NCL Refund Request

[Responder]

While waiting what seems like forever for the "Hotel Service Charge" to be refunded, has anyone actually contacted their credit card company to reverse the charges, and if so, what was the result.

 

Since NCL bundles all the charges into one invoice, will the card company pull off only what constitutes the service charge?

 

thanks

[sparks1093]

How long have you been waiting? (Just curious.)

[Responder]

How long have you been waiting? (Just curious.)

 

5 weeks...

[cssc123]

I'm assuming you are referring to the Daily Service Charge - but even if it is not, I would suggest you call your credit card company sooner than later.

 

IF you already submitted the paperwork with NCL you can prove that you made an effort with the merchant to get whatever the price issue was rectified.

 

Most credit card companies in the US require that you dispute charges within 60 days or they become final on your account (and solely up to the merchant to issue a refund).

 

If it has been 5 weeks, your over a full billing cycle and once the second one finalizes you'll most likely be at the graces of NCL.

 

You don't need to dispute the whole charge. What you do is call the CC company and say something like "I dispute the amount that was charged by NCL on this date, I requested a refund of a charge that they put on my final bill and it has been over a month with no refund. This is the amount they charged, this is the amount it should have been".

 

They will contact NCL and usually when stuff like this happens, the merchant will expedite the refund rather than let a chargeback go through. NCL will refund it and then tell the credit card company "refund issued on ___" to avoid the chargeback.

[sparks1093]

5 weeks...

 

If the paperwork you received still says they will process your request in 2 weeks I would call the credit card company now.

[triptastic]

I have been waiting since the first week of April. I will call my CC company too.

[Crown Vic]

While waiting what seems like forever for the "Hotel Service Charge" to be refunded, has anyone actually contacted their credit card company to reverse the charges, and if so, what was the result.

Since NCL bundles all the charges into one invoice, will the card company pull off only what constitutes the service charge?thanks

 

Just to tell you that we submitted a refund request, as directed by NCL, for a night in a hotel when a PoA cruise was delayed by NCL. Submitted in early April, approved May 21, cheque issued July 6 and received July 26. NCL's refund system moves extremely s-l-o-w-l-y. Check with NCL Guest Services to see what they say. Good luck...

Edited July 29, 2016 by Crown Vic

[jodieh12]

I waited 10 weeks, only after threatening a chargeback and copying in everyone who I had an email for at ncl did something happen!!

[cssc123]

Just to tell you that we submitted a refund request, as directed by NCL, for a night in a hotel when a PoA cruise was delayed by NCL. Submitted in early April, approved May 21, cheque issued July 6 and received July 26. NCL's refund system moves extremely s-l-o-w-l-y. Check with NCL Guest Services to see what they say. Good luck...

 

This is a different (although extremely unfortunate situation). We have to assume that in OP's case, it was a charge on the ship (OP refers to lumping everything together). Which in the OPs case a chargeback is a necessary task. The hotel reimbursement is not one as that is a contractual issue not a charge issue.

 

I really feel for all of you that were on that cruise that are being jerked around for refunds that were promised and you guys are really at the mercy of NCL for anything. OP has though, can have the CC company fight on their behalf.

[Responder]

A few moments ago I spoke with my credit card company.

 

After explaining the problem, they immediately entered a full credit for the "Hotel Service Charge" refund I requested.

 

For the next step they are sending me a form to fill out and return. Once that is done, the credit they gave me will stick.

In the interim if NCL does send a check or credit I only need to call my card company and advise them.

[DorothyB]

I'm curious why so many are asking for refunds for the daily service charge? I'm also wondering if the increase for those of us who actually pay it is because so many do not pay it?

[richstowe]

I'm curious why so many are asking for refunds for the daily service charge? I'm also wondering if the increase for those of us who actually pay it is because so many do not pay it?

We all wonder about many things . I wonder how much NCL is making from the DSC by not having to pay these amounts themselves . I also wonder if when deciding to hire more staff whether they shrug and say, since we aren't actually paying most of our ship board staff , why not .

I also wonder what your post or mine have to do with the original post . :confused:

[NLH Arizona]

I'm curious why so many are asking for refunds for the daily service charge? I'm also wondering if the increase for those of us who actually pay it is because so many do not pay it?

I think there are a lot of different reason why some don't pay it.

 

• I think some have service issues that they feel are big enough not to pay the DSC.
  
• I think some, who come from countries where tipping is not the norm, just don't want to pay it, because they don't tip back home.
  
• I think some are just cheap and that is one way to save a little cash.
  
• I think some don't believe that the money goes to the staff, even though there is no proof that the staff doesn't get the money
  

 

I'm sure there are other reasons, but these are the ones I think are most common.

 

As to your second question, I would say yes. NCL (or any cruise line) has to bring in enough revenue in the DSC/automatic gratuities or whatever they call it to pay the crew, if they are not bringing in enough revenue, they raise the price. Two of the lines I cruise, NCL and Celebrity, have raised the DSC/automatic gratuities quite a bit lately. I also think on top of this, the crew suffers, because yes they might get their minimum salary if only X dollars are raised by the DSC, but they don't get those incentives, bonuses, etc., because they come out of the DSC and NCL isn't going to make up those dollars and, I have to say rightfully so, since the bonuses and incentives are based on customer sanctification and if the passenger's are not paying the DSC, then NCL probably assumes that they are not satisfied.

[Regguy]

I wish more people would refuse to pay the DSC. In the short term it would hurt me, because I pay them, and so if enough people don't pay them the rest of us make up the difference. But I am ok with that in the short term, because I think they are a big fraud.

 

They are just cruise fare. NCL gets to exempt them from advertised cruise fare by pretending they are "discretionary," but then they make it virtually impossible to not pay them. They are an artifice designed to mislead about cruise fare, just like hotel resort fees and the like. They are also regressive in that they apply across the board without regard to cruise fare, cabin type (except a tiny increase for suites), number in cabin, and age. They are designed to trick the market and are anti-competitive. They are a major scourge in the industry and should be abolished industry wide.

[NHL Philly Fan]

 

• I think some have service issues that they feel are big enough not to pay the DSC.
  
• I think some, who come from countries where tipping is not the norm, just don't want to pay it, because they don't tip back home.
  
• I think some are just cheap and that is one way to save a little cash.
  
• I think some don't believe that the money goes to the staff, even though there is no proof that the staff doesn't get the money
  

 

1) Then they should get the issue resolved on board.

2) The DSF is NOT a tip.

3) BINGO - Everything else is just an excuse

4) There is no need to prove anything. Does your employer prove to customers how much you get paid? Just another excuse.

[NLH Arizona]

1) Then they should get the issue resolved on board.

2) The DSF is NOT a tip.

3) BINGO - Everything else is just an excuse

4) There is no need to prove anything. Does your employer prove to customers how much you get paid? Just another excuse.

You are preaching to the choir on all points, as I've never reduced or removed the DSC nor would I ever.

[BirdTravels]

If the paperwork you received still says they will process your request in 2 weeks I would call the credit card company now.

 

Disputing a charge is accusing the company you are disputing of a criminal act. It requires that you participate in a law enforcement investigation of the person who has charged your account without authorization. Not sure that a slow refund equates to a criminal act.

Edited July 30, 2016 by BirdTravels

[triptolemus]

Disputing a charge is accusing the company you are disputing of a criminal act. It requires that you participate in a law enforcement investigation of the person who has charged your account without authorization. Not sure that a slow refund equates to a criminal act.

 

I'm not sure this is accurate.

 

I've disputed a number of erroneous charges to different accounts over the years. None of them required that I participate in a law enforcement investigation.

 

Here's a more rational definition:

 

In a credit card or debit card account, a dispute is a situation in which a customer questions the validity of a transaction that was registered to the account. Customers dispute charges for a variety of reasons, including unauthorized charges, excessive charges, failure by the merchant to deliver merchandise, defective merchandise, dissatisfaction with the product(s) or service(s) received, or billing errors.

 

A little more...

 

http://www.creditcards.com/credit-card-news/dispute-credit-card-product-merchant-1282.php

Edited July 30, 2016 by triptolemus

[sparks1093]

Disputing a charge is accusing the company you are disputing of a criminal act. It requires that you participate in a law enforcement investigation of the person who has charged your account without authorization. Not sure that a slow refund equates to a criminal act.

 

As I understand it you may dispute a charge whenever the merchant fails to deliver what it promised to deliver. There is no need to prove a criminal act. If the merchant says that a refund will be issued in 2 weeks and a refund hasn't been issued by week 5 then I would say they have failed to deliver what they promised.

[backsbanny]

Can you explain me why on eu site or uk site if you choose to get the ubp you Never pay for the so called ""gratuities""??? Because with europe and uk laws ncl would never get a chance of just adding 15% over the price...Do you still believe all these money go to the crew?????Sometimes people are so naive

[KeithJenner]

Because with europe and uk laws ncl would never get a chance of just adding 15% over the price...Do you still believe all these money go to the crew?????Sometimes people are so naive

 

 

 

Any view I have on whether NCL pays money on to their staff is absolutely unrelated to the legal reasons why they can't add on the gratuity on the promos in Europe.

 

That bit proves absolutely nothing either way.

[luddite]

A few moments ago I spoke with my credit card company.

 

After explaining the problem, they immediately entered a full credit for the "Hotel Service Charge" refund I requested.

 

For the next step they are sending me a form to fill out and return. Once that is done, the credit they gave me will stick.

In the interim if NCL does send a check or credit I only need to call my card company and advise them.

 

There is no 'Hotel Service Charge' for the ship to refund since there is no 'Hotel Service Charge' on your bill. What are you asking to be refunded to you?

[ttnc4me]

I think there are a lot of different reason why some don't pay it.

 

<snip>

 

As to your second question, I would say yes. NCL (or any cruise line) has to bring in enough revenue in the DSC/automatic gratuities or whatever they call it to pay the crew, if they are not bringing in enough revenue, they raise the price. Two of the lines I cruise, NCL and Celebrity, have raised the DSC/automatic gratuities quite a bit lately. I also think on top of this, the crew suffers, because yes they might get their minimum salary if only X dollars are raised by the DSC, but they don't get those incentives, bonuses, etc., because they come out of the DSC and NCL isn't going to make up those dollars and, I have to say rightfully so, since the bonuses and incentives are based on customer sanctification and if the passenger's are not paying the DSC, then NCL probably assumes that they are not satisfied.

Actually, it's quite the opposite. DSC pays first, then the cruise line covers the rest up to their contract price. Quite the scheme...er, um, business model.

Minute 16:00 ->

[Responder]

Too bad a thread has to go so far afield of the topic.

 

There is no need to dip into the moral tank regarding the definition of tipping since this thread only asked for information relating to how someone might have gotten a promised refund from NCL.

 

I received a credit from my card company, sent off the documents received from NCL supporting my claim and hopefully my issue will be put to rest.

 

From my experience with the claim as well as some issues on the cruise, I can say that this is not a very classy way to run a company, but what do I know?

[bjlaac]

1) Then they should get the issue resolved on board.

2) The DSF is NOT a tip.

3) BINGO - Everything else is just an excuse

4) There is no need to prove anything. Does your employer prove to customers how much you get paid? Just another excuse.

 

 

sorry, can't let #2 go, the DSCis most certainly a tip. Go read the the history of this charge and the description of what its meant to cover. Most certainly a tip and as so much it is can be adjusted or eliminated if you so choose.

Edited August 2, 2016 by bjlaac