So Disappointed in NCL - price dropped IN HALF

[JOregon]

Did you just call NCL and show your concern?  I have heard of others getting upgrades, or on board credit.  My cruise increased also right after I made the final payment  (I should have waited the extra week or two.)  

 

Is it worth calling and asking what they can do?

[MadManOfBethesda]

23 hours ago, kelib said:

One thing to also consider with price drops on last minute bookings is that many people who have to fly last minute can get discouraged at higher airline fares. I have seen great last minute cruise fares only to be dissuaded by higher costs and limited airline availability. It works well for people who may be able to drive, but may not work for others. I look at total cost of trip and not just the cruise fare. 

It depends on how you define "last minute." Last minute for a cruise can still be 30-45 days out. Last minute for an airline is usually less than 7 days.  Airline fares 2-3 weeks out are usually no more expensive than 2-3 months out or longer. I've found if I have more than 7 days notice, I can find a reasonable airline fare to match a bargain-basement cruise fare.  In fact, just 10 days ago, I booked a 7-day r/t cruise out of Dubai in an ocean view cabin on Jewel OTS for $175pp. I then found a non-stop 14-hour flight from Ft. Lauderdale to Dubai on Emirates for only $750 all-in including seats & luggage.

 

If I wanted to take a longer cruise, I could have booked a 22-day cruise on NCL's Jade for only $489 and also not have had a problem coming up with a reasonable return airfare from Rome.

 

I've been cruising for almost 40 years (first cruise was in 1981) and learned a long time ago to book cruises after final payment date has passed. Although there have been exceptions to that for special cruises or when we're booking with friends, I usually adhere to that policy.

[CherWolf]

On 2/28/2020 at 4:03 PM, susanf31 said:

MrMike45 - not sure what you are trying to imply.  I only cruise every 5 or so years. I only hang out on these boards when I'm actively booked on a cruise....which happens to be this year.  Last cruise was 2013.  That's why I've been a member since 2001 and only have a few posts.

 

I cruise way more than you do and come here more often and my stats aren't much better.  If I can't say something that hasn't already been said, or add something of value, no need to post.

[scootersdad]

I agree.  Its a waste of time to post "sorry you're not feeling well" or "looking forward to this cruise" or" Hope it works out for you" etc;  just to get posting numbers up. 

[mjkacmom]

10 hours ago, JOregon said:

Did you just call NCL and show your concern?  I have heard of others getting upgrades, or on board credit.  My cruise increased also right after I made the final payment  (I should have waited the extra week or two.)  

 

Is it worth calling and asking what they can do?

The OP was given the standard 25% OBC.

[mrobstad]

I’m now convinced there’s some fraud involved. My PCC insisted I paid $699 base price when I called to upgrade. I insisted it was over $1,000. I found the original invoice in “all mail” box. I’m unable to forward it as an email or message. This is why I feel there’s deception. So I took a picture of my invoice and sent it to my PCC.
I’m looking to upgrade from a studio to a balcony, which is now priced at $629 for solos. But I was told that’s a “sail away” price. Yet, that’s the websites only price that appears. Yes, I made my final payment.
I’ve cruised NCL over 20 times.
I’m so disappointed this is how they treat platinum latitudes members, or any customer.



Sent from my iPad using Forums

[girlcruiser]

5 hours ago, mrobstad said:

I’m now convinced there’s some fraud involved. My PCC insisted I paid $699 base price when I called to upgrade. I insisted it was over $1,000. I found the original invoice in “all mail” box. I’m unable to forward it as an email or message. This is why I feel there’s deception. So I took a picture of my invoice and sent it to my PCC.
I’m looking to upgrade from a studio to a balcony, which is now priced at $629 for solos. But I was told that’s a “sail away” price. Yet, that’s the websites only price that appears. Yes, I made my final payment.
I’ve cruised NCL over 20 times.
I’m so disappointed this is how they treat platinum latitudes members, or any customer.



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They only allow Sailaway to Sailaway upgrades and differences between the $699.00 and  $1000.00 is taxes not included in the base rate.   

[Susandt]

18 hours ago, JOregon said:

Did you just call NCL and show your concern?  I have heard of others getting upgrades, or on board credit.  My cruise increased also right after I made the final payment  (I should have waited the extra week or two.)  

 

Is it worth calling and asking what they can do?

She got obj but that wasn’t enough to make her happy

[smplybcause]

5 hours ago, mrobstad said:

I’m now convinced there’s some fraud involved. My PCC insisted I paid $699 base price when I called to upgrade. I insisted it was over $1,000. I found the original invoice in “all mail” box. I’m unable to forward it as an email or message. This is why I feel there’s deception. So I took a picture of my invoice and sent it to my PCC.
I’m looking to upgrade from a studio to a balcony, which is now priced at $629 for solos. But I was told that’s a “sail away” price. Yet, that’s the websites only price that appears. Yes, I made my final payment.
I’ve cruised NCL over 20 times.
I’m so disappointed this is how they treat platinum latitudes members, or any customer.



Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

Studios are free at sea rates. You can only upgrade to other free at sea rates. Sailaway is not a free at sea rate so you cannot upgrade to it. 

 

I was able to upgrade from a studio to a balcony on a cruise leaving in a week but it was to a balcony with a free at sea rate that was less than what I paid for the studio. 

 

Also they only look at the base fare rate with upgrades. $699 + taxes and fees + free at sea gratuities for the drink package would put the end price around $1000.

Edited March 1, 2020 by smplybcause

[SAmome]

On 2/28/2020 at 2:25 PM, marktwothousand said:

Same. Never booking early again. From now on I'm booking the time off work and buying my cruise fare at the last minute. If my sailing isn't available, then I'll suck it up and go to another line or ship that week.

Interesting.  I'm ok with the 25% of the price reduction after final b/c it's more than other cruiselines do.............. but, don't most cruiselines let you upgrade if a better cabin is available at same or less than you paid?  Or the ability to upgrade if the difference small and you pay the difference?

 

The only answer to this is last minute booking.  Cruiselines are gonna need to offer a little incentive to booking early, like at least the ability to upgrade.

[Markanddonna]

In normal times, before the coronavirus, anyone would have been thrilled with an upgrade or more OBC. Longterm, we want the travel industry to be there for us and if they bleed money, they won't be. I have never seen deals like this before, but these are for people with high risk tolerance. 

[luv2kroooz]

9 minutes ago, Markanddonna said:

In normal times, before the coronavirus, anyone would have been thrilled with an upgrade or more OBC. Longterm, we want the travel industry to be there for us and if they bleed money, they won't be. I have never seen deals like this before, but these are for people with high risk tolerance. 

I think I would go for the upgrade to balcony. I always book inside rooms and spend very little time in them. I think the likelihood of another quarantine situation like the Diamond fiasco is remote, but I cringe at the thought of being quarantined in an inside stateroom.

[hamrag]

15 minutes ago, blcruising said:

I think I would go for the upgrade to balcony. I always book inside rooms and spend very little time in them. I think the likelihood of another quarantine situation like the Diamond fiasco is remote, but I cringe at the thought of being quarantined in an inside stateroom.

This will shock you, but as a couple who generally sail in a carefully selected inside....I agree with you!!  🤣

[EllieinNJ]

16 hours ago, girlcruiser said:

They only allow Sailaway to Sailaway upgrades and differences between the $699.00 and  $1000.00 is taxes not included in the base rate.   

This is so wrong.  We went from a free at sea inside to a s ailaway balcony on the Epic for $75 pp.  Lost the one perk and $50 OBC but was worth it.

[Lionkingrichard]

2 hours ago, EllieinNJ said:

This is so wrong.  We went from a free at sea inside to a s ailaway balcony on the Epic for $75 pp.  Lost the one perk and $50 OBC but was worth it.

Hope it wasn't drinks?

[Crazy planning mom]

I agree that cruising may not be for you.  NCL is not the only cruiseline that does this.   Pretty sure that other cruiselines do as well.

[MrMike45]

Just to clarify (nothing to do with the original post)...I was not insulting the OP or their post count.  I was actually impressed by the fact they have been a member for so long, and posted so little.  I would feel the need to comment more often if I was reading these board for 19 years.  No need for anyone to defend their own post totals and/or length of time on these boards.  It was merely an observation.  

[smplybcause]

18 hours ago, SAmome said:

Interesting.  I'm ok with the 25% of the price reduction after final b/c it's more than other cruiselines do.............. but, don't most cruiselines let you upgrade if a better cabin is available at same or less than you paid?  Or the ability to upgrade if the difference small and you pay the difference?

 

The only answer to this is last minute booking.  Cruiselines are gonna need to offer a little incentive to booking early, like at least the ability to upgrade.

 

Yes and no - every line has it's weird quirks. As the other line I'm most familiar with is Royal, they often label their sales after final payment "new bookings only" so the sale prices aren't valid for those that have already booked. And then there's more weird quirks. For example on my last cruise with them my parents were in an oceanview balcony, I was solo in an interior balcony, and my bro booked an interior for 4. Prices dropped and weren't for new bookings only and my bro was able to upgrade to an oceanivew balcony for no cost, but even though online it showed that I should be able to too somehow the solo price was different and they wouldn't let me upgrade. 

 

For a current example on NCL there was a large group of us in studios when the price dropped like a rock. A good chunk of us got upgrades to balconies, with several having to call a few times to get the upgrade. Someone of the ones were denied for specific reasons but those reasons applied to some that got the upgrade. So it made no sense to a degree. 

Edited March 2, 2020 by smplybcause

[Bear Down]

We booked a sailaway balcony with no perks about 6 months ago for a cruise later this month. Since the prices on a balcony with all perks dropped below what we paid, we had our travel agent try to upgrade us to the same balcony room with all the perks. No luck, but that was expected.

 

The prices on mini-suites also dropped to just a little bit above what we paid for our balcony, again with all 4 perks. Our travel agent tried again to get us an upgrade with all perks with no luck. She called again, and spoke to a different person, and was able to get us a mini-suite with all 4 perks for only a few hundred dollars extra. We also had previously pre-booked one excursion through NCL. With the $50 perk towards excursions, we thought we'd get credited back the $50 as OBC. Instead, somehow, we've been given $75 OBC. Not sure why we're getting an extra $25 but I'll take it.

 

If you don't like the answer you get when you call NCL, call back and talk to somebody different. It's amazing there's no uniformity among the customer service operators.

[Lionkingrichard]

To get upgraded you need room in the Lifeboats!

 

A party of 2 has a better chance then 4!

[tparick]

My balcony dropped $1000, they waited until they were within the 75% period so there could be no refund. The bigger problem is the aEpic is doing a 18 day transatlantic. So you get on in Miami  passing all the protocol and the on day 3 at sea there is a outbreak of Coronavirus, now you are on a floating Petri dish. What happens then?  Princess Diamond synopsis. 

[GA Dave]

I am really pissed off too!  I just bought ten gallons of gasoline yesterday afternoon for $2.21 per gallon from my neighborhood station.  When I was driving by on my way to work this morning, it had dropped to $2.16 per gallon.   I went into the station and demanded a refund of my $.50 and they told me NO.  CAN YOU IMAGINE!!!  I will NEVER buy gas at that station again!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

😁

[Zippeedee]

2 hours ago, Bear Down said:

We booked a sailaway balcony with no perks about 6 months ago for a cruise later this month. Since the prices on a balcony with all perks dropped below what we paid, we had our travel agent try to upgrade us to the same balcony room with all the perks. No luck, but that was expected.

 

The prices on mini-suites also dropped to just a little bit above what we paid for our balcony, again with all 4 perks. Our travel agent tried again to get us an upgrade with all perks with no luck. She called again, and spoke to a different person, and was able to get us a mini-suite with all 4 perks for only a few hundred dollars extra. We also had previously pre-booked one excursion through NCL. With the $50 perk towards excursions, we thought we'd get credited back the $50 as OBC. Instead, somehow, we've been given $75 OBC. Not sure why we're getting an extra $25 but I'll take it.

 

If you don't like the answer you get when you call NCL, call back and talk to somebody different. It's amazing there's no uniformity among the customer service operators.

You won't see the $50 excursion credit until you actually take the excursion. You may have qualified for a different perk and have $75 more OBC. 

[spanishguy1970]

On 2/28/2020 at 2:13 PM, MrMike45 said:

 

Just a question....if the cruise doubled in price, would you be ok if NCL called you and said you had to pay more, even if you already made final payment? 

I never understand this type of question, it just does not make any sense, no one would want that, but is human nature to be disappointed if they think they are overpaying for something. People do it all the time, if they see a lower item somewhere else they ask for rain checks, or price adjustment on a piece of clothing, etc. I for one am always checking for prices, and if i buy something today at a certain price and tomorrow goes down in price by 50% of course i will ask for some sort of compensation and whoever says they don't do this is probably lying.

Edited March 2, 2020 by spanishguy1970

[MrMike45]

16 minutes ago, spanishguy1970 said:

I never understand this type of question, it just does not make any sense, no one would want that, but is human nature to be disappointed if they think they are overpaying for something. People do it all the time, if they see a lower item somewhere else they ask for rain checks, or price adjustment on a piece of clothing, etc. I for one am always checking for prices, and if i buy something today at a certain price and tomorrow goes down in price by 50% of course i will ask for some sort of compensation and whoever says they don't do this is probably lying.

 

Being disappointed in paying a price that at the time you were ok with?  And months later, then starting a thread on this website bashing the company saying you will never give them business again unless they bend over backwards to give you thousands of dollars back after you paid (and were ok) with something months ago?   

 

OP asked.  NCL offered a % in OBC.  More then they were contractually obligated to do.  But obviously not the $3000 that the OP "overpaid" when originally booked.  Not good enough.  Thus 4 pages on this thread.