Terrible Customer Service!

[300dtc]

I was really never going to be this person, but this just absolutely fried me!

Booked a long time ago for February on the Dawn out of New Orleans and was given 2 promos at the time. Made final payment 12 days ago and was offered to change the internet pkg to pre paid service charges. I didn't have the time to think about it then and was told that's ok just call back and we can do it then.

So I called today, and was told that the service promo ended 2 days ago and is no longer available...and even if it was available I would have to cancel and rebook and there would be a fee since I paid in full...

Ok, I get all this, BUT, at no time in my call on November 20 was this ever pointed out or discussed...if I had been informed, I would have changed it then...so I guess you really can't trust some of the statements or non statements from customer service at NCL!

I even spoke with a supervisor who just reiterated the information...

I have never had a problem with NCL before today and was always skeptical about the posts that I see...but I guess I see it now...I'm sure they don't care about just one cruiser, but they should care about all of us!

 

 

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[computerworks]

Ok, I get all this, BUT, at no time in my call on November 20 was this ever pointed out or discussed...if I had been informed, I would have changed it then...so I guess you really can't trust some of the statements or non statements from customer service at NCL!]

 

Not a fair conclusion. promos change monthly and the Sales staff only finds out about changes coming just a few days ahead of the announcement.

[pieshops]

sorry, you are in the wrong here. Promotions have an end period, and they ended. It is not their responsibility to inform you, it is yours to keep track of the promotion.

 

Why didn't you change when they gave you the option to do so, seems kind of silly

[NLH Arizona]

They offered to change a perk for you , if you didn't do it when offered the ownness is on you to ask if you could do it at a later date. The promotions all have an ending date, which is stated on their website, not to mention, it has been widely written on here that if you change things after final payment, you might have to cancel and rebook and if you don't you could lose your perks.

[300dtc]

The customer rep today..stated that..even if I had changed that day..they would have cancelled my reservation and rebooked at the higher rate available that day...this is what is really a problem for me..when I was specifically told that it can be changed one time by the original booking agent. I guess I'll use a travel agent and not book directly with NCL.

[mjkacmom]

You could've called and changed it any time before the promotion ended. They can't switch you to a promotion that no longer exists.

[hawkeyetlse]

The first phone rep made you a nice offer, but you didn't take it. And now it turns out that the offer may have been a mistake anyway. So you didn't lose anything, right? Instead, you got a low price (compared to the current fares), plus two perks. I would try to look at it that way.

 

And if you didn't know it before, you know it now: No offer ever stays on the table indefinitely, you never get 12 days to mull it over. And if they were really offering you free gratuities in place of the internet minutes, without touching anything else in your booking, that's a decision you can make in 12 seconds… I think the first phone rep figured that you would call back later that day, or the next day (your final payment due date was November 21, so you had another day before cancellation fees started to apply for most changes).

[300dtc]

The first phone rep made you a nice offer, but you didn't take it. And now it turns out that the offer may have been a mistake anyway. So you didn't lose anything, right? Instead, you got a low price (compared to the current fares), plus two perks. I would try to look at it that way.

 

And if you didn't know it before, you know it now: No offer ever stays on the table indefinitely, you never get 12 days to mull it over. And if they were really offering you free gratuities in place of the internet minutes, without touching anything else in your booking, that's a decision you can make in 12 seconds… I think the first phone rep figured that you would call back later that day, or the next day (your final payment due date was November 21, so you had another day before cancellation fees started to apply for most changes).

 

 

Que sera sera...next time I will think more quickly!

 

 

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[ray98]

That isn't a customer service problem. An indecisive customer missed a promotional deadline.

[seashells]

Get used to it.

The cruise lines are following the airlines.

Lots of money to be made on the small stuff.

Within 10 years you will be paying for the number of luggage and many other things which they will call (Extras).

If you look around you will already find some.

[mking8288]

If that's me or us - before final payment is due ... best practices for us would be to check the official NCL site for the latest (granted, it's never 99.75% accurate nor take their phone rep's words verbatim unless it's in writing, as in a confirmation email, screenshot or printout, etc.) Plus, do a quick scan/read of the latest scoop/gossips here on CC first - better deals, offers, packages & promo's. It would've been a no-brainer to pick gratuities for 2 vs. the internet bundle of 250 minutes, as paying for broadband access out-of-pocket would still yield some savings - IF, one must/need/want some data access while on a cruise/vacation (I know, some like to "work" or remain in touch & check emails, yada yada ;) )

 

It was nice for the agent last month to offer & suggest making the change - s/he doesn't have to unless the customer ask ... and to leave the door open to call back (same day/next day & definitely before final payment is made) to switch, to avoid any problems restoring to an expired perk afterward.

 

"I" would be upset and mad at myself for allowing something like this to happen - NCL isn't "guilty" of anything here as posted by OP. From OP's signature, s/he has sailed prior with NCL and reasonable to know their drills and not a newbie. Lessons learned.

[triptolemus]

Que sera sera...next time I will think more quickly!

 

 

You not getting things your way every time is not "terrible customer service".

 

NCL is certainly capable of terrible customer service, but your episode is not an example of it.

[NHL Philly Fan]

The customer rep today..stated that..even if I had changed that day..they would have cancelled my reservation and rebooked at the higher rate available that day...this is what is really a problem for me..when I was specifically told that it can be changed one time by the original booking agent. I guess I'll use a travel agent and not book directly with NCL.

 

We changed a freebie on for our last cruise with no cancellation and rebook.

[khaide612]

We changed a freebie on for our last cruise with no cancellation and rebook.

 

OP booked "a long time ago". I assume the DSC was not one of the perks offered then. The Free at Sea promos can be changed at any time up until 48 hours before you sail, but they still have to be one of the promos offered when you booked - otherwise it would be cancel & rebook.

[mnventure]

If the free service charge was a promo option when you originally booked, you should be able to change to that promo up until 48 hours before you sail.

[BirdTravels]

I was really never going to be this person, but this just absolutely fried me! Booked a long time ago for February on the Dawn out of New Orleans and was given 2 promos at the time. Made final payment 12 days ago and was offered to change the internet pkg to pre paid service charges. I didn't have the time to think about it then and was told that's ok just call back and we can do it then. So I called today, and was told that the service promo ended 2 days ago and is no longer available...and even if it was available I would have to cancel and rebook and there would be a fee since I paid in full... Ok, I get all this, BUT, at no time in my call on November 20 was this ever pointed out or discussed...if I had been informed, I would have changed it then...so I guess you really can't trust some of the statements or non statements from customer service at NCL! I even spoke with a supervisor who just reiterated the information... I have never had a problem with NCL before today and was always skeptical about the posts that I see...but I guess I see it now...I'm sure they don't care about just one cruiser, but they should care about all of us!

 

Here's how you can get back at NCL,,, Just don't show up for the cruise. NCL will spend the next 2 1/2 months expecting to make money on you,,, and you won't show up to spend any more money on the ship.

 

That approach makes just as much sense as calling 2 days after the promotion ends and complain when you can't get it.

[hawkeyetlse]

I didn't know the promo ended...I was told to call back whenever I decided..which was wrong advice by the rep...

What did the rep say, though, exactly? If they just said you could call back, with no explicit time frame, then it's up to you to figure out (or ask) if that means "call back ASAP" or "take all the time you want, one week, two weeks, whatever".

[acruisingcouple]

I think the issue is the perception of Norwegian's customer service. Was it terrible- no. Was it disappointing- yes.

 

Businesses can choose to provide excellent customer service even if they are not truly in the wrong.

For example, we went to a mid-prices chain restaurant that is usually very consistent with its quality, however, this time it was subpar. We still had an ok meal and got what we paid for but it wasn't as good as it could have been. I decided to tell the manager not expecting anything more than an apology yet he went above and beyond by giving me a gift card for half the value of our bill. I was very grateful and impressed with the customer service - they wowed me.

 

Norwegian had the chance to impress the poster and it wouldn't have cost them much if anything at all. Not taking the opportunity to impress the poster may cost them more in the long run - lack of repeat business, poster not wanting to spend much on the ship, negative word of mouth etc.

 

In this highly competitive world, businesses need to take the opportunity to wow their customers. A small investment could lead to big gains.

 

 

 

 

 

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[NHL Philly Fan]

They offered to change a perk for you , if you didn't do it when offered the ownness is on you to ask if you could do it at a later date. The promotions all have an ending date, which is stated on their website, not to mention, it has been widely written on here that if you change things after final payment, you might have to cancel and rebook and if you don't you could lose your perks.

 

It seems I offended someone by informing you that there is no such word as "ownness" and that the word you were looking for was "onus". I was not correcting spelling as the offended party thought. Sorry, I was merely trying to help you learn something but I guess that is no longer a good thing to do. Again I apologize for trying to help someone learn. I hope you were not offended. I guess the OWNNESS was on me to know better! :D

[NLH Arizona]

It seems I offended someone by informing you that there is no such word as "ownness" and that the word you were looking for was "onus". I was not correcting spelling as the offended party thought. Sorry, I was merely trying to help you learn something but I guess that is no longer a good thing to do. Again I apologize for trying to help someone learn. I hope you were not offended. I guess the OWNNESS was on me to know better! :D

I just got back home, so I didn't see your post, so no offense taken. BTW ownness is a word:

 

Definition of ownness

plural -es

: the quality or state of belonging to oneself.

 

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ownness

[NHL Philly Fan]

I just got back home, so I didn't see your post, so no offense taken. BTW ownness is a word:

 

Definition of ownness

plural -es

: the quality or state of belonging to oneself.

 

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ownness

 

 

Uh OH you just corrected me! Expect a nasty-gram form the powers that be! :) Hope you have a great time on your next cruise.

[NLH Arizona]

Uh OH you just corrected me! Expect a nasty-gram form the powers that be! :) Hope you have a great time on your next cruise.

Thanks, I'm on the Dawn on December 11th and can't wait. Hope your next cruise is fantastic!!!

[drjochen]

I had wrong information provided to me on multiple occasions. Training is expensive so it's not done. I don't trust any rep on the phone anymore.

 

 

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[punkincc]

It seems I offended someone by informing you that there is no such word as "ownness" and that the word you were looking for was "onus". I was not correcting spelling as the offended party thought. Sorry, I was merely trying to help you learn something but I guess that is no longer a good thing to do. Again I apologize for trying to help someone learn. I hope you were not offended. I guess the OWNNESS was on me to know better! :D

 

You weren't the only one confused by the spelling of that word and the context it was was used in. When I saw "ownness", I thought to myself, wow, Have I been pronouncing that word wrong all this time, or did she just spell it wrong?

 

Nope, you were correct and I was saying it correctly as "onus". Two totally different words, with different meanings. Good thing you came along first and got into trouble instead of me! Although no offense meant to NLH. You learn the darnedest things on Cruise Critic!

Edited December 3, 2016 by punkincc

[LoraJ]

sorry, you are in the wrong here. Promotions have an end period, and they ended. It is not their responsibility to inform you, it is yours to keep track of the promotion.

 

Why didn't you change when they gave you the option to do so, seems kind of silly

 

 

"Made final payment 12 days ago and was offered to change the internet pkg to pre paid service charges. I didn't have the time to think about it then and was told that's ok just call back and we can do it then. "

 

She said she was offered the two promos when she booked and after final payment was told she could call back and change. Customer is not in the wrong here.