Closest Upsell to Sailing Date

Just curious to find out what was the closest upsell you have ever received before you sailing date. 6 days before was my closest.

We've only had two. The best was three days out when Hal made us the offer we couldn't refuse.

Have received upsell offers 3, 2, and 1 week out. I think in the final week, cruise line has to finalize their cabins and may not offer upsells anymore. Just my thought.

We've gotten two upsell offers in over a dozen plus HAL cruises and as I remember they were around seven or so days before the sailing date. Despite all the great offers CC'ers have posted here neither offer we've received was a bargain so we declined both. The last offer was for the full fare difference, $1,999 per person, to a Neptune Suite from a Vista Suite on a 14-day cruise. I counter offered $1,999, which even then I thought was a bit high, and HAL declined the offer.

We had tablemates last week that had received an upgrade (their term) two days before sailing to a Neptune Suite. I didn't pry as to whether it was an upsell or complimentary upgrade, although they had previously done extensive sailing with HAL.

You shouldfeel ffree for you or your TA to call HAL, tell them you want to move to higbher catgegory cab in and find out how much they will charege for you to book ahigehr cqategory than you currently hafve.

You cqn initiat converstion to buyhigher ctegoery dcadbin.

Have gotten an upgrade the day before a cruise as we were driving to the port hotel and once when we checked in the day of the cruise. Not a fan of upsells but seems like these offers are mostly over about 1 week before a cruise.

I initiated an upsell from verandah suite to Neptune suite for a very good price one week before sailing.

Vicki

Received email today with info about upgrade. Less than 24 hours to embarkation tomorrow in Boston.

48 hours before sailing. Shocked, I was! But, pleasantly!

Just got upsell offers today; did not take either one. It is a little over two weeks out from sailing.

We were boarding the plane to Fort Lauderdale, where we would board the ship 48 hours later, when our TA called with the upsell offer to a Neptune Suite. It became my DH's birthday present (which he agreed to share with me!)

I initiated an upsell from verandah suite to Neptune suite for a very good price one week before sailing.

 

Vicki

How does one initiate an upsell? I'm a first time HAL cruiser and booked a balcony GTY. Would I even have a chance of being called?:eek

How does one initiate an upsell? I'm a first time HAL cruiser and booked a balcony GTY. Would I even have a chance of being called?:eek

Every time I have had my HAL PCC call about an upsell we have been told "not now". It seems that when they are ready, they are ready. Normally I call around 4-5 weeks out, so maybe I am too early in the process though.

The reason I had my PCC call last week was that someone on our Roll Call board reported that upsells were out (6 weeks prior to sailing). It seems that they did offer some upsells, but only a limited amount for some reason.

We are on the Westerdam in a little over 2 weeks.

There is quite a lot of availability left.

How does one initiate an upsell? I'm a first time HAL cruiser and booked a balcony GTY. Would I even have a chance of being called?:eek

Regarding your Verandah Guarantee (VH), be careful that you aren't assigned a VT with the Juliett Balcony. I suggest that you become familiar with the Eurodam deck plans. It is handy if and when choosing an upsell offer.

We have sailed twice with HAL and our third is in less than two weeks. We have had an upsell offer each time - and accepted each time. One was a DD to an A, next was a SS to SA, and soon a SZ to SA. All three were for way less than the published fare for the category.

I iniated an upsell to an obscured ocean view guarantee from an MM guarantee about 6 weeks out. I was offered an upsell to a balcony about 5 weeks out, which I took. This was on a TA, all my other upsells came 2-4 weeks out.

We are on the Westerdam in a little over 2 weeks.

There is quite a lot of availability left.

I think we are on the same sailing as you. I just checked inventory on the inside cabins for our sailing. There were only 3 rooms to choose from on the whole ship (at least, there were only three they were showing). We got an upsell offer last week but nothing worth upgrading too. They basically had the same prices they did when we bought cruise a couple months ago.

I didn't check any other cabin type for inventory, but 3 insides left isn't much.

EDIT: I just checked all available cabins and there are quite a few left in other categories. There were 15 Neptune Suites available, 78 Verandah cabins, and 18 oceanview cabin left. More than I thought!

I had printed the luggage tags a week before departure, got through the entire check in process (there were 3 of us in 2 rooms) and got on the ship. DH wanted to drop somethings in our cabin and his key card didn't work. Easily angered, he flagged down a cabin steward in the hall and demanded the poor man open the door to "his" cabin. When the steward let him in, DH noticed a 12-pack of soda on the desk, a non-HAL robe hanging up and several other odd things. He found me and was ranting about going down to the front desk and complaining when I looked at the outside of the key card jacket and saw we were upgraded from an outside to a lanai. Both rooms! No one mentioned it even at check in.

Regarding your Verandah Guarantee (VH), be careful that you aren't assigned a VT with the Juliett Balcony. I suggest that you become familiar with the Eurodam deck plans. It is handy if and when choosing an upsell offer.

 

We have sailed twice with HAL and our third is in less than two weeks. We have had an upsell offer each time - and accepted each time. One was a DD to an A, next was a SS to SA, and soon a SZ to SA. All three were for way less than the published fare for the category.

I just looked at the VT. Why would a juliette balcony cost more than a balcony you can actually use? :confused:

I just looked at the VT. Why would a juliette balcony cost more than a balcony you can actually use? :confused:

Could be due to their locations on Observation deck.

This is one reason why guarantees and even free upgrades are not for everyone - you can get a cabin that you might not like, as HAL's idea of higher "level" cabins may not be the same as what you think or want.

Could be due to their locations on Observation deck.

 

This is one reason why guarantees and even free upgrades are not for everyone - you can get a cabin that you might not like, as HAL's idea of higher "level" cabins may not be the same as what you think or want.

Thanks for the heads-up. I actually didn't care where we were located as long as we could sit on a balcony. Now that you pointed out the VT it's makes me nervous, although I could argue it's not really a balcony??? :eek:

How does one initiate an upsell? I'm a first time HAL cruiser and booked a balcony GTY. Would I even have a chance of being called?:eek

We are first time cruisers on HAL and have been offered 2 upsells already. It's the Mexico cruise out of San Diego in a week and a half. There seems to be a lot of availability. We decided to upgrade from a guarantee inside to a verandah.

So, I guess it depends on the cruise and availability, not just being long time HAL customers.

Could be due to their locations on Observation deck.

 

This is one reason why guarantees and even free upgrades are not for everyone - you can get a cabin that you might not like, as HAL's idea of higher "level" cabins may not be the same as what you think or want.

We have an aft SB category with the wraparound balcony.

We had the TA mark NO on the upgrade.

I was afraid they would move us up to a category SA which is basically the same room but in the middle of the ship. Some people regard these as upgrades, I do not want to lose my wraparound balcony !

We have an aft SB category with the wraparound balcony.

We had the TA mark NO on the upgrade.

I was afraid they would move us up to a category SA which is basically the same room but in the middle of the ship. Some people regard these as upgrades, I do not want to lose my wraparound balcony !

I generally do the same thing. Pick out my cabin and mark it do not upgrade. I find that there are many cabins in a slightly higher "level" (like SS vs SY or SA vs SB aft-wrap) that I really do not want.

Remember, you will still be offered upsells (if avialable) if you mark do not upgrade, as HAL considers a paid upgrade (upsell) not be be an upgrade (free).