Concerned about our Honeymoon on the Escape

[newmexicoNita]

We are getting married on October 12th and then flying to Miami to sail on the Escape 10/14 to the western carribean in a Haven penthouse suite.

 

The reason we chose this as our honeymoon was because a year ago we sailed on the Escape and LOVED the thermal spa. We used it every day and it is what we are looking forward to the most about our honeymoon cruise.

 

We paid for the cruise, flights, and spa passes, and then set our sights on wedding plans.

 

Well last night I sat down and decided to peruse the CC boards, as I occasionally do, and I stumble accross a thread regarding the Thermal Suite being closed for the 10/14 sailing! I couldn't believe it! Not only did they decide to close the spa, but they made no effort to reach out to inform us. When I booked this cruise, I made it very clear to the cruise consultant that the thermal spa was the main reason we were choosing this as our honeymoon.

 

So after breaking the news to my soon-to-be wife, and a slightly tearful discussion, we formulated a plan. This morning i went to work on executing said plan. I contacted Southwest and found out that it would cost approx 100 bucks to change our flights to one week later.

 

I then called my personal cruise consultant at norwegian. I explained everything to him and he was at first surprised that the Spa was closed, and then he couldn't change the reservation. He stated that he needed to reach out to another department via email and would get back to me within about 24 hours.... meanwhile the available suites on the 10/21 sailing are filling up.

 

Now I know that it sounds a bit dramatic. Obviously, you could put us on a deserted island for our honeymoon and we would be greatful to have each other and celebrate our new life together. But I wanted this to be perfect for her. I was going to upgrade our suite to one of the really nice owners suites as a surprise for her.

 

Now I am sitting here waiting to hear back from Norwegian about whether or not I have to fight for a trip I paid almost 5 digits for.

 

I just wanted to share my concerns, maybe some of you have experienced similar things.

 

I will update this thread as soon as I hear something.

Yes, do keep us posted. I will be honest, it is unlikely to put in mildly that they will let you change your dates because of this. In fact it would take a lot to let dates be changed this late. I wish you luck, remember there is more to a cruise than the spa and you can still make the best out of a crappy deal if you try. the downer on this whole thing is you were not notified, you had to read it on CC.

[mjkacmom]

Yes, because people book airplane tickets soley for the tv's. Your logic is terrible.

No it's not, I sincerely doubt most people book cruises just because of the spa, especially since only a very tiny percentage use it. Someone else mentioned the slide on the Gem, so many complained that their cruise was ruined and their kids were damaged because the only reason they booked the cruise was for that lame slide. We were looking forward to seeing Leo, apparently an amazing guitar player, on our Gem cruise. Guess who was on vacation that week?

[kbjb]

No it's not, I sincerely doubt most people book cruises just because of the spa, especially since only a very tiny percentage use it. Someone else mentioned the slide on the Gem, so many complained that their cruise was ruined and their kids were damaged because the only reason they booked the cruise was for that lame slide. We were looking forward to seeing Leo, apparently an amazing guitar player, on our Gem cruise. Guess who was on vacation that week?

 

I don't think anyone said most people book the cruise soley for the spa but some people do as evidenced by this thread and the other one. NCL has a choice to make it right or not for those most upset and affected by it. If they don't make it right people are going to talk and complain about it.

[kbjb]

No it's not, I sincerely doubt most people book cruises just because of the spa, especially since only a very tiny percentage use it. Someone else mentioned the slide on the Gem, so many complained that their cruise was ruined and their kids were damaged because the only reason they booked the cruise was for that lame slide. We were looking forward to seeing Leo, apparently an amazing guitar player, on our Gem cruise. Guess who was on vacation that week?

 

AND, if only such a "very tiny percentage" use the spa and are most upset and affected by the closure then it should be nothing for NCL to make it right for that "very tiny percentage".

[mjkacmom]

I don't think anyone said most people book the cruise soley for the spa but some people do as evidenced by this thread and the other one. NCL has a choice to make it right or not for those most upset and affected by it. If they don't make it right people are going to talk and complain about it.

Do you really think NCL cares? I see you are new here, but there are always folks who want to change cruise dates after final payment for many reason, it does not happen. Think about the thousands of passengers who wanted to take their dream cruise to St. Martin, I bet they'd like to postpone for a few months. When it comes to cruise vacations, the only thing almost guaranteed is getting on the ship. Cruises have had ports changed, eliminated, shortened, days docked at a US port - the spa being closed a week is not going to cause a cruise line to allow a passenger to cancel and rebook (which is how it works).

[kbjb]

Do you really think NCL cares? I see you are new here, but there are always folks who want to change cruise dates after final payment for many reason, it does not happen. Think about the thousands of passengers who wanted to take their dream cruise to St. Martin, I bet they'd like to postpone for a few months. When it comes to cruise vacations, the only thing almost guaranteed is getting on the ship. Cruises have had ports changed, eliminated, shortened, days docked at a US port - the spa being closed a week is not going to cause a cruise line to allow a passenger to cancel and rebook (which is how it works).

 

Being in the business of hospitality NCL should most definitely care. Perhaps you've never worked in the hospitality industry but I have in upper level management roles and perhaps that bias is making me hold them to a higher standard. I know what it's like to write off thousands of dollars for "customer satisfaction" for things completely and 100% out of our control because that is the hospitality industry and customer service.

[mjkacmom]

Being in the business of hospitality NCL should most definitely care. Perhaps you've never worked in the hospitality industry but I have in upper level management roles and perhaps that bias is making me hold them to a higher standard. I know what it's like to write off thousands of dollars for "customer satisfaction" for things completely and 100% out of our control because that is the hospitality industry and customer service.

The cruise industry is different than the hotel industry, it is very rare for them to make exceptions. Your child is diagnosed with cancer and you need to reschedule after final payment? Too bad. They cancel your cruise 10 months in advance and you have a non-refundable hotel booked? Too bad. Your spouse passed away and the services are on the same days as your cruise? Too bad.

[mjkacmom]

AND, if only such a "very tiny percentage" use the spa and are most upset and affected by the closure then it should be nothing for NCL to make it right for that "very tiny percentage".

Because it opens a can of worms, a big can actually, because most would agree that having a complete itinerary change, which thousands have, is worse than a closed spa.

[NLH Arizona]

Because it opens a can of worms, a big can actually, because most would agree that having a complete itinerary change, which thousands have, is worse than a closed spa.

I think this should teach us all a good lesson. If we are only picking a cruise for one thing, then it behooves us to purchase "cancel for any reason" insurance. Paying a little more for insurance will mean that you have the security that you can cancel if you find out that the item will not be available, like in this case.

[josephmz]

I fully understand your disappointment over the spa thing. I also understand that the weeks leading up to a wedding can be very stressful.

 

As someone who will soon celebrate 49 years of marriage, I sincerely hope that this is the only problem you will face as the years go by.

 

At age 73, I can still remember the wonderful details of our honeymoon. I can't recall any bad things, unless you consider my brother-in-laws trashing my car during the reception.

 

My suggestion: Take the refund, book a Mexican beach break in Cozumel. eat, drink, swim, lay in the sun and have a couple of beach massages. Pocket the money you'll

save. I think the memory will be lasting.

 

Have a wonderful wedding!

[Two Wheels Only]

If they don't make it right people are going to talk and complain about it.

How do you define "make it right"?

The TV example was to show that one minor thing being non-operational is not cause for the airline to bend over backwards to make the guest happy. The Spa being unavailable on the ship isn't going to force NCL to bend over backwards for Spa guests.

 

NCL will refund people who paid for access and will probably take something ($200) off of the total for those who booked a spa stateroom. They'll probably throw in some OBC or free specialty dinner or something minor. NCL is not going to give anyone a full refund and NCL (it seems) is not going to let someone change the week of their cruise without penalty.

[kbjb]

How do you define "make it right"?

The TV example was to show that one minor thing being non-operational is not cause for the airline to bend over backwards to make the guest happy. The Spa being unavailable on the ship isn't going to force NCL to bend over backwards for Spa guests.

 

NCL will refund people who paid for access and will probably take something ($200) off of the total for those who booked a spa stateroom. They'll probably throw in some OBC or free specialty dinner or something minor. NCL is not going to give anyone a full refund and NCL (it seems) is not going to let someone change the week of their cruise without penalty.

 

Well as someone who booked a Haven Spa room I sure would like to hear from them. It's now been 5 days since people first started posting on the roll call that NCL was contacting them about this issue. I'm trying to be patient and have yet to place a phone call or email to them first but patience is not my strongest suit.

 

I would like a refund of some sort for booking a spa level room and I'd like some additional compensation for the inconvenience. One can assume that since I booked a spa room I planned to spend a considerable amount of time in there and this really puts a kink in my plans. Would I be satisfied with additional on board credit? Probably. Depends on my mood and how nice the customer service rep is about the whole situation. I'm not a monster. However just because I'll take some additional on board credit doesn't mean everyone else should be satisfied with that. NCL should know that one size does not fit all and being in the service industry should have some sort of tiered compensation. Most companies do and you hope your client bites at the lowest offer but you know they might not always,

[Two Wheels Only]

I would like a refund of some sort for booking a spa level room and I'd like some additional compensation for the inconvenience.

That is perfectly reasonable. NCL should have no problem doing that.

 

However just because I'll take some additional on board credit doesn't mean everyone else should be satisfied with that. NCL should know that one size does not fit all and being in the service industry should have some sort of tiered compensation.

That raises the chance that some will receive more than others which wouldn't be right. If someone expects to be upgraded from an interior to the Haven and won't be happy with anything less, that person won't be happy.

 

A sorry would have been nice. Offering something for my trouble would have been nice. I think that is all most are saying here. Not that complicated to understand.

You're being perfectly reasonable and realistic. Unfortunately, some will want the moon because things didn't go their way.

 

 

The idea of "I want to move my booking to the following week...." will not happen nor should it. If NCL were to cave and do that because of a spa repair, imagine the uproar from people who weren't allowed to move their booking when they had an actual emergency...(see post #57)

[Shell557]

I was told by the rep I spoke with that there would not be any credit for those booked in spa rooms.I mentioned how the cost benefit of the spa being included is a big part of the consideration as to whether to book a spa room the rep literally read a statement about the decision from corporate was to not offer any consideration for those impacted by the spa closure. Or to those that prebooked spa passes. And ps, you can still bid on a Spa Haven room, which would be fine, if there was a message that the spa would be closed.

 

Stuff happens, but recovery matters. At least to me. My attitude about this would be very different if I got any apologetic vibe from NCL, like a room credit or future cruise credit. I would have been happy with a $25 gesture (since I didn't have a spa room, just the prebooked pass). Disappointed, but understanding.

 

And where o where did the other Spa thread go? :-)

[kbjb]

That raises the chance that some will receive more than others which wouldn't be right.

 

This literally happens all the time. People snag better deals than others, people receive preferential treatment from staff over other guests, people get added perks all.the.time. that others don't get. My husband and I just went to a restaurant the other night. They asked if we were celebrating anything and we said our anniversary. We got a free champagne toast and free dessert. I didn't see any of the other guests around us get that. Happens all the time!

[Two Wheels Only]

People snag better deals than others, people receive preferential treatment from staff over other guests, people get added perks all.the.time. that others don't get.

 

In this case, if "Mr. Smith" is booked in a Spa balcony stateroom and "Mr. Jones" is booked in a Spa Mini-suite, I guarantee that "Mr. Jones" would complain if "Mr. Smith" was given a Haven suite and "Mr. Jones" only received a free dinner at Le Bistro. ;p

 

It's great customer service if you're Mr. Smith but Mr. Jones would call it the opposite. IMO, give them both a refund of $200pp (for the lack of spa) and some OBC.....and maybe a sympathetic CS rep. (y)

[NLH Arizona]

Just wondering. Possibly NCL is going to have a letter to those in the Spa cabins at embarkation with some consideration. This is something that the land crew might not be aware of and could be the reason why they are being told not to offer any compensation.

 

Also, as easy as it is to compensate those who bought Spa cabins and those who have purchased a Spa pass, but what are they going to do with those that say "I couldn't purchase on line, because my computer was down, but I want compensation because this was the only reason I am on this cruise"?

[kbjb]

In this case, if "Mr. Smith" is booked in a Spa balcony stateroom and "Mr. Jones" is booked in a Spa Mini-suite, I guarantee that "Mr. Jones" would complain if "Mr. Smith" was given a Haven suite and "Mr. Jones" only received a free dinner at Le Bistro. ;p

 

It's great customer service if you're Mr. Smith but Mr. Jones would call it the opposite. IMO, give them both a refund of $200pp (for the lack of spa) and some OBC.....and maybe a sympathetic CS rep. (y)

 

I'm telling you this happens all the time! Although perhaps not with NCL it may seem.

 

Another example - I was buying skincare products recently and they were offering a free full sized eye cream if you spent $60. So of course I went and spent $60 because I also wanted a free full sized eye cream. When I went to check out it didn't give me the option to choose which eye cream I wanted. I completed my purchase and sent an email off to customer service about it. Turns out I needed to spend $60 before tax for the coupon code to work and I spent - $58! Reading fail on my part. Bummer. However, they said "as a valued customer we will send you the eye cream at no cost". It was $50 and they priority shipped it. Did they have to? No. Was it completely my fault? Of course! I felt like a dummy too but they provided excellent customer service. So as a PSA to all you ladies out there (and gents) if you're looking for a new skin care line check out Origin's. They're awesome!

[Two Wheels Only]

Was it completely my fault? Of course! I felt like a dummy too but they provided excellent customer service.

 

It's nice that they did that but it shouldn't be expected. If your twin sister made the exact same error but she received $200 in products, you wouldn't be satisfied with what you received.

 

That's why (imo) everyone who has lost spa access should receive the same compensation. Some planned to live in the spa while others may have planned to go for 30 minutes a day. Some will be happier with the compensation than others. It's impossible to make everyone happy....unless NCL fixes the Spa between disembarkation and embarkation.

[TonyFred]

It's nice that they did that but it shouldn't be expected. If your twin sister made the exact same error but she received $200 in products, you wouldn't be satisfied with what you received.

 

That's why (imo) everyone who has lost spa access should receive the same compensation. Some planned to live in the spa while others may have planned to go for 30 minutes a day. Some will be happier with the compensation than others. It's impossible to make everyone happy....unless NCL fixes the Spa between disembarkation and embarkation.

 

 

There will be no compensation.They prefer the "tiny percentage" of folks who booked the spa to shut up and go away. While the spa passes ARE STILL ON SALE FOR THIS CRUISE.

I even talked to their tech support yesterday as to why they continue to sell the passes. Customer service told me it was their fault. So after talking to one of their techs, he acknowledged that it is wrong to continue to sell the passes but that is just the way it is.

[Two Wheels Only]

Some may want a dinner, if NCL obliges, fine. NCL is really screwing the pooch on this one!

I suggested OBC because each guest can choose how to use it. Some may want a dinner, some may want a VIBE pass, some may use it towards an excursion, etc. I wonder if anyone would use it towards CruiseNext...:confused:

[raea416]

OMG. Being upset you spent $8k on a honeymoon where you planned to spend a decent amount of your time in the spa only to find out you're unable to because it's closed, only after calling yourself and then not feeling really satisfied with the customer service experience literally has nothing to do with not being grateful about the fact you have potable water. Please direct me to where he said he's ungrateful for four walls and being alive because your "can you just be grateful..." **** is rich. No where did he say he's ungrateful for any of that.

 

 

 

You can simultaneously be devastated for the people affected by hurricanes while donating money to the Red Cross and also upset you spent $8k on something that isn't going to turn out as expected. Your honeymoon no less.

 

 

 

I'm incredibly grateful for my life and what I have but, shocker, I'm annoyed that I have a Haven Spa room and have yet to be contacted by NCL. It's not one way or the other.

 

 

 

Well said.

 

 

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[Cruisingfor40]

Well said.

 

 

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This!!!!!!

 

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[mreitz775@gmail.com]

Hi All.

 

There's not much to update here. There has been no further communication with NCL. My fiance and I have discussed it at length and we both understand that at this point there is really nothing that we can do to change it, they have our money already and they refuse to refund it or push our date back a week for us (despite me offering to pay more for a more expensive suite), so we might as well accept it and move on.

 

We are still getting married on October 12th, we still get to spend a night in Miami on October 13th (a first for us), and we still get to enjoy the food, fun, and each others company for a week on the cruise.

 

The spa was going to be a big, perhaps the biggest, part of our cruise. After all the stress of wedding planning, we were looking forward to spending each day relaxing in the thermal spa together. We will adjust those expectations and it will just be a different sort of honeymoon than what we had originally thought.

 

That said, we will never spend our money on an NCL cruise again. I know that it sounds dramatic, and I know that there are those of you who disagree with my view on this, but to me, I was sold on a product and then after my money was paid, the product was changed, and then the seller refused to accommodate me for the change. This change was not a minor one, it was the main purpose of booking the honeymoon. If they went back and reviewed the original call when it was booked, it would be clear that the spa was the primary reason we were booking.

 

The fact that NCL would not make even the slightest attempt to work with me, even when I offered to pay them MORE MONEY, just leaves a bad taste in my mouth. As a consumer I have the right, perhaps the obligation, to choose not to give my hard earned money to a company that I feel cheated by.

[oneplustwins]

That said, we will never spend our money on an NCL cruise again. I know that it sounds dramatic, and I know that there are those of you who disagree with my view on this, but to me, I was sold on a product and then after my money was paid, the product was changed, and then the seller refused to accommodate me for the change. This change was not a minor one, it was the main purpose of booking the honeymoon. If they went back and reviewed the original call when it was booked, it would be clear that the spa was the primary reason we were booking.

I don't think your decision to stay away from NCL in the future sounds dramatic at all, in fact I feel you have every right to be upset at how badly NCL handled this situation. Congrats on your wedding and have fun on your cruise!!