NCL- WORST Guest Services

[CasinoCruzGirl]

I feel like I have to share my on going experience with NCL. I had an issue on my cruise in November. After the cruise I called guest services to tell them what I experienced. I was on hold for 53 mins before I got an agent. As soon as I said I wanted to speak to her about the cruise I just got off, she responds "I just want you to know up front that I can not help you with anything. You have to send an email and we will get back to you". I express that that was frustrating as I want to feel like NCL wants to hear me and make things right. I ask to speak to a manager. She tells me there is no one that can talk to me but she will have someone call. She also sends link to email. I write the email and get a auto response saying I will get a response in 15 business days. It's been a month. I have never gotten a response. No call, no email...nothing. So today I call and wait for 45 mins to speak to a guest services person. This person says to give it another 15 business days and someone will get to it. I ask for a manager and am told there is not a person to talk to. I am obviously very upset at this point, feeling blown off. I want to speak to someone of authority so I call reservations (they always have good service before the cruise), ask for a manager. Explain my situation. He agrees that I should have answers by now. He puts me on hold to try to reach someone who will look into this. We both hold for 20 mins and he comes back to say they are in his building and he is just going to walk over there. He comes back and says that a women named Maria is handling my issue and that she will take my call. I think to myself, thank goodness! finally some help. Nope. She answers my call with "how may I help you?" I asked if the previous fellow explained my situation. She starts YELLING at me that they called her at home. She said I called everyone in her company (I guess only 2 ppl work there? lol) and that she was upset to be bothered. I explained I have gotten no response and it's past the time they said they would respond. She told me she would get to it when she got to it. She told me it would be another 10-15 business days at least and that she is the only person who could help me and that she would not speak to me again. She yelled and interrupted me through the entire conversation. I told her that she was yelling at me and she said that I should understand why when I interrupted her on her day off. I asked her for her manager's name and she said she didn't have one. I asked her again..."Who do you report to? she responded that she had ultimate authority and didn't answer to anyone. This is the WORST service experience I have ever had with any of the 5 cruise lines I have cruised with on any of the 20plus cruises we have been on. This was my first and last NCL. Moral of the story, I hope your cruise is good because if it isn't, good luck getting any help!!!! NCL does not care about their customers post cruise.:mad:

 

I would call back and speak to that woman again and tape it this time

[LMaxwell]

See...there is your mistake right there. You assume that it's my job to help the OP....much like it's your job to continually quote me and keep me in the conversation.

 

The OP can ask for help...or not. The OP can share information...or not. Totally up to them. If they give enough information for me, I'm glad to offer suggestions. If they'd rather not, I'm good with that too. Either way, it's no skin off of my back.

 

We've established already that you are no help in this thread.

 

I just don't understand the severely perverse pleasure some get out of beating up on OP while not offering any help.

Edited December 28, 2015 by LMaxwell

[CasinoCruzGirl]

One thing for sure. I would be pretty cheesed off if some demanding stranger called me at home and interrupted my Christmas holiday with some non life and death complaint that belongs at the office.

 

Doesn't sound to me that it was the OP who called her at home she was TRANSFERRED from someone in the office. Don't be made at OP be mad at the person doing the transferring.

[SeaShark]

We've established already that you are no help in this thread.

And you continually engaging me helps how?

[Flatbush Flyer]

I read a consumer advocate's column, Chris Elliott. He started out as a travel advocate and then branched out! He lists bunches of corporate contacts on his website, here's the page for NCL.

 

http://elliott.org/company-contacts/norwegian-cruise-line-ncl/

 

He also has tips on how to write your email, which he always wants people to do before he will take on a case. He wants to see a paper trail, so that timelines can be established.

 

I really hope NCL responds to you soon, you seem to have some valid complaints!

 

 

Chris is king when it comes to ombudsing.

[LMaxwell]

Chris is king when it comes to ombudsing.

 

That's a great link with useful info. Bookmarked.

[Leavethekidswithmom]

I would call back and speak to that woman again and tape it this time

 

 

Beware of that advice, it's a felony in Florida to record a conversation without both parties consent. I believe 10 or 11 other states too.

[CasinoCruzGirl]

Beware of that advice, it's a felony in Florida to record a conversation without both parties consent. I believe 10 or 11 other states too.

 

 

Wow shows what I know lol not much

[SuperCrewBear]

I find this thread interesting. I too have an issue with NCL's customer service. I'm also not going into what the subject matter is here, that I'm upset is enough.

 

I've never taken a cruise anywhere and just plunked down over $4,000 to NCL for a cruise coming up in the next few months - not including any extra spending I might spend on the ship, on shore excursions, etc. When I called about an issue the lady I spoke with was harsh, rude and abrasive. I, of course, was wrong in her opinion and she would not listen to anything I had to say. When I asked to speak to her supervisor she simply said "I'M ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION!" I told her that I didn't appreciate her attitude and had to insist more than once to speak to someone else. Eventually she connected me with some man who would not speak up enough for me to ever understand what he said his name was after I asked him at least three times to repeat his name. His response about my issue was the same as the lady's. I finally hung up more frustrated than I was when I called.

 

I've been thinking about this for several days now. I'm not unfamiliar with being the person at the other end of the phone line when talking to reservations/customer service. Many years ago I worked in the reservation center for a very high end hotel chain and if we had treated anyone the way I was treated, we would have been reprimanded. If we repeated this treatment again we would have been let go. Period.

 

At this time I have about two months to cancel my cruise with a 100% refund. I'm also just about hard headed enough to do that. I've been mulling over my options. The issue I have is actually now irrelevant. The treatment I received, even if it was over a piece of gum, is now the issue. Even if I'm entire wrong I could have been treated much better. What I've been thinking about is: Why would I spend so much money for ANYTHING to be treated so poorly?

[NLH Arizona]

Beware of that advice, it's a felony in Florida to record a conversation without both parties consent. I believe 10 or 11 other states too.

Not only is it against the law in Florida, but one would also open up themselves to a civil suit for damages by the injured party.

[triptolemus]

I dunno... I'm in my forties. I've been purchasing things, dealing with businesses, same as everyone else for years and years. I -- nor anyone else in my family -- has ever had an issue which resulted in being spoken to in a rude manner, cursed out, ignored, hung up on, nothing ever. I cannot recall anytime where I had to ask to speak to a supervisor, escalate, or write letters.

 

I'm not saying it doesn't happen. I'm saying it doesn't happen to me. And we all know where anecdote gets you on forums like these.

 

But...

 

One wonders if we have bad customer service, or bad customers? Generally speaking, it always seems there are "issues" which someone doesn't want to get in to. One wonders if posters who say things like...

 

I finally hung up more frustrated than I was when I called.

 

...wind up setting the tone for a poor interaction by calling up frustrated and angry in the first place.

 

I'm sure someone can express better what it is I'm getting at here.

Edited December 28, 2015 by triptolemus

[Flatbush Flyer]

Beware of that advice, it's a felony in Florida to record a conversation without both parties consent. I believe 10 or 11 other states too.

 

 

Illegal in California without identifying intent to the other party.

[LMaxwell]

Beware of that advice, it's a felony in Florida to record a conversation without both parties consent. I believe 10 or 11 other states too.

 

It depends on the intent of the recording. For instance if you just want a personal recording so that you can accurately keep notes of your call you are fine. See also quality assurance purposes.

 

If on the other hand you are recording with intent as using as evidence in a legal proceeding you could be in a lot of trouble. (That is without proper disclosures)

[NLH Arizona]

I find this thread interesting. I too have an issue with NCL's customer service. I'm also not going into what the subject matter is here, that I'm upset is enough.

 

I've never taken a cruise anywhere and just plunked down over $4,000 to NCL for a cruise coming up in the next few months - not including any extra spending I might spend on the ship, on shore excursions, etc. When I called about an issue the lady I spoke with was harsh, rude and abrasive. I, of course, was wrong in her opinion and she would not listen to anything I had to say. When I asked to speak to her supervisor she simply said "I'M ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION!" I told her that I didn't appreciate her attitude and had to insist more than once to speak to someone else. Eventually she connected me with some man who would not speak up enough for me to ever understand what he said his name was after I asked him at least three times to repeat his name. His response about my issue was the same as the lady's. I finally hung up more frustrated than I was when I called.

 

I've been thinking about this for several days now. I'm not unfamiliar with being the person at the other end of the phone line when talking to reservations/customer service. Many years ago I worked in the reservation center for a very high end hotel chain and if we had treated anyone the way I was treated, we would have been reprimanded. If we repeated this treatment again we would have been let go. Period.

 

At this time I have about two months to cancel my cruise with a 100% refund. I'm also just about hard headed enough to do that. I've been mulling over my options. The issue I have is actually now irrelevant. The treatment I received, even if it was over a piece of gum, is now the issue. Even if I'm entire wrong I could have been treated much better. What I've been thinking about is: Why would I spend so much money for ANYTHING to be treated so poorly?

You said that if you treated someone the way you were treated, you would be fired. I think the problem is that most folks just hang up frustrated and don't pursue the issue any more nor do they bring up the bad customer service to higher ups in the company, so as far as they are concerned their customer service is fantastic. That is why I always write a letter to the CEO or President outlining my issue and point out any bad customer service I was subjected to or tell them about the satisfactory customer service I was given and whether the issue was resolved to my satisfaction or not. I know that they don't read it and it is passed on to someone else, but I've always received either a call back or a letter. It is good to tell a company the bad, but it is also good to tell them when things go right.

 

The other thing that you said, that strikes a nerve with me, is that you ask for a Supervisor and pretty much have to beg to finally be transferred to one. When this happens and I finally get to speak with a Supervisor, I always ask the question "do they get flogged if they send a customer to a Supervisor, because it was harder than all get out to get to you".

Edited December 28, 2015 by NLH Arizona

[broberts]

Beware of that advice, it's a felony in Florida to record a conversation without both parties consent. I believe 10 or 11 other states too.

 

Many customer service systems have an automated attendant that informs one that the conversation may (or will) be recorded. Is that not sufficient consent on the part of the company being called?

[LMaxwell]

Many customer service systems have an automated attendant that informs one that the conversation may (or will) be recorded. Is that not sufficient consent on the part of the company being called?

 

They are doing it ostensibly for internal training and quality assurance, not to build a case to fight against whoever called in in a legal arena. That's why it depends on intent.

[Loonbeam]

Given that this is actually part of what I currently do for a living (dealing with cloud based phone systems used for distributed and onsite call centers among other things)....

 

If the call is recorded by one party, the other is free to record the call as well, regardless of intent (editing the call is another matter). Legally, privacy has been vacated by the recording because even if the intent was training the call is still permitted to be used for other matters.

 

If the calling party wishes to record the call in any of the 2 party consent states (if either party is in one) and have not been notified that the call is being recorded, they are obligated to inform the other party of the recording and if the other party declines to be recorded they either need to terminate the recording or the call.

 

If you are calling into a customer service center and wish to record the call, if you are not advised the call is being recorded, always ask because you cannot be sure where the other party is, especially with distributed call centers.

 

We now return to your regularly scheduled cheerleading, disdaining and obfuscating.

 

 

They are doing it ostensibly for internal training and quality assurance, not to build a case to fight against whoever called in in a legal arena. That's why it depends on intent.

[broberts]

Thanks Loonbeam. Being a bit off topic I decided not to post the question you answered so well. But I did wonder.

[SteveH2508]

More on the original topic - would not storing art in the corridor be a safety violation? We keep hearing about not being allowed to store scooters/wheelchairs etc. in the hallway.

[EyeSeaEwe]

you really do not get anything or your a troll. ...

 

The op stated that they complained to guest services while on the ship and we're instructed to contact ncl when they got home which they did....now over 30 days later and still no answers she calls....

 

you're

[EyeSeaEwe]

The person who is told the owner is not available while they are in the restaurant.

 

For most restaurants the OWNER is rarely there.

[EyeSeaEwe]

Even if the OP's complaint is meritless (which it may be) she deserves a timely answer. Period.

 

You are ASSuming the OP did not get an answer rather than getting an answer they did not like and the issue being resolved s far a NCL was concerned. If you are a company how many times are you going to answer the same question form the same person over the same issue?

[EyeSeaEwe]

If the OP had chosen a different room and paid for that category, not a guarantee, and if they were moved without warning, they deserve compensation in the form of a partial refund, not a credit for another cruise. If they booked a guarantee and that cabin was the category or better that they booked, they deserve nothing, although continued toilet issues should be compensated while on board with a credit.

 

No they are not. Read the contract!

 

"Carrier shall be entitled to, but not obligated to, upgrade any guest free of charge 03/2014 to higher priced accommodations, at the sole discretion of Carrier."

 

If the cabin is an upgrade according to NCL then they are absolutely within their rights to make the change.

[herdingdogmom]

To the OP: I had a frustrating experience with NCL Guest Services 3 years ago. Phone calls were a complete waste of time and really upset me. I sent snail mail letters and emails and was eventually assigned a case number and a "guest services case worker". I'm guessing yours is Maria.

 

All my inquiries were forwarded to this person. It took 2-3 months and I received several form letters from her which made it clear none of my letters had been read completely nor was the documentation I sent reviewed. I persisted and eventually received a call from my assigned person. She finally listened to me and it was resolved.

 

So, my advice is be very clear in your written communications about what it is you want them to do now. In my experience all they offer is a small on board credit for your next cruise. If you are looking for an apology for the cabin problems or the poor post cruise service, be sure to tell them that is what you want.

 

Best of luck. It can be a long haul.

Edited December 28, 2015 by herdingdogmom

[mikenhe]

 

FWIW...Look at the picture of the star above. You can plainly see that the anchor exits the ship between decks 6 and 5. The OP stated that they were on deck 8 UNDER the anchor.

 

 

Thats correct. Under the Cabin for the OP is the Theater. The anchor looks as if if below deck 6.

I was on the same cruise (I saw the OP's name on the Roll call) and I was in one of the very few cabins on deck 6. They are right next to the theater at the front and near to where the anchor appears to be. As we docked at 3 of the 4 ports on this cruise I doubt the anchor was used. if I was then I didn't hear it and I was close to it.

The OP is making assumptions when it comes to the source of the noise. However if it was affecting the cabin that much then I'd be at guest services too. Better still I'd have been on the phone with the hotel director so he could visit me and hear and feel it. I met the hotel director on the first night and at the meet and greet. Nice guy.

The toilets - I did hear a few cabins were affected by that - thats never funny and more than once is good reason to raise the issue.

The art work - its a nothing really but once the other 2 issues keep recurring then its just something else thats irritating. At that point you feel like a 3rd class citizen.

 

I believe that the issues could have been resolved by bringing in the hotel director. His number was always available.

 

Once you are off the ship then its another ball game and it sounds like its been no fun. I'm not sure what the OP expects at this point - what could happen to resolve the issues? Or maybe just to be heard is enough. Either way good luck!