Norwegian Rip Off

[Rainman1234]

We booked a villa in the Haven for May 2nd on a cruise that they advertised as a coastal cruise. Found out today that they are refusing to honour the drink package as they are now claiming that this is part of a repositioning cruise which is not eligible for the bonus. They need to get there advertising changed because no where was it mentioned that this was a repositioning cruise.

Make sure you check the small fine print if your booking with this company as they will engage in less than ethical practices!

[rvsullivan]

I'm guessing your talking about the Pearl 5 day repositioning cruise starting May 2? If so, repositioning cruises are excluded from the package. Did you book online or use a PCC? If you book yourself, you have to look up the exclusions yourself. If you used a PCC as soon as you told them you wanted to take the UBP it would have rejected.

It does not seem to me a bit unethical to ask the guest to check out the terms and conditions before booking. I'm guessing you did not?

Edited March 14, 2015 by rvsullivan

[rochelle_s]

Sorry to hear of your disappointment. I am assuming you are talking about the Pearl. How many days are you booked on the ship? What date do you get on?

 

 

Rochelle

[Rainman1234]

Perhaps I wasn't clear. The cruise was advertised as a "Coastal Cruise" not. Repositioning cruise and the word repositioning was not used anywhere in the advertising. When it wAs booked it showed that Haven villas were eligible for all of the special offered IE room credit, 2nd 3rd guest free, free dining for two, room credit, free drinks for two, it wasn't until two days later we were notified that this was being classified as a repositioning cruise and the drink pCkage was being disallowed.

Had it been written or showed up on the exclusions that would have been different. As it was advised it was misleading. The cruise is for 5 days.

[hawkeyetlse]

The cruise was advertised as a "Coastal Cruise" not. Repositioning cruise and the word repositioning was not used anywhere in the advertising.

"5-Day Pacific Coastal from Los Angeles" is the name of the itinerary. Reposition is a type of itinerary (one-way as opposed to round-trip). NCL has a page listing all of these: Reposition Cruises.

 

I am curious, though, because I don't think they apply the rules as strictly for European cruises. The Jade has a repo coming up next month (Rome to Venice), and I'm not absolutely sure but I believe people on that cruise are getting the promotional UBP.

[Rainman1234]

Well my agent who also missed this and I should probably have been more vigilant in searching all of possibilities and Norweigan should be a lot clearer if they are excluding the offers on some cruises. That is not information (in my opinion) that you should have to search the entire web site for when you book. It was a lesson for me and maybe the post will assist some one else in the future when they book with this company.

[hawkeyetlse]

When it wAs booked it showed that Haven villas were eligible for all of the special offered IE room credit, 2nd 3rd guest free, free dining for two, room credit, free drinks for two, it wasn't until two days later we were notified that this was being classified as a repositioning cruise and the drink pCkage was being disallowed.

Could you say more about how you were notified? Did you book directly through NCL or through a TA?

 

If you have a booking confirmation with amenities summary from NCL showing the adult beverage package for guests 1 and 2, and they rescinded this two days later, I think you have a legitimate complaint. But I think you need to provide some more details of exactly what you were told, and by whom.

 

EDIT: OK, it sounds like you have a TA, and it was your TA who told you that you would be getting all these perks, and then they found out from NCL that this was never going to be the case. If that is how it happened, your TA misled you. It was not a "Norwegian Rip Off".

Edited March 14, 2015 by hawkeyetlse

[jonbgd]

I am so glad you found Cruise Critic, in time to inform me to be careful, before I search for a cruise

[rochelle_s]

If you were misled by your TA then perhaps the TA should be ponying up the funds to purchase you the UBP.

 

 

Rochelle

[JuneauWhatIMean]

As far as I know, the UBP was never offered on the Pacific Coastal cruises. The Air Credit was included instead. But the Freestyle Choice Promotion still shows up as available/provided with this cruise. So.......:confused::confused::confused:

[cruiseat50]

Perhaps I wasn't clear. The cruise was advertised as a "Coastal Cruise" not. Repositioning cruise and the word repositioning was not used anywhere in the advertising. When it wAs booked it showed that Haven villas were eligible for all of the special offered IE room credit, 2nd 3rd guest free, free dining for two, room credit, free drinks for two, it wasn't until two days later we were notified that this was being classified as a repositioning cruise and the drink pCkage was being disallowed.

Had it been written or showed up on the exclusions that would have been different. As it was advised it was misleading. The cruise is for 5 days.

 

Sorry but you should have researched a bit better. I found this within a minute of clicking on the add link.

FREE ULTIMATE BEVERAGE PACKAGE

 

 

Get free glasses of wine, beer, spirits, cocktails, juices, and soda for your entire cruise vacation.

•Guests 3-4 in stateroom receive free soda package.

•Not available on Hawaii, Panama Canal, Transatlantic, or Pacific Coastal cruises.

Edited March 14, 2015 by cruiseat50

[EyeSeaEwe]

Sorry but you should have researched a bit better. I found this within a minute of clicking on the add link.

FREE ULTIMATE BEVERAGE PACKAGE

 

 

Get free glasses of wine, beer, spirits, cocktails, juices, and soda for your entire cruise vacation.

•Guests 3-4 in stateroom receive free soda package.

•Not available on Hawaii, Panama Canal, Transatlantic, or Pacific Coastal cruises.

 

 

Where is this add link? I don't see a link to add anything.

[FreestyleNovice]

Ah, thread title wasn't a new ship's name? Still looking for the third and fourth Breakaway Pluss names! Bummer.. :(

Edited March 14, 2015 by FreestyleNovice

[RuthlessBoss]

We booked a villa in the Haven for May 2nd on a cruise that they advertised as a coastal cruise. Found out today that they are refusing to honour the drink package as they are now claiming that this is part of a repositioning cruise which is not eligible for the bonus. They need to get there advertising changed because no where was it mentioned that this was a repositioning cruise.

Make sure you check the small fine print if your booking with this company as they will engage in less than ethical practices!

 

If a ship leaves from one port and ends up in another, isn't it logical it's repositioning?:confused: Does it have to be in writing?

[DDD06]

Sounds to me like you need a new TA.

[hawkeyetlse]

As far as I know, the UBP was never offered on the Pacific Coastal cruises. The Air Credit was included instead. But the Freestyle Choice Promotion still shows up as available/provided with this cruise. So.......:confused::confused::confused:

The air credit is one of the perks of the Freestyle Choice promo. Coastal and other repo cruises are eligible for this promo, it's just that you can't choose the UBP.

[edawn]

If a ship leaves from one port and ends up in another, isn't it logical it's repositioning?:confused: Does it have to be in writing?

 

 

It should be in writing. Not everyone reads CC and knows about different types of cruises BUT a travel agent should know or at least find out for their client.

[Debbie1029]

We knew when we booked our Panama Canal cruise that UBP was not included but booked anyhow. Just curious why it is excluded on certain cruises. Our PCC didn't know why either. Any ideas?

[legion3]

If a ship leaves from one port and ends up in another, isn't it logical it's repositioning?:confused: Does it have to be in writing?

 

Legally, yes. Or it could be construed as false advertising and thus fraud on the part of the company. However, the

•Not available on Hawaii, Panama Canal, Transatlantic, or Pacific Coastal cruises.

is pretty clear and clearly applies to the OP's situation.

[legion3]

We knew when we booked our Panama Canal cruise that UBP was not included but booked anyhow. Just curious why it is excluded on certain cruises. Our PCC didn't know why either. Any ideas?

 

Money?!

[hawkeyetlse]

If a ship leaves from one port and ends up in another, isn't it logical it's repositioning?:confused: Does it have to be in writing?

There are one-way itineraries that are not classified as repositions (Alaska, New England/Canada), so I think it is understandable to ask for a little more clarity here. I wouldn't even necessarily expect a TA to know automatically which ones would be considered repos and excluded from the UBP. But I would expect them to realize that this was an issue, find out for sure, and get back to me with the information before I committed to a (last minute, non-refundable) booking.

[legion3]

But if they have truly, as the OP wrote,

it wasn't until two days later we were notified that this was being classified as a repositioning cruise and the drink package was being disallowed.

 

reclassified it as a repositioning cruise and NOT a Pacific costal cruise

then where is the contractual fine print about it not allowed on a repositioning cruise?

 

•Not available on Hawaii, Panama Canal, Transatlantic, or Pacific Coastal cruises.

 

Is there another line missing with this repositioning info? Repo's are not mentioned.

 

Who notified you the TA or NCL? This could be a case that the TA missed it originally and is attempting to cover up their mistake by telling a tale about the change in cruises or... that NCL did retitle the cruise for some purpose.

 

Either way it appears, with no other evidence, that the UBP SHOULD be allowed on a repositioning cruise and NOT on a pacific coastal.

[hawkeyetlse]

But if they have truly, as the OP wrote, reclassified it as a repositioning cruise and NOT a Pacific costal cruise

then where is the contractual fine print about it not allowed on a repositioning cruise?

The OP is misrepresenting things by saying the cruise was "reclassified". The Coastals have been considered reposition cruises for a long time, maybe since forever.

 

Anyway, the fine print is, as always, in the terms & conditions:

For all Pride of America, Transatlantics, Repos, and Panama Canals air credit will replace the ultimate beverage package.

It is unfortunate that the main webpage for the FC Spectacular promo doesn't say "repos" but only "Pacific Coastals". I would be concerned about that discrepancy if I were interested in booking on a repo cruise in another region (e.g. East Coast, Europe) and wanted the UBP.

[Guindalf]

Actually, the OP never said it was "reclassified", but that it was classified. It falls under the category of Pacific Coastal anyway, so where's the issue? It's all a matter of semantics and doesn't take any responsibility away from the TA.

 

To the OP, sorry if you feel you were ripped off, but in this case, it does seem clear that the problem exists between you and your TA, NOT with NCL. All companies use ubiquitous selling techniques sometimes (think big red 'Yes' button compared to a small, gray 'No Thanks'), but inevitably it's up to the consumer to be aware.

 

Is it fair? No, but it's a fact of life and not specific to any one company.

[hawkeyetlse]

Actually, the OP never said it was "reclassified", but that it was classified.

You're right; they don't use that word, but the language used ("they are now claiming that this is part of a repositioning cruise", "this was being classified as a repositioning cruise and the drink pCkage was being disallowed.") implies that NCL initially said one thing and then said something different two days later. What seems to be actually the case is that the OP's TA said the wrong thing and two days later came back to the OP with the correct information, maybe trying to cover themselves by falsely claiming "not my fault! NCL is changing the rules on us!"