Taken for a cruise...

[orangeh3]

Taking bets on the side as to

1. how long this thread will last.

2. the OP is laughing his/her bottom off

3. before it ends everyone will have their opinion on what the OP meant.

 

my button shows red? Why??

[mbisson]

I didn't know that. That could ruin some of my fun.:(

 

Did you notice that the OP just "logged off"? ROTFL!

[mbisson]

my button shows red? Why??

 

It doesn't to the rest of us.

 

EDIT---Hey-you just changed your settings. Now we can all see you!

[ezayas]

The facts are that my reservation was made thru NCL directly and paid fully on MArch 8th and now they have lower quote for the same catagory "BA" cabin. The diference is $340.00. I thought that by making my reservation directly thru NCL that i would not have this type of issue.

[garycarla]

Somebody will come along and say we/I am being unfairly critical of this person.

 

But,............................................. I don't care!

 

I think they are just an unhappy person. Period. Or maybe, just maybe, they are nothing more than a troll trying to stir up things.

[ezayas]

That is correct. The reservation was made dirrectly thru NCL

[orangeh3]

The facts are that my reservation was made thru NCL directly and paid fully on MArch 8th and now they have lower quote for the same catagory "BA" cabin. The diference is $340.00. I thought that by making my reservation directly thru NCL that i would not have this type of issue.

 

When the cruise draws closer, NCL tries to fill all cabins. Many times they lower the price for new booking to fill the ship. That is what you have gotten caught in. You can call again and ask for an onboard credit which they might give you.

A question in reverse for you. If NCL had raised the cost $350 dollars, and called you and said it will cost you another $350 to cruise with us, what would you reaction have been?

[orangeh3]

It doesn't to the rest of us.

 

EDIT---Hey-you just changed your settings. Now we can all see you!

 

 

But now I am back. :D

[mbisson]

The facts are that my reservation was made thru NCL directly and paid fully on MArch 8th and now they have lower quote for the same catagory "BA" cabin. The diference is $340.00. I thought that by making my reservation directly thru NCL that i would not have this type of issue.

 

Since you booked after the normal "final payment" date, it wouldn't surprise me if you discover than many paid more than you did (even if they booked thru NCL)

[pugaddict]

if the final payment isn't made yet, can you cancel and rebook to a bigger cabin at a lower price?

[CruisnGram]

I'd love for the OP to answer the question that has been asked several times. Maybe he missed it so I will post again.

 

OP; please answer:

 

If the price had gone up since you booked your cruise, would it have been acceptable to you if NCL had raised the price of your cruise?

[orangeh3]

Have fun playing in the dark. :eek: Adios!

[mbisson]

But now I am back. :D

 

But now it looks like you're not! ;)

[garycarla]

The facts are that my reservation was made thru NCL directly and paid fully on MArch 8th and now they have lower quote for the same catagory "BA" cabin. The diference is $340.00. I thought that by making my reservation directly thru NCL that i would not have this type of issue.

 

thank you for coming back an explaining.

 

The "issue" would be the same with a Travel Agent or with NCL. Once it is paid, the contract is sealed. Done. Over. If the are closer to sold out and raise prices, they do not raise yours.

 

If they want to do a clearance sail on the last few cabins, they have every business right to do that. It makes no financial sense to lower the price for everyone that calls. And, if you dealt with the customer service people at NCL like your posting here, I guess it makes sense that it was not fully explained, unless of course it was.

 

There were a few good postings that explained this above before it got off track.

 

Some of us are trying to understand why you felt you were overcharged? Did NCL not charge you exactly as you AGREED?

[ezayas]

I will have to disagree. Is one thing if they sale the empty cabins at a discount to Travel Agencies but some that buys directly from the source does not have to paid more. The same apply for Car Rental Hotels.

[newmexicoNita]

I bet NCL feels so sorry for him that eventually they will give him another cruise (no charge) and send him a case of wine. Poor baby...Don't ya wonder where these people come from and what planet they call home.I would guess we will never be lucky enough to hear from him again, nor will he hear from NCL or the BBB for that matter.

 

Nita

[Toyz711]

unless you are going to watch the prices every day and wait, maybe, until the last minute...this can and does happen. even then, getting last minute flights will eat-up any savings on price drops.

it does go the other way, to alaska, by SIL booked last minute, she paid as much for her inside as i did more our balcony.

everyone pays different prices, some get OBC from their TA, some get coupon books (from TA), gamblers are booking through the casinos at sea...some are getting discounts.

some TAs discount (due to have a block of rooms pre-booked and giving group prices). some people get amazing deals on upsells to better cabins, some get free upgrades.

there are a bunch of different prices/options out there. for every price i pay, some paid less and many paid more...just the nature of the business.

i hope by now, you realize you were not cheated...you just ran into something you didn't understand and let it get you too upset.

[CruisnGram]

Look at it this way.

 

Your cruise sails in a few weeks. I'm sure there are empty cabins on the ship. And NCL wants to fill them, so they are offering a big sale. Certainly you can undertand why they do that. Empty cabins make zero revenue. Discounting them heavily encourages poeple to book and those people spend money while on board. So even if they are making zero money on the cabin, they will make money at bars, on excursions, etc.

 

Some people will be able to take advantage of that sale, but in order to do that, they will have some disadvantages that you didn't have when you reserved.

 

1) Limited choice of cabins

 

2) Much higher airfares if they are flying to the port.

 

3) Getting vacation time at the very last minute.

 

4) Paying for the entire cruise at the time they book.

 

If NCL offers these low prices for last minute bookings, and does what you want them to do........refund money to those who booked much earlier, how can they afford to do that? They'd have an entire ship sailing as bargain basement prices. Exactly how long do you think they'd stay in business?

 

It's simply unreasonable to expect. You had the advantage of planning your trip, getting lower airfare, etc. and you paid a little more for that luxury. I simply don't get why you don't understand that.

[ute_fan]

Have you ever asked your fellow airline passengers what they paid for a seat? Chances are, it's not the same thing you paid. I have a nephew who used to work for Jet Blue, and his job was to price the airline seats based on their projected occupancy for that particular flight, combined with other expenses like fuel. With several of the booking sites, you will find a comment about "3 seats" left at XXX price. Once those are sold, the pricing goes up.

 

The same kind of pricing applies for cruise cabins. If the ship is projected to be full, the price will go up. If they can tell that a particular sailing is going to have empty cabins, they reduce the price of those cabins, but they're not going to offer refunds to prior passengers. Plain and simple, it's the law of supply and demand at work.

[Paul_76]

Here’s a strategy that has worked for us on a couple of cruises. So, I thought I’d share it:

 

We pick the most desirable cruise line, ship, and itinerary based on our preferences and the minimum cabin type/location required to “make us happy.” Assuming this results in a cabin below our budget (which it often does), I monitor the cruise’s pricing prior to (and sometimes after) the final payment date to look for discounts on upgraded staterooms. If we find something that seems to represent good value for money, we might splurge for the upgrade. However, if prices rise we’re happy to have locked in an acceptable room at a decent early booking rate.

 

Here’s a recent example:

 

We booked the 14-night NCL Jade (June 13) sailing for about $1450/pp (JJ, inside cabin) back in November. I then upgraded us to a BD (balcony) cabin for $1799/pp in late March and then again today to a BA (aft balcony) cabin for $1899/pp. With the increase in insurance premiums, we added about $1000 to the total cost of the trip. However, I think it was good value for money. And, I can happily live with any further price drops, as they would likely be less dramatic (aside from really last minute declines, which are untenable for us from a vacation planning standpoint anyway) and might even present another opportunity to upgrade (mini-suite, anyone?). :)

 

I’m sure our strategy this isn’t “news” to most of you. But, I think it underscores the fact that as cruise passengers we have the ability (and obligation really) to be smart and informed consumers. When we fail to do so, we shouldn’t blame the cruise line.

[muwarr90]

I will have to disagree. Is one thing if they sale the empty cabins at a discount to Travel Agencies but some that buys directly from the source does not have to paid more. The same apply for Car Rental Hotels.

 

 

I'm sorry, but it just doesn't always work that way.

 

Airplane tickets are a great example. The prices for the same flight change on an almost daily basis. The person sitting next to you on the plane may have paid twice what you did, or they may have paid half what you did. You get the fare that existed at the time you bought the ticket. You can wait till the last minute, and hope it goes down, but then again, it might go up instead. You just have to decide when you think the price is right for you.

[mbisson]

if the final payment isn't made yet, can you cancel and rebook to a bigger cabin at a lower price?

 

Usually you can. From time to time though, they will have special sales that are for new bookings only (yes, sometimes this happens before final payment). When that happens, there is a chance that their computer might recognize you and not allow the lower rate.

 

Normally though, outside of the final payment date, you don't need to cancel & rebook. I've done it before (I'm sure many have) and they just adjust the payment and booking details. This is my preferred way in that I don't have to pay another deposit and wait for a refund on the first deposit

[sun~]

I will have to disagree. Is one thing if they sale the empty cabins at a discount to Travel Agencies but some that buys directly from the source does not have to paid more. The same apply for Car Rental Hotels.

 

Unfortunately that is not the case. After you have paid the final payment it is too bad so sad. If you read your contract it is clearly stated.

 

What I would suggest the next time you book a cruise, use a travel agent. They will clearly explain the rules and regulations regarding bookings. I have found in the past that TA can offer better deals than the cruise line. In the cruise industry prices go up and down frequently and a good TA who works with many cruise lines can tell you how it all works.

 

I hope that helps.

[garycarla]

I will have to disagree. Is one thing if they sale the empty cabins at a discount to Travel Agencies but some that buys directly from the source does not have to paid more. The same apply for Car Rental Hotels.

 

Something you need to understand is that Travel Agencies do not BUY rooms and then sell them, at least at this point in the process. If you were to call a TA for that cruise today, they just act as a middleman and book it for you. It is not like a wholesale business for "stuff". You are still buying it from NCL, with the TA doing the paperwork and getting a commission. Travel agencies do not get "stuck" with cabins. NCL could and that is why they are running a sale.

 

Not sure why we are trying to explain this to you. You are sure you were taken for a cruise, even though YOU agreed to the price a few weeks ago.

[SakeDad]

Not sure why we are trying to explain this to you. You are sure you were taken for a cruise, even though YOU agreed to the price a few weeks ago.

Agreed. This person clearly does not understand the travel industry. To say that hotels or car rentals don't change their prices on a whim is uneducated at best. I have stayed in 5 star hotels fo $75 while the same room next door has gone fo $500! That's the biz!