happen in a given circumstance.

 

Do whatever your conscience tells you, but I think you're being far too strict with the definition of "likely", and what is "false" hope.

[carolinians]

OK, just got upgraded this week, but feel like maybe I jumped the gun, got too eager. I booked SY Superior Suite guaranteed, then didn't get room assigned for next week's Zuiderdam trip until 2 weeks ago. Got SY. Hoped I might do better, called TA and he called me back, offered $249 pp for upgrade. Nope, too high. I countered with $149, HAL came back offering $199. This week TA called saying HAL is upgrading me for the $149 each person. Yay, I think.

 

Did I pay too much, or was it likely I'd have gotten a better deal if I hadn't gotten so eager?

 

Do you think it will be worth the diff??

[LAFFNVEGAS]

OK, just got upgraded this week, but feel like maybe I jumped the gun, got too eager. I booked SY Superior Suite guaranteed, then didn't get room assigned for next week's Zuiderdam trip until 2 weeks ago. Got SY. Hoped I might do better, called TA and he called me back, offered $249 pp for upgrade. Nope, too high. I countered with $149, HAL came back offering $199. This week TA called saying HAL is upgrading me for the $149 each person. Yay, I think.

 

Did I pay too much, or was it likely I'd have gotten a better deal if I hadn't gotten so eager?

 

Do you think it will be worth the diff??

 

What did you get upgraded to:confused: Was it a SA, SB or SC? It yes, then it was a very good deal. If it is an SS, then it is just my opinon that you paid too much because you are getting the same cabin just a different location.

[sail7seas]

OK, just got upgraded this week, but feel like maybe I jumped the gun, got too eager. I booked SY Superior Suite guaranteed, then didn't get room assigned for next week's Zuiderdam trip until 2 weeks ago. Got SY. Hoped I might do better, called TA and he called me back, offered $249 pp for upgrade. Nope, too high. I countered with $149, HAL came back offering $199. This week TA called saying HAL is upgrading me for the $149 each person. Yay, I think.

 

Did I pay too much, or was it likely I'd have gotten a better deal if I hadn't gotten so eager?

 

Do you think it will be worth the diff??

 

IMO....the ONLY way to measure if you got a 'good deal' is if you think you got a good deal. Is it the best deal in the history of cruiseships? No, probably not. It is a good deal? Yes...if you are satisfied paying the amount of money you are paying for the cabin you are getting.

 

Doesn't matter what anyone else thinks of the 'deal' you got.

You can drive yourself nuts thinking maybe you should have paid $1.29 less than what you paid....or $25 or $50 or whatever amount.

 

JMHO.......

 

Have a GREAT cruise.

[carolinians]

OK, I have to admit, I'm happy, just doing some research--a competition thing, I think. Yes we went from SY to SA, and the questions I think were based on the fact I've never sailed HAL, so couldn't say what the experience would be like. You know some of us just get eyes bigger than our bellies (yeah, we're from the South, alright) and can get a little carried away. I had such a great Suite experience last year on X's Connie that I couldn't imagine it could get better (but I hope it does).

Thanks for the responses.

[KAKcruiser]

You did very, very well. That's an incredible price to upgrade to an SA. There is a big difference in amenities from SS to SA and the room is bigger. You should feel very good.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

I would say you did fantastic:) A jump to a SA for that price from a SS is great. You will so enjoy your cruise, so much so that you will be so spoiled that you could now start reaching deeper into those pockets to always pay for a S Suite;) At least that is what happened to us:o