NCL no longer giving OBC for price drop?

[Vacationlover2]

Is this true or just bad info from ta. They are saying NCL will no longer give obc when price drops after final payment.  Just 25 percent FCC.  I asked when it started and the ta said they didn't know.  Something sounds off.

[eileeshb]

1 minute ago, Vacationlover2 said:

Is this true or just bad info from ta. They are saying NCL will no longer give obc when price drops after final payment.  Just 25 percent FCC.  I asked when it started and the ta said they didn't know.  Something sounds off.

25% of the price difference or 25% of the reduced fare ?

[DCGuy64]

5 minutes ago, Vacationlover2 said:

Is this true or just bad info from ta. They are saying NCL will no longer give obc when price drops after final payment.  Just 25 percent FCC.  I asked when it started and the ta said they didn't know.  Something sounds off.

I believe that is correct, at least, it's what happened to us. We saw the price of our cabin decline after final payment for the Epic last year and only got FCC, which BTW had to be used within a year.

[Vacationlover2]

4 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

I believe that is correct, at least, it's what happened to us. We saw the price of our cabin decline after final payment for the Epic last year and only got FCC, which BTW had to be used within a year.

 

I believe it is 25% off the price drop, correct DCGuy?  25% off the reduced fare would be amazing!

[DCGuy64]

Just now, Vacationlover2 said:

 

I believe it is 25% off the price drop, correct DCGuy?  25% off the reduced fare would be amazing!

Not sure what percentage it was, TBH. I just know we were able to get a reprice before final payment, and then after that, they only gave us money in the form of FCC.

[schmoopie17]

The total price of our November cruise dropped $1200 after final payment. We called our PCC and he put in a request for FCC. Three days later we received an email saying we had been given a FCC of $1200 to be used within one year. That was 100% of the price drop. We've already used it on our upcoming January Prima cruise. 

Edited January 6, 2023 by schmoopie17

[RosieRoo]

Price of December cruise dropped around $500. Received FCC for total amount, but could not apply it to anything until after the cruise was completed. Expires in one year. 

[njkate]

Yes, been this way since the restart. It expires in one year, can not be transferred and regardless of who paid it is split between the first and second passenger.

[trivimp]

1 hour ago, Vacationlover2 said:

Is this true or just bad info from ta. They are saying NCL will no longer give obc when price drops after final payment.  Just 25 percent FCC.  I asked when it started and the ta said they didn't know.  Something sounds off.

 

This has been true since the restart.  In honesty, "no adjustments after final payment" had been the rule since forever, but NCL made so many exceptions that everyone had come to expect OBC after the inevitable price drop.  I'm kind of glad they are holding somewhat firmer now.  It still seems wishy-washy to me that people routinely expect FCC after they have entered a contract to pay such-and-such price.  

[Turtles06]

1 hour ago, RosieRoo said:

Price of December cruise dropped around $500. Received FCC for total amount, but could not apply it to anything until after the cruise was completed. Expires in one year. 

 

Same thing happened to us, that is exactly the new procedure they are following now.  No longer OBC worth a % of the drop, but 100% of the drop as an FCC.  I was told the FCC would not be issued until the end of the cruise on which the price had dropped, AND not only has to be applied to a cruise within 12 months after issued, but that new cruise has to SAIL within those 12 months.   

[Twocoasts]

2 hours ago, DCGuy64 said:

I believe that is correct, at least, it's what happened to us. We saw the price of our cabin decline after final payment for the Epic last year and only got FCC, which BTW had to be used within a year.

Same with us. Our EPIC Med cruise fare dropped, and we just got an FCC that we ended up using for a short cruise over Thanksgiving.

[DCGuy64]

10 minutes ago, Twocoasts said:

Same with us. Our EPIC Med cruise fare dropped, and we just got an FCC that we ended up using for a short cruise over Thanksgiving.

Nice, we used our FCC to pay for a new cruise coming up this November. And, believe you me, if the price drops before final payment date, we'll be requesting a rebook just like we did last year. 🙂

[schmoopie17]

1 hour ago, trivimp said:

 It still seems wishy-washy to me that people routinely expect FCC after they have entered a contract to pay such-and-such price.  

Wishy-washy? This being the NCL board, I believe the correct term is washy-washy.

 

In any case, if they offer it, it would be foolish not to take what they offer.

[Two Wheels Only]

2 hours ago, trivimp said:

I'm kind of glad they are holding somewhat firmer now.  It still seems wishy-washy to me that people routinely expect FCC after they have entered a contract to pay such-and-such price.  

 

Even with NCL being "firmer", it is still to NCL's advantage. For every person who calls after the price drop (CC users, likely 😄), think of how many people don't call. NCL doesn't "lose" anything from them. By giving FCC, NCL will get more money from the person who books another cruise. With NCL's artificially high prices, higher DSC, and reduced services, giving someone FCC isn't really "firm". NCL sees it as reeling in the fish. 

[vacation44]

I think this new FCC policy is a good one for everyone including NCL.

 

For us, we received almost $1000 in FCC for the price drop of on our February 2022 cruise.   We had no intention of taking another cruise within 12 months (had one booked at 13 months which could not be change), but then saw there was a five day sailing out of New York which required no airfare or hotel reservations for us and thought, why not.    Around $4200 later, we were on our way to Bermuda. 

 

 

 

 

[schmoopie17]

1 hour ago, Two Wheels Only said:

NCL sees it as reeling in the fish. 

Hit the nail on the head. Which is why they don't refund your money. Instead, they appear to be doing you a favor by moving money you already paid to partially pay for another cruise. That means you either book another cruise (more money for NCL) or you don't book another cruise within a year and they end up keeping your money. They win either way.

[CRUZERWANNABE]

Has anyone tried for an upgrade instead? Pre-pandemic we either got OBC or an upgrade. I wouldn't mind an upgrade on my next cruise.

 

[trivimp]

13 minutes ago, CRUZERWANNABE said:

Has anyone tried for an upgrade instead? Pre-pandemic we either got OBC or an upgrade. I wouldn't mind an upgrade on my next cruise.

 

 

That's our usual strategy.  Book a cabin at the minimum level at which we are willing to cruise, and then purchase an upgrade to a better cabin once the prices drop to the point that it's only a little more than our original purchase price.  We run the risk of our preferred cabin being sold out, but it hasn't happened yet.  

[The Traveling Man]

26 minutes ago, CRUZERWANNABE said:

Has anyone tried for an upgrade instead? Pre-pandemic we either got OBC or an upgrade. I wouldn't mind an upgrade on my next cruise.

 

We did that several times pre-COVID, but haven't had the opportunity to try it recently. 

[Korlad]

I called the Casino at Sea number on Jan 4 since that is who I booked thru. My balcony cabin for late March reduced about $200/person. I asked if they were doing any OBC or price reduction even though I know we are past the 100% cancellation period. She put me on hold and when she came back she said they could not do an upgrade from balcony to club balcony as the club balcony price had not reduced enough. I told her again I was interested in either a reduction in my Balcony price or possibly some On Board credit and not upgrade to Club Balcony as they are all under pool or buffet area. Put me on hold and then came back and told me they could do neither but maybe some Future Cruise Credit. I asked her how much. Once again back on hold. When she came back she verified my phone & email and said someone would be getting back to me within 7 days. Sometimes I would rather they just say no rather than someone will get back to you. So, if I don't get contacted with 7 days will I go through this again on the phone? Just takes more of my time and their time. 45 minutes already spent from me, the employee, and the supervisor.

[fox02554]

we had a huge price drop with one of the holiday sales , was offered FCC or upgrade , after COVID i am sick of dealing with FCC's we took the upgrade 😄

[Nilbog]

3 hours ago, DCGuy64 said:

Nice, we used our FCC to pay for a new cruise coming up this November. And, believe you me, if the price drops before final payment date, we'll be requesting a rebook just like we did last year. 🙂

The problem is your new cruise would have to drop a LOT to get another FCC.  I received $2400 for our November cruise, and when I used that to book my next one I was told the FCC reduced the amount of the fare and did not act as a payment on the cruise.  So, if the cruise originally listed for $5000 (for example), applying our FCC takes the cruise fare down to $2600.  I don't think this next cruise will go below the $2600 new fare.

[vacation44]

1 hour ago, Korlad said:

I called the Casino at Sea number on Jan 4 since that is who I booked thru. My balcony cabin for late March reduced about $200/person. I asked if they were doing any OBC or price reduction even though I know we are past the 100% cancellation period. She put me on hold and when she came back she said they could not do an upgrade from balcony to club balcony as the club balcony price had not reduced enough. I told her again I was interested in either a reduction in my Balcony price or possibly some On Board credit and not upgrade to Club Balcony as they are all under pool or buffet area. Put me on hold and then came back and told me they could do neither but maybe some Future Cruise Credit. I asked her how much. Once again back on hold. When she came back she verified my phone & email and said someone would be getting back to me within 7 days. Sometimes I would rather they just say no rather than someone will get back to you. So, if I don't get contacted with 7 days will I go through this again on the phone? Just takes more of my time and their time. 45 minutes already spent from me, the employee, and the supervisor.

It does take a few days to get the FCC approved.    I just received an approval for our upcoming March cruise and it took 6 days.   

[Hadacareer]

I have been waiting two weeks, but was told might take longer  as the fcc is in US $ and we are paying in cdn

[Boschmann]

5 hours ago, vacation44 said:

It does take a few days to get the FCC approved.    I just received an approval for our upcoming March cruise and it took 6 days.   

 

4 hours ago, Hadacareer said:

I have been waiting two weeks, but was told might take longer  as the fcc is in US $ and we are paying in cdn

I had a price drop one month before sailing,  called in to NCL and was told I would get the difference as FCC after the sailing was completed.   Waited a month after sailing and no FCC.  Now NCL resolutions are saying I never requested it but my PCC can see the request in the system.