Need advice, cancelled flight by airline NCL not helping!

[Liz.m.m]

Hi all!

 

We purchased Air and transfer through NCL.

 

The morning of our flight United cancelled our air travel.

Luckily we were close enough to hop in our car and make it to the ship before they left!

 

While we were driving I called NCL, explained the situation and they said to notify the travel insurance to get refunded.

 

We had a great time on the cruise! But now...... Travel insurance says they won't cover "unused travel" it doesn't matter how many times I say it was cancelled.

Now NCL won't help me either, they keep telling me to contact the travel insurance.

 

What are my next steps? United refunded the funds to NCL, now NCL won't refund the cancelled part of our trip!

 

Thanks for any advice!

[RocketMan275]

The best advice is don't purchase flights through  third party providers like NCL.

Always purchase direct from the airlines.

Make your hotel reservations directly with the hotel.

Edited May 2, 2023 by RocketMan275

[Liz.m.m]

3 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

The best advice is don't purchase flights through  third party providers like NCL.

Always purchase direct from the airlines.

Make your hotel reservations directly with the hotel.

Thanks but not helpful.

[RocketMan275]

Just now, Liz.m.m said:

Thanks but not helpful.

You should read some of the threads on NCL provided air.  You'll find you're not unique. 

All you can do is contact the insurance people.

Document this as well as possible.

Keep trying.

Don't book third party airfare.  You will wind up in the middle between NCL pointing their finger at the airlines and the airlines pointing their finger at NCL.

[RocketMan275]

Have  you submitted this form?

 

https://www.ncl.com/case-submission

[Liz.m.m]

1 minute ago, RocketMan275 said:

Have  you submitted this form?

 

https://www.ncl.com/case-submission

Yes, no help. 

[wil e coyote]

I'm glad to hear you were able to make it to your cruise, and that you had a great time. I'm sorry you have to deal with the hassle of your flights.

A few questions:

-Did you end up using the NCL-arranged flight to get home? Did you use the NCL transfer to get to the airport after your cruise?

If you used the NCL-arranged flight to go home, then NCL may be able to claim that they delivered on at least part of the deal, and you're probably out of luck.

If you didn't use those flights or bus transfer to go home, it seems like you should have a case that you paid for flights via NCL that were never used, and so NCL might agree to refund the cost of the air package. But I have no personal experience with that. You might have to just write that cost off to a risk of traveling. The most important thing is that you got on the boat!

Good luck!

[Liz.m.m]

1 minute ago, wil e coyote said:

I'm glad to hear you were able to make it to your cruise, and that you had a great time. I'm sorry you have to deal with the hassle of your flights.

A few questions:

-Did you end up using the NCL-arranged flight to get home? Did you use the NCL transfer to get to the airport after your cruise?

 

Nope- we drove our own vehicle and paid to park at the Pier.

Didn't use either flight or transfer.

Thanks!

[disneylover89]

Did you purchase the travel insurance through NCL or did you purchase through an outside company?

[Liz.m.m]

Just now, disneylover89 said:

Did you purchase the travel insurance through NCL or did you purchase through an outside company?

Through NCL!

[disneylover89]

1 minute ago, Liz.m.m said:

Through NCL!

Ugh, that stinks, they're in cahoots with each other. 

[1025cruise]

Was the flight home canceled? If not, then technically you didn't use the flight. Even if it made no sense since your car was at the pier due to the original cancelation resulting in you driving....

[Liz.m.m]

41 minutes ago, 1025cruise said:

Was the flight home canceled? If not, then technically you didn't use the flight. Even if it made no sense since your car was at the pier due to the original cancelation resulting in you driving....

When United didn't find another seat to the ship, the entire air itinerary was cancelled.

[tony s]

Did you use a TA? If so make them earn their commission to have NCL make this right 

[happy cruzer]

Collect your documentation probably emails.  One-  the first air ticket from NCL.  The notice that your flight was cancelled and WHY the flight was cancelled.  What did the airline offer?  What did NCL offer?  Hope you have those in writing. If the flight was cancelled by the airline because of their issue like mechanical failure, and they issued a refund to NCL as the payer of the fare.  Then pursue with NCL but you will need documentation of what happened;  NCL  most likely won't just give you the refund without you proving it was done.

 

If the flight was cancelled due to weather, then you will need document that with the insurance and file a claim.  You will have to have all the documentation.  They are going to want to why you did not get another flight vs. driving or did you get a refund or a travel credit.

 

Lots of details to be proven.  Good luck.  My claim on another cruise line took several months.

[rdmurray]

Is there a local consumer reporter you can reach out to?  They often get results.

 

 

[fweegy]

I booked my first NCL cruise for September 2024. At the time I added the "Buy one air fare, get the 2nd one free" through NCL. Since than I have read nothing but horror stories from people who did the same, including yours. Almost no good stories, just terrible experiences, time after time. I called NCL this past weekend and cancelled the air part of the cruise. I don't need the stress and grief I feel would be coming had I stayed with it. Sorry, this doesn't help your current problem, what happened to you really stinks. Hearing your grief just re-affirms my decision to cancel the air.

[sanger727]

Do you have any written notification from United that they cancelled your flight? Did they offer any options to rebook you? 

 

We had a similar situation happen once, booked a flight/hotel package through a TA with insurance. The day of the flight the airline cancelled it. They had no options to re-book the same day. We called and spoked with a booking agent and got them to send us that in writing. We were then able to successfully make a claim with our travel insurance. 

[julig22]

5 minutes ago, sanger727 said:

Do you have any written notification from United that they cancelled your flight? Did they offer any options to rebook you? 

 

We had a similar situation happen once, booked a flight/hotel package through a TA with insurance. The day of the flight the airline cancelled it. They had no options to re-book the same day. We called and spoked with a booking agent and got them to send us that in writing. We were then able to successfully make a claim with our travel insurance. 

I've always gotten email and/or texts from the airline once I've checked in.  But you do have to ask to receive notifications. That should be sufficient proof for insurance I would think.

[RocketMan275]

46 minutes ago, sanger727 said:

Do you have any written notification from United that they cancelled your flight? Did they offer any options to rebook you? 

 

We had a similar situation happen once, booked a flight/hotel package through a TA with insurance. The day of the flight the airline cancelled it. They had no options to re-book the same day. We called and spoked with a booking agent and got them to send us that in writing. We were then able to successfully make a claim with our travel insurance. 

We booked a flight to catch a cruise from Tampa arriving the day before the cruise.

Airline notified us that they flight was cancelled and offered  us a next day flight.

Adverse to arriving day of cruise, we decided to drive instead.

Airlines canelled the charges for the flight.

Another reason to only book direct with airlines.

[julig22]

1 hour ago, RocketMan275 said:

We booked a flight to catch a cruise from Tampa arriving the day before the cruise.

Airline notified us that they flight was cancelled and offered  us a next day flight.

Adverse to arriving day of cruise, we decided to drive instead.

Airlines canelled the charges for the flight.

Another reason to only book direct with airlines.

I booked a flight through NCL for a cruise leaving from Stockholm.  A week or so before I was scheduled to leave, SAS announced a potential airline strike.  NCL proactively rebooked my flights, on other airlines, completely different itineraries.  Had I booked directly with the airlines I would have spent a considerable amount of time and money trying to rebook overseas flights at the last minute.

Another reason to consider not booking directly with airlines.

 

It goes both ways.

 

[ontheweb]

25 minutes ago, julig22 said:

I booked a flight through NCL for a cruise leaving from Stockholm.  A week or so before I was scheduled to leave, SAS announced a potential airline strike.  NCL proactively rebooked my flights, on other airlines, completely different itineraries.  Had I booked directly with the airlines I would have spent a considerable amount of time and money trying to rebook overseas flights at the last minute.

Another reason to consider not booking directly with airlines.

 

It goes both ways.

 

Nice to have a post that is not a horror story!

[Liz.m.m]

Update: NCL is making it right, only after I threatened to bring a lawyer in for Credit Card fraud. I purchased a package from them, they contracted with a third party who then cancelled for reasons beyond my control.

 

NCL needed proof that United refunded the airfare. I found the proof (even though they said they couldn't) and they say my CC will be refunded in 1-2 days.

 

I am happy they are making it right, but frustrated that it took so many phone calls and emails to get here. Now, if they would refund the airport transfer fees that would be fantastic....🙄 Continuing the fight!

[ontheweb]

2 hours ago, Liz.m.m said:

Update: NCL is making it right, only after I threatened to bring a lawyer in for Credit Card fraud. I purchased a package from them, they contracted with a third party who then cancelled for reasons beyond my control.

 

NCL needed proof that United refunded the airfare. I found the proof (even though they said they couldn't) and they say my CC will be refunded in 1-2 days.

 

I am happy they are making it right, but frustrated that it took so many phone calls and emails to get here. Now, if they would refund the airport transfer fees that would be fantastic....🙄 Continuing the fight!

You said the magic word----LAWYER!

[Sugar0802]

We were in the same boat (literally) as you - we were the ones that had to drive from Michigan on your cruise.  I am still battling NCL insurance, but so far no denial.  You can email United to get a cancellation letter.  I got mine in ~24 hours.  I then uploaded that to insurance and called them to make sure they had everything they needed.  I have no idea if I'll get reimbursed my driving fees, but here's hoping!  Good luck!!