NCL has been a Pain and we haven't even stepped foot on the ship... Ideas?

[Adam Packett]

So.... I'll try to keep this short but if anyone has any ideas I would really appreciate it...

 

The wife and I originally purchased a standard balcony room back in September for a 3/2024 sailing.

 

The room came with the "Free at sea" program with a Restaurant and Beverage package.

 

We also purchased access to the Vibe Beach Club for our entire sailing (7 Days)

 

Trip was paid off in October: $3000 plus total

 

In November we decide to upgrade to a suite.

 

All is well until the agent determines that they can no longer find the Vibe Beach Club access and they want $500.

 

I have proof that the access was purchased via their own web site, yet he wants another $500 when we call to upgrade the room.

 

We get it sorted out after 30 minutes of on hold and I specifically ask: "Do we still have the Free At Sea Promotions?"

 

He answers emphatically: "Yes"

 

Now $5200 + total paid

 

December 1st:

I still do not see the Vibe Beach Club Access on our itinerary on the web site.

 

Call NCL.... They confirmed the Vibe Beach Club Access but now we no longer have the upgrades.

 

Rep states that the previous rep was incorrect. Wants $350 for items that were already purchased and assured that we had.

 

Spoke with a "supervisor". Wants $350 dollars.

Basically admitted that it was a rep screw up but I get to pay them more money because we decided to upgrade our room (Give them an additional two thousand dollars).

 

I told the "supervisor" that at this point we are stuck on the trip due to going with others but stated point blank:

No matter how awesome the cruise experience may be, I will never recommend NCL to anyone I know because NCL's customer experience is terrible.

 

It isn't about the money.... NCL flushes tens of thousands of dollars a day in bilge water.

 

Anyone have any ideas ideas on who to speak to?

 

Thanks in advance cruisers!

 

Edited December 1, 2023 by Adam Packett

[Vegasvolfan]

Go right to the top email the CEO Harry Summers.!

[kitkat343]

Does your suite give you access to a Haven restaurant?  Honestly, the food in the specialty restaurants on NCL was barely worth the upcharge, and if you are in a suite with its own restaurant then I'd recommend just dropping the specialty dining because from what others have said they are happy with the haven restaurant (on our first NCL sailing the special restaurants were amazing, but on our last sailing all but one of the specialty restaurants had issues (ice cold food, ran out of sides).

 

The beverage package you'd want if you drink enough for it to be worth the additional taxes and fees.

Edited December 1, 2023 by kitkat343

[9tee2Sea]

If the trip is going to leave such a bad taste in your mouth,  why not just cancel, and get your money back before final payment was due?  I am sure your ' Friends" will not hold a gun to your head and force you to spend thousands on something you already started you will not enjoy.  Have them tell you all about it when they get back.  Maybe use your refund from the canceled cruise to splurge on a really nice luxurious Husband/Wife weekend

[cruiser2015]

1 minute ago, 9tee2Sea said:

If the trip is going to leave such a bad taste in your mouth,  why not just cancel, and get your money back before final payment was due?  I am sure your ' Friends" will not hold a gun to your head and force you to spend thousands on something you already started you will not enjoy.  Have them tell you all about it when they get back.  Maybe use your refund from the canceled cruise to splurge on a really nice luxurious Husband/Wife weekend

Friends aside, they are under 120 days.

[Adam Packett]

1 minute ago, 9tee2Sea said:

If the trip is going to leave such a bad taste in your mouth,  why not just cancel, and get your money back before final payment was due?  I am sure your ' Friends" will not hold a gun to your head and force you to spend thousands on something you already started you will not enjoy.  Have them tell you all about it when they get back.  Maybe use your refund from the canceled cruise to splurge on a really nice luxurious Husband/Wife weekend

Honestly I would... and I told the rep exactly that.

However we were the ones that invited our friends to come along. We are kind of stuck.

I'm sure that we will wind up paying them more money at this point.

[9tee2Sea]

Just now, cruiser2015 said:

Friends aside, they are under 120 days.

I forgot they increased the final payment to 120 days.  

[Adam Packett]

1 minute ago, cruiser2015 said:

Friends aside, they are under 120 days.

Yea, and under 120 days...

[hallux]

1 minute ago, 9tee2Sea said:

why not just cancel, and get your money back before final payment was due?

Because for a sailing in March the final payment was due in November.

 

@Adam Packett sooo, let me get this straight - you want the Free At Sea, and since NCL hasn't charged you for it with the new room you want to get it at no additional cost anyway?  I won't argue that the rep messed up, but had they presented the cost of the suite WITH free at sea would you have done the upgrade?

[Adam Packett]

The sad part is we never had this much trouble with Carnival.... LOL It is insane.

[9tee2Sea]

Just now, Adam Packett said:

Honestly I would... and I told the rep exactly that.

However we were the ones that invited our friends to come along. We are kind of stuck.

I'm sure that we will wind up paying them more money at this point.

I once invited  a cousin to go on a Panama Canal trip with us.  I felt so bad when I had to cancel after they already paid.  He should have cancelled too, he broke his leg on the disco ( I think too much alcohol and a slippery floor)

[Adam Packett]

2 minutes ago, hallux said:

Because for a sailing in March the final payment was due in November.

 

@Adam Packett sooo, let me get this straight - you want the Free At Sea, and since NCL hasn't charged you for it with the new room you want to get it at no additional cost anyway?  I won't argue that the rep messed up, but had they presented the cost of the suite WITH free at sea would you have done the upgrade?

Maybe\ Maybe not... But it isn't the customer's problem that the rep screwed up. It is the cost of doing business if they want to keep customers happy. A $350 package probably costs NCL a hundred bucks.

Edited December 1, 2023 by Adam Packett

[Homosassa]

When you chose to upgrade, you get whatever perks come with the new room. You lose the ones that was part of the offer on your original booking.

 

So unless your new cabin was offered with Free at Sea and the Restaurant and Beverage package, you only have the suite perks that was the offer when you upgrade.

 

 

[cruiser2015]

20 minutes ago, Adam Packett said:

So.... I'll try to keep this short but if anyone has any ideas I would really appreciate it...

 

The wife and I originally purchased a standard balcony room back in September for a 3/2024 sailing.

 

The room came with the "Free at sea" program with a Restaurant and Beverage package.

 

We also purchased access to the Vibe Beach Club for our entire sailing (7 Days)

 

Trip was paid off in October: $3000 plus total

 

In November we decide to upgrade to a suite.

 

All is well until the agent determines that they can no longer find the Vibe Beach Club access and they want $500.

 

I have proof that the access was purchased via their own web site, yet he wants another $500 when we call to upgrade the room.

 

We get it sorted out after 30 minutes of on hold and I specifically ask: "Do we still have the Free At Sea Promotions?"

 

He answers emphatically: "Yes"

 

Now $5200 + total paid

 

December 1st:

I still do not see the Vibe Beach Club Access on our itinerary on the web site.

 

Call NCL.... They confirmed the Vibe Beach Club Access but now we no longer have the upgrades.

 

Rep states that the previous rep was incorrect. Wants $350 for items that were already purchased and assured that we had.

 

Spoke with a "supervisor". Wants $350 dollars.

Basically admitted that it was a rep screw up but I get to pay them more money because we decided to upgrade our room (Give them an additional two thousand dollars).

 

I told the "supervisor" that at this point we are stuck on the trip due to going with others but stated point blank:

No matter how awesome the cruise experience may be, I will never recommend NCL to anyone I know because NCL's customer experience is terrible.

 

It isn't about the money.... NCL flushes tens of thousands of dollars a day in bilge water.

 

Anyone have any ideas ideas on who to speak to?

 

Thanks in advance cruisers!

 

Your post is a bit unclear - what was the $350 for ?

I would line up your ducks - copies of confirmations of the item or items you purchased; additionally, a copy of your credit card statement showing the charge. Get an agent on the phone and set it up for them to receive the documentation and demand a response from them as to why you did not receive what you paid for.

BTW, were you actually charged for that $350?

[hallux]

2 minutes ago, Adam Packett said:

But it isn't the customer's problem that the rep screwed up.

So the rep ticked the wrong box and now you want them to give you what you thought you were asking for and may have paid for if presented the cost at the time but not charge you for it?  

[Adam Packett]

1 minute ago, Homosassa said:

When you chose to upgrade, you get whatever perks come with the new room. You lose the ones that was part of the offer on your original booking.

 

So unless your new cabin was offered with Free at Sea and the Restaurant and Beverage package, you only have the suite perks that was the offer when you upgrade.

 

 

I understand all of this. However this was not what was presented at time of sale.

[Adam Packett]

Just now, hallux said:

So the rep ticked the wrong box and now you want them to give you what you thought you were asking for and may have paid for if presented the cost at the time but not charge you for it?  

If a car salesman says that the car I'm ordering has a stereo, and it arrives without a stereo.... Yes I would demand what I was told I would be receiving.... at no extra cost.

[Adam Packett]

5 minutes ago, cruiser2015 said:

Your post is a bit unclear - what was the $350 for ?

I would line up your ducks - copies of confirmations of the item or items you purchased; additionally, a copy of your credit card statement showing the charge. Get an agent on the phone and set it up for them to receive the documentation and demand a response from them as to why you did not receive what you paid for.

BTW, were you actually charged for that $350?

The $350 is the cost of the upgrades that were removed without my knowledge. (Specifically told that they were STILL in the package actually.) And no, I did not pay them.

Edited December 1, 2023 by Adam Packett

[hallux]

5 minutes ago, Adam Packett said:

If a car salesman says that the car I'm ordering has a stereo, and it arrives without a stereo.... Yes I would demand what I was told I would be receiving.... at no extra cost.

If the stereo is on the order sheet, paid for but was not put in the car, I won't argue with that.  You didn't pay for the things you're asking for...

[Adam Packett]

16 minutes ago, kitkat343 said:

Does your suite give you access to a Haven restaurant?  Honestly, the food in the specialty restaurants on NCL was barely worth the upcharge, and if you are in a suite with its own restaurant then I'd recommend just dropping the specialty dining because from what others have said they are happy with the haven restaurant (on our first NCL sailing the special restaurants were amazing, but on our last sailing all but one of the specialty restaurants had issues (ice cold food, ran out of sides).

 

The beverage package you'd want if you drink enough for it to be worth the additional taxes and fees.

Thanks for the help... Unfortunately it isn't a Haven Suite.

[Adam Packett]

2 minutes ago, hallux said:

If the stereo is on the order sheet, paid for but was not put in the car, I won't argue with that.  You didn't pay for the things you're asking for...

We will have to agree to disagree here.... The rep specifically told us that it was included in the purchase. If they screwed up, it isn't on the customer.... It is on them. Especially something at that price point. It is all about customer service.... of which there is none.

Edited December 1, 2023 by Adam Packett

[hallux]

2 minutes ago, Adam Packett said:

The rep specifically told us that it was included in the purchase. If they screwed up, it isn't on the customer....

and then you waited how long to look at your confirmation to confirm everything was right?  I've made changes to my existing booking, including one change on the phone with a rep, and had an email with the new invoice within seconds.  You could have reviewed that while on the phone with the rep and called it to their attention that what they said was NOT the case.

[cruiser2015]

12 minutes ago, Adam Packett said:

The $350 is the cost of the upgrades that were removed without my knowledge. (Specifically told that they were STILL in the package actually.) And no, I did not pay them.

To further clarify - was this charge for the FAS gratuities?

If so, despite the confusion, NCL is completely correct.

The fees are always an extra charge - not included in any other fee.

I'll guess that the agent assured you that FAS package was included in your booking - not the extra fee for gratuities

[Adam Packett]

14 minutes ago, cruiser2015 said:

To further clarify - was this charge for the FAS gratuities?

If so, despite the confusion, NCL is completely correct.

The fees are always an extra charge - not included in any other fee.

I'll guess that the agent assured you that FAS package was included in your booking - not the extra fee for gratuities

was this charge for the FAS gratuities? - No

I'll guess that the agent assured you that FAS package was included in your booking - Correct... and it is in fact no longer in my booking despite being informed that it was.

[Adam Packett]

23 minutes ago, hallux said:

and then you waited how long to look at your confirmation to confirm everything was right?  I've made changes to my existing booking, including one change on the phone with a rep, and had an email with the new invoice within seconds.  You could have reviewed that while on the phone with the rep and called it to their attention that what they said was NOT the case.

How does the time frame even matter here? Why should I need to back check NCL? I mean yes, it is always a good idea.... But how is this the customer's issue? It isn't about the money.... If you promise a customer something and you screw up, it is on you to make it right.... within reason of course.

Edited December 1, 2023 by Adam Packett