Over sold and unprofessional NCL Bliss sorry long report

[vacation1996]

7 minutes ago, lakelivin2 said:

"Watching various cruises/flights for that week I was able to confirm both the day before.

Booked local and Flying direct from Toronto to Miami  and  booked  cruise direct with NCL - didn't know you could book so close more on that later."

 

I guess it was booked about 24 hours before.  

Yes about 24 hours prior I had 2 screens on the go 1 for cruise 1 for flight .

Once I received  confirmation for the cruise and my e-Docs which only took minutes .

I proceeded to purchase my flight from Toronto. The 1st one out just in case their was delay I could still get on the next one if needed usually fly in at least a day before.

 

[MillerWRHS]

I am curious as to what your original booking was? I know you booked a guaranteed, but what category? If they stuck you in an inside but you had booked a guaranteed balcony, for example, that is frustrating if they did not offer difference in price at the very least.

[lakelivin2]

Op, you are gutsy and organized!  Thank you for sharing your experience.

[pete_coach]

3 hours ago, mjkacmom said:

They are employees of the port wearing the NCL logo one day, another line the next.

Bottom line is that they were NCL employees at the time. Stop making excuses LOL

Edited March 1, 2019 by pete_coach

[mjkacmom]

1 hour ago, pete_coach said:

Bottom line is that they were NCL employees at the time. Stop making excuses LOL

Lol they were pretending to be NCL employees at the time, NCL didn’t hire them or fire them. Used to work for a security guard firm in HR, they were not the employees of the companies where they worked.

[Newleno]

24 minutes ago, mjkacmom said:

Lol they were pretending to be NCL employees at the time, NCL didn’t hire them or fire them. Used to work for a security guard firm in HR, they were not the employees of the companies where they worked.

ahhemmmoh, "we are not ncl employees we just act like them when we are at the cruise terminal"

[JennKach]

I've learned from these boards that surprisingly not everyone carries emergency snacks when they travel.  It's funny that in my experiences, food was an integral part of the plan!  From my earliest memories of flying, grandma, mom, or aunts always had a bag of food including cookies, cheese, pretzels or granola to feed a small army.  That job is now passed to me with my small group and I plan for disruptions because they happen regularly.  For example I always carry a bottle of water to take medication because one 3 hour flight had so much turbulence that flight attendants couldn't serve anything.  I've been stuck on the tarmac for hours.  We've been stranded in airports after all the shops closed, and it took three hours to get to our hotel at 2 am that was supposed to have a restaurant, which was closed for construction.  We survived on peanut M&Ms and granola bars I brought until we ordered pizza the next day.  Tight connections and flight delays have caused us to miss meals we planned to grab in airports.  Traveling an overnight train in Europe we didn't know reservations were required in advance for dinner so they didn't have anything for us.  Again we had snacks to get us through.  Amtrak has closed the cafe car for various reasons during trips and no one could get food.  Cruises are no exception.  We spent four hours waiting for boarding once with not much available to eat or drink, which meant a LONG time between breakfast and eating on the ship.  Protein bars saved the day.  Now that I am diabetic it's even more important to carry nutritious food and plan for disruptions.  NCL did provide snacks that day but it was cookies and brownies that I shouldn't eat, and the vending machine was empty.  

 

So, another warning I take from this story - carry appropriate snacks and an empty water bottle to fill up in the bathroom sink or drinking fountain at the cruise terminal in case of delays.  I will add my two cents and recommend a higher protein breakfast, not just coffee and carbs.      

[pete_coach]

44 minutes ago, mjkacmom said:

Lol they were pretending to be NCL employees at the time, NCL didn’t hire them or fire them. Used to work for a security guard firm in HR, they were not the employees of the companies where they worked.

I guess I have you figured out....demean the workers to suit your theory.

As I said, when working that day doing what they were doing, they were NCL representatives.....and the OP had a bad experience with these NCL employees.

Loyalty and fanboys to NCL is fine but sometimes NCL is wrong in it's behavior. Apologists for NCL come out of the woodwork every time anyone has any criticism and you are certainly one of them LOL

[Prnsessmoi]

OP, I'm so sorry you had to deal with this.  My thoughts are...

 

You purchased a "Guarantee" cabin (of whatever class).  In my mind, a "guarantee" is something that is assured.  Something you don't have to doubt, or guess at, or stress over.  (i.e. with a Guarantee XXXX cabin, you are assured to get this cabin class or better.)  Although you ended up with a cabin on this cruise (which I'm not sure was at least the class you purchased), you did not get to enjoy the "guarantee" that you purchased.

[vacation1996]

6 hours ago, MillerWRHS said:

I am curious as to what your original booking was? I know you booked a guaranteed, but what category? If they stuck you in an inside but you had booked a guaranteed balcony, for example, that is frustrating if they did not offer difference in price at the very least.

Solo guar  but the inside was beautiful and well laided out usually book balcony aft love the back of the ships .

1st solo usually travel with family and friends.

[vacation1996]

3 hours ago, JennKach said:

I've learned from these boards that surprisingly not everyone carries emergency snacks when they travel.  It's funny that in my experiences, food was an integral part of the plan!  From my earliest memories of flying, grandma, mom, or aunts always had a bag of food including cookies, cheese, pretzels or granola to feed a small army.  That job is now passed to me with my small group and I plan for disruptions because they happen regularly.  For example I always carry a bottle of water to take medication because one 3 hour flight had so much turbulence that flight attendants couldn't serve anything.  I've been stuck on the tarmac for hours.  We've been stranded in airports after all the shops closed, and it took three hours to get to our hotel at 2 am that was supposed to have a restaurant, which was closed for construction.  We survived on peanut M&Ms and granola bars I brought until we ordered pizza the next day.  Tight connections and flight delays have caused us to miss meals we planned to grab in airports.  Traveling an overnight train in Europe we didn't know reservations were required in advance for dinner so they didn't have anything for us.  Again we had snacks to get us through.  Amtrak has closed the cafe car for various reasons during trips and no one could get food.  Cruises are no exception.  We spent four hours waiting for boarding once with not much available to eat or drink, which meant a LONG time between breakfast and eating on the ship.  Protein bars saved the day.  Now that I am diabetic it's even more important to carry nutritious food and plan for disruptions.  NCL did provide snacks that day but it was cookies and brownies that I shouldn't eat, and the vending machine was empty.  

 

So, another warning I take from this story - carry appropriate snacks and an empty water bottle to fill up in the bathroom sink or drinking fountain at the cruise terminal in case of delays.  I will add my two cents and recommend a higher protein breakfast, not just coffee and carbs.      

 I did have full breakfast at Toronto Airport, forgot my water bottle on the plane didn't realize til I was at the cruise terminal.

I am the queen of  healthy snacks and drinks .. our plane was deemed peanut free due to someone having a life threatening allergy so I gave my snacks away that I brought as it was an  an beverage only and pre -purchase  breakfast. flight .

[BSocial]

47 minutes ago, vacation1996 said:

Solo guar  but the inside was beautiful and well laided out usually book balcony aft love the back of the ships .

1st solo usually travel with family and friends.

 

I think inside staterooms are considered an upgrade to the solo staterooms.  Perhaps NCL thought to give you an upgrade as an apology?

 

i am so happy they found you a cabin.  I’m sure that was a stressful situation, and a cruise was the best remedy!   Thanks for sharing your experience. 

Edited March 1, 2019 by BSocial
Clarify

[mjkacmom]

4 hours ago, pete_coach said:

I guess I have you figured out....demean the workers to suit your theory.

As I said, when working that day doing what they were doing, they were NCL representatives.....and the OP had a bad experience with these NCL employees.

Loyalty and fanboys to NCL is fine but sometimes NCL is wrong in it's behavior. Apologists for NCL come out of the woodwork every time anyone has any criticism and you are certainly one of them LOL

What an odd thing to say, what have you figured out and how did I demean workers? These employees are not hired by NCL, are not employees of NCL. Looks like they aren’t paid that well either. https://www.indeed.com/m/viewjob?jk=2598e1dfa2d234fe&from=serp&prevUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.indeed.com%2Fm%2Fjobs%3Fq%3DCruise%2BPort%26l%3DMiami%2C%2BFL

[Dr. Jack Daniels]

6 hours ago, mjkacmom said:

Lol they were pretending to be NCL employees at the time, NCL didn’t hire them or fire them. Used to work for a security guard firm in HR, they were not the employees of the companies where they worked.

What a load of crap!  

 

I work for an electric utility and we contract out work all the time to other firms.  When they screw it up, the customer rightly calls the utility and expects the issue to be resolved.  We don't hide behind the fact that the contractor screwed it up and say "it's not our fault".

 

This falls squarely on NCL's shoulders, to say otherwise is just blind loyalty.

 

 

Edited March 2, 2019 by Dr. Jack Daniels

[ukbecky]

Gee, you either believe this or you don’t.

 

If you believe this happened the way the OP says, why would you make excuses for NCL? They should have spent those hours apologizing for their mistake and offering assistance, not telling her to book a flight home.

Princess overbooks all the time - check out the move-over offers people get before the cruise. Offers that are made when the line realizes the sailing is oversold.

 

Dwelling on the use of the word boat?

 

Turned off by the use of CAPS lock?

 

Dismissing the report because she mentions food?

Last minute? Who cares? NCL sold a cabin they didn’t have.

Apparently they have redefined the word “guarantee” i.e. probably, whenever, wait and see, maybe.

 

Put the blame where it belongs.

 

Inexcusable and appalling the way it was handled. Stop making excuses for NCL.

[Cafedumonde]

22 minutes ago, ukbecky said:

Gee, you either believe this or you don’t.

 

If you believe this happened the way the OP says, why would you make excuses for NCL? They should have spent those hours apologizing for their mistake and offering assistance, not telling her to book a flight home.

Princess overbooks all the time - check out the move-over offers people get before the cruise. Offers that are made when the line realizes the sailing is oversold.

 

Dwelling on the use of the word boat?

 

Turned off by the use of CAPS lock?

 

Dismissing the report because she mentions food?

Last minute? Who cares? NCL sold a cabin they didn’t have.

Apparently they have redefined the word “guarantee” i.e. probably, whenever, wait and see, maybe.

 

Put the blame where it belongs.

 

Inexcusable and appalling the way it was handled. Stop making excuses for NCL.

Amen

[pete_coach]

14 hours ago, mjkacmom said:

What an odd thing to say, what have you figured out and how did I demean workers? These employees are not hired by NCL, are not employees of NCL. Looks like they aren’t paid that well either. https://www.indeed.com/m/viewjob?jk=2598e1dfa2d234fe&from=serp&prevUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.indeed.com%2Fm%2Fjobs%3Fq%3DCruise%2BPort%26l%3DMiami%2C%2BFL

What is it with you? If they are "contract" workers or regular employees, they still work for NCL. And how much they are being paid is not even close to being relevant.

You are apologizing for poor customer service and trying to deflect NCL responsibility. When anyone steps into the NCL terminal, they are being served by NCL employees.

[mjkacmom]

15 minutes ago, pete_coach said:

What is it with you? If they are "contract" workers or regular employees, they still work for NCL. And how much they are being paid is not even close to being relevant.

You are apologizing for poor customer service and trying to deflect NCL responsibility. When anyone steps into the NCL terminal, they are being served by NCL employees.

I judge the cruise once I get on the ship until I get off of the ship. Port employees, porters, security and customs agents are separate entities. 

[pete_coach]

15 minutes ago, mjkacmom said:

I judge the cruise once I get on the ship until I get off of the ship. Port employees, porters, security and customs agents are separate entities. 

Well Dude, this thread is not about judging the cruise , it is about treatment prior to boarding. If you wish to keep apologizing for NCL, go to the review section and take on the complaints in the reviews.

Edited March 2, 2019 by pete_coach

[thetaro]

I don't think people are defending NCL for overselling the cruise. It's just one side of the story and people take it with a grain of salt. The terminal employees didn't know what they were talking about, but it doesn't sound like they are rude or anything. She waited a few hours and her major complaints were about food and water. 

 

She should definitely take it to the corporation and I hope she gets some kind of monetary compensation. 

[vacation1996]

1 hour ago, pete_coach said:

What is it with you? If they are "contract" workers or regular employees, they still work for NCL. And how much they are being paid is not even close to being relevant.

You are apologizing for poor customer service and trying to deflect NCL responsibility. When anyone steps into the NCL terminal, they are being served by NCL employees.

Thank you they represent the brand and should do in a professional way .

[vacation1996]

3 minutes ago, thetaro said:

I don't think people are defending NCL for overselling the cruise. It's just one side of the story and people take it with a grain of salt. The terminal employees didn't know what they were talking about, but it doesn't sound like they are rude or anything. She waited a few hours and her major complaints were about food and water. 

 

She should definitely take it to the corporation and I hope she gets some kind of monetary compensation. 

I have taken it to the corporate level... The day of a report was taken from port staff again on board ship officer that is in charge of embarking and when I returned to Canada I sent my own report after the cruise on February 2nd I waited a month so far.

Maybe their response is in snail mail just wanted them to let  know what took place and how they are being represented at all levels of the vacation experience .

 

I did have a good cruise beautiful ship just wish it started as it should of.

[thetaro]

Just now, vacation1996 said:

I have taken it to the corporate level... The day of a report was taken from port staff again on board ship officer that is in charge of embarking and when I returned to Canada I sent my own report after the cruise on February 2nd I waited a month so far.

Maybe their response is in snail mail just wanted them to let  know what took place and how they are being represented at all levels of the vacation experience .

 

I did have a good cruise beautiful ship just wish it started as it should of.

 

Try taking it to Twitter or Facebook customer service. 

[shout19661966]

so if you were in this persons shoes you would leave the terminal and go get a hot dog from a hot dog cart. Think about this before you give stupid advice. Imagine coming back and A. they dont let you back in or B. you get back in to find out they came looking for you and now its too late and now they can say its your fault for walking away.

[shout19661966]

deleted

Edited March 2, 2019 by shout19661966