Upset with NCL, not sure what else we can do

[HeatherMac246]

Hi everyone,

 

I booked my cruise Dec 5 for sailing on 3/1-3/7. For this same sailing, they are offering the fare for about the same (depending on who you go with, its +/- $50) BUT they are offering a FREE Ultimate Beverage Package for new bookings. So here's my question. I've gone around and around with my TA with nothing but an offer of $50 onboard, NCL cannot offer anything except for $50. Is there anything else I can possibly do? That is a HUGE value to us and frankly, am very upset that they cannot do anything for me.

 

Has anyone had any experience with this? Positive or Negative?

 

Thanks in advance.

~Heather

[April7901]

Right now, prepare for the onslaught of responses telling you to get over it.

 

Truthfully, there's nothing you can do. They're offering a sale to entice new bookings to fill up the ship. You booked at a price you were, presumably, happy with - so, it is what it is.

[Demonyte]

Since you are already past final payment, there is nothing you can do.

 

This is just reality of life, you can't always get the best promos - after all you were happy with the price and perks you got when booking, right?

 

EDIT: For the future, it pays to read these boards already before booking - this promotion was discussed here already a week before it started on Dec 16. Of course the week wouldn't have been enough to help you, but still..

Edited February 5, 2015 by Demonyte

[gcjstri]

I am in a two bedroom suite and have Platinum status and i booked last year in Oct. for our April 4th - 11th cruise. I would be receiving the UBP , UDP & $300.00 on board credit if i booked this month. I called NCL and so did my TA. NCL is giving me nothing. The only thing they said is if cancell and re-book the Suite the Suite would be more expensive than what we origonaly paid for it so it would not be worth it.

[ColinIllinois]

Heather, the best advice is just to forget about it and look forward to your cruise. :D

[Demonyte]

I am in a two bedroom suite and have Platinum status and i booked last year in Oct. for our April 4th - 11th cruise. I would be receiving the UBP , UDP & $300.00 on board credit if i booked this month. I called NCL and so did my TA. NCL is giving me nothing. The only thing they said is if cancell and re-book the Suite the Suite would be more expensive than what we origonaly paid for it so it would not be worth it.

 

So you'd want to get the early booking price with the last minute promotion combined? :D

[HeatherMac246]

Thank you to everyone who has responded so far. How frustrating! But I guess we should be happy they at least gave us $50 on board. My TA called them and got that so i am going to try to call to see if they can do anything else. It's worth a shot, right? If I cancelled and rebooked, I would be in the red about $300, which really stinks! I guess you live and learn, 'eh??

 

Thanks again!

~Heather

[HeatherMac246]

So you'd want to get the early booking price with the last minute promotion combined? :D

 

The price is unfortunately about the same. If I booked it now with the SAME category of state room, the price per person is actually cheaper :(

[Demonyte]

Thank you to everyone who has responded so far. How frustrating! But I guess we should be happy they at least gave us $50 on board. My TA called them and got that so i am going to try to call to see if they can do anything else. It's worth a shot, right? If I cancelled and rebooked, I would be in the red about $300, which really stinks!

 

Since your booking is owned by the TA, calling NCL directly won't do you any good - just add to your frustration since most likely they will not speak with you about the reservation because that is what NCL pays your TA commission for.

 

I guess you live and learn, 'eh??

 

Yep, hopefully you can still enjoy your cruise! :)

[HeatherMac246]

I almost want to cancel and rebook and pay the extra $300 just to spite the TA. Horrible service but the manager tried making it up today, so I guess I can't say anything bad about her. But my the normal TA I had been working with was great until after we booked...and it is really disheartening.

[Demonyte]

The price is unfortunately about the same. If I booked it now with the SAME category of state room, the price per person is actually cheaper :(

 

Yes, I know that in your case it must be a lot more frustrating since the price is almost the same, I was referring to the other member's post where they implicated that they are sad because getting the current promo would also mean that their cruise price would jump to the current price.

[HeatherMac246]

Gotcha :) Man, life would be much easier if I had a crystal ball, LOL!

[gcjstri]

@ - Demonyte,

 

it does not hurt to ask, that is my MO

 

cindi :):)

[warriorking]

Booking through a TA can be a toss of the dice..

Thus far I have Emailed my TA twice about price reductions from NCL that have saved me nearly $700 on my cruise and both times she has had no knowledge of the price drop.. :confused:

When I booked I left specific instructions that she was to monitor NCL for any price reductions and make the needed calls and adjustments..

I eventually got the reductions but only through my careful monitoring of their website... something she should be doing...I am past the period of transferring the booking to NCL so I will continue to do her job and look out for myself as needed.

Next time I will probably book straight through NCL...

[Demonyte]

Booking through a TA can be a toss of the dice..

Thus far I have Emailed my TA twice about price reductions from NCL that have saved me nearly $700 on my cruise and both times she has had no knowledge of the price drop.. :confused:

When I booked I left specific instructions that she was to monitor NCL for any price reductions and make the needed calls and adjustments..

I eventually got the reductions but only through my careful monitoring of their website... something she should be doing...I am past the period of transferring the booking to NCL so I will continue to do her job and look out for myself as needed.

Next time I will probably book straight through NCL...

 

I'm a bit confused, do you think that NCL would automatically give you the lowest prices without asking them to?

 

For me, it's all about the price - I know from experience that one needs a super good PCC (I've had three and none of them did anything without asking) in order to get any benefit from booking with NCL directly so I have opted to use a TA that gives us always about 10% of the cruise price either as OBC and/or as a discount from the total price (probably comes out of their commission). I'm fine with this since I'm the one watching the prices and promos anyway.

Edited February 5, 2015 by Demonyte

[FireEater]

I was lucky. I booked my next cruise over 9 months in advance in a suite. Rebooking last week, 3 days before final payment date, got me all the benefits (UBP, UDP, and the same OBC) for an extra $90.

 

I think I lost out on some Lattitude points for originally booking over 9 months out, but heck, I got $2K in "freebees".....:cool:

[cage keeper]

I'm in the same boat. We will be spending the $896.40. When they first offered the special price was 600 per person more then we paid. Now it is only 200 more. But I don't think I would have booked this late.

[Phyllis Flipflop]

I was looking at a cruise for later in the year with NCL and noticed that the cruise we had booked for May had dropped in price and was now offering the drinks package.

 

Now this is our first cruise booking and we're on a HUGE learning curve so I emailed my TA and asked if there was anything that could be done. She didn't respond so I called NCL direct and they advised that I could either have my booking amended for a fee of £35 per person and would have the difference refunded and the drinks package added or they would do it for no fee if I upgraded to a cabin that would involve no refund. As I had booked through a TA he told me I would need to have the adjustment made through them. It took a few days and multiple phone calls but we are being given a refund and the drinks package. I appreciate that many feel that folks should suck it up when prices drop but I went along the lines of 'Nothing Ventured Nothing Gained'. Our cruise had been paid in full.

Edited February 5, 2015 by Phyllis Flipflop
Missed a bit :)

[murcor]

Hi everyone,

 

I booked my cruise Dec 5 for sailing on 3/1-3/7. For this same sailing, they are offering the fare for about the same (depending on who you go with, its +/- $50) BUT they are offering a FREE Ultimate Beverage Package for new bookings. So here's my question. I've gone around and around with my TA with nothing but an offer of $50 onboard, NCL cannot offer anything except for $50. Is there anything else I can possibly do? That is a HUGE value to us and frankly, am very upset that they cannot do anything for me.

 

Has anyone had any experience with this? Positive or Negative?

 

Thanks in advance.

~Heather

 

I would be upset too

 

I know you were happy with the price when you booked but I'm sure you would be a lot happier. With these new perks :thumbup:

 

 

 

Sent from my GT-S7560M using Forums mobile app

[Dorhead1230]

I almost want to cancel and rebook and pay the extra $300 just to spite the TA. Horrible service but the manager tried making it up today, so I guess I can't say anything bad about her. But my the normal TA I had been working with was great until after we booked...and it is really disheartening.

 

I have seen so many posts on here discussing negative TA experiences that it generally reinforces my belief in booking for myself. I am a bit of a control freak anyway :o, but if you're having to check the prices constantly and then call the TA anyway, you might as well be taking care of it all yourself, right? I know that the TAs might be throwing in extra perks and will endure the holds on the phone, but when the situation devolves into a constant back-and-forth anyway, it seems like equal stress either way. So, I figure I might as well let my control freak flag fly :p.

[NMLady]

Hi everyone,

 

I booked my cruise Dec 5 for sailing on 3/1-3/7. For this same sailing, they are offering the fare for about the same (depending on who you go with, its +/- $50) BUT they are offering a FREE Ultimate Beverage Package for new bookings. So here's my question. I've gone around and around with my TA with nothing but an offer of $50 onboard, NCL cannot offer anything except for $50. Is there anything else I can possibly do? That is a HUGE value to us and frankly, am very upset that they cannot do anything for me.

 

Has anyone had any experience with this? Positive or Negative?

 

Thanks in advance.

~Heather

 

The offer is for NEW bookings. Unless you cancel, paying a cancellation fee, and then do a new booking, the offer does not apply to you. You're lucky to get $50 OBC.

[dolita22]

I think many people can understand your frustration, but in the end, NCL added the sale to entice bookings.

 

We booked a cruise last year for this January, paid in full a few days before the date payment was due, then the UDP, UBP and OBC sale started. We briefly considered calling to see if we could get a little OBC, but decided against it, because we were happy with what we paid and were able to take advantage of price drops until final payment.

 

When we boarded the ship, we were happy and excited to be cruising and pretty much forgot about the sale offerings. In the end, it really made no difference in the enjoyment of our cruise. We had a fantastic time and never even thought all week about others having gotten something we missed out on just because we booked when we did.

 

So my advice to you, as frustrating as it can be, is to go and simply enjoy your cruise. And book another to take advantage of the sale. :-)

[NMLady]

@ -

it does not hurt to ask, that is my MO

 

cindi :):)

 

The hurt will be losing an hour or so by being on hold with NCL, only to be told need to talk to TA since booked through TA.

Edited February 5, 2015 by NMLady

[Arzeena]

Hi everyone,

 

I booked my cruise Dec 5 for sailing on 3/1-3/7. For this same sailing, they are offering the fare for about the same (depending on who you go with, its +/- $50) BUT they are offering a FREE Ultimate Beverage Package for new bookings. So here's my question. I've gone around and around with my TA with nothing but an offer of $50 onboard, NCL cannot offer anything except for $50. Is there anything else I can possibly do? That is a HUGE value to us and frankly, am very upset that they cannot do anything for me.

 

Has anyone had any experience with this? Positive or Negative?

 

Thanks in advance.

~Heather

 

Hi

I understand. Here is what can and cannot be done......

If you are past final payment but not under the cancellation penalty period, then they can re price your cruise to the current rate and give you the offer. That may mean you paying a bit more to come up to what the current price is....assuming it is higher.

 

If the current price is lower than what you paid for, look to pay the difference and upgrade to the next higher category, perhaps, if that is comfortable for your pocket. They will re price the cruise at the current rate for the higher category, add on the difference and give you a new price. That way you may get the current promotion offer.

 

If you are within the penalty period, the only thing you can do is upgrade and pay the difference....but they will not give you any current promotions. Once you are within the penalty period, any re pricing means cancelling the current reservation, paying the penalty for cancellation and then repricing it. So it does not make sense at all. And you may loose any amenity offer or on board credit you had from the original reservation, topped with the cancellation penalty! Also, for certain reservations you cannot even do that, once in penalty period.

 

If you have a travel agent they should be able to bat on your behalf, and explain you the options available or not.

 

But yes, this does happen, so please don't feel disappointed and I hope you enjoy your cruise.

Edited February 5, 2015 by Arzeena

[GeezerCouple]

Thank you to everyone who has responded so far. How frustrating! But I guess we should be happy they at least gave us $50 on board. My TA called them and got that so i am going to try to call to see if they can do anything else. It's worth a shot, right? If I cancelled and rebooked, I would be in the red about $300, which really stinks! I guess you live and learn, 'eh??

 

Thanks again!

~Heather

 

Why does this "stink"?

 

What you are saying is that because you booked early, you have ended up $300 *ahead* of what you'd have paid if you waited until now to book.

 

That is a '"GOOD THING", no??

 

GeezerCouple