Booking cruise snafu

[mediator]

A couple of days ago, my friend and myself booked a cruise. My friend was the "lead" in this, in that she called NCL via a three way call. When we were given the price of the cruise, it was the total of course, and the agent divided it by two. She said how would you like to pay? We each gave our credit card for the full amount. Never once did she mention deposit, and I admit, I am not a newbie, and got caught up in the call, and never really thought about the amount. The one question I did ask was what if the price goes down. I was told we had 76 days to request a reduction. It was only afterwards, when I sat down and said "something is not right. I looked in a brochure to see about a deposit, and saw the correct amount. I then looked on-line and read about the NOT 76 day price adjustment policy. Within hours, I called my friend up and said this is not right, how did we miss the deposit amount and go right to final. I should say we are not sailing until January 8th. I called back NCL within

an hour, and spoke to another agent, and explained about the amount of $100 per person, never came up, rather $330 per person. She said that she would put a note in the reservation and a special request that my credit card be refunded the difference. The next day my husband checked our account and there was a credit pending. The next day he checked it and the full amount went threw.

 

I am more upset with myself for not slowing down and checking things out before the 3way call came in, and very upset that the agent on the phone would say 76 days for price adjustment, and lastly because of final payment, we are so locked in. I know we have all experienced good and bad agents, but this one takes the prize.

 

My friend feels well, it happened, and I'm ok with final and we are going. But I guess all options are exhaused..... any suggestions.

[jame_g]

You should still be able to cancel without penalty and have any price reductions credited prior to the actual final payment cut-off date. Just because you already made the full payment or paid more than the actual deposit should not matter, it's that actual cut-off date for final payment.

 

Sounds like the 76 days they quoted at the time of booking is how long you have until the final payment date.

[NayRN]

I typically pay my cruises in full 6 months prior to cruising. It's a head-game I play with myself thinking that the last 6 months of money crunching would all go for spending money. Anyway, I've never been on a cruise where I paid-in-full early and didn't get price adjustments up until final payment. Don't worry....if the price comes down all you need to do is call NCL and they will make the adjustment in your fare up until final payment.

 

Have fun on your cruise!!

[alwalaska]

Thanks for your responses. I would like to pay my cruise off a little early as well, but like the OP, I was worried about how that affected the cancellation policies.

 

Hopefully, I can get this one paid pretty early and save up for some fun excursions and even try my first specialty restaurant.

[garycarla]

You are just fine.

 

The cancel policy is tied to a date, NOT how much you have already paid. Many people pay it off early, just to get it out of the way.

 

If you want to cancel, you could do it today with no problem.

[mediator]

I typically pay my cruises in full 6 months prior to cruising. It's a head-game I play with myself thinking that the last 6 months of money crunching would all go for spending money. Anyway, I've never been on a cruise where I paid-in-full early and didn't get price adjustments up until final payment. Don't worry....if the price comes down all you need to do is call NCL and they will make the adjustment in your fare up until final payment.

 

Have fun on your cruise!!

 

 

 

I am in final payment, the amount given us was the total. So I guess no price adjustments, but certainly can cancel following the schedule to do so based on other posts. I forgot about that. Clearly, I have never missed/canceled a cruise. But this could be "murphy's law"

[NayRN]

I am in final payment, the amount given us was the total. So I guess no price adjustments, but certainly can cancel following the schedule to do so based on other posts. I forgot about that. Clearly, I have never missed/canceled a cruise. But this could be "murphy's law"

 

I book thru a brick-n-motar TA...when I go in to make my final payment, she calls NCL to make sure I've got the lowest available price. I guess I'm pretty lucky in that aspect...my TA calls NCL frequently after I pay off my cruise, too!

[sparks1093]

I am in final payment, the amount given us was the total. So I guess no price adjustments, but certainly can cancel following the schedule to do so based on other posts. I forgot about that. Clearly, I have never missed/canceled a cruise. But this could be "murphy's law"

 

I don't understand how you can be in final payment for a cruise leaving in January. Your final payment date is 75 days before 1/8/11 and you should have no trouble getting price adjustments up until then.

[mediator]

I don't understand how you can be in final payment for a cruise leaving in January. Your final payment date is 75 days before 1/8/11 and you should have no trouble getting price adjustments up until then.

 

That was the snafu... she said your total is $..... divided it by 2 and said

how would you like to pay. After the fact, we realized that she never mentioned a deposit amount. When I sat down and thought about , I said wait a minute this was the final she collected. So that's what I was saying, sort of blew that one in the confustion of a 3-way. etc.

[sparks1093]

That was the snafu... she said your total is $..... divided it by 2 and said

how would you like to pay. After the fact, we realized that she never mentioned a deposit amount. When I sat down and thought about , I said wait a minute this was the final she collected. So that's what I was saying, sort of blew that one in the confustion of a 3-way. etc.

 

Got it. As long as it doesn't pinch you financially you haven't lost anything and now you don't have to worry about paying for the cruise at the final payment date.

[garycarla]

PLEASE, PLEASE read what is being said here.

 

Just because you paid in FULL, it does not mean you have changed anything about FINAL payment date. Paid in full and paid final are not always the same. Look at it as if you paid a LARGE deposit, which just happens to equal the full payment.

 

You can still cancel.

 

You have not damaged yourself at all.

 

You do not have a SNAFU.

[mediator]

PLEASE, PLEASE read what is being said here.

 

Just because you paid in FULL, it does not mean you have changed anything about FINAL payment date. Paid in full and paid final are not always the same. Look at it as if you paid a LARGE deposit, which just happens to equal the full payment.

 

You can still cancel.

 

You have not damaged yourself at all.

 

You do not have a SNAFU.

 

Thanks for saying that. It actually was small $330.ish, so no big deal. I might be a little unhappy if it was $1,500/ We prefer to keep our $$ in the bank as long as possible. Lesson learned, don't get on a 3-way with your girlfriend and be talking about gooey chocolate cake, and not paying attention to details. Thanks all