The other side of the pricing issue

[esp13]

I'm with you! As one of the posters the OP is disagreeing with (price change and incentives were major in my case, nearly $2000 difference for two cabins), I really was only looking for a small token from NCL, but my TA was told "she's paid in full, we aren't doing anything."

Well, it is what it is...but I'll never book early with them again. As in ever.

And for the record, I see all those who agree with OP were cruisers who saw prices go UP after they booked :D

 

Well, yes, that was why the thread had the title of "the other side of the pricing issue." I figured it was only fair to talk about what happens when the price goes up as well as when it goes down. :D

 

But, I have had a price drop and did not receive compensation, although they moved us to a "slightly better" balcony cabin (more midship). I think the price difference was about $300 total, but I didn't get upset when they wouldn't compensate it. That was the risk I took by booking early.

 

I understand that, in your case, the drop is a large amount of money. What I can't quite understand (and I'm being totally sincere here) is how if you are upset at a $2000 price drop, the $100 OBC would make any kind of difference? Is it just because NCL would be making a gesture? Again, I'm not being snarky here, I'm really trying to understand why that little amount would change your opinion so much.

[jean0151]

but in my case I paid top dollar because it is president's week with only a $50 OBC. my price dropped almost $1500 dollars . that's a big deal. I am usally a carnival sailer and they honor this if you book an early saver.

[esp13]

but in my case I paid top dollar because it is president's week with only a $50 OBC. my price dropped almost $1500 dollars . that's a big deal. I am usally a carnival sailer and they honor this if you book an early saver.

 

I don't know Carnival's program, but NCL has never promised to compensate for price drops after final payment. As you can see from various threads and posts others feel upset like you do, but thus far NCL isn't changing it's position.

[Bocadude85]

I don't understand the logic of "if the price drops after final payment NCL should compensate me". You booked a cruise for X amount and were happy to pay that amount. What if the price of your room goes up after final payment? Should NCL be able to cancel your reservation and sell your room to someone else at the higher price?

[swedish weave]

The secret to solving this problem is --- don't book if you don't like the price.

 

After you book ---- don't look back.

 

Ignorance is bliss and you won't be disappointed !!!!

[joeski27]

I don't understand the logic of "if the price drops after final payment NCL should compensate me". You booked a cruise for X amount and were happy to pay that amount. What if the price of your room goes up after final payment? Should NCL be able to cancel your reservation and sell your room to someone else at the higher price?

 

 

As I said in the other threads, I am in agreement with those who say that one should not be compensated for a drop in FARE. The problem that I do have - a separate issue altogether - is when the fare remains the same but the OBC and other incentives are nearly QUADRUPLED after final payment date. In this case the cruise line apparently is trying desperately to fill their cabins (other wise they would not be doing this), but using this strategy they serve up a slap in the face to those of us who were loyal and were early adopters/early purchasers of sailings on their brand-new-but-apparently-hard-to-sell ship (Getaway). THAT is the problem that I have. Otherwise I agree, if a fare goes down, it goes down, nothing you can do about it, and I have zero problem with that. But what we have here is very different, bottom line.

Edited January 24, 2014 by joeski27

[joeski27]

The secret to solving this problem is --- don't book if you don't like the price.

 

After you book ---- don't look back.

 

Ignorance is bliss and you won't be disappointed !!!!

 

Yup, that is one good strategy. But for those who did look back (like me) the best advice I can give is to look at it this way. If you purchased the cruise many months ago at a slightly higher price compared to those getting a deal now, just do what I do: take some joy in the fact that most likely those suckers are probably gonna pay a lot more in airfare now than you did way back then, LOL :D

[johnql]

As I said in the other threads, I am in agreement with those who say that one should not be compensated for a drop in FARE. The problem that I do have - a separate issue altogether - is when the fare remains the same but the OBC and other incentives are nearly QUADRUPLED after final payment date. In this case the cruise line apparently is trying desperately to fill their cabins (other wise they would not be doing this), but using this strategy they serve up a slap in the face to those of us who were loyal and were early adopters/early purchasers of sailings on their brand-new-but-apparently-hard-to-sell ship (Getaway). THAT is the problem that I have. Otherwise I agree, if a fare goes down, it goes down, nothing you can do about it, and I have zero problem with that. But what we have here is very different, bottom line.

There's another problem - most of the promotional bonuses that sparked this debate is from the TA (or TAs) in question, NOT from NCL. I think it's absolutely a lost cause to expect NCL (or any cruiseline, for that matter) to match a third party's promotion.

[swedish weave]

These are not $200. $300 price drops. We are talking $700. $1500 price drops

If NCL wants to keep people returning to them. They should do something.

You are right, they don't have to. But there also other cruise lines out there

 

That what NCL Should be think about. How to fill a 4000 passenger ship when people and TA are not happy with them.. After people read this board, do you think anyone will book early ???

 

A very slight percentage of NCL cruisers will ever know about this, and NCL will not miss the few who move on to other cruise lines. Remember that they handle several thousand cruisers every week and less than 2 percent post on CC. Fewer yet will read this thread.

[johnql]

After people read this board, do you think anyone will book early ???

Yes, people will still book early because price is NOT everything. Different people have different needs. Many people cannot book last-minute vacations due to work/school schedules. In addition to that, many people have specific preferences - time of year, cabin categories, location on ship, etc. - which means that the early bird gets the worm. Everyone needs to weigh their own priorities and needs. If someone can wait until the last minute and they don't care that they're picking over the leftovers, then they can certainly take advantage of last-minute fire sales. I don't believe that's the majority of cruisers but I could be wrong.

 

These types of fire sales have been an industry standard for many years and it doesn't appear to have affected booking trends. Could that change? Sure, but I'm guessing not.

[wayneandwaynetta]

Yes, people will still book early because price is NOT everything. Different people have different needs. Many people cannot book last-minute vacations due to work/school schedules. In addition to that, many people have specific preferences - time of year, cabin categories, location on ship, etc. - which means that the early bird gets the worm. Everyone needs to weigh their own priorities and needs. If someone can wait until the last minute and they don't care that they're picking over the leftovers, then they can certainly take advantage of last-minute fire sales. I don't believe that's the majority of cruisers but I could be wrong.

 

These types of fire sales have been an industry standard for many years and it doesn't appear to have affected booking trends. Could that change? Sure, but I'm guessing not.

 

 

 

Just as an aside: we are booked on the epic transatlantic and was informed by fellow cc that if guaranteed cabins had been booked and final payment not yet paid could get balcony for just 469 dollars. Jumping at the chance we phoned ta only to find out these offers are not for UK citizens! After complaining to NCL to find out whats wrong with us Brits they said its a marketing thing and have given us fifty dollars obc to keep us sweet, still think its wrong!

[KeithJenner]

Just as an aside: we are booked on the epic transatlantic and was informed by fellow cc that if guaranteed cabins had been booked and final payment not yet paid could get balcony for just 469 dollars. Jumping at the chance we phoned ta only to find out these offers are not for UK citizens! After complaining to NCL to find out whats wrong with us Brits they said its a marketing thing and have given us fifty dollars obc to keep us sweet, still think its wrong!

 

 

Yes, we get nothing like they do in the US. After we book, we can't get a price reduction if the price reduces before final payment.

 

However, I knew that before I booked. Take the price I'm happy with and forget it.

 

 

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[KeithJenner]

After people read this board, do you think anyone will book early ???

 

 

Yes. I've read quite a few of these threads and am currently waiting to get some FCCs before booking next years cruises.

 

I have choice of cabins.

 

My schedule is fixed, so I can look at flights, hotels etc and save money by booking them at the best time to get the best deals.

 

I like to know I've got a holiday booked. Seems much more real then.

 

 

Yes, I may end up paying a bit more, but the big price drops generally only come after final payment. It isn't an option for me to book then, due to flights etc, so whatever is charged after that point isn't relevant to me.

 

If I was booking something out of season and didn't care about what cabin I was in, or even whether we couldn't go due to air costs, then I'd wait, but we need to know for sure we are going.

 

 

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[KeithJenner]

Really, you have to look at each cruise and make your decision as to what is best. If it is our out of season then it's likely there will be reductions. If you are restricted to school holidays then you may as well book early.

 

Take the new ships transatlantics as an example. I booked the Breakaway quite early and I believe the price didn't come down much if at all from what I paid, and I heard amounts being discussed that were more than I paid. This was a new ship that had a lot of interest doing a reasonably popular route and was always going to be fairly popular. NCL didn't want the ship full and as I understand it, there were no huge reductions.

 

I didn't plan on doing the Getaway, but wouldn't have booked early if I had planned on it. Similar ship to the Breakaway crossing the Atlantic in January taking 10 days, which makes holiday more of an issue. It has sailed about 1/4 full and there were massive price reductions as was expected.

 

I hope to do the Escape and will book that quite early. Again, a new ship and it will be doing the transatlantic (assuming it does one) at about the same time that the Epic would normally go but won't be in 2015. Weather should be reasonable. I suspect it will sell well, and big price drops will be unlikely.

 

The Breakaway always looks like it has a good chance of price reductions if only because the general prices are so much higher than other NCL ships.

 

 

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