Are Prepaid Service Charges & Canceled Port Charges Refundable

[morrisretired]

We just found out that to cancel under the NCL Peace of Mind Policy, everyone in the suite needed to cancel. We talked to our TA about our daughter and her boyfriend canceling under it, because it was a 10-Day Southern Caribbean Cruise out of San Juan. They had already scheduled 2 weeks of vacation for travel and cruise, but couldn't chance being quarantined for 2 more weeks, or longer after getting back home. So, our TA canceled for them about 10 +/- days before the sail date. My wife and I still planned to go on the cruise. The next day NCL canceled all their cruises. So, my wife and I had a choice of a 100% refund, or a 125% refund of the fare paid in the form of a cruise credit. We thought our daughter and her boyfriend would get their refund in a future cruise credit, under the Peace of Mind Policy. I never saw where NCL said everyone in the cabin needed to cancel. Because we would have canceled right along with them! Our TA didn't know anything about it either. Anyway, getting ready to book a cruise for next year, our daughter asked NCL about the future cruise credit. NCL told her that it was all forfeited, because it was in their penalty phase.

 

When the cruise was booked, it was under the 3rd and 4th person sail free. (Guest Fare 0.00)  All they were required to pay was Gov.Tax, Port Exp. / Fees which was $153.05 each. The Epic cruise was sailing March 8-15 which was canceled, returned to San Juan for supplies, and sailed off to Florida. The cruise a week before us was then canceled, and also every cruise after that. Our cruise never embarked at San Juan on the Epic, or made any of their scheduled Ports on our canceled cruise. NCL says the $306.10 was forfeited. So, NCL gets to keep all the fees from a ghost cruise that didn't exist. The prepaid gratuities of $180 each was also paid weeks before our cruise. Our daughter and boyfriend canceled at least 10 days before their scheduled departure date. NCL says that the prepaid gratuities of $360 was also forfeited. Now, NCL says they get to keep their grand total of $666.10 forfeited for their cancellation.       

[emm126]

I have been on many cruises and have cancelled some cruises as well and I have never heard of where a cruise line will not refund your port taxes? Why would the ports  bill NCL for ports they did not go to? Makes no sense. Can they show you in writing where they have this policy?

 

As for the gratuity/service charge it states in their guest contract that you can adjust it at your discretion, if you had sailed you would be able to adjust,  I would tell them you still want that option and adjust it to 0. 

 

Good luck- $700 is a lost to lose. 

[BirdTravels]

1 hour ago, morrisretired said:

We just found out that to cancel under the NCL Peace of Mind Policy, everyone in the suite needed to cancel. We talked to our TA about our daughter and her boyfriend canceling under it, because it was a 10-Day Southern Caribbean Cruise out of San Juan. They had already scheduled 2 weeks of vacation for travel and cruise, but couldn't chance being quarantined for 2 more weeks, or longer after getting back home. So, our TA canceled for them about 10 +/- days before the sail date. My wife and I still planned to go on the cruise. The next day NCL canceled all their cruises. So, my wife and I had a choice of a 100% refund, or a 125% refund of the fare paid in the form of a cruise credit. We thought our daughter and her boyfriend would get their refund in a future cruise credit, under the Peace of Mind Policy. I never saw where NCL said everyone in the cabin needed to cancel. Because we would have canceled right along with them! Our TA didn't know anything about it either. Anyway, getting ready to book a cruise for next year, our daughter asked NCL about the future cruise credit. NCL told her that it was all forfeited, because it was in their penalty phase.

 

When the cruise was booked, it was under the 3rd and 4th person sail free. (Guest Fare 0.00)  All they were required to pay was Gov.Tax, Port Exp. / Fees which was $153.05 each. The Epic cruise was sailing March 8-15 which was canceled, returned to San Juan for supplies, and sailed off to Florida. The cruise a week before us was then canceled, and also every cruise after that. Our cruise never embarked at San Juan on the Epic, or made any of their scheduled Ports on our canceled cruise. NCL says the $306.10 was forfeited. So, NCL gets to keep all the fees from a ghost cruise that didn't exist. The prepaid gratuities of $180 each was also paid weeks before our cruise. Our daughter and boyfriend canceled at least 10 days before their scheduled departure date. NCL says that the prepaid gratuities of $360 was also forfeited. Now, NCL says they get to keep their grand total of $666.10 forfeited for their cancellation.       

At the end of the day, this is your TA fault and they (not you) need to sort it out. NCL should even talk to you since it was booked through a TA.

 

Yes, under the penalty period, you would lose your cruise fare and would need to process an insurance claim for that. But, you should always get your port taxes back in cash. 

 

Again, it's time to get a new TA because they screwed up the cancellation. 

[morrisretired]

Thank you to emm126 and Bird Travels for taking the time to reply. I put the majority of the blame on their travel company.. Our TA asked their Business Development Manager for help, and she said "that she could not do anything on her end." The BDM then connected our TA to NCL Guest Relation, to pursue it further with them. Sounds like the BDM knew they messed up! I said in an email reply to our TA if her company made a mistake, own up to it so we can move on. I agree the TA should handle our problem - and if they won't do anything - we will be finding a new TA real soon. My wife and I are both Platinum Plus Members with NCL  

[Turtles06]

1 hour ago, morrisretired said:

Thank you to emm126 and Bird Travels for taking the time to reply. I put the majority of the blame on their travel company.. Our TA asked their Business Development Manager for help, and she said "that she could not do anything on her end." The BDM then connected our TA to NCL Guest Relation, to pursue it further with them. Sounds like the BDM knew they messed up! I said in an email reply to our TA if her company made a mistake, own up to it so we can move on. I agree the TA should handle our problem - and if they won't do anything - we will be finding a new TA real soon. My wife and I are both Platinum Plus Members with NCL  

 

Agreed, your TA needs to deal with this.

 

I've been assured in the past by my PCC that if we were to cancel a cruise within the penalty phase, we'd get a cash refund of the non-cruise-fare pre-paid items (shorex, gratuities, etc.).  

 

Good luck! 

[morrisretired]

Turtles 06 thank you for replying. I feel the same way, they should have gotten a refund for the prepaid service gratuities, and a refund for the port charges. NCL is charging them for going on a non existent cruise.  

[emm126]

7 hours ago, morrisretired said:

Thank you to emm126 and Bird Travels for taking the time to reply. I put the majority of the blame on their travel company.. Our TA asked their Business Development Manager for help, and she said "that she could not do anything on her end." The BDM then connected our TA to NCL Guest Relation, to pursue it further with them. Sounds like the BDM knew they messed up! I said in an email reply to our TA if her company made a mistake, own up to it so we can move on. I agree the TA should handle our problem - and if they won't do anything - we will be finding a new TA real soon. My wife and I are both Platinum Plus Members with NCL  

I am glad to see you seem to be working toward a resolution. I didn't realize the TA wasn't working on it for you and they absolutely should be. Bottom line though, NCL is keeping money that is not theirs to keep and should be giving it back so I hope you receive the refund soon. Take care.

[morrisretired]

Our TA forwarded me the email she finally got back from NCL." A review of our records indicate a refund in the amount of $666.10, which represents government taxes and services for the canceled guests is currently pending. Due to the high volume of requests at this time, refunds may take up to 90 days to be processed. We are working diligently to ensure we revert to our guests as soon as possible". Our TA came through for us, and restored our faith in her!  

[delaware32]

We were refunded everything and our CruiseNext certificates placed back in our My NCL account .

[esm54687]

9 hours ago, morrisretired said:

Our TA forwarded me the email she finally got back from NCL." A review of our records indicate a refund in the amount of $666.10, which represents government taxes and services for the canceled guests is currently pending. Due to the high volume of requests at this time, refunds may take up to 90 days to be processed. We are working diligently to ensure we revert to our guests as soon as possible". Our TA came through for us, and restored our faith in her!  

Your TA actually didn't come through for you...... these were all due you anyway and it was your TA just fixing her blunder. If you didn't push her, she may never have pursued it..... and I'm sure her BDM was pressuring her on the other side. 

[HokiePoq]

OP, thanks for sharing your experience.   Says to me to put as little $$$ as possible into any future bookings.   We just made a new booking using a future cruise certificate that was ready to expire.    Hopefully we can go, but if not, will only have that to lose.