What to do if unsure about 4th passenger?

[geomancer]

I'm looking at a cruise for next year and there is a promotion where the 3rd and 4th person is "free" (taxes and fees still due). We have three in my family, but my Dad is interested in going along as the 4th since it would be free. He won't know if he's available though until probably several months from now.

 

I was curious how NCL handles removing people from a reservation? I was thinking of booking the cruise with all four of us on the reservation and if down the road (before final payment) we find out he can't go we'd just remove him. Would they "re-price" the cruise at that time, potentially losing the 3rd and 4th free promotion? Would a portion of the deposit be lost?

 

What happens if he just becomes a "no show"? Do we get the taxes/fees back?

 

Thanks for any insight you can provide!

[brookie848]

Book your father now. There is always a chance if you try to add him later, the lifeboat capacity will be filled and he will be unable to come.

 

I'm not sure if your take a passenger off (3rd/4th) if that re-books you, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't. Others should be able to answer this with certainty.

 

If he is a no-show, your taxes/fees will be refunded.

[DevinScott]

I have found it is easier to remove someone than add someone later.

 

 

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[Sauer-kraut]

Book your Dad now. IF he can't make it then just have him be a no show, you'll get port taxes back and since you're not paying for his fare there is no adjustment to be made.

[zqvol]

Book now, you can always remove a third or fourth passenger without any penalty, or change in status. Sometimes adding them becomes difficult because the ship is over capacity.

[ncbrowns]

Based on our experience booking a cruise for late June on the Gem, I'd suggest adding first rather than adding later. We booked a 2BR suite for a trip with our college-age daughters. My oldest could go, but my youngest had a summer co-op where she wasn't sure if she could get time off.

 

Our TA ended up booking for 3, figuring we could add a 4th later. My daughter was able to start the job a week earlier in exchange for the week off. But when we tried to add her, NCL's system wouldn't allow us to. The TA and NCL went back and forth, and the thinking was that it was a capacity issue. However, NCL's system would let us make a test booking for 4 in the same class of cabin. We ended up booking a separate inside cabin. I called NCL back to see if there was anything I could do related to suite perks (such as boarding together) and must have hit the lottery. The agent figured out the problem -- my wife had made some specialty dining reservations and that apparently prevented us from modifying the reservation. Huh??? We cancelled those reservations, and were able to fix the booking to what we wanted originally.

 

But the lesson seems to be that it may not be so easy to add another person, especially if the ship (or portions of it) are nearing capacity. The more experienced TA that worked with me when we were trying to resolve this problem told me she always advises clients that it's easier to remove than add.

[Peachypooh]

Here is our experience. We booked when there was a promotion for 3rd and 4th sail free. We booked for 3 people. When it was final payment day our 3rd person said yes they could still go. A week after final payment they found out that due to unforeseen circumstances they could not go. At this point their part was aprox $400 for port fees and taxes and insurance. When I called NCL they said that the port fees and taxes were definitely refundable and if we get the insurance refunded consider it a bonus. When the credit appeared it was all refunded including the insurance. I agree that booking extra people now is better than waiting in case they reach lifeboat capacity and you can't add them especially if you think you will know before final payment.