NCL's Advertised Room Upgrades

[pocopelo]

My wife and I were interested in booking a cruise aboard the Spirit in January to the western caribbean. This was to have been our first cruise. We were selecting NCL because of the three stops in Costa Maya, Belize, Santo Tomas and Cozumel. NCL advertised a special running from 8/13 - 8/19 for an upgrade of one room class (eg. purchase an inside cabin and get upgrade to ocean view; purchase ocean view and get upgrade to balcony). Well, NCL also had a SCHEDULED system maintanence 8/17-8/19 during which time one was unable to make or change a reservation. We only found out that the system was down on 8/17 after we called. The NCL cruise assistant on the phone said that the offer was being extended to 8/20. Low and behold, we phoned today and the offer is not available!

 

Did anybody else encounter this problem? Does it make sense to run a special offering of room upgrades while there is a SCHEDULED system downtime during which nobody can take advantage of the upgrade?

 

Any advice is appreciated. Thanks for listening and I hope I didn't violate any guidelines by posting this type of message. This was not my intention if I did. Thank you.

[garycarla]

If they can not/ will not honor that special, just wait a bit. Another one will come along with either lower rates or upgrades.

[sillysusie1578]

Hi there,:)

The upgrade promotion ran from Last Sunday to this Monday so don't feel discouraged. Within that time, most of the available upgrades were already sold out. However, new promotions are always right around the bend and Pity the Procrastinator promotion is not over yet, just that particular offer. That promotion gets new "rules" weekly so keep a look out for other deals.

[Baitman19]

My wife and I were interested in booking a cruise aboard the Spirit in January to the western caribbean. This was to have been our first cruise. We were selecting NCL because of the three stops in Costa Maya, Belize, Santo Tomas and Cozumel. NCL advertised a special running from 8/13 - 8/19 for an upgrade of one room class (eg. purchase an inside cabin and get upgrade to ocean view; purchase ocean view and get upgrade to balcony). Well, NCL also had a SCHEDULED system maintanence 8/17-8/19 during which time one was unable to make or change a reservation. We only found out that the system was down on 8/17 after we called. The NCL cruise assistant on the phone said that the offer was being extended to 8/20. Low and behold, we phoned today and the offer is not available!

 

Did anybody else encounter this problem? Does it make sense to run a special offering of room upgrades while there is a SCHEDULED system downtime during which nobody can take advantage of the upgrade?

 

Any advice is appreciated. Thanks for listening and I hope I didn't violate any guidelines by posting this type of message. This was not my intention if I did. Thank you.

 

Try the Pity the Procrastinator offer, here's the link

 

http://www.nclpitytheprocrastinator.com/

 

Happy Cruising

[lvtotrvl1]

The special is still running....but it is inside to inside and ov to ov...try code PGSQ3. TA's will be able to get the rate for you.

[sphere99]

The special is still running....but it is inside to inside and ov to ov...try code PGSQ3. TA's will be able to get the rate for you.

what is that code for?

[Baitman19]

what is that code for?

 

 

It is a code to tell the agent what the price is.

 

Happy Cruising,

Monty

[4mac9]

I had the same frustration with NCL. We have cruised 4 times with Carnival and never had such problems. This was to be our first with NCL. The upgrade was a weekly bonus offer from 8/13 to 8/19 and I called on the 19th. The upgrade was not just within a category, it was from an inside to an outside or an outside to a balcony!! We were going to book two balcony cabins and the systems were down on Sunday. They will not honor their special and I believe NCL is guilty of false advertising and I wonder whether they are in violation of a Consumer Protection Act? Very bad business for NCL as far as I am concerned, as we cruise quite regularly and looks like they are going to lose a lot of business. So they get you all geeked up to pay for an outside and get a balcony cabin at no extra charge, then have a "scheduled maintenance." How convenient. Then you call to try to get them to live up to their advertised special and they want to book you for the balcony and pay for a balcony. Bait and switch?

[xyzxyz]

You can always go elsewhere. There is no compulsion to book with NCL.

[electricron]

I had the same frustration with NCL. We have cruised 4 times with Carnival and never had such problems. This was to be our first with NCL. The upgrade was a weekly bonus offer from 8/13 to 8/19 and I called on the 19th. The upgrade was not just within a category, it was from an inside to an outside or an outside to a balcony!! We were going to book two balcony cabins and the systems were down on Sunday. They will not honor their special and I believe NCL is guilty of false advertising and I wonder whether they are in violation of a Consumer Protection Act? Very bad business for NCL as far as I am concerned, as we cruise quite regularly and looks like they are going to lose a lot of business. So they get you all geeked up to pay for an outside and get a balcony cabin at no extra charge, then have a "scheduled maintenance." How convenient. Then you call to try to get them to live up to their advertised special and they want to book you for the balcony and pay for a balcony. Bait and switch?

 

Please don't suggest Carnival doesn't have computer problems occasionally.

Computers are upgraded all the time. I'm sorry it happen when you wished to book a cruise.

[A.S.]

Has anyone tried to enter the Pity the Procrastinator contest?

 

Everytime I try to do it, it comes back and tells me that my Latitudes # should be 9 digits. Ours are only 8 digits.

 

I can't get past this point.

 

Thanks to anyone that can explain this.

[cruisingfromMN]

Has anyone tried to enter the Pity the Procrastinator contest?

 

Everytime I try to do it, it comes back and tells me that my Latitudes # should be 9 digits. Ours are only 8 digits.

 

I can't get past this point.

 

Thanks to anyone that can explain this.

 

Try adding a zero at the beginning. That works for some.

[CC Help Michell]

Try adding a zero at the beginning. That works for some.

 

Adding the zero worked for me, too -- and I was sure to mention to the IT person I spoke to at NCL that THAT would be a handy bit of info to put on the contest entry form -- simple coding too ("your Latitudes number must be 9 digits; if yours is 8 digits, add a zero to the beginning").

 

To the OP, as I was surfing around yesterday, I saw the same offer you mention (inside to OV, OV to balcony) on a few sites, with an expiration date of 8/24, but it was limited to just a few sailings on certain ships -- maybe five? Anyway, it's possible that NCL extended it since their system was down this weekend. It's worth giving it another try.

[Ted Pulaski]

Hum'mmm....................

That is all................

H'mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[Guest BeckyThane]

Has anyone tried to enter the Pity the Procrastinator contest?

 

Everytime I try to do it, it comes back and tells me that my Latitudes # should be 9 digits. Ours are only 8 digits.

 

I can't get past this point.

 

Thanks to anyone that can explain this.

You don't have to enter your Latitudes #, even if you say you're a Latitudes member. Just leave it blank.

[Guest BeckyThane]

Hum'mmm....................

That is all................

H'mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Occam's Razor: The Sales Department didn't coordinate their sale with the IT Department's upgrade, and vice versa. It sucks for the consumer, but that's the way it is.

[Volunton]

A few weeks ago, I booked with Casinos at Sea through their promotion letter (posted on cruisecritic.com a few weeks ago) and have yet to be able to check my reservation when I sign into the NCL web site. I called Casinos at Sea to tell them about the problem. They said they have nothing to do with at as it's a web master thing (DUH!).

 

They wouldn't offer me any advice as to whom to contact to fix this problem.

 

Since I don't want to 'rock the boat', I guess I'll just 'have to' use private excursion companies instead of NCL.

 

Oh well. :)

[peanutJMV]

Dont want to be negative but might want to reconsider until you find out the new itinerary. According to the news reports, Costa Maya pier was 50% wiped out from the hurricane and does not expect to reopen for a while.

What a shame.. Hurricanes can certainly do some damage......

What ever you decide, NCL ships are fantastic and you will have a great time.

 

 

 

 

 

My wife and I were interested in booking a cruise aboard the Spirit in January to the western caribbean. This was to have been our first cruise. We were selecting NCL because of the three stops in Costa Maya, Belize, Santo Tomas and Cozumel. NCL advertised a special running from 8/13 - 8/19 for an upgrade of one room class (eg. purchase an inside cabin and get upgrade to ocean view; purchase ocean view and get upgrade to balcony). Well, NCL also had a SCHEDULED system maintanence 8/17-8/19 during which time one was unable to make or change a reservation. We only found out that the system was down on 8/17 after we called. The NCL cruise assistant on the phone said that the offer was being extended to 8/20. Low and behold, we phoned today and the offer is not available!

 

Did anybody else encounter this problem? Does it make sense to run a special offering of room upgrades while there is a SCHEDULED system downtime during which nobody can take advantage of the upgrade?

 

Any advice is appreciated. Thanks for listening and I hope I didn't violate any guidelines by posting this type of message. This was not my intention if I did. Thank you.

[CC Help Michell]

A few weeks ago, I booked with Casinos at Sea through their promotion letter (posted on cruisecritic.com a few weeks ago) and have yet to be able to check my reservation when I sign into the NCL web site. I called Casinos at Sea to tell them about the problem. They said they have nothing to do with at as it's a web master thing (DUH!).

 

They wouldn't offer me any advice as to whom to contact to fix this problem.

 

Since I don't want to 'rock the boat', I guess I'll just 'have to' use private excursion companies instead of NCL.

 

Oh well. :)

 

LOL. :) Or just wait a few days -- there are other posts here (here's one -- http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=613130) where folks can SEE their reservations, but not DO anything with them since the weekend "upgrade" to the site. NCL's IT response (lord, will they EVER get it together there?!) is an email saying "yes, it's a problem" but even in their boilerplate reply they didn't include the fairly standard assurance they are working on it. However, I'm reasonably sure they are, just because it would be idiotic not to.

 

I wonder if anyone who works at NCL in IT ever visits other cruise lines' sites? I check CCL and RCCL pretty often (I'm no cheerleader -- give me a great price and a great itinerary, and I'm there), and their search engines, etc. are just lightyears ahead of NCL's. :( Replies on the "five ideas for Colin Veitch" thread a month or so ago were totally consistent on a few things -- and FIX THE WEBSITE was either number 1 or 2!

[Guest BeckyThane]

LOL. :) Or just wait a few days -- there are other posts here (here's oneNCL's IT response (lord, will they EVER get it together there?!) is an email saying "yes, it's a problem" but even in their boilerplate reply they didn't include the fairly standard assurance they are working on it. However, I'm reasonably sure they are, just because it would be idiotic not to.

LOL, Michelle! I'm sure they ~are~ working on it. I'm not quite as quick to leap to thinking that everything NCL does is the result of some malicious corporate cabal as others on this board. Why? Because NCL just hired a new VP of IT ~4-6 weeks ago. You wanna bet his feet are being held to the fire?! :eek:

[CC Help Michell]

LOL, Michelle! I'm sure they ~are~ working on it. I'm not quite as quick to leap to thinking that everything NCL does is the result of some malicious corporate cabal as others on this board. Why? Because NCL just hired a new VP of IT ~4-6 weeks ago. You wanna bet his feet are being held to the fire?! :eek:

 

"Bet?" No -- HOPE? OMG, yes! :)

[A.S.]

Thank You!!!

 

Was able to enter the contest by putting a zero before my #.

 

You guys are great!!!

[pocopelo]

If they can not/ will not honor that special, just wait a bit. Another one will come along with either lower rates or upgrades.

 

I actually plan to change cruis lines. Thanks for the advice!

[pocopelo]

"Bet?" No -- HOPE? OMG, yes! :)

 

 

thanks. I'm beginning to think that I'll choose a different cruise.

[pocopelo]

I had the same frustration with NCL. We have cruised 4 times with Carnival and never had such problems. This was to be our first with NCL. The upgrade was a weekly bonus offer from 8/13 to 8/19 and I called on the 19th. The upgrade was not just within a category, it was from an inside to an outside or an outside to a balcony!! We were going to book two balcony cabins and the systems were down on Sunday. They will not honor their special and I believe NCL is guilty of false advertising and I wonder whether they are in violation of a Consumer Protection Act? Very bad business for NCL as far as I am concerned, as we cruise quite regularly and looks like they are going to lose a lot of business. So they get you all geeked up to pay for an outside and get a balcony cabin at no extra charge, then have a "scheduled maintenance." How convenient. Then you call to try to get them to live up to their advertised special and they want to book you for the balcony and pay for a balcony. Bait and switch?

 

Sorry you experienced the same frustration. I think I'm going to select a different cruise line..So sad because the cruise locations were great. Think we'll go on Carnival.