ozblue_7

Thanks for the replies. I bit  the bullet and booked for March 2024 as it was a really good price compared to NCL site.

My confirmation states new bookings after 5/1/23 will have service charge (gratuities) included in the fare. 

I’m considering a Japan cruise with NCL and thought I had read that NCL now included gratuities in the cruise price for all cruises when bought in Australia.

Now I can’t find confirmation of it anywhere. Can any recent NCL cruisers confirm this for me?

Thanks for your help. It seems almost unanimous that I can use my HAL provided obc to part pay my daily crew appreciation charge.

Our $200 each bonus onboard credit states not to be used in casino or gratuities. A quick search comes up with differing views yes and no. I,m nervously holding off booking excursions that I would really like to book now as we have no other use for obc.

There doesn’t seem to be a definite answer?

Thanks for the reply’s. I’ve given up on this having discovered the large deposit is not refundable with P&O UK, regardless of who you book with.

Now looking at HAL out of Copenhagen.

Considering a cruise out of Southampton. Seems a lot cheaper booking in pounds via UK site. Any problems doing that?

Thought I'd get back to this thread now that its all settled, and let people know what happened.

The Budget Direct Internal Disputes team also rejected the claim, and escalation to their 2nd level Disputes team had the same result. So three times Budget Direct denied our claim on the grounds that we had not taken reasonable steps to minimise the loss.

We complained to AFCA. The process was all on line and very easy to do. In the first instance AFCA forwarded a copy of our complaint to BD. Within a week  BD had a rethink, and whilst standing by their interpretation of the clause, accepted our claim and paid out in full!

Thanks to all those who offered advice, and a special thank you to The Big M, for pointing out that the key word in the clause BD were using to deny our claim was `reasonable'. We hammered this word in our complaint, listing the reasons why BD were being unreasonable in their expection of what we should do to minimise the/their loss.  

Thanks for your responses. The clause they are quoting is,

My claim has been escalated to Budget Directs internal Disputes Resolution Team which will take a couple more weeks. The next step they say if I'm still not happy is AFCA being the Australian Financial Complaints Authority. I'll have to check how this fits with either the ACCC or Ombudsman. Either way I'm sure I'm sure its a valid claim and I'll take it to them all if necessary.

Both APT Travelmarvel and Budget Direct have behaved badly in my view and are rightly being hammered in Product Review.

As discussed on another thread, APT Travelmarvel cancelled our European River Cruise scheduled for this September. They kept a massive $4500 of our $23k as non recoverable expenses, but that's another story.

We have claimed the $4500 from our insurers Budget Direct, and felt confident that this was a reasonable claim having confirmed that we are insured for a pandemic.

The claim has been rejected on the basis that we are required to minimise any loss, and they contend that we should have taken the the credit for the full amount which was offered by APT, and therefore have not suffered a loss.

We have gone to dispute contending that a future credit did not suit us and we are entitled to a refund. Has anybody had any experience of this, do we have a reasonable case?

Many thanks for the link Pully. Travelmarvel Ruining their previously good reputation.

ACCC website seems to indicate that a full value future credit is acceptable, which they have offered. We don't want to leave our money tied up for another year, not knowing when and if all this will be over.

I believe Travelmarvel who are part of APT own their own river boats.

Waiting to hear back from my TA regarding their justification of such a large amount.

I’m hopeful we’re ok with insurance less excess, but would like travelmarvel to justify the charges before I take that option.

Credit card dispute seems a no go according to my bank faq’s.

Well, we requested a full refund of $23k and have been offered $18.5k. So $4.5k of costs for travelmarvel! We’re disputing.

It was all paid on credit card. Has anybody had any luck claiming back through a credit card dispute?

Looking back, I see I was quite confident about our September European river cruise proceeding just a few months ago. Seems I was wrong as its just been cancelled.

We've decided to ask for a refund rather than the deferment to next year as we don't want what is a large amount of money tied up for another year, and we're not confident when it will be ok to travel.

Will let you know how we get on. 

Just watched the PM talk about this possibly going on for 6 months or more, so feeling less confident about our September trip.

Travelmarvel allowing deferment of trips for $500 admin fee per couple! 

Will wait till July/August to decide.

No ones asked to see our insurance. Luckily we took it out before January and it seems to cover epidemics.

12 hours ago, Esilef said:

by any chance are you on the 18 September from Amsterdam?

We’re doing the east Europe land tour from Prague before taking the cruise 21st September from Budapest to Amsterdam. Looks like we’ll pass on the river at some point.

We’re also with travelmarvel in September. No thoughts whatsoever of cancelling at this stage. A lot can change in 6 months.

Think I'm clear now.

The daily service charge (gratuities) of US$15/day is additional to the price quoted, and as mentioned can be prepaid.

Concerning the 20% gratuities on the drinks and specialty dining packages  in the current `Take All 5 for Free' promotion, it is included in the price for bookings made in Australia. Found the exemption for Australians at the end of the terms and conditions of the promotion.

Thanks to all for your interest and help. (just have to decide whether we want to book or not now!)

That’s a whole other discussion about cruise lines ?free offers. They also add 20% to the value of the free specialty meals offer.

36 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

In addition if a drinks package is provided as a perk, it would include the gratuities for the drinks as well. 

Seems not. They take the value which isUS99 a day and add 20% gratuity. On a 22 day cruise it’s an extra US435 per person.

Yes, I think you’re right about joejoes perhaps being in the package deal. Just leaves stki not being charged 20% gratuities on perk due to booking in Australia. 

Thanks for your help everyone.

As there was split opinion, I sent an email to ncl asking the same question and received this reply,

we we are an American cruise line. Therefore gratuities are compulsory. If you do not prepay our service charges, you will be charged on board in US dollars. Have a great day!

Sender was an Australian cruise consultant.

Seems a bit abrupt,  but nonetheless conclusive, but doesn’t sit with the experience of some on this thread. 

Trying to price a 22 day ncl cruise Dubai to Rome.

my question is does the price shown inAUD include gratuities for Australians or do I need to add the daily charge which is around$20 per person per day?

Also if I take the free?? beverage package will I also be charged the 20% gratuity per day which would be about another $20 per person per day.

On a 22 day cruise it makes quite a difference possibly turning a good deal into not so good.

Thanks for your help.

Just wondering if we should do our Huskies tour in Juneau or Skagway, and if we would be able to book on arrival at the dock? Would prefer to see what the weather was like first. We travel first week July and are looking at local tours rather than the helicopter excursion.