HAL Upgrades at pier

[vgottlieb]

Does HAL have upgrades availablr for purchase at the pier? I did this on Celebrity in November and got a royal suite.

[gizmo]

I haven't seen it at the pier, but I have been at the front desk when people were asking. From what I could tell you do not get any "bargain". You are better off watching the prices and book it prior to your cruise.

[kruzkeen]

I have been told that Celebrity and RCI sell upgrades at the pier. There is a special booth for that purpose. If you ask at checkin with HAL you are told to ask at the front desk when you are on board.

[szdiver]

We were on the Summit in October. We were in a Royal Suite, and were able to upgrade to the Penthouse for additional $1,000.00. Before the date of sailing, our TA could only get a price of $4,000.00 are an upgrade. So Celebrity does upgrade at the pier for less. You must ask for the "pier coordinator". No one else can do it.

Hope this helps.

[Randyk47]

On our Oosterdam cruise last March they had signs at the terminal that there would be no upgrades available for our cruise. That would seem to imply that there was some process or procedure in place, though not available for our cruise, to upgrade at the terminal. I don't know if people waited until they got on board and checked with the front desk for last minute vacancies due to no shows. We always book the specific cabin we want and haven't bothered with guarantees or buying our way up at the terminal or on the ship.

[KAKcruiser]

Anytime I have checked at the pier or front desk, I have been told that if there is an upgrade available, it would be at full price. I have never known of a complimentary upgrade or reduced fare upgrade. Usually the ships are full and if they are not, I think HAL just does not like to do this.

[1cruiselvr]

Upgrades on HAL aren't handled like other cruiselines. Most sailings are full, with no cabins available for mobility. Also, HAL has a very dedicated clientele that's willing to pay for suites and balconies at booking. If there is an opening, HAL does charge close to full price for the switch. So as others have suggested, if you have your heart set on a certain cabin type (outside, balcony, etc), then it's best to book it now as you will not be able to buy it for a deal on the day of sailing. Happy Sailing!

[ekerr19]

We have asked a few times. On the few sailings when the sign "ship is full - no upgrades or changes available", was not present - the pricing is not that great.

It is better to book what you want in order to avoid being disappointed.

[vgottlieb]

Thanks for all the info. I have a nice verandah booked. I just wondered about upgrades to a suite at the pier like Celebrity does. I guess HAL does not do that. I have received free upgrades before we sail. That must be all HAL does.

[Vic The Parrot]

Anytime I have checked at the pier or front desk, I have been told that if there is an upgrade available, it would be at full price.



I'm confused


Why does the brochure say "HAL has the right to upgrade a guest to more expensive accomodations at no additional cost..."

If it IS at no additional cost, does that mean that some of these people use bribery?

heeheehee


Seriously, if they would upgrade, they let the party know,right? Better to wait and pay nothing.

[KAKcruiser]

My impression is that HAL upgrades if they need your room or if they think they can sell your room easier than the one above it. I don't think they upgrade to make you happy.

[Vic The Parrot]

KAK


Going from a cabin blocked by a lifeboat to a porthole will make me happy any day........



at least i'll be able to see the 'sea'


:-D

[RevNeal]

KAK,

You're correct. In 2002 I was booked on the Statendam into an inside cabin on A deck. My cabin ended up being the only interruption to HAL being able to sell a block of cabins to a large family that wanted interconnections between their inside and outside cabins. SO ... HAL called my TA and offered me an upgrade to an outside cabin on the same deck and amidships. It was a no-brainer: from an inside cabin, aft, to an outside cabin amidships ... for no extra cost.

That's the only REAL upgrade we've ever gotten. We were upgraded on our Alaska cruise from a J inside to a C outside, but we paid a small amount ($75 per person) to enable that. We were offered a chance at an outside cabin on the Zaandam, but it would have been forward of the Atrium and on Main Deck, and Christopher and I both wanted to stay on the Lower Promenade Deck (an easy walk to the outside).

[stanjj111]

On a recent sailing HAL asked us to take an ocean view and give up the balcony for a significant savings on the cruise, 70% off of what we paid.

[vgottlieb]

I have received many upgrades from HAL. From inside to outside, and verandah to ss suite. Sometimes I book a guarantee and sometimes a verandah saying I will take an upgrade. In Nov. I am booked on the Veendam and will not take an upgrade. I have a nice outside cabin and am on waiting list for a verandah.

[jhannah]

It would seem as a general rule to be more profitable to do all the upgrading before the day of the cruise. On sailing day, you might pay extra for an open cabin of a higher category, but that would then leave your original cabin empty. By upgrading you at no cost ahead of sailing, then they can not only have the revenue from the sale of your original cabin, but they have bodies in that cabin to spend money while on board. I'd guess they come out better that way ... and so do we when we get visited by that elusive upgrade fairy.

[mickey]

We were on the Dec. 28 sailing of the Zaandam and had an outside room. We knew two suites were vacated when the passengers were taken off for medical problems before we left the port. Our friends also had to leave due to a family emergency. We tried to upgrade to one of the suites,but the price was greater then we could have gotten prior to the cruise. HAL does not bargain or upgrade easily. We have upgraded at the pier on RCL, but almost 100 days on HAL doesn't get you any special attention.

[Vic The Parrot]

All this red tape just for an upgrade.......


I'll stay put, and make the best of it.


=rolleyes=