Very very upset with NCL

[geegee1]

Let me preface this by saying that up until 30 minutes ago NCL was basically the only cruise line I would consider cruising with.

Just got a call from the company we booked the cruise with that NCL can not honor our Mini-Suite Midship guarantee and will be moving us to a balcony instead. They tried to make it seem like a good deal because they were going to give us $500 discount. I told the TA that this was not acceptable. We booked what we booked because we wanted a MS. He said he's going to call them back. If they do not rectify this I will be extremely upset.

Has this ever happened to anyone else?

[disfan13]

If you book a GTY you are guaranteed that category or higher. Not sure what's going on there. But on another note - the $500 OBC would entice me.

[geegee1]

If you book a GTY you are guaranteed that category or higher. Not sure what's going on there. But on another note - the $500 OBC would entice me.

 

OBC is not an enticement for us. Already booked UDP. For us there is no upside to this. We booked what we booked. Now honor it!!!

[puddles99]

This sounds like a Travel Agent issue, not NCL. When you book a guarantee, NCL gives you the level you booked or better. The Travel Agent must have either booked the wrong level (not what they communicated to you) or made some other mistake. I'd take a close look at the fine print with the TA to figure out the issue. Good luck!

[sdmike]

I guess I would be pissed because you would expect "Guaranty" to mean you were guaranteed that room or better. However, I suspect it's like the airlines in that they overbook in some categories to help ensure full ships, and then use the GTY category as the buffer that they can move around. I suspect that 99% of the time this means that GTY gets their category or an upgrade, but in the rare case this happens.

 

Some will chastise the OP saying that "if you wanted a certain room, book the darned thing and don't mess with GTY", or "I would never use a GTY for that reason", but since the "guarantee" is for that class or better the OP is reasonable to expect that room or better.

 

By the way, OP, I'd be upset, but saving $500 is good too. A mini-suite doesn't really give you much except if you have 4 people sailing a Jewel class ship. I think a balcony room is totally unworkable in that situation. For Epic, BA or GA, it's just about 6 foot more of room length

[Medtech2]

Let me preface this by saying that up until 30 minutes ago NCL was basically the only cruise line I would consider cruising with.

Just got a call from the company we booked the cruise with that NCL can not honor our Mini-Suite Midship guarantee and will be moving us to a balcony instead. They tried to make it seem like a good deal because they were going to give us $500 discount. I told the TA that this was not acceptable. We booked what we booked because we wanted a MS. He said he's going to call them back. If they do not rectify this I will be extremely upset.

Has this ever happened to anyone else?

Sounds like the company you booked with made a promise they couldn't keep. They are the ones who sold you the guarantee as a midship mini. As far as I can tell on NCL you can book a guarantee but not specify "midship". I would hold them responsible, not NCL...

[DinaS]

OBC is not an enticement for us. Already booked UDP. For us there is no upside to this. We booked what we booked. Now honor it!!!

 

When you booked your cruise with the mini suite guarantee, did you actually check your reservation on the NCL website, or did you just assume your TA made the correct reservation?

 

Also - there is no such thing as a mini suite mid-ship guarantee. The only guarantees are the cabin, not the location, unless you booked an actual category (not a "guarantee").

[LrgPizza]

This sounds like a Travel Agent issue, not NCL. When you book a guarantee, NCL gives you the level you booked or better. The Travel Agent must have either booked the wrong level (not what they communicated to you) or made some other mistake. I'd take a close look at the fine print with the TA to figure out the issue. Good luck!

 

Sounds like the company you booked with made a promise they couldn't keep. They are the ones who sold you the guarantee as a midship mini. As far as I can tell on NCL you can book a guarantee but not specify "midship". I would hold them responsible, not NCL...

 

That was my thinking, too. How long ago did you book, OP? It totally sounds like the travel agent sold you something that ended up not being available by NCL.

[geegee1]

When you booked your cruise with the mini suite guarantee, did you actually check your reservation on the NCL website, or did you just assume your TA made the correct reservation?

 

Also - there is no such thing as a mini suite mid-ship guarantee. The only guarantees are the cabin, not the location, unless you booked an actual category (not a "guarantee").

 

When I logged onto NCL yesterday and everyday since we booked in late January all of my info said Mini Suite GTE.

[DinaS]

When I logged onto NCL yesterday and everyday since we booked in late January all of my info said Mini Suite GTE.

 

Then I would say it's an NCL issue. If your TA can't do anything for you (and I would find that very hard to swallow), I would write a very strong letter to NCL. (Someone posted a direct email address for someone high-up at NCL - hopefully you can find it here.)

 

Please let us know what happens.

[pex]

A guarantee cabin is a guarantee cabin. I wouldn't get upset. They will figure out what to do. I assume all the suites are not booked, yes?

[geegee1]

A guarantee cabin is a guarantee cabin. I wouldn't get upset. They will figure out what to do. I assume all the suites are not booked, yes?

 

It's a fully booked cruise. When we booked there were no more Haven suites available

[JohnIreland]

 

Also - there is no such thing as a mini suite mid-ship guarantee. The only guarantees are the cabin, not the location, unless you booked an actual category (not a "guarantee").

 

 

An "MA GTY" would be on the Jewel class ships.

 

The only legit move from that would a full suite.

[Demonyte]

Sounds like the company you booked with made a promise they couldn't keep. They are the ones who sold you the guarantee as a midship mini. As far as I can tell on NCL you can book a guarantee but not specify "midship". I would hold them responsible, not NCL...

 

Also - there is no such thing as a mini suite mid-ship guarantee. The only guarantees are the cabin, not the location, unless you booked an actual category (not a "guarantee").

 

Yes, NCL does sell occasionally GTYs to specific categories when they have just sold out the category and are expecting to get cancellations to accommodate the extra bookings - it's all statistics of how the people will behave usually. I've booked GTY like that once.

Edited February 14, 2014 by Demonyte

[geegee1]

The TA spoke with NCL. NCL said that they ran out of 4 person Mini Suites. And that the BA balcony is only 40 sq ft smaller than the MB Mini. They said that they will move me back to GTY and see what happens when they move other people around. My e-docs now say GTY and my reservation page says MB GTY. We shall see what happens now. The TA did mention that it might take them until checking in at the pier to get a room. This should be a fun 2 days

[sdmike]

The TA spoke with NCL. NCL said that they ran out of 4 person Mini Suites. And that the BA balcony is only 40 sq ft smaller than the MB Mini. They said that they will move me back to GTY and see what happens when they move other people around. My e-docs now say GTY and my reservation page says MB GTY. We shall see what happens now. The TA did mention that it might take them until checking in at the pier to get a room. This should be a fun 2 days

 

I agree. There's not much of a difference. It's just a little smaller. For two people probably not a big deal. I wouldn't sweat it. You'll either end up with an upgrade, the room you want, or $500. All are wins IMO

[geegee1]

I agree. There's not much of a difference. It's just a little smaller. For two people probably not a big deal. I wouldn't sweat it. You'll either end up with an upgrade, the room you want, or $500. All are wins IMO

 

But there are 4 of us. Me, wife, and our 2 kids

[sdmike]

But there are 4 of us. Me, wife, and our 2 kids

 

I'd be really concerned if this was the Jewel because I don't like the balcony setup for 4 people. On the Epic and BA/GA it's not bad. The couch sleeps one person, and you have a 4th bed pulling down from the ceiling. The "cramped" feel is only at night when the bed is down, and it's more of an issue of room width and not length. The mini is just longer, but you will still be the same width as a balcony room. Yeah, I get that more room is better with more folks, but we had 4 of us in an Epic balcony and while cramped with the bed down (and the couch pulled out for sleeping), it was very workable. I wouldn't pay the extra money for a 5 foot longer room. I can get a nice watch for $500. ;)

[sdmike]

I guess my point is, that 40 extra square feet (extra 5 foot of room length) should not make or break how good of a time you have on your cruise. There are far more important things, IMO. Stick to your guns and hope for the best, but a balcony room on the BA is still a hell of a lot better than what 99.99% of the population is dealing with that week. :)

[DinaS]

The TA spoke with NCL. NCL said that they ran out of 4 person Mini Suites. And that the BA balcony is only 40 sq ft smaller than the MB Mini. They said that they will move me back to GTY and see what happens when they move other people around. My e-docs now say GTY and my reservation page says MB GTY. We shall see what happens now. The TA did mention that it might take them until checking in at the pier to get a room. This should be a fun 2 days

 

I think there are different size balcony cabins, and the large balcony cabins might be about the same size as the mini suites.

 

I know I would be upset about this too, but it's your vacation - and since you have no control over this right now, it doesn't make sense to let it get you down.

 

Try not to let it get to you. No matter what, you *WILL* have a wonderful time.

 

If you end up not getting the cabin you wanted, or being downgraded a bit, you can deal with it later.

 

Please let us know how it turns out, and have a wonderful time!

 

 

Dina

[LrgPizza]

I guess my point is, that 40 extra square feet (extra 5 foot of room length) should not make or break how good of a time you have on your cruise. There are far more important things, IMO. Stick to your guns and hope for the best, but a balcony room on the BA is still a hell of a lot better than what 99.99% of the population is dealing with that week. :)

I would give up 5 feet for $500 in a nanosecond.

 

I hope this works out, OP. This definitely sounds like a rare occurrence, and it stinks that it happened to you. I truly believe you will come out ahead in this though.

[pex]

What ship are you on? At least some of NCL's ships limit balconies to 3 passengers.

 

But there are 4 of us. Me, wife, and our 2 kids

[Ilovesailing]

OBC is not an enticement for us. Already booked UDP. For us there is no upside to this. We booked what we booked. Now honor it!!!

 

 

The op is not referring to OBC but rather so called discount of $500.

Edited February 14, 2014 by Ilovesailing

[geegee1]

...The couch sleeps one person, and you have a 4th bed pulling down from the ceiling. The "cramped" feel is only at night when the bed is down, and it's more of an issue of room width and not length. The mini is just longer, but you will still be the same width as a balcony room. Yeah, I get that more room is better with more folks, but we had 4 of us in an Epic balcony and while cramped with the bed down (and the couch pulled out for sleeping), it was very workable....

 

 

I guess my point is, that 40 extra square feet (extra 5 foot of room length) should not make or break how good of a time you have on your cruise. There are far more important things, IMO. Stick to your guns and hope for the best, but a balcony room on the BA is still a hell of a lot better than what 99.99% of the population is dealing with that week. :)

 

You are absolutely correct. It's the principle of it. I booked a MS because that is what we wanted. If I wanted the BA I would have done that.

Does anyone know if the BA balcony couch, on the Breakaway, opens up for 2 kids to sleep on it? I have an 8 and 5 yo. Don't feel safe having one sleep on a bed being pulled down from the ceiling

[calmpets]

On my last NCL cruise I received a phone call from the cruise line a few days prior stating that they were oversold on balcony rooms, and wanted to make me an offer to accept a downgrade to an oceanview room. It was made abundantly clear to me that I was under no obligation to accept their offer. With the refund they offered, my husband and I were basically cruising at a buy-one-get-one-free rate, so we took the deal and were very happy with it. However, if they called and told me that I was REQUIRED to take a downgrade, I would have been really ticked off. Since you didn't hear from NCL directly, there's no way to be sure how it was truly worded, so I'm not sure who you should be angry with. It sounds like NCL is trying to work with you, so I'd try to stay positive and see how it all turns out. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you!