Best website to go to for cheap NCL cruises?

[Giantfan13]

As far as we are concerned, even a 'bad' cruise, is a good cruise, as long as we are cruising somewhere.

[DocJohnB]

CasinoPlayer posts an off the wall comment (according to y'all).

 

Instead of just posting a comment about what he said, eight of you (so far) have quoted (in total) his post thereby perpetuating his thoughts.

 

Sort of funny. :D

[Luv4dacruise]

CasinoPlayer posts an off the wall comment (according to y'all).

 

Instead of just posting a comment about what he said, eight of you (so far) have quoted (in total) his post thereby perpetuating his thoughts.

 

Sort of funny. :D

 

I know what you mean, reason i did it was i was on the Carnival boards earlier where he was saying something about RCI being the worst cruise he has ever taken. What can i say, i like to quote morons :D....Present quote excluded of course :p

[WinnieinWA]

NCL cruises are cheap. They are cheap because unless they discounted the cruise they aren't able to sell them. I've been on an NCL cruise and know first hand how terrible they are. They give cruising a bad name. When Apollo Capital Management bought into NCL I thought they would turn the company around. They haven't and NCL has gotten worse.

 

My wife went on a C-T-N to celebrate a relatives notable birthday. It was terrible. No one answers the phone at room service. No one answers the phone at the pursar's desk. NCL charges a service fee. The only thing is they don't give you any service.

 

Wow! I have cruised NCL 7 times and I loved each and every cruise. I really think that you either never sailed NCL or you are one of the chair hog holier than thou type people.

 

I am cruising NCL Sun this Sunday and NCL Spirit in January and I know for a fact that it will be a wonderful cruise with fabulous service and great food.

 

I have cruised 4 different lines and I prefer NCL because of their exceptional service and wonderful staff!!

 

Sheesh!!!!!!!!!!!

[rsohn65820]

booking directly with NCL though... you will not get the best price... find an agency that discounts and provides you with service, they are out there!

 

I'm not saying that this isn't true some times but I know that for weeks before I booked my cruise I checked website after website all these so called discount sites and for my cruise I came up with the same exact price and same promos on every website I checked. I could list off at least 15 different websites I checked trying to book the same cruise, same cabin type and each and everyone of them was exactly the same price as NCL. So I can say that I got just as good of a price from NCL as I could have gotten any where else and I still got the same OBC as I would have had I booked else where. I have been checking prices for booking another cruise either to Alaska or Hawaii and all the websites are quoting the same price as NCL on those cruises also. It may be different on NCL cruises from the east coast but so far everything I've checked leaving from a west coast port there is no difference in pricing.

[Casino Player]

So you made all those judgments on a 1 night cruise ?

 

Actually when I went on an NCL cruise in 2003 it was a seven night cruise. My wife recently went on the C-T-N with some relatives. My seven night cruise was bad enough. I didn't go on this one because I knew it would be bad. Another relative was booked for another NCL cruise later this year. They canceled.

[Casino Player]

Wow! I have cruised NCL 7 times and I loved each and every cruise. I really think that you either never sailed NCL or you are one of the chair hog holier than thou type people.

 

I am cruising NCL Sun this Sunday and NCL Spirit in January and I know for a fact that it will be a wonderful cruise with fabulous service and great food.

 

I have cruised 4 different lines and I prefer NCL because of their exceptional service and wonderful staff!!

 

Sheesh!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I have been on one NCL cruise and didn't love it. The service was passable although the attitude of some of the workers were not good. The food was not good. I now go with cruise lines with good food and service. I did try NCL once to see what they were like and because they had a cruise going to someplace different. Needless to say, I did not enjoy their product.

[LOWTYD]

Actually when I went on an NCL cruise in 2003 it was a seven night cruise. My wife recently went on the C-T-N with some relatives. My seven night cruise was bad enough. I didn't go on this one because I knew it would be bad. Another relative was booked for another NCL cruise later this year. They canceled.

 

So you are posting all over CC about a cruise you never even went on? Even though they are you relatives, It's all here say. People tend to exagerate when telling a story. I am sure they are not making it up and things happned that they wer not satisfied about but thing tend to get lost in translation. How did you know it would be bad? You haven't traveled NCl in 6 years. Maybe they are not for you. If things go wrong on the ship, your relatives needed to address the officers in charge. They could have corrected the problem for them right there and then may be you would have something positive to say about how you were having a problems so I contated the Hotel director or Food Service director and they took care of our problem right away. That is what they do. If you don't ask for help, you are not going to get it.

I am sorry the cruise you didn't take was not up to you expectations.

Good luck on whatever line you choose.

 

I was also on the CTN this back weekend and had the best time!

 

To the OP, Sorry about this. Who ever mentioned they should have started their own thread is correct. This guy is all over the place.

[CruisinJul]

Don't almost all of the cruise lines now charge a service fee? The days of stiffing at the end of the cruise is coming to an end. Many cruise lines have also introduced surcharge restaurants as well.

 

Notice Carnival is beginning to check for liquor being smuggled aboard now during this economic slump, giving back the booze at the end of the cruise if the bottles are unchanged, but they pour the booze overboard if there are signs of the booze being smuggled in other bottles.

 

 

What service fee are you referencing? I know some lines now add the gratuities to your bill. But they are not required and you always have the option to make adjustments. I haven't cruised since last year. Am I missing something new?

[electricron]

What service fee are you referencing? I know some lines now add the gratuities to your bill. But they are not required and you always have the option to make adjustments. I haven't cruised since last year. Am I missing something new?

 

You have the ability to make adjustments on NCL ships as well.......after reporting your concerns as they happen and giving NCL a chance to fix your problem.

 

But generally, you're not going to be able to eliminate all your service charges.

[dodge9]

I'm not saying that this isn't true some times but I know that for weeks before I booked my cruise I checked website after website all these so called discount sites and for my cruise I came up with the same exact price and same promos on every website I checked. I could list off at least 15 different websites I checked trying to book the same cruise, same cabin type and each and everyone of them was exactly the same price as NCL. So I can say that I got just as good of a price from NCL as I could have gotten any where else and I still got the same OBC as I would have had I booked else where. I have been checking prices for booking another cruise either to Alaska or Hawaii and all the websites are quoting the same price as NCL on those cruises also. It may be different on NCL cruises from the east coast but so far everything I've checked leaving from a west coast port there is no difference in pricing.

 

Websites are not allowed to display discount rates, you must call or e-mail an agency to find the ones that discount... that is why you will find the same rate at the sites. I am not permitted to offer a name of an agency... mine discounts and offers family service and rate checks monthly for better deals!

[BaileyandBella]

Websites are not allowed to display discount rates, you must call or e-mail an agency to find the ones that discount...

 

Yep

 

My online travel agent saved me $1,000 on one cabin.

[suzyed]

One has to wonder why this person apparently spends so much time trolling this NCL site if they hate it so much...??

I was thinking the same thing! He needs to just go away. :p

[suzyed]

I'm not saying that this isn't true some times but I know that for weeks before I booked my cruise I checked website after website all these so called discount sites and for my cruise I came up with the same exact price and same promos on every website I checked. I could list off at least 15 different websites I checked trying to book the same cruise, same cabin type and each and everyone of them was exactly the same price as NCL. So I can say that I got just as good of a price from NCL as I could have gotten any where else and I still got the same OBC as I would have had I booked else where. I have been checking prices for booking another cruise either to Alaska or Hawaii and all the websites are quoting the same price as NCL on those cruises also. It may be different on NCL cruises from the east coast but so far everything I've checked leaving from a west coast port there is no difference in pricing.

That has not been my experience. I saved over $600 by going to a online TA and got the same OBC that was being offered by NCL.

 

Anyway...we all know that deals vary by cruiseline, website,etc. and one can give you a great deal this month, but someone else will offer a better deal two months later.

 

Gotta shop around!

[rsohn65820]

That has not been my experience. I saved over $600 by going to a online TA and got the same OBC that was being offered by NCL.

 

Anyway...we all know that deals vary by cruiseline, website,etc. and one can give you a great deal this month, but someone else will offer a better deal two months later.

 

Gotta shop around!

 

Ok I understand what all of you are saying but my point is if they won't or don't put their best prices on their website why would anyone know to call them for a better price? I am new to crusing and I don't know how all this discounting stuff works. If I go to their website and see a price listed I think I am looking at the actual price they charge how am I or anyone else suppose to know that what I'm seeing on their website is not the real price? How do you find out which websites aren't showing their best prices? I've been wondering how all the people on these boards can afford to go on several cruises per year and talking about how cheap it is to cruise, when I am paying more for my seven day Mexico cruise than I would for a week in Hawaii at a beach front hotel? Any help would be appericated Thank you.

[Nebr.cruiser]

NCL cruises are cheap. They are cheap because unless they discounted the cruise they aren't able to sell them. I've been on an NCL cruise and know first hand how terrible they are. They give cruising a bad name. When Apollo Capital Management bought into NCL I thought they would turn the company around. They haven't and NCL has gotten worse.

My wife went on a C-T-N to celebrate a relatives notable birthday. It was terrible. No one answers the phone at room service. No one answers the phone at the pursar's desk. NCL charges a service fee. The only thing is they don't give you any service.

 

We just got back from our first NCL cruise and had a great time; we were a little leery considering the bad rap NCL gets, but we thought it was comparable to any other mainstream cruise line, at a really, really great price.

 

 

Sure, there were a few minor things that we would have changed, but there were also some things that were done better than on other lines. Every ship I have been on (5 different lines) have had lows and highs.

 

I do have a feeling the older ships could use some improving, according to others we talked to. We were on the Jewel.

[slverbell]

We sailed to Mexico last January on NCL and we loved it. We tried most of the other restaurants and they were all great. We are so over the formal nights, but we did dress up for dinner but not formal wear.

We have booked another one to the Caribbean in January on the NCL Jewel.

I checked all the websites and then called NCL. They beat the lowest price by about $500. If they add incentives later like on board credits or lower the price on our room they pass the savings on.

[suzyed]

Ok I understand what all of you are saying but my point is if they won't or don't put their best prices on their website why would anyone know to call them for a better price? I am new to crusing and I don't know how all this discounting stuff works. If I go to their website and see a price listed I think I am looking at the actual price they charge how am I or anyone else suppose to know that what I'm seeing on their website is not the real price? How do you find out which websites aren't showing their best prices? I've been wondering how all the people on these boards can afford to go on several cruises per year and talking about how cheap it is to cruise, when I am paying more for my seven day Mexico cruise than I would for a week in Hawaii at a beach front hotel? Any help would be appericated Thank you.

You can try a "mock" reservation...if you see an online TA that is advertizing a "sale" or "deals", just pick a cruise and the date you want and start the reservation...at the end, you will be given the price with fees and taxes, etc.

 

The other thing....give us your email address...and we can email some more "info". ;)

[Mooder]

Ok I understand what all of you are saying but my point is if they won't or don't put their best prices on their website why would anyone know to call them for a better price? I am new to crusing and I don't know how all this discounting stuff works. If I go to their website and see a price listed I think I am looking at the actual price they charge how am I or anyone else suppose to know that what I'm seeing on their website is not the real price? How do you find out which websites aren't showing their best prices? I've been wondering how all the people on these boards can afford to go on several cruises per year and talking about how cheap it is to cruise, when I am paying more for my seven day Mexico cruise than I would for a week in Hawaii at a beach front hotel? Any help would be appericated Thank you.

 

Yes, if you want to share your email, I'll be happy to share, but I don't recommend that and I don't think it's necessary. As a general rule, the more an agency books with a cruise line the higher the commission they will receive and consequently, the greater the discount they will be able to give you so you want to find one that specializes. A frequent advertiser on this site is a site where cruise agents compete for your business (I think if you google that, you'll find it). You type in the cruise you want, and they provide quotes. That is a great way to find a good deal and to find an agent you like and can make your regular TA if you like their service.

[lhall85917]

A frequent advertiser on this site is a site where cruise agents compete for your business (I think if you google that, you'll find it). You type in the cruise you want, and they provide quotes. That is a great way to find a good deal and to find an agent you like and can make your regular TA if you like their service.

 

That is really good advice, that is exactly how I find the TA that I now use exclusively. She provides great service and rates and it is really nice to have an agent that you can trust.

[peg013]

Ok I understand what all of you are saying but my point is if they won't or don't put their best prices on their website why would anyone know to call them for a better price? I am new to crusing and I don't know how all this discounting stuff works. If I go to their website and see a price listed I think I am looking at the actual price they charge how am I or anyone else suppose to know that what I'm seeing on their website is not the real price? How do you find out which websites aren't showing their best prices? I've been wondering how all the people on these boards can afford to go on several cruises per year and talking about how cheap it is to cruise, when I am paying more for my seven day Mexico cruise than I would for a week in Hawaii at a beach front hotel? Any help would be appericated Thank you.

 

Their are quite a few online TA's that require you to either "register" and "join their travel club" (usually free until you book and then a nominal fee) to see the reduced rates. When you get these super low rates you may be booked into a group and it takes a little longer to get your e-docs but otherwise you'd never know you are part of a "group". Try googling "Best Price" +cruise or try a SmartCruise search. Good Luck!

[Mooder]

Their are quite a few online TA's that require you to either "register" and "join their travel club" (usually free until you book and then a nominal fee) to see the reduced rates. When you get these super low rates you may be booked into a group and it takes a little longer to get your e-docs but otherwise you'd never know you are part of a "group". Try googling "Best Price" +cruise or try a SmartCruise search. Good Luck!

 

It's true, those are out there. But i have never paid a fee or even registered with anyone. Recently, I used that compete site and the lowest price site didn't have the cabin I wanted so I suspect they just purchase a bunch, creating a group, and sell those. But the next lowest price (only $20 more) I could have any cabin I wanted so that is an indication (no guaranty) that it is not a group situation.

[suzyed]

I checked the site where they compete and usually that is where I find my TA...but this time I found another one just by surfing.

 

The TA I ended up booking with, does have a fee of, I think it was $29, but that is billed seperately and not until you have already booked and are putting down your deposit. There is also a cancellation/change fee of $39. But I saved over $600 with them. I did try to call NCL directly and they wouldn't budge on their price.

[peg013]

It's true, those are out there. But i have never paid a fee or even registered with anyone. Recently, I used that compete site and the lowest price site didn't have the cabin I wanted so I suspect they just purchase a bunch, creating a group, and sell those. But the next lowest price (only $20 more) I could have any cabin I wanted so that is an indication (no guaranty) that it is not a group situation.

 

Even if the cabin is not showing on the site you wish to book just put a request in the Memo portion of the booking and they can get you any cabin you want even if it only shows up when you enter a cabin number at the NCL site. Don't think that the cabins showing are ever the only ones available for booking without checking on NCL directly. And I really don't mind a $5.95 fee to save hundreds of dollars.

[lhall85917]

One thing to keep in mind with all of this is that price isn't everything, we have gone the route of finding the cheapest price no matter who it is with and have been disappointed with the service received from some of the sites (phone calls not returned, emails not answered, no willingness to continue to check for better rates, etc). We feel experienced enough to book through an online site with a good price and it has worked out ok; however, developing a relationship with a TA also has benefits. I know that our agent works a lot with the upsell dept at NCL and she has been able to get us an upsell in the past. In the future, we plan on remaining loyal to our current TA even if her rates end up being a bit higher than we can find elsewhere.