Disappointed even before our first cruise

[DMParisHoneymoon]

This is a good point - while yes it's not as exciting to be able to get your drinks on board - for a 4 day cruise you probably are better to just drink (and much cheaper) on land.

 

I do have a strong suspicion that the TA booked this thru the Canada at Par promo which does not include any Free at Sea offers - in which case if this isn't the TA's first cruise booking, he/she should have known and made you aware. Best thing is to compile all of your documentation to date and consider filing a complaint through TICO's equivalent in NB. TA's need to be held more accountable for responsibly spending your hard earned vacation dollars. For example, if I were a TA, and you were looking for a short cruise - I would've directed you immediately to the Norwegian Sky instead of the Jade since the entire ship is all-inclusive, making the drink package a moot point.

 

Lastly - and most importantly - try not to let this ruin your trip! The Jade looks like a perfect sized ship to enjoy your first cruise on, with lots of pools and eateries to enjoy (especially The Great Outdoors in the back of the ship). Just take the time to relax, get away from the Canadian winter, and enjoy some R&R in the Caribbean sun!

[sanger727]

Unless you plan on drinking non stop, I agree with the idea of skipping the drink plan on this one. The TA screwed the pooch on this one; someone who doesn't know how to read booking documents because it's their first cruise, but does see the 'free at sea' on NCL's website and comes on here would know that with a mini suite they would typically get two perks. So it's 100% believable that they paid $700 pp pd for a mini suite and with the standard 2 perks included the gratuities and UBP were included. The TA is the one that screwed this all up by either booking Canada at par or using a third party package; neither of which is combinable with free at sea.

 

If I were the OP I'd be incredibly mad too and escalate the situation with the agency, especially with the written proof that the TA told him it was included. Frankly, the agency should purchase most to all of your drink package cost. Don't take the 'it's $1,000 you would have had to pay anyway answer'. While it would have affected your overall price they could have had it included in your booking and they didn't present you with that cost. It may or may not have been a lot. No way to tell now.

 

If that doesn't happen, try and enjoy your cruise. Personally I'd rather keep the $1,000 than buy the drink package. It doesn't include bottled water, specialty coffee, and there are too many drinks priced over the $15 limit. In your shoes I'd bring on a few bottles of wine (paying the $15 corkage fee), take advantage of the 'tastings', usually $20 pp and includes a good amount of drinks for that amount, drink in port, and take advantage of the 'drink of the day' specials.

 

 

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[kdzkatz]

I do think that the important issue here is in the title of the OP. "FIRST CRUISE". Can you remember when you were taking your first cruise? Did you know everything about what you doing? I wonder. Some of the comments in this thread towards the OP are rather unfair in my opinion.

 

I fully agree with you. There is a definite learning curve to booking a cruise and learning all the codes. The travel docs are not the most straightforward thing to read.

 

We book through an online 3rd party but do all the research ourselves. We booked through a local TA once and never again. Too many of them are clueless so unless you a familiar with their ability I would steer clear.

 

Cruise Critic can be a great place to get info. Because of this experience you may want to book your next cruise direct. If you do book through a 3rd party have it booked before final payment date and come on here and ask other cruisers where to locate info on your docs to verify it is as it should be.

 

You have much more control to make changes if outside the final payment date.

 

We have cruised 9 times and we are still learning.

[Linda the Book Lover]

Everyone should ask for an Amenity Confirmation immediately after booking. They can email it to you.

 

And...

 

Ask for another a few weeks before sailing.

 

Pack them.

 

 

 

 

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Yep I always do as well. I always double check everything before final payment and because I am kind of crazy about a place for everything. My TA verbally goes over each item and then sends me confirmations of all my perks after I book.

[SuiteCruiser]

I love some of these posts. The guy has never cruised before! Ease up.

 

How is he supposed to know he needs to ask for an Amenity Confirmation, he has a TA to take care of things for him and clearly they screwed up. The reason he had a TA is because he's never cruised before and wanted it done right.

 

Suggestions on what they should have done have no value now, if you have suggestions on what he can do now to fix the situations, go for it.

 

5jays, sorry for the people here that assume everyone knows the way cruises work. Hope you have a great time.

[DMParisHoneymoon]

I love some of these posts. The guy has never cruised before! Ease up.

 

How is he supposed to know he needs to ask for an Amenity Confirmation, he has a TA to take care of things for him and clearly they screwed up. The reason he had a TA is because he's never cruised before and wanted it done right.

 

Suggestions on what they should have done have no value now, if you have suggestions on what he can do now to fix the situations, go for it.

 

5jays, sorry for the people here that assume everyone knows the way cruises work. Hope you have a great time.

 

Couldn't agree with you more SuiteCruiser ! Anything that doesn't help the OP and his current situation further along is just noise at this point. Nice to hear from someone level headed:)

[The5jays]

I love some of these posts. The guy has never cruised before! Ease up.

 

How is he supposed to know he needs to ask for an Amenity Confirmation, he has a TA to take care of things for him and clearly they screwed up. The reason he had a TA is because he's never cruised before and wanted it done right.

 

Suggestions on what they should have done have no value now, if you have suggestions on what he can do now to fix the situations, go for it.

 

5jays, sorry for the people here that assume everyone knows the way cruises work. Hope you have a great time.

 

I want to say thank you. You totally get it. Again thank you and we will have a good time. I see you have cruised on the jade before anything you would like to share? I am hoping it will be nice for our first cruise. We so want to become cruisers and this will determine if we will

[electro]

Thank you....

I am down off my soap box, and sucking it up because like I said over and over lesson learned and ho-e other first timers don't ever have this disappointment

 

Why are you willing to suck this up?

Like pp has said, if you have an email from the TA saying that you are booked with included drink package then hold the TA accountable and insist that they provide the drink package.

[Orleanscruiser]

I want to say thank you. You totally get it. Again thank you and we will have a good time. I see you have cruised on the jade before anything you would like to share? I am hoping it will be nice for our first cruise. We so want to become cruisers and this will determine if we will

Hello 5jays

Sorry to hear about your delima , if I understand correctly you have booked a cruise for March 2017 via a TA in your hometown . Ta offered you a package from a third party you mention in post#3 . It looks like you are going nowere with your TA regarding some discrepencie on your booking. May I suggest you contact the third party

 

From the third party website

Question and answer

 

I noticed an issue with my booking. What should I do?

Call us toll-free in Canada 1 866 529-2079 for assistance.

[Laszlo]

You booked and paid in full on December 31 and your local TA didn't give you any booking documents until 2 weeks later? You gave them $3000 and walked out the door/hung up the phone with no confirmation of what you just bought?

 

Crazy isn't it. My wife and I have booked three times with a TA. We have a receipt which shows exactly what we have paid for within an hour of books. Leaving a TA with nothing and then another two weeks go by? That is crazy

 

You need to hold the TA accountable

[bonvoyagie]

Not sure if this is a point or not but this is only a 4 day cruise - do the free at sea perks even apply.

 

It is also a good point that the TA never promised or said that the UBP was a free perk - the OP stated that they wanted it.

 

I think that at least some kind of settlement could be reached between the TA and the OP.

[Ontario cruise duo]

I would never pay $3000.00 (Cdn or US) for a 4 day cruise, including air.

For that price, you should have looked at what a 7 day cruise would cost.

But hindsight is 20/20 and as others have posted, don't purchase the drink package and just pay for the drinks as you order them or take wine onboard and pay the corkage fee. Live and learn, but this is going to be one rather expensive short cruise. Next cruise, research this board more thoroughly and you'll be well prepared for your next cruise. Cruise Critic serves as a wealth of information and I have saved many times over reading and gaining much knowledge here. Nonetheless, enjoy your cruise!

[hawkeyetlse]

Not sure if this is a point or not but this is only a 4 day cruise - do the free at sea perks even apply.

Yes, they do, at the moment. Past versions of the promo have excluded short sailings (less than 5 days) and long sailings (over 16 days), but the current rule, which was also effect in December when the OP booked, is 3+ days.

Suggestions on what they should have done have no value now, if you have suggestions on what he can do now to fix the situations, go for it.

Many people have already made suggestions for fixing the situation, but the OP seems uninterested in pursuing them. As for the "should have" suggestions, they may be of no value to the OP, but at this very moment, thousands of people are booking their first cruise, and if one of them happens upon this thread, they may be able to benefit from some of the information here and avoid finding themselves in the OP's sad situation before it's too late.