Capitan Obvious

1 hour ago, Bulk-head said:

Great screen grab. You've captured exactly why it is important to read, and to understand, information regarding your purchase.

How many people don't read this, or just skim over it, and not realize the "provide guidance" and "take decisive action to resolve" in the event of irregular operations are NOT the same thing? Your flight is delayed? "Call United's reservation department" is guidance...they've told you what you should do....which is all "provide guidance" means.

Wow...there is just a LOT to unpack in this first post to CC.

In another thread, I made a point of explaining the importance of asking the right person when you seek the right answer. I think it applies here too.

NCL offers BOGO/discounted airfares as a part of the ongoing Free @ Sea promotion. When a guest selects this, the tickets are assigned through a 3rd party flight clearinghouse. You have no choice and no say in the flights. NCL's only involvement is to give your information to the 3rd party and pay for the ticket...they have no other control or involvement and are not able to help with day-of issues.

NCL also offers airfare for purchase. If a guest selects this, they work with a reservation agent and they DO get some say in the flight/airline/times. Costs a bit more, but you have a degree of control. Additionally, NCL is able to assist with day-of issues on these flights.

Needless to say, these are NOT handled by the same group at NCL...one group does not work with or for the other.

From what I'm reading, it appears that the OP likely booked one of these and then tried to resolve day-of airline issues through the other (as the only airline specialists at NCL are the second group...there is no contact info for the BOGO flight bookings). No surprise then that when the wrong group is contacted that they can't provided the desired help.

NCL's air promo likely would not have been a problem going from Michigan to (for example) Miami for a cruise. However, when a flight crosses an ocean (iow MANY time zones) and you only select 1 day deviation, I think the odds of issues goes waaaay up. Not sure that BOGO air is the safest choice for these long flights with multiple connections and multiple airlines.

2 hours ago, victory2020 said:

I should have said my PVP or whatever they  are called, When booking, I stated that I get the 2 dinners & he said no, only on 7 day or longer cruises. To me, that is incorrect information by NCL

The correct term is PCC, however, that doesn't make a single bit of difference to the point...a PCC is also a reservation agent. The folks working in the Latitudes department are the experts, and as such, are the correct person(s) to ask if you want the right answer. 

Technically, it may be incorrect information by NCL, but it likely wouldn't be incorrect if the correct person was asked. Again...YOU previously said "because we are given so much incorrect info from NCL". Do you think that maybe, just maybe, taking the time to identify and ask the right question to the right person may correct that problem?

11 hours ago, victory2020 said:

Probably because we are given so much incorrect info from NCL! My planner told me I did not get my 2 free specialty dinners on a 5 day which I found is not correct

Well, there is your problem. You are asking a reservation agent to answer Latitude reward questions. 

Reservation agents are trained to take information and put it into the booking system. They aren't intended to be cruise encyclopedias. One of the best ways to get good answers is to ask the right person.  It makes no sense to ask the wrong person, and especially not repeatedly ("we are given so much incorrect info").

13 hours ago, grouchomarx said:

I would prefer to be able to cancel it than go to Canada and New England but I know that is not an option.  Obviously I’d prefer not to sail into a hurricane but this cruise would be a pretty big waste of money to go to those ports.  I know it is always a risk to get re-routed on any cruise, it does not mean I have to say I will enjoy it.

If that is your preference, you ARE able to do that. Just cancel the cruise and file with your travel insurance provider for reimbursement. 

The problem is that a lot of people who say what you've said actually mean that they want to be able to walk away from their cruise with no financial hit to themselves, they want refunded by the cruise line, and they don't want to have to buy travel insurance. IOW, they have no issue leaving the cruise line "holding the bag" as long as they themselves have no consequences.

People, as you know, have the ability to book outside of hurricane season, and people have the ability to protect their investment in their vacation. If the choose not to do either, I think we can all agree that only they can bear the responsibility for their decisions.

I always thought that taking the ship away from the bad weather WAS doing something nice.

39 minutes ago, zqvol said:

Other than the hotel rates are jacked way up it is not much different than any Sunday when the saints are playing at home. 

I'd disagee with that. The Super Bowl will draw far more out of town visitors than would a normal Saints home game. The media presence is going to be HUGE compared to a normal home game. Then add in the SB level half time show and all that goes into that...Things will look nothing like a regular Sunday home game.

I've seen some horror stories on these forums before regarding the impact of events...Mardi Gras in New Orleans, the marathon in New York, etc. 

You can only assume that traffic will be a nightmare...and all transportation will take longer than normal. I'm also guessing that hotels will not only be pricey, but will require multiple night stays.

If your plans are flexible, I think rescheduling to another day in New Orleans (watch out for Mardi Gras) or changing to another ship/port would be the best thing to do.

On 5/13/2024 at 5:13 PM, JGmf said:

Sorry, but entering that stuff again is a waste of time.  They already have our credit card and passport information in their databases....ready to be hacked by anyone smart enough with enough time to do so.  Entering it again is perplexing.  It's not about data security.

I'd have to disagree. They would have no way of know if the information had changed or if you might want to use a different credit card...easier to simply ask each time.

Same way that on every flight you take they show you how to buckle and unbuckle your seatbelt..even though you are already wearing it by the time they get around to showing you.

1 minute ago, willise said:

It's unhelpful because it's not accurate. As I said, there are others on the sailing who have purchased the Vibe pass. Therefore, it is not "too early to book".

If it is sold out, then say that. I find it incredibly hard to believe that an agent working for NCL cannot verify if an item is sold out or not.

Well if you somehow know "accurate information" then just buy the pass. You know and NCL doesn't ...I get it. 

Since you already know the answer, it just seems that there is less need to drag all of us into your situation with NCL.

9 hours ago, willise said:

However I am aware of others on the same cruise that have purchased the pass.

So...why not ask THEM? Seems like the information they would have would be a whole lot more applicable to your situation than what anyone here might be able to guess instead.

If NCL already told you the passes aren't available, what do you want from us? Are you hoping we tell you they are so that you can call NCL back and tell them that they are wrong because the good folks at Cruise Critic said so?

42 minutes ago, Daruma said:

 

Also, I'm unsure of what would make me happy... discussions like this can help me to decide. 

I know that, but the question is how does the breakpoint for me or anyone else help you to decide what makes you happy? I believe that your happiness can be determined regardless of how factors affect other people, just explain to me how you feel the opposite? Unless you live by following what everyone else does, I don't see the logic.

37 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Well, I was really just answering the OP's question from the perspective of somebody who doesn't base the decision upon resources available (i.e. the opposite of your position).  My perspective of diminishing returns is that once I have to pay more than $25 per day for a balcony, it really isn't worth it to me. 

You see how you end up arguing against yourself, right? You can't say your perspective is "somebody who doesn't base the decision upon resources available" and them claim "diminishing returns" and/or "really isn't worth it to me". Not honestly anyway. Worth and return both refer to those available resources you claim not to use.

All that said, my point...once again...is that financial or otherwise, no factors in my decision on whether or not to take a balcony (or make any other decision) are a one-size-fits-all for the OP to use to make the same decision for themselves. We are individuals, not clones.

16 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

My income and expenses are totally irrelevant to my choice of cabin.  So yes, I was able to actually answer the OPs question.  That places me clearly in a very small minority.

 

I don't live by the equation: "Income - expenses = money to throw away on things I don't need"

 

That said, it sounds like you and many others might.😎

Play word games however you want, but if you're not using some sort of equation, how are you determining the balcony breakpoint that the OP was requesting? And, how is YOUR breakpoint (which, be definition, is financial) relevant to the OP?

11 minutes ago, Daruma said:

 

You get me. 

 

As I've mentioned above, I can afford this... but would I rather spend my money elsewhere? I'm not sure to be honest. 

 

I'm no Bill Gates or Jeff Bezos... but I can pay my rent... and now that last week my son graduated from college... I can eat meat too 😂🤣

OK...you can afford this. Cool. And maybe you would rahter spend your money elsewhere or not...whatever YOU choose.

But how is the breakpoint for me or any other poster here relevant to your situation? How does my go/no-go on a balcony affect your situation?

I've never understood the need that some people display as far as just following the crowd instead of simply doing what makes them happy.

20 hours ago, Daruma said:

Hello, folks. 

 

Me again. 

 

So, let me explain the topic and my question. 

 

At what daily price break down do you say, "NOPE!!" to a balcony? 

 

I'm currently booked in an interior room for my 7 day cruise, but since day 7 is disembark day, I only consider it to be 6 days of cabin use. 

 

To change to a balcony for those actual 6 days of cabin use is $660... so $110/day.

 

I'd like a balcony, can afford a balcony, but the logical part of my brain is saying, "Are ye DAFT man?" lol. 

 

So, just curious, at what daily price differential do you decide that the balcony isn't worth it? 

 

I know that I can "split the difference" and go with an Ocean View room, but that doesn't interest me in the slightest. 

Given that it is highly unlikely that any two people here will have identical income, not to mention identical expenses, I don't see how we can answer "What's Your Financial Breakpoint In a Balcony?" type questions. Affordability and preferences are both unique and personal...person A's situation isn't the same as person B's.

I don't see how knowing MY personal yes/no financial tipping point on a balcony cabin is helpful to anyone other than myself. Likewise, since I know nothing about your income, your expenses, your debt, and/or your personal preferences for needs/wants, I don't see how I could offer any insight into your personal decision when it involves your finances.

2 hours ago, albatros1 said:

2. Please read carefully my message above, I explained that I was referring to the walking/socializing area between the elevators. The theatre and Manhattan are outside this area.

So when you claim that the casino takes up most of the deck, you justify that claim by qualifing it with "if you only consider the casino itself..."? 

Well, heck, if you only consider the area aft of the elevators, the Manhattan room takes up the whole deck! 🙄

2 hours ago, Asawi said:

Here's a crazy thought: Itinerary?

You might be right, but if itinerary was the driving factor, then carping about the casino size is even less relevant. Itinerary should be the driving factor.

5 hours ago, albatros1 said:

I said it takes almost the entire 7th floor

That might be a bit dramatic, no? Looking at the deck plans you referenced, and only considering the passenger accessible areas, the theater takes up 23.5% of the space, O'Sheehans takes 19%, the casino takes 33.5%, and the Manhattan room takes 24%. So the casino (sky bar included) takes slightly more then a third of the deck...I don't know if 1/3rd counts as "almost the entire 7th floor".

15 hours ago, krazy4kruisin said:

Can I get cash onboard the ship for butler gratuities? 

I don't believe that the intended use of the money has any bearing on whether or not you can get it onboard.

39 minutes ago, PelicanBill said:

Because when tendering....  "I'm on a boat!"

Surprisingly not always true.

The two original/oldest tenders at GSC are the tenders from the Norway...and they are actually ships, not boats.

58 minutes ago, jackieodonnell said:

What's the lesson?

Um, life is easier when you use an educated professional? Especially since using a knowledgeable PCC or TA doesn't cost you any money.

In this instance the OP acted that their own TA and made a booking without the knowledge of the basic amenities that come with that booking. It seems only logical to wonder...what else might have been missed out on simply because the OP didn't know? Of course, you hope it is nothing, but you can't be certain.

Just my 2 cents.

1 hour ago, skier05 said:

I booked myself online. 

Well, lesson learned I guess.

Wow...you joined Cruise Critic in 2008 and you're just now going on your first cruise? That is a whole lost of restraint, IMHO.

Don't be afraid to lean on your booking agent (PCC or TA) for information on the amenities included with your cabin/cruise. They are being paid to ensure that you have this information.

17 hours ago, buddy1755 said:

This matter has now been resolved.  After more phone calls to NCL and Airtransat, i found out that Airtransat actually cancelled the flight, so NCL re-booked thru BA.  When i first called air transat they denied a refund, I called back today and asked to speak to a supervisor they decided to refund me.  took 3 calls to Airtransat but its resolved.  No fault on NCL.

Great to hear.

FWIW, this is why we shouldn't jump to conclusions and blame NCL for every problem. Not saying that they are never at fault, but issues do tend to change when all of the information is available.

10 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

Exactly. Although, one could argue that if the insurance company can always find a reason to deny, why purchase insurance in the first place?

It isn't just purchasing insurance, but purchasing the right insurance. One policy might cover cancelled flights, while another might cover changed flights. You can't bellyache because you purchased the wrong policy.

You tell us this about the food...

On 4/16/2024 at 2:04 PM, rlpboy said:

First and foremost, the food is simply gross.  Much of it borders on inedible.  Every meal on this ship we have taken a bite of something that we either had to spit out into our napkin or simply choked the bite down and sent the dish back.

On 4/16/2024 at 2:04 PM, rlpboy said:

All in all, the food sucks.

"gross", "inedible", "sucks".

Then there is this...

On 4/16/2024 at 2:04 PM, rlpboy said:

The gentleman that cleans our room has left dirty dishes in our room more times than I can count.

If the food is gross, inedible, and sucks, then why are there more dirty dishes in your room than you can count?

This is where you lost me.

1 hour ago, The Traveling Man said:

Frequently, though, when NCL issues FCC of this type, the percentage refers to the cost of the next cruise to which the credit is applied.

Actually, it is a savings on a future cruise up to the amount of 20% of what you spent on the current cruise. The person who spent $9000 (like the OP claims) would get a FCC up to $1800, however the person who only spent $3000 would get a FCC up to $600 on the next cruise.