Friends have to cancel...

[Marietta]

Our friends have to cancel our cruise next month on the Spirit. They did not have insurance and are resigned to losing the whole amount paid. He has to have surgery, and she is not going alone while he's in the hospital. Is there any way for them to let someone else travel in their place? Their TA says they could change one traveler, but not both. I know another couple who would love to get their reservation. :-) Any ideas or things we could try? Thanks!

[bakerintn]

My understanding is that their TA is correct...at least one of the original names on the booking has to go.

 

I take it that it is already after final payment is due? If not, a partial refund is available.

[che5904]

Thats too bad. My understanding is the same bakerintn.

 

As a last ditch resort. You could try phoning and asking for a supervisor at NCL. They usually won't deal with anyone directly that has booked through a TA. But you could ask in general whether there is anything that possibly could be done, not asking them to talk about a specific booking.

 

I don't think it will help, but nothing ventured nothing gained.

[Marietta]

Yes, we cruise in 20 some days, so it's after final payment. I know what the 'rules' are, but it just doesn't seam right that the room will go open over it. Or will they sell it to someone else? THAT wouldn't be right. I will have her call NCL. Your right. It doesn't hurt to try!

 

Thanks for the suggestion!

[SeaShark]

Ok...Here is my suggestion.

 

 

Lets say you have the two rooms, which we will call Room 1 and Room 2.

 

You and your spouse are Passenger A and Passenger B and you are assigned to Room 1.

 

Your friend and their spouse (that want to cancel) are Passenger C and Passenger D and are assigned to Room 2.

 

The two people who you want to go in their place are going to be Passenger E and Passenger F.

 

 

Here's what you do.

 

1) Switch Passenger B to Room 2 and Passenger D to Room 1.

 

2) Cancel Passenger C and replace them with Passenger E.

 

3) Cancel Passenger D and replace them with Passenger F.

 

 

Now you will have Passengers A and F in Room 1 and Passengers B and E in Room 2.

 

When you get to the ship, Passengers F and B trade room cards...problem solved.

[PreciousCruiser]

SeaShark: I'll have to keep that suggestion in mind for any future situation like theirs.... :) Good luck to the OP and I hope your friends surgery goes well....

[beachbooles]

Our friends have to cancel our cruise next month on the Spirit. They did not have insurance and are resigned to losing the whole amount paid. He has to have surgery, and she is not going alone while he's in the hospital. Is there any way for them to let someone else travel in their place? Their TA says they could change one traveler, but not both. I know another couple who would love to get their reservation. :-) Any ideas or things we could try? Thanks!

 

Royal let me "cancel" 40 days out, when i'd lose my money...by securing another cruise at another time. They basically moved my reservation to another ship. Maybe NCL would allow that, since they keep their money and obviously will sell the cabin.

 

Best of luck..I feel for them. :)

[Rahi]

Ok...Here is my suggestion.

 

 

Lets say you have the two rooms, which we will call Room 1 and Room 2.

 

You and your spouse are Passenger A and Passenger B and you are assigned to Room 1.

 

Your friend and their spouse (that want to cancel) are Passenger C and Passenger D and are assigned to Room 2.

 

The two people who you want to go in their place are going to be Passenger E and Passenger F.

 

 

Here's what you do.

 

1) Switch Passenger B to Room 2 and Passenger D to Room 1.

 

2) Cancel Passenger C and replace them with Passenger E.

 

3) Cancel Passenger D and replace them with Passenger F.

 

 

Now you will have Passengers A and F in Room 1 and Passengers B and E in Room 2.

 

When you get to the ship, Passengers F and B trade room cards...problem solved.

 

Would this not work as well? Say there is only one room, right now passengers A, and B are in that room, but they need to cancel this cruise, but they don't tell cruise line cause they will lose all their money. (after final payment). They add 2 more passengers C, and D. Say C & D go to terminal first without A, and B, they check in , and cruise thinks A, and B are still coming. A, and B never show up. There is extra cost involved my way, and your way is great for two rooms!

[garycarla]

If the room ALLOWS four people, I would think you could add 2 more people at a very low cost. Then the first two never show up.

 

So, the new people still have to pay a reduced rate, but better than throwing the whole thing away.

[SuiteCruiser]

If the room ALLOWS four people, I would think you could add 2 more people at a very low cost. Then the first two never show up.

 

So, the new people still have to pay a reduced rate, but better than throwing the whole thing away.

 

Agreed.

[biker@sea]

With N.C.L.s " Buy 3 the rest are free " booking two more should work even if you must change cabins to accommodate 4

[Relax@Sea]

Another option is change one of the two that are currently booked to one of the new passengers then add the other passengers as the third in the room and the original passenger is a no show this way you only have to pay for one additional passenger in the room.

[jemrtt]

this is definitely a thread to keep!!!!!!! really good suggestions.

[genegri]

If the cabin allows at least 3 people (which I think virtually all NCL cabins do, am I right?), you can keep one name, change one name and add one name. And the original one kept name will be a no show.

 

Ok...Here is my suggestion.

 

 

Lets say you have the two rooms, which we will call Room 1 and Room 2.

 

You and your spouse are Passenger A and Passenger B and you are assigned to Room 1.

 

Your friend and their spouse (that want to cancel) are Passenger C and Passenger D and are assigned to Room 2.

 

The two people who you want to go in their place are going to be Passenger E and Passenger F.

 

 

Here's what you do.

 

1) Switch Passenger B to Room 2 and Passenger D to Room 1.

 

2) Cancel Passenger C and replace them with Passenger E.

 

3) Cancel Passenger D and replace them with Passenger F.

 

 

Now you will have Passengers A and F in Room 1 and Passengers B and E in Room 2.

 

When you get to the ship, Passengers F and B trade room cards...problem solved.

 

This is a good thought but it will not work. The original passengers for room 2 are C and D so the bottom line is at least one of them has to remain in room 2.

[bonvoyagie]

Did both couples go through the same TA? if so then I would think they might also have some ideas. Lots of families do similar things to get the kids in one cabin and the adults in another (to get around the 21 years of age rule).

 

If you are all in the same room then there should be no problem since the other couple would be guest 3 and 4 so you would still maintain the two person minimum.

 

Good Luck

[dinoman]

Our friends have to cancel our cruise next month on the Spirit. They did not have insurance and are resigned to losing the whole amount paid. He has to have surgery, and she is not going alone while he's in the hospital. Is there any way for them to let someone else travel in their place? Their TA says they could change one traveler, but not both. I know another couple who would love to get their reservation. :-) Any ideas or things we could try? Thanks!

 

Ok...Here is my suggestion.

 

 

Lets say you have the two rooms, which we will call Room 1 and Room 2.

 

You and your spouse are Passenger A and Passenger B and you are assigned to Room 1.

 

Your friend and their spouse (that want to cancel) are Passenger C and Passenger D and are assigned to Room 2.

 

The two people who you want to go in their place are going to be Passenger E and Passenger F.

 

 

Here's what you do.

 

1) Switch Passenger B to Room 2 and Passenger D to Room 1.

 

2) Cancel Passenger C and replace them with Passenger E.

 

3) Cancel Passenger D and replace them with Passenger F.

 

 

Now you will have Passengers A and F in Room 1 and Passengers B and E in Room 2.

 

When you get to the ship, Passengers F and B trade room cards...problem solved.

 

The OP said the TA only allows one change per booking. To my understanding, by doing Step 1 already changed the Room 2 booking names From Passenger C/D to B, therefore no more change of name is allowed in order to carry out Step 2 & 3.

[goose30]

It may not matter how many people the room allows. With only 20 days to go the ship may be full and you cannot add anyone. Do not delay make additions now if possible.

[spacewoman]

We had this issue with CCL back in 2008. What a fiasco. I wish I had come on the boards before this incident as so many posters here would have been such great help over the cruise line. I spent 3 hours on the phone between them, my TA, back to them, several supervisors. It became a mess because two of the supervisors said we could change out 2 people for another 2 and then each contact my TA had, said NO. In the end it worked out because we had paid for our friends to go. Had we been able to do the substitution we would not have had the money the following year to have our friends go. Sadly she passed away 6 months after she got to take her first cruise. So, for me, it was one of those "everything happens for a reason."

 

After the fact, someone had suggested the same thing about moving people between the two cabins and name changing in the two.

 

My TA had never had this happen before so she wasn't of much help. We had travel insurance so filed all the paperwork and got refunded. CCL had no difficulties re-booking the cabin.

 

Good luck however you manage all this. One suggestion in the future -- Travel Insurance. NCL seems to be a lot more flexible (from seeing other postings on the boards), so they may be able to help you.

 

Kathy

[SeaShark]

The OP said the TA only allows one change per booking. To my understanding, by doing Step 1 already changed the Room 2 booking names From Passenger C/D to B, therefore no more change of name is allowed in order to carry out Step 2 & 3.

 

Switching rooms is not a change since all guests are still booked. The one change occurs when a guest is removed from the manifest and replaced by a new guest. This suggestion came from a PCC, so I'm highly confident that it will work.

[Rahi]

Another option is change one of the two that are currently booked to one of the new passengers then add the other passengers as the third in the room and the original passenger is a no show this way you only have to pay for one additional passenger in the room.

OMG yes! You guys are so smart!

[Dayenu]

Sorry, I know this is not a laughing matter, surgery and money, but

the way SeaShark explained the transfer reminded me of the riddle, anyone care to solve?

 

You want to transfer wolf ("W"), goat ("G"), and cabbage ("C") from the left bank of the river to the right bank. You, the only human there ("H"), are the rower, and don't leave the boat. The wolf wants to eat the goat, the goat wants to eat the cabbage, but nothing will happen as long as you are near. Beside you there is only place for one item in the boat. How can you achieve your task? :confused:

[Relax@Sea]

Sorry, I know this is not a laughing matter, surgery and money, but

the way SeaShark explained the transfer reminded me of the riddle, anyone care to solve?

 

You want to transfer wolf ("W"), goat ("G"), and cabbage ("C") from the left bank of the river to the right bank. You, the only human there ("H"), are the rower, and don't leave the boat. The wolf wants to eat the goat, the goat wants to eat the cabbage, but nothing will happen as long as you are near. Beside you there is only place for one item in the boat. How can you achieve your task? :confused:

 

Trip 1 across take the Goat

Go back

Trip 2 across take the Wolf

On the trip back take the Goat

Trip 3 across leave the Goat there and take the Cabbage

Go back

Trip 4 take the Goat all three are now on the other side

[dinoman]

Sorry, I know this is not a laughing matter, surgery and money, but

the way SeaShark explained the transfer reminded me of the riddle, anyone care to solve?

 

You want to transfer wolf ("W"), goat ("G"), and cabbage ("C") from the left bank of the river to the right bank. You, the only human there ("H"), are the rower, and don't leave the boat. The wolf wants to eat the goat, the goat wants to eat the cabbage, but nothing will happen as long as you are near. Beside you there is only place for one item in the boat. How can you achieve your task? :confused:

 

Trip 1 across take the Goat

Go back

Trip 2 across take the Wolf

On the trip back take the Goat

Trip 3 across leave the Goat there and take the Cabbage

Go back

Trip 4 take the Goat all three are now on the other side

 

What a brainteaser!! :)

[Cubechick]

Great thread! And great suggestions from all of our "outside the box" thinkers! Hope one of these many ideas solved the OP's problem!

 

(Loved the bonus riddle, BTW!)

[Marietta]

Thank you everyone for all the great suggestions. With everything going on right now they just cancelled rather than deal with trying to change it up. It hurts, but it is "only money", and hopefully things will get better by getting the surgery done now. And yes, they did say they WILL get travel insurance next time. Hopefully this won't come up with us again, but I like to think it has helped a number of people in the future. I love how helpful everyone at CC is!