PSA: don't trust the Norwegian Cruise agent's word

[abe3]

Booked on Norwegian's website.

 

I hope you get your money back. I know many people have said it but always read the term and conditions when you book either online or through an agent. I know it can be frustrating when you have to cancel something and I have had it done to me before, not with NCL but when I booked another vacation and lost about 1500 because I was stupid not to read the terms and conditions. I know it can be frustrating when you get wrong information but it really all comes down to the T&C as the actual contract not words from someone over the phone. Good luck and I do hope you get your money back, but just like me in the past I learned from my expensive stupid mistake and now always go through my contract when putting any type of deposit down.

[rvsullivan]

Booked on Norwegian's website.

 

I trying to understand. You booked direct, no travel agent or NCL PCC? Both the old and new terms and conditions state and did state after 120 days but before 90 days you forfeit either your deposit or 25% of the fare, whichever is higher. You are now at 101 days for the January date you listed for the cruise. I'm guessing you know you did not pay for travel insurance? Without insurance from anyone why would you think you were insured. It's kind of like your car or house, if you didn't pay your insurance policy, how would you think you would be able to collect? I'm guessing you thought you had cancel for any reason insurance?

I'm sorry this didn't work out for you, kind of a reminder to all of us to read our paperwork, particularly if you are doing your own bookings.

[curiouser123]

I trying to understand. You booked direct, no travel agent or NCL PCC? Both the old and new terms and conditions state and did state after 120 days but before 90 days you forfeit either your deposit or 25% of the fare, whichever is higher. You are now at 101 days for the January date you listed for the cruise. I'm guessing you know you did not pay for travel insurance? Without insurance from anyone why would you think you were insured. It's kind of like your car or house, if you didn't pay your insurance policy, how would you think you would be able to collect? I'm guessing you thought you had cancel for any reason insurance?

I'm sorry this didn't work out for you, kind of a reminder to all of us to read our paperwork, particularly if you are doing your own bookings.

 

This was for a cruise in April 2015, the cancellation was done in January 2015, I chose "cancel for any reason" insurance through Norwegian when I booked on their website.

[curiouser123]

As we know, those change all of the time.

 

Everyone should now be in the habit of printing the T&Cs the day you book the cruise. Since NCL changed from 90 to 120 days, who knows what the T&Cs actually said.

 

OP, you should check your date of booking and use the waybackmachine at archive.org/web to look at what the deal was that day.

 

That is a very cool tool. I'm trying to figure it out right now. Thanks.

[maywell]

This was for a cruise in April 2015, the cancellation was done in January 2015, I chose "cancel for any reason" insurance through Norwegian when I booked on their website.

 

Wait, but its now October 2015, literally 10 months after the cancellation - Why the dire warning now? :confused:

 

I mean its a lesson in paying attention to one's paperwork so not to lose money when you one needs to cancel last minute before final payment, that true. bBut its been months since the cancellation - I know it hurts but your next recourse is to either let it go or sue them, smh.

Edited October 11, 2015 by maywell

[Tinyturtle22]

This was for a cruise in April 2015, the cancellation was done in January 2015, I chose "cancel for any reason" insurance through Norwegian when I booked on their website.

 

But you didnt make your final payment so the insurance you chose was never paid for.

[SuiteCruiser]

But you didnt make your final payment so the insurance you chose was never paid for.

 

OP knows that now, but the NCL rep instructed him to do something else, and he followed those instructions.

[SuiteCruiser]

Wait, but its now October 2015, literally 10 months after the cancellation - Why the dire warning now? :confused:

 

I mean its a lesson in paying attention to one's paperwork so not to lose money when you one needs to cancel last minute before final payment, that true. bBut its been months since the cancellation - I know it hurts but your next recourse is to either let it go or sue them, smh.

 

Reading the OP, they tried following up through various channels and were finally told no. These things often take lots of time.

[abe3]

But you didnt make your final payment so the insurance you chose was never paid for.

 

 

Agree with this. Deposit of a cruise does not include travel insurance with NCL. Only after final payment does it take effect.

[Tinyturtle22]

OP knows that now, but the NCL rep instructed him to do something else, and he followed those instructions.

 

Clearly he does not understand this since he just posted what I quoted less than 15 minutes ago.

 

He's trying to make an end run around not reading his contract or paying attention to the final payment date. The cruise line doesn't owe him for something that wasnt paid for. It doesn't matter what the rep said. You cant modify a written contract verbally.

[curiouser123]

Reading the OP, they tried following up through various channels and were finally told no. These things often take lots of time.

 

Thanks for defending me. I suspected I was going to get beaten up for telling what happened (thus the "no flaming" request) but I truly would like for others to know that just because an employee tells you something, it doesn't mean that's the way it is. It has indeed taken almost 10 months to get through all this and the family crisis that precipitated the cancellation in the first place. I'd just like for this not to happen to someone else.

[mommyto2kids]

I'm still confused about the month long gap. When he called to cancel at 101 days he was still a month after final payment (which wasn't paid). If he chose not to make final payment at 120 days why wait until 101 days to cancel. I could understand if if was the next day, but a month later?

Edited October 11, 2015 by mommyto2kids

[abe3]

Thanks for defending me. I suspected I was going to get beaten up for telling what happened (thus the "no flaming" request) but I truly would like for others to know that just because an employee tells you something, it doesn't mean that's the way it is. It has indeed taken almost 10 months to get through all this and the family crisis that precipitated the cancellation in the first place. I'd just like for this not to happen to someone else.

 

 

It's going to happen to others and probably happens all the time when people don't understand the terms and conditions. No one is flaming you because of what happened, but mistakes happen and sometimes we all make expensive mistakes just like I did once and just hope we learn from them. Reading the terms and conditions and printing them out is for your protection.

[mommyto2kids]

Also how did he still have a reservation a month later if final payment wasn't made when it was due?

[curiouser123]

I'm still confused about the month long gap. When he called to cancel at 101 days he was still a month after final payment (which wasn't paid). If he chose not to make final payment at 120 days why wait until 101 days to cancel. I could understand if if was the next day, but a month later?

 

The whole time I was under the impression that the cancellation period was 90 days out. I never got a notification that payment was past due. When I called to cancel was when I found that the cancellation period was 120 days. I was pretty shocked to find out that I had missed the cancellation window.

Edited October 11, 2015 by curiouser123

[mommyto2kids]

The whole time I was under the impression that the cancellation period was 90 days out. I never got a notification that payment was past due. When I called to cancel was when I found that the cancellation period was 120 days. I was pretty shocked to find out that I had missed the cancellation window by 4 days. I actually called at 116 days out (I just counted).

 

 

Ok so you called to cancel assuming that you were still before paid in full and when you found out you weren't you were hoping that the insurance would kick in as a back up?

 

When you miss the paid in full date I always assumed they cancel your reservation and refund your deposit. I'm surprised that you still had a reservation 4 days later.

 

Guess the crux of this issue is what others are saying - by not paying in full you never actually bought the insurance.

[maywell]

The whole time I was under the impression that the cancellation period was 90 days out. I never got a notification that payment was past due. When I called to cancel was when I found that the cancellation period was 120 days. I was pretty shocked to find out that I had missed the cancellation window.

 

Why would they need to notified you when your claiming that you booked directly to NCL - the final payment due date with amount that you owe, is on MyNCL,com under vacation summary on the left-hand side under "Reservation-at-a-glance". :confused:

[mommyto2kids]

Why would they need to notified you when your claiming that you booked directly to NCL - the final payment due date with amount that you owe, is on MyNCL,com under vacation summary on the left-hand side under "Reservation-at-a-glance". :confused:

 

 

This part I agree with - the date is clear when you pay the deposit. For an expensive vacation it's something that I'm careful to keep track of

[curiouser123]

I understand implicitly the way it works now. I don't need anyone else to explain to me how it works now or tell me how stupid I was. Believe me I can beat myself up quite well on my own.

 

I just thought maybe I could help someone else. I believed the NCL rep, and I should not have. It didn't occur to me that she was giving wrong information. What I should have done is tell her not to cancel my reservation, pay in full, then work it out with the insurance company.

 

I only wish they had cancelled my reservation and refunded the deposit. I did know that they take the deposit if you don't make the final payment, I just messed up on when the final payment date was. You never just get your money back if you miss the deadline which is why I would never have intentionally missed it.

 

For anyone who is not perfect and may ever make a mistake in a booking: the lesson is 1) Read the T&C, 2) Don't trust the NCL rep, 3) make sure you pay in full before canceling so that you can get all your money back if you have elected "cancel for any reason insurance."

 

For those of you who are perfect and never make mistakes, you can now go pat yourselves on the back that you aren't as dumb as that person on cruise critic who listened to the NCL rep and did what the NCL rep told her to. Give yourselves an extra pat if you piled on with several of your friends to criticize her and self-righteously tell her what she already knew.

Edited October 11, 2015 by curiouser123

[mommyto2kids]

I'm most certainly not perfect. I was looking for clarification as at first I didn't understand what happened. This was a pretty strongly worded title so I think it's fair that there were some questions asked

[curiouser123]

I'm most certainly not perfect. I was looking for clarification as at first I didn't understand what happened. This was a pretty strongly worded title so I think it's fair that there were some questions asked

 

Not accusing you. :)

[maywell]

This part I agree with - the date is clear when you pay the deposit. For an expensive vacation it's something that I'm careful to keep track of

 

The date is always clear when you make a payment - Heck, the X number of days to go before your trip countdown is on the right-hand side on top, in big bold numbers so you don't forget. :confused:

[abe3]

I understand implicitly the way it works now. I don't need anyone else to explain to me how it works now or tell me how stupid I was. Believe me I can beat myself up quite well on my own.

 

I just thought maybe I could help someone else. I believed the NCL rep, and I should not have. It didn't occur to me that she was giving wrong information. What I should have done is tell her not to cancel my reservation, pay in full, then work it out with the insurance company.

 

I only wish they had cancelled my reservation and refunded the deposit. I did know that they take the deposit if you don't make the final payment, I just messed up on when the final payment date was. You never just get your money back if you miss the deadline which is why I would never have intentionally missed it.

 

For anyone who is not perfect and may ever make a mistake in a booking: the lesson is 1) Read the T&C, 2) Don't trust the NCL rep, 3) make sure you pay in full before canceling so that you can get all your money back if you have elected "cancel for any reason insurance."

 

For those of you who are perfect and never make mistakes, you can now go pat yourselves on the back that you aren't as dumb as that person on cruise critic who listened to the NCL rep and did what the NCL rep told her to. Give yourselves an extra pat if you piled on with several of your friends to criticize her and self-righteously tell her what she already knew.

 

 

You can blame the NCL rep all you want but ultimately it comes down to you to make sure what your contract says.

 

Unless you have a recorded message of what was said on the phone or something in writing it ultimately comes down to the actual contract.

 

I feel for you since I have been in a very similar situation before and even though I was really upset and wanted to find someone to blame to try to get my money back I had to just right it off as a loss because of my stupidity.

[piper45maru]

I'm sorry this happened to you, and I appreciate intent of your initial post and the reminder to read the T&Cs and not trust the verbal word of an employee--which extends far beyond NCL, cruising, or traveling. After being beaten up in the reimbursement process and still out a considerable sum of money, it can't feel good to continue to be beaten up for a PSA, either. :( So sorry that the "hits just keep on coming."

[DevCruise]

I too am surprised that the OP still had a reservation to cancel when they missed final payment by 30 days or so. I always thought the NCL system would auto-cancel any reservations that weren't paid by that date and refund the deposit? I wonder if this is something unique to the Haven suites or the move to a 120 day window for suites when other rooms are still 90?

 

Not questioning the OP. Just wondering what happened.

 

As for the phone rep. Sadly, NCL's training issues with them are well known on these boards. One should be able to call and talk to a company representative and get accurate information.