Has anyone had success with a refund from NCL?

[julig22]

2 hours ago, hallux said:

Better than that, since many lock their phone in the safe for the duration - something given to you by your waiter at dinner or as you enter the buffet the day prior.  MOST people eat dinner, it's the best place to 'catch' someone if you have to get a message to them.

It would be very easy to post notices at the stairways & elevators and in the hallways. And in the app, on the TV. Might cut down on paper if they'd also do that for the auctions and other flyers.

Email and phone not so good, not everyone checks those.

[pghflyer]

Just to answer the OP with some ideas, not saying I think it will work in this circumstance (see my previous post, we wasted multiple years in a bad mood writing Princess in the same manner to no avail other than our persistent bad mood - wish I had let it go sooner)......but here are good general resources for complaints with cruise companies

 

https://www.transportation.gov/mission/safety/passenger-cruise-ship-information

https://www.usa.gov/travel-complaints

https://www.elliott.org/company-contacts/norwegian-cruise-line-ncl/

https://www.bbb.org/us/fl/miami/profile/cruises/norwegian-cruise-line-0633-26000731

https://cruising.org/en/contact-us

[zqvol]

57 minutes ago, pghflyer said:

Just to answer the OP with some ideas, not saying I think it will work in this circumstance (see my previous post, we wasted multiple years in a bad mood writing Princess in the same manner to no avail other than our persistent bad mood - wish I had let it go sooner)......but here are good general resources for complaints with cruise companies

 

https://www.transportation.gov/mission/safety/passenger-cruise-ship-information

https://www.usa.gov/travel-complaints

https://www.elliott.org/company-contacts/norwegian-cruise-line-ncl/

https://www.bbb.org/us/fl/miami/profile/cruises/norwegian-cruise-line-0633-26000731

https://cruising.org/en/contact-us

What does the OP have to complain about? He left the first cruise early and never joined the second cruise. He is not as entitled as he seems to think he is. 

[Never cruise with NCL]

I appreciate all of your opinions, and some were indeed helpful. However, none of them directly addressed my original question: has anyone ever successfully received a refund from NCL under similar circumstances? The discussion has largely shifted to whether I'm entitled to a refund or how travel insurance works, which wasn't my main concern.

To answer some of the question in the discussion:

NCL has a duty to inform all passengers of itinerary changes, regardless of their location. The fact that we were not on the ship should not absolve them of the responsibility to ensure we were aware of the changes, especially since we had an approved plan to reboard in Akureyri. NCL's failure to notify us, knowing we had these plans, is a lapse in their duty of care. Some of you argue that ships don't have to notify passengers. While this isn't the main topic, I'd like to share my perspective: this communication could be easily managed after the check-in process through an automatic text message, email, or, even better, a phone call. Suggesting that passengers shouldn't expect prompt notification about changes doesn't make sense it's in everyone's interest to hold them accountable for this!

While we were off the ship, we were still paying customers with a legitimate expectation to be kept informed about changes that directly impacted our ability to rejoin the cruise. NCL approved our plan to reembark in Akureyri, and this approval carried an implicit responsibility on NCL's part to communicate any changes to the itinerary that would affect our ability to reboard. Again I'm just asking to be notify of changes so we can make the cruise. I will also point out the ship made changes to the 1st port in Iceland. They knew and this could have been avoid because we could have board then. 

As for the discussion on insurance, while it might have provided a safety net, the core issue here is not whether we had insurance but whether NCL fulfilled their obligation to keep us informed about the cruise's itinerary changes. I'll leave this point here, as it diverges from my main question has anyone had success on getting a refund. To answer another question we have taken over 10 cruises, including three with NCL, and this would have been our fourth. No onboard credit or remedy was offered either. 

[Never cruise with NCL]

1 hour ago, pghflyer said:

Just to answer the OP with some ideas, not saying I think it will work in this circumstance (see my previous post, we wasted multiple years in a bad mood writing Princess in the same manner to no avail other than our persistent bad mood - wish I had let it go sooner)......but here are good general resources for complaints with cruise companies

 

https://www.transportation.gov/mission/safety/passenger-cruise-ship-information

https://www.usa.gov/travel-complaints

https://www.elliott.org/company-contacts/norwegian-cruise-line-ncl/

https://www.bbb.org/us/fl/miami/profile/cruises/norwegian-cruise-line-0633-26000731

https://cruising.org/en/contact-us

Thanks I will check these links out for help

[julig22]

30 minutes ago, Never cruise with NCL said:

Some of you argue that ships don't have to notify passengers. While this isn't the main topic, I'd like to share my perspective: this communication could be easily managed after the check-in process through an automatic text message, email, or, even better, a phone call. Suggesting that passengers shouldn't expect prompt notification about changes doesn't make sense it's in everyone's interest to hold them accountable for this!

And as a paying customer onboard I would say that not one of those announcements would reach me because when I was in Iceland I did not have phone service nor would I expect NCL to use that as a means of advance notification of a port change. 

 

But keep tilting at windmills...

Maybe make a post in Reddit - get a view from the rest of the world, since you seem to think that everyone here is biased and will only defend NCL.

Edited August 19 by julig22

[The Traveling Man]

58 minutes ago, Never cruise with NCL said:

I appreciate all of your opinions, and some were indeed helpful. However, none of them directly addressed my original question: has anyone ever successfully received a refund from NCL under similar circumstances?

 

Your circumstances were that you chose to depart a cruise prior to its scheduled completion, then rejoin the same ship, albeit on a different cruise partway through that cruise at a port other than the designated port of embarkation.  I think it would be very unlikely that of the millions and millions of passengers who have sailed with NCL over the past half-century you would be hard pressed to find even a handful of passengers who attempted this.  I doubt that anyone has ever received compensation for missing their planned boarding under these circumstances.

[The Traveling Man]

1 hour ago, Never cruise with NCL said:

NCL has a duty to inform all passengers of itinerary changes, regardless of their location. The fact that we were not on the ship should not absolve them of the responsibility to ensure we were aware of the changes, especially since we had an approved plan to reboard in Akureyri. NCL's failure to notify us, knowing we had these plans, is a lapse in their duty of care. Some of you argue that ships don't have to notify passengers.

 

As several others have noted, once you packed your bags and left the ship on the first cruise, you were no longer a passenger on an NCL ship.  As has been mentioned on many other threads on this forum, sometimes the decision to miss a port is made at the last minute.  The ship's officers did notify the passengers on board, but you were not a passenger on board at that time, so you did not receive the notice.

 

The fact that you were not on the ship at the time the notice was given did, in fact, absolutely absolve NCL of the responsibility to ensure that you were aware of the changes.  I realize that the harsh reality of that fact may be difficult to accept, a hard pill to swallow, but the fact is still a fact.  NCL had no legal obligation to inform someone who was no longer a passenger on the first cruise segment, and not yet a passenger on the second cruise segment, of anything regarding changes in the ship's intermediate itinerary.  Sorry you "missed the boat," but you chose to take a chance and circumstances did not work out in your favor.

 

I don't think anyone on this thread has suggested that NCL is not required to notify passengers of changes to the itinerary.  Rather, several have pointed out that at the time the decision was made to alter the itinerary, you were not a passenger.  If you had made it to the scheduled port of embarkation for the second cruise, you certainly would have been notified of the changes.  You opened yourself up to risk by choosing to catch up to the ship at an intermediate port, which unfortunately the ship missed.

[The Traveling Man]

1 hour ago, Never cruise with NCL said:

While we were off the ship, we were still paying customers with a legitimate expectation to be kept informed about changes that directly impacted our ability to rejoin the cruise. NCL approved our plan to reembark in Akureyri, and this approval carried an implicit responsibility on NCL's part to communicate any changes to the itinerary that would affect our ability to reboard.

 

Nope, when you checked out and left the ship, you no longer were a paying customer.  Check the invoice for your cruise.  I expect that you will find that you were not charged the Daily Service Charge for the days you were off the ship.

 

NCL's approval of your choice to disembark early carried no implicit responsibility to communicate anything to you other than any changes which might have been made to the embarkation time at the regularly scheduled port of embarkation for your second cruise segment.  We have taken cruises for which embarkation details were changed at the last minute and we always have received emails and/or text messages with updated info.  Apparently the ship sailed on time from the scheduled embarkation port.  You were on your own to catch up to it at a subsequent port and unfortunately you were unable to make that connection.  The fact that NCL agreed to allow you to do that did not place the onus on them to make sure it happened.

[Asawi]

1 hour ago, Never cruise with NCL said:

NCL approved our plan to reembark in Akureyri, and this approval carried an implicit responsibility...

What you had was permission to leave the ship in Akureyri and permission to reboard in Akureyri. There is a subtle but important difference between this and an "approved plan" that you fail to see. I would be very surprised if whatever was signed didn't put all the responsibilities involved at the passenger. And no guarantees from NCL except allowing you to board.

I still think, as I said before, you should get a substantial future cruise credit. But that's it!

[Ellis1138]

Sorry for not answering your actual title question. I think it would be "no." I've been on these boards and FB groups since 2003 and you are the first person I've heard who even had the cahones to attempt that itinerary.

[bortman23]

2 hours ago, Never cruise with NCL said:

has anyone ever successfully received a refund from NCL under similar circumstances?

 

I think it's doubtful you'll find anyone who has been in the same situation on here, unfortunately (or fortunately?). 

[Seas2mountains]

7 hours ago, Never cruise with NCL said:

However, none of them directly addressed my original question: his anyone ever successfully received a refund from NCL under similar circumstances? 
 

To answer some of the question in the discussion:

NCL has a duty to inform all passengers of itinerary changes, regardless of their location.
 

While this isn't the main topic, I'd like to share my perspective: this communication could be easily managed after the check-in process through an automatic text message, email, or, even better, a phone call. 

 

 

1. I don’t think you will find people on CC who intentionally leave the first half of a B2B early and expect the cruise line to pick them back up at their preferred port on the second half of the B2B after skipping the embarkation port unless there were emergency medical reasons.  If I were to do this and weather canceled the scheduled port stop, I’d take responsibility myself for taking the risk knowing each port stop isn’t guaranteed with weather issues. I don’t see this as NCL’s fault. It’s your poor planning and judgement and was a risk you took and lost. I don’t understand why you think NCL should pay you for your risky decisions? 
 

2. With 99.999% of the passengers of a cruise on the cruise after it left the embarkation port, when ports are changed due to weather, why would NCL create a process to text, call or email you when you were supposed to be on the ship? It seems crazy and expensive to create a process for 0.001% or fewer who intentionally did not get on the ship at the embarkation port. 

3. If the ship did stop at Akureyri, did you have written documentation from NCL to confirm you could for sure embark at this port? Did you have a contact person with a name and email address and phone number? It sounded like you had a verbal approval but it sounded like you talked to one person? The one you called the “Embarkation Manager”? 
 

 

[Never cruise with NCL]

7 hours ago, The Traveling Man said:

Nope, when you checked out and left the ship, you no longer were a paying customer.  Check the invoice for your cruise.  I expect that you will find that you were not charged the Daily Service Charge for the days you were off the ship.

 

NCL's approval of your choice to disembark early carried no implicit responsibility to communicate anything to you other than any changes which might have been made to the embarkation time at the regularly scheduled port of embarkation for your second cruise segment.  We have taken cruises for which embarkation details were changed at the last minute and we always have received emails and/or text messages with updated info.  Apparently the ship sailed on time from the scheduled embarkation port.  You were on your own to catch up to it at a subsequent port and unfortunately you were unable to make that connection.  The fact that NCL agreed to allow you to do that did not place the onus on them to make sure it happened.

We wouldn't be asking for a refund If I wasn't charged. While it’s true that we weren’t on the ship, we were still paying customers for the entirety of our cruise. The fact that NCL regularly communicates last minute changes to all passengers by email or text shows that they have the capability to ensure passengers are informed, regardless of where they are.  This isn't about asking NCL to go out of their way for one or two passengers it's about holding them accountable to the same standard of care they provide to all their customers. After all, customer care shouldn't stop just because we disembarked temporarily.

[Never cruise with NCL]

I appreciate all the feedback and different perspectives shared here. However, I think it's important to consider how this situation could affect any of us who love cruising and have faced unexpected changes.

Imagine this: You’re on a cruise, and due to a medical emergency or family situation, you have to leave the ship for a day or two. You’ve made arrangements with NCL, gotten the green light to rejoin the cruise at a specific port, and you’ve invested in the vacation. Now, what if something changes, like an itinerary update, and you’re not informed because you’re off the ship? How would that impact your experience?

NCL's responsibility to communicate changes shouldn’t be based on whether you’re physically on the ship at that moment it should be about keeping all passengers informed, especially when they’ve prearranged to reboard later. This is not just about us or this specific case; it’s about ensuring that cruise lines have protocols to keep everyone in the loop, even in exceptional circumstances.

Think about it any of us could find ourselves in a situation where we're off the ship temporarily, and wouldn’t we want to be notified of changes that could affect our return? It’s not about taking unnecessary risks it’s about expecting that the cruise line will fulfill its duty to keep us informed, no matter where we are.

I hope this gives some context to my concerns and why I believe NCL should have made more effort to notify me of the changes, just as they would if I were still on board.

---

[Trevor Fountain]

9 hours ago, Never cruise with NCL said:

I'll leave this point here, as it diverges from my main question has anyone had success on getting a refund

No.

[Trevor Fountain]

25 minutes ago, Never cruise with NCL said:

This is not just about us or this specific case; it’s about ensuring that cruise lines have protocols to keep everyone in the loop, even in exceptional circumstances.

Biggest load of tripe I've read on these boards. In no way did you start this thread as a cheerleader for others. You have been given a platform here to try and garner sympathy and support. You are totally in the wrong. If you think you are not then you should seek legal advice and take the matter further.

Personally I would move on and learn the lesson.

[Never cruise with NCL]

Can we agree that if you were on an excursion booked through the cruise line, you'd expect them to take care of you? Whether you're off the ship for an excursion or have an approved plan to reboard later, the cruise line still has a duty to keep passengers informed. Our situation isn't so different from those who disembark for excursions the only difference is the reason for our disembarkation. The core principle is that we trust the cruise line to ensure we can safely rejoin the ship, regardless of why we temporarily leave.

Safety is a top priority for all of us, right? When we disembark with the cruise line's approval, we rely on them to ensure our safe return. If there's a change that affects our ability to reboard, like an itinerary change, the cruise line has a duty to notify us. This isn't just about my case it's about setting a standard that protects all passengers throughout their entire journey.

If we start accepting that it's okay for a cruise line to leave passengers in the dark because they temporarily disembarked, it sets a dangerous precedent. Today it might be missing a port, but tomorrow it could be something more serious. We're all in this together, and we should hold the cruise line accountable for clear, consistent communication to keep us safe, no matter where we are.

[Never cruise with NCL]

38 minutes ago, Trevor Fountain said:

Biggest load of tripe I've read on these boards. In no way did you start this thread as a cheerleader for others. You have been given a platform here to try and garner sympathy and support. You are totally in the wrong. If you think you are not then you should seek legal advice and take the matter further.

Personally I would move on and learn the lesson.

I appreciate your honesty, even if we don't see eye to eye. My intention here wasn't to garner sympathy but to see if anyone had success in getting a refund, and it turned into having a meaningful discussion about the responsibilities of cruise lines when it comes to keeping passengers informed, especially in unique situations. I fully understand that many of you might not agree with my perspective, and that's okay.

That said, I still believe that when a cruise line approves a plan whether it's for an excursion or any other reason they should follow through with clear communication. This isn't about trying to shift blame or avoid responsibility; it's about advocating for a standard of care that I think benefits all cruisers.

I get that not everyone will agree, but I wanted to share my experience and see if anyone had faced a similar situation or had success in resolving it. Thanks again for your feedback. I'll consider all of the points raised and decide on the next steps accordingly.

[julig22]

1 hour ago, Never cruise with NCL said:

We wouldn't be asking for a refund If I wasn't charged. While it’s true that we weren’t on the ship, we were still paying customers for the entirety of our cruise. The fact that NCL regularly communicates last minute changes to all passengers by email or text shows that they have the capability to ensure passengers are informed, regardless of where they are.  This isn't about asking NCL to go out of their way for one or two passengers it's about holding them accountable to the same standard of care they provide to all their customers. After all, customer care shouldn't stop just because we disembarked temporarily.

Hogwash. I have been on 20+ NCL cruises to date and I have NEVER received a text or email regarding changes to the itinerary once the ship has sailed. If they regularly communicated last minute changes to all passengers then you would have received that same communication.

Just exactly when were the changes to the itinerary made? Before the ship sailed or after the ship was underway? 

[GOTTODOIT]

Poor planning and even more poor judgement, taking a land tour and expecting the ship to be where and when you expected is ridiculous.  Have been on 20+ NCL cruises and notification of changes were last minute decisions due to a breakdown, weather conditions, no notification to email or phones, don't look at them when on holiday.  We received written notification with our dailies the night before or public announcements by cruise director in the morning.

 

 

[Trevor Fountain]

55 minutes ago, Never cruise with NCL said:

Can we agree that if you were on an excursion booked through the cruise line, you'd expect them to take care of you

Yes

 

56 minutes ago, Never cruise with NCL said:

Whether you're off the ship for an excursion or have an approved plan to reboard later, the cruise line still has a duty to keep passengers informed

Firstly you were not a passenger. You ended one cruise and hadn't started the second cruise.

So if you have an all day ticket for a bus, perhaps a hoho bus, and you get off at stop C and want to rejoin the bus at stop E later, and there is some incident between those stops causing a diversion and you can't board at stop E. What do you think the bus company will do? Even if you told the company you wanted to catch the bus later that day at stop E, it would make no difference, the diversion is out of their control. They won't refund you, unless of course it is explicitly written in their terms and conditions or any specific written contract with the passenger.

Could you please upload the part of the t&c's or any other written statement from NCL which leads you to believe they in any way responsible for you in this instance.

[GOTTODOIT]

You were not a passenger on the 2nd cruise as you had not gone through the check-in, received new guest cards etc Even B2B cruisers have to go through the check-in and receive new guest cards.  Did you have your new cards for the 2nd cruise?

[hallux]

2 hours ago, Never cruise with NCL said:

We wouldn't be asking for a refund If I wasn't charged.

You were charged for the cruises, but were you charged the DSC for the days of the first cruise after you left the ship?

2 hours ago, Never cruise with NCL said:

Imagine this: You’re on a cruise, and due to a medical emergency or family situation, you have to leave the ship for a day or two. You’ve made arrangements with NCL, gotten the green light to rejoin the cruise at a specific port, and you’ve invested in the vacation. Now, what if something changes, like an itinerary update, and you’re not informed because you’re off the ship?

COMPLETELY different situation.  In your situation you CHOSE to leave the ship.  In your hypothetical of a medical issue you were forced to leave the ship for a medical reason.  Additionally - if you had to leave for a medical reason that has you off the ship for longer than the port stop they usually completely disembark you and consider your cruise done, they wouldn't get you to the next port to re-embark you.  Also, if they disembark you for a medical reason I've heard that they have someone that will keep in touch to see how you're doing.

 

1 hour ago, Never cruise with NCL said:

Can we agree that if you were on an excursion booked through the cruise line, you'd expect them to take care of you?

They do, and they would be in communication with the tour leader to keep them informed of possible changes.  Different situation as at that point you are under the direct care of someone contracted by the cruise line.

[GOTTODOIT]

Don’t expect that you would have been charged DSC for the 2nd cruise as you would have been a no show and not a registered guest. You have to board at the embarkation port, not where you choose.