Questions from a newby

[rsail203]

Last night while I was watching a ball game, I called NCL "customer service". I was on hold for one hour and 38 minutes and never got an answer to my call.

 

I have a few questions that never got answered. Can you help me?

 

1- Was this 1:38 and no answer normal for a Friday night or was this wait normal for NCL at any time?

 

2- I have 250 minutes of internet time and I bought my wife 250 minutes for a 14 day cruise. Would I be better off upgrading to unlimited? Can we switch from one device to another with unlimited? Can I cancel my wife's internet and use that money to buy the unlimited?

 

3- We have 5 meals at specialty restaurants. What can we order there? More than one appetizer? How does this work?

 

 

[LaCal]

I’d cancel your wife’s and just upgrade to Unlimited...you can use 2 devices but not at the same time 

 

Specialty restaurants you can normally order a few Apps and sides and 1 Entree...there has been a few posts where people say the server was going to try and charge them for more than 1 side....when confronted about if they weren’t charged 

[RunBikeCruiseDC]

3- We have 5 meals at specialty restaurants. What can we order there? More than one appetizer? How does this work?

---------------------------

Usually an appetizer, entree and dessert but it depends on the restaurant.  I know I have gotten a salad and appetizer before.  At Cagney's it includes a few sides each (potatoes, asparagus, sauteed mushrooms). Moderno Churrascaria is all you want.  I  don't know how it works with Pintxos or Food Republic as we always paid for the small plates rather than use our package.   What ship are you on?

[BirdTravels]

33 minutes ago, rsail203 said:

 

2- I have 250 minutes of internet time and I bought my wife 250 minutes for a 14 day cruise. Would I be better off upgrading to unlimited? Can we switch from one device to another with unlimited? Can I cancel my wife's internet and use that money to buy the unlimited?

 

3- We have 5 meals at specialty restaurants. What can we order there? More than one appetizer? How does this work?

 

 

Cancel your wife’s 250 plan. Use the $125 credit from your free at sea to upgrade to an unlimited plan. You can share that between as many devices as you want, just one device can be logged on at a time. 

 

You can can eat any specialty restaurant. No upcharges for dining rooms. Multiple apps, one entree, a dessert. Some waiters will tell you there is a limit of 1 app, 1 entree, 1 dessert which is not how the plan works. We always order multiple apps and have never been charged. 

[rsail203]

Thank you for the info, but how do I cancel my wife's internet and book unlimited if I can't get NCL to answer the phone?

[adam_s_allen]

29 minutes ago, rsail203 said:

Thank you for the info, but how do I cancel my wife's internet and book unlimited if I can't get NCL to answer the phone?

I called them last Sunday at 1:00 pm. Took 12 minutes total. Try again another day.

[newmexicoNita]

18 hours ago, rsail203 said:

Last night while I was watching a ball game, I called NCL "customer service". I was on hold for one hour and 38 minutes and never got an answer to my call.

 

I have a few questions that never got answered. Can you help me?

 

1- Was this 1:38 and no answer normal for a Friday night or was this wait normal for NCL at any time?

 

2- I have 250 minutes of internet time and I bought my wife 250 minutes for a 14 day cruise. Would I be better off upgrading to unlimited? Can we switch from one device to another with unlimited? Can I cancel my wife's internet and use that money to buy the unlimited?

 

3- We have 5 meals at specialty restaurants. What can we order there? More than one appetizer? How does this work?

 

 

Long wait time seems to be the biggest problems with cruise lines these days and NCL may be the worth. I have no idea why but a Friday night probably isn't the best time to try. 

Not a big user of the internet while on cruisers so no answer to your question. 

Normally no limit to how many appetizers and or side dishes you can order: 1 entree and 1 dessert. 

[erdoran]

Call NCL the second they open, you will probably get right through.

 

I thought it was one entree, as many apps, sides and desserts as you want?

[Sauer-kraut]

2 hours ago, erdoran said:

I thought it was one entree, as many apps, sides and desserts as you want?

 

There have been different experiences about this lately.  Some have reported they were only allowed 1 appetizer 1 dessert 1 entree, others have experienced what you wrote above.  It seems not to have a standard in place for each ship.

[KeithJenner]

There are no limits to apps, sides and desserts.

 

As people have said, sometimes people are told that there are limits, but that doesn’t mean there are.

 

This week someone reported on here that they were actually charged for extra apps. This means that now, in the 4 years since there were some changes to the SDP the grand total of people who have actually been charged for multiples is now two. Meanwhile multiple people are ordering multiples and not getting charged anything.

 

What people are told by staff varies from ship to ship, restaurant to restaurant and even waiter to waiter. Meanwhile, what people are actually charged remains remarkably consistent, but for some reason people seem to give more credence to the random answers.

 

Having said that, I would say that the experience reported last week may possibly be a change in policy, so it’s worth watching out for further reports.

 

To the OP, certainly don’t spend any time waiting on the phone to ask that question. Just ask a member of your family to make up a random answer. That will have the same result as phoning NCL without the waiting, and will be just as relevant to what actually happens.

Edited September 15, 2019 by KeithJenner

[rsail203]

At this point I don't need answers from NCL. I need somebody to answer so I can cancel my wifes internet and sign up for unlimited as advised by you people. I was on hold again for a long time today with no answer.

 

I now have another question. As advised on this forum, my TA got me a lower fare for my Bliss cruise and the $50 shore excursion credit at each port. If I've already booked an excursion at several ports, how do I cancel and re-book the same excursion with the credit.

[Sauer-kraut]

Ahh....A travel agent is involved.   You are paying your agent to do the work for you, said agent should be the one you call to cancel your 250 minutes of internet and book the unlimited. 

[lenquixote66]

20 hours ago, rsail203 said:

Thank you for the info, but how do I cancel my wife's internet and book unlimited if I can't get NCL to answer the phone?

I find call on Saturday mornings about 11 and always get through.

 

Good luck

[esm54687]

4 hours ago, rsail203 said:

 As advised on this forum, my TA got me a lower fare for my Bliss cruise and the $50 shore excursion credit at each port. If I've already booked an excursion at several ports, how do I cancel and re-book the same excursion with the credit.

As suggested, call the TA and have them earn their commission....... they should be able to call and make the internet change for you. 

 

Assuming the excursions are NCL and you prepaid on line....... just call the NCL Excursion Desk (not the main number) and cancel.....  then rebook (without pre-paying just a reservation) and you will be charged the price minus the credit once the excursion is completed. 

[smplybcause]

I called recently for a question only ncl could answer but was booked with a TA. Waited over 2 hours once day and was still in the queue when I hung up. Next day I called and didn't select the booked with TA options and got through quickly. 

 

I would hazard a guess they're putting guests booked through a TA at the end of the phone line. Probably hoping you just call your TA, as likely 90% or more of the calls need the TA to do what they're asking. 

 

I haven't booked any of what the OP wants to change, is it not possible to cancel them through myncl?

[rsail203]

31 minutes ago, esm54687 said:

 

Assuming the excursions are NCL and you prepaid on line....... just call the NCL Excursion Desk (not the main number) and cancel.....  then rebook (without pre-paying just a reservation) and you will be charged the price minus the credit once the excursion is completed. 

I'm confused here. Other cruise lines, I've booked, you have to pay for excursions in advance. If you're saying that reservations are only paid after the fact, why did they charge my credit card?

[esm54687]

10 minutes ago, rsail203 said:

I'm confused here. Other cruise lines, I've booked, you have to pay for excursions in advance. If you're saying that reservations are only paid after the fact, why did they charge my credit card?

Because the Excursion Promo T&Cs clearly direct you to contact the Excursion Desk, make the reservation (not pre pay) and you will be charged on board with the credit applied....... did you book online or any other manner besides calling the Excursion Desk?  That's why they charged your credit card. 

 

Your TA is really dropping the ball explaining things to you. 

[esm54687]

17 minutes ago, rsail203 said:

I'm confused here. Other cruise lines, I've booked, you have to pay for excursions in advance. If you're saying that reservations are only paid after the fact, why did they charge my credit card?

or....... don't cancel and at the conclusion of each excursion, you will receive the credit as OBC on your stateroom account. 

[rsail203]

38 minutes ago, esm54687 said:

Because the Excursion Promo T&Cs clearly direct you to contact the Excursion Desk, make the reservation (not pre pay) and you will be charged on board with the credit applied....... did you book online or any other manner besides calling the Excursion Desk?  That's why they charged your credit card. 

 

Your TA is really dropping the ball explaining things to you. 

 

I just received this excursion promo Saturday (in a new sale as well as a price drop) and my TA has not sent me the confirmation yet. I booked the shore excursions online weeks ago. My TA sent me an email telling me about the price drop and excursion credit, but we haven't talked about the details yet.

Edited September 15, 2019 by rsail203
more info

[rsail203]

2 hours ago, esm54687 said:

or....... don't cancel and at the conclusion of each excursion, you will receive the credit as OBC on your stateroom account. 

This is how it works on NCL? Can this OBC be used for the service charge?

[esm54687]

45 minutes ago, rsail203 said:

This is how it works on NCL? Can this OBC be used for the service charge?

Yes, because it's refundable OBC 

 

I personally would look at pre paying your DSC as it protects you from any DSC increase (typically in April) and also you owe less at trips end. 

 

[vharper21]

4 hours ago, rsail203 said:

I'm confused here. Other cruise lines, I've booked, you have to pay for excursions in advance. If you're saying that reservations are only paid after the fact, why did they charge my credit card?

I was told the 50 .oo per port credit would end up being a ship board credit 

[allyfrizzle]

10 hours ago, Sauer-kraut said:

 

There have been different experiences about this lately.  Some have reported they were only allowed 1 appetizer 1 dessert 1 entree, others have experienced what you wrote above.  It seems not to have a standard in place for each ship.

When I went to Cagney's in April (Escape), my server wouldn't allow me to order two appetizers. I had to bargain with him to let me do it by telling him I wouldn't be ordering a dessert then he agreed. 

[smplybcause]

47 minutes ago, esm54687 said:

Yes, because it's refundable OBC 

 

I personally would look at pre paying your DSC as it protects you from any DSC increase (typically in April) and also you owe less at trips end. 

 

 

I'm pretty sure you're wrong. The t&c clearly state it's non refundable and non refundable obc cannot be used for DSC.

 

https://www.ncl.com/termsandconditions/promotions

[esm54687]

4 hours ago, smplybcause said:

 

I'm pretty sure you're wrong. The t&c clearly state it's non refundable and non refundable obc cannot be used for DSC.

 

https://www.ncl.com/termsandconditions/promotions

You are correct....  I wasn't clear in my reply. 

 

Even though the OBC is non refundable, the typical portfolio has a balance that includes other things besides DSC and the credit lowers the total balance which includes DSC.