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True or False? Maybe Lose Cabin to Get $600 Lower Price now available!

love2relax

By love2relax,
in Norwegian Cruise Line

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love2relax

love2relax

Posted
Posted

After doing a search and reading many other threads, I am beginning to suspect that my TA is not telling me the truth. I booked through a TA many months ago, and reserved the exact BA cabin that I wanted from what was available at the time. Now, a month before final payment is due, I found (on the NCL website) that the total price is over $600 less than what I booked it for! I had never seen a price drop for any cruise I was on where my cabin category was left over...so I was thrilled. After playing phone tag for two days, the Customer Service Department for the TA tells me that in order to get the price reduction, NCL says I will have to cancel my reservation, get a refund of my deposit, and then rebook...which will take about 48 hours. My cabin would go back into inventory, and anyone can book it during that time, which means that most likely I will not be able to get it. There are many BAs still available, but none have the extended balcony that mine does...and I know it won't last if it gets put out there. Then I read all of these threads where people say that NCL simply will adjust your price. I don't want to lose my cabin. That's why I booked so early in the first place. I can't really call NCL Customer Service because the last time I tried to do that for another cruise (to buy an upgrade) they told me that I would have to go through my TA. They wouldn't even talk to me....so I learned my lesson. I am SO frustrated. I don't want to lose the bigger balcony and the port-side cabin (but is it worth $600 extra)? I am beginning to wonder if the TA is telling me the truth. This is the first time I have used them..and they come highly recommended. I'm just feeling a little suspicious at the moment. What do you think? Is this the truth? It doesn't sound like anyone else's experience before final payment is due...:rolleyes:

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melika091900

melika091900

Posted
Posted

to me it sounds suspicious..

just last week, i called NCL, ( i booked with them directly) about my 200$ off coupon i mailed into them,, they said well you have a latitudes discount so you cant use it, then they told me i have to change my fare to a leadership fare which was 100 difference then i can use the coupon.. they did it for me and we saved 100 ,,,, and it worked out...

i know that changing dates and rooms is ok,, but if the price drops they are suppose to honor that... and change it,, NOT MAKE YOU cancel and re book, that doenst make sense at all... and if you do that and you used a credit card, it could take up to 10days to get the money back, and then you rebook it..

sounds like your TA isnt doing their job.. they need to get it changed for you .. that has happened to us 2 times before,, we booked through expedia and orbitz and both times the price dropped before final payment and i called them and they took care of it,,

600 is worth changing for sure... even if the balcony isnt extended, at least its still a balcony,, think of what you can buy with that 600 :)

let us know what happens,, and good luck,,,

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love2relax

love2relax

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I think I'm going to try to call NCL myself again. Maybe I can get someone sympathtic to talk to me. I hate to think that I can't trust the TA....but I want to find out now, because I have another NCL cruise booked with them too...(although it is for Alaska, and it already is pretty much sold-out). They have been used by many CC's, so I want to believe they are telling me the truth.

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beau4

beau4

Posted
Posted

It doesn't sound right at all.I would suggest setting up a 3 way call so you can be on the phone with the TA and NCL and try to get this straightened out.

Good luck and keep us posted.

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LoveH20

LoveH20

Posted
Posted

I also suggest you try the three way call or calling NCL directly. Your TA is lying to you. My TA reduced my price 3 times before final payment without every releasing my cabin. As a matter of fact, it only took about 5 minutes each time. I held while she called NCL and had the price reduced.

 

Good luck

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CruiseDiva1

CruiseDiva1

Posted
Posted

I will be leaving on 3/26 sailing on the Norwegian Dawn. When I booked my cabin 12 months ago, I booked it at the going rate at that time. About 6 months into the booking the price of my BA cabin went down $400.00. Since it was before final payment I called my TA and she in turned contacted NCL for the rate adjustment. I received a check from NCL in a mere 3 weeks. I did not have to cancel my reservation to get this adjustment. You need to tell your TA to call NCL and get this adjustment taken care of. No need to cancel and rebook. Never heard of such a thing. NCL is very accommodating as long as it is before final payment. After final payment nothing will be able to be done. Good Luck and keep on your TA's back.

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Host CMLA

Host CMLA

Posted
Posted

The only thing I can think of is the price NCL is offering is for NEW BOOKINGS ONLY. So to get the new price you have to cancel and rebook to be considered a new booking.

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Mooshmellow

Mooshmellow

Posted
Posted

We too had our price reduced before final payment without having to cancel and rebook. Our TA did it without a problem. I would suggest calling NCL, explain your issue with the agent, and suggest that they call the agent and hook you all into a three way call and make the adjustment that way. Ours simply appeared as a lower final amount due. Did not need a payment sent to us, they just credited against the amount still owed. I know NCL can do this three-way call because it has happened that way for upsells before.

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shoreguy

shoreguy

Posted
Posted
The only thing I can think of is the price NCL is offering is for NEW BOOKINGS ONLY. So to get the new price you have to cancel and rebook to be considered a new booking.

 

That is normally the case. I have done this and gotten my old cabin back. There is a risk since it will go back in inventory. The question is the $600 worth the risk.

 

With a little work and a three way call as suggested they should be able to recover the cabin quickly reducing the risk. They completed mine in about 15 minutes. The NCL rep had to make a call to get the cabin back in inventory after I canceled it.

 

You may have to pay a second deposit and wait for the normal refund process to credit your account.

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Cruisegoer

Cruisegoer

Posted
Posted

okay, I've had a similar experience to this to get a reduced rate but keep my cabin....your choices are:

 

1) NCL can take on your reservation, you do have to get your current TA to agree though. You may have to pay a "cancellation fee" to your current TA, but at least then they're out of your hair. Once NCL has your reservation I'm sure they can adjust your rate a bit more fairly.

 

2) Book a new reservation thru NCL or whatever TA will give you the new rate, it can be a guarantee or cabin #. Then proceed to cancel your existing reservation...in about 24 hours start calling your TA to see if your cabin is available again. You may have to call 6 times a day but you would hopefully get it back.

 

I would vote for option 1 but I had to pursue with option 2 ultimately. Luckily my booking was months away when this all happened that I didn't have a ton of people jumping on my cabin.

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shannon92494

shannon92494

Posted
Posted

We are booked on the Crown to Bermuda in August. The rate went down $300 in December and I contacted the TA and they refared it to the lower rate without changing the cabin. The following week the rate went down another $200 and they again refared the rate. The insurance company even issued a credit for the reduction of the premium based on the lower rate for the cruise.

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newmexicoNita

newmexicoNita

Posted
Posted

Unless there is a restriction that says the rate is for new bookings only there is no reason why you have to cancel and rebook. If the rate is for new bookings, which often is the case that is a different story. As for going to NCL directly, probably this will not work as the booking technically belongs to your agent. Yes, you can cancel and re-book but most likely you will not get the same cabin. It might be a guarantee cabin or whatever. The cabin you are holding now will go back into the inventory. I know it seems like you should be able to get it back spontaneously (spelling as usual) but remember you are trying to book at the same time as thousands of others. Just about a month ago something similare happened to me: a few cabins avail at a certain price, I said, ok, let's do it and I will hold cabin xXXX, before the agent at the cruise line could enter the hold the cabin was gone. No matter, it will be worth it to you to save that much money. Good luck and keep us informed. NMNita ps don't assume your TA is not being up front: it does sound a little suspecious, but it might be on the up and up.

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Jeanne S

Jeanne S

Posted
Posted
Isn't that what I said? Hmmm...
\

 

 

Shoreguy gave you credit in a previous post:

 

 

Today, 02:05 PM

shoreguy

10,000+ Club Join Date: Jun 2003

Location: Chester, NJ

Posts: 10,885

 

 

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Host Cecilia

The only thing I can think of is the price NCL is offering is for NEW BOOKINGS ONLY. So to get the new price you have to cancel and rebook to be considered a new booking.

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jaxon41

jaxon41

Posted
Posted

Question for all you savvy folks -- when you talk about a price going down, are you talking about the price as listed on NCL's site, or on other sites. I didn't pay the NCL site price. Are the prices on those sites honored by NCL?

I had never heard of upsell until this line's site -- I just saw, on a site other than NCL's, a good price on an upgrade from a balcony to a suite -- should I check with NCL to see what the increased cost would be,or use travelocity where I booked the cruise. Should I monitor travelocity for price reductions on my cruise? Thanks

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love2relax

love2relax

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  • Author
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Ok everyone. Here is the update. The cheaper rate was not for a GTY cabin. It took two customer service reps, and the manager to somehow work it out with NCL. I don't know why they made it so difficult for me! I originally paid a cheaper rate for airfare when I booked. The new rate charges more for the airfare, but less for the cabin, which still meant less money out of my pocket. I never use cruiseline airfare...but I simply could not find any alternative that was cheaper. I had to agree to take whatever flight they give me: I can't make any changes to the flight, but, I got to keep my cabin! How bad could it be. I'm flying to Hawaii from California. It's not like they'll give me a non-direct flight! It may be at a horrible time of day, but if it's the middle of the night; it would be better for me anyhow as far as fighting the traffic to get there. Somehow, after all of the talk between the TA's and NCL, they agreed to not cancel my cabin, so no new deposit...and no losing the cabin. Yeah! I am so relieved...and even though this is my first time with the TA, it won't be my last. I have booked online, with TA's and with the cruiselines directly...but I feel that this agent didn't give up this time until I was happy. Hurrah for them.

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