NCL Air. - BEWARE and Be Aware

[DwayneG]

I usually arrange my own air but I looked at using the air promo on an upcoming cruise since I finish in Vancouver.  The charge for the second passenger was about what I would pay for both my wife and I if booked my own.  But adding in a third passenger at the NCL price was WAY more than I could do on my own.

[reeinaz]

7 hours ago, wil e coyote said:

I think (but don't have any data to back it up) that the flights NCL arranges DO go smoothly for most people. So what about when they don't?

It seems there is a fundamental assumption for some underlying the NCL Air discussion that goes something like this: "Since I am booking my air travel through NCL, it is an extension of my cruise, so NCL should help make sure it goes smoothly." I can see the logic of this thought process - after all, if you paid NCL and they set up the flights, and it is so you can go spend money on their ship, shouldn't they have some interest in getting you on the ship? What I have NO insight to is whether NCL looks at it this way. These posts (and others) would suggest that NCL either doesn't see it that way or cannot consistently carry it out. There could be lots of reasons why NCL wants to help with flight support, but cannot - from internal staffing problems, to airline staffing, and other factors.

I have used NCL Air in the past, and other times I have booked my own flights for a cruise. I'm a frequent traveler, so even when someone else books my flights, I know how to work the system if something goes wrong. But I realize not everyone knows how to do that.

My takeaway from all this is that even when NCL arranges the flights for you, you're really on your own to get on the ship (and especially to get home.) So be aware! Forewarned is forearmed.

Exactly. Nowhere in the NCL terms and conditions that I’ve read does it make any promise to get you to the cruise if your flight is cancelled/delayed. They don’t even promise to get you on another flight. They tell *you* to talk to the airline to make alternate arrangements. Another cruise line does say they will get you to the next port to join the cruise is you miss the ship when you book flights through them. I book NCL flights because they are significantly cheaper than what I can get on my own. And buy trip insurance. 

[letmego4]

Absolute horrible customer service with NCL and their chosen air. As was previously stated, Beware Using NCL and their Air. Canceled our flights which were already poor options and gave us worse times and flights. Why they chose an airline sending us through Canada instead of direct to Europe made no sense except that it added extra fees on to us.  

[Travelling2Some]

This is an old thread that has been dragged up but it might be even more relevant now with the airlines making frequent changes in flight times.  Lately you even have to be concerned you'll end up on a defective 737 if you let NCL choose your airline.

[Rick&Jeannie]

Yep!  Thread resurrection at work here.  I guess since I'm already typing here I will throw my 2 cents in! 😄 I *never* book with cruise line air programs.  They are really *not* connected to the cruise line other than to say that "they are doing business on behalf of the line" ....which tends to (possibly) get more people to book.  There very likely would NOT be this association if NCL (or whoever) didn't think it would be to teir advantage in some way.

I prefer to book directly and "control my own destiny"...or make my own mistakes.  It's just so much easier (usually) to recover from issues if you don't have to rely on a middleman.

[ChiefMateJRK]

54 minutes ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

I guess since I'm already typing here I will throw my 2 cents in! 😄 I *never* book with cruise line air programs.

I'm with you.  I only had NCL buy my airfare once and I won't do it again.  That said, please understand that for some people the savings from NCL airfare might be the difference between cruising or not.

[MoCruiseFan]

7 hours ago, letmego4 said:

Absolute horrible customer service with NCL and their chosen air. As was previously stated, Beware Using NCL and their Air. Canceled our flights which were already poor options and gave us worse times and flights. Why they chose an airline sending us through Canada instead of direct to Europe made no sense except that it added extra fees on to us.  

Nothing at all to "BEWARE" of if one simply reads what it is they are buying before they buy it.  As fr as the cancellation and re-booking goes, that may or may not have been NCL's decision.  It is just as likely that the airline cancelled or changed the original flight,

[UKstages]

1 hour ago, Travelling2Some said:

Lately you even have to be concerned you'll end up on a defective 737 if you let NCL choose your airline.

 

funny you should mention this. i use frequent flyer miles for my flights and most of my miles are on united. UA invested heavily in acquiring a fleet rich with all the 737 variants. it takes a lot of ingenuity to travel domestically on united and not be subjected to the 737. 

[julig22]

1 hour ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

I prefer to book directly and "control my own destiny"...or make my own mistakes.  It's just so much easier (usually) to recover from issues if you don't have to rely on a middleman.

Well, except that relying on that middleman sure makes it easier (usually) when things go wrong with the cruise. NCL rebooked flights for those on the Getaway yesterday.  NCL rebooked flights for those on the Dawn last month. And just speculating but I would think Miami knew about the delays prior to passengers, so could get started with making new flight arrangements while everyone else scrambled trying to rebook flights over slooooow internet.  And I've heard of at least 1 person on the Dawn whose insurance didn't cover the new flight costs since the issue was due to a government mandate.

So win some, lose some LOL.

[Rick&Jeannie]

1 hour ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

I'm with you.  I only had NCL buy my airfare once and I won't do it again.  That said, please understand that for some people the savings from NCL airfare might be the difference between cruising or not.

You are absolutely correct.  There are definite savings that can be had...just be VERY careful and check everything you possibly can!  Don't blindly assume that this is like a travel agent who (should) have *your* best interset at heart.

[Rick&Jeannie]

44 minutes ago, julig22 said:

Well, except that relying on that middleman sure makes it easier (usually) when things go wrong with the cruise. NCL rebooked flights for those on the Getaway yesterday.  NCL rebooked flights for those on the Dawn last month. And just speculating but I would think Miami knew about the delays prior to passengers, so could get started with making new flight arrangements while everyone else scrambled trying to rebook flights over slooooow internet.  And I've heard of at least 1 person on the Dawn whose insurance didn't cover the new flight costs since the issue was due to a government mandate.

So win some, lose some LOL.

I think it's only fair to point out that *many* of the "good" stories that you hear about flight consolidators (notice that I'm lumping them *all* in together) come about when large groups are affected, just as in the example you mention.  I'd be willing to bet that there is a bit of posturing on the back end (WITH the associated cruise line) such that the "story" can be spun on a positive note.  I'm certainly not saying that *nobody* on an individual level ever gets helped in a bad situation...just that (personal opinion here) I think there's likely some pressure on that flight consolidator to GET THIS RIGHT!  Otherwise, (insert your cruise line name here) is going to look bad on a BIGGER scale than usual.

[julig22]

24 minutes ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

I think it's only fair to point out that *many* of the "good" stories that you hear about flight consolidators (notice that I'm lumping them *all* in together) come about when large groups are affected, just as in the example you mention.  I'd be willing to bet that there is a bit of posturing on the back end (WITH the associated cruise line) such that the "story" can be spun on a positive note.  I'm certainly not saying that *nobody* on an individual level ever gets helped in a bad situation...just that (personal opinion here) I think there's likely some pressure on that flight consolidator to GET THIS RIGHT!  Otherwise, (insert your cruise line name here) is going to look bad on a BIGGER scale than usual.

I think it's more of a "we'll fix it because we changed the cruise, therefore it's our problem" in the examples I gave. Since they made the reservation, they have the ability to make adjustments. And if they make a mistake, they will fix it (been there, done that with them).

But too often the complaints are from those who didn't read the terms of the contract. No, they won't change your flights if your friends aren't on the same flight. No, they won't change your flights if you suddenly realize that flying in the day of your cruise isn't such a good idea. No, they don't assign seats, that's between you and the airline. No, you probably can't upgrade.

 

[RedwingHockeyFan]

My wife is not a TA but she helps a woman she knows make travel arrangements for cruises.  If that woman's flight got cancelled and she had to book another flight that was more expensive, do you think it is logical to force my wife to pay that difference?

 

All NCL is doing is providing a service for booking your flights.  Once the tickets are issued the flights are now in the hands of the airlines.  NCL has no decision-making abilities when it comes to cancelling or delaying flights so why would they ever be expected to cover the costs associated with them?

[DCGuy64]

I think when airlines make changes and passengers are mad, it just makes it easier to blame NCL (rather than the airline) when things don't turn out well. It doesn't matter if you book your own flights, use a TA, or use NCL. I will say that @Rick&Jeannie is that rare cruiser who understands that doing things on your own means you have to deal with the consequences.

[hallux]

12 hours ago, MoCruiseFan said:

It is just as likely that the airline cancelled or changed the original flight,

Happened to me with my last cruise, but I self-booked the flights.  About 6 weeks prior to the cruise Southwest decided to cancel the flight I had booked, forcing me from a 10:30 AM flight to a 6:30 AM flight.  Both were the day before the cruise so it didn't matter much anyway, except that I no longer had a ride to the airport, I had to leave my car and my ride turned into them picking my car up instead (airport parking for 18 days would not have been cheap!!)

 

It seems they're fiddling with things to most efficiently use their fleet.

[Rick&Jeannie]

1 hour ago, DCGuy64 said:

 I will say that @Rick&Jeannie is that rare cruiser who understands that doing things on your own means you have to deal with the consequences.

Lol! DW is *always* saying to me that I'm going to have to deal with consequences of some type! 😄 Usually something that I've said....

[DCGuy64]

14 minutes ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

Lol! DW is *always* saying to me that I'm going to have to deal with consequences of some type! 😄 Usually something that I've said....

Join the crowd, my wife is the same way! 🤣

[BrewsterNC]

1 hour ago, RedwingHockeyFan said:

My wife is not a TA but she helps a woman she knows make travel arrangements for cruises.  If that woman's flight got cancelled and she had to book another flight that was more expensive, do you think it is logical to force my wife to pay that difference?

 

All NCL is doing is providing a service for booking your flights.  Once the tickets are issued the flights are now in the hands of the airlines.  NCL has no decision-making abilities when it comes to cancelling or delaying flights so why would they ever be expected to cover the costs associated with them?

I think this is a little bit more complicated than this. Unlike your wife, NCL is a TA.

In many cases, a flight ticket from a TA needs to be changed ONLY through the TA, even when the airline is willing to change for free.

NCL is at least responsible for responding to the calls.

[RocketMan275]

1 hour ago, DCGuy64 said:

I think when airlines make changes and passengers are mad, it just makes it easier to blame NCL (rather than the airline) when things don't turn out well. It doesn't matter if you book your own flights, use a TA, or use NCL. I will say that @Rick&Jeannie is that rare cruiser who understands that doing things on your own means you have to deal with the consequences.

Doing things on your own also means that you have the capability to respond to 'consequences' without involving a middle man who may or maynot have  your best interests at heart.  This is one instance where I prefer to retain control.

[DCGuy64]

4 hours ago, RocketMan275 said:

Doing things on your own also means that you have the capability to respond to 'consequences' without involving a middle man who may or maynot have  your best interests at heart.  This is one instance where I prefer to retain control.

There's no one-size-fits-all for this kind of thing. But there are pros and cons to both strategies. Maybe we're lucky: our travel agent is a great guy, he works hard for us and he's extremely responsive to any questions we have. Going it alone means YOU are the one who is stuck on hold for hours trying to get a representative, and if you're waylaid on a trip, YOU are the one having to do all of the legwork. Case in point: in 2022, we were forced to remain in Spain (yes, it rhymes 😉) because of my wife's positive Covid test. We were at the airport just about to check in. I emailed our TA back in DC and he canceled our tickets and arranged for us to fly back a week later, and it only cost $50 per ticket to change (and they were nonrefundable tickets). Given the stressful situation, I would hate to have had to do all of that on my own. I know from reading Cruise Critic that a lot of cruisers have had cruises or flights cancelled and they felt totally on their own and helpless. As I said, there's no one way of doing this, but I sure enjoy the peace of mind that having a TA brings.

Edited March 19 by DCGuy64
deleted redundant word in last sentence

[MoCruiseFan]

6 hours ago, hallux said:

Happened to me with my last cruise, but I self-booked the flights.  About 6 weeks prior to the cruise Southwest decided to cancel the flight I had booked, forcing me from a 10:30 AM flight to a 6:30 AM flight.  Both were the day before the cruise so it didn't matter much anyway, except that I no longer had a ride to the airport, I had to leave my car and my ride turned into them picking my car up instead (airport parking for 18 days would not have been cheap!!)

 

It seems they're fiddling with things to most efficiently use their fleet.

 

Not sure if you know this.  If an airline makes a change to your flight of more than one hour, you can call in and get ANY flight of your choice that same day with no change fee and no additional cost (no matter the cost of teh flight).  It may have to be the smae number of syops as well.  I had a flight ofor my July crusie changed recently.  I called  American and got a lot better and more expensive flights for all four of us.  No cost at all.

[GALSews]

14 minutes ago, MoCruiseFan said:

 

Not sure if you know this.  If an airline makes a change to your flight of more than one hour, you can call in and get ANY flight of your choice that same day with no change fee and no additional cost (no matter the cost of teh flight).  It may have to be the smae number of syops as well.  I had a flight ofor my July crusie changed recently.  I called  American and got a lot better and more expensive flights for all four of us.  No cost at all.

Did not know that. It does, however, account for why when our flight to St. Thomas via Charlotte from Dulles got canceled because we couldn't make the connection in Charlotte, that American has already put us on the non-stop on United - a faster and more expensive flight.

[G-DawgMN]

 I'm not saying that NCL is perfect, but I've gotten excellent direct flights in the US both times I've used it, been able to upgrade, and saved hundreds of dollars. Oh and those who think they're the cheapest flights you're not always right. Our flights to New Orleans would have been  $1000 a person, I paid $250 for both of us through NCL.

 

 

Best way to avoid surprises is to just read the terms. A lot of the complaints I see on here wouldn't happen if people would read it (Like I have a redeye, why am I flying out of airport X, etc.).

 

  https://www.ncl.com/air-service-standards

 

 They even address when NCL is responsible for flights and when you're on your own here:

 

 https://www.ncl.com/freestyle-cruise/airsea

 

 

Edited March 19 by G-DawgMN

[G-DawgMN]

On 3/18/2024 at 11:32 AM, letmego4 said:

Absolute horrible customer service with NCL and their chosen air. As was previously stated, Beware Using NCL and their Air. Canceled our flights which were already poor options and gave us worse times and flights. Why they chose an airline sending us through Canada instead of direct to Europe made no sense except that it added extra fees on to us.  

 

 

 Sorry you had that happen, but it's right in the terms!!

https://www.ncl.com/air-service-standards

 

• How many connecting flights will I have if I am traveling internationally to and from my cruise vacation?
  For international travel, we strive to secure flight itineraries with no more than two connecting flights and minimize layovers that exceed five hours. Connecting flights through other countries may be required. Please note if you are flying to Europe, you may be routed through Canada.

[hallux]

2 hours ago, MoCruiseFan said:

Not sure if you know this.  If an airline makes a change to your flight of more than one hour, you can call in and get ANY flight of your choice that same day with no change fee and no additional cost (no matter the cost of teh flight).

I'm aware.  Southwest emailed me and explained the options, I wanted the earlier flight as that allowed extra flight options from BWI to FLL in case of a delay at home or a cancellation in Baltimore.  It turned out to work out - I got in to FLL around 1:30 or 2, didn't get to Miami until 4...

Edited March 19 by hallux