SouthLyonCruiser

In the past we have always gotten an on line receipt for cruise payment. We make several payments after booking so that our cruises are paid for long in advance. In the past we have gotten an emailed receipt that showed the payment and balance. I can't even find a receipt in My NCL. Any tips? Am I not looking in the correct place on the NCL site?

21 hours ago, PortFees45 said:

Or they just oversold the cruise and hoped I wouldn't complain. 

 

The SMALLEST inside stateroom is larger than a Studio. Every bathroom in an inside is larger than a Studio. The website clearly indicates studios as being a lower category than an Inside. I'm pretty claustrophobic and an Inside was going to be bad enough. I would have NEVER booked a Studio, or an IX if I thought there was any chance of landing in a Studio. I expected lowest Inside category or higher. 

 

I booked direct through NCL.com, so I'm coming up on 30 minutes on hold "waiting for a supervisor."

Your time on the phone to NCL is another good reason to use a travel agent and let them spend their time on the phone.

On 6/24/2019 at 8:12 AM, TSUmom said:

We always book balconies and prefer the aft.  We are looking at cruising Alaska next year and are considering an inside or oceanview.  On warm weather cruises we use the balcony all of the time but other than seeing Glacier Bay on our balcony I would not see much use in having one.  I do not like cold.....Also we could use the money we save on the cabin to really enjoy seeing Alaska off the ship.  It is a hard decision and I keep going back and forth..

Alaska is and always has been a balcony only cruise. No crowds to try and get through to see things and you are almost always in sight of land.

If you are planning on seeing the original canal you may be disappointed, the larger ships can only traverse the new locks. So, a little research to find a ship that will go through the original locks would be in order.

We went through the original on the Jade and it was amazing to see what had been done with early 20th century equipment and technology.

Depending on the cruise itinerary you may want to book in advance as many of the popular excursions, like the helicopter tours in Alaska, may  be sold out by cruise time.

The deciding factor for me is air fare. If you are an American it is cheaper to fly to Seattle than to Vancouver. So, depending on the size of your party, this could add up.

We have always used the same travel agent and when we have large parties we have her do the booking as doing yourself can be a nightmare. Travel agents don't charge more than the NCL reps and give much better service and can get you answers to questions without spending your day on a phone. 

As a previous reply said, make sure you book the earliest that you can. I don't know if it makes a difference but we always pay in full way in advance for our cruise so that they can't give you the old, "you can only book once your cruise is paid in full" story.

I know that this may have been "done to death" but I read a review where the reviewer, with platinum status, had taken a friend to her perk dinner. So, is it safe to assume that if your wife, husband or other person in your cabin does not want to go to dinner, that you can take someone else? I don't recall a waiter ever asking for more than one card on the perk dinner.

6 minutes ago, Son of a son of a ... said:

I thought that you are charged for a no-show reservation at a specialty restaurant 

I have never heard of that being done; and, let's face it, if they did charge there would be plenty of "cruise complainers" lighting up the web site with moans and groans.

On 3/25/2017 at 9:52 PM, debway said:

What would be the point of booking a mini suite if you don't get any of the suite perks?

Check the price difference between the two catagories of suites and you will have your answer as to why a mini suite does not get the same perks as regular suites.

On a recent cruise I went to the diner reservation desk and cancelled a reservation that we had at a specialty restaurant; a gentleman that was standing in line thanked me. I asked he what he was thanking me for he replied that that was the first he ever heard of anyone cancelling a reservation when they decided not use their reservation at a restaurant.

Let's face it, common courtesy and consideration for others seems to be dying out.

So, in conclusion, when anyone decides not to use their reservation, please let the reservation desk in the atrium or at the restaurant know.

We are going on our 4th Alaska cruise next year on the Bliss and, I was wondering, if they still face the glacier with one side facing it and after a period of time turn the ship so that those on the other side that have balconies get the same opportunity to see it from their staterooms?

15 hours ago, CPT Trips said:

So NCL thinks that soda is an "adult" beverage but coffee and water aren't? I think it's more likely that they just want to keep people confused.

I quite agree. That way they can try a "shell game" when you try to find out if a particular drink is included.

6 hours ago, Nclgetawaymenhoney said:

That's two categories so fine mini suites is one category then "all haven" is the other category good for him and his family 

Mini suites, suites, then Haven.

On 6/13/2019 at 7:26 PM, psxer989 said:

I've been cruising on NCL for years.  I had my trip on the Joy booked and fully paid for.  Then they came out with new 4 Free at Sea offers this week.  I called about my reservation since I was in a balcony and qualified.  Denied.  They explained that you have to pay full price to receive those.  I had a discount so I don't get them.  I explained I paid for a balcony and that their website says absolutely nothing about exclusions or restrictions.  It just flat out says if you are in a balcony or above you get them.  Period.  I went up to a supervisor who wouldn't budge.  I explained there is nothing on the website that says those offers are only for full price.  I fully understand why they have this policy but if they don't state it then how can we be bound by it.  The supervisor didn't care about my past cruise history or whether or not I continued to cruise with them.  I choose to not cruise with them ever again.  I canceled my reservation and will go elsewhere.  I know there are die hard supporters here and I've loved NCL, but right is right and I do not agree with NCL on this policy.  The nickel and dime stuff has just gotten ridiculous.  Too bad about their attitude.  I've spent so many good vacations on NCL but this was just wrong. 

One of the many reasons I don't book directly through the cruise line. I have used the same travel agent for 20 years and have never had any issues like you just had. It cost me no more and anytime I need any information I email her and she get the answers. Sometimes it might take a couple of days but, when all is said and done, the issue gets resolved.

23 hours ago, graphicguy said:

I wonder if hr realizes how his interview reflects poorly on him as a person?  Glad NCL booted them.

Let's face it; people like that have no clue how rude and entitled they sound. 

6 hours ago, don't-use-real-name said:

I don't have an answer for that - - -

If you are in a Balcony cabin - two steps categories up is the Haven - first step being a Suite.

I don't know if that goofy category of Mini-Suite (Deluxe Balcony) is a category step in the upgrade structure !

A WAG if in a balcony and bidding for a Haven you are going to have to push that upgrade needle a tad past

midrange.

Readers - anyone been in a balcony and offered the opportunity to bid (2steps up) for a Haven ?

 

Note there are 4 cabins (Owners Suites on deck 9 & 10 forward ) that are part of the Haven complex although

they are not inside the ship within a ship Haven walls.

 

The US money is in a vault at Fort Knox.

The Coca Cola secret formula is in a bank vault in Atlanta.

The KFC secret recipe is still a secret.

NCL bidding upgrade program - lets have a game of blind folded piñata darts at a revolving target !

After balcony comes the mini suite and then the suite.

16 hours ago, don't-use-real-name said:

No one knows for sure - that is absolutely positively how the bidding (upgrading) program is

conducted - but there have been a lot of responses questions answers here at CC to get an

inkle of what is going on behind those closed doors (or curtains) internet shutters blinds to

arrive at a probable conclusion.

 

As noted before - you can only bid if NCL is offering it to you about 80 days from sailing

you can only bid two meta above your present category i.e. Inside to a Balcony - Ocean View

to Mini-Suite - Balcony to Suite(Haven) -

Suites may bid all the way thru the roof to a Haven or Garden Villa.

 

Bidding is on a scale of poor to maximum

Poor maybe just a few dollars per person (PP) to the maximum where at this point you should

consider an outright purchase of that cabin category - benefits being you get to select the cabin

location instead of it being assigned in an undesirable location and you may get more perks and

bennies while carefully weighing the loss of any !

 

A presumption of what transpires - someone in a suite bids and wins a better (Haven) Garden suite

creating a vacancy that someone in a balcony can bid for and then that Inside cabin bids on the

balcony - sort of a domino effect.

There is always the possibility of someone out bidding offering more for cabin and moving up a

double step to a better cabin.

On beginning and ending of season cruises it is possible for a low-ball ridiculous bid to get a great

deal on a cabin with no one bidding !

 

The awarding of the bids can be as soon as right after the 80 day posting period right down to the

2 day 48 hours before sailing. Discussing upgrading on board with Guest Services is not usually

productive "BUT" don't be afraid to ask in case of some fluke. Just remember if you are upgraded

at the last moment your cabin selection is at the mercy of NCL - think leftovers cold ones at that ! 

 

I don't know if your being Platinum PP Ambassador has any merit to the awarding bidding process.

It may be a tie breaking situation between two bidders.

If you have had a history of participation in the bidding process that may factor in - I think it

does as in my last 3 cruises I have been offered the chance to bid and won and I did not bet

the farm just a notch or two above minimum.

We had a standard balcony and were offered to bid on a Garden Villa.

19 hours ago, Nclgetawaymenhoney said:

You can only bid up 2 categories. So a inside could not bid on a haven, they would only have the option to bid on ocean view or balcony 

I don't believe that is true. My son got a two bedroom Haven balcony and was booked in a standard balcony.

By the way he got it for the minimum bid.

19 hours ago, rattanchair said:

Perhaps what I am looking for is at what lower level do they start the Haven bidding process. I was H6 and was offered to bid on the supposed next two higher categories.  Is it a standard balcony? Inside? Does every category get to bid on all the higher Haven categories? Say I buy a special inside for a hypothetical $599. Will they send me an offer 4-6 weeks before sailing to bid on a Haven H6 which I paid an actual $9071 for an additional $2000 pp?

I believe that they offer it to people who have cabin catagories that are sold out and they want to get those back on line first. 

But, I am just speculating. That would be about all we can do unless we get a mole into NCL.

I know that this topic may have already been done to death; but, it seems like NCL changes the names of their packages more often that I change the oil in my car.

Our reservation shows that we have the Adult Beverage Package.

Try searching for this on the NCL web site (which, by the way, is awful). You may as well be trying to find the location of the Holy Grail.

You can find "Premium  Beverage Package" which is described as the new name for the old "Ultimate Beverage Package".

So, what in the world is the "Adult Beverage Package"?

I need to know the same thing for two different ships so I am putting this question in one post.

Does the Jade or Bliss have self serve laundries?

If the booking is through NCL, don't worry, it is there problem to make sure that you get to your flight.

I always book my own, no costlier and always non stop.

15 hours ago, Ajat0921 said:

Anyone else notice this issue? I have the three UDP and can only make reservations for the first night. I should be able to make it for the following night as well, but can't.

I have been using the same travel agent for almost twenty years. If a problem arises I email her, describe the problem and she takes care of it. Calling NCL is a waste of time, you never know whether the representative you get is experienced or new or even if they know what you are talking about. And, if you ever call back and say that "so and so told me.....", you may get the, "they don't work here anymore and they should not have told you that", response.

We had a larger group on one cruise and because we needed reservations for 7 we called and had her make all of them. No problem. You pay no more for your cruise and get personal service.

23 hours ago, ColeThornton said:

Here is the list of prohibited items per NCL.com:

 

https://www.ncl.com/prohibited-items

Thanks, I checked the list and it seems that I will be ok.

I believe I read this before our last cruise and, being old and forgetful, it slipped my mind.