You have to be kidding me?

I'm disappointed in NCL and I haven't even cruised yet!

I am but one of the multitude of people who were booked on the Nov 5th Escape sailing only to find out that the ship was chartered and no longer available, basically our cruise was cancelled!

We were given a few options (either book a new date, book another ship or cancel the cruise). With rebooking the same perks we currently received would apply.

As well, for the inconvenience we would also receive a $50OBC (yip that's right 50 bucks!). Lastly, in the notification it stated the following .... "Air fee changes up to $300 p/p would be reimbursed".

Although we felt it was very odd to have our cruise "cancelled" we decided to change the day and arranged for the Nov 10th sailing. We had previously booked our flights (we are flying from NS Canada and flights are not cheap so by booking early you see better prices).

Almost a month ago we sent in our reimbursement receipts via the NCL website for the flight change. The total for the change was $400 CND ($200 p/p) and the flight for 2 people was an extra 78$ ( this represented a flight price increase). In total we requested reimbursement for $478, reasonable you would think ..... Especially since we and were under the $600 cap.

I received an email today saying NCL was only going to reimburse us for the change fee and would not cover the other $78.00 as this portion was due to a price difference. Really?, you are seriously nickel and dining me because the flight was 78$ more then our original ?

I called the guest relations number (the dedicated number for this issue) and I've been on hold again today for another hour (since we were advised of the charter I've been on hold for 3 hours (1 hour each time I called with questions x 3 times). Today I spoke to the CSR in billing. He advised me the reimbursement policy for the flight fee was " an announcement made by their corporate office and that NCL is not responsible for any changes to the price of flights or the cancellations portion". (Reading the script much?) Talk about twisting communication!!!

He told me they were working on my reimbursement and the cheque was processed by him today.

Me: So it's being mailed today?

Him: no m'am our cheques are cut on Wednesdays! Really ? So really my cheque will be ready to be mailed to me in another week.

I asked about just simply adding the credit to my credit card.

Him: nope we can't do that as "our corporate office decided we would only reimburse via cheque".

Me: but I paid with a credit card for my cruise.

Him: we can't credit this circumstance via credit card. " This was a decision made by our corporate office." Ugh!

I then asked to speak with a Supervisor.

Him: m'am they are very busy but you can leave a message.

Me: I would like the number for the director of customer relations please.

Him: m'am I can only connect you and you can leave a message. I've now left a message.... Let's see if I get s call back.

I'm telling myself it's only 78$ but what horrible experience! NCL - you cancelled our cruise, we did not change our flights for any other reason!

end rant! Is anyone else impacted by the cancellation, if so what has your experience been like?

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sorry for all the hassles.

i have no experience with ncl but i have had some success with other companies by calling back and speaking to a different person (at least twice with united airlines).

so my generic suggestion would be to call ncl back, and if the person on the phone can't or won't help you, ask again for a supervisor. good luck!

have you tried tweeting? don't know if it works with Norwegian but it sure does with most airlines.

I know you want a cruise vacay and who wouldn't? However, to those cruisers who can't reschedule or could lose money on airfare wouldn't it be a realistic alternative to just book a hotel on the beach in Florida for a few days? Warm sunny beach isn't so bad. I'm only suggesting this as its a short vacay and at least you get a beach

Fly to the original destination as you already have r/t air booked and paid and just grab a hotel

If it were a 12 day southern Carib cruise or Med cruise different story but this is a short cruise that is why im suggesting this

@ viv0828 tried escalating to a supervisor, no success! Thanks for the suggestion tho !

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This is one reason I always wait until 60 days out to book airfare.

This is one reason I always wait until 60 days out to book airfare.

Glad that works for you, but it's not necessarily a good option for others.

OP: sorry you are going through this. I would call back and ask for another supervisor; as others have said, they are not all the same, and some are far more empathetic and helpful than others.

Sorry for the issues you are having. We are waiting for a refund and it appears to be taking around 8 weeks in many cases (and from what others have been sharing). I'd think they'd want to issue the credit via credit card company as that would reduce their credit card transaction fee by netting against overall charges.

I was just about to book a long cruise for my mother's special birthday - the international flights for which alone exceed $2,800 - NOW I really just don't feel confident in NCL's business practices or professionalism...I don't think I can pull the trigger 🤔

Thanks for opening my eyes!

Be sure that you make notes, take names, record dates of all your correspondence.

If I were you and didn't receive satisfaction I would fry their hide on social media.

Also suggest that you check your "roll call" here on CC to see what others are doing and how they have been treated.

I was just about to book a long cruise for my mother's special birthday - the international flights for which alone exceed $2,800 - NOW I really just don't feel confident in NCL's business practices or professionalism...I don't think I can pull the trigger 🤔

 

Thanks for opening my eyes!

Wouldn't travel insurance cover cancellation by the cruise line?

I think a way round NCL cancelling cruises for 'private' hires taking over the whole ship is to book longer cruises; repositioning cruises; cruises that keep away from Mediterranean or Caribbean!! I also think you would be very unlucky to have a 'big' ship cruise cancelled.

Doesn't help but NCL will do anything to make money!!

This is one reason I always wait until 60 days out to book airfare.

Good luck with getting decent spring break fares 60 days out.

I had one of my Celebrity cruises canceled for this year, so it is not just NCL who will cancel for a charter. Thankfully I had a TA who worked very hard to get me a good deal.

OP, I would write an email and/or letter to NCL Corporate letting them know your experience so far and ask them to reimburse you the $78 for the change in airfare. They might not send you a check, but they might offer you some OBC as a goodwill gesture.

have you tried tweeting? don't know if it works with Norwegian but it sure does with most airlines.

An excellent suggestion as tweeting will "USUALLY" give you a quick and satisfactory response :)

I was just about to book a long cruise for my mother's special birthday - the international flights for which alone exceed $2,800 - NOW I really just don't feel confident in NCL's business practices or professionalism...I don't think I can pull the trigger 🤔

 

Thanks for opening my eyes!

Seriously? All because of one persons post? Get travel insurance. You'll be fine.

Two things to point out about suggestions re: refunds by credit card vs check:

Where I work, we have to give back refunds by check if the original charge related to the refund is more than 90 days old. I'm trying to see if that's a company policy, a requirement of our software, a requirement of our credit card processor, or a requirement of the credit card corporations themselves. Others may have information better than what I have, but it could be something other than just NCL corporate policy (regardless of the script the staff have been given to read).

Also, processing a refund also results in a fee, not a negative fee. There's no credit to fees if you process a refund--they'll still incur a fee, albeit possibly a smaller one.

--Michael

to be honest, i'm actually really impressed that they offered to cover your flight change fees. they do not have to do that, that's completely a goodwill gesture.

that actually really makes me happy to be booked with NCL knowing that they would take care of their passengers like that.

Sorry OP!

For future cruises the decision to charter seems to come at six months or further out. If I'm paying for airfare rather than flying on points, I will always wait until it's less than 6 months out, you still get great deals that far out.

Seriously? All because of one persons post? Get travel insurance. You'll be fine.

Yes, seriously. Still, I do share your enthusiasm for travel insurance - I'm quite the fan with the understanding that the out of pocket cost of the trip may be covered, I'm just not comfortable absorbing the unreasonable risk of losing the extended time. Have you taken a cruise more than 20 nights in length - If so, then you understand the planning, anticipation, and sacrifice of time and energy that goes into it (I'm not a retiree or professional with unlimited vacation & it's a very special milestone for my mother); and, further understand that insurance or reimbursement simply cannot compensate for such.

In any event, I remain grateful for the insight.

Cheers!

I was just about to book a long cruise for my mother's special birthday - the international flights for which alone exceed $2,800 - NOW I really just don't feel confident in NCL's business practices or professionalism...I don't think I can pull the trigger 🤔

 

Thanks for opening my eyes!

Really??? Every company makes business decisions. They are not all out to "get you". Book your birthday cruise and enjoy yourself.

Sorry about your situation. I would call back and see if they can offer you extra obc, perhaps pay the gratuity on a beverage or dining package? This would be a really nice gesture on their part to make you whole. I understand that it's more about the principal and I hope they can bend a little for you. I would explain that you're not feeling great about them, especially after these extreme hold times when you call. Tell them you want to get back to feeling good about your upcoming trip and this is how they can make that happen.

I had a Haven suite booked for Europe. NCL canceled it last August and the only option was to sail a year earlier for price protect. They redeployed 1/3 of their fleet in one day. Talk about hold times! I wasn't able to get price protect because I couldn't move my cruise up an entire year. The price was incredible. $4700 for haven spa 11 nights with $200 obc, UDP (no longer offered), 250 internet, UBP and prepaid DSC. The replacement cruise, similar time frame, cost about the same for an inside stateroom on the two week Jade sailing. I eventually got somebody of authority to give me a slight bone and she told me I could call her closer to sailing to see if she can do anything about an up sell. That made me feel better that eventually someone said they would do something other than a scripted big fat no.

I hope you enjoy your cruise and can get back to the joys of planning. If it's any help, all cruise lines charter ships. According to their contracts they don't need to give you anything but your money back. But Most will do something to make the customer happy. $50 obc doesn't scream we are sorry and want to make it right. Good luck.

I forgot t add; most airlines will give you a future credit if the airfare drops. Check and see if your airline does this and then put your flight on a Google flight watch. If the fares go down you can call airline and get the credit. Around 60 days out they usually drop.

Seriously? All because of one persons post? Get travel insurance. You'll be fine.

Not likely in this circumstance as the cruise line offered a refund.

It depends on the actual policy, but most travel insurance only covers the original purchase cost less any compensation offered by the carrier. (Prorated if the journey has commenced.)

It would not surprise me to learn that those who elected to book a different cruise have to buy a second policy to cover the new cruise.

to be honest, i'm actually really impressed that they offered to cover your flight change fees. they do not have to do that, that's completely a goodwill gesture.

that actually really makes me happy to be booked with NCL knowing that they would take care of their passengers like that.

The cancellation was totally on NCL. It's really the least they can do and pretty standard across the industry. It doesn't really give me good fuzzy feelings though.