Norwegian has BBB rating of "F"

[newcruzrs4]

We have booked our third cruise on NCL in the last 3 years, but it will probably be our last. I have complained to NCL corporate about what I view as misleading advertising in connection with our booking (specifically, the Pepsi promotion), and have received no satisfaction. After these issues arose, I looked Norwegian up on the Southeast Florida Better Business Bureau site and notice that they have an "F" rating. In contrast, the same BBB location gives Carnival an "A" and a different BBB branch gives Royal Caribbean a "C".

 

BBB explains as follow on its site concerning the "F" rating:

Our opinion of what this rating means:

We strongly question the company’s reliability for reasons such as that they have failed to respond to complaints, their advertising is grossly misleading, they are not in compliance with the law’s licensing or registration requirements, their complaints contain especially serious allegations, or the company’s industry is known for its fraudulent business practices.

 

I wish I had checked BBB ratings before we booked our cruise.

[watchdiva]

Hi, I see you're booked on the Star December 09 - you can certainly cancel without penalty correct? If you're already dissatisfied with NCL and have "issues" wouldn't it make more sense to cut your losses and cruise another line?

 

You don't give any details about what happened to upset you so badly but it must have been horrific for you to contact the BBB...

[newmexicoNita]

We have booked our third cruise on NCL in the last 3 years, but it will probably be our last. I have complained to NCL corporate about what I view as misleading advertising in connection with our booking (specifically, the Pepsi promotion), and have received no satisfaction. After these issues arose, I looked Norwegian up on the Southeast Florida Better Business Bureau site and notice that they have an "F" rating. In contrast, the same BBB location gives Carnival an "A" and a different BBB branch gives Royal Caribbean a "C".

 

BBB explains as follow on its site concerning the "F" rating:

Our opinion of what this rating means:

We strongly question the company’s reliability for reasons such as that they have failed to respond to complaints, their advertising is grossly misleading, they are not in compliance with the law’s licensing or registration requirements, their complaints contain especially serious allegations, or the company’s industry is known for its fraudulent business practices.

 

I wish I had checked BBB ratings before we booked our cruise.

 

Thanks, would you care to explain why you even bothered to: 1-post this stupid rating, we all know, BBB carries little weight anymore 2-it is based on one BBB (southern Fl) not the entire country and 2-if you hate NCL so much why in the heck have you booked them again. That sounds pretty rediculous to me?

 

I will say one thing, if you desire is to open a can of worms and start another "why I hate" debate you are probably going to achieve just that, if you posting is made to scare others away from NCL and toward Carnival, good luck..

 

the amazing thing, you have taken 2 other NCL cruises, appear to not have any problems and now you say, if you had read the BBB before hand you wouldn't book NCL. Doesn't this indicate to you, what appears on BBB isn't always worth the bother to read. Mainly it seems the complains are based on what some think of as false advertising, relating of course to the term "freestyle" I would not bother to respond either. Anyone who thinks Freestyle indicates free isn't using thier heads.

Nita

[lambs2]

All I can say is if our 12/06/09 sailing on the Star is even close to our past three NCL sailings we will have an AWESOME cruise!! That BBB rating (if true - I did not find it with a quick search...) certainly does not match OUR personal NCL experiences which have been A+!!!!! :)

 

Just one example: The Pepsi promo rules EXPLICITLY state they can not be combined with ANY OTHER PROMOTION. No way was this misleading as it was a RULE right from the start. Good for first time cruisers without any other discounts though, and several folks have stated how happy they were getting it!

[mikedw]

All of the cruise lines have a bad BBB rating, because they refuse to join. They're useless anyway. I had a problem with a landscaping company that did not complete all the work they were suppose to and all the BBB did was write a letter to the company which the company ignored and that was the end of it.

[SeaShark]

The key point they left out is that NCL has only had 268 complaints (valid and invalid) over the last 36 months.

 

When you consider the number of passengers per ship times the number of ships times the number of sailings, the idea that ONLY 268 complaints were generated makes it obvious that the vast majority of people were satisfied.

[DDMau]

All I can say is if our 12/06/09 sailing on the Star is even close to our past three NCL sailings we will have an AWESOME cruise!! That BBB rating (if true - I did not find it with a quick search...) and certainly does not match OUR personal NCL experiences which have been A+!!!!! :)

 

I am with you on this, if NCL is that bad, Which NCL have I been cruising since 2002. Just off NCL Star's Alaskan cruise last week and it was awesome.

[newcruzrs4]

We made our complaint directly to NCL corporate after spending a great deal of time on the phone.

 

After having the problem, I looked at the BBB site to see how NCL might be on resolving complaints and noticed the low rating. Haven't filed anything yet with BBB. Our first 2 cruises with NCL were fine, which is why we booked again. Those were our first cruises, but we expect to do a lot more cruising in the future.

 

We booked flights and travel agent insurance, so cancelling would not necessarily be so simple. I am sure we will enjoy the cruise like we enjoyed the prior ones, despite our dissatisfaction with how this issue was handled

 

My objection on the Pepsi promotion is not any "cannot be combined" rule. I will post separately on the details, but it relates to the lack of disclaimers in the internet advertising postings NCL did. There is very broad language, but NCL is not making the promotion available for our voyage even it is withing the advertised booking and sailing dates.

[tallblonde]

I'm sorry - but dear Lord - it's PEPSI......

 

Do you cruse just for the Pepsi? I'll be happy to send you a week's supply of Pepsi in exchange for your upcoming NCL cruise....!!!

[sottovoce]

Some people aren't happy unless they have something to whine about. This one ranks right up there with the worst. And then... to cite the BBB, which ranks right up there the United States Chamber of Commerce among worthless organizations!:eek:

[Harleycat]

We have booked our third cruise on NCL in the last 3 years, but it will probably be our last. I have complained to NCL corporate about what I view as misleading advertising in connection with our booking (specifically, the Pepsi promotion), and have received no satisfaction. After these issues arose, I looked Norwegian up on the Southeast Florida Better Business Bureau site and notice that they have an "F" rating. In contrast, the same BBB location gives Carnival an "A" and a different BBB branch gives Royal Caribbean a "C".

 

BBB explains as follow on its site concerning the "F" rating:

Our opinion of what this rating means:

We strongly question the company’s reliability for reasons such as that they have failed to respond to complaints, their advertising is grossly misleading, they are not in compliance with the law’s licensing or registration requirements, their complaints contain especially serious allegations, or the company’s industry is known for its fraudulent business practices.

 

I wish I had checked BBB ratings before we booked our cruise.

 

The BBB is useless. Case in point, I looked up the company I work for (on Long Island), our Plainview branch got high marks and our Hicksville branch did not. They are the same company with the same management and the same customer service group. How accurate is that?

 

I had an issue with a booking with NCL and it was resolved right away. I had an issue on board a Celebrity ship that we had to fight tooth and nail to get resolved. People just have to understand that sometimes, no matter what they think, the answer is just No!

[MrPete]

We have booked our third cruise on NCL in the last 3 years, but it will probably be our last. I have complained to NCL corporate about what I view as misleading advertising in connection with our booking (specifically, the Pepsi promotion), and have received no satisfaction.

 

Care to 'splain what the "Pepsi" issue is?

 

 

And I wouldn't hold much reliability in the BBB ratings. I think you would find the same ratings for all the mass merch lines. They don't wish to be in the same bed with them.

[newcruzrs4]

Sorry to hear about your company's BBB experience and the inconsistency you note. Of course, the BBB, as a voluntary organization does not have teeth. Checking the ratings can be a helpful indicator of a company's track record in dealing with complaints. I did BBB research before buying my last car and went with a BBB member that had a strong record.

 

In any event, I am generally a very easy-going person who seldom complains (or in the words of one poster "whines") about things. I did not complain about my prior cruises.

 

The way the Pepsi promotion has been handled does bother me on principle. NCL, on its own Facebook page, posted the following verbiage:

Guests can quench their thirst on board all Freestyle Cruising ships with limited time complimentary soda packages

 

Norwegian Cruise Line and Pepsi are celebrating summer by offering up to two complimentary soda packages per stateroom on any seven-night sailing or longer. Guests who book a cruise on one of Norwegian Cruise Line’s 11 Freestyle Cruising ships from now through October 15, 2009 for sailings through 2010 can request the Pepsi Summer Cup promotion at the time of booking by referencing promotion code PGPOP. Once on board, guests are given a special Norwegian and Pepsi branded souvenir cup and have access to unlimited complimentary fountain soda refills at any bar, lounge or restaurant throughout the duration of the cruise and have the choice of selecting Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Mountain Dew or Sierra Mist.

NCL indicates that the promotion is not available on our sailing, because it is a holiday week, and referred to capacity limitations. Please note that NCL’s own posting clearly refers to “all Freestyle Crusing ships” and “any seven-night sailing or longer” and indicates that it is available for bookings made through October 15, 2009 for sailings through 2010. Not a single disclaimer is included in the posting.

NCL claims that it pulled the promotion from its own website during June (even though it left the promotion on its Facebook page, which is the posting I saw) and argued that the “for more information or to book a cruise, contact NCL” type language at the bottom of the Facebook posting solved the lack of disclaimers in the Facebook posting itself. Under advertising law principles I am aware of, such argument by NCL does not hold water.

[newmexicoNita]

Some people aren't happy unless they have something to whine about. This one ranks right up there with the worst. And then... to cite the BBB, which ranks right up there the United States Chamber of Commerce among worthless organizations!:eek:

 

thanks, you hit the nail on the head.

 

Nita

[newcruzrs4]

Mr. Pete,

 

I posted the details above. In checking the ratings, I was very surprised to learn that BBB gave Carnival an A. We have not cruised on Carnival, but if you asked me to guess before this month, I would have anticipated that NCL's rating would have been higher.

[newmexicoNita]

We made our complaint directly to NCL corporate after spending a great deal of time on the phone.

 

After having the problem, I looked at the BBB site to see how NCL might be on resolving complaints and noticed the low rating. Haven't filed anything yet with BBB. Our first 2 cruises with NCL were fine, which is why we booked again. Those were our first cruises, but we expect to do a lot more cruising in the future.

 

We booked flights and travel agent insurance, so cancelling would not necessarily be so simple. I am sure we will enjoy the cruise like we enjoyed the prior ones, despite our dissatisfaction with how this issue was handled

 

My objection on the Pepsi promotion is not any "cannot be combined" rule. I will post separately on the details, but it relates to the lack of disclaimers in the internet advertising postings NCL did. There is very broad language, but NCL is not making the promotion available for our voyage even it is withing the advertised booking and sailing dates.

 

I bet if you really wanted to cancel you could go on another line sailing the same time. As for not making a promo available, this is not unusual not limited to NCL> Like any company they can make exceptions, if your cruise in taking place during a high booking season, no, they will not honor promos. The advertising can say promo availalbe between Labor day and New years for an example, but I bet the small print explains this is not avail on all sailings. As for not being combined, I don't understand what your problem is with that: most of the time 2 promos can't be combined? Combined with what, can you explain?

 

Nita

 

BTW, if you claim Carnival got an A rating, right there is room for doubt. Carnival will never get a A rating overall. Not because they are a bad line, but because they are so huge they have massive complaints.

[jimd909]

Sometime I'm appalled by the way people on this board treat other people. Some of you are downright nasty.

 

People come here to look for help and to share their experience to give some help. Just because YOU don't agree with something doesn't mean others are wrong.

 

Maybe people should think before they type.

[newcruzrs4]

My complaint is that NCL did not include any fine print, but instead tried to say limitations were described elsewhere and we would learn there were limitations if we called.

A prior poster suggested that I may have been trying to combine 2 promotions, but I indicated that wasn't the issue. The problem I have is that NCL was not willing to honor the description in their Facebook posting, which as they should know constitutes an advertisement.

[SeaShark]

Sorry to hear about your company's BBB experience and the inconsistency you note. Of course, the BBB, as a voluntary organization does not have teeth. Checking the ratings can be a helpful indicator of a company's track record in dealing with complaints. I did BBB research before buying my last car and went with a BBB member that had a strong record.

 

In any event, I am generally a very easy-going person who seldom complains (or in the words of one poster "whines") about things. I did not complain about my prior cruises.

 

The way the Pepsi promotion has been handled does bother me on principle. NCL, on its own Facebook page, posted the following verbiage:

Guests can quench their thirst on board all Freestyle Cruising ships with limited time complimentary soda packages

 

Norwegian Cruise Line and Pepsi are celebrating summer by offering up to two complimentary soda packages per stateroom on any seven-night sailing or longer. Guests who book a cruise on one of Norwegian Cruise Line’s 11 Freestyle Cruising ships from now through October 15, 2009 for sailings through 2010 can request the Pepsi Summer Cup promotion at the time of booking by referencing promotion code PGPOP. Once on board, guests are given a special Norwegian and Pepsi branded souvenir cup and have access to unlimited complimentary fountain soda refills at any bar, lounge or restaurant throughout the duration of the cruise and have the choice of selecting Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Mountain Dew or Sierra Mist.

NCL indicates that the promotion is not available on our sailing, because it is a holiday week, and referred to capacity limitations. Please note that NCL’s own posting clearly refers to “all Freestyle Crusing ships” and “any seven-night sailing or longer” and indicates that it is available for bookings made through October 15, 2009 for sailings through 2010. Not a single disclaimer is included in the posting.

NCL claims that it pulled the promotion from its own website during June (even though it left the promotion on its Facebook page, which is the posting I saw) and argued that the “for more information or to book a cruise, contact NCL” type language at the bottom of the Facebook posting solved the lack of disclaimers in the Facebook posting itself. Under advertising law principles I am aware of, such argument by NCL does not hold water.

 

If this upset you...then why did you make the booking on NCL after they told you that the sailing you wanted did not qualify for the promotion?

[SeaShark]

Sometime I'm appalled by the way people on this board treat other people. Some of you are downright nasty.

 

People come here to look for help and to share their experience to give some help. Just because YOU don't agree with something doesn't mean others are wrong.

 

Maybe people should think before they type.

 

Physician...heal thyself

[Harleycat]

The BBB bases their ratings not only on the number of complaints received but how many are responded to by the company. The response by the company may not always be in favor of the consumer but if the BBB agrees with the company, it's in their favor.

 

Some companies choose not to respond to BBB complaints at all, especially larger firms and thus it earns them an F rating. Some firms rather address complaints directly rather than through a third party. This is not only true for the BBB but also some online sites as well. Just because a firm does not respond to a BBB complaint does not mean they don't care or deserve an F rating. It's voluntary and they choose not to.

 

Carnival may respond to BBB complaints and NCL might not and that could be where the big difference in ratings comes from.

[dfishner]

Sorry to say this is a very small issue and would not consider it a compliant nor is it anything I would remotely consider cancelling a cruise about or stop cruising a line for. Don't let this ruin your cruise it is just a minor thing.

[lambs2]

My complaint is that NCL did not include any fine print, but instead tried to say limitations were described elsewhere and we would learn there were limitations if we called.

A prior poster suggested that I may have been trying to combine 2 promotions, but I indicated that wasn't the issue. The problem I have is that NCL was not willing to honor the description in their Facebook posting, which as they should know constitutes an advertisement.

 

 

But just by the fact that you are a Latitude member due to two past cruises so you would automatically receive the past cruiser discount, that would disqualify you from the PGPOP promo. Did you check to see what this cruise would have cost you as a brand new cruiser to NCL? We were talking about that here on Cruise Critic back when the promotion first was announced. Yes, it is unfortunate that the NCL Facebook page did not list all the restrictions, but on the PEPSI site and on NCL the disqualifications were clearly listed and were posted on this board several times. I know because I tried early on to get the Pepsi packages too, and found the wording along with several folks personal attempts to book it explained here on the boards. In our case it certainly was NOT worth losing our Latitudes discount and our onboard credit for a couple Pepsi packages! However a number of people new to NCL DID get the package and reported back here. The other caveat was that then rules clearly stated it had to be applied when you first book and is not retroactive to cruises booked before the promotion began. Bottom line: Not combinable with anything else and only for brand new bookings where the first condition is met.

[njhorseman]

But just by the fact that you are a Latitude member due to two past cruises so you would automatically receive the past cruiser discount, that would disqualify you from the PGPOP promo. Did you check to see what this cruise would have cost you as a brand new cruiser to NCL? We were talking about that here on Cruise Critic back when the promotion first was announced. Yes, it is unfortunate that the NCL Facebook page did not list all the restrictions, but on the PEPSI site and on NCL the disqualifications were clearly listed and were posted on this board several times. I know because I tried early on to get the Pepsi packages too, and found the wording along with several folks personal attempts to book it explained here on the boards. In our case it certainly was NOT worth losing our Latitudes discount and our onboard credit for a couple Pepsi packages! However a number of people new to NCL DID get the package and reported back here. The other caveat was that then rules clearly stated it had to be applied when you first book and is not retroactive to cruises booked before the promotion began. Bottom line: Not combinable with anything else and only for brand new bookings where the first condition is met.

 

 

Don't confuse them with the facts. It sets a bad precedent. ;):D

[newcruzrs4]

dfishner, don't worry, we won't let this affect our cruise, which we expect to enjoy, as we have enjoyed the NCL European and Caribbean cruises we have take in '07 and '08. I realize that 4 soda packages in two cabins is a small part of our overall expenditure. However, on principle, the way this was handled does bother me and, and as a consumer with choices, I expect to take it into account in future bookings.

 

Jimd909, I fully agree with your comments. These boards have been helpful to me in the past and benefit from cruisers imparting information and expressing their opinion in a constructive, respectful atmosphere.

 

SeaShark, in response to your question: My wife took the info I gave her regarding the promotion to the travel agent to complete the booking. She went ahead with the booking after the travel agent tried unsuccessfully to input the codes and was told by NCL on the phone that the promotion was not available.

 

I found out later in the day what happened. I called NCL as soon as I heard to try to rectify it, since the position NCL took seemed inconsistent with how NCL advertised. I got the run around, first being told only the travel agent could call since the travel agent had done the booking and then having a hard time getting to speak with a supervisor and then having the supervisor deny that NCL was responsible for its own Facebook page. I wrote my letter to NCL corporate and got a phone call denying my request.