NCL drops prices dramatically after final payment date

[ceilidh1]

11 minutes ago, Nyc2tropics said:

 

You shouldn’t be punished for booking early. Bad customer service. And don’t tell me that’s how all the cruise lines work cause that doesn’t mean it’s right. I would be mad too

This is how almost every business that has a time-sensitive product works. It's called supply and demand or demand based pricing. Airlines do it. Hotels do it. Cruiselines do it. Even my company, which sells theatre tickets, does it. If you have a product that "expires" after a certain date (a flight, a cruise, a hotel room, a theatre ticket) then you price it to sell - if the demand is there, the price increases. As the "expiry" date gets closer...the price drops - it's better to get a lower price for the product than to have it unsold. Heck, even your local grocery store does it when they price foods close to their best before dates at lower prices to shift them!

[ceilidh1]

42 minutes ago, Joebucks said:

I like the question asked of would you agree to having the price raised if the new price was higher. You locked in your price. No, you are not entitled to only fluctuations that are convenient to you. Cruise lines would go out of business if the customers got their way.

Exactly!

 

I do feel for the OP - it's never a nice feeling to see that you could have got something for less. However, I have been on both sides of this fence. I cruise next week (not on NCL) and the price of my category dropped almost $1,000 per person after final payment. It's a kick to the gut. I still did not feel I was "entitled" to that reduction or that the cruiseline were "obliged" to honour that lower price. I made the choice to book early and get the cabin I wanted.

 

On the flip side, an NCL cruise I am booked on later this year has already increased over $600 per person for my category. So I am happy to have locked in the cabin I wanted at a price I was prepared to pay.

[Nyc2tropics]

44 minutes ago, ceilidh1 said:

This is how almost every business that has a time-sensitive product works. It's called supply and demand or demand based pricing. Airlines do it. Hotels do it. Cruiselines do it. Even my company, which sells theatre tickets, does it. If you have a product that "expires" after a certain date (a flight, a cruise, a hotel room, a theatre ticket) then you price it to sell - if the demand is there, the price increases. As the "expiry" date gets closer...the price drops - it's better to get a lower price for the product than to have it unsold. Heck, even your local grocery store does it when they price foods close to their best before dates at lower prices to shift them!

I understand how supply and demand works but I don’t think you can compare to a hotel. I use online booking site for hotels and you can usually cancel up til 24-48 hrs in advance without penalty, and rebook if the price drops. Not saying I’d want a refund but OBC would be nice. 

[AL3XCruise]

1 hour ago, Nyc2tropics said:

And don’t tell me that’s how all the cruise lines work cause that doesn’t mean it’s right.

 

OK.  That's how A LOT of industries work.  Revenue management has been a thing for many years.  You can view it as wrong, but if you choose to do business with industries that price dynamically, you either need to try and use the system to your advantage and take the risk of late bookings or accept that you were happy with price you paid, when you paid it, and move on.

 

If you consider it bad customer service, that's your right.  But you know that is what it's going to be going in, yet chose to do business with the company anyway.

[metsgiants]

I think some are being a little harsh. Theirs nothing wrong with being frustrated about this.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[metsgiants]

Sorry this happened to you and I know how frustrating that can be. With NCL, you are often times better booking last minute if your travel schedule allows. Their pricing model is quite different than other cruise lines. They artificially inflate prices to levels where they can't sell out the ship, then drastically reduce prices in the penalty period. If you aren't able to book last minute and want a good deal, it is probably not a good idea to book with NCL. As more people figure out their scheme and have the same experience as you, early bookings at their inflated rates will decline, forcing them to adjust prices downward or sail with empty cabins. And as unhappy consumers share their negative experience, people will take their business to a different cruise line.

If a cruise departs Jan 1st for example how long will they still take bookings before the sail date? Like when is the cut off ? Just wondering for my next cruise


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[newmexicoNita]

8 hours ago, Nyc2tropics said:

 

You shouldn’t be punished for booking early. Bad customer service. And don’t tell me that’s how all the cruise lines work cause that doesn’t mean it’s right. I would be mad too

you are not being punished, but the argument about when to book is a gamble. Book early, get choice of cabin and maybe a good rate as prices fluxuate based on supply and demand. I am sure most of us understand that. Wait to book and the ship could be sold out or the price higher. It is a gamble we all have to take. If you near a port, have a flexible schedule and can cruise at the drop of a hat, waiting is fine. For most of us this is one of our big yearly vacation so we have to book early. No one is punishing me for the choice I make.  

[luv2kroooz]

31 minutes ago, metsgiants said:

If a cruise departs Jan 1st for example how long will they still take bookings before the sail date? Like when is the cut off ? Just wondering for my next cruise


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Dec 31 or until all cabins are sold 

[4774Papa]

On 3/7/2019 at 7:04 PM, spanishguy1970 said:

yes,  the days of keeping customers happy are long gone, is all about the money. 

NCL's prices have inflated seriously, much due to price bundling with beverage packages that just encourage heavy drinking.

[david_sobe]

12 hours ago, AdGuyMG said:

Provided the booking was made with Carnival's Early Saver promotion, they honor price drops with OBC equal to the amount of the price drops up until 48 hours before the sailing date.

 

They do not offer this price protection for bookings made with other promotions such as Past Passenger, Resident, Military or Senior.

The Early Saver program is not available on all sailings and cost $50 which is non-refundable even if you cancel the cruise.  The cruise line knows which ships book full and will gladly offer the program for $50. On the sailings that are iffy, the program is not offered.  The OP's booking may not even have been offered the program if they were on Carnival.  Bottom line is there is lots of fine print in that Early Saver program.  While some could make out on the offer, IMHO its just another cruise line gimmick.

[david_sobe]

9 hours ago, erdoran said:

Garden Villa on my sailing at its highest was over $13k, at 60 days out it was $10k -that’s over $3k price difference per person.

Yes but are not Garden Villa's a class of their own.  They are the exception not the rule.  Its fair to say most of us would never be able to sail a Garden Villa even with a price drop of $3k 😞

Edited March 9, 2019 by david_sobe

[Greenpea2]

I know it stinks but ... I mean, stuff goes on sale. Then the prices go back up. Airline tickets bought way out almost always go down closer to the flight and most tickets are locked in for what you paid initially. It's always a gamble buying something way out, cruise fares, new clothing fashions, airfare. My solution is I just don't look to see if I could have gotten a better price later! lol

[WestfieldTraveler]

So let's understand the ask - folks want a price reduction past the final payment/no refund date that no other cruise line or travel provider does? If this becomes too much of a customer service PITA more cabins will simply be listed as guaranteed or go into private sales. Even occasionally getting an OBC is a unique benefit not otherwise done.

 

I like that you can seamlessly change to the current deal before the payment date or upgrade with a payment after. And I have in laws that love to grab those last minute deals. Reducing the publicly available inventory to avoid complaints will not be a positive change.

Edited March 9, 2019 by WestfieldTraveler
Clarity

[cscurlock]

13 hours ago, Budget Queen said:

 

I cruise based on itinerary.   It would be mostly worthless for me to live in Florida.  🙂   Definitely I want a lot more.     Are Florida residents,  repeat cruisers,   ever bored cruising the same limited places?   

Not for cruising.  I probably wouldn't take a European cruise. I'd rather go by land as there are places to see that boats can't get to.  It just limits what you can see too much.  Caribbean its all about the weather, sun, beaches.  All the things most people up north want to do 6 months out of the year because its freezing.  Most of the ports you can't get to by land easily which makes cruising the obvious choice.  That plus you can cruise 2-3 times on what some people pay for 1 cruise + airfare + hotels.

[EllieinNJ]

I have been looking at a cruise the last 6 months for Feb 2020.  Since then the sailaway inside has come down $1000 pp.  Of course it may go up again but I'll still wait because I think it's still overpriced.

[wdsted]

I always enjoy the outrage of passengers when their cruise fare drops after final payment and they expect a huge refund.  Imagine how they'd howl if the price went way up and they were forced to cough up more cash for a cruise.  You book with a set of rules and you need to adhere to those rules.  

[FLAHAM]

14 hours ago, Nyc2tropics said:

I understand how supply and demand works but I don’t think you can compare to a hotel. I use online booking site for hotels and you can usually cancel up til 24-48 hrs in advance without penalty, and rebook if the price drops. Not saying I’d want a refund but OBC would be nice. 

OBC X thousands of cabins for which "final payment" has been received = hundreds of thousands of dollars in OBC.

[Two Wheels Only]

7 hours ago, metsgiants said:

I think some are being a little harsh. Theirs nothing wrong with being frustrated about this.

 

There's no reason to be frustrated when a guest is getting exactly what they decided to pay for. 

 

Buying a frozen turkey the day after Thanksgiving will be less than buying a frozen turkey the day before Thanksgiving. It doesn't mean that the people who bought early and had the best selection were "ripped off". It simply means that the grocery store is cutting prices to get rid of the remaining inventory. NCL cutting prices before sail date but after final payment date is very much the same. Selling a stateroom at a reduced price is better than having the stateroom sail empty as far as NCL is concerned. 

[DMH15]

On 3/7/2019 at 8:31 PM, ceilidh1 said:

Yes, this sucks and makes you feel crappy. BUT, ask yourself this, if NCL had RAISED the price by $2000, would you be willing to hand over the additional money after you had paid what you had paid? If the answer to this is no (and I suspect it is) then you just have to accept what has happened and move on. The risks of booking early are that prices may drop closer to sailing. BUT you have locked in your price (and cabin) in the event that they increase - you have to make the choice as to what is more beneficial to you. NCL is generous to offer anything after final payment in my opinion - I am elite on Princess and have never once got anything after final payment if the price has dropped!

One time my mother had planned a trip to visit her school friends in Calif.  her hostess had a death in the family so she was no longer able to host my mom.  I immediatly suggested we keep our air tix and book a cruise.  In the week and a half it took us to decide our cruise cost went up a few hundred each.  So, I agree.  I can go either way. 

Edited March 9, 2019 by DMH15

[eileeshb]

There’s a couple of elements on this topic, the final payment date is not the same for everyone. For my first 3 cruises the final payment was 30days out, the next one I book it will likely be 60days as that is what’s currently in the European terms & conditions for new bookings. 

Then there ‘s the upgrade bids process, this usually seems to start after the final payment date for US customers has passed. Depending on availability in the various cabin classes and NCl’s predictive algorithms that will drive potential price drops/increases 

[erdoran]

The point about airfare is well taken.  If I have pieces that have to fit together - my cruise dates and airfare - I book both at the same time, and I know I may be paying for the peace of mind that I am guaranteed xyz cabin on this cruise and I have a seat on a plane to get me there.  I make sure I have priced both and held both before committing.  

 

Could I get a cheaper flight, or cheaper cabin, if I waited?  Maybe the cabin would be cheaper but flight would be higher, maybe I couldn’t get a reasonable flight (time or $$), maybe I couldn’t get a cabin I want on the cruise I’ve picked out....

 

You are paying for certainty and security and there may be a premium with that.  

 

I envy people who live within driving distance of a cruise port and can leave on short notice.  They make out like bandits.  Some of us don’t have that luxury.  So it goes....

[Budget Queen]

On 3/8/2019 at 6:03 PM, cscurlock said:

That's one of the big reasons I live in Florida.   You can basically leave on a moments notice and get the best prices 2 weeks out usually.   Everything until then is just over inflated.

 

However,   sailing out of Florida is very limiting  for my itinerary preferences.   Everyone is different.  :)  

[thetaro]

The world is big. I am not going to stay in Florida just so I can visit some similar islands multiple times for cheap. Most of the islands are quite boring to me. 

[Georgie562]

On 3/9/2019 at 9:48 PM, thetaro said:

The world is big. I am not going to stay in Florida just so I can visit some similar islands multiple times for cheap. Most of the islands are quite boring to me. 

 

I only get a few weeks of vacation time per year and I refuse to use them up just staying home or  by doing a repetitive cruises.

[erdoran]

I'm sure very few move to Florida just so they are within driving distance to cruiseports - although you CAN cruise from Florida on a TA or Panama Canal, right?  Not limited to Caribbean!

 

I wish I could move to FL so I could get out of the cold weather here in the Northeast; proximity to cruising is a bonus but hey-I can get on a plane from MIA to any cruise port I want, just like I can from PHL!  For that matter, I'm within train or driving distance of NYC.  

 

I think for a lot of us, our jobs prevent us from doing a short-notice cruise, even if we could WALK to the port!