What would you do - unable to change from accessible room

[Mm3owth]

Hello all,

 

I booked my first cruise 7 days ago for an Alaskan cruise in August on Encore. I didn't realize when I booked that the room selected was HC (wheelchair accessible) aft facing. I first noticed this when I got an email 6 days ago asking for more information about my disability. The email specified I could be bumped if I do not require the room, but I could call and switch proactively to avoid this.

 

I called NCL to communicate my mistake and ask to be moved to a regular room.  The NCL agent told me there was slim to no chance I would be moved, but wouldn't quite guarantee it. He said there were no non HC rooms left that were aft facing (my category), and there were 2 left that were both HC. Because of this availability just 2 months from departure date, he said the odds of me getting bumped were very low (and to trust him and his decades of experience) and that it would probably be an upgrade if it happened. He said he would mark that there were no non-HC rooms available on my reservation. "It's not going to happen (but also no guarantee lol)."

 

I said OK, but never got any confirmation of this note. My cruise-experienced family said to get it in writing that I wouldn't be bumped to interior or ask to switch.

 

I called again and requested to get a guarantee of not being bumped to interior, and he (different guy) said there would be no guarantee but that it is unlikely I'll be asked to move. I asked to switch to an available regular balcony (downgrade from aft facing, which we are fine with) and he said I couldn't switch without paying 25% of the cruise cost in fees.

 

The disability email said I could call the number to be moved from my room proactively to avoid the possibility of being bumped but apparently that isn't the case because we are passed the final payment date... Even though I only booked a week ago... There are plenty of regular balconies available.

 

Should I press the issue to switch rooms? Am I overthinking it? What would you do?

[cruisekitty22]

If you have a travel agent you need to ask them these questions.

[Mm3owth]

3 minutes ago, cruisekitty22 said:

If you have a travel agent you need to ask them these questions.

Thanks for the info.

 

I do not have a TA. I simply went onto NCL.com, selected a cruise, and booked.  Then I called NCL as the documentation recommended.

 

[SimplyAlbert]

We were booked in an aft HC balcony back in February.  We booked about 2 months before the cruise.  There we no other aft balconies available.  We were told the same thing and were able to keep the cabin.  In fact, there were others that ended up sailing empty on our cruise.

[Two Wheels Only]

Normally, I am strongly against people booking a wheelchair accessible stateroom when they don't need it. There are very few (6) of those staterooms and the people who would like an aft-facing (non-Club) balcony and need wheelchair accessibility should be able to see those options. However, once final payment date has been reached, I have no problem with anyone booking one of those staterooms. 

 

The fact that there are still other accessible aft-facing balcony staterooms leads me to believe that the OP will not be moved. My advice for the OP is to not worry about it. 

Edited June 6, 2022 by Two Wheels Only

[bluesea777]

@Mm3owth what cabin category did you book? Club Balcony Suite (M6)? Or is it just Balcony (B1)?

 

Pray that it's the Balcony (B1) one, then you can call NCL and ask to change from B1 HC to a regular B1 cabin. They should allow this, even if it's past the final payment due date. It's supposed to be a cosmetic change, not a cancel/rebook.

 

Just a month ago I asked for a cabin change - same category - to the one close to the elevators for our cruise next month, and they complied - send me a new cruise confirmation with new cabin number. It was 2 months after the final payment due.

 

I did mock booking and saw that there are several non-HC B1 cabins left for the Aug 7 cruise. On deck 14.

 

Unfortunately, if you booked a M6 cabin, there are no non-HC aft-facing M6 cabins. But there are several M6 available on deck 8 forward.

 

 

[Mm3owth]

11 minutes ago, bluesea777 said:

@Mm3owth what cabin category did you book? Club Balcony Suite (M6)? Or is it just Balcony (B1)?

 

Pray that it's the Balcony (B1) one, then you can call NCL and ask to change from B1 HC to a regular B1 cabin. They should allow this, even if it's past the final payment due date. It's supposed to be a cosmetic change, not a cancel/rebook.

 

Just a month ago I asked for a cabin change - same category - to the one close to the elevators for our cruise next month, and they complied - send me a new cruise confirmation with new cabin number. It was 2 months after the final payment due.

 

I did mock booking and saw that there are several non-HC B1 cabins left for the Aug 7 cruise. On deck 14.

 

Unfortunately, if you booked a M6 cabin, there are no non-HC aft-facing M6 cabins. But there are several M6 available on deck 8 forward.

 

 

 

Thanks for the info. It is indeed a B1 cabin (11918) leaving August 14. 

 

I requested to change to a port side balcony on 11 such as 11132, 36, 40 etc or family balcony on 13 such as 13210, 13144 etc. They said there would be fees up to 25% of the cruise cost for this change.

 

 

Edit- online says BV but my reservation says B1

Edited June 6, 2022 by Mm3owth
See edit

[bluesea777]

Oh dear! I thought you were on the Aug 7 (as you said just two months away, lol) .... I just had another mock booking for Aug 14 ... there is just one B1 cabin left and it's a HC. No non-HC B1 cabins left.

 

Asking to switch to another balcony cabin that is not a B1 category one would be considered as a cancel/rebook because the rate is different. The cabins you mentioned (11132, 36, 40) is BB category with price reduction of approx $200 pp. This calls for a cancel/rebook.

 

My suggestion is to stick with the aft cabin. Closer to the cruise date if they need to bump you out of the HC cabin they should move you to another balcony cabin and give you OBC, or another B1 cabin if one becomes available. Failing that they should upgrade you to a Club Balcony Suite.

 

By the way, I had a look at the Club Balcony Suite (MA or even better M4) prices and saw that they are slightly lower than the aft Balcony B1. Perhaps you can try calling NCL and ask to switch to a M4 and let them eat the price difference. Deck 12 and up. And no cancel/rebook.

 

OTOH, people who need the HC cabins often book way ahead to grab the cabins. And the aft-facing HC cabins are the least favourite because of the longer walk/wheel to those cabins from the elevators especially that the corridors are rather narrow for the wheelers to navigate easily and freely on their own.

 

Anyway, please stop fretting and start the countdown to the fabulous Alaskan cruise!