Trick to get CHEAP SECOND ROOM on NCL Cruises

[pokerpro5]

I run into so many people who squeeze 4 people into a small NCL stateroom.

 

I ask why they did it, and they always respond, "Well, I can't afford two staterooms."

 

I tell them that staterooms go way down in price when it gets relatively close to the sailing date, and they respond, "Well, I don't want to take that chance. I need to know for sure that everyone has a place on the ship."

 

Reasonable responses.

 

However, I figured out a trick to where you can BOTH hold your place on the ship AND get a cheap second room when NCL starts dumping them fairly close (usually 14-50 days out) to sail time.

 

Here's how you do it:

 

1) Book your first room normally, and put your entire party in that room. Do NOT book a second room yet.

 

2) If it's more than 75 days before sail date, KEEP CHECKING THE PRICES on ncl.com. If the price has gone down (or you see a promotion that you want), CALL BACK AND ASK THEM TO GIVE YOU THE CURRENT OFFER. Up to 75 days beforehand, this is allowed and there is zero penalty for doing so.

 

3) Once 75 days before sail date hits, start watching ncl.com like a hawk. You are looking for a "bargain" price for your second room. This is likely to start happening about a month before you cruise, but it could happen as far as 50 days out or sometimes within just a few weeks of cruising. Sometimes it doesn't happen at all, but usually it does. When I say "bargain" price, I am talking about a HUGE discount, where it is hundreds below what it was at the 75-day point.

 

4) When you see this bargain price, go through the site as if you're booking, but don't actually enter your info or pay anything. Find a stateroom that's close to your existing one. (You can do this without entering any info or credit card numbers.) You may have to experience with the various sub-categories to find the right room. For example, if you're looking for an inside second room, you might need to look through the slightly higher priced insides to find one close to your existing room.

 

5) Call up NCL. Tell them to cancel the extra people out of your room, and instead book them into the new, cheap room you found.

 

They will refund you the money for your "added" passengers, charge you for the new room, and you will have SAVED HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS AND WILL ALSO GET AN EXTRA ROOM.

 

Why does this work? Because you are allowed to cancel extra passengers out of your room up to 14 days with no penalty! So MAKE SURE to get this done before 14 days out. However, this gives you plenty opportunity to find the "dumped" rooms and get a huge bargain on room #2, while giving yourself the peace of mind of knowing everyone will be on the ship no matter what happens.

 

 

ALSO: Let's say you are a family of 4, with two adults and two children. You can't register 2 children to a room, per NCL rules. So should you abandon this plan? NO! You can register an adult to each room. Just make sure when you make your initial reservation that they note that one of the children is the "second" passenger, and that the other adult is the third or fourth passenger. This will allow you to drop the adult off and move them to their own room later, as described above. NCL won't care how you actually configure the rooms once you are on board. You can put the kids in their own room, or you can put all 4 people in one room and just use the other for storage, whatever. Nobody gives a crap on board about this.

 

The above 100% works because I've done it myself. You are also not violating NCL policy or breaking any laws here. You are just using two different NCL policies to get yourself the best deal.

 

Even if you don't want/need a second room for your party of 4, you should do this anyway, because you will save money! Just let the room sit empty if you want.

 

Enjoy!

Edited June 19, 2014 by pokerpro5

[pokerpro5]

Also, DON'T bother doing the above if:

 

1) You're looking for a suite for your second room. Those never go down all that much, and they sell out anyway.

 

2) You're cruising during Christmas or New Years, as those prices don't go down much, if at all, and the ship sells out quickly.

[BrPanthers99]

That's actually not a bad idea....

 

 

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[garycarla]

Looks like some common sense planning right there.

 

You should add one more piece of advice.

 

When you find out that your original cabin is now available for $400 less, do NOT get upset, throw a tantrum and threaten to never sail with these slimeballs again. It is a sale price to clear the last rooms. Let it go and enjoy the price you already agreed to.

[Irene7]

Great information and I will definitely give this a try when we sail on the Escape.

[SissasMomE]

We got a 2nd room for $200 once onboard. Of course, that's a gamble, but it worked for us during spring break.

[FreestyleNovice]

Nice work!

[pokerpro5]

We got a 2nd room for $200 once onboard. Of course, that's a gamble, but it worked for us during spring break.

 

Can you be more specific about this?

 

If you still had to pay the "extra person in your room" charge AND another $200 on top of it, then you didn't get that great of a deal (no offense).

 

If they waived the extra-person-in-room charge, refunded it, and then charged just $200 for the extra room, then you got a GREAT deal, but I don't think that's what your'e saying.

 

Using my plan, it ends up being cheaper to get a second room than to just keep your original room. Or, in other words, NCL is PAYING YOU to take a second room!

 

That's what's so beautiful about this method.

[Amo57]

Looks like some common sense planning right there.

 

 

 

You should add one more piece of advice.

 

 

 

When you find out that your original cabin is now available for $400 less, do NOT get upset, throw a tantrum and threaten to never sail with these slimeballs again. It is a sale price to clear the last rooms. Let it go and enjoy the price you already agreed to.

 

 

Ok. THATS funny. (And so accurate)

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[sailandcruise]

Can you be more specific about this?

 

Using my plan, it ends up being cheaper to get a second room than to just keep your original room. Or, in other words, NCL is PAYING YOU to take a second room!

 

That's what's so beautiful about this method.

 

Doesn't the second room have to cost less than the original amount of the fare for the third and fourth passengers for this to be true?

 

So, if the original room was booked as a "kids sale free" offer -- i.e., with a fare of ZERO for the third and fourth person, then there is no way that NCL is paying you to take a second room.

 

It's only when the original fare for the third and fourth passengers in a room exceeds the last minute cost for a person in the second room that this results in a net savings. Or am I missing something?

 

All this said, it is still a good way to get a second room for not much money in some circumstances while guaranteeing that everyone will have a space on the ship.

[sdmike]

I think she's just saying she paid a couple hundred bucks for a second room. No credit for moving people out of the original room. I think it's a great deal for both. She gets more space, and NCL gets a couple hundred bucks more than they would have otherwise gotten

[roquejo]

I have been watching NCL price drop behavior recently and learning from it. I failed to get a deal, but I've learned something from it.

 

It seems that price drops happen more aggressively on one way cruises than round trips, because it is harder to sell, even if you booked a combined IT of 2 one way back to back cruises to make it a round trip, it is considered round trip so less prone to price drops as it is easier to sell.

 

Case in point, I booked a back back 14 day Alaska cruise round trip composed of 2 one ways combined into one reservation number....

 

I monitored the price everyday since nearing the final payment for possible upgrades.. to my horror, both one way legs dropped to as low as $200-$300 on inside and $500-$600 for Balcony, so for some who are in my sailing dates, but booked each leg separately on different reservation numbers got upgraded all the way to balcony from inside on both legs paying only a minimal amount.

 

 

But for me, I got stuck on the same inside room I booked 1.5 years ago as the prices of 14 day combined IT never actually dropped that much for me to get an upgrade.

 

Next time, I will really avoid booking a 14 day combined IT but will opt to book each one way leg separately to get a balcony room in Alaska at the price of an inside when it was initially offered due to price drops.

[pokerpro5]

Doesn't the second room have to cost less than the original amount of the fare for the third and fourth passengers for this to be true?

 

So, if the original room was booked as a "kids sale free" offer -- i.e., with a fare of ZERO for the third and fourth person, then there is no way that NCL is paying you to take a second room.

 

It's only when the original fare for the third and fourth passengers in a room exceeds the last minute cost for a person in the second room that this results in a net savings. Or am I missing something?

 

All this said, it is still a good way to get a second room for not much money in some circumstances while guaranteeing that everyone will have a space on the ship.

 

Yes, on a kids-sail-free offer, you are going to be paying some extra money to get that second room. But you WILL have a second room, which is a hell of a lot better than cramming into one.

 

However, if you're NOT booked on kids-sail-free (which most people aren't), yes, it is typically CHEAPER to get a second room for the 3rd/4th person than to have them added onto your existing room.

[pokerpro5]

I think she's just saying she paid a couple hundred bucks for a second room. No credit for moving people out of the original room. I think it's a great deal for both. She gets more space, and NCL gets a couple hundred bucks more than they would have otherwise gotten

 

I also think that's what she's saying.

 

On the surface, it looks like a great deal. Here you're all crammed into one tiny room, and for a measly $200, you get a whole second room! WOW!

 

But wait! If you actually go back and add up what you paid, you will find that you are NOT getting a very good deal at all. This is because the cost of adding people to your room is fairly expensive (often around $600+taxes, per person), so once you tack on another $200 on top of that, you have wasted a lot of money that could have been saved by the method I posted above.

[pokerpro5]

I have been watching NCL price drop behavior recently and learning from it. I failed to get a deal, but I've learned something from it.

 

It seems that price drops happen more aggressively on one way cruises than round trips, because it is harder to sell, even if you booked a combined IT of 2 one way back to back cruises to make it a round trip, it is considered round trip so less prone to price drops as it is easier to sell.

 

Case in point, I booked a back back 14 day Alaska cruise round trip composed of 2 one ways combined into one reservation number....

 

I monitored the price everyday since nearing the final payment for possible upgrades.. to my horror, both one way legs dropped to as low as $200-$300 on inside and $500-$600 for Balcony, so for some who are in my sailing dates, but booked each leg separately on different reservation numbers got upgraded all the way to balcony from inside on both legs paying only a minimal amount.

 

 

But for me, I got stuck on the same inside room I booked 1.5 years ago as the prices of 14 day combined IT never actually dropped that much for me to get an upgrade.

 

Next time, I will really avoid booking a 14 day combined IT but will opt to book each one way leg separately to get a balcony room in Alaska at the price of an inside when it was initially offered due to price drops.

 

Interesting stuff. I never considered that perhaps two one-way 7-day cruises to re-create a 14-day itinerary might be cheaper.

 

Also, I think you might be onto something with the 1-way cruises dropping more when it gets closer to cruise time. This is perhaps because it almost always involves airfare (even if you live locally to either the origin or destination ports), and we all know how expensive flights get when you get close (pretty much the opposite of cruises).

 

So perhaps the one-way cruises don't get many "last minute locals" deciding to take a cheap cruise, and thus they really have to drop those prices big time to fill up the ship.

 

BTW, Crystal Cruises, which is a high-end line, refuses to dump rooms cheaply at the end. They protect the integrity of their price structure, which is why the ships often sail with more than half the cabins empty. However, they're really expensive, so they do just fine.

[pokerpro5]

Looks like some common sense planning right there.

 

You should add one more piece of advice.

 

When you find out that your original cabin is now available for $400 less, do NOT get upset, throw a tantrum and threaten to never sail with these slimeballs again. It is a sale price to clear the last rooms. Let it go and enjoy the price you already agreed to.

 

I think a lot of people get angry because it's counter-intuitive and goes against everything else we've learned in life.

 

While growing up, how often did your teachers and your mom lecture you about how it's wrong to wait until the last minute?

 

Indeed, most things booked at the last minute are more expensive, and some things like airlines are WAY more expensive on short notice. Cruises are the opposite. Book way in advance, and you're paying the "brochure price". Book just before the final payment date, and you are getting a better price but usually nothing all that great. Book close to cruise time, and you're getting a bargain.

 

It bothers people when they feel they have "done the right thing" and booked their cruise a year in advance, only to find that the people who decided to cruise 5 days before get the identical room for much cheaper.

 

The cruise lines do have a right to set whatever prices they want when they want, so I never get mad at this myself. I just try to educate myself about the process so I can beat them at their own game and get the cruise I want as cheaply as possible.

Edited June 20, 2014 by pokerpro5

[roquejo]

Interesting stuff. I never considered that perhaps two one-way 7-day cruises to re-create a 14-day itinerary might be cheaper.

 

Also, I think you might be onto something with the 1-way cruises dropping more when it gets closer to cruise time. This is perhaps because it almost always involves airfare (even if you live locally to either the origin or destination ports), and we all know how expensive flights get when you get close (pretty much the opposite of cruises).

 

So perhaps the one-way cruises don't get many "last minute locals" deciding to take a cheap cruise, and thus they really have to drop those prices big time to fill up the ship.

 

Correct, for my case, since I booked 2 one way back to back cruises combined into one IT with only one reservation number. NCL won't drop the price that much even when both one way legs that are part of my sailing dropped considerably (if bought separately) since the 14 day is a round trip already. They will just argue that at least you have to same room while those who did that trick to get upgraded have to transfer their stuff to a different cabin at the end of the first leg...

 

but changing rooms is just one minor inconvenience compared to getting upgraded for free or upselled for a minimal amount to balcony which is high value for a scenic destination like Alaska.

 

Also, there is one limitation on their reservation system that if you booked a combined B2B IT under one reservation, you have to stay only in one room, if they break it into 2 different rooms for each leg, you have to cancel the reservation that is already inside penalty period.

 

So the only way to get upselled/upgraded in a combined IT is if there is a higher category room that got subjected to price drop that is still available for both sailings so you still have only one cabin number for both sailings.

Edited June 20, 2014 by roquejo

[js]

Thank you.

I just printed out this thread.

We usually cruise with 5 and/or up to 10 so always looking for more room LOL

[SissasMomE]

Can you be more specific about this?

 

If you still had to pay the "extra person in your room" charge AND another $200 on top of it, then you didn't get that great of a deal (no offense).

 

If they waived the extra-person-in-room charge, refunded it, and then charged just $200 for the extra room, then you got a GREAT deal, but I don't think that's what your'e saying.

 

Using my plan, it ends up being cheaper to get a second room than to just keep your original room. Or, in other words, NCL is PAYING YOU to take a second room!

 

That's what's so beautiful about this method.

 

I wasn't trying to pull one over on NCL (not saying you are), so getting a great deal wasn't what I planned; however, it certainly worked out that way. As stated though, this is a gamble. You have no way of knowing if the ship is full or not until you are onboard.

Edited June 20, 2014 by SissasMomE

[SissasMomE]

I also think that's what she's saying.

 

On the surface, it looks like a great deal. Here you're all crammed into one tiny room, and for a measly $200, you get a whole second room! WOW!

 

But wait! If you actually go back and add up what you paid, you will find that you are NOT getting a very good deal at all. This is because the cost of adding people to your room is fairly expensive (often around $600+taxes, per person), so once you tack on another $200 on top of that, you have wasted a lot of money that could have been saved by the method I posted above.

 

Not even close!! I don't even think I paid $200 for each of them LOL

[SissasMomE]

I think she's just saying she paid a couple hundred bucks for a second room. No credit for moving people out of the original room. I think it's a great deal for both. She gets more space, and NCL gets a couple hundred bucks more than they would have otherwise gotten

 

and the room steward got an extra large tip for taking on the "extra" room :)

He really was a great guy though. Every now and then you get "the one" that just makes a difference in your trip. We all had the same guy - my parents, us, and the teens.

[dalgirl]

Great idea. We have 2 rooms booked for our European cruise and need an additional room for one of our party. I will follow your advise and see how it goes. Thanks for the tip.

[aubreyc1988]

I think a lot of people get angry because it's counter-intuitive and goes against everything else we've learned in life.

 

While growing up, how often did your teachers and your mom lecture you about how it's wrong to wait until the last minute?

 

Indeed, most things booked at the last minute are more expensive, and some things like airlines are WAY more expensive on short notice. Cruises are the opposite. Book way in advance, and you're paying the "brochure price". Book just before the final payment date, and you are getting a better price but usually nothing all that great. Book close to cruise time, and you're getting a bargain.

 

It bothers people when they feel they have "done the right thing" and booked their cruise a year in advance, only to find that the people who decided to cruise 5 days before get the identical room for much cheaper.

 

The cruise lines do have a right to set whatever prices they want when they want, so I never get mad at this myself. I just try to educate myself about the process so I can beat them at their own game and get the cruise I want as cheaply as possible.

I would love to book super last minute but then flights are outrageous. I do a balance of both

 

Sent from my XT1060 using Tapatalk

[Kim_KS]

This is a GREAT tip! Thanks for posting!

 

Do you know if this would work on any other cruise lines? Or do other lines have a penalty for cancelling 3rd/4th passengers at the last minute?

[medicalma'am]

This works well unless your first cabin is a suite. If booking a second cabin that is not a suite, those placed in that cabin would not have suite perks.

 

Great info otherwise though! Thanks.