NCL booking online from Europe

[mihailescu]

Hello !

We want to book online a cruise by NCL ,but most of online booking are for american and canada citizen,for europe I found one but the price is bigger ?

 

Which is the best and cheapest way to book as an european citizen?

many thanks!

[JohnIreland]

Some travel agents in the US will allow bookings from Europe.

 

Can't name is here , but there is a good website where you can let cruiseagents compete for your cruise. Most of the agents on there seem to allow Europeans to book.

[Demonyte]

Hello !

We want to book online a cruise by NCL ,but most of online booking are for american and canada citizen,for europe I found one but the price is bigger ?

 

Which is the best and cheapest way to book as an european citizen?

many thanks!

 

Hi mihailescu and welcome to CC!

 

NCL has changed their website so that booking directly through them with USD prices can't be done anymore without a few tricks. I've always purchased my cruises with dollars instead of euros and I plan to keep it that way, NCL's euro prices are ridiculous compared to dollar prices.

 

One way to book directly through NCL is to google for "cruise fish", find the cruise you want and from the top of the price listing click the USD link in the row saying "Booking: reserve that cruise in ...". That takes you directly to the right step on the NCL site and you'll get to book with USD price with no problems.

 

Another way is to call to NCL in US directly (for example at 1-877-416-9722) and talk with a cruise consultant, this is the way that I'm lately been using most. Once you call and get the persons extension, you can call/email directly to him/her in the future.

 

Third way is through an online travel agent as the previour poster told you. Downside on large TAs is that you are just a drop in the ocean so the chances getting truly personal service are slim to none in my experience. After they have you "hooked" they have not much to lose - especially after final payment, meaning the last few months before cruise when you might have questions or other worries. Also being from out of US I have found that a bit difficult regarding international addresses, phone numbers, etc and decided that a small savings in the cruise fare are not worth the extra hassle if something happens to go wrong - international calls ain't cheap either.

 

So after couple of cruises through a TA, I've booked couple directly and haven't looked back. Of course if NCL cranks up the web stupidity and force feeding of .eu site I might have to reconsider the choice of either the cruise line in whole or at least the place to book.

 

Hope this helps, happy cruising!

[Single Cruiser]

Also worth checking you are comparing like for like fares. I know when I book in the UK I tend to get the price including dsc. can't be doing with all this onboard charge thing so it's added to the list price.

[roxette]

Google NCL Gem webcam, go in on the first search result.

 

If you do so you're automaticly in on the americam site. From there you just click on "design your vacation" or something similar. From there you can book a cruise from outside of North America. I've done so from Sweden twice this year.

[Sauer-kraut]

Usually the prices are higher because of the european taxes and the Daily Service Charge is automatically charged at the time of booking. If you are looking at U.S. pricing remember to add $12 per person per day to the final fare and you'll see if the pricing will be similar.

[Demonyte]

Usually the prices are higher because of the european taxes and the Daily Service Charge is automatically charged at the time of booking. If you are looking at U.S. pricing remember to add $12 per person per day to the final fare and you'll see if the pricing will be similar.

 

To my understanding DSC is included only in NCL's UK site, not in the EU site. I just compared BA balcony for our upcoming cruise and while the difference is not as big I thought, it's still significant.

 

Total price for 2 adults in BA (Star 4/15/2012):

 

- ncl.com: $3,250.48 ~ 2435 EUR

 

- ncl.eu: 2.778,00 EUR

 

So the difference is over 150e pp which translates to almost exactly $200pp, with that one could eat in a speciality restaurant almost every night of the 12 day cruise. :D

 

The fine print from EU site:

 

Included in the cruise fare are: On-board accommodation in the stateroom category of your choice and cruise as shown, full board on the ship (a cover charge applies for our speciality restaurants), coffee, tea, water and iced tea during the meals and certain juices during breakfast, room service (delivery charge applies midnight to 05:00 hrs), participation in on-board activities and on-board facilities (surcharge may apply), entertainment programme on board, government fees & port taxes.

Not included in the cruise fare are

: Drinks served in the restaurants, bars, lounges and in the stateroom,

service charge (US $ 12 p.p. & day)

, tips, shore excursions, use of wellness area on most ships and health and beauty treatments, selected on-board activities as well as personal expenses. The speciality restaurants have à la carte pricing or a cover charge of between US $ 10 and US $ 35 p.p. (up to US $ 40 per guest for special menu options).

[mihailescu]

Google NCL Gem webcam, go in on the first search result.

 

If you do so you're automaticly in on the americam site. From there you just click on "design your vacation" or something similar. From there you can book a cruise from outside of North America. I've done so from Sweden twice this year.

 

Many,many thanks Roxette:),I have done as you said so I have allready booked NCL mediterranian cruise 7 nights,in may.....

[Pluto_fan]

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone! As an American currently living in Europe, I've found the new automatic direction to the .eu site very annoying. I appreciate the tips!

[Single Cruiser]

Of course the other thing to consider is what exchange rate they use and how often that gets updated!

 

I know in the UK in addition to the DSC if there is any fly package there is also the ABTA/ATOL insurance added per person etc..

[Pluto_fan]

Reviving an old thread to ask about the opposite situation!

 

I'm considering booking the Breakaway's one-nighter from Rotterdam to Southampton on April 28. The price on ncl.eu is coming up considerably cheaper than ncl.com. For example, for an O1 (extra-large oceanview) for two adults, it is 258 Euros (around $320) on ncl.eu, but $493.58 on ncl.com. The small print on the .eu site says it includes taxes and port charges, and excludes daily service charge, same as the .com site. Am I missing anything important here? As an American currently living in Europe, is there any reason I can't book through the .eu site? I wonder if I might have trouble with the credit card, which is a US card with a US mailing address. Will the .eu site give me the option to do a bank transfer from my European bank? Maybe I should just go through a Belgian travel agent? :confused:

 

Thanks for any insight. Even if I don't end up booking it, hopefully this will help someone else considering this particular trip! :)

[Demonyte]

I don't think that your card's billing address makes any difference, I'm using my Finnish card without problems on the US site and phone customer service.

 

BTW, thanks for the (at least to me surprising) info, I've been also playing with the idea of going on that very-first-paying-customer-cruise on the Breakaway - that would work nicely as a long weekend trip. :)

[JohnIreland]

It's rate , but some shorter European sailings can be cheaper on the .eu

 

I got about a 30% discount on the 4 day Epic directly after the TA.

[insidecabin]

NCL still allows booking in any region direct if you can get to the website or call someone.

 

Don't asume the US will be cheaper some european cruises were cheaper through the UK this spring.

 

Also check your cabin grades sometimes an inside/ov/balcony will be cheaper UK but the suites cheaper through the US on the same trip.

 

And also if booking 3+ pax for a cabin the rates are different so it can be cheaper for 2pax on say US but 4 on UK for the same grade.

 

Also you have to factor in UK have a sale every wenesday and the latitude insider deals are different so when the prices are similar there could be different promotions for OBC.

 

Keeps you on your toes.

[Pluto_fan]

Thanks, everyone! Glad to know I wasn't just imagining it. :) Now I know to check both sites before I book!