norwegian = worst customer service department ever

[accmiller]

We were on the getaway for spring break and what a disaster. We were a family of four and had originally booked one mini-suite. After some more thought we decided that wasn't going to be enough room so we called norwegian and asked to change to two adjoining rooms. No problem. We just needed to pay a cancellation fee and then we could rebook. Huh??? All we wanted to do was add a room. Anyways we went ahead with it and then our consultant told us since we were putting the kids in the other room it would be safer to give them an inside cabin across the hall instead of a balcony. Seemed to make sense to us so we booked and paid the difference. Well when we go on the ship we found out the inside cabin was indeed across the hall but the door to the inside cabin was not. In order to get to that cabin you basically had to walk all the way down the hall, across, and back up the hall on the other side of the ship. For some reason, my wife didn't want our 6 year old that far away from us. So we called guest services. Guess what they didn't care. We were told we agreed to that arrangement and there was nothing they could do. I told them we didn't agree to that at all. They said they would look into. I called the next day and no record of my complaint. What a surprise. They still didn't do anything so we had to cram all four of us into a room that was designed for 3 people. When I got back I sat on hold on their customer service line for 90 minutes and still didn't get a live body. Emailed our cruise consultant twice and nothing. I did log-into the site and was called within 20 minutes by a cruise consultant asking if I needed help booking a cruise. When I told them my problem I never heard from them again.

 

The shame of it all is the getaway was a beautiful boat but ncl's complete lack of customer service for issues has resigned me to never using them again. If anyone every asked me if they should book a cruise with them I will do everything in my power to stop them.

[GrabMyWrist]

A quick look at the deck plans could have prevented your problem.

[SissasMomE]

How old was the other kid?? I'm sorry, but I wouldn't even think to stick a 6-year old in a cabin w/out a parent.

 

Some of the inside cabin doorways on Getaway are right across the hall. The majority are not though. Not sure why you had to pay a cancellation fee to add a cabin. We were able to add a cabin once onboard for $200 ... but that's a gamble. Most of the time they are sold out.

[accmiller]

We did look at the layout. The room is right across the hall, but the door isn't. And the rooms were picked by the ncl agent, not us.

[accmiller]

How old was the other kid?? I'm sorry, but I wouldn't even think to stick a 6-year old in a cabin w/out a parent.

 

Some of the inside cabin doorways on Getaway are right across the hall. The majority are not though. Not sure why you had to pay a cancellation fee to add a cabin. We were able to add a cabin once onboard for $200 ... but that's a gamble. Most of the time they are sold out.

 

 

The other child is 14. We weren't leaving our 6 year old by herself. With two rooms right next to each other we thought we would be fine. With the layout and having to walk around the entire ship that wasn't going to be an option. We would have been fine cramping into one room, which we did, if NCL showed remotely any sympathy. Instead all the did was say too bad you agreed to what we told you. Too bad it wasn't true. So we paid for a room that was never used.

[GrabMyWrist]

Per their web site..

 

Inside stateroom doors open to center interior corridors and not towards balcony staterooms.

 

It's very clearly defined on the layout which rooms this pertains to.

Edited May 2, 2014 by GrabMyWrist

[SissasMomE]

We did look at the layout. The room is right across the hall, but the door isn't. And the rooms were picked by the ncl agent, not us.

 

I can see how you could be confused. The web site is not clear. The other ships, the doors are directly across from the balcony cabins. Breakaway and Getaway are different. It's a shame the NCL rep gave you misinformation. I really wish they'd train them better. It's really not acceptable at all.

[SissasMomE]

Per their web site..

 

 

 

It's very clearly defined on the layout which rooms this pertains to.

 

Actually, it's not. There has been much discussion on this since the deck plans came out. Those of us who have been here - sure, it's obvious now. It definitely wasn't in the beginning. Regardless, NCL's phone rep gave misinformation, and that really is not acceptable at all.

[peg013]

We did look at the layout. The room is right across the hall, but the door isn't. And the rooms were picked by the ncl agent, not us.

 

Wasn't there a solid red line running down the edge of the inside cabins on the deck plan and the words "interior corridor" nearby? Sorry this happened to you.

[Irene7]

We did look at the layout. The room is right across the hall, but the door isn't. And the rooms were picked by the ncl agent, not us.

 

That sounds very strange, that the room was but the door isn't. If you don't mind me asking, what were the rooms numbers?

[LrgPizza]

Whether you were right, wrong, partially wrong, etc., it does still sound like crappy customer service simply because it seems so difficult for them to communicate with you.

 

When you look at the deck plans, you will see a tiny hall on the other side of the inside room. Usually when you see that, it means the entrance is going to be there. Unfortunately, I can see that if you didn't know that, there's no reason you'd guess, since the big hall is right there between your cabins. I do understand if NCL was "unable to do anything", because Spring Break is a busy time, and maybe they couldn't move you or something. Was the cancellation fee because you canceled the mini-suite and booked 2 new rooms, instead of simply adding a room?

Edited May 2, 2014 by LrgPizza

[weltek]

1. I wonder if the cancellation fee had something to do with having to move your original room (because an adjoining wasn't available next to your original cabin)? And maybe that meant moving to a different category and prices had changed?

 

2. The PCC you called to make the change probably had no idea where the door is. He/she can probably only see the same thing you did.

 

3. Unless your other child was over 21, it's simply wrong for the PCC to not inform you that technically two children under 21 can't stay in a room alone. Granted, there are several people who work around this, but the PCC shouldn't be complicit in that.

 

4. It does stink that nobody followed up in a timely manner to your on board complaint.

 

5. Since their policy is that children can't stay in a room alone, anyway, I'm not surprised they wouldn't do anything about it. For them to give you another room would've been encouraging you to break their policy (which is in place for safety). You still could've used that extra room for storage and an extra bathroom.

Edited May 2, 2014 by weltek

[spidybabe]

Wow I feel very sorry for you. That was a major mess up by NCL. Once onboard NCL really doesn't care about room preferences. It would of been nice if they asked a room across from you if they would change rooms. I would do it in a flash to put a family together. I really dislike those inside, inside cabins( thats what I call them). and as an adult I dislike those hallways, and no way would I allow my children to go down alone, but I would have them in a room across the hall. Very sorry your vacation turned out that way, due to an agent.

Safe sailing

[GrabMyWrist]

Odd..

 

The little circle is right next to all those rooms. The legend at the bottom of the page clearly tells you what that circle means. O = Inside Corridors / Inside stateroom doors open to center interior corridors and not towards balcony staterooms.

 

While I agree the agent should have known, it still could have been avoided.

 

Edited May 2, 2014 by GrabMyWrist

[SissasMomE]

While the legend does say "interior corridor", it does not specify that the door is in the corridor. What is posted above is new. The website definitely did not always say that. Still, I can see how someone would miss that, especially if they are used to cruising. The Getaway is the first ship I have been on where most of the insides have their own hallway entrance, and I am a very experienced cruiser. Regardless, it doesn't change the fact that the OP called and NCL gave him the wrong information.

Edited May 2, 2014 by SissasMomE

[LrgPizza]

Per their web site..

 

 

 

It's very clearly defined on the layout which rooms this pertains to.

 

The point here is that the NCL rep gave false information. The NCL rep didn't even understand the layout, so one can hardly admonish the OP for not knowing it. The rep is paid to know.

[accmiller]

Wasn't there a solid red line running down the edge of the inside cabins on the deck plan and the words "interior corridor" nearby? Sorry this happened to you.

 

I was on phone with rep and he assigned rooms. I just looked and saw they were across from each other. If I had picked the rooms myself I could understand but that wasn't the case. And like I said we would have lived with it, actually we actually did live with it, but every time I talked to someone they said they would look into it and get back to me. I tried four different people and never heard back from one.

[SissasMomE]

I was on phone with rep and he assigned rooms. I just looked and saw they were across from each other. If I had picked the rooms myself I could understand but that wasn't the case. And like I said we would have lived with it, actually we actually did live with it, but every time I talked to someone they said they would look into it and get back to me. I tried four different people and never heard back from one.

 

I agree with you. Unfortunately, the cheerleaders will bash you for being wrong, even if you weren't. Bottom line - NCL needs to train their employees. They cannot continue to give out incorrect information. It is not at all fair to the paying customer.

[accmiller]

Whether you were right, wrong, partially wrong, etc., it does still sound like crappy customer service simply because it seems so difficult for them to communicate with you.

 

When you look at the deck plans, you will see a tiny hall on the other side of the inside room. Usually when you see that, it means the entrance is going to be there. Unfortunately, I can see that if you didn't know that, there's no reason you'd guess, since the big hall is right there between your cabins. I do understand if NCL was "unable to do anything", because Spring Break is a busy time, and maybe they couldn't move you or something. Was the cancellation fee because you canceled the mini-suite and booked 2 new rooms, instead of simply adding a room?

 

It was our first cruise ever. Silly me assumed two rooms across the hall from each other would have doors facing each other. And it was the ncl rep who moved us from our larger room for four people to these two rooms knowing our needs. I understand the cruise was full and they couldn't move us but some type of accommodation should have been offered. We had a room we paid for that wasn't going to be used. But nothing. Yes the cancellation fee was because they moved us from one mini-suite to another since the inside cabin across from our first assigned cabin was already booked.

[LrgPizza]

Odd..

 

The little circle is right next to all those rooms. The legend at the bottom of the page clearly tells you what that circle means. O = Inside Corridors / Inside stateroom doors open to center interior corridors and not towards balcony staterooms.

 

While I agree the agent should have known, it still could have been avoided.

 

 

The OP asked for adjoining cabins over the telephone. The NCL rep is the one that suggested these to the OP. Was OP to say, "Hang on, let me put you on hold while I pull this up on the internet, just in case you don't know what you're talking about?" Gimme a break.

[peg013]

I was on phone with rep and he assigned rooms. I just looked and saw they were across from each other. If I had picked the rooms myself I could understand but that wasn't the case. And like I said we would have lived with it, actually we actually did live with it, but every time I talked to someone they said they would look into it and get back to me. I tried four different people and never heard back from one.

 

At least now that you have found Cruise Critic you will be well prepared for your next cruise. We're all here to help each other. :)

[LrgPizza]

It was our first cruise ever. Silly me assumed two rooms across the hall from each other would have doors facing each other. And it was the ncl rep who moved us from our larger room for four people to these two rooms knowing our needs. I understand the cruise was full and they couldn't move us but some type of accommodation should have been offered. We had a room we paid for that wasn't going to be used. But nothing. Yes the cancellation fee was because they moved us from one mini-suite to another since the inside cabin across from our first assigned cabin was already booked.

 

Not "silly you". I am AGREEING with you.

[accmiller]

Odd..

 

The little circle is right next to all those rooms. The legend at the bottom of the page clearly tells you what that circle means. O = Inside Corridors / Inside stateroom doors open to center interior corridors and not towards balcony staterooms.

 

While I agree the agent should have known, it still could have been avoided.

 

 

first time cruise. I took the time and called norwegian to ask their advice. This is what I got. Yes there is a red line. I am a reasonably intelligent person and I assume the person representing the company I am doing business with knows more about their product than I do. Of course it should have been avoided.

[pirateprincessinco]

What a nightmare this must have been for you! I'm sorry, I'm sure it put a damper on your entire vacation. I will say, that is why I ALWAYS book through my TA. She's always managed to get just as good, and usually a better deal than with NCL and I always get an email/text message from her the day after we leave asking if everything is going well and/or if we need any assistance with anything. Once, with an issue with wrong room at a hotel where the hotel was doing NOTHING, she had us upgraded to a suite within hours. I know a lot of people on here don't like TA's but my experience is they work very hard to keep your business and always go above and beyond. At least mine always does.

[kylenyc]

Edit: The PCC should never booked a 6 yr old together with a 14 yr old period. Any person under 21 years of age must be booked with an adult 21 yrs of age or older unless they are in adjoining connected cabins. So they must've paired one adult with one child.

 

[sTRIKETHROUGH]Sorry for you bad experience. While you didn't want your 6 yr old to sleep with your 14 yr old, Why couldn't your 14 year old sleep in the second cabin alone or with one adult. As inconvenient as it was, I don't see anything forcing the 4 of you to sleep together in one cabin.[/sTRIKETHROUGH]

 

However, I would write to NCL headquarters in Miami, cc'ing socialmedia@ncl.com IMO I don't feel they should've charged you cancellation fees because it doesn't seem to be a true cancellation to me. Also the PCC should've given you accurate information. That's their job.

Edited May 2, 2014 by kylenyc