If buying OBC, print your confirmation !

[CanadaJulie]

Just a heads up to anyone buying OBC before your cruise: print your confirmation paper from the NCL website and to be safe, print your credit card statement showing the charge. I know it sounds ridiculous, but it makes it easier to prove it.

 

Here's my story: We are just back from the Breakaway 2 days ago. Out of 4 cabins, 3 of us purchased OBC about a month prior to our trip. Normally I would not do this but as we are from Canada, NCL's exchange rate is much better than the banks. 1.11% vs the 1.35% is a no brainer. My brother bought 1000$, I bought 600$ followed by another 400$ and my mom bought 200$.

 

So we get on board and I have a 'voucher' in my room for 400$ of credit. Nothing for the 600$ ?? My mom has hers and my brother has nothing.

 

First trip down to guest service to ask about the credit. She checks my account and it's only showing the 400$. The 600$ is nowhere to be found. She sends an email to Miami asking about it.

 

I went back to my room to get my printed confirmation of the 2 purchases (400$ and 600$). 2nd trip down to guest services to give them the proof that I had purchased it.

 

Next day, I get a message in my room saying that the paper was only a "receipt of the request to purchase" and that my card was not charged. 3rd trip down to guest services to argue that. Both the receipts for the 400$ and the missing 600$ were identical. Plus I had paid the Mastercard bill prior to the trip and know that it was charged. The guy at guest services was horrible - he smirked at me and told me to prove I had paid it and suggested that maybe I didn't paid my CC bill and that's why NCL didn't have it's money so they revoked my 600$. *** ??? I told him that if they'd allow me to log into my online statement I could prove it had been charged to my card and that it was paid. He told me to go purchase an internet package and waved me off then called "Next" and dismissed me.

 

Next day in Bermuda, I bought the internet access at the Dockyard, logged into my CC account and took a screen shot of the Mastercard statement, showing that I had indeed paid for the 600$ (and the 400$ !). 4th trip to guest services to show them that. They insisted I phone Mastercard. Why ? I have no idea !! The guy on the 1-800 line told me that same thing my statement did - the card was charged and I paid. Another email was sent to Miami.

 

Next day, no news so I went back down to guest services for the 5th time. No answer from Miami yet.

 

Later that day, I got a phone message to please call or come to guest services. I took my 6th trip down (easier to deal face to face than over the phone). They told me they had found my OBC and it would be posted to my account...

 

My brother had a similar experience except that they posted it to his account then subsequently removed it ! He had to make 2 more trips to guest services to get it back...

 

So - moral of the story - bring a printed copy of the receipt and your credit card statement because without that, I'm not sure what would have happened ! And have fun at guest services !

[sunsetme]

It took me 3 days to straighten out my obc on Getaway Aug 22 cruise, luckily I had the paperwork.

[mfinster007]

I've purchased OBC in the past and have not had a problem. I'm sorry to hear of your challenges, that would be extremely challenging when your money is no where to be found.

 

I've started purchasing the NCL Gift Cards http://www.ncl.com/giftcard that I can use at the end of the cruise to settle my bill. If by any chance there is money remaining you can use it towards a future cruise. On my last trip, my cousin applied her entire card at the beginning of the trip and had funds remaining, Guest Services reimbursed her in cash.

 

Note: It takes several weeks to receive your card. I also believe your name is imprinted on the card too!

[rochelle_s]

I've purchased OBC in the past and have not had a problem. I'm sorry to hear of your challenges, that would be extremely challenging when your money is no where to be found.

 

I've started purchasing the NCL Gift Cards http://www.ncl.com/giftcard that I can use at the end of the cruise to settle my bill. If by any chance there is money remaining you can use it towards a future cruise. On my last trip, my cousin applied her entire card at the beginning of the trip and had funds remaining, Guest Services reimbursed her in cash.

 

Note: It takes several weeks to receive your card. I also believe your name is imprinted on the card too!

 

 

 

The problem with this is that, as to what I was told, the NCL Gift Cards cannot be purchased in Canadian funds. They must be purchased in American funds, which would defeat the purpose of buying the OBC to begin with.

 

If anyone has been able to purchase the Gift Cards in Canadian dollars I would love to hear about it.

 

 

Rochelle

[cmdchiefthom]

I had some issues while aboard the Jade on a 3 week B2B for which each leg had $400 OBC. Any leftover credit was supposed to carry over to the following cruise. I cashed in rewards points from my NCL MasterCard as well, for a total of $1800.00 for the three weeks. The front desk people were fantastic, especially when I furnished all the documentation during the first week. The biggest issue was each of the weeks were booked separately, where any balance left at the end of a week, is either lost, or refunded to your card. Once they understood, everything worked out as planned.;)

[CanadaJulie]

I kind of thought it may have to do with being purchased with a Canadian credit card but it seems others had the same issue who were American, so I'm guessing that's not it.

 

The weird part is that of the 4 purchases our group made, 2 were OK and 2 were missing. The good thing is that it happened to me and not my Mother who is already sceptical about purchasing stuff online. Glad hers was no trouble.

[NLH Arizona]

I bring copies of everything, just in case of any issues. Call NCL prior to leaving and ask that they email an amenity confirmation, which should have all your perks and everything you paid for; such as, pre-paid gratuities, etc.

[Medtech2]

You know, if the guest services attitude were better than I would say all is well BUT the attitudes and nonhelpfulness you encountered are totally unacceptable to me!

 

I think they would have had quite the scene from me....

[CanadaJulie]

You know, if the guest services attitude were better than I would say all is well BUT the attitudes and nonhelpfulness you encountered are totally unacceptable to me!

 

I think they would have had quite the scene from me....

 

Totally agree ! It took 6 days to sort this out. On one of my trips down, the guy with the attitude was there and I purposely sent the person behind me to deal with him just so I could get anyone else.

 

Turns out that person that I sent ahead *did* make quite the scene ! She said she'd been calling '911' and '00' for 35 mins because her daughter was sick and no one answered. She came down to ask to speak with the manager and got the same rude/unhelpful guy who refused to tell her who the manager was. She lost it... and rightfully so...

 

I didn't catch his name but if I had, I would have complained higher up on my return. His attitude towards me and the lady with the sick daughter was completely unacceptable.

[sinclaj]

Thanks so much for posting this. I have bought on board credit for the first time, also due to the favourable exchange with the Canadian dollar, for our cruise in a couple of weeks. Because of your posting, I have printed out my credit card statements showing the amounts charged. I have bought the credit at different times, so I have a few statements.

 

One question. Before you left, did you see all of your onboard credit listed on your vacation summary under "gifts and more"?

 

Thanks for the heads up on this.

 

Judy

[xcell]

Had this happen on my Aug 22 Getaway cruise...

 

Bought $1000 OBC a month before...thank god I had the print out from NCL website saying that I bought it..

 

Took about 3 days to get it all sorted out...went to the casino cashed it out at a loss of 3%...

 

I plan to do this for my Escape cruise in Dec...maybe $1500 this time so that I can buy FCC and misc...

[CanadaJulie]

One question. Before you left, did you see all of your onboard credit listed on your vacation summary under "gifts and more"?

 

I actually didn't check it so I can't say if it was listed or not. I wasn't worried since I had my confirmation printed - until I got onto the ship and they said I hadn't paid for it...

 

Seems like quite a few have had issues with this recently. Hope they get it straightened out sooner rather than later. No one wants to be hanging out at guest services during our vacation...

[sinclaj]

Thanks for your reply. I just checked and mine shows up. I have printed out what I have, though too.

[SeaShark]

Just an FYI for everyone...don't bother with we site confirmations. Ask your PCC or TA for a copy of your Amenity Confirmation before you sale....that is the best document to have.

[Scrappytraveller]

Thanks. I was planning to bring proof and this just reinforces it. I have an ammenity confirmation. My reservations shows the total amount I've paid, but when I click on the details button it doesn't show it all. I'll be brining every speck of proof I have and hope I don't come across a dude like that if there's an issue.

[Crusin6]

Now I'm convinced that ncl corporate is having an employee work slowdown

 

 

It seems IT can't get anything straight

 

From this type of incident to selling the nonexistent ba 12 day January cruises

 

They are so messed up

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[CanadaJulie]

Just an FYI for everyone...don't bother with we site confirmations. Ask your PCC or TA for a copy of your Amenity Confirmation before you sale....that is the best document to have.

 

I purchased it online, through the NCL website so that's the confirmation I brought. Didn't go through a TA to purchase it

[SeaShark]

I purchased it online, through the NCL website so that's the confirmation I brought. Didn't go through a TA to purchase it

Doesn't matter where you purchased it, the Amenity Confirmation is still the document you need.

[maywell]

One should always bring printed confirmation of whatever they purchase for a cabin with them when dealing with any cruise line, not just NCL; I had similar problem with both them and Carnival. I just brought the proof with me, asked politely and calmly why didn't I see neither items on day of embark and when can I expect to see the stuff I ordered. It also pays to look less hostile, crazy and nasty than the other upset people at Guest Services but that's a totally different matter..

[insidecabin]

I am having a problem just getting the OBC onto my account pre cruise.

 

First purchase went through, second never appeared on the account or the CC.

 

And will now cost me more as the exchage rates are moving,

buying $OBC with € on £ CC(with no charges).

 

 

 

I had a problem with princess getting thisngs in the last week, the info never made it to the ship, will finish purchases for this trip early and get the amenities list in plenty of time.