Please...I need your advice, TA/upgrade trouble

[darlong]

Sailing June 27 on the SUN to Alaska, we have 3 cabins, 2 AF GTY mini suites, and a cat I deluxe inside. Today I called NCL about possibly upgrading the inside cabin. I spoke with a very helpful, informative CSR named Diane who spent a long time trying to work it out so that the 3 cabins could be on the same deck. (My kids are in that cabin) We are looking at upgrading the cat I to an AF as well. Then she told us that the AFs had been bumped up to AE (which I figured may happens since they only have 4 AFs on board) and said they had us assigned to cabins 1009 and 1010. As we were getting close to working out the final details she mentioned she had to put me on hold while she just got permission from my TA to deal with me directly. No prob as I have talked to my TA about this. However when she comes back she says that the TA wants to call me and she asks permission to give the TA my number so she could talk to me. I say ok and then realise that my TA knows my number. I ask the NCL rep who she was speaking with and get a name I have never heard before. Turns out some lady I don't know at a travel company in another province told NCL they could not talk to me. SHe rang through while I was talking to Diane but she left a message asking me to call her. Unfortunately the last part of her number was garbled.

I contact my TA and give her the story. She says that the cruises were purchased through a tour center in Montreal and said she would call them and find out what was up. She emails me after talking to the mystery lady and tells me my cabins have not been assigned and that NCL was offering no upgrades (according to the mystery agent) I let her in on what Diane and I discussed and she called Mystery agent back. Turns out I was right. My TA emails me that Mystery agent says I can upgrade the cat I to an AE...for 749.00 pp. That seems pretty steep to me...but maybe it is worth it to keep us together?

What do you guys think? I have until tomorrow to decide. But get this I'm supposed to let my TA know...then she calls the mystery agent and then SHE calls NCL...seems to me I was making better headway working it out myself...plus Diane from NCL was working trying to figure out if we could upgrade 1 AE to PH and upgrade the I to a balcony to keep the cabins together...I doubt Mystery agent would think of possible solutions.

These cabins are up front on the left side (port?) how are they anyone know?

Sorry this is so long...but I really need some help deciding how much effort to put into trying to get a better deal...OTOH I don't like the feeling of being shafted. Thanks...: )

DAr...really needing a holiday after this...

[travelling fools]

Did your agency book through Encore cruises as we are having the same problem.

[darlong]

No they booked with Holiday House. Sounds like the same kind of thing. My TA (A terrific person) has a message into NCL for the above mentioned Diane to call HER back and then she will call me.

We are trying to cut this other Dominique person out of the picture...since I strongly suspect the "offer" she passed along was just the brochure price on selling the cabins...as opposed to anything Diane was working on. My TA will let me know when NCL calls back.

So now I know. Don't book with Holiday House or Encore. I'll let you know if my personal TA has any luck...It's not NCL, they've been wonderful so far with the excursions, and other details. I have yet to have a difficult time with them. Of course, I am not actually *on* the ship yet...: )

[Host CMLA]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by darlong:
It's not NCL, they've been wonderful so far with the excursions, and other details. I have yet to have a difficult time with them. Of course, I am not actually *on* the ship yet...: )<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>You may be in luck. The ship staff seems to be 10 tiimes better than the land based staff. Good luck to you all. I hope the OP gets the upgrade and the mystery agent is taken out of the picture.

Cecilia
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