Hey, all you experts - Help! Booking/NCC/Phantom Pax Questions

[foxgoodrich]

Okay, so here’s the story: Four of us (DH & me and a couple of old friends who have never cruised before) booked a 2 bedroom suite on Jewel for an Alaska cruise Sept 11, 2015.

 

We know you can’t book a 2 BR suite with 4 people, so we have a phantom 5th guest on our reservation for now. This doesn’t make much $$ difference since we’re getting the ‘kids sail free’ deal. Thus, guests 1 & 2 pay the full price, guests 3, 4 and 5, pay nothing, and all 5 pax pay 194.78 each in port charges/tax/fees. (So even if we have to pay for the phantom in the end, it’s only 194.78 split among the 4 of us.)

 

DH & I used a Next Cruise Certificate (an old one) worth $200 in terms of deposit (had both our names and we paid $200 for it when we bought it) and it gives us $100 OBC. The NCC also reduces our deposit for a suite to $200 per person, or $1000 for the 5 of us (4 plus phantom.)

 

So here’s how the math works:

 

3737.00 Pax 1 - full price

3737.00 Pax 2 - full price

No charge - Pax 3, 4, and 5 sail free

973.90 Port charges/tax/fees for 5 pax = 194.78x5

 

8447.90 TOTAL CRUISE for 5 pax in 2BR Suite

- 250.00 DH & my D+ Discount

- 200.00 amount already paid for NCC (applied to deposit to book cruise)

- 800.00 balance of deposit to book cruise

 

7197.90 Balance due on final pay't date June 28

(Holy Moly - cause for celebration! My math actually agrees with the RC invoice!:D I just poured a glass of wine...)

 

I do think we got a pretty good deal on this, so I’m NOT complaining about the cost! (DH & I paid about $6500 five years ago for a RFS for 5 pax on another ship, so I figure this is a pretty good price as is.) And I’m not even complaining about that 194.78 for the phantom pax, but I’m curious how this could work if/when we cancel pax #5. I mean, at some point we'll have to come clean when our phantom doesn't show up for the cruise!:o

 

So....here are my 3 big questions - any wisdom/experience you folks have had in similar situations can help!

 

1. If they drop the occupancy requirement (currently 5 for the 2BR suite) between now and final payment, can I cancel the phantom passenger without penalty? (This would reduce our balance due by 194.78.) Just curious about this.

and

What if 4 of us just show up to check in on embarkation day and apologize because person #5 had a work emergency and couldn’t come? Will they credit us back the 194.78 for pax #5 in port charges/tax/fees? Just curious about this too!

and

What's the best way to get rid of the phantom?

 

2. What happens if there is a price drop between now and June 28? Could that be applied to our scenario? Or would we lose the ‘kids sail free’ element of this deal and end up paying the new full rate for pax 1 & 2 and the reduced rate for the other 3? (I kind of think this is what could happen - might work out better or might work out worse on the bottom line.) Or would getting a price drop screw up the NCC?:confused:

 

3. If something catastrophic occurs and we end up having to cancel this cruise altogether, what happens to our NCC? It’s an old one, and in the old days you could just change it over to another booking. Does anybody know if they still honor those old terms? (this one is worth $200 in deposits and $100 in OBC)

 

Okay - hopefully I’ve explained the situation sufficiently - any advice?? Bob? Merion Mom? Anybody else with wisdom/experience to share?;)

THANKS for listening...

Judy

[Ken at the beach]

Okay, so here’s the story: Four of us (DH & me and a couple of old friends who have never cruised before) booked a 2 bedroom suite on Jewel for an Alaska cruise Sept 11, 2015.

 

We know you can’t book a 2 BR suite with 4 people, so we have a phantom 5th guest on our reservation for now. This doesn’t make much $$ difference since we’re getting the ‘kids sail free’ deal. Thus, guests 1 & 2 pay the full price, guests 3, 4 and 5, pay nothing, and all 5 pax pay 194.78 each in port charges/tax/fees. (So even if we have to pay for the phantom in the end, it’s only 194.78 split among the 4 of us.)

 

DH & I used a Next Cruise Certificate (an old one) worth $200 in terms of deposit (had both our names and we paid $200 for it when we bought it) and it gives us $100 OBC. The NCC also reduces our deposit for a suite to $200 per person, or $1000 for the 5 of us (4 plus phantom.)

 

 

 

So here’s how the math works:

 

3737.00 Pax 1 - full price

3737.00 Pax 2 - full price

No charge - Pax 3, 4, and 5 sail free

973.90 Port charges/tax/fees for 5 pax = 194.78x5

 

8447.90 TOTAL CRUISE for 5 pax in 2BR Suite

- 250.00 DH & my D+ Discount

- 200.00 amount already paid for NCC (applied to deposit to book cruise)

- 800.00 balance of deposit to book cruise

 

7197.90 Balance due on final pay't date June 28

(Holy Moly - cause for celebration! My math actually agrees with the RC invoice!:D I just poured a glass of wine...)

 

I do think we got a pretty good deal on this, so I’m NOT complaining about the cost! (DH & I paid about $6500 five years ago for a RFS for 5 pax on another ship, so I figure this is a pretty good price as is.) And I’m not even complaining about that 194.78 for the phantom pax, but I’m curious how this could work if/when we cancel pax #5. I mean, at some point we'll have to come clean when our phantom doesn't show up for the cruise!:o

 

So....here are my 3 big questions - any wisdom/experience you folks have had in similar situations can help!

 

1. If they drop the occupancy requirement (currently 5 for the 2BR suite) between now and final payment, can I cancel the phantom passenger without penalty? (This would reduce our balance due by 194.78.) Just curious about this.

and

What if 4 of us just show up to check in on embarkation day and apologize because person #5 had a work emergency and couldn’t come? Will they credit us back the 194.78 for pax #5 in port charges/tax/fees? Just curious about this too!

and

What's the best way to get rid of the phantom?

 

2. What happens if there is a price drop between now and June 28? Could that be applied to our scenario? Or would we lose the ‘kids sail free’ element of this deal and end up paying the new full rate for pax 1 & 2 and the reduced rate for the other 3? (I kind of think this is what could happen - might work out better or might work out worse on the bottom line.) Or would getting a price drop screw up the NCC?:confused:

 

3. If something catastrophic occurs and we end up having to cancel this cruise altogether, what happens to our NCC? It’s an old one, and in the old days you could just change it over to another booking. Does anybody know if they still honor those old terms? (this one is worth $200 in deposits and $100 in OBC)

 

Okay - hopefully I’ve explained the situation sufficiently - any advice?? Bob? Merion Mom? Anybody else with wisdom/experience to share?;)

THANKS for listening...

Judy

 

1. Doubtful that hey drop the occupancy requirement as there are a very few of hese suites. Once they sell they have no need to drop occupancy levels or prices. I would wait until close to sail date to cancel the 5'th. Maybe a couple of days prior and be prepared to eat the taxes but I think that They would be refunded.

 

2. Doubt you would see a price drop bu if you did you would lose the kids sail free. It would all be repriced. Price drop will not affect the NCC.

 

3. Do not cancel as you would lose the NCC. Instead move it to another cruise.

Edited September 24, 2014 by Ourusualbeach

[cruisenfever]

DH & I used a Next Cruise Certificate (an old one) worth $200 in terms of deposit (had both our names and we paid $200 for it when we bought it) and it gives us $100 OBC. The NCC also reduces our deposit for a suite to $200 per person, or $1000 for the 5 of us (4 plus phantom.)

Unfortunately, it does not work that way.

 

When booking a suite and using a NC certificate, you will be charged the suite deposit at the time of conversion which will be doubled less your initial deposit when you created your NC. You do not get a reduced deposit when booking a suite and using a NCC. If you do not pay the required suite deposit your booking will be canceled.

Edited September 24, 2014 by cruisenfever

[foxgoodrich]

Unfortunately, it does not work that way.

 

When booking a suite and using a NC certificate, you will be charged the suite deposit at the time of conversion which will be doubled less your initial deposit when you created your NC. You do not get a reduced deposit when booking a suite and using a NCC. If you do not pay the required suite deposit your booking will be canceled.

 

Yes, in the past when we've used NCCs for suites, the NCC reduced suite deposit to $250pp (rather than the normal $500pp suite deposit) and we paid the difference when we booked, then the rest at final payment. But this time both the RC Rep I talked to initially and my TA (& her RC person) when we booked all said it would be $1000 total for the suite deposit for 5 pax with the NCC. And that's what the invoice shows - $1000 total deposit. (We had paid $200 originally for the NCC since it had 2 names on it, so were actually charged $800 today for the remainder of the deposit. Still total of $1000 deposit.) Mysterious, huh!

 

It did occur to me, though, that the $1000 deposit for the 5 of us might be $500 for pax 1 & 2 and nothing for 3, 4, & 5 since those fares are essentially zero. Who knows!

Judy

Edited September 24, 2014 by foxgoodrich

[Clarea]

Yes, in the past when we've used NCCs for suites, the suite deposit was reduced to the NCC rate of $250pp (rather than the normal $500pp suite deposit) and we paid the difference when we booked. But this time both the RC Rep I talked to initially and my TA (& her RC person) when we booked all said it would be $1000 total for the suite deposit for 5 pax with the NCC. And that's what the invoice shows - $1000 total deposit. (We had paid $200 originally for the NCC since it had 2 names on it, so were actually charged $800 today for the remainder of the deposit. Still total of $1000.) Mysterious, huh!

 

It did occur to me, though, that the $1000 deposit for the 5 of us might be $500 for pax 1 & 2 and nothing for 3, 4, & 5 since those fares are essentially zero. Who knows!

Judy

I believe you are correct in that the $1000 deposit is $500 each, for the first two guests.

[cruisenfever]

It did occur to me, though, that the $1000 deposit for the 5 of us might be $500 for pax 1 & 2 and nothing for 3, 4, & 5 since those fares are essentially zero. Who knows!

Judy

Forgot about the 4 + 1 phantom in the cabin.:o You are still paying a double deposit for the first 2 guests so you are good to go.