Cabin Price Drop

[Real_Raven]

since I've booked , and paid, for my cabin the price ahs dropped $188 per person. What's my next step ? I booked through NCL so do I jus tcall them and get issued a credit? I would hate to think that I'm gettin penalized for booking early.

[Beaver1975]

since I've booked , and paid, for my cabin the price ahs dropped $188 per person. What's my next step ? I booked through NCL so do I jus tcall them and get issued a credit? I would hate to think that I'm gettin penalized for booking early.

 

Were you happy with the price when you booked?

 

Plus it appears as though you are beyond final payment.

[triptolemus]

since I've booked , and paid, for my cabin the price ahs dropped $188 per person. What's my next step ? I booked through NCL so do I jus tcall them and get issued a credit? I would hate to think that I'm gettin penalized for booking early.

 

Call them... Ask politely if there is anything they can do for you...

[roger001]

This is frequently discussed. But it is very common for the cruise lines to begin discounting unsold cabins as the cruise date approaches. And....it is just as common for the prices to instead increase towards cruise date if the ship is selling well. So you get to make that choice. Book early and get the cabin you want or wait and see if prices go down....or wait and have nothing but higher prices and poor cabin choice available. This happens to everyone. It is just the way business markets. NCL owes you nothing. They may give you something as a goodwill gesture if you ask...but don't expect it and don't think you've been wronged if they don't. As I said, this is just the way cabin sales work.

[Real_Raven]

A little Too much coffee Roger? Just asking a question not vilifying the free market system. Thanks for the input.

[time2cruise1]

The one thing you can do is upgrade. Check out the prices of higher categories you may be able to move for little or no additional money.

[roger001]

A little Too much coffee Roger? Just asking a question not vilifying the free market system. Thanks for the input.

 

 

Hey. I didn't know you level of cruise experience. I was sincerely trying to explain how it works so you don't feel bad about it if you don't get anything. But I understand now that you had a complete understanding before asking the question.

[Gngrasso]

A little Too much coffee Roger? Just asking a question not vilifying the free market system. Thanks for the input.

 

Well you did say you were getting "penalized for booking early" when in fact the value offset was better choice of cabin over those who waited.

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[Real_Raven]

This is my first time booking with a Cruise line directly. All of my past cruises have been booked with a cruise Agent, who has retired. She matched the lowest price at sailing. It never went up, it only went down. I was unsure if the cruise lines worked the same way. I thought, wrongly, that since they did not have to pay an Agent, the prices, and the service would be better. Now I know to book with a local Agent that will offer the personal service I was used to. Once again thanks to all for the help.

[Beaver1975]

If your agent was price matching after final payment (which I doubt), they were doing it out of their own pocket.

[garycarla]

If your agent was price matching after final payment (which I doubt), they were doing it out of their own pocket.

 

Or quoted you too high in the first place. Over the last few years, the cruiselines have tightened up the whole pricing thing, in house, and via agents.

 

As to the original post, it did say "penalized for booking early". Nobody is penalized. They book what is available. If the there are cabins left they want to bargain sell, then so be it. Sometimes they raise the prices if the demand is high.

[Sheils65]

Can never hurt to ask and as another poster said (which is a great idea) ask for an upgrade and see what happens. We always book more than 9 months out and sometimes we get a price adjustment sometimes we don't. The only small perk, if you even want to call it that, is that I get double latitude points for booking more than 9 months out. Either way I KNOW I am goin on a cruise!!! :D;)

[garycarla]

.... I get double latitude points for booking more than 9 months out...

 

That means the rest of us get penalized for booking a cruise inside of nine months?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(said with tongue in cheek - I get it)

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[topguy]

I have 2 booked and keep looking for a price reduction. If one comes along, I can call NCL and they will lower the balance that I owe. Unfortunately, both have gone up in price; 1 by $400 and the other by $600. But at the same time, I'm glad that I booked when I did because they won't increase my balance.

If a cruises had been paid in full and the price went down, I've always called and the NCL rep was nice enough to give me some OBC. I don't know if this is standard procedure with NCL. It is with Carnival if you book under Early Saver.

[havoc315]

I've been told that NCL's "policy" is to offer an OBC to make up for a portion of the price drop. So if you call and ask nicely, you should be able to at least get a little bit of OBC. If there is a higher category room for the price that you already paid, you will also be given the choice to upgrade.

[time2cruise1]

I've been told that NCL's "policy" is to offer an OBC to make up for a portion of the price drop. So if you call and ask nicely, you should be able to at least get a little bit of OBC. If there is a higher category room for the price that you already paid, you will also be given the choice to upgrade.

 

Absolutely not their "policy" to offer an OBC. Some have managed to get a small OBC but at least 8 out of ten times the answer will be no. Upgrades a different story, you can always upgrade by paying the difference in what you paid and the current price of the upgrade cabin. If it is the same or less no added cost to do the upgrade. Great time to look for that first penthouse suite for a bargain price difference.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk - Jim

[havoc315]

Absolutely not their "policy" to offer an OBC. Some have managed to get a small OBC but at least 8 out of ten times the answer will be no. Upgrades a different story, you can always upgrade by paying the difference in what you paid and the current price of the upgrade cabin. If it is the same or less no added cost to do the upgrade. Great time to look for that first penthouse suite for a bargain price difference.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk - Jim

 

Well, I was told by the PCC that the "policy" was to offer an upgrade (if available for the same price), or to make up for a percentage of the difference in OBC. So at least once PCC considers this to be the "policy." Perhaps it depends on how far past final payment date you are, or other factors.

[bakerintn]

Just for general info:

 

Our cabin on our next cruise on NCL has gone up 59% since when we booked.

[Medtech2]

Absolutely not their "policy" to offer an OBC. Some have managed to get a small OBC but at least 8 out of ten times the answer will be no. Upgrades a different story, you can always upgrade by paying the difference in what you paid and the current price of the upgrade cabin. If it is the same or less no added cost to do the upgrade. Great time to look for that first penthouse suite for a bargain price difference.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk - Jim

My PCC not only says no to OBC but also says I will lose any perk OBC I have, such as AMEX or HSN if I try to change anything, including upgrading to another cabin.

 

Sigh...he is NOT helpful

[Ilovesailing]

Using the search engine there is at least 20 pages covering this subject, here is the link

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/search.php?searchid=40671079

 

search engine can be your best friend.

[coley2011]

Sometimes after final payment they will indeed upgrade you. Booked a GTY balcony, received exactly what we paid for. Then today (~45 days out) I noticed a price drop. Quick, polite call to NCL asking if there was anything they could do, got upgraded to a mid-ship balcony 2 decks up. Do a dummy booking and look at the category of room that is closest in price (probably lower though) to what you paid. If you could be happy in any room you could possibly be upgraded to, I say call and ask. The worst they can do is say no.

[Out to sea!]

Absolutely not their "policy" to offer an OBC. Some have managed to get a small OBC but at least 8 out of ten times the answer will be no. Upgrades a different story, you can always upgrade by paying the difference in what you paid and the current price of the upgrade cabin. If it is the same or less no added cost to do the upgrade. Great time to look for that first penthouse suite for a bargain price difference.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk - Jim

 

I'm assuming that we're talking about after final payment date. What is the procedure for a price drop prior to final payment date??

[wjb2613]

the cost of my cruise has gone down too. Unfortunately I booked it through an online TA website because at the time it had the cheapest price with the most OBC. Now directly through NCL I could get a higher cabin category for $250 less. I have $100 OBC, the new price comes with $25 OBC. I sent an e-mail to a TA at NCL that I've talked with before and asked if it was possible to upgrade me but I highly doubt it will be possible since it's already fully paid and was paid through an online TA website. However, if they were somehow able to do this for me I'm sure I would lose the $100 OBC which would be replaced by the $25 OBC...but I'd be spending $250 less so it would still be a great deal. If the NCL TA gets back to me I'll let you know what he says.

[4774Papa]

This is my first time booking with a Cruise line directly. All of my past cruises have been booked with a cruise Agent, who has retired. She matched the lowest price at sailing. It never went up, it only went down. I was unsure if the cruise lines worked the same way. I thought, wrongly, that since they did not have to pay an Agent, the prices, and the service would be better. Now I know to book with a local Agent that will offer the personal service I was used to. Once again thanks to all for the help.

We book with the cruise line and get frequent upgrades after final payment. Call your cruise consultant and ask for an upgrade or OBC,

[punkincc]

the cost of my cruise has gone down too. Unfortunately I booked it through an online TA website because at the time it had the cheapest price with the most OBC. Now directly through NCL I could get a higher cabin category for $250 less. I have $100 OBC, the new price comes with $25 OBC. I sent an e-mail to a TA at NCL that I've talked with before and asked if it was possible to upgrade me but I highly doubt it will be possible since it's already fully paid and was paid through an online TA website. However, if they were somehow able to do this for me I'm sure I would lose the $100 OBC which would be replaced by the $25 OBC...but I'd be spending $250 less so it would still be a great deal. If the NCL TA gets back to me I'll let you know what he says.

 

 

You probably will not get a response from the Cruise Consultant at NCL as you booked through a TA. They will refer you back to your TA who "owns" the booking. But, there is no reason your TA cannot call NCL and ask about an upgrade for you. Mine just worked out a great deal for me yesterday in order for me to get extra Latitudes points and have an HSN OBC applied. We did not lose any of the OBC we already had both from NCL and the TA. We have used our big box TA to secure changes and upgrades for us more than once.