Questionable second guest in room before final payment

[BurtonRiderT6]

So my brother is going on a cruise with me and the person he is bringing may or may not be able to go now. Final payment is due in July, if he goes solo the price should drop based on the taxes/promo gratuities/DSC for the other person, correct? Does he need to know prior to final payment?

[hawkeyetlse]

So my brother is going on a cruise with me and the person he is bringing may or may not be able to go now. Final payment is due in July, if he goes solo the price should drop based on the taxes/promo gratuities/DSC for the other person, correct? Does he need to know prior to final payment?

Going from 2 guests to a solo, the timing doesn't really matter. Unless both of them have really good cancellation insurance, the best thing is to do is nothing and act as though the other person is still planning to cruise. Taxes/fees, promo service charges, pre-paid DSC will be refunded eventually if they don't show up for the cruise (not 100% sure about the promo service charges, someone asked about this recently but there was no definite answer).

 

Both people need to agree on how they handle this. Because if the person canceling tries to get all or part of their cruise fare back from NCL, this can have negative consequences for the remaining passenger (your brother), since NCL may ask them to pay a supplement for single occupancy.

[Into Cruising]

I have a friend in the same position....my advice to him was to change from the two person Balcony room, to a Studio for one, before final payment.

 

It is likely he could change to a 2 person room right up until sailing date or shortly before if he got a roomie. But since the studios sell out fast, downgrading to a studio at a later date may not be available.

 

Rather than having to make a full 2 person final payment, it was cut in half, but switching to the studio.

 

I will say, I gave the advice, but it was not followed!

[khaide612]

If he cancels before final payment, your brother will probably be responsible for paying double occupancy in the cabin even if he sails solo. He may be able to cancel himself & switch to a studio. Keep an eye out on how many are left in the weeks leading up to final payment due date.

[hawkeyetlse]

Good point about the studio, I didn't consider that possibility, but availability and pricing may be an issue close to final payment. The remaining passenger will almost certainly end up paying more than what they paid for half of the shared cabin, but since the cancelling passenger will be able to get all their money back before final payment, they may agree to compensate the OP's brother in some way for causing his cruise costs to go up.

 

Edit: As a follow-up, the OP's brother could go ahead and book a studio now, in addition to the existing booking for 2, and then cancel whatever he needs to cancel before final payment in July. (I know it's a little selfish, but that's how the game is played…)

Edited March 31, 2016 by hawkeyetlse

[Into Cruising]

while the adult beverage package is still being offered for the Studio....never know when they will pull that.

[Freckles_51]

Edit: As a follow-up, the OP's brother could go ahead and book a studio now, in addition to the existing booking for 2, and then cancel whatever he needs to cancel before final payment in July. (I know it's a little selfish, but that's how the game is played…)

 

Can a person actually do this...the same name on 2 different bookings?

[hawkeyetlse]

Can a person actually do this...the same name on 2 different bookings?

I have never tried myself, but I have read threads where people insist that it is not allowed and can't be done, and then other people insist that they have done it. So I tend to think it is possible, but NCL probably doesn't encourage it.

[khaide612]

People have the same name...use a parent or friend's address. ;)