Beware of NCL Cruise Next certificates

[mariocira]

My wife  and I, both Saphire members of NCL, booked an 11-day cruise starting on 0ct 2, 2023 from Quebec City and ending in Baltimore on Oct. 13, 2023. To book the cruise, we used two of our three CruiseNext certificates, of $250 each. 

We were forced to cancel the cruise on Sept. 27, 2023, after our daughter in Holland was diagnosed with breast cancer. At the time of cancellation, we were told that our two certificates would be returned to our account. We were insured. Had we not been informed by NCL, rightly or wrongly, that the Cruisenext certificates would be credited back to us, we would have claimed them from the insurer. However, relying on its assurances, we did not. The insurance company paid our claim, but since we did not include the value of the CruiseNext certificates, they were not repaid to us.

Checking our account for another trip, we found out  that the two Cruisenext certificates had NOT been returned to our account.

On December 28, 2023, we wrote to Cruisenext about this matter. On that same date we received an automated response from Cruisenext, which a assigned a case number to my claim, and stated: "We appreciate your patience as we work hard to get back to you as soon as possible. Please note, due to the high volume of inquiries, our response may take up to 3-5 business days". 

Since I had not heard from them by January 3, I sent another email to Cruisenext inquiring about the status of my case. I received another automated response, saying that they would take  "up to 3-5 business days" to respond. By January 19, we had received no response, so we wrote again, referencing again our case number. All we got was the same automated response.

On February 15 we again inquired about our case. This time we did not even received the automated response.

As Saphire Latitude memters  we have traveled extensively with NCL.. We cannot understand why NCL and Crtuisenext have not responded to our repeated inquiries, and they are treating us so unfairly and shabbily. Tp those who have Cruisenext certificates, beware. Do not fall in the same trap we fell.

Mario & Cira Pabon

 

[macewank]

You owed more than those two deposits were worth canceling that close to sail so they wouldn't have been refunded. 

 

Lame that they told you they would be 😞

[julig22]

Had they owed you anything in the way of a refund, yes the certificates would have been returned to your account. But you were in full penalty when you cancelled.

You should be able to amend your insurance claim.

[ready2cruzagain]

You can try to file an amended claim with the insurance but don't be surprised if your insurance does not pay for the CN. Some travel insurance companies do not insure certificates or gift cards.

Edited February 19 by ready2cruzagain

[bluesea777]

When we had to cancel our July 2019 cruise a week before the sailing date due to severe medical complications we just gave the amount we wanted to claim .... after all the port fees, taxes, excursions, DSCs, gratuities were refunded to us. The amount consisted of the cruise fares less the insurance. 

 

We had paid the cruise using two CNs valued $250 each (but had paid $250 for both), and when we got the claim back the $500 was included, not $250. 

 

Bottom line, when you cancel the cruise you claim the full value of the cruise fare, not the value less the CNs. 

 

You get your CNs back if you cancel the cruise before the final payment due date, but not after the due date where you lose the deposit that was paid by the CNs.

 

 

[G-DawgMN]

1 hour ago, mariocira said:

 

On February 15 we again inquired about our case. This time we did not even received the automated response.

As Saphire Latitude memters  we have traveled extensively with NCL.. We cannot understand why NCL and Crtuisenext have not responded to our repeated inquiries, and they are treating us so unfairly and shabbily. Tp those who have Cruisenext certificates, beware. Do not fall in the same trap we fell.

Mario & Cira Pabon

 

 

 

 I'm sorry that you had to cancel your cruise. I don't think you fell into a trap, you failed to read the terms of how the certificates work and that they wouldn't be refunded after final payment.

  Since you have insurance why not amend your claim so that you're made whole? 

[mariocira]

33 minutes ago, KSSS2013 said:

 

 

 I'm sorry that you had to cancel your cruise. I don't think you fell into a trap, you failed to read the terms of how the certificates work and that they wouldn't be refunded after final payment.

  Since you have insurance why not amend your claim so that you're made whole? 

We were informed by NCL that the certificates would be refunded.

[mariocira]

1 hour ago, macewank said:

You owed more than those two deposits were worth canceling that close to sail so they wouldn't have been refunded. 

 

Lame that they told you they would be 😞

They said the certificates would be refunded. I trusted them. I cannot amend the insurance claim, since the payment by the insurer was already made.

[mariocira]

35 minutes ago, KSSS2013 said:

 

 

 I'm sorry that you had to cancel your cruise. I don't think you fell into a trap, you failed to read the terms of how the certificates work and that they wouldn't be refunded after final payment.

  Since you have insurance why not amend your claim so that you're made whole? 

 

Just now, mariocira said:

They said the certificates would be refunded. I trusted them. I cannot amend the insurance claim, since the payment by the insurer was already made.

 

Just now, mariocira said:

They said the certificates would be refunded. I trusted them. I cannot amend the insurance claim, since the payment by the insurer was already made.

And if they were not refundable, at the very least I would expect a response from Cruisenext or NCL

[julig22]

3 minutes ago, mariocira said:

We were informed by NCL that the certificates would be refunded.

The person who took your cancellation request has no authority to promise a refund that isn't due. They may have misspoke, you may have misunderstood what they said. If you were due a refund, your certificates would have been returned. But certificates don't give you any cancellation protection, not sure why you would think otherwise.

[G-DawgMN]

Just now, mariocira said:

 

 

And if they were not refundable, at the very least I would expect a response from Cruisenext or NCL

 

 But they clearly made a mistake. Contact your insurance.

 

  It's right here in the terms that as a Sapphire level cruiser you should be well aware of. It states that your payment (CruiseNext) is subject to the same terms as a normal payment, IE, penalty after final payment.

 

  https://www.ncl.com/ca/en/about/terms-and-conditions/promotions

 

1. To cancel a reservation made with a Credit, submit your request in accordance with Norwegian Cruise Line cancellation policies and procedures. Once a Credit is applied to a reservation, it is subject to the same cancellation policy, rules and regulations (which can be found on your reservation confirmation) as any other payment made for that reservation. If refundable, any Credit applied to a cancelled reservation will be refunded back to the guest Latitudes Rewards account minus any cancellation fees.

 

[Yesimapirate]

I hate to be one of those people who jumps on the OP for a customer service issue but there are some big red flags here to me. Starting with Dec 28th to January 3rd is is 2 or 3 business days, depending if we count the full day on the 3rd.  Why is someone so impatient during a holiday week that they don't even wait the time range offered for a response?  Especially 2 months after the cruise?  I could be wrong but it just sounds strange to me and makes me feel there's far more to the story.

 

Nonetheless,  I hope your daughter is doing well and on the road to recovery.   That's far more important than any amount of money. 

[SeaShark]

The interesting question for the Cruise Critics out there who always seem to only want to pay $125 for a $250 CN (since that is what they actually paid for it) is this: Would the OP file the amended claim for the $500 lost in the two CNs, or should they only file an amended claims for the $250 that they actually paid?

[hallux]

@SeaShark the value of the certificates if they're returned is $500, that is what I would file for...

[macewank]

28 minutes ago, SeaShark said:

The interesting question for the Cruise Critics out there who always seem to only want to pay $125 for a $250 CN (since that is what they actually paid for it) is this: Would the OP file the amended claim for the $500 lost in the two CNs, or should they only file an amended claims for the $250 that they actually paid?

$500 .   They could've spent the OBC on something else (and many do)

[mariocira]

34 minutes ago, Yesimapirate said:

I hate to be one of those people who jumps on the OP for a customer service issue but there are some big red flags here to me. Starting with Dec 28th to January 3rd is is 2 or 3 business days, depending if we count the full day on the 3rd.  Why is someone so impatient during a holiday week that they don't even wait the time range offered for a response?  Especially 2 months after the cruise?  I could be wrong but it just sounds strange to me and makes me feel there's far more to the story.

 

Nonetheless,  I hope your daughter is doing well and on the road to recovery.   That's far more important than any amount of money. 

You seem to enjoy reading beyond the story, so here it is. We cancelled before the cruise, on September of 2023. Our daughter lives in Holland, so we left immediately to be with her. When we called NCL, the agent informed us that our Cruisenext certificates would be returned to us. We were in shock with the news, and it never occurred to us to check if the agent was telling us the correct information. Maybe you would have checked, maybe you would not have been affected as we were, but we didn't; we relied on the information given to us. I hope you never have to undergo having to leave immediately to deal with your child's cancer.

After our return to the States, we realized that the certificates had not been returned to us. We wrote to NCL, and to this day they have not answered, despite our repeated queries. Even if the first follow-up inquiry was on January 3rd, and even if for argument's sake that was too quick, since then more than 5 business days have transpired, wouldn't you agree?

We expected a response from Cruisenext, as it promised in its email it would do. We are still waiting for it. Maybe, if you worked for NCL or Cruisenext, your response would count for something. It does not. 

[SeaShark]

10 minutes ago, hallux said:

@SeaShark the value of the certificates if they're returned is $500, that is what I would file for...

 

4 minutes ago, macewank said:

$500 .   They could've spent the OBC on something else (and many do)

 

There you go...full value it is. I expect you to feel the same way if and when someone wants to sell two certificates. Since they are worth $500, you should pay $500 for them...regardless of what the seller of the CNs would have paid.

[G-DawgMN]

2 minutes ago, mariocira said:

You seem to enjoy reading beyond the story, so here it is. We cancelled before the cruise, on September of 2023. Our daughter lives in Holland, so we left immediately to be with her. When we called NCL, the agent informed us that our Cruisenext certificates would be returned to us. We were in shock with the news, and it never occurred to us to check if the agent was telling us the correct information. Maybe you would have checked, maybe you would not have been affected as we were, but we didn't; we relied on the information given to us. I hope you never have to undergo having to leave immediately to deal with your child's cancer.

After our return to the States, we realized that the certificates had not been returned to us. We wrote to NCL, and to this day they have not answered, despite our repeated queries. Even if the first follow-up inquiry was on January 3rd, and even if for argument's sake that was too quick, since then more than 5 business days have transpired, wouldn't you agree?

We expected a response from Cruisenext, as it promised in its email it would do. We are still waiting for it. Maybe, if you worked for NCL or Cruisenext, your response would count for something. It does not. 

 I’m still confused why you just don’t amend your insurance claim. NCL made an error. They don’t owe you a dime. Insurance is your remedy. 
  My sympathies for what you had to go through but you at least had the foresight to have insurance. 

[julig22]

5 minutes ago, mariocira said:

When we called NCL, the agent informed us that our Cruisenext certificates would be returned to us.

They made a blanket statement regarding how refunds are handled. Did they also say that they would refund any FARE refunds to the original payment method - which they did not refund either, since you were at 100% penalty. Did they also happen to mention that you were at 100% penalty and would not get any refund on your cruise fare?

 

If they had refunded the add-ons (taxes, gratuities, excursions) back in the form of your certificates (which they have done in the past) would you have considered yourself whole or be questioning why you didn't get those refunds, over and above the certificates.

 

Yes, NCL should respond - but you're out of gas regarding your claim that they should return your certificates.

[hallux]

49 minutes ago, SeaShark said:

 

 

There you go...full value it is. I expect you to feel the same way if and when someone wants to sell two certificates. Since they are worth $500, you should pay $500 for them...regardless of what the seller of the CNs would have paid.

No, that's different. 

 

In the case of the OP, or anyone else losing the certificate because they used it to put a deposit on a cruise they cancelled, they attempted to get the full value of the certificate from its intended use. 

 

In the case of selling, the seller is trying to at least recover SOME of the money paid to buy them as they've decided they have no ability or desire to use them, and the intent of selling the certificates to someone else is to help them save even a little bit on a future cruise while the seller also doesn't lose any out of pocket money on the transaction.

 

If the seller of the CN's didn't understand the promo and 'used' the OBC given when buying the CND, that's on them, not on the buyer.  I have two $250 certificates on my account right now, with a net cost to me of $125 each, I could sell them for $150 each, get a little extra and the buyer is still getting a savings of $200, a win for both of us.

[macewank]

1 hour ago, SeaShark said:

 

 

There you go...full value it is. I expect you to feel the same way if and when someone wants to sell two certificates. Since they are worth $500, you should pay $500 for them...regardless of what the seller of the CNs would have paid.

 

Completely different. If I was looking to pay full price for a CN/CF deposit I'd buy direct. 

[macewank]

Also what even is the market for those certs now that they don't expire?

[reeinaz]

8 minutes ago, macewank said:

Also what even is the market for those certs now that they don't expire?

The people who have certificates but have also vowed never to sail with NCL again

[macewank]

3 hours ago, reeinaz said:

The people who have certificates but have also vowed never to sail with NCL again

 

Exactly. I'd surely hope people in that situation don't expect to get full price. They have zero leverage in the deal.

[gizfish]

OP, speak with a supervisor at NCL and have them locate and listen to the tape of the call where their agent told you the certs were refundable.