Upgrade Offers

[Grumpella]

I am new to Holland America, but have done 14 previous cruises.

 

I booked my cruise with a TA, as it was over $ 600 cheaper than with Holland America.

 

I have a VC balcony on the Nieuw Amsterdam for 11/13.  I called the upgrade phone number (as people here said the TA's don't pass on the upgrade offers) and was told that I could upgrade through them, even though I had purchased the cruise with a TA. 

 

On Monday, I was given the price of $ 299 each to upgrade to an SS.  After my husband thought it over, I called back and was told that there were no cabins available.  I went online to see that there were still 10 SS cabins available, and even though people say these might be reserved for guarantees, I didn't really believe the lady at Holland America.  She was just too quick to answer and had a bad attitude.

 

I called back yesterday and now the upgrade offer was $604 per person and I got the same person with the bad attitude, who I felt purposely left me on hold for long periods.  And yes, there were 10 cabins available.

 

So I called another number to speak to a supervisor.  And I found out that Holland America does not book upgrades directly with people who have booked with a TA, it is against their policy.  They are also not allowed to give out the prices.  The supervisor did not believe me that 2 different agents said I could book with them, even though I told them I booked with a TA and also that they gave me the prices.

 

So I told her the dates, times and the phone number that I called from.  She retrieved these recordings and knew I was telling the truth.  She apologized and offered to help me contact the TA to book an upgrade and also that the 2 agents would be talked to about their behavior.

 

Anyways, I didn't know you needed the TA to upgrade.  Not too impressed with the service at Holland America, and I haven't even sailed yet.

[Iamthesea]

 I would not have thought twice about taking the $299pp price.  As I learned when trying to book an upgrade through another cruiseline, you have to be fast with your answer!  At the time, I did not wait to consult with my DH and I took an offer of $400 pp to upgrade from a standard balcony stateroom to a Sky Suite (similar to a SS.)   Those days of getting good offers are long gone.

 

Are you going to upgrade?     I guess it depends on the original price you paid, but in my opinion, an upgrade price of $604 pp from the VC to the SS sounds like a great deal!    If I were to upgrade my VA to a SS right now for my upcoming cruise, the current rate would be $4100pp more!!!

[Grumpella]

I can't help how sloooooow my husband is about making decisions. lol   I'm not going to upgrade for that price. I got the VC for the 2 of us for $ 1668, which I just booked last week.  I will be happy to stay there.  I will check with the TA again about the upgrade a few days before the cruise.

[pghflyer]

Ugh, I sure hope this unnecessary escalation up the chain didn't ruin a good thing for the rest of us who would have liked to be able to call the number and get upgrades directly. Why burn down the house because you waited too long to make a decision and the deal was gone? All deals only exist in the moment you are offered them. The most likely result of all this is that all of us who use TAs at big box or big agencies will just completely be shut out of upgrades now since a big deal was made about this.  

[oaktreerb]

HAL needs to get  it’s act together.  I’m glad the OP took this inconsistency to the next level.  If you use the Big Box store, call the BB TA to see if there are upsells available.   They will call HAL for you.  

 

This is the second person this week who has reported speaking to a rude customer service rep at Holland America.  Obviously there needs to be some training of phone reps.   People shouldn’t feel like they have to come to Cruise Critic to find out “how the system really works”

[mightycruisequeen]

While I've never personally spoken to a rude HAL rep, I've certainly gotten incorrect/conflicting information from a few.  It shouldn't be that way in a perfect world, but here we are.

I've also read a plethora of incorrect information on Cruise Critic.  This is sometimes a great source for info, but not always.   

[DaveOKC]

26 minutes ago, oaktreerb said:

HAL needs to get  it’s act together.  I’m glad the OP took this inconsistency to the next level.  If you use the Big Box store, call the BB TA to see if there are upsells available.   They will call HAL for you.  

 

This is the second person this week who has reported speaking to a rude customer service rep at Holland America.  Obviously there needs to be some training of phone reps.   People shouldn’t feel like they have to come to Cruise Critic to find out “how the system really works”

Others on this board have reported that the Big Box store does not offer upsells to its clients, so this may not work.

[FlaMariner]

58 minutes ago, pghflyer said:

Ugh, I sure hope this unnecessary escalation up the chain didn't ruin a good thing for the rest of us who would have liked to be able to call the number and get upgrades directly.

 

My thoughts exactly.  

 

I'm thinking they pulled out the "call your TA" line as a way to get the upset customer off the phone?

 

We all know the rules....

 

Have your booking number ready

Have the deck plan ready

Have your credit card ready

And most importantly, do not dilly dally

 

 

[oaktreerb]

3 minutes ago, DaveOKC said:

Others on this board have reported that the Big Box store does not offer upsells to its clients, so this may not work.

I have done it pre Covid.  We were upgraded from a veranda to a signature suite.  I felt like we had paid too much for the veranda when prices fell.  We were upgraded to the last SS.  Never hurts to ask.  They will not call you, you call Big Box TA, they call HAL, you accept or decline.

[albingirl]

I have my own opinion about upgrades or upsells. They may or may not happen. Be happy and ready to respond if they do. I watch my email very carefully about a month before sailing.

[Mary229]

Upsells are here today and gone tomorrow.  When you call you must be ready to act.  They use complicated rules for upsells, I don’t know the magic formula but once they make an offer that is close to what I want I don’t hang up until it is completed.  Even when you first call it tells you to have your credit card ready.   
 

PS I have handled my upsells directly and through my TA.  Same advice.  If she calls with an upsell we three way call it until we are done

Edited November 3, 2022 by Mary229

[CanuckCruizer]

Where would I find the special number to call to try to get an upsell offer?  Looked on HAL's site and could not find anything.

 

Thanks,

Canuck

[FlaMariner]

4 minutes ago, CanuckCruizer said:

Where would I find the special number to call to try to get an upsell offer?  Looked on HAL's site and could not find anything.

 

Thanks,

Canuck

 

You cannot have the phone number until you agree to the following....

 

you will be nice to the HAL rep

you will have your booking number ready

you will have the deck plan ready

you will make a quick decision (yes or no)

you will have your credit card ready to pay if you say yes.

 

If you agree to the following, I might turn over the magic number.......LOL....Unless someone else beats me to it.

 

Cruise Critic folks have to be certified before being allowed to call....LOL.

 

 

Edited November 3, 2022 by FlaMariner

[CanuckCruizer]

Just now, FlaMariner said:

 

You cannot have the phone number until you agree to the following....

 

you will be nice to the HAL rep

you will have your booking number ready

you will have the deck plan ready

you will make a quick decision (yes or no)

you will have your credit card ready to pay is you say yes.

 

If you agree to the following, I might turn over the magic number.......LOL....Unless someone else beats me to it.

 

Cruise Critic folks have to be certified before being allowed to call....LOL.

 

 

FlaMariner - LOL.  I just wrote down all those things and got my credit card - I kid you not.  I called HAL's numbers I had and was on hold so long (no one answered after 23 minutes) I hung up.

 

Canuck

[FlaMariner]

Just now, CanuckCruizer said:

FlaMariner - LOL.  I just wrote down all those things and got my credit card - I kid you not.  I called HAL's numbers I had and was on hold so long (no one answered after 23 minutes) I hung up.

 

Canuck

 

Here you go...do not share with anyone else...especially folks who are not certified like you are....good luck.

 

888.628.8107

 

[CanuckCruizer]

Thanks FlaMariner!!😁

[FlaMariner]

Just now, CanuckCruizer said:

Thanks FlaMariner!!😁

Good luck, remember the rules.....do not ruin this for the rest of us....lots of pressure.  You can do it!

 

LOL.

 

[albingirl]

1 hour ago, FlaMariner said:

Good luck, remember the rules.....do not ruin this for the rest of us....lots of pressure.  You can do it!

 

LOL.

 

And always be nice is key. Remember the karma rule.

[Grumpella]

I certainly don't think it is an "unnecessary escalation" when the Holland America rep was rude to me and lied to me.  And while I didn't know until speaking to the supervisor that upsells are not allowed in this manner because of the TA, I would have still called because of the very unprofessional behavior of the Holland America rep.   

[0106]

I book with a PCC and often receive upsell directly from HA usually beginning about 2 weeks before my cruise.  The first offer- $499 pp to upgrade from a verandah to a signature suite.  Second offer the following week $ 349 pp.  Five days before the cruise $ 149 pp (Neptune was $699 pp)

 

I called the number on the email.  It was answered immediately.  I told her the area of the ship I would consider.  She gave me 5 possible room numbers in that area.  We looked  at the deck plan.  We discussed disadvantages of a connecting room.  I booked a signature suite with her assistance for $149 pp for a 2 week sailing.

[Florida_gal_50]

I don’t know why all of a sudden they are saying you have to go through your ta for upsells.  It certainly makes sense but I’ve read numerous posts on here saying people were able to get an upsell directly through hal even though they booked through a ta.  Why the sudden change in policy?

[FlaMariner]

25 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

I don’t know why all of a sudden they are saying you have to go through your ta for upsells.  It certainly makes sense but I’ve read numerous posts on here saying people were able to get an upsell directly through hal even though they booked through a ta.  Why the sudden change in policy?

 

I think it was just one incident?

 

The OP was upset because she did not make the decision to buy the upsell when she was on the phone and when she called back it was gone.  She escalated the call and I'm thinking the HAL person said "call your TA" to get her to move on?

 

I hope HAL does not cut us off from calling directly to the upsell area but again, I think it was just this once incident and I can understand why.

 

 

[oaktreerb]

24 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

I don’t know why all of a sudden they are saying you have to go through your ta for upsells.  It certainly makes sense but I’ve read numerous posts on here saying people were able to get an upsell directly through hal even though they booked through a ta.  Why the sudden change in policy?

Used to be to make any changes to your booking you had to go through your TA or PCC.  Now that the secret upsell phone # is  “out there” it seems that anyone “in the know” can ask for an upsell.  This is great information for HAL insiders.  When those e-mails go out, the upsells must be available to anyone who calls regardless of whether they got the e-mail.

[Florida_gal_50]

8 hours ago, oaktreerb said:

Used to be to make any changes to your booking you had to go through your TA or PCC.  Now that the secret upsell phone # is  “out there” it seems that anyone “in the know” can ask for an upsell.  This is great information for HAL insiders.  When those e-mails go out, the upsells must be available to anyone who calls regardless of whether they got the e-mail.

That’s that way it should likely work.  The phone number is not much of a secret anymore with people giving it out freely.  That used to be a no no but now anything seems to go.

[Mary229]

8 hours ago, oaktreerb said:

When those e-mails go out, the upsells must be available to anyone who calls regardless of whether they got the e-mail.

No they don’t.  That is part of the top secret formula.  For a silk g where I had an inside cabin I was told directly that upsells for inside cabin pax were completed and there would be no more.  I had my agent call and she was told the same.