Cruise Reward change? Not for the better.

[auntierobin]

My PCC is not working this weekend so I was forced to call the main number to get a cabin that I wanted (was the only one left in the category) using one of my Cruise Rewards. The cabin is an SE forward penthouse - now I have booked a lot of penthouses and the CR has always been accepted as the deposit. This person said that I had to pay the $650 difference ($800 deposit) that you could no longer use the Cruise Reward as the deposit. "Checked with her supervisor" and came back and said that he/she said the same thing. And, yes I know that they cannot be used as the deposit in Haven Suites, this was not a Haven Suite.

 

If this is truly the case, then all the incentive for buying a CR is gone for me. I know someone will say you get $100 OBC, but for me the attraction was not having to shell out $800+ on a deposit right away, which if you have several cruises booked is a blessing.

 

Has anyone else run into this?

[triptolemus]

I have never used Cruise Rewards in the past, but looking at the terms...

 

6. Limit one (1) Freestyle Cruise Rewards Deposit may be used per stateroom; and may be used as the full deposit for all staterooms except Specialty Suites, The Haven and Garden Villas (staterooms requiring enhanced deposit). One (1) Freestyle Cruise Rewards Deposit may be used as a partial deposit towards the full required deposit for Specialty Suites, Courtyard Villas and Garden Villas.

 

I would say the NCL rep and the supervisor got it wrong. If one reads only the first sentence in item 6, one might incorrectly conclude that CR's cannot be used for deposits on suites.

 

http://www.ncl.com/popup/cruise_rewards_terms

 

Bummer.

[martinchem]

Shouldn't that be $550? $800 less the $250?

[auntierobin]

I know, I realized that it should be $550 after the fact, I guess I was just so startled (read PO'd) that they would not accept the CR as the deposit I wasn't thinking about the actual numbers

 

Their excuse was that it was a specialty suite, which it is not. A specialty suite would be a Spa Suite or others of that type. An SE penthouse is just a suite.

 

I just wanted to get it booked, and didn't want to waste time arguing with people that IMHO were not quite up to speed.

Edited April 27, 2014 by auntierobin

[rvsullivan]

I just did a dummy booking online and the deposit was $500, which mean your FCC should cover it in full.

Why don't you just go on line and book it yourself? The system now allows you to use your FCC for online booking.

[auntierobin]

I have been trying to book it online for the last 48 hours. I would get to the point to enter passenger info (I was signed on), and the pages were blank.

You hit continue and my info would populate the page, then hit continue again to enter the 2nd passenger name and you get a blank page again, hit continue and then nothing, same blank page. Trust me, if it could have been done online I would have done it. The CR have been available to us for a couple of weeks now, that's why I was trying to do it online to no success.

 

The bright side to all of this is that my PCC just called (her day off)and we fixed what the other person did.

[time2cruise1]

Have them put the SE on a 24 hour hold and work it out with your PCC tomorrow.

[peg013]

I have been trying to book it online for the last 48 hours. I would get to the point to enter passenger info (I was signed on), and the pages were blank.

You hit continue and my info would populate the page, then hit continue again to enter the 2nd passenger name and you get a blank page again, hit continue and then nothing, same blank page. Trust me, if it could have been done online I would have done it. The CR have been available to us for a couple of weeks now, that's why I was trying to do it online to no success.

 

The bright side to all of this is that my PCC just called (her day off)and we fixed what the other person did.

 

I'm glad you got it taken care of. I have had my TA call me for a CC for the additional deposit for a SF because two different people told him at NCL that a full deposit of $1500 was due. I told him it was not necessary and if he didn't believe me he should call NCL until he gets someone that knows the correct answer. He got a little miffed at me when I told him to just book it with the FCR and if it got cancelled because the full deposit was not paid I would worry about it then. I spoke to him the next day and he had called again and finally got the correct answer on the third try. It's a shame there appears to be so many supervisors that do not know their own policies. Weekend supervisors seem to be the worse.

[TrumpyNor]

The bright side to all of this is that my PCC just called (her day off)and we fixed what the other person did.

 

That is great news - and splendid customer service from your PCC. :)

[Ilovesailing]

You pay now or later take your pic. You also can't complain about the auto OBC of $100. Some people are just too dam hard to please.

[triptolemus]

You pay now or later take your pic. You also can't complain about the auto OBC of $100. Some people are just too dam hard to please.

 

Wow.. how insightful.

 

OP did take their pick (not pic). They selected "pay later" -- get it?