Booked 2 Rooms One Has to cancel

[Fauzool]

I booked 2 rooms on NCL 1 Balcony for my Parents and then inside room for me and my girlfriend.

The cruise is within 39 days

(no refund)

My parents will not be able to go and have to cancel.

What options do I have?

Can me and my girlfriend take my parents room and change their name to ours and cancel our original room?

We at least want to take advantage of the booked balcony room if we can’t get the refund. It’s also a handicapped room because of my parents. I’m worried even if we changed names they could refuse us the room because we are not handicapped.

 

Opinions and suggestions on this are very much welcome! 

 

[hallux]

Start here: https://www.ncl.com/about/cancellation-fee-schedule

On that page is this line item - 

• Name changes and departure date changes are considered reservation cancellations and are subject to the above cancellation fees.

 

Read into that what you will.  Some lines do allow for replacing ONE passenger in a room, but at least one of names from the original booking must stay.  As both are needing to cancel you very likely need to surrender the balcony.

 

Did you book direct or with a TA?  A TA MIGHT be able to work some magic so it's worth asking them.  Your biggest challenge becomes the accessible nature of the balcony cabin.

[SeaShark]

Hallux is giving you a good answer here. NCL will not allow you to change both names on a reservation. Also, you are correct in that a handicap room can be taken if it is needed and the occupants are not handicapped.

 

There is a possible work around. You would have to call your booking agents and switch your Mom and your Girlfriend on the reservations. (You and Mom in one room, Dad and Girlfriend in the other). Then, you just have your parents not show up on the day of the cruise...don't have them cancel, just have them be no-shows. This will leave you and your girlfriend as "solos" traveling in separate cabins...there is nothing preventing you from actually sleeping in one cabin and leaving the other unoccupied.

 

While you won't get money back from your parents not cruising, as no-shows, you will get back their taxes, port fees, and any pre-paid gratuities.

[Fauzool]

2 hours ago, SeaShark said:

Hallux is giving you a good answer here. NCL will not allow you to change both names on a reservation. Also, you are correct in that a handicap room can be taken if it is needed and the occupants are not handicapped.

 

There is a possible work around. You would have to call your booking agents and switch your Mom and your Girlfriend on the reservations. (You and Mom in one room, Dad and Girlfriend in the other). Then, you just have your parents not show up on the day of the cruise...don't have them cancel, just have them be no-shows. This will leave you and your girlfriend as "solos" traveling in separate cabins...there is nothing preventing you from actually sleeping in one cabin and leaving the other unoccupied.

 

While you won't get money back from your parents not cruising, as no-shows, you will get back their taxes, port fees, and any pre-paid gratuities.

This is perfect exactly what I’m looking for. I know we won’t get the money back but to at least be able to be in the balancing room would be good. As far as the handicap room is concerned it is an aft balancing handicap. What are they chances the completely say no because my mom isn’t there to allow me stay in the handicap room? If she is a no show then would I be charge for me solo traveler?

[jsn55]

It's beyond annoying that a cruise line would just deny a pax a solution to a fairly-common problem for no real reason.  How refreshing that you aren't whining about losing your money with the cancellation and you accept the rules you agreed to in the first place.  Your situation calls for 'artful begging'.  If you booked direct, you may have to talk with a few different agents to find someone who is inclined to help you.  They are very reluctant to escalate your request, but they can do it.  But I don't know if cruise lines are answering the phone these days ... or they are like the airlines who just ignore their customers. 

 

Be very polite, make a list of your points before you call ... and don't give up.  There's no reason for them not to just make the switch ... but like airlines, they may have grown used to jerking the customers around for no reason at all.  The accessible cabin could easily be switched to a regular one.  Now, if the ship is sold out, all my comments are irrelevant.

 

One last gasp ... does your credit card have any built-in trip insurance? 

[CrazyTrain2]

I think NCL was requiring travel insurance during these COVID times.  You may have some relief or at least FCC by filing a claim against the policy.  Best thing to do is to contact your booking agent whomever that is and explain the situation.

 

Do you have any close relatives or friends that could travel under assumed names??  We old people all look alike.

[TrumpyNor]

53 minutes ago, Fauzool said:

This is perfect exactly what I’m looking for. I know we won’t get the money back but to at least be able to be in the balancing room would be good. As far as the handicap room is concerned it is an aft balancing handicap. What are they chances the completely say no because my mom isn’t there to allow me stay in the handicap room? If she is a no show then would I be charge for me solo traveler?

NCL often sell HC cabins to "non-HC" people when it is not long until sailing date - and I honestly believe that as you are only 39 days out right now, it is very unlikely that somebody with a handicap are looking to book an aftfacing balcony cabin this close to sailing date. And IF so, then the only logic would be that NCL would have to move you to a same category or higher category cabin type. So the suggestion to get you and one of your parents listed in one room and the other parent and your friend listed in the other room, seems like the best option to go for. Then there would be no change of names or adding names, it would simply be some "swithcing" of the existing names between the two cabins. Actually pretty similar to what many families with underage children has done in the past, if booking a separat cabin for the kids.

Edited June 23, 2022 by TrumpyNor

[SeaShark]

2 hours ago, Fauzool said:

This is perfect exactly what I’m looking for. I know we won’t get the money back but to at least be able to be in the balancing room would be good. As far as the handicap room is concerned it is an aft balancing handicap. What are they chances the completely say no because my mom isn’t there to allow me stay in the handicap room? If she is a no show then would I be charge for me solo traveler?

 

No worries...they won't charge you any more $$ because of a no-show. Since each room will have been paid for by two occupants, NCL will be happy.

[IMNOFUN]

2 hours ago, Fauzool said:

This is perfect exactly what I’m looking for. I know we won’t get the money back but to at least be able to be in the balancing room would be good. As far as the handicap room is concerned it is an aft balancing handicap. What are they chances the completely say no because my mom isn’t there to allow me stay in the handicap room? If she is a no show then would I be charge for me solo traveler?

That won't quite work (though there may be another workaround). One person originally booked to the cabin must remain in the cabin. So, if both of your parents can't go, then it's considered to be a cancellation. You also can't just put someone else in the cabin from your party. Someone on the original reservation has to be in the cabin. Otherwise, cancellations.

Since none of that worked, I reported to the travel insurance company, but got nothing because the cancellation wasn't a good enough "reason" as far as they're concerned. Briefly, my son got a promotion and could not take time off during his probationary period (6 months). Not a good reason. If he'd lost his job, then it was good reason.

 

What we ended up with is a future cruise credit which will shows up after the cruise. I also got a refund for the extra stuff like port fees and pre-paid gratuities. That was refunded to my credit card. Why mine? I paid for the whole thing. If your parents paid then they'll have to do the dance with NCL. It was nice to get some money back and I hope that future cruise credit shows up sometime or other. The FCC was applied to my son/wife, but it's doubtful they'll be cruising any time soon, so my son transferred it to me. 

 

Gad this is too long.

 

Final note: I have a suspicion that this whole kerfuffle was the reason NCL upgraded 3 or our remaining four cabins from window to balcony without asking for any upgrade fee. They just did it. That put them back in my good graces a little.

 

Work with NCL, but if you try something tricky, you might not go on the cruise at all. Good luck!

 

[SeaShark]

23 minutes ago, IMNOFUN said:

That won't quite work (though there may be another workaround). One person originally booked to the cabin must remain in the cabin. So, if both of your parents can't go, then it's considered to be a cancellation. You also can't just put someone else in the cabin from your party. Someone on the original reservation has to be in the cabin. Otherwise, cancellations.

Since none of that worked, I reported to the travel insurance company, but got nothing because the cancellation wasn't a good enough "reason" as far as they're concerned. Briefly, my son got a promotion and could not take time off during his probationary period (6 months). Not a good reason. If he'd lost his job, then it was good reason.

 

What we ended up with is a future cruise credit which will shows up after the cruise. I also got a refund for the extra stuff like port fees and pre-paid gratuities. That was refunded to my credit card. Why mine? I paid for the whole thing. If your parents paid then they'll have to do the dance with NCL. It was nice to get some money back and I hope that future cruise credit shows up sometime or other. The FCC was applied to my son/wife, but it's doubtful they'll be cruising any time soon, so my son transferred it to me. 

 

Gad this is too long.

 

Final note: I have a suspicion that this whole kerfuffle was the reason NCL upgraded 3 or our remaining four cabins from window to balcony without asking for any upgrade fee. They just did it. That put them back in my good graces a little.

 

Work with NCL, but if you try something tricky, you might not go on the cruise at all. Good luck!

 

 

You are incorrect. The rule is that one person has to be on the RESERVATION, not that one person has to physically remain.

 

Based on my suggestion the OP will be the "original" person on the reservation for one cabin, while the OP's Dad will be the "original" person on the reservation for the other cabin. Dad just won't show up. Again...the name must stay one the reservation, but the actual person isn't required to show.

[IMNOFUN]

1 hour ago, SeaShark said:

 

You are incorrect. The rule is that one person has to be on the RESERVATION, not that one person has to physically remain.

 

Based on my suggestion the OP will be the "original" person on the reservation for one cabin, while the OP's Dad will be the "original" person on the reservation for the other cabin. Dad just won't show up. Again...the name must stay one the reservation, but the actual person isn't required to show.

I agree.

 

I thought of doing that but decided that something would happen such as the staff seeing something odd and reporting it. And who would have the keycard? How about the required drill? Who exactly would go to that?

 

I just figured it was easiest to cancel the whole cabin. I was wrangling 5 cabins with 10 people. My nerves were frayed to say the least. Is everybody vaccinated? Now you have to get a test. No, you can't take the completely valid test sent to me by the government without paying $129 per person for monitored testing. Then ArriveCan put everyone in a blender.

 

Trying to have an invisible person occupy the cabin without them being present was just beyond my capacity to manage along with everything else going on.

 

[Fauzool]

Thank you all I got everything sorted and names changed and am set to sail in less than 2 weeks.

One last question should I do echeckin online for both myself and the no show passenger? Or should I wait until I get to the port to check in just myself? I won’t be able to get edocs this way though.

[MoCruiseFan]

On 6/22/2022 at 11:19 PM, Fauzool said:

I booked 2 rooms on NCL 1 Balcony for my Parents and then inside room for me and my girlfriend.

The cruise is within 39 days

(no refund)

My parents will not be able to go and have to cancel.

What options do I have?

Can me and my girlfriend take my parents room and change their name to ours and cancel our original room?

We at least want to take advantage of the booked balcony room if we can’t get the refund. It’s also a handicapped room because of my parents. I’m worried even if we changed names they could refuse us the room because we are not handicapped.

 

Opinions and suggestions on this are very much welcome! 

 

The simple thing to do is call NCL and ask them...

 

[hallux]

5 hours ago, MoCruiseFan said:

The simple thing to do is call NCL and ask them...

 

and as their most recent reply indicates, they have...

[PATRLR]

7 hours ago, Fauzool said:

Thank you all I got everything sorted and names changed and am set to sail in less than 2 weeks.

One last question should I do echeckin online for both myself and the no show passenger? Or should I wait until I get to the port to check in just myself? I won’t be able to get edocs this way though.

I can't answer your question but thank you for coming back and letting us know how it's gone so far and please do come back and let us know how it went on the check-in process.

Enjoy your cruise.

 

[Fauzool]

10 hours ago, PATRLR said:

I can't answer your question but thank you for coming back and letting us know how it's gone so far and please do come back and let us know how it went on the check-in process.

Enjoy your cruise.

 

Do you think it matters whether it’s echeck or check in there. Either way I can’t seem them not letting me board.

[PATRLR]

1 hour ago, Fauzool said:

Do you think it matters whether it’s echeck or check in there. Either way I can’t seem them not letting me board.

I don't know, I'd think others on this board coudl answer better.  Lacking any other information, I'd check myself in and not check in the no-show. Get to pier and play dumb - I hope they make it, but, I don't know when they will get here...

 

[Fauzool]

 Cruise went great there was no issue getting the handicap room. 
 

They refused to refund any fees for the no show passengers though is this normal? I would of assumed the fees and gratuity that was charged would of been refunded for the no show passengers, am I mistaken on that?

[Homosassa]

9 hours ago, Fauzool said:

 Cruise went great there was no issue getting the handicap room. 
 

They refused to refund any fees for the no show passengers though is this normal? I would of assumed the fees and gratuity that was charged would of been refunded for the no show passengers, am I mistaken on that?

You might want to read the Terms and Conditions section on the NCL website that spells out cancellation fees (including no shows ).

 

Section states no fees and charges will be returned.

 

This is not unusual nowadays.  Many cruise lines have caught on to fare churning (not the OP in this case) and no shows to avoid cancellation fees and have changed their policies accordingly.

[DrSea]

28 minutes ago, Homosassa said:

You might want to read the Terms and Conditions section on the NCL website that spells out cancellation fees (including no shows ).

 

Section states no fees and charges will be returned.

 

This is not unusual nowadays.  Many cruise lines have caught on to fare churning (not the OP in this case) and no shows to avoid cancellation fees and have changed their policies accordingly.

This is odd and new to me. 

 

I never did understand fare churning (quite frankly the math is too complicated for me to understand with so many moving parts). 

[ChiefMateJRK]

45 minutes ago, DrSea said:

I never did understand fare churning (quite frankly the math is too complicated for me to understand with so many moving parts). 

This is the first time I've even heard of "fare churning."  What is it?

[DrSea]

3 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

This is the first time I've even heard of "fare churning."  What is it?

Someone much smarter than me would have to explain. I never understood it. It has to do with multiple booking and cancellations and ppl somehow got a lower price. 

 

Beats me

[jsn55]

Perhaps I just have a simple mind.  Assume that I book a cruise for $11K in a regular cabin, then find a better cabin that I can book for $8500.  I will ask my TA to cancel the original booking and rebook me in the better cabin for less money.  I would expect the difference to be used as an onboard credit.  But I've never done this, because I avoid looking at the cost of things once I buy them. 

[hallux]

39 minutes ago, jsn55 said:

Perhaps I just have a simple mind.  Assume that I book a cruise for $11K in a regular cabin, then find a better cabin that I can book for $8500.  I will ask my TA to cancel the original booking and rebook me in the better cabin for less money.  I would expect the difference to be used as an onboard credit.  But I've never done this, because I avoid looking at the cost of things once I buy them. 

If you're before final payment you typically won't have a cash balance with the cruise line to have applied as OBC, your balance due will just decrease and you get the better cabin.  After final payment you would subject to cancellation policies.  Also - if perks changed between the bookings you would get the new perks in either case.

[Homosassa]

22 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

This is the first time I've even heard of "fare churning."  What is it?

I don't remember when or where I first heard the term "fare churning" to describe the elaborate booking games some passengers play.  However, it is the reason that over the years that deposits have became high, final payments have been pushed out more than fourteen days before the cruise (standard when I started cruising in 1976), and cancellations fees are common.

 

The first practice was to book a cabin on different cruise lines when the cruise itineraries were released. The cruises booked were within the same time frame  and were similar in cruise length.  Many times the early bird booking were at a good (low) fare and, in the early days, no deposit was required.

 

Then each cruise fare was watched. If a new fare was announce that was lower then the already booked fare, the booking was switched to the lower fare. When the deposit was due, the held cabins would be reviewed and some of the held reservations might be released. When final payment was due on all the reserved cabins, the one that represented the best choice for the passenger was paid and all the other reservations released (any deposits paid being refundable).

 

The cruise lines then were left holding unsold cabins shortly before sailing that were sold at discounted rates to fill the ship. These empty cabins are what new cruisers dream of grabbing on board as upgrades at little to no cost (a practice that has stopped on board) or being able to show up at the pier on the day of sailing and booking a cabin at a rock bottom price (also not happening).

 

Other price games include imaginary cabinmates on a booking to avoid a single passenger supplement or to grab a cabin that sleeps more passengers because it is perceived to be in a more desirable location.  Those passengers were then either cancelled immediately before sailing  when their fare was refundable or are now "no shows."

 

The newest version is now to just track one's own reservation and quibble over the ten dollar fare drop, or the several hundred dollar fare drop while still expecting to keep all the perks (OBC, drink package, DSC, etc.) that might have come with the original booking.

 

What is tripping up many is that the cruise lines keep revising their booking procedures as far as deposits (amount due at time of booking, earlier final payment dates, and defining as cancellation things such as any changes in cabin, passenger names, and no shows with a fee attached).  Some will no longer refund any fees or taxes attached to the no show booking.

 

In the long run, it benefits both the cruise line and passenger to have a higher per diem rate per passenger that is available for the cruise line  to spend on the quality of food and entertainment on board.