$80 price drop BUT new fare not combinable with all discounts I had

[flashdog_1]

so it turns out I have the best deal already, they told me.

 

The fellow I talked to did not know much (maybe he was new) so he had to go to someone else for information every time I asked a question, and I'd love for someone who is a travel agent to tell me straight!

 

When we booked we had 4 of those Bank of Am. upgrade certificates so booked a BC and got a BA for Dawn 9/12/10 for 3 people, w/3rd pax at only $99. The going rate at the time for a BC was $1079 and they tell me that the price we got was $921

 

We have a military discount.

 

We have a latitudes discount.

 

We had an early bird discount w/3rd person $99 promotion which I understand we'd lose.

 

At the time it was about $312 off the regular fare. It was a good deal.

 

We also had a $75 on board credit which we'd lose.

 

The codes on my reservation are as follows: PGWAVE2, PG6, DMPP6, PGMIL

 

With the idea of lowering my final payment squashed, I asked about what the cost would be to upgrade to an AF mini. and it was an astonishing $689. So I'm keeping what I have.

 

McCall, once I heard you say that you did better without a military discount once. How would I know? Thanks

[terrymtex01]

Phyllis.. I am not a TA, but I do know I have read many many times on the boards here that when folks have called in due to a price drop and wanted to take advantage of the new rate that they lost all OBC and other promos. From what I understand it is as if you are a brand new booking, as far as the price would go. So if you do take advantage of the new lower price, they basically wipe everything clean as far as your fare.. OBC, discounts, etc etc. And then they re-book you at whatever the new rate is. That also means you get the new promo, whatever that maybe, if there is even a promo currently offered.

 

So for some it is a win to take advantage of a price drop but to some it is not, once they calculate in losing OBC.

 

Don't know if this helps or not, it's just want I understand from reading the boards. 8-)

[familyof4cruising]

This has happened to me many times. Especially the scenario that 3rd and 4th has gone up and changing to a lower rate doesn't make sense because of the increase in 3rd and 4th.

 

I have been told that if I take an NCL promo that I would have to be taken out of a group booking per my TA- which would take away my OBC.

[rickechambers1@aol.com]

Kudos for taking the time to get what you currently have and, more importantly, being so well educated on exactly what to do. Well done. That being said, you've got a boat load of discounts; not sure what your post is for...more discount ideas or just rhetorical?

[garycarla]

New price are not always a "price drop", but just another pricing plan. That plan might have OBC, or not. Might be eligible for certain discounts, or not. Just the way it is.

[flashdog_1]

Kudos for taking the time to get what you currently have and, more importantly, being so well educated on exactly what to do. Well done. That being said, you've got a boat load of discounts; not sure what your post is for...more discount ideas or just rhetorical?

 

Thanks for responding. I think I was just expressing my disappointment. I had hoped to be able to move to a minisuite for not much more or get a price reduction on the BA. They said the BofA 2 cat upgrade certificates was a time sensitive thing, so wouldn't be applicable (and wouldn't have been of use if I'd had a mini anyway). I thought that they'd take the pricing at the time of booking and just compare it to what they're asking now. Not so simple, I found out.

 

I suppose I could at least use the Tropicana $100 obc certificate if I chose to pay a few dollars more for the fare and lose my $75 obc! ha

 

I'd say it was hardly worth my time to have enquired except that I learned something in this case with so many codes. There has to be a really big price drop for me to get a better deal than I already have.

 

and Rick, yes, I am always interested in learning new or more ways to get discounts. Here on cruise critic, with so much good advice, it is actually conceivable that we could learn some combinations that don't come readily to mind of the agents' thinking! Stuff like maybe dropping the military discount in order to get a new booking rate. If anyone has any ideas, I'd love to hear them!

[kff1]

Good luck on using the Tropicana Orange Juice promotion. My certificate was rejected because of all the various cruise discounts and OBC I had already received. It would have cost me plenty to use this certificate. I would check with NCL before wasting your time and money unless you really wanted the orange juice.

[bluefintuna]

It is often difficult to sift through the maze of discounts and obc offers and if you take this you aren't eligible for that. After 28 cruises we still find it confusing to stay on top of the offers. We never book with NCL directly because it pays to shop around and we have never had a problem booking online.

[NW Pacific]

I just learned once again that NCL's discount offers are not really a bargain! Right now they are advertising a $300.00 OBC for any suites booked more than 9 months out. OK, so I did that, but Lo and Behold, I would get the OBC, if I booked at "going rate" 2000.00 or I could get a reduced fare for $1682.00 and no OBC. (these are made up prices) so I choose to save $18.00 and take the reduced booking price. The going rate was on NCL website and the rate my travel agent came up, this is the first time my TA could not come up with a lower fare than NCL's website. So end of story is don't get too excited about NCL's sales and offers, there is usually a catch, but I still choose NCL and enjoy our cruises!