Be careful ncl air

[bearette]

Since this involves the same topic, can you opt out of the transfers?  The air deal

 was good, but the transfers were more then an uber/taxi to the port for the whole party of four per person. It sounds like you can pay a fee to change the date, but not control your flights. We have used NcL air  before on a cruise to Hawaii where the air was $500 a piece cheaper- we hated the flight time, but it was back when you could standby for free so we did-no easy feat with a party of six but we did it. Now with basic economy not including bags and seat assignments can you pay more for that too?  Especially with covid we thought using their air may be better in case the port of departure changes, but it may be better to book my own changable flights.

[bearette]

My quoting isn't working- in fact most airlines have a basic economy that doesn't include a checked bag and some don't even include a carry on even on international flights, see United my case in point.

[hallux]

1 minute ago, bearette said:

can you opt out of the transfers?

You can, but you need to opt-out before 60 days until sailing if you want a refund.  Yeah, they don't tell you, and I had to go back and look at my correspondence with my TA that booked my Mexican Riviera cruise in 2019.

 

Maybe it's changed since then?  I don't know, but that was what I was told 2 years ago (actually, 2 years ago 4 days ago I got that answer).

[bearette]

4 minutes ago, hallux said:

You can, but you need to opt-out before 60 days until sailing if you want a refund.  Yeah, they don't tell you, and I had to go back and look at my correspondence with my TA that booked my Mexican Riviera cruise in 2019.

 

Maybe it's changed since then?  I don't know, but that was what I was told 2 years ago (actually, 2 years ago 4 days ago I got that answer).

Reading the the terms someone posted it doesn't sound like you can, but it's confusing since you don't have to book the hotel, I doubt they go to any random Airbnb or hotel. Probably something I would conform over the phone and in writing...

[Krazy Kat]

I have booked NCL Air promo twice and both times was able to cancel transfers before final payment date.  The cost of transfers were credited to my booking and my final payment was adjusted accordingly.

 

[hallux]

16 minutes ago, bearette said:

Reading the the terms someone posted it doesn't sound like you can, but it's confusing since you don't have to book the hotel, I doubt they go to any random Airbnb or hotel

You need to decide on deviation no later than 75 days before the cruise.  No, NCL won't book your hotel, I booked my own but still used the transfers and just stayed near the airport to utilize the hotel shuttle...

[hallux]

1 minute ago, Krazy Kat said:

was able to cancel transfers before final payment date. 

That's usually more than 60 days...

[MoCruiseFan]

I guess I am in the minority here but I never pay more than $11.20 per person RT on my flights and that includes 1st class.  You just have to know the system and work it to your advantage! The flights through NCL are overpriced.

[complawyer]

ok, i give up, how can you possibly game the system and only pay $11.20 for round trip 1st class tickets, unless you have a few million miles stashed away somewhere.

 

you're probably not only in the minority, but are probably a majority of "1".

 

im not knocking you in any way, and if this really works, more power to you!!!

[Reese15233]

Be aware rather than be careful might have been a better title for this topic. I have used various NCL air offers at this point and the flights have always been acceptable and certainly at a better price than I can get on my own (I am so not in Mo's minority). I do find it interesting that someone would have the time to post on message boards accusing a business of being unprofessional but not the time to understand a sales agreement prior to agreeing to it. I think it's more about being aware as a consumer and responsible as a person than careful.

That said I fully understand those who are not comfortable leaving their plans in the hands of others; although there are no guarantees in long distance travel. I personally like that Norwegian takes responsibility for getting me to the ship given the unpredictable things that can happen, weather, crew issues, mechanical failures, etc. Of course this is also not a guarantee but at least they will accept it was their responsibility if I don't get there. 

[julig22]

10 minutes ago, Reese15233 said:

 I personally like that Norwegian takes responsibility for getting me to the ship given the unpredictable things that can happen, weather, crew issues, mechanical failures, etc. Of course this is also not a guarantee but at least they will accept it was their responsibility if I don't get there. 

Exactly why I choose them, at least for international flights. Their headache if the cruise and/or flights are cancelled.  And for the most part, those flights have been reasonable, considering the available options for getting me from home, to the cruise, and back again.

[DCGuy64]

1 hour ago, Reese15233 said:

Be aware rather than be careful might have been a better title for this topic.

I agree with that, I didn't want to nitpick over semantics but it seemed to me that "be careful" wasn't really a good choice of words. There's not really any "being careful" about it: you either choose NCL's air or you don't. It's a binary choice. I agree with you, "aware" better describes it. It's important to know how the program works and, particularly, the deadlines. 

[complawyer]

while i can appreciate the deal based on thecost of ncl taking caere of the airfare, personally, if i'm leaving out of a foreign port, i like to spend a  few days inthat country. it's even better if we leave from one country and disembark from another. 

 

using ncl air plans dont allow me to do this. nex aug, we're leaving from stockholm, and ending in amsterdam. im planning on spending at least 3-4 days in each

[DCGuy64]

5 minutes ago, complawyer said:

while i can appreciate the deal based on thecost of ncl taking caere of the airfare, personally, if i'm leaving out of a foreign port, i like to spend a  few days inthat country. it's even better if we leave from one country and disembark from another. 

 

using ncl air plans dont allow me to do this. nex aug, we're leaving from stockholm, and ending in amsterdam. im planning on spending at least 3-4 days in each

Yes, that's a great point. I think you can only do the deviation for 1-2 days. In your case, it would be better to book your own airfare. Since my wife and I still work full time and don't have unlimited vacation, we pretty much would just fly to the cruise and then back home. 

[trivimp]

$11.20 is the TSA fees  ($5.60 each way) that you're not allowed to pay for with miles or points.  So yeah, a lot of miles stashed.  I sometimes pay $11.20 once I have enough miles saved up, but I don't generate enough bonus miles on my credit card promos or whatever it is to do that for *every* flight.  Different story when I travelled for work a lot, though.  

[complawyer]

dcguy64.  you miss a lot by not staying over.  on ncl's 1st southeast asian cruise we were able to spend 3 days prior in hong kong and 3 days after in singapore, spent 3 days in hamburg after another cruise.i'm planning on spending a few days in athens,after our april cruise

 

i realize some people dont have that kind of time, but i'm 73 and making up for lost time that we couldnt do when we were in the same position as you and your wife.

 

otherwise travel well, and maybe someday our cruise paths will cross an i'll but the 1st round

[ChiefMateJRK]

2 hours ago, complawyer said:

i realize some people dont have that kind of time, but i'm 73 and making up for lost time that we couldnt do when we were in the same position as you and your wife.

That's a great way of looking at things.  At this point in life, I'm not putting off anything.  You never know what life will bring you next, and your odds get worse each and every year.

[complawyer]

at  this point, i think anyone over 70 is actually on borrowed time. i had prostate surgery in march, my wife had breast cancer surgery in may, it's been a s**t so far as i'm concerned. i want to see the world while i still can.whenever i get a chance to cruise to/from a foreign country, i'm going to try my best to spend a few days there before and after the cruise.

 

sorry up front if this thread is depressing.

[CruizinKittie40]

20 hours ago, MoCruiseFan said:

The flights through NCL are overpriced.

I beg to differ.  My mom and I got round trip tickets from Pensacola Fl to Orlando FL (with layover in ATL) for $100 each.  Did I mention they are round trip?!?  We couldn't even drive that cheap; about 8 hours away from us. 

[Beach Life 1]

11 hours ago, complawyer said:

at  this point, i think anyone over 70 is actually on borrowed time. i had prostate surgery in march, my wife had breast cancer surgery in may, it's been a s**t so far as i'm concerned. i want to see the world while i still can.whenever i get a chance to cruise to/from a foreign country, i'm going to try my best to spend a few days there before and after the cruise.

 

sorry up front if this thread is depressing.

Wishing  good health for you and your wife.  Hope you get to enjoy many, many more cruises!

[DCGuy64]

15 hours ago, complawyer said:

i realize some people dont have that kind of time, but i'm 73 and making up for lost time that we couldnt do when we were in the same position as you and your wife.

You said a mouthful there, my friend! There's a world of difference between being 57 and having to work vs 73 and not. Trust me, we'll be taking longer vacations once I'm not wearing the golden handcuffs, LOL. 😂I have to split up my annual leave between vacations and non-vacation time off (for example, taking our pets to the vet, my wife to the doctor, working as an election officer, visiting family for weddings, funerals, holidays, basically anytime I need time off and it's not related to my personal healthcare). So count your blessings (which I'm sure you do). We were able to spend a little extra time in Italy after our cruise there in late August-early September. I keep begging my wife to let me retire at 62 but she won't budge, haha. 🤣

[hallux]

3 hours ago, CruizinKittie40 said:

I beg to differ.  My mom and I got round trip tickets from Pensacola Fl to Orlando FL (with layover in ATL) for $100 each.  Did I mention they are round trip?!?  We couldn't even drive that cheap; about 8 hours away from us. 

Consider the part of the post that you didn't quote, and the subsequent replies.  For that person NCL flight costs may well cost more than they would pay on their own but that person did not take into account that not everyone here can get the same rates as they can...

[deek72]

This was a reply that I wanted to delete..

Any ideas how to delete a comment? I know you  can only edit for 15 mins but it was only a couple of minutes ago. 

 

Edit: Wow, I've just read that you can't delete your own post, you have to contact a moderator and beg for it to be deleted and they decide whether they will or not. 

 

This is the only forum I've ever been on where you can't change your mind and delete a comment. 

 

Edited October 1, 2021 by deek72

[MoCruiseFan]

8 hours ago, CruizinKittie40 said:

I beg to differ.  My mom and I got round trip tickets from Pensacola Fl to Orlando FL (with layover in ATL) for $100 each.  Did I mention they are round trip?!?  We couldn't even drive that cheap; about 8 hours away from us. 

 

You don't have to beg.

[MoCruiseFan]

On 9/30/2021 at 3:45 PM, trivimp said:

$11.20 is the TSA fees  ($5.60 each way) that you're not allowed to pay for with miles or points.  So yeah, a lot of miles stashed.  I sometimes pay $11.20 once I have enough miles saved up, but I don't generate enough bonus miles on my credit card promos or whatever it is to do that for *every* flight.  Different story when I travelled for work a lot, though.  

 

Yes that is exactly what it is.  We pay for everything possible on our AA card and then pay the full amount on line as soon as it hots our account.  We pay no interest and get miles.  The $95 annual fee is more than offset by getting two free cecked bags per person.

If you fly AA, looking into AA Shopping, eRewards, and miles For Opinions.  You can get a lot of miles with them.  WE each earn between 2500 and 5000 miles a month.