Zaandam Upsell

[kysupt]

I have been offered an upsell from AA to S on the Zaandam for a 2 week cruising. The price is in the area of $2K. Is it worth it?

[JeffCoud]

$2k more or $2k total?

[kysupt]

$2k more or $2k total?

$2K total.

[middle-aged mom]

Hi, Kysupt, you're on my cruise:) $2K total for 2 people for an "S" suite on a 15-day Hawaii itinerary sounds sweet. But better move fast or the offer may be gone.

[JeffCoud]

Yep I'd do it for $2k total!!

[LynnObie]

DW & I were offered $800 pp upsell over cost of our verandah cabin on 15 day Zaandam Hawaii cruise last year. We turned it down hoping for a lower cost which never came to pass. Should we be offered a simililar upsell this year, we'd probably accept it as that might be the only way we'll ever get to experience an S suite. ;) I've pretty much given up on getting smiled on by the upgrade fairly which has yet to happen for us on any cruise but, then again... maybe we'll be pleasantly surprised one day :D

[JeffCoud]

DW & I were offered $800 pp upsell over cost of our verandah cabin on 15 day Zaandam Hawaii cruise last year. We turned it down hoping for a lower cost which never came to pass. Should we be offered a simililar upsell this year, we'd probably accept it as that might be the only way we'll ever get to experience an S suite. ;) I've pretty much given up on getting smiled on by the upgrade fairly which has yet to happen for us on any cruise but, then again... maybe we'll be pleasantly surprised one day :D

Got extremely lucky on HAL last year actually....but booked a suite guarantee originally for $999 on the Eurodam, a 7 day October sailing (aka, hurricane season). Would have been perfectly happy with any of the superior verandah suites (SS, SY, SZ, etc...). Ended up in a very nice Deluxe Verenda Suite SA, a whole category higher! And it was sweet indeed! Of course, Mom thought I was booking a verandah guarantee for $799, so I ate the difference to place the bet, but it was a bet well placed! :) Of course, we may never see a deal like that again in our lifetime, lol...

My only other big upgrade was on X which was an upsell situation from a Sky Suite to a Royal Suite and the price was quite good, although not spectacular, but I had watched the RS price drop for weeks then made an offer through my TA! Still, seemed worth doing and thus we did!

Jeff

[Krazy Kruizers]

That sounds wonderful -- hope you took the upsell offer.

[CtheW0rld]

could almost take another cruise for $2K.

[g&gtravel]

Kysupt, our upsell offer on Sept 8th (for the Oct 2 sailing from Vancouver) was "upgrade to S category, from BC-Gar, for an additional $1,299 per person". Your offer sounds much better! btw, we passed and got an AA.

[KAKcruiser]

I'm not clear about how much you already paid and how much extra it would be for the S suite. Also, is the $2,000 per person?

[Crusing Bob]

I think what is being said is the $2000 is over the original booked cost which was never stated so it's in addition to.

[luvs2travl]

Our first Deluxe Verandah upsell was in 2008 and we were offered the upsell for $400 pp over what we had initially paid, so we took it!

Upside: It was a great price for a spectacular cabin!

Downside: We find it hard to sail in less than a Deluxe Verandah now! Our TA usually gets is in on a group booking for our cruises which helps to lower the cost somewhat. ;) :D

However, if the price is $2000 over what you have already paid, I would find that a bit too much. As was previously stated, you could almost do a whole 'nother entire cruise for 2 grand.

[LynnObie]

Our first Deluxe Verandah upsell was in 2008 and we were offered the upsell for $400 pp over what we had initially paid, so we took it! .........
Hi luvs2travel... Wondering about length of your cruise with upsell? Sounds like a great deal! Also what ship & what were you originally booked in? We, regrettably, turned down a $899 pp upsell offer on our 15 day Hawaii cruise aboard Zaandam last year. :( We paid for a BC verandah guarantee. Should we get a similar offer this year, we'll take it, even though it's a 14 day itinerary this time.... same ship, same verandah guarantee booked. Keeping our fingers crossed. :)

[luvs2travl]

Hi luvs2travel... Wondering about length of your cruise with upsell? Sounds like a great deal! Also what ship & what were you originally booked in? We, regrettably, turned down a $899 pp upsell offer on our 15 day Hawaii cruise aboard Zaandam last year. :( We paid for a BC verandah guarantee. Should we get a similar offer this year, we'll take it, even though it's a 14 day itinerary this time.... same ship, same verandah guarantee booked. Keeping our fingers crossed. :)

Hi Lynn,

It was a re-po cruise - 13 day Quebec City- FLL on the Eurodam. Our TA had us booked into an "VA" on Rotterdam deck as a part of a large group booking his agency had done prior to the Eurodam making her initial crossing from Europe to North America. His agency specializes in HAL and Princess cruises and they have 5 offices state-wide.

We were thrilled. We actually thought it was an upsell to an "SS" category until we looked at the deck plans and then we were just over the moon, as you might imagine. He warned us that we might be sorry (;)) because we were really going to be spoiled, and he was right! Dam HAL!

Will be keeping our fingers crossed for you, too!

[LynnObie]

Hi luvs2travel... Thanks for your reply & your good wishes! That was a fantastic deal. :)

[luvs2travl]

Hi luvs2travel... Thanks for your reply & your good wishes! That was a fantastic deal. :)

Yeah - we know! That's probably why we've never gotten another one! ;)

But - HAL knew what they were doing. They now have us as "SS" or "SA" passengers for life! :D

BTW - we are booked on the Zaandam for April 2011 - "Circle Hawaii" out of Vancouver. What did you think of the ship?

[LynnObie]

....BTW - we are booked on the Zaandam for April 2011 - "Circle Hawaii" out of Vancouver. What did you think of the ship?
We have liked all the HAL ships *BUT* one thing we really dislike is the layout of the Zaandam and othe smaller ships on deck 5. Specifically, the proximity of the smoke filled casino to the shopping arcade. We are non-smokers and have to avoid the shops for the most part or choke on all the smoke. :( That's just one reason we prefer HAL's Vista Class ships. If we should decide to do Hawaii again next fall... it can be on the Oosterdam! :)

Better yet, we loved the smoke-free experience last January on Celebrity's Constellation & look forward to that again. Hopefully HAL will follow suit soon, although we've been filling out their seemingly meaningless questionnaires on this topic for years.

[luvs2travl]

Thanks for the 'head's up' on the Casino/shopping area. Never thought about that being a concern, but obviously not too well thought out. :(

We love the "O", and the Westerdam as well. We are considering doing another re-positioning Panama Canal on the Westerdam this time, from FLL-VAN. We will probably book it on board the Zaandam for 2012. Gotta get those extra OBC's!

Thanks again for the information. We will be looking forward to sailing on the Zaandam and avoiding the shop areas! Can't wait to hear that beautiful big pipe organ playing on sea days.

Hope to meet you on board one day. ;) :)

[Himself]

I am an ex-smoker (off over 18 years--Deo Gratias--have traveled on the Zaandam and other R Class ships and have never noticed the smoke coming from the Casino and have been in the nearby shops. ( By the way, I am most annoyed at smoking,) I love the R Class ships and much prefer them over the Vista Class which are close to becoming mega-ships. I have been traveling HAL since 1996 and am about to go on my 32nd with HAL.
I wish I was heading to Hawaii on the Zaandam. By the way they have a Hawaiian guide who is just outstanding.

[LynnObie]

Thanks for the 'head's up' on the Casino/shopping area. Never thought about that being a concern, but obviously not too well thought out. :(
Hope to meet you on board one day. ;) :)
You're most welcome & also hope to meet you on board sometime!:)
.....have traveled on the Zaandam and other R Class ships and have never noticed the smoke coming from the Casino and have been in the nearby shops......
By the way they have a Hawaiian guide who is just outstanding.
I guarantee you would have noticed the smoke on our last Zaandam cruise to Hawaii when in or near the casino/shops/casino bar area! :eek: Hopefully, this year won't be as bad. Yes, as you mentioned, Kainoa was an outstanding Hawaiian travel guide on our Zaandam Hawaii cruise last year & hope he'll be there again when we go again just 6 weeks from now!

[galipemi]

KYSUPT - make sure to come back and let us know what you decided!

After you posted, I called my PCC at HAL and asked about the offer, now my friend and I are sailing in a suite (and it's all your fault:p)

[luvs2travl]

KYSUPT - make sure to come back and let us know what you decided!

After you posted, I called my PCC at HAL and asked about the offer, now my friend and I are sailing in a suite (and it's all your fault:p)

WOW! All you did was call HAL, ask your PCC for an upsell and you got it?? I have never heard of that happening. Congratulations. And on a Hawaiian cruise to boot - those are usually sold out months in advance. I would LOVE to have the name of your PCC at HAL. So would my TA!! :D

[LynnObie]

WOW! All you did was call HAL, ask your PCC for an upsell and you got it?? ...
FYI... Others on the 10/2 Zaandam had mentioned being offered the upsell several days ago. Believe me, it's not as simple as just asking if it wasn't already being offered. :rolleyes: I should know 'cause I've been asking too though, apparently too soon. :) We'll just keep hoping!

[luvs2travl]

FYI... Others on the 10/2 Zaandam had mentioned being offered the upsell several days ago. Believe me, it's not as simple as just asking if it wasn't already being offered. :rolleyes: I should know 'cause I've been asking too though, apparently too soon. :) We'll just keep hoping!

Yeah - I agree! Our TA has called HAL on several occasions when we have been booked into a superior suite asking for any upsell offers to a deluxe suite, and he's been told that HAL would notify him if any offers came up. And his agency does ALOT of business with Holland America. That's why I was wondering who 'galipemi' had for a PCC---we'd love to have an "in" like that! So would our TA! ;) He tells me that HAL has told him that our Hawaii cruise in April of '10 is already sold out with a waiting list.

Still keeping my fingers crossed for you, Lynn! :)