Trick to get CHEAP SECOND ROOM on NCL Cruises

[roquejo]

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.

 

Correct, cruises are opposite and usually those booked at the last minute are way cheaper, but several factors determine this.. it can be negated during peak season like holiday cruises due to high demand, or if booking suites..

 

I was able to use this knowledge on my last cruise with Allure of the Seas.. I initially book the cheapest smaller inside cabin at brochure price a year before the sailing, and due to my constant monitoring of price nearing final payment... I got upgraded all the way to balcony even paying $200 less than my initial booking price a year ago.

 

But based on experience, one way cruises are your best bet for this...

 

We all learn from experiences.. like for me as I said, I was trying to apply the same strategy I did with RCCL with NCL for my upcoming Alaska cruise. But found out that booking a combined IT with NCL is a bad idea, that prevented me from being upgraded.

 

but some in my roll call applied the same strategy but booked both legs separately was able to reap the same benefits as my previous cruise with Allure... upgraded to balcony with even lower price than initially paid.

 

at least now I know to book 2 reservations for each leg separately in the future instead of booking both under one reservation number.

[Amo57]

All great ideas. I look forward to my kids getting a little older so i can try this. Right now I'm more comfortable knowing our rooms are directly across from each other. I did however watch the prices like a hawk after my booking and before my final payment. I changed my booking 3 times and ended up saving $700 total on 2 rooms and got the ultimate dining package included for my balcony rooms.

 

I may try and get a "spare room" for my upcoming trip if the price is right for storage and an extra shower but since its the last week of summer and the last week kids are off from school I'm sure we'll have a full ship.

[pokerpro5]

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.

 

Have you called them and asked to speak to a manager about this?

 

Yours is kind of a unique situation, and the typical rep probably would have a hard time rectifying something complicated like this.

 

I think if you can speak to someone intelligent, they can come to some kind of deal with you.

 

Since you're inside the "penalty period", you are unlikely to get a refund (just as you wouldn't if you booked two 7-day cruises earlier, and the price dropped), but you can try to argue that at the very least, they should work with you regarding the upgrades.

 

I understand what you're saying that they claim BOTH sailings need to have had the price drop, but that's BS.

 

You should try to talk them into simply taking whatever money you paid for the 14-day, and using it as "credit" to rebook in the two 7-day sailings, without any kind of cancellation fees. Because you're not cancelling. You're staying on the same ship, and using their usual upgrade policy.

 

So, for example, if you paid $2000 for the 14-day sailing, and there's currently a minisuite for $1500 on the first leg right now and an oceanview for $500 on the second leg, you should be able to have the minisuite for the first leg and the oceanview for the second, without paying more.

 

They can easily do this if they want to. I would suggest making sure you speak to the Miami office (the one with the power), and get a manager. The reps in Arizona are powerless, as are the regular reps in Miami for the most part.

 

Here is the argument you should use: Tell them that you had no idea that this 14-day cruise was available also as two 7-day cruises, and no one informed you of this. Tell them that, had you know, you would have booked it as two 7s. Ask them to work with you to at least give you the same upgrade power that the people on the 7s get (as described in my idea above). Good luck.

Edited June 20, 2014 by pokerpro5

[pokerpro5]

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.

 

Sorry, but I am still confused.

 

NCL (and all other lines) charge PER PERSON.

 

You cannot board the ship without EACH PERSON having paid something. This isn't like a hotel, where you are buying a room, and it typically doesn't matter to them if you have 1, 2, 3, or 4 people in your family.

 

So if you had 4 people in one room originally (before getting that second room added while on board), then YES, you did pay something EXTRA for the 3rd and 4th person in your room. You said something about less than $200 for them, but that doesn't sound right. It is always way more than that. You should go back and check.

 

It sounds to me like you first paid extra for the 3rd and 4th people in your room, and then you paid another $200 on top of that to get a second room. Using my method, you would have gotten the second room FOR FREE and you would have also received ADDITIONAL MONEY BACK for "moving" the 3rd and 4th people out of your room.

 

Now, I am not questioning your decision to get the 2nd room for $200 once aboard. At that point, you made the right decision. But the MUCH BETTER VALUE is to do what I explained in the original post, as you will get the same thing for many hundreds of dollars cheaper.

[pokerpro5]

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?

 

Sorry, don't know about other lines.

 

While I have cruised on a few others, I never looked into this specifically, as this is a "trick" I just came up with a short time ago. (But again, I tried it, and it worked 100%.)

 

The key here is when you can cancel "extra" people out of your room and still get a full refund. NCL's policy of 14 days is very customer-friendly (and allows this method to work), but other lines may be different on this.

 

Medical Ma'am is also correct that this won't work as well with the first room being a suite, if it's important to you to have everyone getting suite perks.

[pokerpro5]

All great ideas. I look forward to my kids getting a little older so i can try this. Right now I'm more comfortable knowing our rooms are directly across from each other. I did however watch the prices like a hawk after my booking and before my final payment. I changed my booking 3 times and ended up saving $700 total on 2 rooms and got the ultimate dining package included for my balcony rooms.

 

I may try and get a "spare room" for my upcoming trip if the price is right for storage and an extra shower but since its the last week of summer and the last week kids are off from school I'm sure we'll have a full ship.

 

Actually, the only REALLY popular cruising weeks are Christmas and New Years, and to a lesser extent, Thanksgiving. The rest typically don't sail full until NCL drops the prices at the end.

 

If it is important to be very close to the second room, then you are correct that this plan will not work. However, I should note that, closet to sail date, there tend to be available inside cabins on every level of the ship, so you won't be that far, either. I lucked out and got an inside cabin 2 doors down from my existing balcony cabin, but even something down the hall (provided not WAY on the other side) would have also been acceptable. I believe you can also switch your existing room at no cost, provided it's the same category and you aren't in one of the cheaper "guarantee" rooms (where they select your room for you).

 

Still, this method was really aimed at people who cram 4 people into one room because of the belief that they "can't afford' a second room. I was letting them know that they will actually pay less for 2 rooms (using this method) than they would squeezing all four people into one.

Edited June 20, 2014 by pokerpro5

[SissasMomE]

Sorry, but I am still confused.

 

NCL (and all other lines) charge PER PERSON.

 

You cannot board the ship without EACH PERSON having paid something. This isn't like a hotel, where you are buying a room, and it typically doesn't matter to them if you have 1, 2, 3, or 4 people in your family.

 

So if you had 4 people in one room originally (before getting that second room added while on board), then YES, you did pay something EXTRA for the 3rd and 4th person in your room. You said something about less than $200 for them, but that doesn't sound right. It is always way more than that. You should go back and check.

 

It sounds to me like you first paid extra for the 3rd and 4th people in your room, and then you paid another $200 on top of that to get a second room. Using my method, you would have gotten the second room FOR FREE and you would have also received ADDITIONAL MONEY BACK for "moving" the 3rd and 4th people out of your room.

 

Now, I am not questioning your decision to get the 2nd room for $200 once aboard. At that point, you made the right decision. But the MUCH BETTER VALUE is to do what I explained in the original post, as you will get the same thing for many hundreds of dollars cheaper.

 

I'm sorry you're confused. Not sure how much more I can help you out here. It's really not that difficult to follow! I've been cruising for a long time. I don't have to double check how much I paid. :) Edited - it definitely is not "always" way more than $200 pp for the 3rd and/or 4th person LOL I've paid as little as $199 for my daughter, and as much as $800. It all depends on when you book. No one is criticizing you or your system. I got a good deal. It wasn't planned, it just happened. That's it. Nothing really to argue about here.

Edited June 20, 2014 by SissasMomE

[SissasMomE]

I wonder if NCL will change the cancellation policy for 3rd and 4th passengers now. :cool: Speaking of which - it is not listed on their website. Is it in the cruise contract, maybe? Edited - here it is.

 

CANCELLATION FEE FOR 3-8 GUESTS

Effective Monday, August 13, 2012 all bookings with the initial date of January 1, 2011 and beyond will no longer be charged a cancellation fee for guest 3-8 if cancelled outside of the 100% cancellation period. If the reservation is cancelled within the 100% cancellation period then the applicable cancellation fee will apply for guest 3-8.

Edited June 20, 2014 by SissasMomE