Very disappointed in NCL Customer Relations

[cuppy]

:mad:

 

So I was one of the unfortunate guests booked on the Escape for Nov 5th that got cancelled due to them booking out the entire ship for a charter. We are traveling with other family members so we all found a different week we could do and called and changed our booking.

 

Well the letter says they would honor air fare but NOBODY there could give you clear directions on how to request it or where to find it on the website. I went in and sent all the documents they needed to the Customer Relations group and got my confirmation it went through on 4/27 saying in 3 days I would hear a response.

 

As of today still nothing. After waiting on hold for over an hour for Customer Relations, I get put on hold again while they check with the rep handling our case. Reply was it will be 10 more business days before they follow-up. Asked to speak with a supervisor and was told "they are busy, and we were told to send anyone asking for a supervisor to voice mail" and he transferred me to Carmen's voice mail.

 

NCL told us we had to make a decision by May 10th, and when we changed our booking I was told I had to send over my receipt for my flight change within 72 hours of making the change. Did everything NCL has asked and before the deadline, and they can't even follow-up in the time frame they provided.

 

Extremely disappointed, and don't have a lot of faith in them that they are gonna honor the additional expenses as their letter stated

[cb at sea]

By leaving a message on the voice mail, there is a record of you trying to follow their rules...they'll get it straightened out!

[blackwing]

It sounds to me like they are accommodating everyone. You left a voicemail inquiring about compensation for your flight change fee. I think you have done what they asked you. So they didn't get back to you within the 72 hours... it doesn't mean they aren't going to. The reason why they sent you to voicemail is because they are likely dealing with thousands of people with the exact same issue. I would just be patient for now and trust that everything will work out.

[Into Cruising]

They must be extremely busy, and I do not envy them

[mimi'sgirl]

Hi Cuppy- I feel for you! We were booked on that sailing also. Fortunately, we drive down to Florida and did not have to deal with the airline ticket mess. Customer service has been awful over this issue. I still haven't received an official notice. So thankful for these boards! It has definitely taken some of the fun out of all the planning. Good luck and I hope you reach someone who can help.

[Cruzinbabe06]

I would be a little more patient, even though it's easier for me to say.

 

Hopefully, they'll be getting back to you soon.

 

Good Luck

[cruzsnooze]

:mad:

 

So I was one of the unfortunate guests booked on the Escape for Nov 5th that got cancelled due to them booking out the entire ship for a charter. We are traveling with other family members so we all found a different week we could do and called and changed our booking.

 

Well the letter says they would honor air fare but NOBODY there could give you clear directions on how to request it or where to find it on the website. I went in and sent all the documents they needed to the Customer Relations group and got my confirmation it went through on 4/27 saying in 3 days I would hear a response.

 

As of today still nothing. After waiting on hold for over an hour for Customer Relations, I get put on hold again while they check with the rep handling our case. Reply was it will be 10 more business days before they follow-up. Asked to speak with a supervisor and was told "they are busy, and we were told to send anyone asking for a supervisor to voice mail" and he transferred me to Carmen's voice mail.

 

NCL told us we had to make a decision by May 10th, and when we changed our booking I was told I had to send over my receipt for my flight change within 72 hours of making the change. Did everything NCL has asked and before the deadline, and they can't even follow-up in the time frame they provided.

 

Extremely disappointed, and don't have a lot of faith in them that they are gonna honor the additional expenses as their letter stated

 

Sounds like the kind of service we experienced on board the Jewel last Dec, poor to say the least.

Edited May 4, 2016 by cruzsnooze

[Heather1972]

I was also one of those affected by the chartering of this ship in November. Do you have a travel agent or did you book with NCL directly? They are quite slow with their communication. I'd give it a bit more time. You've changed the cruise correct? So, they won't be canceling you on May 10. They will cover up to $300 each air change fees, but that might not be addressed until after May 10. May 10 was the deadline for you making a decision about the cruise.

[cuppy]

Very frustrating when they impose timelines but don't honor any of them on their end. With this new time fra me it will be 3 weeks until a response / acknowledgement aAnd no knows how long to get my refund. They wouldn't even say if it gets applied toward my cruise or if its a check or credit card refund.

 

The worst part was the guys attitude about it. Not I'm sorry, we have a high volume right now. Nope it was ,time who cares and saying that their superbisors don't not calls and to just send people to voicemail is poor customer service.

 

Wonder how long it will take to get a reply from my voicemail, or if any call at all.

 

I've heard others booked for this cruise still haven't been notified. That's poor service too. I've aalways had good luck & service with NCL but not this time.

[Heather1972]

NCL sent out the email about the cancellation about 10 am on Tuesday 4/26. The higher ups at my travel agency didn't inform the agents until nearly 5 pm on Wednesday 4/27. By then I had already changed my cruise.

[Freckles_51]

They have a backlog, at least partly because they are dealing with hotel claims from over 2000 passengers that were on the Pride of America delayed sailing out of drydock March 15/16. I'm assuming those POA claims went in before those booked on the Nov 5 Escape, if you only found out on Apr 27.

 

My claim went in on March 30, and just last Saturday, April 30, I was told it could take another 3-4 weeks, so don't hold your breath. :eek:

 

I'm not making up excuses for NCL, it would be nice if they would at least send an email within the time frame they say, even if it is just to say they are working on it.

 

I guess we just have to be patient. :o

[emmak8]

I think NCL should deal with the passengers who were inconvenienced in a timely manner. These situations are part of doing business. Customers will not forget how they were treated by NCL.

 

In 2012, we were on the Caribbean Princess during hurricane Sandy and CB sat in Boston harbor instead of sailing to Bermuda. Princess was quite generous and accommodating in rescheduling cruises and reimbursing passengers. We are loyal Princess cruisers to this day. Great customer service is not forgotten.

[fshagan]

It is very bad customer service, I agree.

 

How many of you book airfare 6 months out? I almost always wait until 6 - 8 weeks from the trip time for the best fares (usually). I'm usually just booking for two people so maybe that's why. I can't imagine too many people booking airfare that far out so I was just wondering why (not criticizing, and not trying to minimize NCL's lack of response).

[cuppy]

We booked our air fare in January during a sale. That same ticket has tripled now :(

 

Even if they had replied stating they received our request but due to high volume the wait / response will be longer. At least acknowledge it.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

It is very bad customer service, I agree.

 

How many of you book airfare 6 months out? I almost always wait until 6 - 8 weeks from the trip time for the best fares (usually). I'm usually just booking for two people so maybe that's why. I can't imagine too many people booking airfare that far out so I was just wondering why (not criticizing, and not trying to minimize NCL's lack of response).

 

I can't imagine anyone waiting til 6-8 weeks to book airfare.

 

At least from Philly, the prices only go up the closer it gets. Better to book early when the flights first come out.

 

Bill

[Freckles_51]

It is very bad customer service, I agree.

 

How many of you book airfare 6 months out? I almost always wait until 6 - 8 weeks from the trip time for the best fares (usually). I'm usually just booking for two people so maybe that's why. I can't imagine too many people booking airfare that far out so I was just wondering why (not criticizing, and not trying to minimize NCL's lack of response).

 

Depends when we book the cruise but it is mostly 6-9 months out and we book air as soon as possible after that, because we want non stop and like to be able to choose times that suit us. Coworkers booked last minute and ended up paying double with stops and not good times.

[zqvol]

It is very bad customer service, I agree.

 

How many of you book airfare 6 months out? I almost always wait until 6 - 8 weeks from the trip time for the best fares (usually). I'm usually just booking for two people so maybe that's why. I can't imagine too many people booking airfare that far out so I was just wondering why (not criticizing, and not trying to minimize NCL's lack of response).

 

I am like you. Never book air more than about 60 days out, unless using points and going to Europe, AK, or HI. Anything domestic, even using points, is done about 60 days out. You get the best fares that way, and have excellent seat selections.

 

As far as NCL's response I would love to see the actual e-mail that was sent before I make a decision about the service that the OP has received to date.

Edited May 5, 2016 by zqvol

[beerman2]

I am like you. Never book air more than about 60 days out, unless using points and going to Europe, AK, or HI. Anything domestic, even using points, is done about 60 days out. You get the best fares that way, and have excellent seat selections.

 

As far as NCL's response I would love to see the actual e-mail that was sent before I make a decision about the service that the OP has received to date.

 

Just curious as to what airline/airport do you get lower airfare 60 days out? That's great for you!

[LrgPizza]

I am like you. Never book air more than about 60 days out, unless using points and going to Europe, AK, or HI. Anything domestic, even using points, is done about 60 days out. You get the best fares that way, and have excellent seat selections.

 

As far as NCL's response I would love to see the actual e-mail that was sent before I make a decision about the service that the OP has received to date.

 

This varies so much depending on where your home airport is located and to where you are traveling. For instance, when booking a flight home after a cruise, if I book several months out, I will have about 6 flights to choose from scattered throughout the day. If I wait until 60 days out, I will have a choice of 8am or 10pm because all others will be full and sold out. Airlines do reduce fares to fill seats at around the 60 day mark. But obviously that only applies if they still have seats to fill, which isn't the case for all routes.

[Shawnino]

Sorry for the problem OP.

It's unfortunate it comes to this, but what you need to do is be persistent and very demanding.

 

Our spring'17 med cruise was wiped out in the fleet reshuffle and we had no desire to go looping about the same old same old Caribbean. We are Nobody Special. It took two weeks of being on the phone almost every day with the Dept. that was rebooking people but we finally got somebody who gave us a good deal.

 

It all boiled down to persistence and staying focused.

[Crown Vic]

They have a backlog, at least partly because they are dealing with hotel claims from over 2000 passengers that were on the Pride of America delayed sailing out of drydock March 15/16...I guess we just have to be patient. :o

 

Hiya Freckles. Regarding the PoA credits, have spent some time on the phone with NCL Guest Services. The folks I have spoken to have been top notch. Just to tell ya that NCL 1) applied the whole of our PoA discount to our already booked June 2016 Scandanavian cruise 2) processed the refund of the credit balance from our onboard account as of April 20 which was about 4 weeks after the PoA cruise ended and 3) advised that they are 'backed up' with hotel etc. claims which should be resolved and paid by the end of this month. The wheels of NCL's beaurocracy turn slowly but they do turn. Hope you are enjoying the nicer weather...

[jingle5616]

The usual customer dis-service from NCL. Another reason to always use a travel agent. Their customers are taken care of first.

 

On a side note, I'd hoped that customer service would improve with the recent firing of the VP of that division. It appears the culture of NCL customer service is not changing. I'm not surprised.

 

Good luck OP, I'd reward them with a booking on a different cruise line.

[Freckles_51]

Hiya Freckles. Regarding the PoA credits, have spent some time on the phone with NCL Guest Services. The folks I have spoken to have been top notch. Just to tell ya that NCL 1) applied the whole of our PoA discount to our already booked June 2016 Scandanavian cruise 2) processed the refund of the credit balance from our onboard account as of April 20 which was about 4 weeks after the PoA cruise ended and 3) advised that they are 'backed up' with hotel etc. claims which should be resolved and paid by the end of this month. The wheels of NCL's beaurocracy turn slowly but they do turn. Hope you are enjoying the nicer weather...

 

Hi Crown Vic

 

Pretty much the same experience here, except the last person I spoke to was a little bit snitty, but then again I was a bit upset because they apparently messed up my address on the cheque they sent for the onboard credit balance :o ....still hoping it will reach me since the postal code was correct.

Have you received your cheque yet for the OBC balance?

POA discount split 50/50 and applied to next 2 cruises...yay!!

 

Enjoy your Scandinavian cruise :)

[spanishguy1970]

The usual customer dis-service from NCL. Another reason to always use a travel agent. Their customers are taken care of first.

 

On a side note, I'd hoped that customer service would improve with the recent firing of the VP of that division. It appears the culture of NCL customer service is not changing. I'm not surprised.

 

Good luck OP, I'd reward them with a booking on a different cruise line.

 

I totally agree. I use a travel agent, she knows all the tricks in the trade. I have not been lucky with NCL customer service, i have written letters to their Miami address twice with never a response back, called their # etc always the same dismissive attitude. I consider myself a very respectful person but it gets tiresome that a company like this can't get it together with a good customer service relations department. I also can't believe you have to write them the old fashion way to get them to notice a disappointment. Anyways, good luck OP.

Edited May 5, 2016 by qtaromar1970

[DMH15]

The usual customer dis-service from NCL. Another reason to always use a travel agent. Their customers are taken care of first.

 

 

 

On a side note, I'd hoped that customer service would improve with the recent firing of the VP of that division. It appears the culture of NCL customer service is not changing. I'm not surprised.

 

 

 

Good luck OP, I'd reward them with a booking on a different cruise line.

 

 

Really, it's been like a week.