NCL Slammed in Washington Post Column for Poor Customer Service

[accmiller]

Wrong on all counts!

 

Norwegian doesn't offer their own insurance?

 

They aren't trying to grow that revenue stream?

[sparks1093]

Norwegian doesn't offer their own insurance?

 

They aren't trying to grow that revenue stream?

 

It is my understanding that the insurance offered by NCL is underwritten by a different company. I am sure they make something off of each transaction but passengers are free to purchase insurance from third parties (I routinely buy my policies through www.insuremytrip.com).

 

You may of course use this as a reason not to sail with NCL, that is of course your prerogative. I doubt that you will have much success convincing anyone that they should use the same reasoning.

[sjbdtz]

 

Their son died. If I was a stockholder I would want management to understand that empathy goes a long way. I would want management to have enough common sense to think how does this make us look if it was on the front page of the Washington Post.

 

 

If the families in question had bought insurance from somebody other than NCL, NCL would have 'gained' nothing, and the families would have 'lost' nothing.

 

 

I am a stockholder, and I prefer our management to run the business like a business, not a charity.

 

Insurance is offered for EXACTLY this scenario. These families chose to take a risk, and it didn't play-out in their favour.

 

How that is NCL's fault (or should be their expense) makes no sense to me.

 

 

 

.

[dalgirl]

Like any other company the insurance that NCL sells would have some type of klck-back so what? I book through my TA and the insurance they sell is underwritten by another company and I bet they get something too - again so what is wrong with that? No one makes me buy the insurance - or an extended product warranty for that matter.

 

Joanne - I am sorry for you and your friend's loss. I actually know someone who lost their husband (early 40s) on a RCL cruise, it is terrible at any time, but far from home makes it so much more difficult. It is good that you were there and I hope that she will be able to capture some of the joy that cruising has given her in the past. She is very brave and resilient - both admirable qualities.

 

I also wrote to the author of that article and pointed out some questions that he might have asked to give the article balance. Maybe he will do a better job next time.

[pieshops]

The bottom line is this, it is a tragic situation, but where do you draw the line. That is why there is insurance.

 

Lets try this - I forgot to pay my auto insurance because there was a death in the family or I lost my job and could not pay or insert your reason. You now go out and get in an accident. Should the auto insurance now pay for the loss because of your tragic situation?

 

How about this real life situation - We were flooded out by Hurricane Sandy, out of our house for almost 6 months, we had insurance and it was all repaired but put next door neighbor decided not to pay his insurance and is shocked that he can't get someone to pay for his loss. As horrible as it is and as sorry as i feel for them what should they get money when the did not pay the bill.

 

Sounds cold but that is how insurance works, if no one pays there is no money to pay out

[Starry Eyes]

If the cruise is not sold out the cruiseline is not losing any money. Plain and simple. They have chosen take a hardline on this and it is just short-minded. They think it will make more money by selling insurance. It is their MO across the board on several policy fronts. It amazes me to what degree some on here will go to defend these actions.

 

As the article states most of the other cruiselines will work something out in such an instance. This type of thing seems to happen way too often with NCL. Go to a top-end resort and try to ask for something where they say no. Any reasonable request is granted. Resort employees are taught how not to say no. The list goes on. They don't nickle and dime you and then hold you to every minor detail on page 34 of your agreement. Yes they can but it is a hard way to keep loyal guests who know better.

 

Their son died. If I was a stockholder I would want management to understand that empathy goes a long way. I would want management to have enough common sense to think how does this make us look if it was on the front page of the Washington Post.

 

If that was a front page story, the Post really is a rag!

 

Please try to think like a business person. The loss really would have been incurred when that cabin sailed empty the very day they called the cruise line. As for a future cruise not being sold out....that is a big, big IF. Firstly, cruises do sell out...all the time. Second, those specific people need to bury theiir dead, grieve, recover enough to feel up to making plans, schedule cross country flight cross country, get hotel (unless we think they might also be the sort to risk flying in same day!), etc...so the new cruise must be weeks or months or a year away...so plenty of time for that cruise to sell out even if there happened to be space the day of the death.

 

The other cruiselines did not want bad press and said something vague that cannot be verified nor enforced. Frankly such hypothetical statements are worthless...and similar to what NCL might have said if a different cruiseline were the topic of the article. And resorts do hold guests to the terms of their contracts, especially the money part. I overhear demanding guests getting turned down when they make unreasonable requests. Still, if you are happier at a resort...go and enjoy....yet if the terms say there is a major cancellation penalty, then buy insurance or suck it up if you gamble and lose.

 

Nickle and dime...I hate that line...it is unusal spoken by somebody who wants everybody else to pay for his/her indulgences. The teetotolar might not want to pay for somebody else's alcohol. The tap water drinker might not want to pay for somebody else's soda or bottled water. The guy reading on the beach may not want to pay for somebody else's jet ski. And their cruise fare included none of it, so it one wants that stuff, just pay for it and stop whining...yes, just like the insurance.

 

I feel for the families that lost loved ones. It hurts, boy I know how it hurts. In fact, were it me, I'd onsummed by that hurt, not by how much the cruise cost. And I'd be very grateful that I got word before I flew cross country, boarded the ship and set off for open sea where it would be harder to reach me and much harder to return to the loving arms of my family. A painful trip interruption would be far worse than a last minute cancellation....financially and emotionally...yet these families took foolishly assumed all those risks.

 

You say the son died, so be kind. How about brother in law? Or uncle? Or second cousin? Or friend? Or friend's second cousin? Where should this suggested corporate compassion for deaths end? Are you ready to draw that line? Oh, and what about severe illness? How close of relative and how severe? Are you ready to draw that line, too? If you are willing and wise, do start a foundation to help uninsured families with these expenses...I think you'll get lots and lots of really sad stories. And the "I missed my vacation stories" will probably not be nearly the sadest stories you would hear...it is likely there will be far, far sader uninsured stories with far more lost than cruisefare.

 

The corporate charity questions become complex. Yet the solution for passenger is easy....If they want to be covered if a loved one dies or becomes ill, or if their trip is interrupted, or if they need international medical care and so on....shop for and buy travel insurance. Do not buy it from the cruiseline, so the cruiseline does not make the profit...yet the cruiser is protected. With the web it is easy peasy.

[Warm Breezes]

Is it really someone else's money to allow someone to change the date of their cruise due to a death in the family?

 

As the article states what they are clearly doing is taking a hardline stance so that more people will buy travel insurance so they can make more money.

 

I have taken once cruise on NCL and it is abundantly clear that is how they operate which is fine. They have every legal right to do what they do. As the writer points out though it is a very short-term view that will hurt them in the long run. We budget a very good amount of money for family vacations and I can promise you that Norwegian's business methods have guaranteed that we will never go back.

 

Yes it is someone else's (NCL's) money.

 

My DGM passed away the day before we were to sail on the CCL Glory. We had just driven 16 hours to NY when we got the news. We ended up canceling our cruise and driving home. We purchased insurance through insure my trip. CCL was not out of their money (except what we would have spent on board) because we had paid them as we agreed to do in our cruise contract for a room that most likely sailed empty since we literally cancelled hours before sailing after the refund period had passed. It was their money that we had agreed to pay when we booked that room. We were not out of our money because the insurance company paid us back what we paid to the cruiseline. The insurance company was the one who lost money because we paid them to take the responsibility on for OUR risk. Not CCL's risk, OUR risk.

 

We booked that same cruise again the next year. CCL received the money from us for this trip too. We agreed to pay them for THIS trip when we booked it (we were not given a free room because we had to cancel for a death in the family and then complained to whoever would listen to us). We then purchased travel insurance through insure my trip for them to take responsibility of OUR risk for THIS trip. We did not need to use our insurance investment this time.

 

CCL received payment for both trips that we booked as we agreed to pay them when we booked it. It was after all their money when we agreed to the contract. Just as in this case it was NCL's money that was being lost "if" they gave these people another room on another sailing after this one most likely sailed empty. The only difference in our scenarios was I paid for insurance to take on the responsibility of MY risk and the person in the article did not, therefore keeping responsibility of THEIR risk. It was not, nor was it ever, NCL's responsibility to take on that risk once the cruise was booked and they were past the refund stage.

Edited August 11, 2014 by Warm Breezes

[Warm Breezes]

So now this has again, turned into another "buy insurance" issue.

So tired of this.

The issue was a journalist writing an article on NCL, to slam them, now folks think they need to tell us that we should buy insurance every time we travel.

 

I'm not going to tell you that you should buy insurance every time you travel. That is your choice how you spend your money. But please remember that by not purchasing insurance, you are accepting responsibility for the risks that the insurance covers. Please do not come back here, or to the cruiseline, or to a sympathetic newsman asking for the cruiseline to take on your responsibility after the fact when something does happen. While I would have empathy for your loss...I would not have any empathy for your case that the cruiseline should be held responsible for the loss YOU decided not to insure.

[elhenry]

I was so irritated after reading that article that I wrote this email to him (forgive the length):

 

Dear Mr. Elliott:

 

I just read your recent article, “Some cruise lines take a hard stance on refunds, even when a relative dies,” and I would like to offer a different perspective on how NCL and its staff handle death of a loved one. This past February (17th-21st), my husband and I and our best friends cruised on the NCL Sky. Sadly, on the last night of our cruise, our friend had an episode with his heart and passed away in their cabin. We called 911 on the ship and approximately 20 crew members came to assist (doctors, nurses, officers, medical technicians, etc.) and worked on our friend for nearly 40 minutes before he was pronounced dead.

 

Needless to say, we were all devastated. The officers and crew of that ship showed so much compassion to his wife and to us; they couldn’t have done more to make it as easy as possible for us. They took care of helping her get their belongings out of their cabin, getting us off the ship away from the crowd, changed our airplane reservations for us, made us hotel reservations in Miami (and paid for the rooms for one night for each of us), got us a taxi to the hotel and paid for that as well. While we were in Miami, NCL contacted us several times each of the two days we were there to see if we were okay and if there was anything more we needed assistance with.

 

We did have travel insurance which I did not buy through NCL; I always buy insurance through an on-line company, so the cruise line never “gains” any additional money from us in that regard. We live in Upstate NY, and always cruise in February since I am a teacher and that is my vacation time; so due to weather conditions, travel insurance is a “must” for us.

 

I believe that your article unfairly portrayed NCL as an uncaring cruise line. To me, it appeared to be sensationalistic in nature. You specifically mentioned only two negative cases in your lengthy article. I wonder how many positive cases like mine you could have referred to? And how many negative cases are there from the other cruise lines? I thought this quote from your article might be quite telling, ““We’re usually pretty compassionate when a guest experiences a death in the family and is unable to take their cruise,” says Cynthia Martinez, a Royal Caribbean spokeswoman.”” That quote tells me that maybe, sometimes, they are not...

 

We are so pleased with the NCL customer service, that we have another cruise booked with them this upcoming February. Our friend is going with us; it will be different without her husband, but she feels that he would want her on a ship for the first anniversary of his death. She is not ready to go back on the Sky, so we will be sailing on the Sun, but we know that her husband’s spirit will be with us, and that the Officers and crew of the Sun will be just as friendly and caring as that of the Sky. If you’d care to write another article that includes a positive spin on how NCL handles tragedy, or you’d just like some additional information about our experience, please feel free to contact me.

 

Sincerely yours,

 

...we'll see if I get a response...:confused:

~Joanne

 

Joanne:

 

Although I did not go into the detail that you did in my e-mail, I did include a link to an article I had written about my father's passing on the Jewel in April 2012; our experience mirrored your friend's experience. I received a two sentence reply. I would be curious to know if you receive more; I do not think Mr. Elliott wants to know the other side. But hope springs eternal...

 

el henry

[elhenry]

If the cruise is not sold out the cruiseline is not losing any money. Plain and simple. They have chosen take a hardline on this and it is just short-minded. They think it will make more money by selling insurance. It is their MO across the board on several policy fronts. It amazes me to what degree some on here will go to defend these actions.

 

As the article states most of the other cruiselines will work something out in such an instance. This type of thing seems to happen way too often with NCL. Go to a top-end resort and try to ask for something where they say no. Any reasonable request is granted. Resort employees are taught how not to say no. The list goes on. They don't nickle and dime you and then hold you to every minor detail on page 34 of your agreement. Yes they can but it is a hard way to keep loyal guests who know better.

 

Their son died. If I was a stockholder I would want management to understand that empathy goes a long way. I would want management to have enough common sense to think how does this make us look if it was on the front page of the Washington Post.

 

ACCMiller, I don't think you are reading our posts. My father died. On board the Jewel. And NCL's empathy indeed went a very long way, and we sailed NCL the next year. If that is your standard, you should have no trouble choosing NCL.

[elhenry]

OK, my last post as I don't want to monopolize this thread. :) I have posted on Chris Elliott's Facebook page (called "Elliott"; I needed to 'like' it). We will see what happens.

[EyeSeaEwe]

That may change soon, at least in some European countries.

There has been a court ruling here in Germany a couple of weeks ago where an airline had to pay the full ticket price back to a customer as they could not prove that they could not sell the seat again for the fare.

The cancellation fee is to protect the company against financial loss but not thought as a second source of income through selling the same place twice.

It should be the same for cruise lines. They have to prove that they could not sell your cabin or only for a lower cruise fare.

 

You can't prove a negative.

[nbsjcruiser]

There's an old saying: "Failure to plan on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine".

 

Feel bad for the person and family because their Mother died but I can't dig up any sympathy for those who don't buy travel insurance. I buy it every trip for just such emergencies. Many don't. This is the price that one pays for failing to plan.

[Redheel Girl]

Christoper Elliott saved my Cruise for me a few years ago. I applied for a Passport and after a reasonable amount of time it did not come but my Husband's did. After checking with the Post Office they said they held it for ten days and sent it back. I was desperate and time was getting close so I thought of Christoper Elliott's MSNBC column and I emailed him my problem. This was at a few minutes before five. When I opened up my Computer the next morning he was asking me the information about myself. Thirty minutes later I was contacted by someone in the Passport office telling me he was working on it. Ten Minutes later a Official from the State Dept emailed me telling me they were working on it. within 15 minutes the Man from the Passport Office emailed me that my Passport was being overnighted and would arrive at my home in the morning. The State Department emailed me again telling me it was on its way. I emailed Christoper Elliott and he asked me to tell him the Minute it arrived and I did the next day. This Man became my Hero!

[PoppyandNana]

If the cruise is not sold out the cruiseline is not losing any money. Plain and simple. They have chosen take a hardline on this and it is just short-minded. They think it will make more money by selling insurance. It is their MO across the board on several policy fronts. It amazes me to what degree some on here will go to defend these actions.

 

As the article states most of the other cruiselines will work something out in such an instance. This type of thing seems to happen way too often with NCL. Go to a top-end resort and try to ask for something where they say no. Any reasonable request is granted. Resort employees are taught how not to say no. The list goes on. They don't nickle and dime you and then hold you to every minor detail on page 34 of your agreement. Yes they can but it is a hard way to keep loyal guests who know better.

 

Their son died. If I was a stockholder I would want management to understand that empathy goes a long way. I would want management to have enough common sense to think how does this make us look if it was on the front page of the Washington Post.

 

You're kidding right? So, because the family was so short sighted they didn't buy travel insurance the cruise line should give them their money back? As many other examples have been provided car, life, home, liability and other types of insurance one really doesn't need to pay for any insurance. If you have a loss claim hardship and ask the provider, e.g. auto body repair, to cover your loss. If they refuse go to the newspapers and tv stations and claim UNFAIR, what a horrible company that refused to take pity on us. Talk about living in the land of denial and entitlement.

 

I don't know who wrote the article but other cruise lines take an the same position.

Edited August 12, 2014 by PoppyandNana

[joteacher]

Joanne:

 

Although I did not go into the detail that you did in my e-mail, I did include a link to an article I had written about my father's passing on the Jewel in April 2012; our experience mirrored your friend's experience. I received a two sentence reply. I would be curious to know if you receive more; I do not think Mr. Elliott wants to know the other side. But hope springs eternal...

 

el henry

 

el henry...have not heard anything as of yet. If I do, I'll post back.

~Joanne

[Da-Painter]

I'm not going to tell you that you should buy insurance every time you travel. That is your choice how you spend your money. But please remember that by not purchasing insurance, you are accepting responsibility for the risks that the insurance covers. Please do not come back here, or to the cruiseline, or to a sympathetic newsman asking for the cruiseline to take on your responsibility after the fact when something does happen. While I would have empathy for your loss...I would not have any empathy for your case that the cruiseline should be held responsible for the loss YOU decided not to insure.

 

If something happens to me, so be it.

I have prepaid airlines, and hotels for future trips. If I don't take the air flight, or show up at my hotels which I have prepaid, I am willing to fully accept and can financially handle those circumstances.

And I will not tell everyone how cruel the world is to me, if this occurs.

I have used trip insurance once in the past.

I am not interested in hearing about folks that have purchased and used trip insurance in the past and had to use it. And tell me that I should also always do so.

[pieshops]

You're kidding right? So, because the family was so short sighted they didn't buy travel insurance the cruise line should give them their money back? As many other examples have been provided car, life, home, liability and other types of insurance one really doesn't need to pay for any insurance. If you have a loss claim hardship and ask the provider, e.g. auto body repair, to cover your loss. If they refuse go to the newspapers and tv stations and claim UNFAIR, what a horrible company that refused to take pity on us. Talk about living in the land of denial and entitlement.

 

I don't know who wrote the article but other cruise lines take an the same position.

 

That is our society today, take no responsability

[Warm Breezes]

If something happens to me, so be it.

I have prepaid airlines, and hotels for future trips. If I don't take the air flight, or show up at my hotels which I have prepaid, I am willing to fully accept and can financially handle those circumstances.

And I will not tell everyone how cruel the world is to me, if this occurs.

I have used trip insurance once in the past.

I am not interested in hearing about folks that have purchased and used trip insurance in the past and had to use it. And tell me that I should also always do so.

 

Like I said, I wouldn't tell you what to do with your money and if you are willing to take responsibility for your choices that is all I ask. The people in this article are not taking responsibility for their choice and that is what has many posters up in arms. I know where you are coming from. DH and I took the majority of our cruises without passports and still do not have them for the kids. For us the risk was not worth the cost of the passports, just like you feel about travel insurance. Like you we are willing to bear the risk and take responsibility for our choice if something happened. Not judging you and not telling you how to spend your money....just thankful to see someone who realizes it is their responsibility for the choices they make. As you can see from this article, some feel it is the responsibility of the cruiseline to take the loss for its customers choices. IMHO that's just wrong.

[Da-Painter]

Like I said, I wouldn't tell you what to do with your money and if you are willing to take responsibility for your choices that is all I ask. The people in this article are not taking responsibility for their choice and that is what has many posters up in arms. I know where you are coming from. DH and I took the majority of our cruises without passports and still do not have them for the kids. For us the risk was not worth the cost of the passports, just like you feel about travel insurance. Like you we are willing to bear the risk and take responsibility for our choice if something happened. Not judging you and not telling you how to spend your money....just thankful to see someone who realizes it is their responsibility for the choices they make. As you can see from this article, some feel it is the responsibility of the cruiseline to take the loss for its customers choices. IMHO that's just wrong.

 

I wholeheartedly agree with you.

[nbsjcruiser]

If something happens to me, so be it.

I have prepaid airlines, and hotels for future trips. If I don't take the air flight, or show up at my hotels which I have prepaid, I am willing to fully accept and can financially handle those circumstances.

And I will not tell everyone how cruel the world is to me, if this occurs.

I have used trip insurance once in the past.

I am not interested in hearing about folks that have purchased and used trip insurance in the past and had to use it. And tell me that I should also always do so.

 

Just curious. Do you take medical insurance for trips abroad?

[TheManitoban]

One thing from the story I am curious about. When NCL replied that they had not received a request in writing, there is no mention of whether the family in question was aware of this and had done so. Failure to clarify would lead me to assume they were told this and did not do it.

 

If I was the writer, I would have said to the family "I contacted NCL on your behalf and they said you were told to submit a written request for a compassionate refund. Have you done so? If not, I suggest you do. Please let me know how it goes."

 

I'd also assume a written request with the writer CC'ed would have gone a long way.

 

I also assume this happens often enough that its unfortunately a mundane task for the cruiselines and their request to submit information in writing is reasonable. I suppose NCL *could* make it easier. They could have offered to e-mail the "written" request information so the customer only had to fill in the blanks.

[accmiller]

You're kidding right? So, because the family was so short sighted they didn't buy travel insurance the cruise line should give them their money back? As many other examples have been provided car, life, home, liability and other types of insurance one really doesn't need to pay for any insurance. If you have a loss claim hardship and ask the provider, e.g. auto body repair, to cover your loss. If they refuse go to the newspapers and tv stations and claim UNFAIR, what a horrible company that refused to take pity on us. Talk about living in the land of denial and entitlement.

 

I don't know who wrote the article but other cruise lines take an the same position.

 

You are missing the point. No one is saying they should get their money back. Just let then go on a different week. The airline didn't have a problem with it. But like the travel writer said, Norwegian is hoping to make more money selling travel insurance and they can't do that if they allow people to change cruise dates due to a death in the family.

[accmiller]

One thing from the story I am curious about. When NCL replied that they had not received a request in writing, there is no mention of whether the family in question was aware of this and had done so. Failure to clarify would lead me to assume they were told this and did not do it.

 

If I was the writer, I would have said to the family "I contacted NCL on your behalf and they said you were told to submit a written request for a compassionate refund. Have you done so? If not, I suggest you do. Please let me know how it goes."

 

I'd also assume a written request with the writer CC'ed would have gone a long way.

 

I also assume this happens often enough that its unfortunately a mundane task for the cruiselines and their request to submit information in writing is reasonable. I suppose NCL *could* make it easier. They could have offered to e-mail the "written" request information so the customer only had to fill in the blanks.

 

How about just saying "No problem we just need a copy of the death certificate so we can set-up a different time for you." That would be much better than using an excuse "Well they didn't tell us in writing." Why does that matter? You admit you know the problem. Now help them fix it.

[accmiller]

Just curious. Do you take medical insurance for trips abroad?

 

So just because travel insurance is offered it makes it the equivalent of medical insurance???

 

If I need my broken arm repaired there is a real cost incurred. Asking a cruise line to change weeks is not.