Open letter to NCL

[swedish weave]

Just wanted to add a comment.It seems that you and your TA have

gone thru phone calls with supervisors and emails with no luck :(

 

Why not take to the news media in your city/state to let

others heard about your story..I'm sure NCL wouldn't be happy.

However, it would give attention to them and also to other cruise lines

 

Also, rewrite your letter and post on facebook you may reach some

others Perhaps the President of NCL :eek: How nice that would be

 

In addition, send letter to your local newspapers or neighborhood newspaper for posting...

 

The above are just suggestions:)

 

 

Good Luck in your fight with NCL...I hope you get a resolution soon

 

Be sure to include how cruel the school district is by allowing only one week a year off for vacation and sickness, and kicking kids out of school and punishing parents for taking more time from school. I wonder ??????

[newmexicoNita]

Just wanted to add a comment.It seems that you and your TA have

gone thru phone calls with supervisors and emails with no luck :(

 

Why not take to the news media in your city/state to let

others heard about your story..I'm sure NCL wouldn't be happy.

However, it would give attention to them and also to other cruise lines

 

Also, rewrite your letter and post on facebook you may reach some

others Perhaps the President of NCL :eek: How nice that would be

 

In addition, send letter to your local newspapers or neighborhood newspaper for posting...

 

The above are just suggestions:)

 

 

Good Luck in your fight with NCL...I hope you get a resolution soon

 

What part of "this happens constantly" do you not understand? DO you really think the newspaper or TV station would bother with such a small thing? Sure, some have had their vacation ruined, sure, many of us feel for them, but it is certainly not newsworthy and if the media checked it out, found out it happens on all lines, options were given and plenty of notice was given, they would toss the story in the trash where it belongs.

 

Nita

[SnootieTootie]

What part of "this happens constantly" do you not understand? DO you really think the newspaper or TV station would bother with such a small thing? Sure, some have had their vacation ruined, sure, many of us feel for them, but it is certainly not newsworthy and if the media checked it out, found out it happens on all lines, options were given and plenty of notice was given, they would toss the story in the trash where it belongs.

 

Nita

 

While I agree with what you are saying (it is not news worthy).....no need to be so confrontational

[che5904]

Kicking customers off just for charter is a sign of moral decay. Their product cannot be trusted, then.

 

I see you have cruised and are cruising Carnival. I'd be forewarned Carnival did that in February for one of their October sailings. do some research you will find it could happen to you.

[che5904]

Would you have NCL build another ship or tow a barge to accomodate those who won't accept the only valid alternatives ?

 

:D :D Sorry you are giving me a mental picture of my next cruise hauling a barge behind it. Maybe the ones in the great outdoors can toss them food. :eek:

[swedish weave]

:D :D Sorry you are giving me a mental picture of my next cruise hauling a barge behind it. Maybe the ones in the great outdoors can toss them food. :eek:

 

OP might like that !!:p

[calcalcoop]

So sorry to hear about your dilemma with NCL and their being nonchalant with your needs. As a customer, you did everything right and they wronged you. I agree that some type of retribution is deserved. Perhaps your reaching deaf ears because the recipients of your concern and emails don't have the power to grant suitable accomodations or negotiate compensation to say the least. A similar incident happened to me a few years back but with American Airlines on an all-inclusive vacation to Europe. So very many frustrating phone calls and emails with various departments located in various cities (which I didn't know then) got me no where. The best thing I did was document the times, dates, names of all the attempts I made. I FINALLY realized that the 'run around' treatment I was getting was consistent no matter who I spoke to, emailed, or when I called. I must've called all their 800 numbers available!!! I realized most importantly, that these AA employees, contractors, supervisors, etc. never had the authority to grant what I wanted or asked for. So I sat down one night and wrote a lengthy letter to the President/CEO of American Airlines detailing my concerns, included all the times/dates/names of those I contacted along with their respective responses. I included everything. I sent the original via snail mail and copies to the various VPs of AAirlines...and 1 more copy to the Dept. of Transportation. I listed all them in the original letter in the cc: 's. Like you, my vacation continued but with a different travel company. 3 months later, I receive a reply from the President of AAirlines with his apology, a personal promise that this would never happen to me or any other customer of theirs, a plan that would use my letter 'verbatim' as a training tool of what NOT to DO to a customer....and 2 first-class round-trip tickets to anywhere AAirlines flies, good for 1 year.

 

I'm hoping my experience might help you in some way. Good Luck!

[moejoe4]

OP might like that !!:p

 

 

I would so be on that barge, lol.

 

At least I'd have a cruise :)

 

Dana

[Bars7816]

Terrific letter. Well done. Am totally shocked that NCL will not move you to another ship without further charge. I'm so naive that I wonder how a cruise line can charter out a ship after booking passengers for that week. :(

[spacepotatoes]

Why not take to the news media in your city/state to let

others heard about your story..I'm sure NCL wouldn't be happy.

However, it would give attention to them and also to other cruise lines

 

Also, rewrite your letter and post on facebook you may reach some

others Perhaps the President of NCL :eek: How nice that would be

 

In addition, send letter to your local newspapers or neighborhood newspaper for posting...

 

The above are just suggestions:)

 

 

Good Luck in your fight with NCL...I hope you get a resolution soon

 

As others have said, pursuing the issue by doing these things would just be ridiculous at this point. NCL has presented the options, the OP can't/won't accept them, neither one will budge, it's time to move on.

 

 

So sorry to hear about your dilemma with NCL and their being nonchalant with your needs. As a customer, you did everything right and they wronged you. I agree that some type of retribution is deserved. Perhaps your reaching deaf ears because the recipients of your concern and emails don't have the power to grant suitable accomodations or negotiate compensation to say the least. A similar incident happened to me a few years back but with American Airlines on an all-inclusive vacation to Europe. So very many frustrating phone calls and emails with various departments located in various cities (which I didn't know then) got me no where. The best thing I did was document the times, dates, names of all the attempts I made. I FINALLY realized that the 'run around' treatment I was getting was consistent no matter who I spoke to, emailed, or when I called. I must've called all their 800 numbers available!!! I realized most importantly, that these AA employees, contractors, supervisors, etc. never had the authority to grant what I wanted or asked for. So I sat down one night and wrote a lengthy letter to the President/CEO of American Airlines detailing my concerns, included all the times/dates/names of those I contacted along with their respective responses. I included everything. I sent the original via snail mail and copies to the various VPs of AAirlines...and 1 more copy to the Dept. of Transportation. I listed all them in the original letter in the cc: 's. Like you, my vacation continued but with a different travel company. 3 months later, I receive a reply from the President of AAirlines with his apology, a personal promise that this would never happen to me or any other customer of theirs, a plan that would use my letter 'verbatim' as a training tool of what NOT to DO to a customer....and 2 first-class round-trip tickets to anywhere AAirlines flies, good for 1 year.

 

I'm hoping my experience might help you in some way. Good Luck!

 

The OP said she emailed Kevin Sheehan and got no response. Mr. Sheehan is the CEO of NCL. Not exactly powerless.

 

Terrific letter. Well done. Am totally shocked that NCL will not move you to another ship without further charge. I'm so naive that I wonder how a cruise line can charter out a ship after booking passengers for that week. :(

 

Right or wrong, they all do it. I doubt they're thinking about the passengers being bumped off so much as the dollar signs.

[DAGVBSB]

Most school districts will allow children to be absent for a week as long as you request it in writing prior (usually to the superintendent), try to obtain homework assignments etc. Its not an ideal situation but would not be considered unexcused with prior permission. We have done it in the past in order to vacation at non-peak times.

 

Our District allows students to miss 10 days a year and then every absence after that must be accompanies by a note from a doctor, hospital or Funeral Director (for missing due to funerals of others.). It has greatly cut down on "vacation" absences, especially in the second semester. Without a note, then every absence after the first 10 are "unexcused" and the work missed does not count for a grade.

 

 

Someone else mentioned standardized testing. In Ohio, our testing window for the Graduation Test is two weeks in the middle of March. If a student does not take their 5 tests during those two weeks (and a student can only take one a day.), then they get a zero and have to re-take the test at the next offering. (two weeks in late October.). The school district must return all students tests at the end of the two weeks or risk a fine, so there are no exceptions.

[DAGVBSB]

This! I'd like to see them explain to the national media why they would encourage the parents to take their kids out of school. Just saying.

 

Its actually a battle that is about to rage here in Ohio. Cedar Fair (second largest amusement park operator and owner of amusement parks like Cedar Point, Kings Island, Carrowinds, Knotts Berry Farm) is pushing a bill that is moving through the Ohio Legislature. This bill is aimed at helping their bottom line at the expense of education.

 

The bill would require that all school districts in Ohio not be allowed to open until after Labor Day and must complete the school year by Memorial Day. The bill also would prohibit any "School sponsored activities" (including sports) on Labor Day Weekend. (so you can say good bye to Spring Breaks...in order to get enough days in!). One of the PR people for Cedar Fair even came out and said that the bill was going to "return August to families." Everyone else reads that as an attempt to squeze education for the sake of profit. It appears that the bill is currently stuck in the Ohio House so hopefully it is dead.

 

But it proves that these companies don't care about what is best for the students.

[DAGVBSB]

As others have said, pursuing the issue by doing these things would just be ridiculous at this point. NCL has presented the options, the OP can't/won't accept them, neither one will budge, it's time to move on.

 

The OP said she emailed Kevin Sheehan and got no response. Mr. Sheehan is the CEO of NCL. Not exactly powerless.

 

Actually I have to disagree on two points...

1.) I don't think the OP has said that she won't budge. She is not going to give into NCL's will and pull her kids out of school and switch weeks. She is going to take the other option NCL has offered... the full refund and then sail another cruise line. She is going to budge...just not the way NCL wants it....lol.

 

2.) I had a serious issue with NCL way back in 2006 with our Dawn Cruise. NCL switched our cabins without telling us and then refused to move us to connecting cabins which we had. Both myself and our TA wrote and/or called many people at NCL trying to get a remedy. We got nothing but a runaround no matter who we talked to. ("there is nothing we can do, the switch has been made." was what we kept hearing. One NCL Official even said: "well at least you are still on the ship.")

I took my story to these boards just as the OP has done and many people on these boards came to my defense and supported me. (yes, there were a few who took NCL's side, but VERY few as in this case.) I had relegated myself to the fact that no change would be made and NCL got away with doing what they wanted to do. Then my TA got a phone call just a few days before we were to leave... NCL had "found" three rooms together with two of those connecting just a few doors down from where we originally were.

To this day, I FIRMLY believe that it was the outcry and the story being told on Cruise Critic which forced NCL to do something. NCL's change of mind did not happen until the story was told on here....just too coincidental to be anything else. There have been other stories on here and NCL has made a change after the story is on here.

 

 

I am hopeful that NCL will see the error of their ways in this whole mess and how it is portraying them in a bad light.....and how some of their most ardent supporters on here have spoken in favor of the OP. Then the OP will get her NCL cruise the SAME week and NCL will save face and avoid the negative publicity that this is generating. (NCL is well known for making blunders like this.).

 

It makes no sense for NCL NOT to make a deal here. Here is a very easy solution: Agree to move the OP to the Spirit for the same week at the same level of room. NCL could say that the OP has to pay any price difference. (that is only fair in my eyes). Now if the OP says no, then NCL has made an attempt to satisfy the situation and is off the hook. Simple and easy...but the trained monkeys in NCL Customer Service can't figure that out....lol!

[che5904]

It makes no sense for NCL NOT to make a deal here. Here is a very easy solution: Agree to move the OP to the Spirit for the same week at the same level of room. NCL could say that the OP has to pay any price difference. (that is only fair in my eyes). Now if the OP says no, then NCL has made an attempt to satisfy the situation and is off the hook. Simple and easy...but the trained monkeys in NCL Customer Service can't figure that out....lol!

 

I think you best re-read this option has already been offered. And the OP has said No.

OP - "Well, after many, many, MANY phone calls and emails, from both the TA and myself, NCL has left us hanging. They refuse to move us to the Spirit and guarantee the rate we had for the Star."

 

NCL has made 2 offers as you said. Offer #1 - move to another day. Offer #2 - Refund. The OP countered with the Spirit, NCL would do that just not with guaranteeing the same "good" price that the OP paid to book the Star. The OP states in the letter that she is now choosing option #2 (in a round about way saying she is forced to move to another line) but is not happy with that option and continues to fight for the counter offer which has already been refused numerous times.

 

The point of many posters on here is that NCL may not be able to accept that counter offer because there may not be enough suites on the spirit to honor that request by all those that may have wanted that.

[peg013]

Actually I have to disagree on two points...

1.) I don't think the OP has said that she won't budge. She is not going to give into NCL's will and pull her kids out of school and switch weeks. She is going to take the other option NCL has offered... the full refund and then sail another cruise line. She is going to budge...just not the way NCL wants it....lol.

 

2.) I had a serious issue with NCL way back in 2006 with our Dawn Cruise. NCL switched our cabins without telling us and then refused to move us to connecting cabins which we had. Both myself and our TA wrote and/or called many people at NCL trying to get a remedy. We got nothing but a runaround no matter who we talked to. ("there is nothing we can do, the switch has been made." was what we kept hearing. One NCL Official even said: "well at least you are still on the ship.")

I took my story to these boards just as the OP has done and many people on these boards came to my defense and supported me. (yes, there were a few who took NCL's side, but VERY few as in this case.) I had relegated myself to the fact that no change would be made and NCL got away with doing what they wanted to do. Then my TA got a phone call just a few days before we were to leave... NCL had "found" three rooms together with two of those connecting just a few doors down from where we originally were.

To this day, I FIRMLY believe that it was the outcry and the story being told on Cruise Critic which forced NCL to do something. NCL's change of mind did not happen until the story was told on here....just too coincidental to be anything else. There have been other stories on here and NCL has made a change after the story is on here.

 

 

I am hopeful that NCL will see the error of their ways in this whole mess and how it is portraying them in a bad light.....and how some of their most ardent supporters on here have spoken in favor of the OP. Then the OP will get her NCL cruise the SAME week and NCL will save face and avoid the negative publicity that this is generating. (NCL is well known for making blunders like this.).

 

It makes no sense for NCL NOT to make a deal here. Here is a very easy solution: Agree to move the OP to the Spirit for the same week at the same level of room. NCL could say that the OP has to pay any price difference. (that is only fair in my eyes). Now if the OP says no, then NCL has made an attempt to satisfy the situation and is off the hook. Simple and easy...but the trained monkeys in NCL Customer Service can't figure that out....lol![/QUOTE]

 

OP's main complaint is she wants to switch ships to the Spirit (same week) for no extra money, even though that would mean she would be paying $1500 less than the going rate for the same suite on the Spirit. She has already refused to switch to the Spirit and pay the difference. I believe there are three cabins involved and lots of OBC. She wants it all with no compromise on her part at all.

[bdstrom]

I see you have cruised and are cruising Carnival. I'd be forewarned Carnival did that in February for one of their October sailings. do some research you will find it could happen to you.

 

Not sure why I am not seeing my original response to this. FYI, I know about Carnival doing this. I do not even trust Carnival. I've had them pulling the rug from under our feet in the past and they apologized and reimbursed. So we're giving them another chance this November.

[che5904]

It makes no sense for NCL NOT to make a deal here. Here is a very easy solution: Agree to move the OP to the Spirit for the same week at the same level of room. NCL could say that the OP has to pay any price difference. (that is only fair in my eyes). Now if the OP says no, then NCL has made an attempt to satisfy the situation and is off the hook. Simple and easy...but the trained monkeys in NCL Customer Service can't figure that out....lol!

 

I think you best re-read this option has already been offered. And the OP has said No.

OP - "Well, after many, many, MANY phone calls and emails, from both the TA and myself, NCL has left us hanging. They refuse to move us to the Spirit and guarantee the rate we had for the Star."

 

NCL has made 2 offers as you said. Offer #1 - move to another day. Offer #2 - Refund. The OP countered with the Spirit, NCL would do that just not with guaranteeing the same "good" price that the OP paid to book the Star. The OP states in the letter that she is now choosing option #2 (in a round about way saying she is forced to move to another line) but is not happy with that option and continues to fight for the counter offer which has already been refused numerous times.

 

The point of many posters on here is that NCL may not be able to accept that counter offer because there may not be enough suites on the spirit to honor that request by all those that may have wanted that.

 

Further to this post in thinking about your statement "NCL should make an attempt to satisfy"

Something that no one has mentioned, may not be an option or even thought of as an option by either party.

 

And if some of this OBC was obtained through the TA then the TA would have to be the one to do it so the OP could keep their TA offered OBC. But

 

If NCL was to go back to the date that the OP booked this cruise, they should have records of what the desired suite on the Spirit was going for at that time had the OP booked the Spirit instead of the Star. Then offer to cancel and rebook (normal procedure for changes made either in cabins or in ships) at the rate the Spirit was then. It would probably still be a higher cost but perhaps not as high as todays rates.

 

Just a thought.

[DrFootball]

When I told this story to DW she was "UPSET" to put it mildly and said "if that ever happend to us I'd never sail that line again and i'd make sure everyone on that CC board you spend so much time on knew about it" DW is In ADv. & Marketing BTW....when she's not shooting Sports photos for our Business....

 

I'm not surprised that the OP didn't get a resp. from "Sir Kevin Sheehan" as he was addressed by a waitstaff on the Epic during the TV show...One of his assts. must screen his E-mail...

 

I will say the Same thing I say to my Pals in the retired Football Athletes community who are getting screwed by the current players out of 100's of millions of dollars in back health benefits: "if you PICKET, people will notice." Social Media is the most powerful tool at your(our) disposal..make it work for you....:)

 

Bill(DrFootball)

("A Ranger Platoon is Like a BLOWTORCH, it's cuts through anything in front of it, anything standing it it's way" Gen. Carl Steiner: U.S. Army Special Operations Command-From the Tom Clancy Book "The Shadow Warriors")

Bill's Brainiac Random Quote Generator V0.94 final beta for Mac

[AlphaGeek]

I've been reading this thread occasionally, as its grown over the last few days, and am still having difficulty swallowing the fact that NCL has asked the OP to alter the arrangements that were already made in terms of date and ship. How could this even happen, except through bad planning? If a charter has been booked for that sailing, then impact should have been considered by NCL when the charter was accepted. Will the charter not result in greater revenue for NCL on that sailing? A lot of the discussions in this thread have also been around the impact from a student vacation perspective. I'd like to throw another twist at this.

 

What if the OP was about to be married on the weekend of departure, and this cruise, as originally booked, was the honeymoon? And again, suppose that NCL asked the OP to move the date or accept a refund.

[rvsullivan]

I've been reading this thread occasionally, as its grown over the last few days, and am still having difficulty swallowing the fact that NCL has asked the OP to alter the arrangements that were already made in terms of date and ship. How could this even happen, except through bad planning? A lot of the discussions in this thread have also been around the impact from a student vacation perspective. I'd like to throw another twist at this.

 

What if the OP was about to be married on the weekend of departure, and this cruise, as originally booked, was the honeymoon? And again, suppose that NCL asked the OP to move the date or accept a refund.

 

The answer would be the same. I'm sure this cruise has some honeymooners on it and they are affected the same way. They have choices. Move the date or take a refund. It is early enough to book many other cruises. Every single person booked on this cruise has a story to tell. Every one of them would like NCL to make an exception just for them! How can you do it. It happens several time a year on every cruise line out there. I understand disappointment, I don't think beating the "proverbial dead horse" is going to change much for the many, many passengers affected by this. There are hundreds, if not thousands of others on this cruise that have the same problem and only two of them have posted on here. The others are planning and getting on with it.

[che5904]

I've been reading this thread occasionally, as its grown over the last few days, and am still having difficulty swallowing the fact that NCL has asked the OP to alter the arrangements that were already made in terms of date and ship. How could this even happen, except through bad planning? If a charter has been booked for that sailing, then impact should have been considered by NCL when the charter was accepted. Will the charter not result in greater revenue for NCL on that sailing? A lot of the discussions in this thread have also been around the impact from a student vacation perspective. I'd like to throw another twist at this.

 

What if the OP was about to be married on the weekend of departure, and this cruise, as originally booked, was the honeymoon? And again, suppose that NCL asked the OP to move the date or accept a refund.

 

Each time a thread comes up on a chartered ship, there are those that are surprised by this, me being one of them a few months ago. I did at that time go back to the contract and re-read and yes I was one of those who thought, “ok, this can happen, but probably rarely does”. So yes I was quite surprised to see it does happen quite frequently on all lines and no they don’t always have an equivalent ship to offer you. So they will offer to refund your money or a future cruise.

No it’s not bad planning it is fact on all lines, and strictly a financial decision.

My thoughts at the time were they should not let passengers book as far out as they do to give charters time to book prior to that. Apparently their majority of passengers seem not to want this option and wish to take the risk.

My lesson learned when hearing of this. Wait until closer to my cruise date to book, even if I don’t get the ‘really good deal’ at least my vacation plans hopefully will not be totally ruined. And to research very good travel insurance that would allow me to take the option of going on another ship at the today’s price, or another type of vacation.

I’m a very seasoned traveler but I really feel cruising has so many risks of changes. Port cancellations for numerous reasons, itinerary changes, ship changes etc.

BTW friends of mine are doing a honeymoon cruise 2 weeks after their actual wedding because that was the itinerary they wished. So I don’t think honeymoon would be as devastating as getting married while on the cruise and then having it cancelled. But with so many if’s in cruising I certainly would not pick a cruise to be married on.

I do understand your thoughts but this is a fact of cruising on any line, like it or not and yes it sucks big time.

[che5904]

The answer would be the same. I'm sure this cruise has some honeymooners on it and they are affected the same way. They have choices. Move the date or take a refund. It is early enough to book many other cruises. Every single person booked on this cruise has a story to tell. Every one of them would like NCL to make an exception just for them! How can you do it. It happens several time a year on every cruise line out there. I understand disappointment, I don't think beating the "proverbial dead horse" is going to change much for the many, many passengers affected by this. There are hundreds, if not thousands of others on this cruise that have the same problem and only two of them have posted on here. The others are planning and getting on with it.

 

very well said. But it all comes back to tunnel self vision, which I think sometimes is just human nature.

[fergusonvt]

I too was very surprised when I first learned that a cruise line could charter the entire boat right out from under those who were already booked. I didn't know what when I booked our first cruise but did when I booked the second. DH has a government job where they bid for their vacation six months in advance so we wouldn't be able to just switch to another week to stay on the same ship. In order to make it less likely for a charter I booked our cruise for a non-peak time of the year but realize that with children you can't do this. Believe me I've spent the last 15 years booking vacations around school holidays or in a couple of cases asked for excused absences because our school district allows them. After reading all the posts in this thread and posting some myself I've come to the conclusion that if it did happen to us I would take the refund and vacation where we already have our airfare booked (Tampa) and still enjoy myself because after all it is a VACATION. I honestly do feel for the OP and others that have been bumped of the cruises of their choice and know how I would feel if it had happened to me but I would take one of the offers and move on.

[che5904]

I too was very surprised when I first learned that a cruise line could charter the entire boat right out from under those who were already booked. I didn't know what when I booked our first cruise but did when I booked the second. DH has a government job where they bid for their vacation six months in advance so we wouldn't be able to just switch to another week to stay on the same ship. In order to make it less likely for a charter I booked our cruise for a non-peak time of the year but realize that with children you can't do this. Believe me I've spent the last 15 years booking vacations around school holidays or in a couple of cases asked for excused absences because our school district allows them. After reading all the posts in this thread and posting some myself I've come to the conclusion that if it did happen to us I would take the refund and vacation where we already have our airfare booked (Tampa) and still enjoy myself because after all it is a VACATION. I honestly do feel for the OP and others that have been bumped of the cruises of their choice and know how I would feel if it had happened to me but I would take one of the offers and move on.

 

Well knowing now that this can happen, I wouldn't be angry but I sure would be disappointed. It would probably take me a couple of weeks or at least a week to get past the initial shock of losing the vacation I thought I had booked, before pulling myself up by the boot straps and getting my new ducks in row. But yes if I couldn't get my flight money back (or didn't have good travel insurance), you are very right "take the vacation around Tampa" and call the rest an experience.

[spacepotatoes]

Actually I have to disagree on two points...

1.) I don't think the OP has said that she won't budge. She is not going to give into NCL's will and pull her kids out of school and switch weeks. She is going to take the other option NCL has offered... the full refund and then sail another cruise line. She is going to budge...just not the way NCL wants it....lol.

 

I was more referring to the fact that the OP wants to continue pursuing the issue, but you're right.

 

2.) I had a serious issue with NCL way back in 2006 with our Dawn Cruise. NCL switched our cabins without telling us and then refused to move us to connecting cabins which we had. Both myself and our TA wrote and/or called many people at NCL trying to get a remedy. We got nothing but a runaround no matter who we talked to. ("there is nothing we can do, the switch has been made." was what we kept hearing. One NCL Official even said: "well at least you are still on the ship.")

I took my story to these boards just as the OP has done and many people on these boards came to my defense and supported me. (yes, there were a few who took NCL's side, but VERY few as in this case.) I had relegated myself to the fact that no change would be made and NCL got away with doing what they wanted to do. Then my TA got a phone call just a few days before we were to leave... NCL had "found" three rooms together with two of those connecting just a few doors down from where we originally were.

To this day, I FIRMLY believe that it was the outcry and the story being told on Cruise Critic which forced NCL to do something. NCL's change of mind did not happen until the story was told on here....just too coincidental to be anything else. There have been other stories on here and NCL has made a change after the story is on here.

 

I think the difference between these situations is that you were the only one affected in your case, whereas everyone who had been booked on the Star is in the OP's boat. NCL could accomodate your change, and should have done so more willingly from the get-go. In the OP's case, there are many more people to deal with and if they accomodate one, they have to accomodate all. That may be, at least in part, why NCL is sticking to their guns about the choices being offered.

 

It makes no sense for NCL NOT to make a deal here. Here is a very easy solution: Agree to move the OP to the Spirit for the same week at the same level of room. NCL could say that the OP has to pay any price difference. (that is only fair in my eyes). Now if the OP says no, then NCL has made an attempt to satisfy the situation and is off the hook. Simple and easy...but the trained monkeys in NCL Customer Service can't figure that out....lol!

 

NCL did agree to move the OP to the same level of room on the Spirit and they did say the OP had to pay the price difference. The OP did say no, but apparently still wants to pursue it.