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My letter to NCL

cjcruises

By cjcruises,
in Norwegian Cruise Line

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rochelle_s

rochelle_s

Posted
Posted
Why would anyone need $5k in OBC?

 

  • It' a long cruise
  • It's a cruise to Europe
  • It's a cruise to South America
  • It's a cruise to Asia
  • It's a cruise to Hawaii
  • It's a cruise to Alaska
  • Shore excursions are pricey
  • I like to shop
  • I buy a piece of jewelry as a memory of every vacation
  • I like expensive wine
  • I am hosting my family
  • I like to gamble
  • I'm a BIG tipper

 

Not every vacation is a quickie trip to the Caribbean and even then costs can add up.

 

Personally speaking I have 20 days in the Med booked for next month, then next year 35 days in South America. Go on longer cruises to those places and it does not take very long for all the expenses to add up. That trip next year the tips alone are almost $2000 and if the exchange rate stays the way it is those tips will be costing closer to $3000. Yes that is correct that is the cost of gratuities.

 

It might be inconceivable to you as you might not spend that amount on a cruise but there are plenty that do.

 

 

Rochelle

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rochelle_s

rochelle_s

Posted
Posted
How about 4 people in a stateroom on a 34 day cruise (Buenos Aires to San Francisco)? That is USD37 per person a day!!!

 

Off topic-- but please send me an email sometime. I would love to hear all about your trip when you return. We are doing that itinerary next April.

 

 

Rochelle

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lettienets

lettienets

Posted
Posted
Why would anyone need $5k in OBC?

 

Maybe some people don't like having a big bill on the credit card when they get home. Want the bill paid.

 

If you want to buy 4 future cruise rewards that's $1000. 4 is max.

I spent nearly $1000.00 on shore excursions on my Norway North Cape cruise and that was one person.

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DMH15

DMH15

Posted
Posted

Thanks for the replies. Was curious. I have done 14 day SA with Antarctica. Prepaid excursions. So did not factor. I gamble and drink wine. But guess my taste is more modest. Did 15 day TA to Europe. My excursions prepaid were $1500. Approx.

 

Then again I only spend for one.

 

Thanks again.

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IsanTom

IsanTom

Posted
Posted
I don't think it is fair to call it a 'loophole' necessarily. NCL has not stopped the sale of OBC at a rate favourable to the customer in terms of the current exchange rate. What they have done is set a limit to the total of OBC amount that can be bought per cabin. No doubt the change in policy was made in part because there were those taking advantage of this.

 

Some of the issues at hand are the fact that the policy was put in place retroactively rather than grandfathering in those who had already purchased.

 

While you may be okay with NCL poor communication, others may not be. If a guest is affected by the the change in policy, especially for something they have already bought and paid for they deserve to be notified. There is not one customer who purchased OBC that NCL does not have the contact information for.

 

To many people, the idea that a company would not immediately refund the money they have taken, for a purchase that they have no intention of honouring, is not only unprofessional but unethical as well.

 

As for as a dumb-ass email placating anyone I think you are missing the point. In the various threads on the topic I have not seen anyone complaining about losing the privilege to order any amount you would like in OBC. I think folks understand the reasoning behind a limit being set. Those who are upset over the change in policy appear to be those who have already purchased their OBC.

 

They have bought and paid for something that will not be delivered and not only are they finding out about the changes here on Cruise Critic but for those who call and try to get some sort of clarification on the issue they have trouble getting any straightforward, definitive and accurate responses to their questions.

 

I don't have any OBC purchased but I do believe that they should have grandfather in those that do. If that was not to be the case then I think that notification, to anyone with over the $1000 limit purchased, should have been provided no later than the day the new policy came into place. And the funds over and above the limit should have been refunded that very day. There is absolutely no excuse why this could not and should not have been done.

 

These changes and lack of notice could play havoc on someone's holiday. As an example; someone going on an European cruise might not want to carry a large sum of cash or use foreign ATM's. They could have pre-purchased $5000 OBC so they would have access to these funds while in Europe. Without notification or a prompt refund of their money prior to their cruise they could find themselves severely strapped for cash thousands of miles from home. What if the money is not refunded prior to their trip and they do not have access to any more funds? Not situations I would like to find myself in.

 

There is also the fact that those who book and pay in Canadian funds now have a limit set on them that is not imposed on others. What if I really want to have $5000 in OBC for my holiday? Is there a system in place where I can purchase $1000 at the reduced rate and then an additional $4000 at the going rate of exchange? If not, why not?

 

Not sure you will see any of this as a reasonable explanation but I know for many of my fellow Canadians they will.

 

 

Rochelle

I have never bought OBC from the cruise lines for one of my cruises! Since

this policy is causing many problems for cruisers and NCL Staff just Stop It!

If you need money on your cruise, bring US Dollars and or US Dollar Travelers Checks. I get them free from my bank. End of story! Now no one will be unhappy!

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KevInPitt

KevInPitt

Posted
Posted
I just want to add that the reason NCL offers the OBC and all other prepurchased items at the same exchange rate as booking is because Canadians make up a very large portion of their passengers. They're trying to make things a bit more palatable.

 

You do realize Canadians only comprise about 10% of the cruise passenger demographic, don't you?

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SuiteCruiser

SuiteCruiser

Posted
Posted (edited)
You do realize Canadians only comprise about 10% of the cruise passenger demographic, don't you?

 

Where did you get that figure? You do realize it's enough of an impact that NCL is offering this option, don't you?

Edited by SuiteCruiser
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jmckay331

jmckay331

Posted
Posted (edited)

I've dealt with exchange rates for over 15 years while living outside the US.

Sometimes favorably sometimes not so much (Euro [emoji52][emoji33]) so can understand the frustration of getting a great rate then not. All I can say is that it sucks but not much to be done, its the nature of doing business outside your own currency. I think the OPs frustration while understandible especially if the refund was less than initial cost, is probably more due to not being grandfathered into the new situation. NCL probably should have allowed customers to keep OBC thatq they had previously purchased rather than refund the amount; but, I'm not a NCL employee. I can understand from a financial standpoint why they would limit OBC due to exchange rates and I bet IMHO anyone would have actually been fine with the refund if the exchange rate had been favorable rather than negative. On a side note I would have done something similar to the OP if the rate was favorable...just saying.[emoji12]

Edited by jmckay331
Tried to fix spelling errors 😳
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jingle5616

jingle5616

Posted
Posted

The businessman in me sees captive house money with all the pre purchased OBC. Every item on the ships are at least keystoned, if not double and triple keystoned. Having that available to clients would be inviting for them to spend. I'd love the chance to sell them more stuff, drinks, meals, dolphin petting and rolling the dice.

 

I'd be more than willing to take the risk that my customers are going to spend lavishly and that would more than cover the few who might try to use my service as an arbitrage.

 

As far as the manner in which the "New" NCL management has handled the situation.....I'm not surprised in the least. The shoreside customer service has always been wanting, even before the change in management. These days it is only more blatant and in your face.

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gwsster

gwsster

Posted
Posted

I was looking at my upcoming cruise under the "Plan and Explore" I noticed that when you look at the OBC purchase this week that there is a disclaimer added that the purchase limit is now $1000.00. Hopefully this will help with purchases of OBC from this date forward. NCL has had so many changes over the past year that the website isn't always up to date and the Booking Agents are even less up to date.

I would agree that the "Booking Agents" at NCL are not travel experts. They are booking agents. They are very nice but be aware some PCC's have never been on a cruise let alone know about your specific cruise. This is why I find CC so helpful. Most of the CC members are very helpful, answer a question and stay on topic, for that I am thankful.

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sjbdtz

sjbdtz

Posted
Posted
Why would anyone need $5k in OBC?

 

Casino, primarily. Avoidance of filling in forms at the border for transporting over $10k... getting your money from one country to the other without having to carry it.

 

Getting it at a discount, would be even better.

 

Thanks for the replies. Was curious. I have done 14 day SA with Antarctica. Prepaid excursions. So did not factor. I gamble and drink wine. But guess my taste is more modest. Did 15 day TA to Europe. My excursions prepaid were $1500. Approx.

 

Then again I only spend for one.

 

Thanks again.

 

 

I am curious about those who get comped through CAS...are you able to pay the CDN exchange rate for the taxes, port fees, etc.? I haven't been able to even buy the $1k in OBC because my account has always been in USD.

 

 

 

Stephen

 

.

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KevInPitt

KevInPitt

Posted
Posted
Where did you get that figure? You do realize it's enough of an impact that NCL is offering this option, don't you?

 

The data is easily obtainable. Took me all of two minutes to find it.

 

It can't be that much of an impact if NCL is backpeddling at warp speed to undue the damage of their shortsighted decision.

 

It burns my butt when people seem to think they are so important as to influence a company's policy when in fact their importance is insignificant.

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