What happens if someone in the cabin can't make the trip?

So, one of our party members might not be able to go due to work commitments.

We're past final payment. Everything is paid for. We're ok going without them and just eating their share of the cabin cost.

What happens next?

Do we have to tell NCL, or can they just not show up?

Do we still pay their gratuities, or upon check in, will NCL know there's only 4 of us instead of 5? What if we had prepaid gratuities?

Do we get refunded their portion of taxes or port fees?

As has been made clear in multiple threads, I'm asking here because I'll probably get a much more accurate answer than asking the call center people at NCL.

First question has to be did they have trip insurance?

They will just be a no show. Tell them when you check in or just let them figure it out right before sailaway.

They will just be a no show. Tell them when you check in or just let them figure it out right before sailaway.

This ^^

And yes, you should get refunds for the taxes and port fees, and no doubt also anything else pre-paid that won't be used.

IF there are any pre-paid excursions or such, do cancel them enough in advance so there isn't any penalty, depending upon the rules.

To avoid confusion, you might want to have the passenger-who-won't-be-appearing call to ask to have the gratuities refunded, simply mentioning they'll pay once on board... which simply won't happen.

GC

Absolutely the person cancelling, or whomever is handling their reservation, should call AHEAD to cancel their reservation! Since it is past final payment no refund will be given so you should not owe anything else but the port taxes and fees will be credited back, as those are not NCL’s but the destination’s.

Waiting until the last day or check in is NOT the way to go! For one thing each cruise is capacity controlled. That one body could potentially mean the difference between someone else wanting to book or not. Waiting until check in will also cause a headache for all involved on the ship, as far as records, steward duties, manifests, whatever...

Absolutely the person cancelling, or whomever is handling their reservation, should call AHEAD to cancel their reservation! Since it is past final payment no refund will be given so you should not owe anything else but the port taxes and fees will be credited back, as those are not NCL’s but the destination’s.

 

Waiting until the last day or check in is NOT the way to go! For one thing each cruise is capacity controlled. That one body could potentially mean the difference between someone else wanting to book or not. Waiting until check in will also cause a headache for all involved on the ship, as far as records, steward duties, manifests, whatever...

That’s silly. NCL already has this person’s money and won’t be refunding it. Why should he care if NCL can’t book another person in his place and make more money?

Don’t tell the person checking you in they will be a no-show, tell them they will be arriving and checking in separately. Much easier. NCL will know they’re a no-show once they close the gates, don’t worry.

Don’t tell the person checking you in they will be a no-show, tell them they will be arriving and checking in separately. Much easier. NCL will know they’re a no-show once they close the gates, don’t worry.

This is the perfect way to do it. I have seen it done twice.

Don’t tell the person checking you in they will be a no-show, tell them they will be arriving and checking in separately. Much easier. NCL will know they’re a no-show once they close the gates, don’t worry.

It might be nice, shortly before "boarding time" ends, to let one of the ship's officers know that you are now aware that X won't be arriving in time to board and maybe something like you don't know what their plans are now. No need to leave anyone wondering if someone is about to rush in the door at the dock (and especially if everyone else is already checked in...).

GC

What happens if the two of you booked on a Buy One Get One Free cruise special?? Obviously they’re not going to refund the fare that was never paid, but then you’re a solo cruiser and were never entitled to the free fare and should have paid two fares. Do they make you pay the second fare?

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What happens if the two of you booked on a Buy One Get One Free cruise special?? Obviously they’re not going to refund the fare that was never paid, but then you’re a solo cruiser and were never entitled to the free fare and should have paid two fares. Do they make you pay the second fare?

 

 

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That could be part of the concern, although I don't know if it requires some special BOGO offer, given that most of the time, a single needs to pay the same as a pair, except for taxes/fees/etc. (That is, it's almost automatically a BOGO situation, given the funny pricing where for some cruise lines, the "brochure" prices are never actually used, etc.)

I've read (but have *no* first hand experience) with at least one person here on CC who had a bit of a mess when a cabin mate cancelled, and yup, the claim was that the cruise line then charged for the extra "single" fare... meaning they tried to get double.

No, the cruise line apparently had not refunded any money.

[Nope: It makes no sense now, and didn't then. That time, there was an insurance claim by the passenger who cancelled, but I don't understand why that would matter. I have NO first-hand information about this, but I remembered it when this issue was raised here.]

GC

It might be nice, shortly before "boarding time" ends, to let one of the ship's officers know that you are now aware that X won't be arriving in time to board and maybe something like you don't know what their plans are now. No need to leave anyone wondering if someone is about to rush in the door at the dock (and especially if everyone else is already checked in...).

 

GC

Hmm, that might be the way I go then. Plans haven't been finalized, but it's looking like they won't be able to make it. About a month and a half to go before sailing.

I originally set things up for that person to be the 3rd or 5th person listed, so no promotions will be affected.

This might actually open us up to be able to try for an upgrade.

On one of our cruises we had 2 cabins. For the second cabin, we found out about a month before the cruise that the second person was not going to make it. We thought about getting another person to go, but the change fee was outrageous and not worth it. So, we just left the reservation stand until we got to the port. At check in, we told the person behind the counter that we didn't think that the person was going to make it. She said no problem.

We did not get charged the gratuities for the missing person but did not get any type of port fee or taxes refund - and did not expect it.

The one thing though...we had to wait until we got on the ship to purchase the beverage package for the second cabin. (It was an inside cabin so no freebies at that time.) Once they learned that only one person was in the cabin, we were able to purchase the drink package for one. If we had done it before the cruise, we would of had get it for both people.

It might be nice, shortly before "boarding time" ends, to let one of the ship's officers know that you are now aware that X won't be arriving in time to board and maybe something like you don't know what their plans are now. No need to leave anyone wondering if someone is about to rush in the door at the dock (and especially if everyone else is already checked in...).

 

 

 

GC

I wouldn’t worry about it. I imagine (I don’t really know, which means I may be making this up!) that in every cruise people miss the ship. Sickness, work issues or transportation problems when flying in on day of cruise. The ship sails on time and waits for no one.

We did the ‘my room mate will be checking in later’ because of sick parents in one case and sickness in the other. No issues at all.

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They should be a 'no-show" since they are past the refundable stage. The cabin is paid for...the ship doesn't really care if ANY of you show up!

On one of our cruises we had 2 cabins. For the second cabin, we found out about a month before the cruise that the second person was not going to make it. We thought about getting another person to go, but the change fee was outrageous and not worth it. So, we just left the reservation stand until we got to the port. At check in, we told the person behind the counter that we didn't think that the person was going to make it. She said no problem.

 

We did not get charged the gratuities for the missing person but did not get any type of port fee or taxes refund - and did not expect it.

The one thing though...we had to wait until we got on the ship to purchase the beverage package for the second cabin. (It was an inside cabin so no freebies at that time.) Once they learned that only one person was in the cabin, we were able to purchase the drink package for one. If we had done it before the cruise, we would of had get it for both people.

Port fees/taxes should absolutely be refunded.

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That’s silly. NCL already has this person’s money and won’t be refunding it. Why should he care if NCL can’t book another person in his place and make more money?

Its not so much NCL making money but not selfishly eliminating the possibility for someone else to enjoy a cruise.

What happens if the two of you booked on a Buy One Get One Free cruise special?? Obviously they’re not going to refund the fare that was never paid, but then you’re a solo cruiser and were never entitled to the free fare and should have paid two fares. Do they make you pay the second fare?

 

 

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When has NCL ever had a buy one get one free offer?

That’s silly. NCL already has this person’s money and won’t be refunding it. Why should he care if NCL can’t book another person in his place and make more money?

I think the point was less about NCL making more money and more about the fact that someone else on that sailing may want to add a person to their booking and can’t if it’s at capacity. This is more about being courteous to your fellow passengersthan consideration to NCL making more money. I don’t see any possible harm in cancelling the extra person ahead of time if they are the third person in a room. It’s a little unclear at this point how the 5 are distributed across the rooms.

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I realize this is the NCL board but I’ve been eying a few other cruise lines that offer BOGOs and hoped I could glean some info from other cruisers here that are occasionally unfaithful and cruise on other lines.

Nice to see the eye back.

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I realize this is the NCL board but I’ve been eying a few other cruise lines that offer BOGOs and hoped I could glean some info from other cruisers here that are occasionally unfaithful and cruise on other lines.

Nice to see the eye back.

 

 

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If you are thinking, for example, of Oceania (same holding company as NCL), then those are faux prices.

The brochures' "full price" are NEVER charged. Those are totally fake "special" offers, at least on Oceania.

WHY they do that, many of us have no idea.

I'm not familiar with any other BOGO type of offer other than the silly ones to make it "look like" you are getting a half-priced fare.

I haven't looked at the NCL fares on "first pages of brochures" or such; we only look at what shows as one looks at online booking, which eventually shows the actual prices, including taxes, etc.

GC

Its not so much NCL making money but not selfishly eliminating the possibility for someone else to enjoy a cruise.

Exactly!!!!

I wouldn’t worry about it. I imagine (I don’t really know, which means I may be making this up!) that in every cruise people miss the ship. Sickness, work issues or transportation problems when flying in on day of cruise. The ship sails on time and waits for no one.

 

We did the ‘my room mate will be checking in later’ because of sick parents in one case and sickness in the other. No issues at all.

 

 

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If you hand them the untruth that the other person will be checking in later they almost certainly DO delay sailing!

I have seen this happen.

Since it sounds like this particular passenger might still be able to make it then saying nothing now is okay but if it turns out they will not be sailing I stand by my comments that the line should be notified!

On one of our cruises we had 2 cabins. For the second cabin, we found out about a month before the cruise that the second person was not going to make it. We thought about getting another person to go, but the change fee was outrageous and not worth it. So, we just left the reservation stand until we got to the port. At check in, we told the person behind the counter that we didn't think that the person was going to make it. She said no problem.

 

We did not get charged the gratuities for the missing person but did not get any type of port fee or taxes refund - and did not expect it.

The one thing though...we had to wait until we got on the ship to purchase the beverage package for the second cabin. (It was an inside cabin so no freebies at that time.) Once they learned that only one person was in the cabin, we were able to purchase the drink package for one. If we had done it before the cruise, we would of had get it for both people.

If you had let them know a month out the port taxes and fees would have been credited back. Waiting until day of sailing the ship has already contracted with each port a certain number of passengers. The ports are not going to change their charges last minute.

I think the point was less about NCL making more money and more about the fact that someone else on that sailing may want to add a person to their booking and can’t if it’s at capacity. This is more about being courteous to your fellow passengersthan consideration to NCL making more money. I don’t see any possible harm in cancelling the extra person ahead of time if they are the third person in a room. It’s a little unclear at this point how the 5 are distributed across the rooms.

 

 

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This is what I meant. I have read on here before how people have wanted to add someone to their cabin and been told “no” as the capacity has been met, even though they had a cabin that could hold the person.