NCL does not honor its fares!!

[Lotteryfan]

Something is definately wrong with the NCL web site. Now, while looking up information for a cruise in October either on the Spirit, the Dawn, or the Crown, I get the same page responses:

 

Type: OBJECT

Message:

CF Error Code:

Error Code: 19999

Text: Ship Inventory Server Error: "Initialization or Termination in progress"

ResID: -249007055

Method: VoyageSearch

Alt. Message ID: 0

Alt. Message:

Category: OPERATION

 

I got the same response when looking up infor for the next month.

Comments:

[newmexicoNita]

I am out the $100 that I deposited for airfare. I cannot cancel unless I want to lose the $100...which I might. I never had any issues with Princess or Carnival and should probably just stick with those lines.

What more can be said to make you understand mistakes do happen. Do you think NCL is the only line that has had computer glitches? Did you think about using a TA? I have cruised over 20 times and never had anything like this happen. I did, just yesterday find a rate that wasn't quite actuate on anther line. I was surprised when I called and got the entire story. I won't go into detail as it would not interest you anyway, but I had 2 choices; I could hold 2 cabins, one for myself and one for another couple or just forget it> I choose to hold the cabins. What does being out $100 have to do with NCL? NMnita

[cruizinwithkids]

Some small compensation would not have been too much to ask for as NCL pays more for advertising than it would cost to give these people some kind of break.

 

But where does it end? Should the person who was told she couldn't bring soda and water on board be compensated when she gets on board and others have it?

 

Should non-smokers be compensated for having to endure the smoke of others?

 

Maybe I should be compensated because even though I'm at a gold latitudes status I have never been offered an upgrade or an upsell. Aren't I ENTITLED?

 

I think the problem is so many people are looking for something for nothing.

[Notaveragelady]

Lots of cliches come to mind like 'if it seems too good to be true it probably isn't'. But, that being said: Lot's of companies make mistakes on posted prices. Every Sunday in the paper you can find 'erratas' about prices appearing in the sales circulars. Some merchants honor mistakes in published prices, often only as long as it can take them to get out a correction.... like United did with their $5 air fares a couple of years ago. Other merchants don't honor mistakes, unless state law mandates it. I deal with customers and customer service all day long. Often time, both the consumer and the CSR end up getting 'an attitude' because the customer demands what they feel they are entitled to, and the CSR knows she can't oblige that customer. And then the spiraling bad attitudes on both sides can escalate.

 

If the booked fare isn't what is acceptable, cancel. Look for other options. While you can condemn the whole organization based on one experience, you can't expect everyone else will see it your way. Customer satisfaction is never perfect. On either side.

[7SeasLover]

It's probably how each person perceives things. If you buy clothing at a store and it's stained the merchant usually offers a discount. If something is incorrectly marked in a store, the merchant usually honors that price. If a car in auto trader is marked at 2800 instead of 28000 the merchant is not going to honor the printed price.

 

There are so many instances that can be told for either direction. I guess had I been online and had this happen I would have been excited, but when I was told it was a computer glitch or an eroneous price, I would not have fought and demanded that it be honored.

 

Different strokes for different folks. I still stand by my thought that in cases such as these, the person will ultimately get whatever it is they deserve. If I book a suite for X $$ and find my neigbor in an identical suite got theirs for XX $$, I am not going to go screaming and crying that they got a better deal. I bought what I wanted at the time and I was happy with it.

 

What irks me is souvenirs! I hate to buy something in one port for $10 and find it in another port for $3! Arrrrgh! That's life.

 

OP, I do hope you get whatever it is you deserve whether it's an upgrade, an OBC, or nothing. Best of luck to you.

[davidvc04]

FYI, j/k means just kidding.

 

I hope you get it sorted out Newlyweds. My advice is be careful what you see online and ask lots of questions from a person before booking anything.

[SailAways]

Why in the world would someone have saved a screen shot of pricing in the first place?????????????:confused:

[7SeasLover]

Like Monica saving the dress???

[shoreguy]

Why in the world would someone have saved a screen shot of pricing in the first place?????????????:confused:

 

 

Who knows but I hope they post it - I for one would like to see it and if in fact it details airfare, NCF, Tax, cruise fare I will contact everyone I know to help.

 

Newlyweds28 if you can't post it or upload it to webshots email a copy to me. My email address is below

[filomene]

I have had many negative run ins with NCL Customer Service. They have great ships and crews and the Freestyle Concept is fantastic, but they have THE ABSOLUTE WORST customer service department in the world! It really needs addressed because I feel it does hurt their image big time!

 

Check out this thread to see my story:http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=330949

 

Basically, we were moved by NCL from the cabins that we initially had to the same catagory of cabin down the hall. The big difference is that the new cabins were not connecting! I made the mistake of not checking my documents again before sending in final payment and so we were stuck. It took two letters to Colin Veitch, President of NCL, plus phone calls from my TA to most of the exectutives at NCL, and lobbying by many regular members of Cruise Critic (including Shoreguy and Host Cecilia) to get a change. Finally, about 10 days ago, (two weeks before the cruise which leaves Saturday), NCL came through and were able to come up with not only two connecting cabins in the same catagory, but a third cabin next door for the grandparents. The funny thing was that our new cabins are three doors from where we started out originally! It all worked out.

 

The secret, I must say was two fold: 1.) constant lobbying through phone calls and emails and 2.) (and most important) Be polite and don't ask for more than you are rightfully due. I never asked for a FREE upgrade (more later) and I also simply stated my case over and over again.

 

My one experience with their website also ended in them lying however. I went to NCL's website to search for possible connecting rooms for my family. I found them, one was an AF catagory, which is what our catagory was but it was connected to an AB catagory, which would be an upgrade. I never asked for the AB upgrade for free but we were interested in possibly paying the difference in order to move into connecting cabins. I don't know if NCL thought we were after something for free but every time my TA called about the AB/AF connecting, she was told that there were no AB's available, even though I had just found it online an hour before and it was still there after she called me back! After she confronted NCL with the website issue, she was told by an NCL rep: "the website is not always accurate, it is a couple days behind because it is not updated all the time." The NCL regulars on this board quickly exposed that lie and provided proof that the website is instantaneous. Again, I'm not sure why they did, but it was evident that NCL LIED about the website and the open rooms.

 

My father had a run in with NCL customer service on the phone back in 2002. He was put on hold for 30 minutes waiting for someone. The person never came to the phone so dad called back the next day and was put on hold for 90 minutes. (he had speaker phone, so he went about his business while listening to the hold.) When someone did come on, they seemed surprised that Dad was still there and now the guy dad needed to talk to was "out to lunch." (at 10:30 a.m. by the way.....)

 

There also was the story on here about the lady who was told by NCL customer service that she could not open the doors between balconies on the Star. Funny, I have been on the Star twice and have had my balcony doors open........

 

As far as your whole situation, yes that price is way too cheap to be accurate for a Hawaii cruise but NCL did post that price on their website, mistake or not. Most companies that I know will honor a price when a mistake has been made. (and also high tail it to fix the problem or pull that cruise off the boards until it can be fixed.) My sister in law was just at JC Penney's the other day and the scanner rang up the price of an item at about half of what it was. She mentioned it to the clerk (my sister in law is so hones), and the clerk say, "Oh my, that has to be fixed" and called the Manager over. The Manager came over and told my sister in law that because it was a mistake in their software, she gets the item for the price it rang up and also gave her 10% off her entire purchase for being honest.

 

It has been my experience that any good company honors their mistakes. It sounds as if you are not threatening them, but only what is right. They should give you the cabin at that price, but if not, at least an upgrade or on board credit should be in order. You are right and NCL is wrong in this case.

 

I would continue to call them and, while being polite, keep asking to go higher in the food chain at NCL. Write an email to Colin Veitch. Just keep stating the facts and being polite but not threatening.

 

You have my support!

 

Keystone Cruiser

 

I must say that I fully approve your attitude. Politeness is always a must. However, when a business makes a mistake they MUST take responsability for it and honor the price presented to the consumer. Those are the laws in Canada. Are the consumer laws in the US so different ?

[JLC@SD]

I am out the $100 that I deposited for airfare. I cannot cancel unless I want to lose the $100...which I might. I never had any issues with Princess or Carnival and should probably just stick with those lines.

Stick with them until they make a mistake.......and when they turn down your demand to honor their mistake........you can go to............lets see, you can go tooooooo............uh, go tooooooo..........:confused:

[pengu1n]

In trying to book my cruise on the Spirit & checking for prices, I had the same thing happening, also. It's just a glitch in the works, but if you go forward to get the final price, the airfare gets added in & what looked like a fantastic price suddenly becomes the same price as everyone else has.

 

Michelle, you may as well forfeit your $100 and book elsewhere. While no one wants to waste $100, you also don't want to have a miserable cruise. You are already so angry at NCL that unless you can see that the mistake was yours and not theirs, you will not enjoy the cruise. You will spend your time looking for other ways to prove that they lie or are trying to cheat you.

[garycarla]

The customer finds a trip, agrees to the pricing and books it.

 

Later she finds what looks like the same thing at a lower price. Can not get it because of a computer glitch and now wants them to give her the $$ difference anyways.

 

Mistakes happen.

 

As to the person that says in Canada that the LAW requires a merchant to honor prices no matter what, I might suggest doing a bit of research. You might find there are exceptions to this law, otherwise business's would go under. Could you imagine what would happen if the local Ford newspaper ad said "Brand new F150 $2,990" (instead of $29,900)? Misprint and computer mistakes HAPPEN.

[MrLee]

Why in the world would someone have saved a screen shot of pricing in the first place?????????????:confused:

 

Well, actually, I do that if I see a discount on my cruise. I then send it to my TA in hopes of getting the same deal. :o So far it's worked out for me.

[KeystoneCruiser]

I was just at the local Kroger Supermarket and a large sign in the window caught my eye and reminded me of this thread:

 

"Scan Rite Guarantee: If our computer scanners ring up a wrong price for an item, please point it out an you will receive the item(s) for free PLUS a coupon for $10 off your next shopping visit. Our mistake is your gain."

(the fine print then went on to say that the mistake had to be pointed out within 48 hours.)

 

Sounds like NCL could take a lesson from Kroger in customer service.

 

 

and as for printing the price page from the internet....smart idea!! Now she has the proof she needs to validate her arguement. I'm sorry, but I believe the OP deserves something in this case. (either the cruise at that price, a free upgrade or an onboard credit.) It was NCL's mistake.

[ialacruiser]

As someone else pointed out earlier, having a screen shot of something is not proof of anything. A screen shot can be doctored by even the most basic computer user. You can alter a screen shot in Microsoft Paint. I can send you a screen shot that says a cruise costs $1.00. I'm not saying that the OP did this or intended to do this, but I would not expect NCL to accept a screen shot as solid proof of anything. If this OP had booked the cruise and had a confirmation number showing the price posted online, that would be proof of the rate they saw--and they would probably be more likely to get that rate. Just taking a screen shot of a page that shows a price, in my opinion, is not enough for NCL to drop everything and give you a discount.

[SailAways]

Well, actually, I do that if I see a discount on my cruise. I then send it to my TA in hopes of getting the same deal. :o So far it's worked out for me.

 

You undoubtedly have obtained the entire itinerary, and fees - total which you send to your TA. Now, I know a new trick too.

 

If the OP could cut and paste the saved page and post it here, it would be interesting to see exactly what was included as far as fare, taxes, port fees, airfare, etc.

 

 

 

.

[shoreguy]

I was just at the local Kroger Supermarket and a large sign in the window caught my eye and reminded me of this thread:

 

"Scan Rite Guarantee: If our computer scanners ring up a wrong price for an item, please point it out an you will receive the item(s) for free PLUS a coupon for $10 off your next shopping visit. Our mistake is your gain."

(the fine print then went on to say that the mistake had to be pointed out within 48 hours.)

 

Sounds like NCL could take a lesson from Kroger in customer service.

 

 

and as for printing the price page from the internet....smart idea!! Now she has the proof she needs to validate her arguement. I'm sorry, but I believe the OP deserves something in this case. (either the cruise at that price, a free upgrade or an onboard credit.) It was NCL's mistake.

 

I agree with he comparison if the system (like the scanner) accepted the wrong price and allowed the transaction case closed OP gets the rate.

 

Keystone go to the booking engine, select POAM with air for 2. You will get the same price listed (cruise only) as OP on the first summary page of available categories. If you click on the price for detail it will show the total cost with air. If you select a cat, and a cabin, and try to book it will show the total price with air.

 

If you think that summary page constitutes an offer then every email or add I get for cruises should honor the starting at $399:)

 

I offer again - have the OP post or email the detailed pricing screen shot that says it includes air, NCF. taxes, Ins. And we all will help get that offer honored.

 

From that page - top of page not a footnote

 

Please select a stateroom category to continue. Pricing is in USD and is the initial price quote per person based on double occupancy unless single pricing was originally requested. This quote is preliminary and only includes applicable cruise fares. Additional guest fares, charges for features, and taxes will be added to your final price based upon your selections in the shopping process.

[newmexicoNita]

I was just at the local Kroger Supermarket and a large sign in the window caught my eye and reminded me of this thread:

 

"Scan Rite Guarantee: If our computer scanners ring up a wrong price for an item, please point it out an you will receive the item(s) for free PLUS a coupon for $10 off your next shopping visit. Our mistake is your gain."

(the fine print then went on to say that the mistake had to be pointed out within 48 hours.)

 

Sounds like NCL could take a lesson from Kroger in customer service.

 

 

and as for printing the price page from the internet....smart idea!! Now she has the proof she needs to validate her arguement. I'm sorry, but I believe the OP deserves something in this case. (either the cruise at that price, a free upgrade or an onboard credit.) It was NCL's mistake.

A mistake in scanning a $2.00 item is a little different. I still do not think she deserves anything. She got an apology, she wouldn't let it die, she knew the offer couldn't be true. It is a very different thing. NMNIta

[garycarla]

Well, actually, I do that if I see a discount on my cruise. I then send it to my TA in hopes of getting the same deal. :o So far it's worked out for me.

 

It works if the pricing exists. In this case, it appears it did not and your TA would not be able to help, other than to explain it was an error.

 

Actually reminds me of a quote I got from a TA for a cruise and when I went to book it she realized it was a misquote. I did not expect her to honor it, but I did take my business elsewhere.

[Host CMLA]

and as for printing the price page from the internet....smart idea!! Now she has the proof she needs to validate her arguement. I'm sorry, but I believe the OP deserves something in this case. (either the cruise at that price, a free upgrade or an onboard credit.) It was NCL's mistake.

What exactly was the mistake? The OP did not continue with the booking online to secure the price so what she was seeing was preliminary. The price the OP saw was mid booking. Let's say I go online to rent a car. I get a screen with the price with the car I've selected. When I click to confirm the car, that's when the true price comes up with the fees, etc. So should I be able to go back the confirmation page and print that out and call and demand that price minus all the taxes, fees, etc? Just like the OP, I was in mid process of booking a car and saw the price.

 

And what do you think the OP deserves? I think the OP deserves an apology which was given. How does this equate to something for nothing? I really want to understand. Is it just because there's a glitch? There was an error that was caught pretty quick and NCL apologized for it. But they're supposed to then discount something hundreds of dollars anyway when the price seen wasn't at the booking stage? The OP could not book this rate online or on the phone so how is that a rate the OP could have gotten? It just doesn't make sense to me. Sure, if the OP had continued online and booked this trip at that price then been told it was wrong then OK...the OP deserves something. But the OP called and found out pretty quick that the price was wrong. I don't see how that equates to free stuff. It warrants an apology which the OP got. The OP isn't out anything because of this. I'm sorry but I don't get it.

[Newlyweds28]

Well I obviously did not expect this kind of response on my thread. I did not expect everyone to see it MY way, I just wanted to get what happened to me out there so that someone else did not have the same thing happen to them and be on hold for a week.

 

Here are my responses to what I have seen on this board:

 

* Anytime a company makes a pricing error that I have run across, they have honored the price; NCL may not make any money off the sale of MY cabin, but they would certainly make money off of everyone else's cabins...so a loss in ONE cabin would not lead to the bankruptcy of the company. They also would make money off of me on-board AND on the positive referrals I would have given. I AM NOT SAYING THAT THEY HAD TO HONOR THAT PRICE.

 

* When I was told that I could not have that price...I understood. HOWEVER, I was told that I would be receiving an upgrade...which I was later told I would not. I think one upgrade would have been the least they could do for all the time I spent on the phone while they were trying to figure the whole mess out. I dont think that is asking for something for nothing...it was offered, I accepted, and then it was not approved.

 

* When I said that NCL has poor customer service, it is because of the disregard and disrespect that Harmony treated me with. It was like she was WAY too busy to talk to me and she was trying to get me off the phone as soon as possible. She would not let me talk to anyone else or give me the name of someone I could write to. The other sales people I talked to were very nice and helpful. In addition, nobody had put any notes in my history...so the agents had no idea that I had even been talking with Ivy. I think that is very unusual for a company with so many different people who could answer the phone.

 

* I pointed out a huge problem in their website giving wrong amounts. Ivy admitted it was a problem that e-commerce is NOW trying to fix. If I had just thought "oh, it's too good to be true", someone else would have come around and done the same thing I did. They are now trying to fix the problem so that the website gives correct prices. If nobody points out the error, NCL would have just kept going about their daily business without knowing it was a problem.

 

I don't mind that most people on this board disagree with me. I am glad all of your experiences with NCL have been good ones. I hope that mine can turn around to become a good one. I LOVE cruising and would like to try out more than just Princess and Carnival.

[Host CMLA]

Well I obviously did not expect this kind of response on my thread. I did not expect everyone to see it MY way, I just wanted to get what happened to me out there so that someone else did not have the same thing happen to them and be on hold for a week.

I don't mind that most people on this board disagree with me. I am glad all of your experiences with NCL have been good ones. I hope that mine can turn around to become a good one. I LOVE cruising and would like to try out more than just Princess and Carnival.

I think most people have a problem with you demanding compensation and you calling the CS rep a liar when she tried to help you but it was denied. I can see how you might have been upset when you initially posted but now you've returned and changed the tone of your post and it seems like you're saying now that you never expected anything and you were just putting the information out there for everyone else's benefit. If you had just been trying to make sure other people were aware of this error, most of the members would have thanked you for pointing this out. Now it's coming across different.

[garycarla]

Well written response Michelle.

 

Personally, I hope you still have a great cruise. Some of us may have gotten carried away here. If you really read some of the comments they actually were against other posters in many cases vs. you.

 

Again, an excellent and civil response Michelle.

[dwrist]

;)

I just answered on another thread (NCL Customer service).

Thought it would be appropriate for this thread.:)