My lucky Upgrade Day

[SoleReflexions]

I am sailing on the Pearl on 4/13. I booked a BE stateroom based on price more than anything else as I wanted to use my Compass Rewards to the fullest.

 

2 days later I decided to throw my room back into the pool and book a BE gurantee based on the fact there are only 4 BE's on the Pearl. Today, less than 1 week after making my reservation I was notified that I have been upgraded to a BC.

 

My luck continued when I realized I have been assigned in a disabled equiped cabin. I called and asked if I could be assigned a gurantee instead of the cabin I was given. I was told no. I was about to call back and upgrade to a BA but decided to research my cabin first. Well, I checked out seaweb and was pleasantly surprised to find out my new cabin is 40% larger (235 sq feet) than the average B category and the balcony is 40% larger as well (54 sq feet)!

 

I think I will stay with my super BC stateroom. I just hope there are no cruisers with disabilities who need that room.

[Arwenmark]

I am sailing on the Pearl on 4/13. I booked a BE stateroom based on price more than anything else as I wanted to use my Compass Rewards to the fullest.

 

2 days later I decided to throw my room back into the pool and book a BE gurantee based on the fact there are only 4 BE's on the Pearl. Today, less than 1 week after making my reservation I was notified that I have been upgraded to a BC.

 

My luck continued when I realized I have been assigned in a disabled equiped cabin. I called and asked if I could be assigned a gurantee instead of the cabin I was given. I was told no. I was about to call back and upgrade to a BA but decided to research my cabin first. Well, I checked out seaweb and was pleasantly surprised to find out my new cabin is 40% larger (235 sq feet) than the average B category and the balcony is 40% larger as well (54 sq feet)!

 

I think I will stay with my super BC stateroom. I just hope there are no cruisers with disabilities who need that room.

 

You REALLY REALLY should not have published this. It is a can of worms. THose of us who need HC cabins are often denied them because ABs able bodied book them. I realize you were assigned one. The reality is that NCL does not bump people from HC cabins if a HC person calls and needs it, they simply tell them sorry all booked up.

and there are from 4 to 27 HC cabins TOTAL on the various Norwegian ships. other lines are similiar in number of cabins.

 

So while I am sure you are pleased about your upgrade posting it here is asking for trouble. This far out NCL had no business assigning that cabin yet.

[calmac]

This far out NCL had no business assigning that cabin yet.

 

I agree totally with your statement. This is NCL's fault, not the OPs.

 

I must state that when we booked our cruise on the Gem while on the Pearl's Transatlantic the Port & Cruise Consultant said that we could not have either of the aft facing AF cabins as they are handicapped cabins. I'm not sure if this was just his opinion or whether NCL had told him that he couldn't allocate HC cabins to able bodied passengers.

[SoleReflexions]

Believe me, I would never have chosen this stateroom and I am as surprised as you are that they would assign it to me anytime before the last day befor sailing.

 

I feel very uneasy about this and have been considering upgrading on my own. I was very happy to have been upgraded and pleasantly surprised at the room size but I am very sensitive of people with disabilities.

 

My wife is days away from passing away from pancreatic cancer and we have dealt with special needs for her for 7 months.

 

This was supposed to have been a celebration cruise for us. April 13 is our anniversary and until last month we were certain she would be in remission by then. Instead it will be a tribute cruise. I don't mean to sound like I am looking for pitty (far from it), I just want to let you know I fully understand the need to keep handicap staterooms available for those who need them. I will give NCL a day or 2 to correct their oversight then call and make a deal with them.

[SoleReflexions]

P.S. the main reason I started this thread was to see if anyone had any advice as to whether I could request a gurantee on an upgraded category. Sorry I did not include that in my original post.

[Jana]

I am so sorry to hear about your wife.

 

Please, please don't feel guilty about being given the HC stateroom. IMO it was a mistake for it to be assigned to you, and you seem to understand that as well, but no one here should jump on you because of it.

 

I hope that you find this a place of community, and that the community here will help you in your difficult days ahead. I think a "tribute cruise" is a lovely idea.

[calmac]

SoleReflexions, sorry to hear about your wife. I hope you manage to remember all the good times you've had together during your cruise.

 

In no way was I blaming you. This is not the first time that NCL have assigned handicapped rooms inappropriately. Perhaps the solution would be to call NCL (assuming you don't hear from them) and ask to speak to a supervisor. If this doesn't bring a satisfactory outcome then maybe an e-mail to Corporate HQ would give you a resolution and stop this from happening again.

[SoleReflexions]

Thank you Jana.

 

I really did not take any comments personaly, I had no part in cabin assignment so I feel no guilt. I am certain NCL will realize their error and make concession with me as to upgrade. I fully understand people's anger and hope it is directed at the proper party.

[SoleReflexions]

Thank you calmac, I understood where your comments were directed. I have been a professional complainer for several years and go to the top when I experience an injustice. I have received free flights, free hotel rooms... so I am certain I will find a satisfactory resolution to this issue.

 

Any advice from people who have experience in dealing with NCL customer service management would be appreciated, i.e. email addresses, concessions they have made in the past....

[Arwenmark]

I also am Terribly sorry to hear about your wife and my prayers go out to her and you and your family.

I was not blaming you. I hope you know that.

 

One of the problems with NCL and some of the others is that while the HC cabins are suppose to be only assigned by special services. Once they have been assigned, if the person cancels the computer puts the cabin back into the general stock instead of back to special services. Than it is assigned or can be booked as any other cabin.

 

They have had time, YEARS, to fix that but have not yet. even after losing a lawsuit.

 

I hope they do upgrade you, but if not I hope you enjoy your cruise as much as you can under the circumstances.

[Arwenmark]

double post sorry

[PINEVIEW01]

So while I am sure you are pleased about your upgrade posting it here is asking for trouble. This far out NCL had no business assigning that cabin yet.

Has anyone checked? Maybe this ship is selling well and they have no others to give him.

 

I had this hapen on a cruise. I did IS gty and got a HC cabin. It was because they held it for last in the lowest cat. I really felt bad when I met with a CC'er and found her mom needed a HC room and she had just not thought to ask. We offered to change but, it was half way thru and they didn't want the hassel.

[SoleReflexions]

BC has only gurantee left, BB has 4 left and BA has 6. It seems to have really picked up the past day or 2. I would hate to deal with them then find out they released this room again for general booking. I will sit tight for 2 days and let the other B category cabins fill up then call and talk to a supervisor. Hopefully it will work out well for me and I can get talking to the right person to get this cabin back to the special needs category if that is possible.

[cruisingfromMN]

Thank you calmac, I understood where your comments were directed. I have been a professional complainer for several years and go to the top when I experience an injustice. I have received free flights, free hotel rooms... so I am certain I will find a satisfactory resolution to this issue.

 

Any advice from people who have experience in dealing with NCL customer service management would be appreciated, i.e. email addresses, concessions they have made in the past....

 

I too am sorry to hear about your wife.

 

I am confused. It sounds as though you feel you are entitled to compensation of some sort. You say, "I'm certain I will find a satisfactory resolution to this issue". You use this along with the words injustice, professional complainer, concessions etc.

 

And, "Any advice from people who have experience in dealing with NCL customer service management would be appreciated, i.e. email addresses, concessions they have made in the past".

 

If you feel you are entitled to compensation, I just don't get why.

 

Just call NCL and tell them you prefer to leave the HC room for someone who really needs it and ask to be reassigned. I doubt that NCL will discover their oversight as indicated in one of your posts ie. "I will give NCL a day or 2 to correct their oversight then call and make a deal with them."

 

I hope my tone does not sound like flaming. I don't intend to. I just hope that this can be resolved quickly, without conflict and without compensation with NCL. They should not have booked this room, true. Hopefully, it was an oversight and it can go back into inventory as an HC.

[SoleReflexions]

I did call this morning about 1 minute after I saw the category change. I was told I could not change my room assignment without cancelling my reservation.

 

I was given a 300.00, 2 category upgrade. I do not wish to cancel my booking and start over again having to book a more expensive category right off the bat just because NCL booked me into a HC room.

 

If the only way I can do the right thing is to cancel the BC stateroom and pay more for my vacation (and simply free up the HC room for some other unwitting sole to enjoy) then I will keep the room or negotiate a fair compromise.

 

If I had simply paid for a BC and been given that room then I would not look for compensation, fair is fair.

 

I am begining to regret posting here asking for advice as to who might be a good resource at Customer Service that would ensure the room is flagged for a person with disabilities rather than just the next person in line for a cabin upgrade.

 

I have been a fierce complainer when I am given a stinky smoking room in a hotel when I requested a non smoking room and was subsequently treated rudely by the desk clerk.

 

I protested fiercely when my wife spent 3 hours sitting on a runway waiting to go to a funeral only to be turned around due to "blizzard" conditions at the destination airport. Later I find out that other family members flew into a sunny day and there had been no snow for over a week.

 

If I end up paying 300 dollars more for my vacation just so the HC cabin can be recycled to some other able bodied traveler I will complain to the highest levels. They should never have assigned me or anyone else that room until the day before sailing or the day all B category staterooms had been sold.

 

I will handle this myself in my way and do my best to keep this room available for someone who needs it. I think I am through with this board.

[SoleReflexions]

Double post

[PINEVIEW01]

SoleReflexions, I don't think anyone would have you pay more to give the room back for same catagory. If that is the only room left at the level you paid for it's yours. Shame on NCL for not putting you up a catagory and leaving that room open. Maybe that agent didn't understand that you were happy with the room, you are just trying to do the right thing. Get what you paid for AND leave the room for a HC'er

[PINEVIEW01]

OK, I got my e-tickets. I was upgraded from H to FF and just looked up my cabin's location. It is a HC, for the hearing-impaired. These must be all they have left.

[mailbroad]

I booked an inside gty in December for a Feb. 3 sailing. I was assigned a HCA cabin on the tenth deck last week...about two weeks before sailing. I would rather a person that needed it had it but I guess it was not requested. The ship was booked up weeks befoe my assignment.

[beachchick]

I cannot for the life of me figure out why NCL so frequently seems to assign gtys to HC cabins several months before a cruise date. We had a BE gty on PoH and within 2 weeks (and 5 months before the cruise and with TONS of balcony cabins available) they put us in an HC. We ended up having to cancel, but I did not want this assignment because I knew that it probably meant someone who needed it wouldn't be able to book. Now, DH and I technically qualify for an HC (but it was not noted on our ressie), but we do not (yet, hopefully never) use wheelchairs. Some of the features would be helpful, but not worth keeping someone who truly needs it from cruising.

 

What I guess I don't understand about SoloReflexions posts is why he feels entitled to an upgrade or other compensation for being willing to move out of a cabin he does not qualify for in the first place? Of course it's not his fault that NCL assigned it to him, but exactly what "resolution" is he seeking? Is he going to call NCL and say, "Hey, you assigned me to an HC cabin, but I'll let you make up for your error by upgrading me"? If there are other balcony cabins, then great. He should by all means talk to a supervisor and work on getting assigned to another, non-HC balcony (and if it's a nice BA, super), but there's no cause for an upgrade.

 

I guess he won't read these responses though because apparently we didn't give him the answers he wanted to hear. I think he may even be causing himself more stress over this issue when his focus needs to be on his beloved wife. (And I am terribly sorry to hear about his wife. That is truly tragic.)

 

beachchick

[thewolffs]

First of all, the OP shouldn't feel guilty about this. This is NCL's mistake, not the OP's. Usually, once you are assigned a gty, you can't move your room. You would have to cancel and re-book. What makes you think that they wouldn't re-assign that cabin to someone else that doesn't need an HC cabin? You would probably be giving that cabin up for no reason. I think it is great that you want to give your cabin up to someone who needs it, but I don't think that is what will happen. It is sad that they don't always hold those cabins for those who need them, but they probably don't want to risk not selling them either. I would stick with what you got and enjoy it. If someone who needs an HC cabin waits until now to book, they know they are taking a chance that there may not be an HC cabin available.

[SailAways]

I did call this morning about 1 minute after I saw the category change. I was told I could not change my room assignment without cancelling my reservation.

 

I was given a 300.00, 2 category upgrade. I do not wish to cancel my booking and start over again having to book a more expensive category right off the bat just because NCL booked me into a HC room.

 

 

If I end up paying 300 dollars more for my vacation just so the HC cabin can be recycled to some other able bodied traveler I will complain to the highest levels. They should never have assigned me or anyone else that room until the day before sailing or the day all B category staterooms had been sold.

 

I will handle this myself in my way and do my best to keep this room available for someone who needs it. I think I am through with this board.

 

You have every right to state your opinions, and ask for help as does every one. If these are not the responses which you expected, and you immediately turn away, that is too bad. Seems you really did not want opinions, you wanted affirmation of your actions. That surely is not the case on message boards. Opinions, and information flows freely.

 

It should not matter to you that the cabin may again be assigned to someone who is not disabled. That will be their concern at that point, not yours, and it should alleviate any guilt you might have felt for being in that cabin, and you surely should not be jealous of whomever ends up in that particular cabin. After the fact, it is no longer of concern to you.

 

Seems you could easily cancel the reservation and rebook, but have stated that you will not do so, and that you will be looking for some sort of compensation. Your intentions are fully understood in this regard.

 

You have already contacted NCL - so continue with the persons to whom you have been speaking. The information as to how to contact NCL is in your brochure.

 

Happy Cruising To You.

[Mooder]

What I guess I don't understand about SoloReflexions posts is why he feels entitled to an upgrade or other compensation for being willing to move out of a cabin he does not qualify for in the first place? Of course it's not his fault that NCL assigned it to him, but exactly what "resolution" is he seeking? Is he going to call NCL and say, "Hey, you assigned me to an HC cabin, but I'll let you make up for your error by upgrading me"?

I think SoloReflexions was being pretty reasonable. He was not asking for anything extra. He just wanted to get the upgrade he had already been given without taking anything away from a person with disabilities. And he wanted some assurance that if he gave up the HC room, and decided to pay for an upgrade, the HC room would not go to an able bodied person. I can't blame him for not wanting to make a sacrifice for noble intentions only to have his intention negated. How many people would give up their upgrade? Some of us would, but we certainly wouldn't be happy to find out after giving it up that another equally able person got the HC room we gave up!! It reminds me of the time I was at the theatre with my wheelchair bound mother. A very nice woman offered to switch seats with me (she had an aisle seat) so I could be next to my mother. A person behind us complained because they wanted that seat. I couldn't believe it! I would not be surprised if the hassle it caused that woman to think twice before she ever made such a gracious offer again.