Price Drop - After final payment

[Sayuil]

Its been a week past my final payment date. I noticed the price drop today, not considerate (~50-100). I called the NCL Reservation and they say my only options is one time price check which can result in two option

 

A. Change to a higher category or deck

B. 25% of difference issued as FCC

 

But the rep did mention, this is just a one time request. Once I go this route, I wont be able to do this for future price drops?

 

Anyone with first hand experience on this? Is it true, is it just one time courtesy. Also do they not allow OBC for the price difference. I believe RCL does that.

 

 

Edited July 18 by Sayuil

[hallux]

35 minutes ago, Sayuil said:

But the rep did mention, this is just a one time request. Once I go this route, I wont be able to do this for future price drops?

 

Anyone with first hand experience on this? Is it true, is it just one time courtesy.

I believe that is the policy.  There are any number of threads discussing this, there haven't been any specific ones recently.

 

35 minutes ago, Sayuil said:

Also do they not allow OBC for the price difference. I believe RCL does that.

Different cruise lines, different ways of handling things.  I also believe that NCL's FCC doesn't appear until AFTER the cruise.

Edited July 18 by hallux

[Russiamomm]

It is a one time thing after final payment.  The 25% FCC is new (or the rep was incorrect.). It used to be 100% FCC.

 

As far as OBC goes, this is not normally an option.  But I do have a caveat.  I book through Casinos at Sea.  For our April cruise, the price dropped and the difference was given as OBC as opposed to a FCC which I had always gotten in the past.  I was happy and didn’t question it.  Why look a gift horse in the mouth.  😃. I’ve since seen other posters booked through CAS have the same experience, so that may be a new change for CAS bookings.

[bonvoyagie]

We had this happen for our Panama Canal cruise in 2020. The price for the last cabin in our category was not selling so they dropped the price over 2k. They offered me either a category upgrade or a 50/50 split reduced fare/FCC. We were within a few weeks of sailing and I knew the categories above ours were all sold out so I took the 50/50 option. And yes I was told it was the only time I could do this 

[Sayuil]

17 minutes ago, Russiamomm said:

It is a one time thing after final payment.  The 25% FCC is new (or the rep was incorrect.). It used to be 100% FCC.

 

As far as OBC goes, this is not normally an option.  But I do have a caveat.  I book through Casinos at Sea.  For our April cruise, the price dropped and the difference was given as OBC as opposed to a FCC which I had always gotten in the past.  I was happy and didn’t question it.  Why look a gift horse in the mouth.  😃. I’ve since seen other posters booked through CAS have the same experience, so that may be a new change for CAS bookings.

Mine is also a CAS booking but the rep said FCC and not OBC. He was not sure about % but said atleast 25%.

[Russiamomm]

1 minute ago, Sayuil said:

Mine is also a CAS booking but the rep said FCC and not OBC. He was not sure about % but said atleast 25%.

Like I said, mine may have been a fluke or a mistake.  If I recall correctly, the CAS rep sends the request to another department.  I’ve done it twice and both times my CAS rep said he sent it to another department.  He is able reprice a sailing before final payment date, but any of these requests after final payment date are sent elsewhere to be resolved.  Probably NCL’s normal reservations desk, but I don’t know for sure.  
 

in my case, the first time I did it it was a FCC that was split between the two of us.  It was posted when we returned from our trip.  On the trip in April the full amount of the difference was posted as purchased OBC for that sailing - again split between me and my husband.

 

What’s the official policy?  Who knows.  And it can change at any time,  Just telling my experiences, but did want to note that these decisions are not made by CAS, they are made by the normal NCL reservations department.  

[Sayuil]

2 minutes ago, Russiamomm said:

If I recall correctly, the CAS rep sends the request to another department

Yes he did mention another department. If its one time thing, I will wait and see if there are more price drop. Currently it isn't too much.

 

[julig22]

Price adjustments after final pay have been as a one-time courtesy for as long as I've known about them, so they make the rules. A couple of years ago they standardized them, more or less, and added the task of making adjustments to a specific department. At that time, it was either 100% FCC or a paid upgrade (even if the difference was $1). And available after you sailed. Prior to that time I believe it was 25%, not sure if it was FCC or OBC.

It is entirely possible that the terms have changed - the internal "rules" memo/terms has been shared over time by some TA's - so it could have changed. And CAS has it's own set of rules LOL.

[roddy good boy]

44 minutes ago, Sayuil said:

Mine is also a CAS booking but the rep said FCC and not OBC. He was not sure about % but said atleast 25%.

I was just given 100% FCC for the difference in price after final payment, just a few months ago.

[Ellis1138]

I've done a few of the post-final payment price drop things, the most recent was in May 2024. 

In order to even ask for the FCC or upgrade, the following things must be true:

1) You are not less than 15 days prior to your sailing.

2) Your specific cabin category still has vacancies.

 

Generally, when I identify the price drop, I call it in. They take down my request. The price drop is determined not by what I saw, but what the NCL staff member sees the day they look for it. So it could be very different. They email you with what they found and offer you an FCC or a semi-lateral upgrade. The FCC will be credited when your sailing ends and it must be used within a year of the sailing with the price drop.

[drew69]

8 minutes ago, Ellis1138 said:

I've done a few of the post-final payment price drop things, the most recent was in May 2024. 

In order to even ask for the FCC or upgrade, the following things must be true:

1) You are not less than 15 days prior to your sailing.

2) Your specific cabin category still has vacancies.

 

Generally, when I identify the price drop, I call it in. They take down my request. The price drop is determined not by what I saw, but what the NCL staff member sees the day they look for it. So it could be very different. They email you with what they found and offer you an FCC or a semi-lateral upgrade. The FCC will be credited when your sailing ends and it must be used within a year of the sailing with the price drop.

 

I also just did one for our cruise earlier this month.  Was quick and easy.  Called when I saw a $1859 price drop.  They verified they also saw it and sent the email about the FCC 2 days later.  Booked a cruise for 2025 while on our cruise.  Called the day after we got home and they applied the $1859 to the new reservation.

[roddy good boy]

38 minutes ago, Ellis1138 said:

I've done a few of the post-final payment price drop things, the most recent was in May 2024. 

In order to even ask for the FCC or upgrade, the following things must be true:

1) You are not less than 15 days prior to your sailing.

2) Your specific cabin category still has vacancies.

 

Generally, when I identify the price drop, I call it in. They take down my request. The price drop is determined not by what I saw, but what the NCL staff member sees the day they look for it. So it could be very different. They email you with what they found and offer you an FCC or a semi-lateral upgrade. The FCC will be credited when your sailing ends and it must be used within a year of the sailing with the price drop.

Everything you said, with one modification….  My FCC is good for 2 years from the date of sailing of my original cruise.

Edited July 18 by roddy good boy

[redmomof4]

Has anyone been able to get this credit after using NCL airfare BOGO promo? I was told no. 

[julig22]

2 minutes ago, redmomof4 said:

Has anyone been able to get this credit after using NCL airfare BOGO promo? I was told no. 

Nope. I couldn't even get it at 111 days, when the BOGO offer was still in effect. First canned answer was "you have BOGO, prices didn't go down". When I appealed, they just said the price hadn't changed. They usually claim that the difference in the airfare price is always higher than the price difference you are seeing. Which might be true but I think they are just rubber-stamping a big NO anytime BOGO is involved.

 

Note to self: ALWAYS take a screen shot of the prices/promos on the day you make your request.

[redmomof4]

1 minute ago, julig22 said:

Nope. I couldn't even get it at 111 days, when the BOGO offer was still in effect. First canned answer was "you have BOGO, prices didn't go down". When I appealed, they just said the price hadn't changed. They usually claim that the difference in the airfare price is always higher than the price difference you are seeing. Which might be true but I think they are just rubber-stamping a big NO anytime BOGO is involved.

 

Note to self: ALWAYS take a screen shot of the prices/promos on the day you make your request.

My cruise consultant told me no because it would work as a rebooking and I would lose my airfare 

[julig22]

6 minutes ago, redmomof4 said:

My cruise consultant told me no because it would work as a rebooking and I would lose my airfare 

Asking for FCC after final payment is NOT a rebooking unless something has recently changed. 

[redmomof4]

5 minutes ago, julig22 said:

Asking for FCC after final payment is NOT a rebooking unless something has recently changed. 

I didn’t think so either but alas, that’s what she said. I should have called the next day and spoke with someone else 

[vacation44]

On 7/18/2024 at 6:18 PM, roddy good boy said:

Everything you said, with one modification….  My FCC is good for 2 years from the date of sailing of my original cruise.

Two years?   In my experience it has been one year.    

 

Anyone else get two years to use the price drop FCC?

[Beaver1975]

Why does everyone expect a refund when their is a price drop after final payment? They are trying to fill the ship. If you expect to get that new price why don't you wait until after final payment to book? Oh ya, cabin selection is probably real limited.

[hallux]

13 hours ago, redmomof4 said:

My cruise consultant told me no because it would work as a rebooking and I would lose my airfare 

No, but consider that bookings prior to the removal of the BOGO airfare for your sailing have some accounting to cover the BOGO airfare built in, which could account for some of the price drop.  If you take advantage of the BOGO airfare and think of it that way should you REALLY be eligible for the price drop.

[redmomof4]

47 minutes ago, hallux said:

No, but consider that bookings prior to the removal of the BOGO airfare for your sailing have some accounting to cover the BOGO airfare built in, which could account for some of the price drop.  If you take advantage of the BOGO airfare and think of it that way should you REALLY be eligible for the price drop.

Makes perfect sense!

[redmomof4]

56 minutes ago, Beaver1975 said:

Why does everyone expect a refund when their is a price drop after final payment? They are trying to fill the ship. If you expect to get that new price why don't you wait until after final payment to book? Oh ya, cabin selection is probably real limited.

Because it’s routinely done. Not a refund but a FCC 

[LadyBerard]

2 hours ago, vacation44 said:

Two years?   In my experience it has been one year.    

 

Anyone else get two years to use the price drop FCC?

I was able to get an FCC when my Gem 5/31/24 sailing went down in price after final payment.  It is good for 2 years.

[vacation44]

13 minutes ago, LadyBerard said:

I was able to get an FCC when my Gem 5/31/24 sailing went down in price after final payment.  It is good for 2 years.

Thank you.   Happy to hear it is now two years instead of one.

[julig22]

2 hours ago, Beaver1975 said:

Why does everyone expect a refund when their is a price drop after final payment? They are trying to fill the ship. If you expect to get that new price why don't you wait until after final payment to book? Oh ya, cabin selection is probably real limited.

Expect - no. But if they are offering, I'm certainly going to ask. If that's their business model, who am I to argue. Now when people complain about paying more than someone that booked last minute, that's a different issue.