Strange booking arrangements

[PKFA]

I received confirmation of the flight in the form of an A4 piece of paper which apparently is a receipt for an e-ticket, whatever they are . Using the reference number I was able to book seats and meals for the flight out, however I could not access any info for the flight home. NCL say I have to check in and book seats meals etc, once I am on-board, another source said I can only do it four days before we sail. The airline say they have my details for the flight out but nothing for the return, but that there are a lot of seats as yet uncomfirmed. The tour operator that I booked with said they have checked and it can only be done four days before boarding. Is this procedure normal with NCL? I have never seen this sort of thing before. Does anyone else have this arrangement?

[rvsullivan]

By tour operator do you mean a travel agent? If so, shouldn't they be doing all this work for you? Normally a travel agent is paid to handle all of these type of details. Typically NCL will not deal with an individual if they have not booked directly with NCL.

[PKFA]

Yes a Travel Agent, one that will not see me again.

[Barb Nahoumi]

Is this an on-line travel agent, or one with a mortar and brick office?

[HokiePoq]

This is a typical arrangement for us using an online agency. We get our seats for the return trip at the airport, usually. Agency has a big block of seats. We pay a low price; we don't get first class service, but we've been on a lot of trips this way.

[garycarla]

Apparently they have not confirmed the return flights yet. The fact that you can book seats and handle things on the outbound is good, and great that YOU made sure it was done.

 

I would check at the airport on your first flight about the return. They might have it then and get you set up for the return.

 

For others - I believe the poster is from the UK - just a guess.

[PKFA]

Garycarla.........Thanks for that information. Yes I am in the UK and the Travel Agent is a bricks and mortar building, not an online one. Usually when we book we get tickets for the flights each way and the usual welcome stuff, so it seemed a bit unusual not to have a return flight booked before we left the country. I have since been told that I can book the return 4 days before we go, so I shall see how that works. Thanks to everyone who answered, I look forward to sailing on a ship where the passengers are not all British, unlike our previous cruises.

Edited September 7, 2014 by PKFA

[PKFA]

To HokiePoq. Thank you for your help.

[callmehalia]

I've booked funny flights through consolidators where I've not had all the record locators so I can look at stuff. Sometimes (sometimes not though!) I've been able to see more than I can see through the airline at http://www.checkmytrip.com - might be worth checking. CMT is run by Amadeus, who do the reservations stuff for the travel agents.