Escape: No Hot Water or AC. Minimal Resolution. How To Get Support?

[cruiseny4life]

3 minutes ago, Awesomefamadventure said:

Please don't misinterpret me, but what would be a satisfactory resolution?

It's day 8, no hot water still. How much time do you think it's appropriate to allow maintenance to be in your stateroom before you need to put your kids to bed or nap? For example, today we were out of our cabin from 10 - 6:30 (off the ship 12-6:30), and said goodbye to our cabin attendant. Do you think they would have tried to fix it during that time? Well, still no hot water on return.

 

It's not like we're blocking access to our room. Our stateroom is cleaned daily. They can work on it. We just asked the respect our do not disturb - we have children, naps, bedtimes. I think it's fair to not ask them to be working on plumbing in our bathroom at 9pm, especially since we don't have another room to put our children?

I completely agree I'd love to simply let them repair it and enjoy. But I'm also paying significant amounts of money to have a vacation with my family, and sadly there is no real resolution NCL can offer - they don't have any other rooms to accommodate us. They cannot seem to fix the problem or don't have the resources to fix the problem. We have given them time to fix the problem (they've probably spent 6 hours in our room over various days). 

At this point I actually spoke to Kivanic, he informed us that there are no other rooms that will fit our family. And there is no ETA on resolution. So, with 1.5 days left, after already sailing 8 and giving them day after day to do anything, is compensation not warranted?

Well,  you've done all the right things. It's not a surprise NCL hasn't lived up to offer a decent compensation package.

No hot water? No AC? I want my cruise fare back. Drop me at the next port of call and pay my way home. That's what I'd demand. Don't get it? I'm doing a chargeback which will blacklist me from ever cruising NCL again (if the rumors are true). That's ok. I wouldn't want to cruise NCL again. 

 

Having said that, I've always had the water fixed and the AC fixed quickly when I complained about it. There must be a more systemic issue at play which NCL isn't owning up to - not a big surprise there.

 

Good luck! If you truly won't want to cruise NCL again (why would you, after this experience), contact your credit card company and do a charge back for services not rendered. Just make sure you keep any documentation you have. In lieu of documentation, have detailed notes on the 5 W's we learned in grade school. The how which is sometimes added? NCL doesn't care about customer satisfaction when things go wrong.

[Awesomefamadventure]

3 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

Well,  you've done all the right things. It's not a surprise NCL hasn't lived up to offer a decent compensation package.

No hot water? No AC? I want my cruise fare back. Drop me at the next port of call and pay my way home. That's what I'd demand. Don't get it? I'm doing a chargeback which will blacklist me from ever cruising NCL again (if the rumors are true). That's ok. I wouldn't want to cruise NCL again. 

 

Having said that, I've always had the water fixed and the AC fixed quickly when I complained about it. There must be a more systemic issue at play which NCL isn't owning up to - not a big surprise there.

 

Good luck! If you truly won't want to cruise NCL again (why would you, after this experience), contact your credit card company and do a charge back for services not rendered. Just make sure you keep any documentation you have. In lieu of documentation, have detailed notes on the 5 W's we learned in grade school. The how which is sometimes added? NCL doesn't care about customer satisfaction when things go wrong.

 

Thank you. I've considered it. Amex to the rescue. 

 

I will say they have tinkered with the AC and it's better (not 100%, but 60%). And luckily the weather has cooperated the later half of the cruise so leaving the door open is enjoyable. 

 

[Ellis1138]

26 minutes ago, Awesomefamadventure said:

 

Thank you. I've considered it. Amex to the rescue. 

 

I will say they have tinkered with the AC and it's better (not 100%, but 60%). And luckily the weather has cooperated the later half of the cruise so leaving the door open is enjoyable. 

 

 

If they couldn't get this fixed during the cruise, that means something very systemic. Please add a post to the cabin thread, with the problem listed. You might save someone else from booking a problematic cabin.

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1981007-ncl-cabin-information-compilation-no-cabin-questions-posted-here-please/page/27

[ScottIsMyName]

I don't have anything to offer, but OP has been treated rather unfairly by a few in this thread which is shameful.  He came here asking for advice and some people like to just stand on their soap box and speak their piece.  It seems the OP has been more than accommodating to the the staff to try to get this problem fixed.  Paying a premium and traveling with kids without hot water for 10 days is ridiculous.  And they best they can do is offer $200 in OBC and allow access to a room 4 floors away to shower in?  That's insulting at best.  Seems like a good way to lose a customer for life.

[Two Wheels Only]

1 hour ago, Awesomefamadventure said:

And luckily the weather has cooperated the later half of the cruise so leaving the door open is enjoyable. 

 

Has the maintenance crew instructed you to do this?

 

I only ask because....

 

 

[Awesomefamadventure]

48 minutes ago, Two Wheels Only said:

 

Has the maintenance crew instructed you to do this?

 

I only ask because....

 

 

AC goes on when door is closed, off when door is open. When door is closed it blows air just not the most cool. That was always the issue - cold. It blew warm dust for the first few days.

[drew69]

It is terrible you are having these issues and they seem unable to resolve them for you.  As the cruise is almost over, the impact on most of your trip is still there even if resolved tonight.

 

Honestly, if you are looking for any compensation - understandably - there is little chance of any actual partial refund.

 

Also, Amex or any credit card company won't help.  you can dispute a charge which only puts a temporary hold on it while the credit card reaches out to the vendor and if the vendor gives a satisfactory response, the charge is reinstated on your statement for you to pay.  In this case, the payment is probably long since paid anyway.

 

IMHO, Best chance of compensation would be a FCC to use toward a future trip.

 

I would document all you can - names, dates, responses, etc.  document if this is impacting just your cabin or others also.

 

When you go to NCL post cruise, don't add any other issues/complaints such as housekeeping, etc. but focus solely on the AC and hot water.  Let them know you appreciated the crews efforts but unfortunately they were unable to rectify the situation .

 

Try to avoid doing any of the following - not saying you would but if you read these boards there are "go to's" for many who think threats are the best course of action.

 

I would avoid:

 

Threatening to blast them on facebook/social media

Threaten to leave bad reviews everywhere

Threaten to sue

Give a laundry list of every little thing you didn't like on the cruise

Over-dramatize the impact

Address any correspondence to the CEO- they don't really read them and don't really ever assist directly

 

Try going for sympathy and the hope to try them again - it can't hurt

 

[julig22]

11 minutes ago, drew69 said:

Also, Amex or any credit card company won't help.  you can dispute a charge which only puts a temporary hold on it while the credit card reaches out to the vendor and if the vendor gives a satisfactory response, the charge is reinstated on your statement for you to pay.  In this case, the payment is probably long since paid anyway.

A credit card dispute can usually be instigated long after payment if the issue is services not received. But in this case, NCL provided the cruise but the accommodation wasn't what the OP expected. Hard to put a price tag on inconvenience.

[wncretired]

8 hours ago, ScottIsMyName said:

I don't have anything to offer, but OP has been treated rather unfairly by a few in this thread which is shameful.  He came here asking for advice and some people like to just stand on their soap box and speak their piece.  It seems the OP has been more than accommodating to the the staff to try to get this problem fixed.  Paying a premium and traveling with kids without hot water for 10 days is ridiculous.  And they best they can do is offer $200 in OBC and allow access to a room 4 floors away to shower in?  That's insulting at best.  Seems like a good way to lose a customer for life.

Agree 100%!! The OP has been more than fair with NCL.  Traveling with kids is an adventure within itself. Traveling under these circumstances is just plain wrong. 😡

[BirdTravels]

8 hours ago, ScottIsMyName said:

I don't have anything to offer, but OP has been treated rather unfairly by a few in this thread which is shameful.  He came here asking for advice and some people like to just stand on their soap box and speak their piece.  It seems the OP has been more than accommodating to the the staff to try to get this problem fixed.  Paying a premium and traveling with kids without hot water for 10 days is ridiculous.  And they best they can do is offer $200 in OBC and allow access to a room 4 floors away to shower in?  That's insulting at best.  Seems like a good way to lose a customer for life.

There are always 2 sides to a story. 

[Seas2mountains]

I’m so sorry to hear about the number of days you have been without decent air conditioning and without hot water. 
 

I would file a request using a case here after the cruise. 

 

https://www.ncl.com/case-submission

I would request a refund or Future cruise credit (FCC) or both if you are willing to cruise with NCL again. My husband had success getting FCC when we had a minor inconvenience that lasted a full cruise day. 

 

It’s a challenge to cruise with young kids as it is in tight quarters but adding the loss of hot water and AC makes it worse especially when they have been in your cabin so often at various times. I hope the rest of your cruise has been better than your cabin. 
 

If that doesn’t work, you could try the credit card dispute but I can understand you might be banned from cruising NCL. 
 

 

 

[Awesomefamadventure]

Quick update: day 9, we finally have hot water. We’ll see if it holds all day, but from running it in the sink it did. We haven’t heard from the ship’s team at all, so clearly something was fixed outside our room.

 

I appreciate everyone’s insights into the best course of action. 

[Awesomefamadventure]

And to follow up, they provided another $150 Future Cruise Credit to my wife and I. Hopefully, this can serve as a reference point to others dealing with similar issues.

[missinver]

Glad it seems to be finally resolved.  Enjoy the remainder of your cruise! 🙂

[Ellis1138]

4 hours ago, Awesomefamadventure said:

And to follow up, they provided another $150 Future Cruise Credit to my wife and I. Hopefully, this can serve as a reference point to others dealing with similar issues.

 

And really... post your experience and cabin number to the link I gave before. That it took 9 days meant something about your cabin is kind of dire. 

[cruiseny4life]

4 hours ago, missinver said:

Glad it seems to be finally resolved.  Enjoy the remainder of your cruise! 🙂

The power of Cruise Critic. Too bad he didn't come here on day one of water not working. Haha! I'm kidding, y'all! I don't think we're any mystical g-ds...but maybe. 👼

 

Glad the water is working! And the compensation was increased a little bit.

[erisajd]

[By way of future comments for others, assuming this is in fact fixed] There is no reason, none, to not upgrade this family if space is available - OR - split them into two cabins - this is not brain surgery - two kids - two parents - two cabins . . . assuming they are available. 

 

what this is is a lack of imagination.  Just because you have a 4 person cabin doesn't mean you can only be satisfied with a 4 person cabin.  

 

If you offer that, you might get better compensation.  

Edited August 20 by erisajd

[erisajd]

7 hours ago, Awesomefamadventure said:

And to follow up, they provided another $150 Future Cruise Credit to my wife and I. Hopefully, this can serve as a reference point to others dealing with similar issues.

Wow, a whole $150 . . .imagine if this was a Haven cabin, it was a two week cruise and you had paid $18000 . . . and they offered you $150. . . 

[drew69]

1 hour ago, erisajd said:

Wow, a whole $150 . . .imagine if this was a Haven cabin, it was a two week cruise and you had paid $18000 . . . and they offered you $150. . . 

$200 OBC + $150 FCC X 2 = $500 total, not $150

[Badatz2]

2 hours ago, drew69 said:

$200 OBC + $150 FCC X 2 = $500 total, not $150

The math comes out $700 not $500

[ggTexasGal]

1 hour ago, Badatz2 said:

The math comes out $700 not $500

The equation should be $200 OBC + ($150 FCC x 2) = $500

[mertziek]

Well as regards to a previous post saying there are two sides to the story (by the way from a very pro-NCL person on these boards who I’ve yet to see say anything negative about NCL) either they had ac or they didn’t, they had hot water or they didn’t for several days.  I believe the OP saying he had no ac and hot water for several days.  No two sides about it.  Either you believe the OP or you call him a liar.  OP also sounds like he did try to deal with the proper NCL staff to get resolution.  But given how full ships are right now, the ability to get OP into other accommodations may have been limited.
 

As to expecting compensation I say the OP is indeed owed a lot more than offered.  No hot water for several days with two children in your cabin makes it tough to get washed on a daily basis.  They gave us $300 for a wet carpet in our living room floor.  They give passengers 10-20% FCC’s for itinerary changes in cruises.  To OP- keep track of dates, names of contacts, and dates work was attempted.  Compose a factual letter to Katty Byrd and the CEO outlining your experiences and ask them if in all honesty they feel they lived up to their contract.  If they respond saying they fulfilled their contract then I’d be done with NCL.  Could the same thing happen with another cruiseline?  Yes but it happened on an NCL ship so that’s all that should matter to you.  I’m not sure what fair compensation would be but having run my own business plus semi-involved in my spouse’s business, NCL’s question to OP should be what can we do to make this right?  That’s how a reputable business would handle it.  Unfortunately NCL has been remiss in customer service since Covid.

[CruisingSince1982]

On 8/19/2024 at 3:40 AM, Awesomefamadventure said:

On a 10 day cruise, don’t have hot water or pressure for 4 days (now). Allowed maintenance access generously multiple days for hours. Was woken up by maintenance even with do not disturb on yesterday. Since we can shower in the other room, I’d rather enjoy what I can of our vacation than continue to spend hours and hours dealing with it. 
 

As such, it is down to compensation since there are no other room offers that will fit our family and according to the latest maintenance there is no fix. 
 

Cruise Critic is the best place to ask this question because it’s a community of experienced cruisers who may have had similar issues, and it’s also followed by NCL who can read what their customers are dealing with. 

Agree with you 100%. It is confounding that anyone would have an issue with your asking to be compensated for not receiving something that you have paid for. The situation is unacceptable, and I would be livid. I am so sorry that you have to deal with this on your vacation. 

[CruisingSince1982]

On 8/20/2024 at 3:50 AM, Awesomefamadventure said:

Quick update: day 9, we finally have hot water. We’ll see if it holds all day, but from running it in the sink it did. We haven’t heard from the ship’s team at all, so clearly something was fixed outside our room.

 

I appreciate everyone’s insights into the best course of action. 

Which cabin number are you in?