Price Drop Before Final Payment is Due -- Only One "Re-faring" Allowed

[Super Curly]

We just received onboard credit today but only for 1/4 of the total difference. The price dropped $300 each and they credited us $175. Can't really complain since we sail in 9 days.

[IRMO12HD]

I booked our April 2020 Panama Canal cruise last April -- through NCL, and then transferred it to a TA.  Since then, my TA has accomplished 6 (yup, six!  He's amazing!) price reductions for me.  We did give up a total of $150 in OBC.  However, on some of the reductions, we actually gained perks.  On the last one (in December), we gave up the free / reduced air perk, but for a $500 savings.  Total fare reduction achieved (per person) for a BD Balcony:  $1350 (45% reduction).  While part of it is my amazing TA, part of it, too, is my constant checking and re-checking of fares. As far as I know, he was never told that we were limited to a given number of refare efforts.

[Budget Queen]

This sounds like an agency fee-  which some do charge.    Cancellation fees from the agency are also charged by some.   

[FitchburgWIFamily]

I book directly through NCL, and have often called to take advantage of a lower fare before final payment.   On my last cruise, I did it four times before final payment.   One time, the rep I got tried to tell me I couldn't do it and all they could give me was an onboard credit, and I said...OK, more work for you, but here is what you are going to do:  you are going to cancel me and then re book me.   He must have realized that would be a lot of work (we were a party of 5 in a concierge suite).  He put me on hold, spoke to someone else and then came back to me and gave me the price adjustment without the process of officially cancelling and rebooking.

 

OP:  Maybe your TA ended up talking to the same wrong/lazy rep.   

[julig22]

59 minutes ago, FitchburgWIFamily said:

I book directly through NCL, and have often called to take advantage of a lower fare before final payment.   On my last cruise, I did it four times before final payment.   One time, the rep I got tried to tell me I couldn't do it and all they could give me was an onboard credit, and I said...OK, more work for you, but here is what you are going to do:  you are going to cancel me and then re book me.   He must have realized that would be a lot of work (we were a party of 5 in a concierge suite).  He put me on hold, spoke to someone else and then came back to me and gave me the price adjustment without the process of officially cancelling and rebooking.

 

OP:  Maybe your TA ended up talking to the same wrong/lazy rep.   

Exactly!  When the NCL rep says no to something you know is possible, politely tell them that they need to do what you have asked and you know it can be done.  They will usually get a supervisor to approve -and hopefully learn something at the same time.  Some NCL reps are just better trained or more creative than others.  Or keep calling back until you find a rep that understands what you want and knows how to do it.

[bonvoyagie]

I agree there is a difference between a cancel and re-book and a fare change. Our TA did a cancel/rebook for us when our cruise went on the past guest discount list. That 20% saved us a bundle, and yes we had to give up some of the perks of the old booking. Our TA has some tricks for doing a cancel and rebook that almost guarantees getting your room back. As far as I know, you can cancel and re-book as many times as you want prior to final payment. From what I have heard here after final payment, if there is a price decrease, you usually get a % of the difference in OBC. However when our cabin took another drop the drop was so large (4k) they offered us either a free upgrade or 50% of the difference in a Future Cruise Credit. 

[Robinsoncruiseso]

On 1/20/2020 at 1:56 PM, julig22 said:

As far as I know, a TA calls and speaks to NCL, just like the rest of us would do if we booked through NCL.  They just have a different number to call.  I've done a couple of upgrades and usually my TA just calls and it's taken care of in a matter of minutes.

TA’s can refare through NCL booking online and do not need to call NCL. Refare as many times as you like prior to final payment.

[newmexicoNita]

On 1/20/2020 at 3:55 PM, Yo Adrienne said:

HAHAHAHA...if she wasn't a good friend, I'd definitely think that...! 🙂 She's actually VERY good...and has always gone to the mat for us to get us the best deals...!  And when there's been a problem, she's gotten it resolved in our favor...! 🙂 

sounds to me like you should stick with her even if she may have been wrong this time. The important thing is it seems you got what you wanted. Happy cruising.