Were you on the Norwegian Epic Transatlantic waitlist?

[Dan Askin]

NCL announced Norwegian Epic's transatlantic cruise today -- a seven-night London to New York voyage leaving on June 24, 2010. A few weeks ago, they let people jump on waitlist for said cruise. In today's press release, the line called the response to the waitlist "unprecedented." Since there actually is no precedent -- NCL has never had a waitlist for an inaugural cruise -- we're busy trying to find out just what the response was.

Quick poll: were you on the waitlist?

[CastawayCruiser]

Yes I was and now I am booked!! Very exciting.

[orangeh3]

And my cabin choice is booked!!!

[Cruiser#5]

Price was too high for us :(

[time2cruise1]

Yes and lucky to get the AC I was waitlisted for. They were all gone 90 minutes after the special desk opened this morning. It seems that took more waitlist reservations then cabins with no consideration for who booked first.

[calmac]

We were on two waitlists - the US one and the UK one. The UK one just took the main contact's name - no choice of cabin or number of passengers - good way to lead to chaos. The first contact we had today was from the UK office.

We've booked!

[pcreek]

I was on a waitlist w/ a TA. Email from the TA this am - firm date, but still waiting on pricing?/
If they are already overbooked..guess my 'waiting on the list' just got longer?

[bluesea777]

I was on waitlist, and I feel very let down.

Only 7 days straight-forward TA from Southampton to New York - all at sea, and on the 24th June.

Our son finishes school for the summer on June 30th and we had hoped for the TA to start around that date and include a few European ports at beginning and/or a few US ports (or even Bermuda) at the end. 14-16 days or something like that.

[coka]

I did not get on a waitlist. I hope pity the procrastinator does not hold true. Is she already sold out?

coka

[sjbdtz]

On the waitlist, and booked in an SA suite for the TA.

[time2cruise1]

I did not get on a waitlist. I hope pity the procrastinator does not hold true. Is she already sold out?

coka

Not even close but a few catagories are gone.

[coka]

Timetocruise1...category? All are too confusing to me. The only one I understand is studio for one. Although...one of my sister's has 4 500 dollar compass rewards points she has never used...and she is back from serving...maybe I can talk her into going. LOL

coka

[BBTT]

we weren't on the waitlist but we did book her for October 2010...prices were good and our aft balcony was available..still haven't figured out what to do if I can't get off from work.;) guess I might feel the flu coming on...:D

[sjbdtz]

we weren't on the waitlist but we did book her for October 2010...prices were good and our aft balcony was available..still haven't figured out what to do if I can't get off from work.;) guess I might feel the flu coming on...:D


Just don't bring your "flu" onboard! ;)

[Davey Interweb]

Waitlist? Haha. It looks like plenty of cabins are available, in almost every category on the June T/A.

I think the whole waitlist nonsense is done simply to create buzz and give the illusion of overwhelming interest, and not because it will at all be necessary.

[orangeh3]

Waitlist? Haha. It looks like plenty of cabins are available, in almost every category on the June T/A.

I think the whole waitlist nonsense is done simply to create buzz and give the illusion of overwhelming interest, and not because it will at all be necessary.

try booking an AC on the Epic transatlantic...:rolleyes:

[time2cruise1]

Waitlist? Haha. It looks like plenty of cabins are available, in almost every category on the June T/A.

I think the whole waitlist nonsense is done simply to create buzz and give the illusion of overwhelming interest, and not because it will at all be necessary.

No HaHa - nobody expected the ship to sell out or anything close. The 7 ACs were gone in a couple of hours. Some have opened as we move around on the ship. The real advantage to the waitlist was first pick of the cabins and as it turns out better pricing then when open sales started.

If all you want is an inside, studio or balcony cabin anywhere on the ship there are and will be plenty available. If you had you eye on a specific cabin the waitlist was a great idea. We got first pick.

As it turns out I was waitlisted for an AC, got the one I wanted on deck 12 with the neighbors I wanted. Looking at the presale pricing the A3 was only $300 pp more. That opened 5 Acs for those that got closed out on the waitlist. With all the movement there was in fact 1 AC available Thurs. morning when general sales started.

The real value to many of us was the A3s we booked are now over a $1000 more then when we booked them on Tuesday. Yes it created buzz but also benefits to those that took advantage of it.

[Davey Interweb]

try booking an AC on the Epic transatlantic...:rolleyes:

Okay, AC 11321 is available. Now what?

[time2cruise1]

Okay, AC 11321 is available. Now what?

and I know the waitlist passenger that gave it up. Now what. Book it silly

[Davey Interweb]

No HaHa - nobody expected the ship to sell out or anything close. The 7 ACs were gone in a couple of hours. Some have opened as we move around on the ship. The real advantage to the waitlist was first pick of the cabins and as it turns out better pricing then when open sales started.

If all you want is an inside, studio or balcony cabin anywhere on the ship there are and will be plenty available. If you had you eye on a specific cabin the waitlist was a great idea. We got first pick.

As it turns out I was waitlisted for an AC, got the one I wanted on deck 12 with the neighbors I wanted. Looking at the presale pricing the A3 was only $300 pp more. That opened 5 Acs for those that got closed out on the waitlist. With all the movement there was in fact 1 AC available Thurs. morning when general sales started.

The real value to many of us was the A3s we booked are now over a $1000 more then when we booked them on Tuesday. Yes it created buzz but also benefits to those that took advantage of it.

This all sounds familiar; kinda like the Oasis inaugural where Diamond+ members were given the first shot at booking. The lowest fare initially offered to me on this 4-night was $1265 pp when they first opened bookings back in September '08, but now I can get on this ship, in the same category on a guarantee, for about $400 less per person. I'd probably wind up with a better cabin to boot, too. If I wanted one of those nifty two-story Crown Lofts that RCI went on about endlessly, no problem. I'm pretty confident the same will occur with Epic.

I still believe that waitlists for (any) inaugural sailings on a new ship are lame and are essentially a publicity stunt and nothing else. I don't want to burst your bubble, but although Epic is interesting and I'd really like to sample it, it's not so amazing where people will be falling over themselves to book it. We're still talking about NCL here.

and I know the waitlist passenger that gave it up. Now what. Book it silly

Oh hell no. On a pier-diem basis for the AC, the pricing isn't far off from what I paid for the T/A I did on Crystal not too long ago. It's also not far from a Grill suite on a nearly-identical QM2 T/A at around the same time in '10. Yes, I know, two different worlds but I'll still personally go for the best overall product every time.

I'm not saying that you made a bad choice - apples to oranges and all that - just that the hype NCL is attempting to generate is a little silly. That's all.

[orangeh3]

This all sounds familiar; kinda like the Oasis inaugural where Diamond+ members were given the first shot at booking. The lowest fare initially offered to me on this 4-night was $1265 pp when they first opened bookings back in September '08, but now I can get on this ship, in the same category on a guarantee, for about $400 less per person. I'd probably wind up with a better cabin to boot, too. If I wanted one of those nifty two-story Crown Lofts that RCI went on about endlessly, no problem. I'm pretty confident the same will occur with Epic.

I still believe that waitlists for (any) inaugural sailings on a new ship are lame and are essentially a publicity stunt and nothing else. I don't want to burst your bubble, but although Epic is interesting and I'd really like to sample it, it's not so amazing where people will be falling over themselves to book it. We're still talking about NCL here.



Oh hell no. On a pier-diem basis for the AC, the pricing isn't far off from what I paid for the T/A I did on Crystal not too long ago. It's also not far from a Grill suite on a nearly-identical QM2 T/A at around the same time in '10. Yes, I know, two different worlds but I'll still personally go for the best overall product every time.

I'm not saying that you made a bad choice - apples to oranges and all that - just that the hype NCL is attempting to generate is a little silly. That's all.

I think NCL responded to what the people asked for, not NCL providing a wait list and then people jumping on the waitlist...I know I was asking for a waitlist with my contacts before it was started...

[time2cruise1]

This all sounds familiar; kinda like the Oasis inaugural where Diamond+ members were given the first shot at booking. The lowest fare initially offered to me on this 4-night was $1265 pp when they first opened bookings back in September '08, but now I can get on this ship, in the same category on a guarantee, for about $400 less per person. I'd probably wind up with a better cabin to boot, too. If I wanted one of those nifty two-story Crown Lofts that RCI went on about endlessly, no problem. I'm pretty confident the same will occur with Epic.

I still believe that waitlists for (any) inaugural sailings on a new ship are lame and are essentially a publicity stunt and nothing else. I don't want to burst your bubble, but although Epic is interesting and I'd really like to sample it, it's not so amazing where people will be falling over themselves to book it. We're still talking about NCL here.



Oh hell no. On a pier-diem basis for the AC, the pricing isn't far off from what I paid for the T/A I did on Crystal not too long ago. It's also not far from a Grill suite on a nearly-identical QM2 T/A at around the same time in '10. Yes, I know, two different worlds but I'll still personally go for the best overall product every time.

I'm not saying that you made a bad choice - apples to oranges and all that - just that the hype NCL is attempting to generate is a little silly. That's all.

For sure everything they have done with the Epic is all about the buzz. That is marketing not silly. As it stands right now I have an A3 2 bedroom CV for $1000 less then the current price. If over time the prices do come down I will take advantage of those reductions. The good news it can not go up.

I have done the Queens Grill on the QE2 and I perfer the courtyard on NCL. Apples and Oranges. Like you I go for the best over all product and for me as of late it has been NCL.

[BarbCT605]

For sure everything they have done with the Epic is all about the buzz. That is marketing not silly. As it stands right now I have an A3 2 bedroom CV for $1000 less then the current price. If over time the prices do come down I will take advantage of those reductions. The good news it can not go up.

I have done the Queens Grill on the QE2 and I perfer the courtyard on NCL. Apples and Oranges. Like you I go for the best over all product and for me as of late it has been NCL.
Agree with you 100%. After all, we're talking about NCL here which is the best overall product for me, also.

[gmasters]

ok we had a AA cabin our last cruise and we had a BA room on the gem aft LOOKING aft, some time back and the room was wonderful.
when NCL called us to ask if we wanted to cuise this TA, when we already have a Epic booked for 9-11-10 we said yes.
All we had to do was pick a cabin, so we picked 13284 aft,.
We are happy with room but with most every cruise we book we wait to see about upgrades, but seeing how this is the 1st TA for the epic I dont see many people jumping ship atleast not the ones who booked suites in the CY. Oh well we will just have to wait for a much lower price and chance come 9-11

any way we are happy to be on this cruise and its our first TA

[time2cruise1]

ok we had a AA cabin our last cruise and we had a BA room on the gem aft LOOKING aft, some time back and the room was wonderful.
when NCL called us to ask if we wanted to cuise this TA, when we already have a Epic booked for 9-11-10 we said yes.
All we had to do was pick a cabin, so we picked 13284 aft,.
We are happy with room but with most every cruise we book we wait to see about upgrades, but seeing how this is the 1st TA for the epic I dont see many people jumping ship atleast not the ones who booked suites in the CY. Oh well we will just have to wait for a much lower price and chance come 9-11

any way we are happy to be on this cruise and its our first TA

Let me give you some hope. There are plenty of open CVs. Keep in mind with more A3s (44) then all other suites combined they may well be the last to sell out. CVs never sold out on the first Jewel, Pearl, and Gem TAs and were filled with upsells and there were only 8 A3s.

[alaska2007family]

I thought the wait list was a good idea because of the delay by NCL in getting the TA scheduled. We were on the Star May 23 and were bugging the on board PCC without success. The only thing that seemed strange about the wait list was that NCL did not contact people in the order they went on the list.

We are very pleased with the BA we got on the stern and are looking forward to our first TA with no port interruptions. We hope to travel in Europe for a few days before the cruise.

Based on the activity of the TA forum, I am certain we'll be traveling with a fun group!!!!

:cool:

[Why Knot Me]

Was on the waitlist and booked an AC!

[monteman]

Yes, we were on the waitlist for an AC. Booked it. Then heard about the special pricing for a CY Villa and switched over to that for an unheard of additional $300 pp. What a great deal! We are so excited to be in a CY Villa again--last time we were, it was our honeymoon. Without the waitlist, we never would have been offered such a good price. Yay!
:D