Norwegian Jade oversold! We were bumped 2 weeks out from sailing!

[dejanewkath]

That's what drives me crazy, we didn't book our original cruise last minute. It's just our replacement cruise is last minute because we have so few times of the year we can go on vacation. I just thought they could gives us shipboard credit, spa certificates, anything, really! I'm going to keep asking every step of the way. All they can say is no.

I was told by a friend when dealing with customer service issues to try & do it in writing, not by phone. When there is a paper trail, sometimes you can get further.

[sdmike]

Something isn't adding up here

 

If you read the rest of the thread they corrected it.

[sdmike]

My folks got bumped off a Princess cruise a few years back. They're retired, so changing dates wasn't an issue. Princess refunded all their money and gave them the replacement cruise for free as well. Trip insurance covered the change in airline costs.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

I'm sorry that this happend to you. I'd be upset as well, but this does happen on occasion. I have been a member here for a while and there was a time when it happened quite often with Carnival, but lately I have not read about anyone being bumped. You are the first in a long time. :(

 

One thing I know (and I am going to take this into consideration when booking) is NCL is gettign very busy lately. I was on the phone with a PCC end of last week who told me that it seems they are super busy, filling ships like crazy and he told me it was a lot of people new to NCL coming over from CCL. He thinks their mishaps of late have been to NCL's benefit. I told him it was more than their mishaps. People are jumping ship over there because their product has deteriorated a bit....

Then I spoke with a TA (I'm trying to organize a group cruise, hence all these conversations with agents) and she told me the same thing...She has been booking so many more NCL cruises than usual and she had no idea why. She is happy though :)

 

NCL is becoming popular...and they do not have the number of ships other lines have My advice is to book in advance when possible. Not just because of fear of being bumped, but also pricing. My last NCL cruise a few weeks ago on the Sun, was sold out 3 months in advance. A few cabins opened up after final payment and those then sold too, but basically the ship was full EARLY. Prices do not go down when sailings are booking. Try to plan ahead....and if you plan 9 months ahead you get the added bonus of extra points.

 

Are you saying that booking 5 months before the cruise isn't considered in advance? :confused:

 

Like you said CCL hasn't bumped anybody in a long time. The last time i remember that happening is when the Pride started cruising from Baltimore, MD.

 

On the other hand Princess is notorious for overbooking but they go about bumping people in a lot nicer way.

 

They just keep calling people and upping the ante until they get the people they need to cancel.

 

Bill

[kikki21]

So sorry this happened to the OP but really glad that you've managed to sort an alternative!

Personally I don't think they have offered you enough compensation at £165 pp so I would definitely push for more!

 

I am on that Jade sailing and if they had phoned me to cancel, I would be going sky high! :eek:

That Jade sailing appears to have been sold out for ages though as they did a 2 day special offer and the prices in the UK were very, very low so we took advantage and booked the cruise.

 

What was the stateroom number that you booked? I wonder if more people have been contacted on that cruise to be bumped?? :confused:

[rvsullivan]

NCL did phone us and made us an offer yesterday! After doing research I phoned them back to say we didn't want the offer and they basically told me too bad and didn't even bother to sweeten the offer at all. In the end we getting around 1400 GBP back if you count the 50% discount and paying 165 GBP in out of pocket expenses. In my opinion that is not enough. I feel completely ripped off. In the end it will cost them a lot more.

 

They have lost my business, any future business from my friends and family and I hope from others who read this post.

 

I'm still trying to understand this! You say your getting 1400 GBP back and paying 165 out? Is not 1400 a significant amount or am I not understanding the value of GBP? If you are getting a cruise and 1400 sounds like that's not too bad of a deal?

[terrydtx]

Thank you everyone for allowing me to vent my frustations. As I have had more time to think about it my anger is starting to fade. I am still disappointed and frustrated that this happened but errors do happen. We are lucky that we are able to switch our cruise and get a bit of a discount.

 

In the end we are going to be on a fabulous ship and get to visit some new places and make many wonderful memories with our family.

 

Its the quality time with family that counts.

 

I recently read a CC review of the Spirit and the same itinerary as your cruise and it sounded like a fantastic ship and cruise. In fact it has my DW and I looking at this same cruise next year instead of the Jade as we have done the Western Med twice already.

[terrydtx]

Like you said CCL hasn't bumped anybody in a long time. The last time i remember that happening is when the Pride started cruising from Baltimore, MD.l

 

Unless you were booked on the CCL Triumph for March and April!!:eek: At least NCL hasn't had any recent engine fires, failures or groundings on an island.:D

[halos]

I see you have left Maine.Spirit Repo Oct. 2007

Yes...moved out in October.

That Spirit 2007 cruise was my first on NCL and totally unforgettable!!

[jdvmd]

Sorry this happened to you, OP. Question for you however: You stated that you were so turned off by NCL and their business practices and how they wouldn't sweeten the offer when they called again. If you were so turned off, why in the world would you book the Spirit then? I am sure there are other cruises you could go on.

We were on an oversold situation once on Holland America but they called asking if we could move to the following sailing and would put us in a suite with onboard credit. Couldn't do it because of husband's work schedule.

[halos]

Are you saying that booking 5 months before the cruise isn't considered in advance? :confused:

 

 

 

Bill

LOL. I guess it depends on your perspective. To me, that's last minute...but that was not the point of my suggestion.

Booking 5 months out isn't going to give you the good rate that booking over 18 months out will. NCL ships have been selling OUT and I am not even talking about during peak season. I always book early and I sit and watch the fares go up and always thank heaven that I did book that far out.

I'm currently going to book 2 cruises. One for Feb 2014 and one for Feb 2015. The Feb 3 cruise on the SUN for 2014 is going to cost more than the Feb 2 2015 cruise on the Pearl...same number of days. Plus the 2015 cruise comes with $50 more OBC.

I should have booked that 2014 cruise months ago....the rates were a good bit lower.

[BobTheCruiser]

NCL in the UK considers 1 month early booking.

You can still get early booking OBC for April cruise till the end of march.

 

http://www.ncl.co.uk/offers/spectacular/terms-and-conditions/

 

It is not true that prices go up.

 

I have seen great reduction on the Jade and Dawn cruises

[sarar]

Hi Everyone,

 

I'm just wondering if anyone else has experienced this appallling customer service from NCL? We were about to set sail on the Norwegian Jade on March 27 and we got a phone call today saying they have oversold our rooms and been forced to cancel our booking!!! We booked in January and have paid in full. I can't believe we have been treated this way! They offered us a refund on the current cruise, paying out of pocket expenses up to 165 GBP per person and 50% off another cruise. We have no choice in the matter we have to take it as they have cancelled our booking! I find it hard to believe they didn't realize their mistake until now!

 

We have rebooked on the Norwegian Spirit sailing March 30th out of Barcelona and most of our extra costs will be covered but the hassle we are going through to cancel hotel rooms, book new flights, cancel private shore excursions is a crazy. Not to mention we are sailing on a cruise that was definitely not our first choice. Our rooms aren't really even upgraded because this cruise is already selling out! I guess you could say that is our fault for choosing a cruise that is only 2 weeks away from sailing but we have limited times we are available and we promised our three kids we would take them on a cruise!

 

When I asked about shipboard credit I was told no! They couldn't even offer me a better discount? I have to say this will be last time I deal with NCL and I will make sure as many people as I can know about their poor customer service!:mad:

 

This is shocking customer service, glad we don't treat our guests like this. I am sure they had a better room they could've upgraded you to complimentary (garden suite or similar) without them cancelling your booking altogether, saving you the hassle of rearranging your plans, sounds like they just didn't want to!

[BMT]

You'll love the spirit! It is our favorite ship of all. Wish they would bring her back to the u.s.

 

Absolutely NOT - she stays in Europe - I hope!!!:D:D

 

Their customer service is appalling in the UK. Terrible attitude.

 

However, the staff on the Spirit are excellent - we are used to glitzy ships - but consider the Spirit very comfortable.

[H&J]

I have to wonder if the apologists for the various cruise lines who post on Cruise Critic are just corporate shills.

[Don Haynes]

I have to wonder if the apologists for the various cruise lines who post on Cruise Critic are just corporate shills.

 

Actually some of us are small business persons. While it is best to keep the customer happy, doing so doesn't necessarily mean one has to fund a free cruise or hotel room. Most folks are happy with some compensation for their troubles. The OP won't be the last person bumped. No one stays in business long with the idea the customer is always right. Sometimes they aren't. Why do some folks who suggest apologists are corporate shills take the attitude the customer is always right?

[Starry Eyes]

One rarely hears about such cancellations. I have heard of Princess making people excellent offers to reschedule if Princess overbooks. I recall one such story on a Royal Caribbean cruise. On the HAL boards, the occasional reports of such cancellations are believed to be interline bookings. OP, was this an, by chance, interline booking?

In any case, I am sorry it happened and hope you enjoy the new cruise.

[FLAHAM]

Actually some of us are small business persons. While it is best to keep the customer happy, doing so doesn't necessarily mean one has to fund a free cruise or hotel room. Most folks are happy with some compensation for their troubles. The OP won't be the last person bumped. No one stays in business long with the idea the customer is always right. Sometimes they aren't. Why do some folks who suggest apologists are corporate shills take the attitude the customer is always right?

 

This particular customer was treated miserably by NCL.

[H&J]

Mr. Haynes, I didn't say or imply the customer was always right. I too am a small business owner and view honoring a contract, particularly where someone has pre-paid for goods or services as part and parcel to commerce. That is my particular belief. If the information provided by the original poster is complete and correct, the cruise line apparently doesn't share this belief.

 

There are times when the customer is not always right; I loath it when they lie and do all that I can to dissuade repeat business. I prefer the competition deal with them. By the way, are you involved in the cruise industry?

[debnjoe1438]

Thank you everyone for allowing me to vent my frustations. As I have had more time to think about it my anger is starting to fade. I am still disappointed and frustrated that this happened but errors do happen. We are lucky that we are able to switch our cruise and get a bit of a discount.

 

In the end we are going to be on a fabulous ship and get to visit some new places and make many wonderful memories with our family.

 

Its the quality time with family that counts.

 

Some believe everything happens for a reason...(not that it would make me feel better). However there could very well be a silver lining under the cloud.

[billie5]

I have to wonder if the apologists for the various cruise lines who post on Cruise Critic are just corporate shills.

 

Or have a different opinion on the subject than you do.

 

But I am disappointed. You missed the chance to refer to them as cheerleaders.:eek:

[unboringuy]

Actually some of us are small business persons. While it is best to keep the customer happy, doing so doesn't necessarily mean one has to fund a free cruise or hotel room. Most folks are happy with some compensation for their troubles. The OP won't be the last person bumped. No one stays in business long with the idea the customer is always right. Sometimes they aren't. Why do some folks who suggest apologists are corporate shills take the attitude the customer is always right?

 

I will admit that I have not checked the contract, but unless it permits the carrier to cancel your reservation for any reason it feels like, then involuntary bumping would constitute a breach of contract by the carrier. Even if the contract does give them that latitude, it could be void as against public policy.

[ttnc4me]

That Jade sailing appears to have been sold out for ages though as they did a 2 day special offer and the prices in the UK were very, very low so we took advantage and booked the cruise.

Can someone in the U.S. book on ncl.uk and vice versa?

The prices for our Med cruise haven't changed at all since we booked a year ago, while other lines' have decreased significantly. Something just doesn't seem right.

 

So sorry for the OP. I'd be ticked too. You'd think GTY res would be the first to go since they likely didn't have an assigned room anyway.:confused: OR, keep calling until they find an agreeable guest. With 1k+ surely they'd be able to find someone without upsetting others.

[insidecabin]

Can someone in the U.S. book on ncl.uk and vice versa?

The prices for our Med cruise haven't changed at all since we booked a year ago, while other lines' have decreased significantly. Something just doesn't seem right.

NCL europe cruise prices were quite good on many trips and in the UK they have been doing OBC promotions, other lines priced very high this year hence are discounting)

 

So sorry for the OP. I'd be ticked too. You'd think GTY res would be the first to go since they likely didn't have an assigned room anyway.:confused: OR, keep calling until they find an agreeable guest. With 1k+ surely they'd be able to find someone without upsetting others.

 

UK/EU people booking NCL US is fine either diret or through US TA,

 

Some trips the UK prices are lower eg Breakaway TA

 

US booking on UK/EU direct should just work, booking through a TA may have issues since ABTA/ATOL may be an issue this would need clarification from someone that has tried.

[kikki21]

I booked directly through NCL as I got a special offer email from them, I don't want to say how much the cruise was per person because I think some people might get upset, I had to blink a few times and then again and when I went on line to book it, the price was even better!

Clearly, those sailings on the Jade and the Spirit were NOT selling and they needed to do something to bump up sales!

 

Can someone in the U.S. book on ncl.uk and vice versa?

The prices for our Med cruise haven't changed at all since we booked a year ago, while other lines' have decreased significantly. Something just doesn't seem right.

 

So sorry for the OP. I'd be ticked too. You'd think GTY res would be the first to go since they likely didn't have an assigned room anyway.:confused: OR, keep calling until they find an agreeable guest. With 1k+ surely they'd be able to find someone without upsetting others.