Encore to replace the Bliss for 2021 Alaska Cruises?

[timber.cruiser]

I have a primary package fee of $7300!?!  On my new Encore Alaska cruise, bringing the total to over $17k for the week. Ha-Ha. The NCL rep I called said mistakes were made in transferring everyone from the Bliss to Encore. I wished her a pleasant day, she'll need it.

[Jonslola]

My cabin changed to a different deck. My TA called and on the Encore the cabin is a higher category than it was on the Bliss so I would have to pay more, I said no thank you! Our original cabin was on deck 8 (Waterfront deck) now we are on 11. Eh, if that's the worse thing that happens to me today I really can't complain! 

[SSFun]

I think I'm just going to wait this out until sometime next week. We are not that picky about dining times, we can go early, late, or anywhere in between. It's not like there aren't snacks to be had between meals. 🤣 I will book excursions, shows, etc. then as well. I can't imagine how difficult this is on the poor NCL reps answering the phone and on on chat. I am guessing that his was some type of computer error and none of them are responsible for the issues. Like others have said, I will just be ecstatic to be able to set foot onboard a ship and view the beautiful scenery Alaska has to offer.  

[coastcat]

20 minutes ago, redsox1584 said:

i just logged into my NCL account and the payment due is correct. The service charges are showing the $15.50 a day as well.  

Is it possible to request a room change? My new room is all the way forward and my old room was very convenient to the elevators

Give NCL a call, it shouldn’t be any different than moving your cabin location on any other cruise. 
 

Looks like my sailing info has been corrected - itinerary in place, excursions listed, the proper service charge showing, etc. 

 

Still no Thermal Suite available, though. 

Edited June 3, 2021 by coastcat

[redsox1584]

1 minute ago, coastcat said:

Give NCL a call, it shouldn’t be any different than moving your cabin location on any other cruise. 

I think I will wait till next week to call them...I’m sure they are dealing with enough right now with all the pricing and invoice errors.

[coastcat]

1 minute ago, redsox1584 said:

I think I will wait till next week to call them...I’m sure they are dealing with enough right now with all the pricing and invoice errors.

I don’t know, the rep might appreciate getting an easy request today!

[SSFun]

1 hour ago, 4 cruisers said:

Our aft penthouse no longer has the large balcony we had on the Bliss!  I think we are cancelling!😡

How do you know the size of your new balcony?

[aubreyc1988]

still no alaska cruises on ncl website for 2021??? 

[CaptainWoody]

6 hours ago, Mintgreen said:

Received my updated confirmation today, got moved to a different room. They also added a charge for something that was included before. So check carefully!

Could you share more details?  How much?  What description?

[graphicguy]

1 hour ago, aubreyc1988 said:

still no alaska cruises on ncl website for 2021??? 

Well....that's disturbing.  Man...why does it feel like they're rudderless with their "re-start" to cruising?  

[CaptainWoody]

We have two reservations on an October sailing.  Received updated confirmations for each, no further explanations (not needed, since I already knew all about this from this thread).  No change to the financials on either one.  We don't prepay service charges, so avoided that SNAFU (why do people prepay them anyways?).  One stayed in the exact same room (a studio).  The other moved up two decks, so that it's now on the same deck as the observation lounge.  I like that!  It looks like smooth sailing for us... 😎

[Cruiseaholic07]

Spoke to NCL and TA. Ncl said the Encore is still a go (as of now), and that they are switching things around in the system (bliss to encore?).  TA said same as others, we were charged more, it appears our discounts fell off during the transfer, but she was ensured they will be fixed, and that we won't be paying for anything extra.  As for our room, it is exactly the same

[ziggyuk]

28 minutes ago, CaptainWoody said:

Why do people prepay them anyways?

 

I don't anymore but have in the past to lock in the cost at booking to avoid the annual (April?) price increase.

[coastcat]

36 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

Well....that's disturbing.  Man...why does it feel like they're rudderless with their "re-start" to cruising?  

FWIW, it can take a while for systems to catch up. I had booked on Mariner of the Seas for next January; RC did a redeployment which required moving everyone on a bunch of sailings. It took a few weeks before my replacement booking looked correct - the dates were wrong, the ports were mismatched, and all I could do is wait until the system settled down. Meanwhile, Princess’s Medallion app still thinks I’m on an Alaska cruise that they cancelled earlier this year and refuses to display the new Alaska cruise (website shows the correct info, at least).

 

Ah, fun with technology. I do NOT miss working in tech support…

[graphicguy]

Seriously, I do wish things go as planned for those who are on any 2021 Alaska sailing.  I've been where you guys are....more than once.  But, NCL is showing NO BOOKINGS available for ANY Alaska cruise until May of 2022....a year from now.

[CaptainWoody]

4 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

Seriously, I do wish things go as planned for those who are on any 2021 Alaska sailing.  I've been where you guys are....more than once.  But, NCL is showing NO BOOKINGS available for ANY Alaska cruise until May of 2022....a year from now.

Are you suggesting that this should bother us?  Many/most of us just received updated confirmations showing the Encore sailings.  Just to point out the obvious, a "confirmation" exists to "confirm" that our trip is happening.  NCL's website has never been all that great.  It's more of a marketing tool than a travel management tool.

[TerryNJon]

11 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

Seriously, I do wish things go as planned for those who are on any 2021 Alaska sailing.  I've been where you guys are....more than once.  But, NCL is showing NO BOOKINGS available for ANY Alaska cruise until May of 2022....a year from now.

Makes sense to me that they would suspend bookings until all of the existing passengers are transferred. I bet they come back in a day or two.

[graphicguy]

Just now, CaptainWoody said:

Are you suggesting that this should bother us?  Many/most of us just received updated confirmations showing the Encore sailings.  Just to point out the obvious, a "confirmation" exists to "confirm" that our trip is happening.  NCL's website has never been all that great.  It's more of a marketing tool than a travel management tool.

No....not at all.  Matter of fact, I'm empathetic, given some here are refugees from the Joy and Gem to the Bliss and now, allegedly, the Encore.

 

I've had a number of cancelled sailings (complete with confirmations and strong assurances that my cruises would sail) and the same thing happened (cruise disappeared from their WEB site), I'm just sending up a "caution" balloon.  I hope those with a 2021 Alaska booking are indeed going to sail.  

 

And, no disagreement about NCL's WEB site.  

 

Best of luck!

[CaptainWoody]

7 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

I've had a number of cancelled sailings (complete with confirmations and strong assurances that my cruises would sail) and the same thing happened (cruise disappeared from their WEB site), I'm just sending up a "caution" balloon.  I hope those with a 2021 Alaska booking are indeed going to sail.  

 

Yep.  A lot of us have seen/experienced the same thing.  This time feels much different, mainly because we know what's going on with the ship change, plus the fact that the CDC is now playing ball and the legislation was passed to remove Canada from the equation. 😎 

 

My guess is that with the pricing problems being reported, they wanted to remove the ability for folks to rebook while NCL fixes their original prices.  If my new cruise confirmation had shown a large price increase, the first thing I would do is go onto the website and create a new booking "just in case."  That wouldn't help NCL get these ships booked up at all.

[RaftingJeremy]

1 hour ago, ziggyuk said:

 

I don't anymore but have in the past to lock in the cost at booking to avoid the annual (April?) price increase.

I don’t understand why you wouldn’t want to pre pay them?

[graphicguy]

21 minutes ago, CaptainWoody said:

Yep.  A lot of us have seen/experienced the same thing.  This time feels much different, mainly because we know what's going on with the ship change, plus the fact that the CDC is now playing ball and the legislation was passed to remove Canada from the equation. 😎 

 

My guess is that with the pricing problems being reported, they wanted to remove the ability for folks to rebook while NCL fixes their original prices.  If my new cruise confirmation had shown a large price increase, the first thing I would do is go onto the website and create a new booking "just in case."  That wouldn't help NCL get these ships booked up at all.

Makes sense to me.  Good luck!

[CaptainWoody]

1 hour ago, RaftingJeremy said:

I don’t understand why you wouldn’t want to pre pay them?

Do you pay for your entire cruise at time of booking or do just just pay the required deposit?

[RaftingJeremy]

27 minutes ago, CaptainWoody said:

Do you pay for your entire cruise at time of booking or do just just pay the required deposit?

Depends, but I like to.  I don’t see how that means anything.  

[brianz09]

5 hours ago, aubreyc1988 said:

still no alaska cruises on ncl website for 2021??? 

I'm seeing that, err, not seeing that too. I attempted to book the Aug 7 Alaska on Bliss last night and it showed all categories sold out.  After finding out about the ship swap this afternoon, I looked again to book on Encore, and nada.

[ziggyuk]

2 hours ago, RaftingJeremy said:

I don’t understand why you wouldn’t want to pre pay them?

 

As I say I would normally pre-pay but right now cruising is such a mess I would rather it was added to my room account to pay onboard if I ever get onboard a ship. I pay nothing up front I don't need to right now.
When things return to normal I'm sure I will return to pre paying.