Upsell offers - a heads up.

[DaveOKC]

A member on my roll call board mentioned that they received an upsell offer on our cruise, but I did not get one, so I called the upsell department and they were able to get me the last Neptune available.  They (and my HAL PCC later verified) that an offer was sent to me 7 days ago, but I never received it.  Since the cruise was 43 days out at that point I really was not watching for it.  I checked my Spam and Trash files and nothing was in them.

 

Thus a heads up for everyone - check with others on your roll call to see if anyone has received and upsell offer, starting about 45 days out.

[jenp123]

I have made a phone call on my last 3 cruises and they have mentioned that I was sent an upgrade offer all 3 times but I never received any of them. I also booked directly with holland so it's not a matter of it going to anybody else.  Not sure where they ended up sending them.

[DaveOKC]

35 minutes ago, jenp123 said:

I have made a phone call on my last 3 cruises and they have mentioned that I was sent an upgrade offer all 3 times but I never received any of them. I also booked directly with holland so it's not a matter of it going to anybody else.  Not sure where they ended up sending them.

Sounds like HAL is having another one of their famous tech related problems!  Will need to be more proactive with them in the future.

 

[Ipeeinthepools]

Or maybe the response to anyone that calls about not getting an upsell offer is:  "Didn't you get the e-mail?  We sent the offer several times"

[Haljo1935]

This happened on my last cruise (K'dam Dec 21 - Jan 6 HI) - several on roll call said they received upgrade offers, but several of us said we did not get anything. Called in and they did make an offer. I didn't accept it, but they were offering. That booking was direct - no PCC, no TA.

[DaveOKC]

41 minutes ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

Or maybe the response to anyone that calls about not getting an upsell offer is:  "Didn't you get the e-mail?  We sent the offer several times"

Possible, but I checked with my PCC and she told me that she checked my account and it shows that it was sent out and I believe her as we have a good relationship.

 

[TomBeckCruise]

31 minutes ago, DaveOKC said:

Possible, but I checked with my PCC and she told me that she checked my account and it shows that it was sent out and I believe her as we have a good relationship.

 

Thanks for posting. I'll give em a call around July 15, although our cruise is almost sold out.

[gizmodog]

How do you call the upsell department?

[Woofbite]

How do they determine who gets an upsale offer? 

We're 4 star and have never received one.

[DaveOKC]

1 hour ago, Woofbite said:

How do they determine who gets an upsale offer? 

We're 4 star and have never received one.

Check to see if you are signed up for promotional emails from HAL.  Can find this on your account profile.

 

[DaveOKC]

1 hour ago, gizmodog said:

How do you call the upsell department?

Contact 888-628-8107 between 8am and 5pm Pacific Time Monday-Friday t

[Iamthesea]

23 hours ago, DaveOKC said:

Thus a heads up for everyone - check with others on your roll call to see if anyone has received and upsell offer, starting about 45 days out.

 

I am really surprised that offers went out that early.  I guess it depends on how the cruise is selling.  On our cruise last year, we took an upsell less than 3 weeks out.  I believe that it was the 2nd round of offers.  My TA is good about sending offers, but I always check inventory  myself.

[WriterOnDeck]

51 minutes ago, Iamthesea said:

 

I am really surprised that offers went out that early.  I guess it depends on how the cruise is selling.  On our cruise last year, we took an upsell less than 3 weeks out.  I believe that it was the 2nd round of offers.  My TA is good about sending offers, but I always check inventory  myself.

 

For the current world cruise, which started in early January, I got my first upsell offer on Aug. 8. My travel agent was surprised one came so soon -- even before final payment was due -- and recommended I wait for the offer to improve (which I did).

 

And that's the benefit of having a great travel agent. She knows what I am likely to want and keeps her eyes open. If, like this fall, I am on a short B2B cruise before a grand cruise and don't like my cabin category, she reaches out to HAL to see what upsell options are open. My new modus operandi is to book a cabin I will be very happy with, but look for upsell opportunities, especially when it is a cruise that is unlikely to sell out.

[Holly g]

Exactly what is an upsell  offer?

[Nodakboiler]

A chance to get a higher level cabin for less money than the original fare.

[Djptcp]

On our last HAL cruise in Dec. I received an upsell email about 2 weeks before the cruise, but it was $299 per person and we didn't take it.. Then about a week later, I received another one and it was $199 per person, but didn't take it. A few days before the cruise, a third offer came and was $99 per person and we took it. Saved $400.

 

If I don't receive an upsell offer, I call the Inventory Dept. a few days before a cruise and have been lucky  few times to move from Verandahs to Vista Suites in locations we want.

[crystalspin]

1 hour ago, Holly g said:

Exactly what is an upsell  offer?

What the cruiseline probably calls a "paid Upgrade", as opposed to a "complimentary Upgrade". On Cruise Critic "upsell" and "upgrade" respectively.

[*Miss G*]

I received a paid upgrade offer 7 weeks from sailing!  That is the longest stretch I’ve received to date.  Normally they come about 1-2 weeks prior.

[crystalspin]

38 minutes ago, *Miss G* said:

I received a paid upgrade offer 7 weeks from sailing!  That is the longest stretch I’ve received to date.  Normally they come about 1-2 weeks prior.

Yay for you, no one more deserving! (If you took it...)

[*Miss G*]

1 hour ago, crystalspin said:

Yay for you, no one more deserving! (If you took it...)

 

I didn’t take it!  I’m gambling on a better deal knowing that if it doesn’t come through I am good with what I have.  (Except I don’t know what I have because I have a guarantee.  I may be wrong!  😂)

[Woofbite]

Do they offer them to guarantee people?  I frequently book guarantees and as a 4 star Mariner have never had an upsale offer.

[Nickelpenny]

43 minutes ago, Woofbite said:

Do they offer them to guarantee people?  I frequently book guarantees and as a 4 star Mariner have never had an upsale offer.

I usually do guarantee insides and have frequently received upsell offers. Usually, as a solo, they are not worth it as I have to pay x 2 but once I did take it for an OV for $198 total. 

Edited March 6 by Nickelpenny
Adding

[*Miss G*]

1 hour ago, Woofbite said:

Do they offer them to guarantee people?  I frequently book guarantees and as a 4 star Mariner have never had an upsale offer.

 

When I used a TA, I never received them.  The first time I started using a PCC, I received one, and have continued to receive them to the present day.  If you use a TA, you may want to ask them, because they are the ones who receive the offers and need to forward them on to you.  And, yes, as @Nickelpenny says, they do send them to guarantee people.  I am currently on a guarantee and have received one.

[dobiemom]

I use a TA and she would get the upsell notices. I let her know in advance what I’m willing to pay for an upsell. She knows me and knows if I would like the cabin offered. If at or below my price she will grab the offer. If it’s more she will contact me to discuss.