NCL price match guarantee is a LIE!

[JPNNH]

Very disappointed in NCL lowest price guarantee. I paid for a cruise 2 days ago...This AM I found a lower price from 2 different travel agencies...NCL refuses to honor their guarantee saying they only guarantee NCL pricing will be lower than future NCL pricing!! As a gold latitudes member (Platinum after my next cruise) I am now thinking I am going to change my cruise lines. I guess loyalty does not pay!

[pr0pel]

Did you read the terms of the guarantee?

Our price is the best price

 

If you find a lower published price for the same cruise on Norwegian Cruise Line, either on ncl.com or on a piece of communication directly from Norwegian, we will either...

 

Some TA's will eat in to their profits to give you OBC or a lower fare. NCL has no obligation to match this. If you want that lower pricing, transfer your reservation to that TA.

Edited December 7, 2012 by pr0pel

[time2cruise1]

No lies. They only guarantee their pricing. Read the details. The last thing they are going to do is get in a price war with their partners.

[che5904]

I've never seen NCL offer to price match. Did you get this information from somewhere or did you go by their "best price guarantee" title and think it was a price match.

 

The terms are quite well layed out on NCL's web site.

 

"Our price is the best price

If you find a lower published price for the same cruise on Norwegian Cruise Line, either on ncl.com or on a piece of communication directly from Norwegian, we will either:

• Re-price your cruise at the lower price
  
• Or, you'll receive 110% of the difference in the form of an Onboard Credit"
  

"I saw a lower price at a travel agency, why can't I get it?

From time to time an agency will negotiate a special price for a group or for a special promotion. The terms of this offer require that the price be a lower publicly advertised Norwegian Cruise Line price on ncl.com or on a piece of communication directly from Norwegian."

 

I'm really not sure where them not having a price match program has to do with loyalty.

[rvsullivan]

And two years ago the OP was going to dump NCL because of an issue with Freestyle on Epic. Another non issue I think???

[sdmike]

It's not a lie. It's that the OP misunderstood the terms and limitations of the guarantee. This isn't really different up until final payment. We have typically been able to get revised fares if they went down.

 

To the OP, enjoy your vacations sailing on other lines.

[Charlie4]

ok, I am confuse, but happy with my deal. I booked for $579 on an ov room. Cruising this weekend, Balcony was at $579, bumped myself up at no price. My orginal room is $349, do you mean there was a way I could have gotten money back instead ???? What about after final payment ?

[blindrid]

No lies. They only guarantee their pricing. Read the details. The last thing they are going to do is get in a price war with their partners.

 

That is my take as well. Gold or not, the rules be the rules as it sounds like if the OP had any loyalty, they would understand the rules. It goes both ways and posters like this truly come across as whiners.

 

If one would read the rules of ALL of the cruise lines, it would sure cut down on the frivolous posts in here.

[weltek]

ok, I am confuse, but happy with my deal. I booked for $579 on an ov room. Cruising this weekend, Balcony was at $579, bumped myself up at no price. My orginal room is $349, do you mean there was a way I could have gotten money back instead ???? What about after final payment ?

 

No, it is only valid within 48 hours of the booking.

 

Terms & Conditions

 

To qualify for the on-board credit, your "Best Price. Guaranteed." claim form must be submitted online within 48 hours of making a fully deposited booking. NCL reserves the right to verify all claims. Go to ncl.com to submit a "Best Price. Guaranteed." claim. Fully complete the "Best Price. Guaranteed." Claim Form by providing all requested information, including the lower rate amount and where it can be found. The lower rate must be (a) for the same ship, sail date, stateroom category and number of guests, and (b) available for booking at the time NCL reviews your completed claim form. Restrictions: available to full individual tariff bookings with deposited cruise fare only; claims must be submitted at least 7 days prior to sailing; guarantee offer does not apply to government fees and taxes and/or fuel supplement (if applicable); lower rates must be publicly advertised fares available to the general public; guarantee offer is not combinable with an NCL fare reduction; guarantee offer excludes: rates from TV and Radio ads, group rates, qualified rates, membership programs, charters or other travel agent promotions not offered by Norwegian Cruise Line to the general public. Offer "does not apply to stateroom guarantees and" excludes travel agent discounts off commission. The on-board credit is non-refundable, non-transferable and has no cash value. Any unused portion of the on-board credit will be forfeited. "Best Price. Guaranteed." program may be discontinued or changed at any time.

[Charlie4]

Thank you Weltek, I have never really been that concerned. I now know the rules :)

[sparks1093]

Very disappointed in NCL lowest price guarantee. I paid for a cruise 2 days ago...This AM I found a lower price from 2 different travel agencies...NCL refuses to honor their guarantee saying they only guarantee NCL pricing will be lower than future NCL pricing!! As a gold latitudes member (Platinum after my next cruise) I am now thinking I am going to change my cruise lines. I guess loyalty does not pay!

 

That's like divorcing your wife because she decided to wear red instead of green;). But as others pointed out the terms and conditions don't cover your lower price.

[jdvmd]

You've got to read all the fine print. OP, guess you didn't understand how the NCL best price thing works. Hopefully, you will still have a great time on your cruise.

[SissasMomE]

Very disappointed in NCL lowest price guarantee. I paid for a cruise 2 days ago...This AM I found a lower price from 2 different travel agencies...NCL refuses to honor their guarantee saying they only guarantee NCL pricing will be lower than future NCL pricing!! As a gold latitudes member (Platinum after my next cruise) I am now thinking I am going to change my cruise lines. I guess loyalty does not pay!

 

Why can't you cancel and re-book?

[Charlie4]

OP also posted on Face book and NCL said email them and they will work with him ....

[spacepotatoes]

OP also posted on Face book and NCL said email them and they will work with him ....

 

Some people are ridiculous. I hope NCL doesn't reward ignorance. The terms are there for everyone to read. Nothing unclear or hidden about them.

[valleyvillage]

I must confess I just cringe when I see words like LIE, BEWARE, FRAUD, INEDIBLE, WORST, HORRIBLE, etc. in the title.

But I'm working on it.:)

[jdvmd]

Some people are ridiculous. I hope NCL doesn't reward ignorance. The terms are there for everyone to read. Nothing unclear or hidden about them.

 

Agree. They think by posting in a public forum or two that the rules don't apply to them.

[Budget Queen]

Any idea how many Platinums there are?? My last NCL sailng had well over 50. :)

 

Don't expect anything extra. :)

[jdvmd]

OP also posted on Face book and NCL said email them and they will work with him ....

Charlie4, can you point out where exactly they posted on FB? I am not finding it anywhere. Maybe I am looking at the wrong FB page or something.

[time2cruise1]

Any idea how many Platinums there are?? My last NCL sailng had well over 50. :)

 

Don't expect anything extra. :)

 

There were 300+ Platinum on the Gem last January. Those that were on the my last Dawn cruise of 16 days that booked a suite 9 months in advance went Gold in 1 cruise.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk - Jim

[valleyvillage]

Charlie4, can you point out where exactly they posted on FB? I am not finding it anywhere. Maybe I am looking at the wrong FB page or something.

 

You have to go to the NCL FB page, click on Recent Posts by Others on Norwegian Cruise Line See All, then scroll down.

[AttilaTheFun]

To the OP, I would say that NCL's "guarantee" is worthless. You will almost never find the best deal by booking direct through NCL because as they note, they allow travel agent partners to offer group discounts and special amenities that you wouldn't get by booking direct with NCL. As another poster pointed out, if your price drops before final payment, you could always just cancel and re-book anyway, so the guarantee again is worthless.

 

I'm always shocked by the number of people who insist on booking direct with NCL when there is almost always a better deal by booking through a travel agent.

[che5904]

I'm always shocked by the number of people who insist on booking direct with NCL when there is almost always a better deal by booking through a travel agent.

 

Sometimes saving money is not all it's cracked up to be. Sometimes you get what you pay for.

 

You may save money but that doesn't guarantee you that that TA is going to work for you. I personally don't need a middleman. I want full control of my own booking and for that I am willing to pay a higher price. NCL offers deals ,that if you keep an eye on prices, you can book when that price is acceptable to you.

[luv2cruise53]

OP also posted on Face book and NCL said email them and they will work with him ....

 

NCL will always try to make you happy. I have found in the past that after having booked from NCL the fare went down, months later on my old TA's rate and on the NCL rate as well.

 

Although I was not owed any adjustment...(the price was $175.00 lower) ...NCl did offer me a $100.00 OBC which I thought was over and above and I had a great time with that OBC.

[Guest]

Our fare went down 100.00 We got upgraded from a porthole to a picture window. I did have to call.