NCL Customer Service-Horrible

While I like NCL's Ships and their overall offering, their customer service is absolutely horrible. I booked Air with them for the first time and had problems from the get go. I sent an email to their Air Dept. and they never got back to me. I sent an email to their Guest Services, and was told they would get back to me in 3 days. It is now day 4 without a response. I called the concierge (that service comes with a suite) and their response was that they couldn't help resolve my issue either. It has been one of the worst customer service experiences I have ever deal with. NOw you may not have any issues with your NCL cruise which I hope is the case. But if you do, beware.

While I like NCL's Ships and their overall offering, their customer service is absolutely horrible. I booked Air with them for the first time and had problems from the get go. I sent an email to their Air Dept. and they never got back to me. I sent an email to their Guest Services, and was told they would get back to me in 3 days. It is now day 4 without a response. I called the concierge (that service comes with a suite) and their response was that they couldn't help resolve my issue either. It has been one of the worst customer service experiences I have ever deal with. NOw you may not have any issues with your NCL cruise which I hope is the case. But if you do, beware.

I have to agree with you there, unfortunately. The customer service is lacking.

I have to agree with you there, unfortunately. The customer service is lacking.

I imagine most of the folks cruising on the Star recently would agree with you!

Having dealt with NCL customer services on a number of occasions, I have always found them to be extremely helpful.

The staff that we deal with in the U.K. are pretty good. Most of those that I have dealt with are fairly knowledgeable about the ships and give fairly reliable information.

However, from reading these boards, it does seem as though there are big issues with the US shore staff. They don't seem to be very responsive and the information they give is so unreliable that it is seems to be best to assume that the opposite of what they say is correct.

We love NCL but I have to admit their phone service is the worst compared to other cruise lines! I cringe every time I need to call them there is always an issue and I usually have to call back twice to get what I want or need!

While I like NCL's Ships and their overall offering, their customer service is absolutely horrible. I booked Air with them for the first time and had problems from the get go. I sent an email to their Air Dept. and they never got back to me. I sent an email to their Guest Services, and was told they would get back to me in 3 days. It is now day 4 without a response. I called the concierge (that service comes with a suite) and their response was that they couldn't help resolve my issue either. It has been one of the worst customer service experiences I have ever deal with. NOw you may not have any issues with your NCL cruise which I hope is the case. But if you do, beware.

I called the NCL number on the vacation website last week to discuss my reservation and airfare. The customer service rep I spoke with flat out told me not to book air with NCL-it was more expensive! He told me to go directly through the airlines or a TA. OK I said!

I hate that you are having troubles. Very frustrating!

Never let a 3rd party control airfare and fight times. It's so simple to do your own and pick the times that work for you.

From what I read; Customer "Service"; bah humbug!! Seems to be lots of complaints about NCL in Miami.

Having dealt with NCL customer services on a number of occasions, I have always found them to be extremely helpful.

Agreed. even times when thought they couldn't do something, they made it happen. Sorry to hear you have not had the same xperience.

Knock on wood but so far I have had nothing but excellent customer service experiences both on the phone and while on board.

In order for us to offer help or sympathy you need to provide us details of the cruise you booked the cruise air with - where is the cruise - what date - what air from where to where.

Here is another thread where the OP provides more details:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=820054

The thing I see in this thread is that they NCL is treating OP is like ever other cruise line handles air. It is always a lose - lose situation for the customer. Cruise lines are not in the business of being air carriers, they buy the least expensive fare that they can find, and often they are highly restricted, which is why they seem to be so reasonably priced.

OP's situation is really not about NCL service it is about lousy flight arrangements that he let MCL make.

I had horrible experiences with them also. They charged me for insurance that I never authorized and then "refunded" it to the card with which my DAUGHTER had paid for an excursion, not either of the cards I paid for our cruise with (which included the insurance). Took a couple of weeks to get to someone who actually refunded the charge to me. If we didn't have extended family coming on the same cruise, I would have canceled the whole thing and changed to a different cruise line. Certainly don't see myself ever cruising with them again.

Here is another thread where the OP provides more details:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=820054

 

The thing I see in this thread is that they NCL is treating OP is like ever other cruise line handles air. It is always a lose - lose situation for the customer. Cruise lines are not in the business of being air carriers, they buy the least expensive fare that they can find, and often they are highly restricted, which is why they seem to be so reasonably priced.

x

OP's situation is really not about NCL service it is about lousy flight arrangements that he let MCL make.

A perfect example of getting what you paid for but not understanding what you bought and then complaining about why it isn't miraculously morphed into what you wanted in the first place.

Some people have unrealistic expectations when seeking to have problems of their own making resolved and ascribe the challenges in doing so to "bad customer service". Go figure.

Having dealt with NCL customer services on a number of occasions, I have always found them to be extremely helpful.

We love NCL but I have to admit their phone service is the worst compared to other cruise lines! I cringe every time I need to call them there is always an issue and I usually have to call back twice to get what I want or need!

After a few occasions of dealing directly with NCL, I've found it easier to let my Travel Agent handle the issues. She has experience.

Having dealt with NCL customer services on a number of occasions, I have always found them to be extremely helpful.

Same here. I have probably contacted customer service a good 10-15 times and never had any trouble.

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> Some people have unrealistic expectations when seeking to have problems of their own making resolved and ascribe the challenges in doing so to "bad customer service".

When a customer doesn't know the right questions to ask (as is true of most if not all new cruisers), and the cruise line (which DOES know that customers are likely to make faulty assumptions) does not provide the information the cruiser doesn't even know to ask for, I do consider that poor customer service. Legal? Probably - at least I don't know of any jurisdiction where that wouldn't be allowed. But not ethical, and (more important) NOT the way to leave a customer happy and likely to tell his/her friends what a great cruise line it is.

No one, no matter how good their research, can know it all. I read Cruise Critic for months before my first cruise, have been reading it again since October, and still am in an unpleasant situation because I didn't know about the can't return to a different U.S. port rule. (Not blaming NCL for not mentioning that, they can't cover every possible situation or you'd be on the phone with them until after the cruise had sailed.) But yeah, not making sure the buyer knows their flight could be indirect and/or at odd times, or (in my case) adding on optional insurance without even asking me, is poor customer service.

I imagine most of the folks cruising on the Star recently would agree with you!

"Abandoned" ship in Melbourne after being towed in. Below water line staff was fine. Those in officer uniforms or suits were terrible. No or conflicting info!! Info sent after the fact, ie times to get shuttles, or excursions. Worst was Hotel Mgr and shore excursion mgr. Replies include: well that's just the way it is; what do you want me to do-- row; you can read the message( from the NCL prez) anyway you want; as well as info about our ports being missed (about half) 3 days of drifting between ports... "freestyle FLOATING" Have never been treated so badly on any cruise line. Miami sent a VP to ship and was put in his place by passengers with facts about the ship's problem history. :mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

Never Again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cruised NCL fours times in two years. We have another cruised booked with NCL in May. I agree that NCL's customer service stinks if you have a complaint. They are competent if you need them to change something or resolve a booking issue, but in those circumstances I already know what will be done and I just need NCL to do it.

Eh, we booked our December cruise with Royal after being treated shabbily by NCL's customer service over a matter that could have been easily resolved with an act of good will on their part. Instead we will redirect our thousands of dollars to Royal. Penny wise and pound foolish.

While I like NCL's Ships and their overall offering, their customer service is absolutely horrible. I booked Air with them for the first time and had problems from the get go. I sent an email to their Air Dept. and they never got back to me. I sent an email to their Guest Services, and was told they would get back to me in 3 days. It is now day 4 without a response. I called the concierge (that service comes with a suite) and their response was that they couldn't help resolve my issue either. It has been one of the worst customer service experiences I have ever deal with. NOw you may not have any issues with your NCL cruise which I hope is the case. But if you do, beware.

The challenge is when people start calling random numbers (guest services, concierge) and get upset when they can't or won't help you. It's like going to the pharmacy at the store and complaining and complaining about bakery. They are just not able to help you. They will just forward you back to the dept who is the only one that can resolve your issue.

You call the concierge to pick your pillows and tea not book airplane tickets.

The challenge is when people start calling random numbers (guest services, concierge) and get upset when they can't or won't help you. It's like going to the pharmacy at the store and complaining and complaining about bakery. They are just not able to help you. They will just forward you back to the dept who is the only one that can resolve your issue.

 

You call the concierge to pick your pillows and tea not book airplane tickets.

Bird - that's the old school "sorry that's not my department" approach. A far superior approach is to empower and reward employees for problem solving. The bottom line should be a positve customer experience - the cruise industry is getting more competitive and better customer service is a no-brainer on product differentiation. Tough nuts works for a monopoly, but fails when there are choices. Look at the cable TV industry. Likewise for the prevalence of warranties in auto sales.

The challenge is when people start calling random numbers (guest services, concierge) and get upset when they can't or won't help you. It's like going to the pharmacy at the store and complaining and complaining about bakery. They are just not able to help you. They will just forward you back to the dept who is the only one that can resolve your issue.

That may be true, but becomes irrelevant when you consider that the reason why the OP tried guest services and the concierge was because they didn't get a response from the correct department.

Then guest services apparently said they would get back and still nothing happened. If they say they are going to do something then they really should do so.

Never let a 3rd party control airfare and fight times. It's so simple to do your own and pick the times that work for you.

totally agree: even when I was a travel agent I hated handling the air: Not only NCL but all lines. The one I had the most trouble with was Princess.

As for customer service with NCL I have dealt with them for years: both good and bad experiences

While I like NCL's Ships and their overall offering, their customer service is absolutely horrible. I booked Air with them for the first time and had problems from the get go. I sent an email to their Air Dept. and they never got back to me. I sent an email to their Guest Services, and was told they would get back to me in 3 days. It is now day 4 without a response. I called the concierge (that service comes with a suite) and their response was that they couldn't help resolve my issue either. It has been one of the worst customer service experiences I have ever deal with. NOw you may not have any issues with your NCL cruise which I hope is the case. But if you do, beware.

I absolutely agree. I'll never cruise with Norwegian again.