Upsell To A Suite-Perks?

[cormike1]

I had friends who just sailed the Norwegian Fjords on the Princedam and had booked a verandah or mini-suite (not sure which). They had all their documents already and were called a couple of days before the cruise and took an upsell for a suite. When they boarded in Amsterdam they said there was no priority boarding area and they boarded with everyone else. They had "anytime dining" and the 1st night were told to wait in the lineup and then they were taken to the "traditional dining room" and seated at a table for 2. Were rushed and constantly questioned about having desert, etc. and finally left because they were not having a nice experience. They complained to the Concierge and the next night and thereafter, got a nice table for 2 by the window. They were not told about any perks. They got 120 minutes of internet free. I don't know what HAL's perks are for suites, just Princess, but it seems to me they should have had some laundry done, etc. Can an experienced HAL cruiser tell me if because they were in a suite from an upsell, would that have made the difference?

 

Thanks everyone.

[DaveOKC]

I had friends who just sailed the Norwegian Fjords on the Princedam and had booked a verandah or mini-suite (not sure which). They had all their documents already and were called a couple of days before the cruise and took an upsell for a suite. When they boarded in Amsterdam they said there was no priority boarding area and they boarded with everyone else. They had "anytime dining" and the 1st night were told to wait in the lineup and then they were taken to the "traditional dining room" and seated at a table for 2. Were rushed and constantly questioned about having desert, etc. and finally left because they were not having a nice experience. They complained to the Concierge and the next night and thereafter, got a nice table for 2 by the window. They were not told about any perks. They got 120 minutes of internet free. I don't know what HAL's perks are for suites, just Princess, but it seems to me they should have had some laundry done, etc. Can an experienced HAL cruiser tell me if because they were in a suite from an upsell, would that have made the difference?

 

Thanks everyone.

 

Assuming that they were upsold to a NEPTUNE suite, they would have received all the perks of that category. The Vista and Signature Suites really do not have any significant perks.

 

Do a search for Neptune Suite perks on this forum and you will find details on what they should have gotten if in a Neptune.

 

The free Internet minutes are not part of a suite perks, but rather a booking perk.

[3rdGenCunarder]

I think the one perk they don't get is the double mariner days if it's an upgrade from a veranda to a suite. If they had booked a suite to begin with, then they already had the double mariner days and would keep them.

[CruiserBruce]

Until we know what type of "suite" they actually got upgraded to, can't really comment on whether they got the appropriate "perks".

[sail7seas]

Pinnacleand Neptune Suites have a numb er of amenities but some lower category suites havew few. You mention conciderge but that could apply gto telephone concierge rather than Neptune Loungbe covierrge.

 

There is no charge to use an HALL computer and go tgo gthe HAL site while abvoard http://www.hollanda America . com would havd provid all the info gthey wanted to know.. Had they taken a few minutes and read aboueyuittes on the HAL site, thye would have seen what benefits attach to what cagtegory suite. sometimes we have to take abit of initiative for our oursselv es. and not always expecT scomeroner else will provide what whey actually cha ve done that in ad ance of booardcing When they bought the upse;ll, gthey could haveDREAD WHAT IT WAS FFHEY PUECHASAEfcD before RHEY LEFFT HOME.

Edited July 13, 2016 by sail7seas

[blizzardboy]

I think the one perk they don't get is the double mariner days if it's an upgrade from a veranda to a suite. If they had booked a suite to begin with, then they already had the double mariner days and would keep them.

 

Upgrade=no double points. Up sell=double points. If you pay even a little to move into the suite you'll get the Mariner suite bonus points.

[Heartgrove]

Upgrade=no double points. Up sell=double points. If you pay even a little to move into the suite you'll get the Mariner suite bonus points.

 

Wrong. Not if you start with an Interior, Oceanview, or Verandah. Double Mariner points come only with the original booking having "Suite" in it.

Edited July 13, 2016 by Heartgrove

[Krazy Kruizers]

What type of suite were they in? There are several different categories.

Since they paid to do an upsell, that does not grant them a special table in the dining room. We have witnessed many people who were in Neptune Suites complain to the concierges that they didn't get fixed dining. It all depends on when you booked the Neptune or Pinnacle Suite.

As to free laundry -- the laundry slip and bag are in the closet and there are no prices listed on the bag if they were in a true Neptune Suite. They would just fill it out and give the bag to the cabin stewards.

Not certain how they 120 minutes free internet. We only stay in the Pinnacle and Neptune Suites and have never gotten any free Internet.

[blizzardboy]

Wrong. Not if you start with an Interior, Oceanview, or Verandah. Double Mariner points come only with the original booking having "Suite" in it.

 

I think it's "Wrong, moose breath!" I stand corrected. I thought I'd made a mistake once before, but I was wrong.;)

[catl331]

I think the one perk they don't get is the double mariner days if it's an upgrade from a veranda to a suite. If they had booked a suite to begin with, then they already had the double mariner days and would keep them.

 

Wrong. Not if you start with an Interior, Oceanview, or Verandah. Double Mariner points come only with the original booking having "Suite" in it.

 

The OP said:

... on the Princedam and had booked a verandah or mini-suite

 

On the Prinsendam all verandahs are suites (Vista, Signature, Neptune, or Pinnacle) so they should have gotten double Mariner points no matter which level they started at or ended at.

Edited July 13, 2016 by catl331

[sail7seas]

Upgrade=no double points. Up sell=double points. If you pay even a little to move into the suite you'll get the Mariner suite bonus points.

 

The OP said:

 

 

On the Prinsendam all verandahs are suites (Vista, Signature, Neptune, or Pinnacle) so they should have gotten double Mariner points no matter which level they started at or ended at.

 

 

That is not correct.

[catl331]

That is not correct.

What is not correct? The lowest room with a veranda on the Prinsendam is a BC, which is a Vista suite. The OP said they booked "a verandah or mini-suite".

 

BTW the same is true on the Maasdam and all four R-class ships: there are no verandas which are not suites.

Edited July 13, 2016 by catl331

[ptcgal]

Upgrade=no double points. Up sell=double points. If you pay even a little to move into the suite you'll get the Mariner suite bonus points.

 

This is all very confusing. I only have one completed cruise on HAL so I did not know how HAL does the upgrades. I booked a veranda and with the last sale I upgraded to a signature suite and received a refund for the overpayment. The HAL PCC said that I would get the double points since it is before the final payment date. She explained that an upsell is usually after the final payment date and you pay extra to get an upgrade and are able to keep any special promotions from the original booking but no double points. She did not explain upgrades after final booking.

[3rdGenCunarder]

This is all very confusing. I only have one completed cruise on HAL so I did not know how HAL does the upgrades. I booked a veranda and with the last sale I upgraded to a signature suite and received a refund for the overpayment. The HAL PCC said that I would get the double points since it is before the final payment date. She explained that an upsell is usually after the final payment date and you pay extra to get an upgrade and are able to keep any special promotions from the original booking but no double points. She did not explain upgrades after final booking.

 

When you say that you upgraded during a sale, what you probably were doing was rebooking. Your new booking was for the Sig suite, so yes, you were entitled to the double days.

 

Upgrades initiated by HAL are given at no cost, and generally happen well after final payment. Upsells initiated by HAL are offered at various times after final payment, too.

 

If you start out in some kind of "suite" you have double days and keep them, whether it's an upsell or upgrade. If you start out in veranda or lower and get an upgrade to a suite, you don't get double days. If you start out in veranda or lower and do an upsell to a suite, you do get double days because you paid something.

 

And yes, it is confusing.

Edited July 13, 2016 by 3rdGenCunarder

[rkacruiser]

My traveling companion and I booked a Signature Suite on the Prinsendam. This was not an upgrade or upsell. I don't believe we received double Mariner points. I will try to get into my Mariner account and check. (HAL's site and my aged computer don't play well together most of the time.)

 

If I am mistaken, I will return to this thread and correct myself.

[johnmik1]

My traveling companion and I booked a Signature Suite on the Prinsendam. This was not an upgrade or upsell. I don't believe we received double Mariner points. I will try to get into my Mariner account and check. (HAL's site and my aged computer don't play well together most of the time.)

 

If I am mistaken, I will return to this thread and correct myself.

 

Our only suite on HAL was a Signature Suite which got us a concierge to call and double points.

[catl331]

I don't believe we received double Mariner points.

If you didn't get double, contact the Mariner Society. That is, if the Mariner credits matter to you. We are barely into the 4-star level and have no realistic hope of ever making 5-star, so they are meaningless to us.

[rkacruiser]

If you didn't get double, contact the Mariner Society. That is, if the Mariner credits matter to you. We are barely into the 4-star level and have no realistic hope of ever making 5-star, so they are meaningless to us.

 

The Mariner credits do matter to me. Who knows, if I am fortunate to live long enough and still be able to travel, maybe "Someday, Out There"....as the song goes, I might make it to the President's Club. (Still a very long way off!)

 

As I expected, I could not access the HAL site. I've asked my traveling companion to check her account. If she received the correct number of days, then I would have also.

[GregnChris]

We just returned from the 20 day Norway cruise on the Prinsendam. We originally booked a Veranda Suite and a couple of weeks before embarkation we took an up sell to a Signature Suite. The small text on the up sell offer (see following) stated that we would only get the perks from our original purchase, not for the upgraded cabin.

 

"On all sailings, including Grand Voyages, promotional or stateroom amenities are based on the non-discounted category paid, not

the upgraded stateroom category. Preferred Limited Upgrade Special offers do not qualify for the double cruise day credits under the Mariner Society Loyalty Program."

 

That said, since we were moving up from a Veranda Suite to a Signature Suite, there were no extra perks, other than the bigger cabin. I have checked our Mariner accounts and yes, we were given double days for being in a Suite, but that was because we originally booked a suite.

 

It sounds like the OP was looking for special dining and concierge services. On Prinsendam, Concierge service, use of the Neptune lounge and Pinnacle Grill breakfast do NOT come with the Signature Suite. You have to move up to the Neptune Lounge to get those perks.

 

Greg

 

BTW. It was a great cruise. Loved Captain Dag!

[lizzies_mom]

The important perks in the Signature suites are the added space and the second sink.

[cormike1]

We just returned from the 20 day Norway cruise on the Prinsendam. We originally booked a Veranda Suite and a couple of weeks before embarkation we took an up sell to a Signature Suite. The small text on the up sell offer (see following) stated that we would only get the perks from our original purchase, not for the upgraded cabin.

 

"On all sailings, including Grand Voyages, promotional or stateroom amenities are based on the non-discounted category paid, not

the upgraded stateroom category. Preferred Limited Upgrade Special offers do not qualify for the double cruise day credits under the Mariner Society Loyalty Program."

 

That said, since we were moving up from a Veranda Suite to a Signature Suite, there were no extra perks, other than the bigger cabin. I have checked our Mariner accounts and yes, we were given double days for being in a Suite, but that was because we originally booked a suite.

 

It sounds like the OP was looking for special dining and concierge services. On Prinsendam, Concierge service, use of the Neptune lounge and Pinnacle Grill breakfast do NOT come with the Signature Suite. You have to move up to the Neptune Lounge to get those perks.

 

Greg

 

BTW. It was a great cruise. Loved Captain Dag!

 

You were on the same cruise as my friends. It sounds like they had the same upsell as you. Thanks for that info. They also loved the cruise. They have been basically a Regent lover but really loved HAL to so that is a good thing.

 

Thanks to everyone else who took the time to answer my questions. I appreciate it!

[kazu]

The important perks in the Signature suites are the added space and the second sink.

 

No double sinks on the P'dam (the ship OP and friends were on). But, the rooms are VERY nice ;)