Unhappy on the Gem Transatlantic now ...

[msmayor]

A very compassionate response...rare here. I can understand her upset about being "waitlisted" and never offered an upsell and then finding out that folks booked after her got what she was told was not available.

Hang in there Juried.

 

Isn't it possible that they WEREN'T available when she inquired, but became available and someone else snapped them up at another time?

 

 

She paid a lot of money for this cabin and lets not forget that she was ASSURED by NCL that she would be able to use the cabin while the ship was underway.

 

I didn't get this from the OP's words...In the original post, she indicates (using quotation marks) what NCL said:

 

 

Over the phone an NCL rep assured me “No madam, you can of course use your balcony during the cruise”

 

Any day on the ship whether in port or at sea is 'during the cruise'...so the NCL rep didn't lie or mislead based on this statement.

[suzyed]

Geez! Juried was in a situation she was not happy with and was just venting...maybe it helped her to feel better. I don't think she was telling us all this so that she could be told she was wrong or spoiled (her words) or whatever. It is what it is and she reacted the way she reacted....everyone jumping on each other isn't helping....let's just listen, let her vent and then be on our merry way. ;)

[electricron]

I feel so sorry that you are stuck in a lowly forward facing AC Penthouse suite.

 

Coming from someone who's never booked higher than a Balcony guarantee - NOT :rolleyes:

 

You probably would have been happier in a BA. ;)

 

The Upsell Fairy works in mysterious ways. Sometimes the first timers get the call, others the long-time Latitudes members. That's why we call it the Upsell Fairy.

 

And my last comment, repeating the old adage, "Never book a cabin you'll be unhappy with." I'm sorry you did.

[CowPrincess]

Juried, you have my sympathy. It is most unfortunate that you weren't able to get a different cabin, despite some being available and offered to others.

 

That said, I hope you're still able to enjoy the cruise -- I am PEA GREEN with envy -- I don't think I'll see the day we can afford the kind of cabins to which you refer. :) (But it's a good kinda envy!! I don't begrudge you anything)

[LateCruiser]

I'm surprised... If the OP has sailed NCL ships several times and knows about them, visits these boards, etc. she would have known that the front facing balconies are almost useless on sea days. That's why the AC's don't sell as well as the other suites. I always tell my clients the front suites are nice but don't expect to use the balcony on sea days. A little research goes a long way.

 

I usually don't respond negatively, but just can't resist on this one. I've stayed in 9502 (on the Jewel), and the balcony is useable on sea days. Even at 24 knots the wind is not that bad. We spent a lot of time out on the balcony. Yes, you had to close the curtain at night, but even then we still used the balcony a lot. The door is a little heavy, but we were able to operate it without any trouble. I suspect in March/April it can be a little cold out there if you're not in the tropics. We never had a problem with ventilation. Perhaps the air conditioner should have been turned up a little (it is adjustable). This really was an unnecessay whine by the OP.

[Markandrews]

That's a pretty rude and unfair comment. I'm quite surprised. Not that other posters were rude and unfair, but that you are. I thought better of you.

 

Jana

 

It wasn't meant to be rude, but to be totally honest, as I sit here watching TV and wishing I was on her Trans Atlantic cruise I also find it hard to be overly sympathetic.

[CC Help Michell]

It wasn't meant to be rude, but to be totally honest, as I sit here watching TV and wishing I was on her Trans Atlantic cruise I also find it hard to be overly sympathetic.

 

Well, and I said it too, back on page 1. I wasn't trying to be rude or unsympathetic to the OP, either; I was more trying to point out that the advice frequently posted here NOT to bug the folks at NCL about upsells really does appear to be true, at least based on the story the OP related.

 

I thought about it a bit more, though, and I think that the fact that the OP wasn't offered an upsell could equally likely have been due to the fact that the cabin she booked isn't an easily marketable one on a TransAtlantic -- or to some other factor only the Upsell Fairy knows. :)

 

The takeaway is this -- book a cabin you'll be happy with, because the cabin you book might very well be just what you receive.

[Guest pcreek]

Okay... I am confused. At the risk of sounding totally stupid (luckily I know that I am not - and therefore can take this risk!) LOL

 

I thought I had finally gotten all the alphabet soup on these boards figured out.

Thought that TA = Travel Agent.

 

On a couple of the previous posts above, it appears to me that it doesn't mean Travel Agent...or I am just too tired and it isn't making any sense to me....

Please explain?

Thank you!

 

OP - sorry you're so unhappy in your cabin. I hope you can find some enjoyment in the remainder of your cruise! :-)

[jame_g]

We sailed on the Pearl to Alaska in September. We were in a Cat AC, 9500 with my brother's family next door in another AC, 9000. Even though the weather was cool, we both used our balconies frequently. We used them while sailing, in the morning and evening. Yes it was breezy, but it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. We had a great view. We don't regret this having this cabin at all, plus the perks, especially lbreakfast and lunch at Cagneys, were really nice.

 

I'm sorry that you aren't happy with your cabin. But like us, you went into it knowing what the possible drawbacks would be. You probably would have been better booking an AE or AD that you knew you would be acceptable and trying for an upgrade from there. (Although I too wouldn't be surprised if the way you approached this doomed your chances.)

 

BTW, if anyone else is offered one of these cabins for an Alaskan cruise, I can't imagine a better place to be when sailing through glacier bay. We spent the whole time out on the balcony enjoying the breath-taking views without anyone in our way. We got truly awesome pictures and this one went down as the cruise of a lifetime.

[CC Help Michell]

Okay... I am confused. At the risk of sounding totally stupid (luckily I know that I am not - and therefore can take this risk!) LOL

 

I thought I had finally gotten all the alphabet soup on these boards figured out.

Thought that TA = Travel Agent.

 

On a couple of the previous posts above, it appears to me that it doesn't mean Travel Agent...or I am just too tired and it isn't making any sense to me....

Please explain?

Thank you!

 

OP - sorry you're so unhappy in your cabin. I hope you can find some enjoyment in the remainder of your cruise! :-)

 

Our passion for jargon knows no limits! Even when we use the SAME jargon for different things! ;) In most contexts TA is Travel Agent. In this one, for this poster, it means Trans Atlantic (a crossing of the Atlantic Ocean by cruise ship).

[Guest pcreek]

Thank you for the explanation, MichellP!!

 

Now it makes perfect sense!

 

( I will update my CC Boards dictionary) :-)

[Jana]

It wasn't meant to be rude, but to be totally honest, as I sit here watching TV and wishing I was on her Trans Atlantic cruise I also find it hard to be overly sympathetic.

 

OK, I apologize. As to the others who responded to my comment, she made it very clear that she was trying to be humorous about it and I think I too would have called daily to see if something had opened up. In fact, a customer is often told to do that because it then takes the responsibility away from either the CSR or the travel agent.

 

I guess I just get tired of all the people jumping on a poster who has a POINT. I'll never, ever ever see the inside of an AC, or an AE for that matter, but I get what she was saying. She doesn't need zillions of people telling her how lucky she is, she knows that. But she paid for something that she believes was misrepresented and on top of that, found not one but TWO parties who got the AA she wanted after she had asked to be put on the waiting list. She has a right to be irritated!

 

And she should be allowed to rant about it here without being torn to shreds.

 

Jana

[juried]

Just a quick reply to my post.

I am sorry I do not have enough Internet minutes to read all the post, Internet is very slow on the ship, but I quickly scanned them ….

I thank you all for listening and especially for your positive remarks… ;)

We have just returned from a fabulous excursion to Nerja, Spain. And as one responder thought it might, the ship has slowed down considerably since we have entered the Mediterranean Sea and thankfully I can breathe again and enjoy soft, warm breezes across my HUGE balcony.

My life is good (as it usually is) and all is well. :)

Thanks again,

Enjoy your day,

Juried

[floridacruiser63]

I am sorry you are having such a miserable time.

Maybe if you spoke to someone at the purser's office thay would be able to help you out, provided there are other cabins available on the ship.

In any case, forget the negatives and enjoy your trip. It is definetely the trip of a lifetime.:)

[theduffys]

Hi Juried!!! Thank goodness for "ranting". Keeps the ulcers away:D . Anyway, Norm and I are cruising on the Jade (Barcelona to Southampton) in a couple of weeks. I need you to let me know what to expect weather wise. This will be our fisrt NCL cruise since we were with you guys on the Dawn for New Years, a few years ago. I will be interested to see what the service "attitude" is now. Anyway, enjoy the sights and hopefully we can connect in the future.

[suzyed]

OK, I apologize. As to the others who responded to my comment, she made it very clear that she was trying to be humorous about it and I think I too would have called daily to see if something had opened up. In fact, a customer is often told to do that because it then takes the responsibility away from either the CSR or the travel agent.

 

I guess I just get tired of all the people jumping on a poster who has a POINT. I'll never, ever ever see the inside of an AC, or an AE for that matter, but I get what she was saying. She doesn't need zillions of people telling her how lucky she is, she knows that. But she paid for something that she believes was misrepresented and on top of that, found not one but TWO parties who got the AA she wanted after she had asked to be put on the waiting list. She has a right to be irritated!

 

And she should be allowed to rant about it here without being torn to shreds.

 

Jana

Well put! You are absolutely right...thanks for saying that. ;)

[electricron]

But she paid for something that she believes was misrepresented and on top of that, found not one but TWO parties who got the AA she wanted after she had asked to be put on the waiting list. She has a right to be irritated!

And she should be allowed to rant about it here without being torn to shreds. Jana

 

The OP was able to give her rant here. And we have the right to reply to a rant if we so desire.

 

The OP may have been put on a "wait list", or most probably was not. I have never heard of NCL keeping a "wait list".

As for the two parties who got an AA after the OP asked to be placed on a "wait list" for one, that assumes NCL keeps a "wait list".

If an AA did open up, if you were NCL, who would you rather sell it to? An original point of sale, or as a resell. They had already sold the OP an AC. Who knows, it's possible those who booked the later available AAs may have been higher up on the "wait list". The OP assumes they weren't.

 

Which brings up this point, it's impolite to ask another passenger when and how much they paid for a cabin. That information is between the cruise line and myself. If I were asked this question by another passenger, I certainly would have lied just to spin the asker up.

[Theresa522]

I can fully understand why this lady is so upset. I am claustrophobic and being denied access to my balcony would send me into a tail-spin. :eek: I understand the ship's requirements and would never argue that point however I feel that the OP was misled -- seriously misled. The cabin should not even be listed as a balcony cabin or at a minimum it should be listed as a balcony cabin with major restrictions.

Kathy

 

I totally agree with you. I would be VERY upset if I could not use the balcony. If this is the case then NCL should let people know BEFORE they book this cabin. Thank god I knew about CC as I was looking into a family suite on Princess. Same forward cabin and they wanted $14,000 for a week. I was considering it and started to ask on CC for opinions, THANK GOD. You cannot get any use out of your balcony unless you are at port. :eek: Need to keep the curtains closed at night. Also heard that the patio furniture bangs around due to the wind. My favorite part about being on a ship is going out on my balcony and having coffee and sometimes lunch. Just leaving the door open sometimes to hear the ocean, etc.

 

Wouldn't it be so much easier just to let the passengers know before hand :rolleyes:

[caspmorn]

I would like to thank the OP for making it clear that aft cabin balconies are problematic on sea days. I'm sorry your cruise isn't living up to your expectations, and I hope you can find a way to get the best out of it.

[VoyageVirgin]

I would like to thank the OP for making it clear that aft cabin balconies are problematic on sea days. I'm sorry your cruise isn't living up to your expectations, and I hope you can find a way to get the best out of it.

 

The problem was with the forward cabin - very front of the ship. The aft, from what I've heard is actually one of the best places to be - wind wise.

[caspmorn]

You certainly sound much better in this post! I'm glad a lot of things are right with your cruise, and I hope you enjoy the rest of it.

 

I would advise you, as you move on to other cruiselines, to read carefully the post by Dino2067, as she makes some outstanding points in there about booking only a cabin you can live with, and not relying on "waitlists."

 

I would add to her thoughts that this is particularly true if the cabin you are currently in isn't an appealing one (and I think we ALL agree that a forward-facing balcony on a Transatlantic isn't a great choice of cabin, due to wind issues on the balcony). A cruiseline isn't going to be eager to move the people who finally paid for that unappealing cabin, because that forces the cruiseline to sell it all over again. It's much more profitable for the cruiseline to move the people in the easily re-sellable cabins, which is worth bearing in mind as you make bookings going forward.

 

What an excellent point. There are two possibilities - 1)NCL knows exactly what they are doing, and they know that they should only upgrade people out of cabins that they know they can resell, or 2) NCL has a crappy system and they just can't get wait lists right.

 

I vote for 2), but both may be true.

[Gixer]

If I paid for a balcony room then I would be pretty upset if I couldnt use it for most of the cruise. I think its very unfair of NCL to sell this cabin at the same price as others in the same category that do have full use of the balcony. I think the price for the front cabins should be dropped and everyone who books those particular suites should be made fully aware that the balcony cant be used unless in port. I think its pretty bad of NCL not to make their customers aware of this issue.

 

I hope you enjoy the rest of your cruise Juried.

[dudboom]

Does anyone know if this happens in the forward stateroom on a cruise in Alaska? It would be on the Pacific Princess.

[CC Help Michell]

If I paid for a balcony room then I would be pretty upset if I couldnt use it for most of the cruise. I think its very unfair of NCL to sell this cabin at the same price as others in the same category that do have full use of the balcony. I think the price for the front cabins should be dropped and everyone who books those particular suites should be made fully aware that the balcony cant be used unless in port. I think its pretty bad of NCL not to make their customers aware of this issue.

 

I hope you enjoy the rest of your cruise Juried.

 

As best I can tell, since I haven't sailed Gem personally, all her AC cabins are forward-facing, Decks 9 and 10, and they do sell for considerably less than the higher level cabins that don't have the issue, and only a little bit more than the AD cabins (on the aft of the ship). For instance, on next year's April Transatlantic (the equivalent cruise to the OP's) -- as of right now AB suites are $3899 per person; AC suites are $2899 per person; and AD suites are $2599 per person.

 

The pricing structure reflects the issues with these cabins.

[chrisbd1]

Just a quick reply to my post.

I am sorry I do not have enough Internet minutes to read all the post, Internet is very slow on the ship, but I quickly scanned them ….

I thank you all for listening and especially for your positive remarks… ;)

We have just returned from a fabulous excursion to Nerja, Spain. And as one responder thought it might, the ship has slowed down considerably since we have entered the Mediterranean Sea and thankfully I can breathe again and enjoy soft, warm breezes across my HUGE balcony.

My life is good (as it usually is) and all is well. :)

Thanks again,

Enjoy your day,

Juried

 

 

And now that she's not in the Atlantic the OP is enjoying her cabin. It's those fierce Atlantic winds that makes this location less than ideal.

 

See, she's enjoying herself now. Let the OP and NCL bashing cease.