Cruise Reservations

[SouthavenMSCruiser]

I have recently booked a reservation on NCL.com for a cruise in January. I don't know why I believed the 100% lowest price guarantee that they say they offer.

 

I just found the same cruise on *********** for 20$ per person cheaper (with 5 of us that means $100) plus a 25$ per stateroom onboard credit (antother $50 for us).

 

I called NCL and they told me that they could not match the "other company" prices. WHAT THE HEY. They are the cruise line - how can anyone have a better deal than them????

 

Anyway - so here is my question. What should i do - cancel my reservation with NCL and make the reservation with ***********? Yell a little louder and demand satisfaction from NCL?

 

Any advise from more expereinced cruisers would be certainly welocme. :eek:

[Roz]

Some travel agents give up part of their commission and rebate it to the customer as onboard credit, specialty restaurant meals, etc. These incentives may not be advertised. I've always gotten better deals by using a TA.

 

Roz

[cruiseco]

I have recently booked a reservation on NCL.com for a cruise in January. I don't know why I believed the 100% lowest price guarantee that they say they offer.

 

I just found the same cruise on *********** for 20$ per person cheaper (with 5 of us that means $100) plus a 25$ per stateroom onboard credit (antother $50 for us).

 

I called NCL and they told me that they could not match the "other company" prices. WHAT THE HEY. They are the cruise line - how can anyone have a better deal than them????

 

Anyway - so here is my question. What should i do - cancel my reservation with NCL and make the reservation with ***********? Yell a little louder and demand satisfaction from NCL?

 

Any advise from more expereinced cruisers would be certainly welocme. :eek:

 

NCL or any cruise line is not going to have their pricing decided by some guy in pajamas working out of his garage who needs to give up all of his commission in the form of discounts or other incentives in order to attract clients.

 

So if you see a legitimate published fare advertised somewhere they'll match it. But if the agency is taking the true fare and then tossing in some extra goodies out of their own pocket they'll be happy to match the base fare but not the extras.

 

Easy solution -- cancel and re-book with the agency offering the extras.

[LHT28]

Make sure you are comparing the bottom line

some online TA's offer a lower lead price but when you add the taxes etc...it comes out the same as the cruise line

Of course the OBC or other perks would be a bonus ;)

[SouthavenMSCruiser]

NCL made this easy for me. I sent an email to them and they transfered my reservations to the online TA (cruise) and now I have saved 100$ and received $50 in on board credit. I am excited - again. I am just dissapointed that they were not willing to give me the deal themselves and save me the hassle.

 

Don't believe that you are getting the very best price. Do your homework and never stop looking. :):p

[SouthavenMSCruiser]

I checked that to. The base price was cheaper but the taxes and everything else was the same either way.

[Keith1010]

They are giving up some of their commission.

 

Keith

[floatn]

Could be the TA has blocked group space at a lower price with group amenities to offer anyone who books into the group. So the commission is not affected.

[SadieN]

Confirm that the fare is for the same category. An apples to apples comparison, if you will.

[leaveitallbehind]

Could be the TA has blocked group space at a lower price with group amenities to offer anyone who books into the group. So the commission is not affected.

 

Which - if that's the case - would support using a TA as they frequently reserve large blocks of staterooms and split any cost savings with their customers in the form of OBC's. Unusual that they would have a lower rate as - at least with RCI - the stateroom rate remains the same direct with them or through TA.

[cruiseco]

Could be the TA has blocked group space at a lower price with group amenities to offer anyone who books into the group. So the commission is not affected.

 

Nope. Since the reservation was able to be transferred intact to the TA it couldn't have been a group offer. They can't transfer an individual res to a group res. It would have to have been cancelled by the cruise line then re-booked by the TA into the group.

[floatn]

I've transferred individual reservations into blocked group space many, many times so it can be done. And, if space is blocked early, rates are guaranteed for several months so very possible that current rates are higher than group rates.