Shame on you NCL

[Demonyte]

I have several cruises under my belt and I am very familiar with pricing and am all for great business practices. As I said previously this is DRASTIC, DRASTIC price dropping which is not fair to the customer. Last minute, yes, but 90 days out, no. These drastic price drops are something that has happened recently.

 

There have been big drops throughout history. Those are not very common but do happen when the starting price is high (NCL is purposedly keeping the normal prices on new ships high, nothing new there) and demand is not high enough to fill the ship to the level the cruise line as set as their objective.

 

Let's make some very harsh assumptions and hypotheses here:

 

The ship 2000 similar cabins. The normal price is $1000pp and they manage to sell 1000 cabins with double occupancy in advance, netting 1000*2*$1000 = $2.000.000. Now as the occupancy rate is only 50%, in order to try and make the cruise to at least break even, they decide to have a fire sale to sell the remaining cabins with heavy discount of $500pp. If they now manage to sell half of the remaining cabins, they net another $500.000 making the grand total $2.500.000. Occupancy rate would be 75% which is bad but not completely hopeless.

 

IF they would have to compensate all original sales, they would lose 40% of the revenue making the total only $1.500.000 - so in this case it would be cheaper for the cruise line not to have the sale at all and lose $500.000 of revenue that would come from the sale. And since they'd be forced to do that, the occupancy rate would stay at 50% and they'd definitely lose money on that cruise and need to be able to get the lost revenue from somewhere else, raising the prices of other cruises too.

 

That would definitely not be fair to passengers on all other ships. Because cruise lines operate as they do, they can keep the prices relatively low for everyone instead of throwing money down the drain just because some individuals have accepted a contract that they claim is not fair when in fact they are getting everything according to the contract with the price they have originally agreed to.

 

These price drops are never seen on flights, btw.

 

Actually they are. Airlines often have campaigns with travelling period on or quite close to to the time of the campaign and that is because they do have unsold capacity remaining. For example, German airline Lufthansa is currently having a promo at least here in Finland that is running until end of March and the last day of the promo is also the last possible day of departure.

[Dawnmcl123]

Demonyte. No need for your explanations. I fully understand business side of crusises. We will agree to disagree. I haven't seen 2 cruises with a 60% price drop each since 2000 and it looks like other posters agree. I have never seen 60% price drop in US flights ever. Please go lecture someone else.

[Demonyte]

I don't think that this is about disagreement, unless you have your own definition of "fair".

 

Merriam-Webster dictionary defines "fair" as "agreeing with what is thought to be right or acceptable" and "treating people in a way that does not favor some over others" - if some people would get compensation for price drops against their contract, that would definitely not be fair.

 

I do agree that big price drops are not fun if they happen to you but they are not unfair, unseen and are integral part of current cruise pricing process as I demonstrated with the calculation.

[newmexicoNita]

They do have price drops prior to final payment.

 

You sound like the OP. You had it happen on 2 previous cruises but you still booked the same way again.

 

Repeating the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome does not make much sense.

 

Bill

 

Apparently it really didn't make much difference, she/he booked again and on the Breakaway: my they much really like the ship, considering it isn't even a year old yet. You are right on and I have to wonder, as you do, why they would book again and then come here and gripe!!!!

[sparks1093]

Demonyte. No need for your explanations. I fully understand business side of crusises. We will agree to disagree. I haven't seen 2 cruises with a 60% price drop each since 2000 and it looks like other posters agree. I have never seen 60% price drop in US flights ever. Please go lecture someone else.

 

The cruise I looked at that I talked about above where the Gem reduced prices to $22 for $199 cabins represents an 89% decrease, so it does happen:). This is of course as you know driven entirely by supply and demand- if a sailing is selling well (as defined by the cruise line) they will keep the prices the same, if the sailing is not selling well (again as defined by the cruise line) then they will decrease the price.

 

My take away from this discussion is that NCL is having trouble filling the Breakaway at normal prices and if I were to want to sail on the Breakaway I would wait as long as possible to book it.

[Ozzie's Mom]

It's a win/win/win. I get to lock in the specific date, ship, CABIN, I want. NCL gets to mark that cabin off the list. Others get to play the market, gamble, and take advantage of the leftovers. EVERYBODY WINS.

 

If you want to pay the lowest possible cruise price (and give up the ability to shop for airfare sales and hotel sales) wait until the firesale for leftover cabins.

 

Not unlike Christmas shopping, year-end auto sales, and seasonal sales at Home Depot, if you're willing to wait and gamble on availability, you can score a great deal. I prefer to buy early to get what I want and stop worrying about it.

 

Hope you can forget all these cares and woes long enough to enjoy your cruise.

[triptolemus]

Demonyte. No need for your explanations. I fully understand business side of crusises. We will agree to disagree. I haven't seen 2 cruises with a 60% price drop each since 2000 and it looks like other posters agree. I have never seen 60% price drop in US flights ever. Please go lecture someone else.

 

An airplane and a ship can both transport people. The similarities between them begins and ends there, both in terms of economics and in terms of a vacation destination. I am unsure why you keep using this comparison as a basis to define what is fair.

 

What's fair is that the passenger and the cruise line are in a contract. Period. In any contractual endeavor, expecting one party to just up and allow changes because the party doesn't think it is a fair contract anymore is ludicrous. I'm all for trying to get the best deal, and if you can call the cruise line and get some favorable changes, great. But the idea that any entity should automatically toss away 40% of their contractual revenue is dumb.

 

I don't care how many cruises you have under your belt. There is no need to talk to another poster the way you have. What are you, ten years old? You are participating in a discussion. Someone who crafts a thoughtful response isn't trying to lecture you. Get over yourself.

 

Again, let me know when the first passenger cuts a check to a cruise line when prices rise after final payment...

Edited January 8, 2014 by triptolemus

[shanefm3]

I paid $35 for the CTN this Saturday and the price dropped to $22. After four hours on hold , I now have $7.50 OBC. :)

[samshltn]

So if the price drops, you expect them to call you and offer a refund of the difference in price between what you've paid and how much it costs today. That's how you'd like it to go, is it?

 

Ok, so let's be fair: If the price goes up, do you expect them to call you and ask for the additional collection?

[hawkeyetlse]

I paid $35 for the CTN this Saturday and the price dropped to $22. After four hours on hold , I now have $7.50 OBC. :)

:D You did even better than the OP! An unheard-of 60% of the difference in OBC! And well worth the time and effort for the sums involved :p

[mpk218]

I paid $35 for the CTN this Saturday and the price dropped to $22. After four hours on hold , I now have $7.50 OBC. :)

 

Hha Perfect , Score ;)

[luddite]

:D You did even better than the OP! An unheard-of 60% of the difference in OBC! And well worth the time and effort for the sums involved :p

 

$ 1.87/hr.

[Winston Wolf]

I would like to say something to NCL. I knew when I booked the cruise what the rules were. I understood, that after final payment NCL does not do anything for you.

But my March Breakaway cruise rate went down $1,000 after final payment. And NCL did very little for me. $450 OBC. That it, and that was like pulling teeth. "They went out of there way to do that. "

It just hurts when anyone, can book that cruise today at the lower rate.

I also know this is a patten on the Breakaway. Every cruise after the summer they did this. Even CHRISTMAS Week. Lowered the rate like $700 after final.

This is not the way to treat loyal customers. We are Platinum, guest that does not matter.

Just be wear.. And book after final payment, and you will be treated like platinum

 

Thanks. I will be wear.

[luddite]

Thanks. I will be wear.

:) You'll be wearing......what?

[Demonyte]

:) You'll be wearing......what?

 

OP just instructed all of us to "be wear".

[SteveH2508]

:) You'll be wearing......what?

 

A hair shirt?:rolleyes:

[Winston Wolf]

OP just instructed all of us to "be wear".

 

At least somebody got it!

[Dawnmcl123]

Once again, the point of my post was missed. It is very difficult to have discussions on these board lately because of all the slamming once someone posts a "negative" about NCL. Last note which was my original post: this is a new trend with the BA and these drastic price cuts. I understand all price drops, etc... but this is drastic. Done.

[samshltn]

So your problem is that I got the cruise a LOT cheaper than you? If I only got it a bit cheaper you wouldn't mind?

[Dawnmcl123]

So your problem is that I got the cruise a LOT cheaper than you? If I only got it a bit cheaper you wouldn't mind?

 

This is not personal. I am all for everyone getting the best deal. Point is missed once again. This is about NCL providing great customer service and not overpricing cruises upfront. And again this seems to be something with the BA and I'm sure it will get worked out.

[sparks1093]

This is not personal. I am all for everyone getting the best deal. Point is missed once again. This is about NCL providing great customer service and not overpricing cruises upfront. And again this seems to be something with the BA and I'm sure it will get worked out.

 

My memory isn't what it used to be but I recall very similar discussions regarding the Epic during her inaugural year and NCL had to drastically cut prices to fill the ship.

[samshltn]

This is not personal. I am all for everyone getting the best deal. Point is missed once again. This is about NCL providing great customer service and not overpricing cruises upfront. And again this seems to be something with the BA and I'm sure it will get worked out.

 

Unfortunately, though, for me to get it so cheaply, someone else has to pay over the odds to subsidise my holiday. And that person is the guy who books early.

[luddite]

This is not personal. I am all for everyone getting the best deal. Point is missed once again. This is about NCL providing great customer service and not overpricing cruises upfront. And again this seems to be something with the BA and I'm sure it will get worked out.

 

They cannot know if it is overpriced until after they price it.

[garycarla]

This is not personal. I am all for everyone getting the best deal. Point is missed once again. This is about NCL providing great customer service and not overpricing cruises upfront. And again this seems to be something with the BA and I'm sure it will get worked out.

 

I wish people would stop calling this customer service. It is a pricing issue. Simple stuff.

 

If the rate did not drop, the early booker would not complain.

If the rate went up, early bookers would not complain.

 

They priced it at a rate that seemed to work - for many people, like the OP. They decided to do a fire sale. If they were forced into lowering everyone else to the fire sale price, they would just skip it and sail with empty cabins. Then they would have to raise other rates to make the business work.

 

Why am I typing this. Nobody is gonna listen.

[SeaShark]

I wish people would stop calling this customer service. It is a pricing issue. Simple stuff.

 

If the rate did not drop, the early booker would not complain.

If the rate went up, early bookers would not complain.

 

They priced it at a rate that seemed to work - for many people, like the OP. They decided to do a fire sale. If they were forced into lowering everyone else to the fire sale price, they would just skip it and sail with empty cabins. Then they would have to raise other rates to make the business work.

 

Why am I typing this. Nobody is gonna listen.

 

Your first paragraph is right on point!

 

There are way too many people who do not understand what makes up "good customer service". Many of these people are of the mistaken belief that "good customer service" means "I got my way".

 

Providing good customer service means providing the correct information to the customer in a professional manner.

 

People have to accept that sometimes the answer is "no", and just because it is, doesn't mean the customer service was bad.

 

 

The proof of this is in how you almost never see people tell about a problem that was resolved in their favor the way they wanted and they still say the customer service was bad.