SeaShark

It isn't an assumption given the "changes" are specifically mentioned.

I'm not sure that "what if it's 24 hours" is really an honest argument to make. What if it's 24 days, or 24 weeks instead? Why can't we just deal with the facts we have instead of making up "what if" scenarios to argue against?

Second bullet point: "Upon receipt of the confirmation, any discrepancies, changes or cancellations to the flight itinerary must be communicated prior to the option date on the confirmation letter."

There is a HUGE difference between Premium Air and the Free at Sea air promotion. Not too hard to figure out the difference, NCL has an entire page on their website (https://www.ncl.com/freestyle-cruise/premium-air) for Premium Air, and of course, the Free at Sea air promotion is discussed ad nauseum in the descriptions and terms & conditions of the promotion. Your booking agent is also going to be a wealth of information when it comes to these items.

Or reading comprehension lessons. What you keep excluding is where the OP said "Had we known they would screw us over like this we would have left a day earlier but it's too late now to make that change either." With Premium Air, you can make those changes...that is, FWIW, the whole POINT of Premium Air. With Premium Air the change can be made, however, with the Free at Sea air promo changes are not possible. It is this contradiction that people are questioning. It is the inconsistency in statements.

Problem with all that is it's all based on "if". You can't help anyone with assumptions, guesses, and suppositions. I'm comfortable with NCL doesn't link...however, you can believe anything you want, I'm not here to change your mind...facts are what they are.

Maybe it is you that should be thinking about it for a moment. If you are saying that linking doesn't really do anything, and I am also saying that linking doesn't do anything, then this is an "agreement", not an "argument". Listen, if you feelz better thinking you have a linked reservation, its no skin off my back. Please enjoy that belief....it doesn't affect me either way. However, you'll have to keep that in mind when, like the OP, something happens that shouldn't have happened because of some belief that linking was done.

My first question would be to ask my insurance provider of "why" I would only want to make a claim as a last resort. I would just be looking to be taken care of and made whole...I don't really care where the money comes from. If I purchased and paid for insurance, and this was a covered event, I'd want the insurance company to deliver on the policy. Dealing with NCL would be another thing entirely.

As has been discussed previously on these boards, reps (TAs and PCCs) feel that it can be easier to just humor people and tell them their reservations are linked as it a) doesn't do anything, and b) isn't even noted anywhere on your reservation. If it makes people feel better, than it becomes nothing more than a little white lie. However, the next time you cruise with liked reservations, ask them on the ship about which other reservation you are linked to, and they'll tell you that they have no idea what you're talking about. As noted earlier, there isn't even a space on your confirmation where a linkage could even be listed.

NCL doesn't link reservations...with Freestyle cruising there is no assigned dining so you don't need to link to be seated together. You may think you're reservations are linked, but try to find anywhere on your NCL paperwork that shows the linkage...or even a place for the linkage.

The job of the port agent is to be a go between between the cruise line and the port and other entities (customs, local govt entities, suppliers), not to be the errand boy to pick up a guest's luggage at the airport.

See...here is another example showing misunderstanding and/or a lack of information...NCL does NOT link reservations.

Where did this "understanding" come from? I've seen nothing limiting who could respond. FWIW...your answers are in the questions, or perhaps you're not familiar with the Socratic method... You asked for ideas to have your concerns addressed, yet you balk at providing enough information to give you an appropriate answer. It appears that you are hoping more for validation than information. Don't forget you were there, you already have experienced what went on. For others to understand, you need to provide them will all of the information. You can't just expect them to glean it on their own.

Because your post (#7) was the indication that you didn't understand the relevance of the question I posed...to the OP. Now you do (weird as that may seem).

Can you have a conversation without resorting to insults and namecalling? Are you now saying that baggage claim, the cruise line, and the airport got together to work on getting the luggage to you? Did the airline and NCL have a conversation as to which port to deliver your luggage to? Why weren't you involved? Does it have to happen to me for you to provide some basic information?

Why, because only a cruise line employee would dare question your story and ask for facts and clarification?

How can NCL "fail" to fix the problems that airlines are experiencing? They are just a cruise line, they don't have authority and control over airlines any more than you or I. Plus, if you read the OP's post, there actually is no problem. They're downing NCL for a perception of a problem.

That really is my point...just makes you wonder why the OP seems to think (based on their "executed so poorly" comment) that NCL is somehow to blame for airline troubles.

From the NCL website's Premium Air page: "The types of customized flight itinerary requests handled by the Premium Air Service Desk are date deviations, nonstop service, specific airline, specific flights or specific departure time, stopovers, upgrades to business or first class and gateways not offered in the Air Sea program. Guests from different gateways traveling in the same stateroom who wish to arrive/depart at the same time, or meet at a connecting point should also utilize the Premium Air Service Desk, as well as guests traveling as part of a group who wish to travel together." So why would the OP say that it is "too late" to make changes? Under Premium Air it would NOT be too late, however, if they actually booked air via the Free at Sea promotion, then it would be too late (and the guaranties associated with Premium Air would not apply).

Often, especially on CC, what people "say" and what people "do" don't line up. I'd like for the OP to provide clarification since there are contradictions in their story IF they booked thru Premium Air vs the Free at Sea air promo

That is an interesting take, however, I only quoted the OP and if a post doesn't have all the information necessary to form an opinion, that is the fault of the poster, no? Still think we are missing a LOT of context here. Who talked to the airline about flying the luggage to the port? Was it the OP or was it NCL? How did it come to be that NCL "volunteered" to pick up the luggage? What explanation was given at the time for the failure? Why would NCL (who isn't carrying a spare car onboard to run errands while in port) agree to go get luggage when they have no way to get to the airport? Would it not have been better to just arrange to have it delivered? Can't speak for the OP, but if it was MY luggage, you can bet that I would have retrieved it personally. Way to many unanswered questions in this to be pointing the finger of blame so quickly.

Just to be clear. Did you book air through the Premium Air Department, OR did you book air as part of the Free at Sea promotion attached to your booking?

First, the only "service" that NCL is offering is to purchase flights at the agreed upon price. Nothing more. NCL does not operate or control those flights, so I'm not sure where the question of poor execution comes in. The real question that you have to ask yourself is this: Are there ever issues with flights that were NOT booked by NCL? If you book tickets yourself is that a 100% guarantee that your experience will be trouble-free?

The obvious solution would be to simply purchase the airport transportation once onboard the ship.

I'm not sure just how "why I feel" is valid reasoning. That said, I am curious as to specifically why it is NCL's job/responsibility to obtain transportation for one of their employees to transit to the airport to pick up YOUR luggage. Are we to believe that the airline would hand luggage to someone other than you? Why wouldn't the airline deliver the luggage to you at the ship/pier? Why didn't you run out to the airport to pick it up yourself?