NCL Sun-Big Box TA customers beware!

[edspec]

We were booked through a big box TA for the NCL Sun cruise departing July 13th.  This cruise was cancelled by NCL, and communications to guests directly booked with NCL stated that full refunds would be given if a form was submitted between 4/20-4/27.  That form was never sent to big box customers.  This morning I received a cancellation survey from the TA about this cruise, stating that they would follow the cruiseline's guidelines regarding refunds and FCC.  I filled it out until the last page, where the fine print stated that this form would get me a FCC.  I assumed when the email stated that the cruiseline's refund policy would be followed, that the TA would take my information and submit to NCL between 4/20-4/27.  So glad I read the fine print.  To compare....I had a Carnival cruise cancelled earlier this month.  I was sent a survey from Carnival, and the big box TA, allowing me to request a refund or FCC. The only communication I've had from NCL said FCC, no mention of a refund.  NCL is not playing nice with customers.  If I didn't read CC I would have no idea that a full refund was an option.  So, I won't be sailing with NCL again, or using the big box TA.  

[Cruiser933]

We might have used the same big box.  I have received no communication from NCL.  I spent a couple of hours on hold yesterday with the TA because my final payment is due within days and I wanted to make sure they didn't charge me for a cruise that no longer exists.  I had not received any information from the TA acknowledging that it was canceled by the time I called.  If it wasn't for cruise critic and social media I would never have seen the letter.   I did finally receive the survey from big box this morning.  I also had the fine print at the end of the survey that I would receive FCC.  In my case, I am before final payment, so per NCL customers like me receive a full refund.  In fact, the cruise next deposits that I had used are already back in my account.  My beef is with big box TA, not NCL.  I probably will not use big box in the future.  

[dexddd]

Did your TA receive notice from NCL??

 

Being through this when they changed our ship from Jewel to Sun years ago, I read about it here within a day or two of change.

 

TA wasn't notified for roughly two weeks.  NCL website still selling it for roughly a week.  Online TAs showed it as an option for roughly two weeks.

 

Had sailing cut off first day within 24 hours of sailing.  Found out here on CC while between flights.  NCL did leave message at home but we were already gone.  Never got email.  Called TA who wasn't contacted.

 

So I can give two out of our two times with changes it wasn't TA fault.

[edspec]

I think in this case it is a combination, just given how my cancelled Carnival cruise was handled.  With the TA sending out the cancel survey today, instead of waiting until 4/20 it gave customers the impression that a refund isn't available.  The NCL communication said the same thing.  I have called both NCL and TA, and been assured that my sailing fell w/in the refund guidelines, but if I hadn't read it here on CC I wouldn't have had any way of knowing. Very poor customer service,  and that is being generous on my part. Not sure if it is NCL driven, but still...the TA is supposed to be my advocate.

[Cruise_More_Often]

4 hours ago, edspec said:

I think in this case it is a combination, just given how my cancelled Carnival cruise was handled.  With the TA sending out the cancel survey today, instead of waiting until 4/20 it gave customers the impression that a refund isn't available.  The NCL communication said the same thing.  I have called both NCL and TA, and been assured that my sailing fell w/in the refund guidelines, but if I hadn't read it here on CC I wouldn't have had any way of knowing. Very poor customer service,  and that is being generous on my part. Not sure if it is NCL driven, but still...the TA is supposed to be my advocate.

 

We haven't received any survey from the big box store, but we did get the email from NCL mentioning only that we would be receiving a future cruise credit for our 5/21/20 cruise cancelation. Thank goodness for Cruise Critic, I was pretty sure we should have been able to request a refund, even though the NCL email led me to believe we were only entitled to the FCC. 

 

I finally spoke with a big box TA yesterday. After going around and around with her about the erroneous NCL email and being put on hold while she supposedly spoke with someone at NCL, the TA assured me we were definitely within the window of receiving either a refund or a FCC based upon the information they had received from NCL. She instructed me to wait until the cancel request form appeared on NCL.com on 4/20/20 and complete the area requesting a refund.

 

How could anything be so confusing? Who do we believe -- NCL, the big box store or our friends here at Cruise Critic? The first TA rep I spoke with actually said I should ignore anything I read about this on Cruise Critic. Hah!

 

 

[boatseller]

"guests directly booked with NCL stated that full refunds would be given" or "The only communication I've had from NCL said FCC, no mention of a refund"

 

So, which is the case?  If the TA scrubbed the refund language, why are you upset with NCL?

[hallux]

20 hours ago, Cruise_More_Often said:

 

We haven't received any survey from the big box store, but we did get the email from NCL mentioning only that we would be receiving a future cruise credit for our 5/21/20 cruise cancelation. Thank goodness for Cruise Critic, I was pretty sure we should have been able to request a refund, even though the NCL email led me to believe we were only entitled to the FCC. 

 

I finally spoke with a big box TA yesterday. After going around and around with her about the erroneous NCL email and being put on hold while she supposedly spoke with someone at NCL, the TA assured me we were definitely within the window of receiving either a refund or a FCC based upon the information they had received from NCL. She instructed me to wait until the cancel request form appeared on NCL.com on 4/20/20 and complete the area requesting a refund.

 

How could anything be so confusing? Who do we believe -- NCL, the big box store or our friends here at Cruise Critic? The first TA rep I spoke with actually said I should ignore anything I read about this on Cruise Critic. Hah!

 

 

If your cruise was scheduled for May 20, 2020, then as of right now any cancellation is being initiated by YOU and I believe is only subject to the "peace of mind" protection, which only assures 100% FCC if cancelled up to 48 hours before the scheduled cruise.

 

The only "cash refund" that can be applied for using the forms on the site (at least when made available on April 10) are cruises scheduled through May 10.  This would be why you had "confusing" wording about not having that option, that option isn't available for your sailing yet because as of the time you posted NCL had not yet cancelled the trip to qualify you for that refund/form.

[Cruise_More_Often]

5/21/20, the Sun's first Alaska cruise. Others on that cruise did receive the correct offer.

[hallux]

Ah, as of now that's an outlier in the cancellations by the cruise line, I believe it's the only one after May 10 that NCL has cancelled so far.

[edspec]

NCL has cancelled the entire season of Sun cruises.  

[esm54687]

58 minutes ago, edspec said:

NCL has cancelled the entire season of Sun cruises.  

Well, to clarify..... the Alaskan cruise season.

 

Saying "the entire season of Sun cruises" is very misleading. 

[EllieinNJ]

If you go to the NCL website on the upper left it says alert.  Click this on and go to the refund request.  Type in your info and date and ship.  If it comes up you can press for a cash refund.  You will get an auto reply for confirmation that it will take up to 90 days.

[8420PR]

I know some airlines have incentivized TA's to get customers to accept credits (instead of refunds), so maybe NCL has done the same?

[edspec]

I think so 8420PR, as the TA's response for the Carnival cruise was aboveboard. Again, if I didn't read CC, and went by emails from NCL and the TA I would have gone with the FCC w/o realizing that the refund was an option if I waited till 4/20.  The 90 day wait isn't a big deal, but the willingness to mislead customers is not something I can forgive.

[Robinsoncruiseso]

TA's are not only being notified timely by the cruise lines, but there are also numerous occasions for TA's to attend webinars with the cruise lines advising them of the refund/credit policies.  It could be the info is not funneling down from the leader of the big box to individual TA's.  It is hard as cruise lines will not normally communicate with the cruiser if they used a TA.  Many are making an exception, especially when it comes to money.