NCL (UK) - Booking on line??

[MalkyM]

Has anyone booked on line via the NCL(UK) website?

 

We recently booked a repo cruise (cruise only) whilst on board the Dream and thought we would wait a while before contacting NCL for additional flight costs etc (our cruise isn't until April 2008). However, when surfing through their website I saw that they already had this cruise listed at the "flight included" price. The price looked very good soI contacted NCL in London.

 

The price they then quoted was £1500 more than that advertised on their site and when I mentioned this I was told that the web site showed "cruise only" prices. This despite the fact I had clicked the correct pop up for air travel AND, according to the "summary" window it was included. She told me the booking pages were part of the US site and this was why it was a cruise only price :confused:

 

If this is the case then, apart from misleading those who choose to book online, I seem to have got one BIG bargain as our cruise only price is £1300 less than that shown on their website. I even mentioned this to the NCL rep and she couldn't give me an answer. Seems too good to be true.

 

Has anyone experienced the same problem? Or, more importantly, has anyone successfully booked on line at the prices advertised?

[calmac]

I haven't actually booked anything through the NCL UK website but mainly because I've always wanted a specific cabin and you can only choose from 6 via the website. I'm not sure whether or not air fare prices can be included when looking online.

 

When we were on the Dream this summer we asked about the Pearl's Transatlantic in December. The fares quoted on board ship were the US ones and, for our particular cruise, in a BA cabin, were 50% higher than the UK prices. You may have been lucky and have benefitted from the more usual situation of the US price being LOWER than the UK one.

 

Have you checked out the latest NCL brochure? This year it lists both cruise only and fly cruise prices - this might help clarify the prices. If your local TA doesn't have a copy you can request them via NCL UK's website.

[shoreguy]

Calmac

 

Tell me about the price difference. I just checked the UK site and for the Dec 2nd Pearl the prices remain 30% less then booking it here in the States. :(

 

I could book with air and still save money over the cruise only fare here.

 

 

If you do find a fare on the site that is better then when you call keep in mind you can book it online, lock up the price, and then call to have yourself moved to the cabin you want. I have done it several times.

[calmac]

According to one of the NCL UK reps I spoke to, you can book via another country's website (but haven't tried it). This was when I was complaining about no prices being available in the UK for sailings that had been allocated prices in the US.

[shoreguy]

According to one of the NCL UK reps I spoke to, you can book via another country's website (but haven't tried it). This was when I was complaining about no prices being available in the UK for sailings that had been allocated prices in the US.

 

You can but you have to enter your home country on the first screen :cool:

[calmac]

As I said, I've never actually booked through the website, but I assume you just "pretend" you lie about which country you live in. I always wonder what happens when it comes to details of your address etc :confused: Maybe you have to deal with the customer service reps. in the country you want to book through (ie phone)?

[MalkyM]

Calmac - Thanks for your input. I picked up a copy of a 2007/08 brochure yesterday but it doesn't include our particular repo cruise so can't really compare prices. Meanwhile the site continues to quote the lower price and includes "Air Travel" as the first item on the final itinerary. I am still :confused: !!

 

Shoreguy - picking up on what you have been saying about UK/US prices I even tried to cost this cruise from the US but they are not yet showing air inclusive prices. The cruise only fare, however, is exactly what we paid on board the Dream and $900 less than that being quoted by NCL (UK). I am now doubly :confused: !!

[calmac]

The cruise only fare, however, is exactly what we paid on board the Dream and $900 less than that being quoted by NCL (UK). I am now doubly :confused: !!

 

I'm fairly certain that the prices quoted on board (any ship, any location) are the US ones and NCL seem quite happy having difference between the prices quoted in for the US market and those quoted for the UK market. In most instances the US prices are lower.

 

This should make you laugh!! When Pride of Hawaii prices first came out in the UK (they had been out for a while in the US) I did a comparison online. For 2 adults + 11 year old

 

AF cabin - $5246 or £5665

BD cabin - $4360 or £4825

 

Now, which would you choose :confused:

 

In fairness to NCL - the UK prices have been reduced (I think they may initially have included air fares by mistake in the cruise only prices).

[shoreguy]

As you check prices on multiple NCL sites a word of caution. I am locked into pricing again only in GBP :( I was doing a compare from the UK site and now when I price on the US site it still gives me pricing in GBP. This happened before and I forgot how I solved the problem.

[calmac]

As you check prices on multiple NCL sites a word of caution. I am locked into pricing again only in GBP :( I was doing a compare from the UK site and now when I price on the US site it still gives me pricing in GBP. This happened before and I forgot how I solved the problem.

 

Sometimes all it takes is logging out completely from NCL's website, other times I need to reboot the PC (guess it depends on how your cookies are set up).

[shoreguy]

Sometimes all it takes is logging out completely from NCL's website, other times I need to reboot the PC (guess it depends on how your cookies are set up).

 

Already rebooted :(

[calmac]

Guess you need to clear your cookies then - something I leave to DH to sort out.

[Lobbylin]

As you check prices on multiple NCL sites a word of caution. I am locked into pricing again only in GBP :( I was doing a compare from the UK site and now when I price on the US site it still gives me pricing in GBP. This happened before and I forgot how I solved the problem.

 

If you now change your country of preference to one of the OTHERS listed (not UK or USACanada) it will allow you to change again to another new country.

 

Then go back in and start a new enquiry and reselect USA and it will revert your cookie back to USA prices.:)

[Lobbylin]

I'm fairly certain that the prices quoted on board (any ship, any location) are the US ones and NCL seem quite happy having difference between the prices quoted in for the US market and those quoted for the UK market. In most instances the US prices are lower.

 

This should make you laugh!! When Pride of Hawaii prices first came out in the UK (they had been out for a while in the US) I did a comparison online. For 2 adults + 11 year old

 

AF cabin - $5246 or £5665

BD cabin - $4360 or £4825

 

Now, which would you choose :confused:

 

In fairness to NCL - the UK prices have been reduced (I think they may initially have included air fares by mistake in the cruise only prices).

 

I agree that you really need to do your homework and check both UK and US prices.

 

Our upcoming cruise on "cruise only" pricing is:

GBP 1699 on NCL UK

US$2044 on NCL (equiv to GBP1110!!)

 

A big difference!! Now I know why I use a US TA and not a UK one!;)

[shoreguy]

I agree that you really need to do your homework and check both UK and US prices.

 

Our upcoming cruise on "cruise only" pricing is:

GBP 1699 on NCL UK

US$2044 on NCL (equiv to GBP1110!!)

 

A big difference!! Now I know why I use a US TA and not a UK one!;)

 

DEC 2 - Pearl - today BB 499 GBP vs $1269 USD - NCL UK vs. NCL US

[Lobbylin]

DEC 2 - Pearl - today BB 499 GBP vs $1269 USD - NCL UK vs. NCL US

 

Makes me feel like we're not quite always ripped off by NCL UK:D

 

But do remember, in the UK if you cancel at any stage you will lose your deposit, and if you want to change to another cabin, you pay a GBP25pp admin fee plus the cost of the change.:mad:

 

Even if you stay in the same grade cabin, but just move to a better located one that has come free, that's £50/couple that gets added to your final payment.

 

I'd also like to bet that there has never been a call from the upsell fairy from the UK NCL office to any of it's UK customers because the upsell fairy doesn't exist in the UK .... (I really genuinely hope someone can prove me wrong on this particular comment:rolleyes: ..)