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

[Adam Packett]

Edit... Ignore 🙂

Edited December 1, 2023 by Adam Packett

[RocketMan275]

12 minutes ago, Adam Packett said:

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.

So, now you want the agent to add back the FAS. specifically the Open Bar and the Specialty dining.  Won't that add these to your fare?

• Open Bar Gratuities

  $305.20
• Specialty Dining Gratuities

  $39.60

[D_And_K_gocruising]

Yes I’d the fas fees aren’t still on the booking they aren’t overcharging you they are adding the fas back on and charging the gratuities (350).. you never got them “free” initially either.. or I’m totally missing something.. which is possible with my reading sometimes lol

[nimbex1970]

Help me understand, why is a room upgrade going to change the FAS offer the OP had with the initial booking?  It seems like the booking was canceled and rebooked without the prior offers.  I think I'm missing something here

[Anoynmous Phoenix]

I think that this is a "He Says; I Say" situation.

 

The only possible way out of it is by comparing the Confirmation Emails you received when initially booking and after the upgrade.

 

Compare the two portions on the two documents:-

 

1) The Promo Codes like

AND

2) The Add Ons like

 

Then and only then will you be able to see what the changes were.   Then use them to "discuss" the problem.

 

[v3cruiser]

Reps do screw up. I have a few stories myself but I wasnt surprised things turned out the way they went. 

[Adam Packett]

As far as I know it is pretty simple:

1. Room was booked with FAS packages.

2. Asked rep if we upgraded to a suite that we would still have FAS packages. Was told Yes...

3. Upgraded room

4. No FAS packages present

 

Rep screwed up... should have informed us correctly before we upgraded. No apology,  no help.... just what is your credit card number.... that will be $350... After we've given them 5 grand. That's my gripe....

[KXZ1498]

I see what's going on. The question is whether the $350 was included in the difference between the two rooms. 

 

(Original Room + FAS taxes) = Amount Paid. 

 

Upgrade = Room #2  Upgrade Price 

 

Upgrade Price - Amount Paid = Total paid.

 

From my math, it doesn't matter since if they didn't include the FAS taxes because you weren't charged for it. I'm guessing you would have paid $350 more the first time around if you were charged correctly.

Edited December 2, 2023 by KXZ1498

[gizfish]

21 minutes ago, Adam Packett said:

As far as I know it is pretty simple:

1. Room was booked with FAS packages.

2. Asked rep if we upgraded to a suite that we would still have FAS packages. Was told Yes...

3. Upgraded room

4. No FAS packages present

 

Rep screwed up... should have informed us correctly before we upgraded. No apology,  no help.... just what is your credit card number.... that will be $350... After we've given them 5 grand. That's my gripe....

You know how when you call NCL you get the message that the call is being recorded?  Speak with a supervisor and tell them to find the recording where the rep told you your packages would not change.  It doesn't matter that all the cheerleaders here know that isn't the case.  The person representing NCL told you it was, and that mistake is on NCL.

[cruiser2015]

7 hours ago, Adam Packett said:

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.

I'm still trying to catch up on the specifics of your problem.

 

Again, what is the $350 for?  You say it's not related to the FAS program. You stated that is was part of a package - what package would that be?

 

Also, if FAS is missing from your upgraded booking, simply have them add it back. Did they say it was too late because it's past final payment? If so, I would press them on the issue, primarily because you had it selected before the upgrade, rep screw up aside. There's no such thing as "can't do that because of the rules" when it's really their error.

Edited December 2, 2023 by cruiser2015

[PATRLR]

NCL's land-based customer service is awful, especially in situations like this.  Maybe if you had something very explicit in writing you might get them to do the right thing but it sounds like a rep gave you bad information and NCL isn't going to correct that.  They just don't do that.  

My suggestion is you just accept that their land-based customer service is awful and move on. Go on the cruise and have a good time.  NCL is different from Carnival in some ways but from the big picture point of view, they are very similar because both are mass market-oriented cruise lines.    There will be things that Carnival does better, try not to let those differences ruin your cruise.  There will be things NCL does better too.

[SomewhereGirl]

I'm with the OP on this one and NCL should make it right.  When you book online, FAS is automatically added and it's up to the passenger to remove.  When I call CAS for a price, they start with including FAS.  If the OP had FAS on the original cabin, why would the rep not assume they'd also want it on the upgraded cabin?  I don't doubt the rep screwed up.

[mjkacmom]

The $350 is the gratuities for the FAS package, it should’ve been charged with the first reservation, because everyone pays that $350 for the gratuities with the FAS. With the upgrade, those $350 gratuities still need to be paid if they want the FAS. What am I missing?

[CruiseMH]

13 hours 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.

And if you upgrade to another car and accept the conditions that you only get what the other car has to offer then you can demand what you want,you won`t get it.

 

The only mistake from NCL i can see is that the agent obviously did tell them something wrong regarding the free at sea of the upgraded room.

 

[RocketMan275]

21 minutes ago, CruiseMH said:

And if you upgrade to another car and accept the conditions that you only get what the other car has to offer then you can demand what you want,you won`t get it.

 

The only mistake from NCL i can see is that the agent obviously did tell them something wrong regarding the free at sea of the upgraded room.

 

Or OP misunderstood what the agent said.

[RocketMan275]

7 hours ago, Adam Packett said:

As far as I know it is pretty simple:

1. Room was booked with FAS packages.

2. Asked rep if we upgraded to a suite that we would still have FAS packages. Was told Yes...

3. Upgraded room

4. No FAS packages present

 

Rep screwed up... should have informed us correctly before we upgraded. No apology,  no help.... just what is your credit card number.... that will be $350... After we've given them 5 grand. That's my gripe....

So, the bottom line is 

- you want the FAS package.

- you don't want to pay the gratuities for the FAS package.

[mjkacmom]

24 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

So, the bottom line is 

- you want the FAS package.

- you don't want to pay the gratuities for the FAS package.

I think you are correct, everyone else on the cruise with the FAS is paying the $350 gratuity, but for whatever reason the OP doesn’t want to.

[cruiser2015]

31 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

So, the bottom line is 

- you want the FAS package.

- you don't want to pay the gratuities for the FAS package.

Your comments make sense.

Except, the OP in post #24 denied that the fee is for FAS gratuities.

[schmoopie17]

5 hours ago, PATRLR said:

NCL's land-based customer service is awful, especially in situations like this.  

I would argue that their customer "service" reps on the ship are just as bad...if not worse. Hence the constant long lines at the "service" desk, only to be told "NO", regardless of the issue.

[schmoopie17]

If the OP is disappointed before even getting on the ship, just wait until he's on the ship and discovers there are no hash browns.

[agrimm01]

You should have received an invoice when you made the change that lists exactly what you get and what you paid.  At that point did you compare the old and new invoices for discrepancies?

[Noworkforme23]

This is why I never change or upgrade my original stateroom or package.  

[Two Wheels Only]

8 hours ago, Adam Packett said:

 

As far as I know it is pretty simple:

1. Room was booked with FAS packages.

 

 

Do you have the invoice that shows the FAS promo and 20% service charge?

 

8 hours ago, Adam Packett said:

2. Asked rep if we upgraded to a suite that we would still have FAS packages. Was told Yes...

 

Did the rep cancel/rebook without adding the FAS promo or was it never there to begin with? If you had it before and paid for it, you don't need to pay it again. (If the promo is not listed originally, it correctly wouldn't be added automatically)

 

8 hours ago, Adam Packett said:

3. Upgraded room

 

Promo status wouldn't change in that case.

 

8 hours ago, Adam Packett said:

4. No FAS packages present

 

If they were there originally and paid with the original booking, they should still be there. If they were never there and want to be added, the approx. $350 would correctly be added.

[graphicguy]

I'm all twisted around here.  But, regardless of who said what to whom and what was or wasn't understood.....log into NCL.  Click on the top right (I think) to where your cruise is.  Click on VACATION SUMMARY.  That should show everything included in your cruise.  Barring that, call your PCC and ask for an invoice of amenities be sent to you.  It will outline everything.

 

If you were charged for something you didn't get, have your credit card receipts to back up your claim.

 

As far as Carnival being easy to work with, I've taken 4 or 5 Carnival cruises.  I've spent more time on the phone with them I should have them on speed dial.

 

I don't know how you got to this point. My guess is you wanted an upgrade, paid for an upgrade, FAS went with the new upgraded cabin.  Tips for FAS still needs to be paid.  

 

Not casting dispersions, but I do think OP is confused on this....first it was $500 extra, then it was $350.  Not sure they know the exact numbers.

 

But, walk through it with your PCC with the what's included, what you owe for...is it FAS or FAS+ (another possibility) until you totally understand.  If there's been a mistake, have your credit card receipts handy to show where you were charged for something you didn't receive.  We can't do that for you here.  You have to do it.

Edited December 2, 2023 by graphicguy

[RocketMan275]

48 minutes ago, cruiser2015 said:

Your comments make sense.

Except, the OP in post #24 denied that the fee is for FAS gratuities.

OP stated: "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."

 

Op is insisting that the fee is the cost of the FAS upgrades.  However, there is no fee for  the FAS upgrades except for  the gratuities.  And, the FAS gratuities are of essentially the same amount as what OP is claiming to be the cost of the FAS upgrades.