Bidding on an upgrade. What happens to prepaid service charges.

[ollienbertsmum]

I have an Eastern Med cruise booked 😁😁😁😁😁😁😁 in September.  It is booked from UK so service charges are included.  On the invoice it specifically says "prepaid service charges for all Cat except for Haven and Suites".  

 

I am reasonably happy with my assigned cabin and do not want to pay very much more, but I could be tempted to put in a bid to upgrade.  Does anyone know if the conditions on the prepaid service charges only apply to the original booking.   It seems as if were I  to snag a Haven, I would have to pay the upgrade bid plus the service charges?  That would put me over budget.  I don't want to make a commitment that I am not happy with.  Does anyone have any experience of this?  

 

 

Edited May 18, 2019 by ollienbertsmum
punctuation

[janice2348]

Yes, you would pay the difference in the upgrade service charges.  

[Mike D.]

 

2 hours ago, janice2348 said:

Yes, you would pay the difference in the upgrade service charges.  

I started to question that but, instead actually looked up my bill from a January 2019 Balcony to Haven upgrade on the Breakaway.  Yep, Janice is correct...paid the then $17.50 per day rate.  But I had not prepaid the service charges and I am a US traveler...I don't know if that makes any difference.

 

Not that you asked, but that upgrade has spoiled me more than I already am.  I say go for it.  

 

Either way, enjoy your cruise!

[KeithJenner]

The fact that the OP is booked via UK will almost certainly make a difference. As they booked under all inclusive, there was no DSC charged, so they can't be charged the difference. It isn't that they prepaid it.

 

However, I don't know what the rules were regarding service charges on a suite and now that all inclusive has ended it may be difficult to find out. Hopefully someone who booked a suite using all inclusive can report back their experience.

 

I have to say that I thought all inclusive got rid of the DSC totally, so my guess would be that had they booked a suite it would have still said "prepaid service charge" but with a slightly different wording. In that case I can't see how there could be anything extra to pay.

 

Basically, I'm almost certain that there is no DSC to pay if they upgrade, but I can't say for sure.

Edited May 18, 2019 by KeithJenner

[KeithJenner]

I have just found the T&C's for all inclusive:

 

https://www.ncl.com/uk/en/all-inclusive-terms-uk

 

As I suspected, it states that all bookings include gratuities. As I said before, I suspect that suites just have different wording.

[FLcruisergrl]

For US bookings, you do not pay the difference between regular and suite level service charges if you’ve already prepaid.

[cloud_nine]

We have a suite booked in August and got the service charges included. On the app it says "Free Pre-paid Service Charges for Suites and Haven". So I'm assuming you wouldn't have to pay anything extra.

[ollienbertsmum]

8 hours ago, Mike D. said:

 

Not that you asked, but that upgrade has spoiled me more than I already am.  I say go for it.  

 

Either way, enjoy your cruise!

Hmmm   I know that learning how much more spoiled I could be might  be the risk.  I am so happy with cruising anyway.    I am just 3 years off retirement.  I should be starting to look for ways to enjoy insides so that I can be ready to maximise the number of cruises I go on!!!

[ollienbertsmum]

7 hours ago, KeithJenner said:

I have just found the T&C's for all inclusive:

 

https://www.ncl.com/uk/en/all-inclusive-terms-uk

 

As I suspected, it states that all bookings include gratuities. As I said before, I suspect that suites just have different wording.

Thanks Keith.  I hoped you would answer.  

 

I suspect that the option won't be available anyway.  I tried a mock booking and all suites except family suites are shown 'sold out' on my booking date.  Looking at the prices made me have a serious think.  For DH and I love cruising and trips in general but would not pay double for a better room/service.  I would rather go on two trips.    That is just the way I work.  

 

Happy cruising

[KeithJenner]

6 hours ago, cloud_nine said:

We have a suite booked in August and got the service charges included. On the app it says "Free Pre-paid Service Charges for Suites and Haven". So I'm assuming you wouldn't have to pay anything extra.

That seems to confirm what I was thinking.

[KeithJenner]

Just now, ollienbertsmum said:

Thanks Keith.  I hoped you would answer.  

 

I suspect that the option won't be available anyway.  I tried a mock booking and all suites except family suites are shown 'sold out' on my booking date.  Looking at the prices made me have a serious think.  For DH and I love cruising and trips in general but would not pay double for a better room/service.  I would rather go on two trips.    That is just the way I work.  

 

Happy cruising

My thinking exactly.

 

Have a great one.