Daily Service Fee -- if pre-paid, but the cruise is cancelled, is the service fee refunded, too

[Yo Adrienne]

Just wondering...knowing that the daily service fee is increasing, but that there is an option to pre-pay at the current rate if done so prior to sailing and before March 31...if the cruise is ultimately cancelled (for whatever reason), will we be refunded those fees back (along with the rest of our cruise fare)...?  (I've searched the forums, but can't find a recent specific answer to this question.  So, sorry if this has been addressed elsewhere.)  I would assume so...? 

 

Thanks in advance...! 🙂 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[bigrednole]

Yes

[julig22]

Yes you will get a refund but you are misreading the terms.  You get the current rates if you book prior to April 1 and pay before you sail.  You don't have to pay until closer to your sail date.

[Yo Adrienne]

Just now, julig22 said:

Yes you will get a refund but you are misreading the terms.  You get the current rates if you book prior to April 1 and pay before you sail.  You don't have to pay until closer to your sail date.

Yes...I'm definitely confused, so I really appreciate your response. 

 

So, just to make sure I understand correctly...We're booked for May (and have been for quite a long time)...full payment made.  So, we don't actually have to pre-pay by March 31 to avoid the cost increase...?   

 

And we have another cruise booked for the fall...so we don't need to pre-pay for that one by March 31, either to avoid the increase...? 

 

 

 

[vince_g]

5 minutes ago, Yo Adrienne said:

Yes...I'm definitely confused, so I really appreciate your response. 

 

So, just to make sure I understand correctly...We're booked for May (and have been for quite a long time)...full payment made.  So, we don't actually have to pre-pay by March 31 to avoid the cost increase...?   

 

And we have another cruise booked for the fall...so we don't need to pre-pay for that one by March 31, either to avoid the increase...? 

 

 

 

No, just pay prior to cruising in the fall. 

[julig22]

5 minutes ago, Yo Adrienne said:

Yes...I'm definitely confused, so I really appreciate your response. 

 

So, just to make sure I understand correctly...We're booked for May (and have been for quite a long time)...full payment made.  So, we don't actually have to pre-pay by March 31 to avoid the cost increase...?   

 

And we have another cruise booked for the fall...so we don't need to pre-pay for that one by March 31, either to avoid the increase...? 

 

 

 

Correct.  You just have to pay before you get on board.  I have cruises booked out into 2024 and based on what they've said, I'll only be charged the current rate - assuming I don't make any changes to those bookings.

But if you make any changes to your reservation, I'm guessing that the terms will revert to the new prices.

[Yo Adrienne]

3 minutes ago, julig22 said:

Correct.  You just have to pay before you get on board.  I have cruises booked out into 2024 and based on what they've said, I'll only be charged the current rate - assuming I don't make any changes to those bookings.

But if you make any changes to your reservation, I'm guessing that the terms will revert to the new prices.

Thank you...!  I really appreciate your clarification...!  🙂 

[razor7_us]

You must prepay by the 31st to lock in old rate. If you prepay after that date or wait until you sail, you will be charged the new rate.

[BirdTravels]

7 hours ago, Yo Adrienne said:

Just wondering...knowing that the daily service fee is increasing, but that there is an option to pre-pay at the current rate if done so prior to sailing and before March 31...if the cruise is ultimately cancelled (for whatever reason), will we be refunded those fees back (along with the rest of our cruise fare)...?  (I've searched the forums, but can't find a recent specific answer to this question.  So, sorry if this has been addressed elsewhere.)  I would assume so...? 

 

Thanks in advance...! 🙂 

When a cruise is cancelled, you get a refund to the original form of payment for anything you paid above and beyond the cruise fare (daily service charge, shore ex, packages, port charges, taxes).

 

 

 

Dear Valued Guests and Travel Partners,

 

On behalf of Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), we thank you for your loyalty and for making us your vacation of choice.

 

The following is important information regarding your upcoming cruise  Travel partners should share the below information with guests who may be affected.

 

At Norwegian Cruise Line, we are committed to delivering exceptional guest experiences at every step of the cruise journey, and with the dedication of our shipboard team, we are able to turn your vacation dreams into reality. As such, we make it easy for guests to show their appreciation for these vacation heroes with discretionary daily services charges, which provide gratuities to key onboard team members, including room stewards, restaurant servers and behind-the-scenes support staff.

 

Beginning April 1, 2022, we will be making a nominal adjustment to our daily service charges, as follows.

•             $20.00 per person per day - The Haven & Suite

•             $18.00 per person per day - Club Balcony Suite

•             $1600 per person per day - Balcony and below

 

Guests who make a reservation on or before March 31, 2022, will have the option of pre-paying their service charges at the current rate, if done prior to sail date. Guests with existing cruise reservations who have already pre-paid their service charges at the current rate are not affected.

 

Service charges can be prepaid in the Vacation Summary section on My NCL.

 

Sincerely,

Norwegian Cruise Line

 

[julig22]

38 minutes ago, razor7_us said:

You must prepay by the 31st to lock in old rate. If you prepay after that date or wait until you sail, you will be charged the new rate.

no.  Pre-paying service charges at the current rate, if done prior to sail date means you don't have to pay until you sail and you will keep the current rate.

[davencl]

7 minutes ago, julig22 said:

no.  Pre-paying service charges at the current rate, if done prior to sail date means you don't have to pay until you sail and you will keep the current rate.

Yes I agree that's how it reads.  However there was no option for me to do so when I tried.   Once I checked the prepay box I was required to pay before it was accepted.  Perhaps the website has changed since I did this a couple of days ago.

[julig22]

2 minutes ago, davencl said:

Yes I agree that's how it reads.  However there was no option for me to do so when I tried.   Once I checked the prepay box I was required to pay before it was accepted.  Perhaps the website has changed since I did this a couple of days ago.

If you checked the prepay box then they are expecting you to pay at the time.  If you don't check it, you have the option to pay at any time.

[davencl]

1 minute ago, julig22 said:

If you checked the prepay box then they are expecting you to pay at the time.  If you don't check it, you have the option to pay at any time.

Yes I understand now.  That would mean on Apr. 1 the prepay charge should remain the same.  In my case it doesn't matter much since my sail date is Apr.3.

[GeezerCouple]

1 hour ago, davencl said:

Yes I agree that's how it reads.  However there was no option for me to do so when I tried.   Once I checked the prepay box I was required to pay before it was accepted.  Perhaps the website has changed since I did this a couple of days ago.

 

You should not have checked the "prepay" choice at that point.

The way to do this is to wait until very close to sailing and then contact them to pay that cost (by phone or if it's possible, online).  They'll be more than happy to take your payment at any time!

 

Note:  You might be able to call them and ask them to refund the fee so that you can pay it later, if that's important to you.  It's worth asking.

 

GC

[razor7_us]

On 3/19/2022 at 11:00 PM, julig22 said:

no.  Pre-paying service charges at the current rate, if done prior to sail date means you don't have to pay until you sail and you will keep the current rate.

Sigh......

 

Reading is fundamental but comprehension is key

[blueskadoo]

Similar question…If you win an upgrade bid and the cruise gets cancelled by ncl, do you receive a refund or is it added to the fcc? Thanks 

[Yo Adrienne]

 

On 3/19/2022 at 10:00 PM, julig22 said:

Pre-paying service charges at the current rate, if done prior to sail date means you don't have to pay until you sail and you will keep the current rate.

Confirmation...my daily service charges are the same as they were when I booked my cruises months ago.  They did not increase...because it is now April 1 and I hadn't pre-paid yet.

 

I will, however, pre-pay before our embarkation next month...to ensure that my daily charges are at the lower rate. 🙂 

 

(And thank you, @julig22for your help...! 🙂 ) 

Edited April 1, 2022 by Yo Adrienne
used the wrong word