Urgent: cabin changed on Jade before sailing to cabin under gym :(

[Cosmopolitan]

If that is the case the TA certainly aren't admitting it - and with NCL not prepared to discuss the matter how can I get to the bottom of it - other than knocking on people's doors on the cruise... which I'd rather not do.

 

Go after your TA...they booked the cruise for you. Good Luck;)

[Ms belp]

You are right to be upset.:(

 

People posted while I was trying to be funny. This situation would make me so mad. I would be on the phone with my travel agent and NCL the first thing in the morning. What you are experiencing is unacceptable. I know this post will probably get deleted, but can you give us a hint (quickly) and tell us what TA has given you such awful service?

 

I'm so sorry. But you are still marrying the love of your life, right? That will make everything all better!

[Jana]

 

YES the booking was made via an online travel agent through their website (which has live cabin updates from NCL). One of the big selling points is that NCL reservations themselves actually take the deposit and final amount from the credit card, NOT the TA. I know this as I have the credit card bill in front of me.

I repeat, the Deposit and final payment were both charged to my card by NCL reservations, NOT the TA, hence my frustration with NCL's attitude.

 

If it were me, I'd be LIVID. So I too am with you here. I mean I'd be just FUMING!

 

But, what you need to understand, is that NCL or the cruise line, any line, is the one who takes the deposit and full payment from your card always. The travel agent doesn't bill your card, the agent presents it to the cruise line to bill. So while they took your money, they are still not able to talk to you.

 

That's the key, and what Cosmo was trying to tell you: They CANNOT talk to you! You have an agency relationship and the agency "owns" your booking and the cruise line simply is prohibited from talking to you!

 

Sometimes an agent is worth his or her weight in gold, sometimes not. This time it's unfortunately not. For what it's worth, I would bet that your agent didn't make the change, but also was not advised by NCL when the change was made. Still, they are the only ones who can go to bat for you, and if I were you, I'd beg and plead with them to do it. Big time. Just tell them that you expect them to represent you and (even if it's impossible) that you will stay on the phone with them until you either have a suitable minisuite or an upgrade.

 

Good luck!

 

Jana

[Travel Angel]

I'm not trying to split hairs here; however you aren't wholly understanding what I've said.

 

YES the booking was made via an online travel agent through their website (which has live cabin updates from NCL). One of the big selling points is that NCL reservations themselves actually take the deposit and final amount from the credit card, NOT the TA. I know this as I have the credit card bill in front of me.

I repeat, the Deposit and final payment were both charged to my card by NCL reservations, NOT the TA, hence my frustration with NCL's attitude.

 

Rather then get into a dispute of who "Owns" the booking... simple fact is that when you booked with the online agency you booked with, they technically own the booking and speak for their client to the cruiseline (NCL in this case) on their behalf and the cruiseline WILL NOT SPEAK WITH THE PASSENGER regarding the booking. Despite your belief that NCL made the charge to your c.card is a mute point as you provided that info to the travel agency who in turn relayed that info to the cruiseline ON YOUR BEHALF.

 

To your issue of stateroom being moved without your "Consent".....that is a whole different issue and should be addressed with a 3 way call between YOU, YOUR ONLINE AGENT's SUPERVISOR and an NCL SUPERVISOR to see what occured. By doing this, you are hearing everything from NCL's point of view and the travel agent as well. If you originally had booked a "Guarantee" category stateroom and were finally assigned the alleged stateroom, there is always a chance that the stateroom assigned (and you printed your luggage tags, etc. in advance, based on the assignment at the time you printed) CAN BE CHANGED UP UNTIL THE TIME OF EMBARKATION. If however you had pre selected a SPECIFIC stateroom at time of booking, then this is where the 3 way call will come into play.

 

No one can say why the stateroom was changed, and you have just reason to be disappointed for certain, and at minimum, NCL (or possibly the TA if their error) owes you some type of compensation for the error i.e. shipboard credit.

 

Please let us know how this comes out if you take my suggestion for the 3 way call and hopefully whatever the outcome, you will still go in with a positive attitude... IT'S YOUR HONEYMOON !!! Congrats :D

[firsttimers78]

If it were me, I'd be LIVID. So I too am with you here. I mean I'd be just FUMING!

 

But, what you need to understand, is that NCL or the cruise line, any line, is the one who takes the deposit and full payment from your card always. The travel agent doesn't bill your card, the agent presents it to the cruise line to bill. So while they took your money, they are still not able to talk to you.

 

That's the key, and what Cosmo was trying to tell you: They CANNOT talk to you! You have an agency relationship and the agency "owns" your booking and the cruise line simply is prohibited from talking to you!

 

Sometimes an agent is worth his or her weight in gold, sometimes not. This time it's unfortunately not. For what it's worth, I would bet that your agent didn't make the change, but also was not advised by NCL when the change was made. Still, they are the only ones who can go to bat for you, and if I were you, I'd beg and plead with them to do it. Big time. Just tell them that you expect them to represent you and (even if it's impossible) that you will stay on the phone with them until you either have a suitable minisuite or an upgrade.

 

Good luck!

 

Jana

Thanks.

 

In fairness to the agent in question, they are batting for me it seems and have spent significant time with NCL on the phone trying to get a suitable minisuite or upgrade - but it seems NCL are dragging their heels. The guy I've been dealing with at the travel agent seems nice and I have no reason to disbelieve him other than my nervousness at being half way around the world from him (I'm in UK, TA is in Miami, FL).

[Ms belp]

To love, honor, and cherish. From this day forward. For richer and for poorer, in sickness and in health, till death us do part. That's the important part. The rest is just gravy!:) :)

[firsttimers78]

<snip>

 

To your issue of stateroom being moved without your "Consent".....that is a whole different issue and should be addressed with a 3 way call between YOU, YOUR ONLINE AGENT's SUPERVISOR and an NCL SUPERVISOR to see what occured. By doing this, you are hearing everything from NCL's point of view and the travel agent as well. If you originally had booked a "Guarantee" category stateroom and were finally assigned the alleged stateroom, there is always a chance that the stateroom assigned (and you printed your luggage tags, etc. in advance, based on the assignment at the time you printed) CAN BE CHANGED UP UNTIL THE TIME OF EMBARKATION. If however you had pre selected a SPECIFIC stateroom at time of booking, then this is where the 3 way call will come into play.

 

No one can say why the stateroom was changed, and you have just reason to be disappointed for certain, and at minimum, NCL (or possibly the TA if their error) owes you some type of compensation for the error i.e. shipboard credit.

 

Please let us know how this comes out if you take my suggestion for the 3 way call and hopefully whatever the outcome, you will still go in with a positive attitude... IT'S YOUR HONEYMOON !!! Congrats :D

 

Thanks. I guess the law seems different in the US to the UK - here the party taking your payment would be the contracted party, and so most of your redress would ultimately be with them. This situation does seem a bit weird to me - what would happen if my TA went out of business, who would own my booking then??? - but anyhow.

 

I will try the 3way call suggestion - that would certainly help it seems.

I definitely did not book a GTY room - none of the paperwork I have anywhere says GTY - everything has always had the specific room number from the start.

 

Does anyone know if you have a GTY room is it indicated anywhere on the EDOCS or NCL portal website?

[Jana]

If you chose your room on initial booking you did not have a guarantee.

 

Someone took liberties with your booking and they need to fix it.

 

Do you know who your agent is talking to? If they are just talking to the reservation center they will get nowhere. They have to either talk to their own sales person (first) or deep into corporate customer service.

 

Getting a supervisor involved is a good idea.

 

Best, best best of luck!!!

 

Jana

[Travel Angel]

Thanks. I guess the law seems different in the US to the UK - here the party taking your payment would be the contracted party, and so most of your redress would ultimately be with them. This situation does seem a bit weird to me - what would happen if my TA went out of business, who would own my booking then??? - but anyhow.

 

I will try the 3way call suggestion - that would certainly help it seems.

I definitely did not book a GTY room - none of the paperwork I have anywhere says GTY - everything has always had the specific room number from the start.

 

Does anyone know if you have a GTY room is it indicated anywhere on the EDOCS or NCL portal website?

 

 

Glad to help (if I actually did any good for ya ! :D)....If you have specific paperwork from the TA and that paperwork IS FROM NCL, you have the evidence needed to get somewhere with his......if the paperwork you have is not directly from NCL, than the issue may be the agency you booked with (unless they can provide you a copy of the res. fax from NCL, which I suspect they will just NOT happen to have for convenience !). If you had a "Guarantee stateroom" and no stateroom was assigned, your edocs would either say "GTY" or "TBA"......

 

Please keep us posted and if you have the paperwork to verify the "screw up"... you have a good leg to stand on and should get some type of compensation for this whole mess !

[Jana]

Thanks. I guess the law seems different in the US to the UK - here the party taking your payment would be the contracted party, and so most of your redress would ultimately be with them. This situation does seem a bit weird to me - what would happen if my TA went out of business, who would own my booking then??? - but anyhow.

 

 

I forgot to answer this. The US method protects you. If your TA went out of business, the agency relationship dies. Since the cruise line has taken your money, you're protected; your cruise is paid up!

 

BUT... that said, there have been heartbreaking stories of agencies (less than honorable agencies, I should say) that have billed the cards, never turned in the money, and have left travelers stranded and out thousands and thousands with the agents nowhere to be found. It often happens with group bookings when the payments come in at a scattershot pace but the agency wants to make only one payment.

 

Jana

[Ms belp]

If you chose your room on initial booking you did not have a guarantee.

 

Someone took liberties with your booking and they need to fix it.

 

Do you know who your agent is talking to? If they are just talking to the reservation center they will get nowhere. They have to either talk to their own sales person (first) or deep into corporate customer service.

 

Getting a supervisor involved is a good idea.

 

Best, best best of luck!!!

 

Jana

 

Yes, get a supervisor involved! Jana is right, you need to get this resolved as soon as possible. Still, have a wonderful honeymoon cruise, no matter the outcome!

[Growler]

Are you sure (from the cabin numbers) that they haven't upgraded you to a suite? Looking at the deck plans it appears that there are a number of suites 'under they gym' but without knowing both the cabin numbers (original and changed) it's impossible to be certain.....

 

Just a thought - I usually think the best of everyone, and given it's your honeymoon, I wouldn't be surprised if someone decided to 'surprise' you!

 

Whatever happens, I hope you get it sorted one way or another, and don't have the stress to deal with on your wedding day.

 

Actually - since your cruise is tomorrow, you probably won't see this until you get back!

[Travel Angel]

If you chose your room on initial booking you did not have a guarantee.

 

Someone took liberties with your booking and they need to fix it.

 

Do you know who your agent is talking to? If they are just talking to the reservation center they will get nowhere. They have to either talk to their own sales person (first) or deep into corporate customer service.

 

Getting a supervisor involved is a good idea.

 

Best, best best of luck!!!

 

Jana

 

The key here is for the OP to get a hold of the fax or email of the ORIGINAL booking confirmation that NCL provided to the online agency....that is where he has something to work with if in fact it shows that the specific stateroom was really assigned at time of booking. If it shows no stateroom assigned at tht time of booking, then the issues lies between the OP and the agency misleading him or covering their tracks !

[Travel Angel]

BUT... that said, there have been heartbreaking stories of agencies (less than honorable agencies, I should say) that have billed the cards, never turned in the money, and have left travelers stranded and out thousands and thousands with the agents nowhere to be found. It often happens with group bookings when the payments come in at a scattershot pace but the agency wants to make only one payment.

 

Jana

 

By all means, NEVER work with an agency that bills your c.card to their office.... all charges on any c.card should be made direct to the cruiseline. If you ever see on your receipt or c.card statememnt that the charge was made to xyz agency, cancel immediately and either find another reputible agency or book direct with the cruiseline !!! I personally would ask the agency you are booking with, how their payment method procedure is to the cruiseline when booking your cruise.

[firsttimers78]

Glad to help (if I actually did any good for ya ! :D)....If you have specific paperwork from the TA and that paperwork IS FROM NCL, you have the evidence needed to get somewhere with his......if the paperwork you have is not directly from NCL, than the issue may be the agency you booked with (unless they can provide you a copy of the res. fax from NCL, which I suspect they will just NOT happen to have for convenience !). If you had a "Guarantee stateroom" and no stateroom was assigned, your edocs would either say "GTY" or "TBA"......

 

Please keep us posted and if you have the paperwork to verify the "screw up"... you have a good leg to stand on and should get some type of compensation for this whole mess !

 

I have PDFS of the whole booking process at the TA's website, plus the web confirmation from NCL of the original room (NCL "view my booking" page from Nov 2007), plus paper copies of the edocs downloaded 2 months ago from NCL that clearly state my original room number. If I download Edocs today they state the new number... I think I have enough paper to prove my claim to my room!

 

If I don't manage to get this resolved before boarding, any suggestions on what to do / who to contact - this is my first cruise and I don't want to get thrown in the hole! (or similar)... :-p

[Travel Angel]

I have PDFS of the whole booking process at the TA's website, plus the web confirmation from NCL of the original room (NCL "view my booking" page from Nov 2007), plus paper copies of the edocs downloaded 2 months ago from NCL that clearly state my original room number. If I download Edocs today they state the new number... I think I have enough paper to prove my claim to my room!

 

If I don't manage to get this resolved before boarding, any suggestions on what to do / who to contact - this is my first cruise and I don't want to get thrown in the hole! (or similar)... :-p

 

Great that you have the documentation for verification.....what was the original stateroom # and what was it changed to ? I can't recall the ship you are on, but happy to look at deck plan and give personal advice of what the positives and or negatives ther are between the two !

 

Such short time here before your cruise and when you board the ship, I dont think you will get much satisfaction from anyone on the ship as they will be completely in the dark on this and probably give you the standard "We will have to contact the main office" response.

[Ms belp]

Wow! I never thought of this.:o Now I'm frightened. Since I have no input, I'm not sure about anything except that we booked with an on-line agency?:confused:

[Jana]

The key here is for the OP to get a hold of the fax or email of the ORIGINAL booking confirmation that NCL provided to the online agency....that is where he has something to work with if in fact it shows that the specific stateroom was really assigned at time of booking. If it shows no stateroom assigned at tht time of booking, then the issues lies between the OP and the agency misleading him or covering their tracks !

 

Hi Curtis,

 

I had read all of his comments so I knew that he had documentation of the cabin he had booked.

 

If I don't manage to get this resolved before boarding, any suggestions on what to do / who to contact - this is my first cruise and I don't want to get thrown in the hole! (or similar)... :-p

 

I had actually responded with a long answer but got the delay and no posting, grrrr. So I'll give you the short version.

 

Curtis might be right but I'm preferring to take a more positive attitude. If this isn't resolved before you board, go to the Hotel Director and ask for help. Remember, be nice, be calm, and say you want "help." People love to try to help. Explain the situation with your paper in hand. Be nice! Be calm! (It probably wouldn't hurt if your bride burst into tears, LOL.)

 

If they cannot or will not help you, allow yourself to be aggravated only until the muster drill. Be really aggravated, get it out of your system. After the muster drill, your cruise and your honeymoon officially starts. As Ms. Belp said, enjoy it. This is a crappy turn of events but it isn't the worst thing that can happen. And then when you get back home you can deal with it. But you'll be on your honeymoon on a glorious cruise and you will have a fabulous time despite what has happened.

 

Jana

[Jana]

Wow! I never thought of this.:o Now I'm frightened. Since I have no input, I'm not sure about anything except that we booked with an on-line agency?:confused:

 

Call your agency during business hours and ask them to put "NO ROOM CHANGES OR UPGRADES WITHOUT PASSENGER CONSENT" into your reservation, and then ask them to e-mail or fax it to you to prove they really did it.

 

That should work! And I agree, I'd be frightened too!

[Travel Angel]

Hi Curtis,

 

I had read all of his comments so I knew that he had documentation of the cabin he had booked.

 

 

 

I had actually responded with a long answer but got the delay and no posting, grrrr. So I'll give you the short version.

 

Curtis might be right but I'm preferring to take a more positive attitude. If this isn't resolved before you board, go to the Hotel Director and ask for help. Remember, be nice, be calm, and say you want "help." People love to try to help. Explain the situation with your paper in hand. Be nice! Be calm! (It probably wouldn't hurt if your bride burst into tears, LOL.)

 

If they cannot or will not help you, allow yourself to be aggravated only until the muster drill. Be really aggravated, get it out of your system. After the muster drill, your cruise and your honeymoon officially starts. As Ms. Belp said, enjoy it. This is a crappy turn of events but it isn't the worst thing that can happen. And then when you get back home you can deal with it. But you'll be on your honeymoon on a glorious cruise and you will have a fabulous time despite what has happened.

 

Jana

 

Gotta Love AOL and their servers at this time of the a.m......I too agree to go in with a positive attitude.... a bad day at sea is better than a good day at work and to be on a honeymoon even makes the worst case scenario the best ! Enjoy the memories of your cruise... the special time with your new spouse and if nothing gets resolved when you board, just take care of it when you return. But a good idea to at least go to the pursers desk and plead your case so it will be noted in the history of your cruise.

[Travel Angel]

Call your agency during business hours and ask them to put "NO ROOM CHANGES OR UPGRADES WITHOUT PASSENGER CONSENT" into your reservation, and then ask them to e-mail or fax it to you to prove they really did it.

 

That should work! And I agree, I'd be frightened too!

 

Although this is a good idea in theory, NCL is the WORST when it comes to issues just like this. They are quick to play the "Blame Game" to anyone they can redirect the blame towards ! You can request this no change w/out consent all you like, but I have had issues with NCL in the past for our clients under this similar type of situation in the past even after notating the booking regarding complimentary upgrades or room changes without being notified after they occured w/out permission from client or our office !

[Jana]

Although this is a good idea in theory, NCL is the WORST when it comes to issues just like this.

 

So I have heard from other agents and passengers on this board. But if nothing else, if it can't protect them, it does leave a paper trail. And it just might make someone think twice before moving them, right?

 

Jana

[G'ma]

I disagree a bit on the "only the TA can fix this" - at the end of the day NCL reservations actually took the payment from me, I'm travelling on an NCL ship, so in such a dire situation they could at least tell me what is going on? Surely that is a matter of courtesy to a customer who has paid them a significant amount of cash?

 

At the point we did the booking we chose an actual cabin, and all the way through the information was for that cabin (down to the edocs which include cruise ticket with that cabin number) - with no mention anywhere on the NCL site or edocs afterwards of GTY booking - so I'm pretty certain it wasn't a GTY cabin.

 

NCL will not interfere with a Travel Agent booking under any circumstances other than the agency closing or if the agent has been charged with fraud.

 

I have a feeling your agent didn't book the cabin you wanted. I have a feeling he/she booked a guarantee cabin for a lower rate than what she quoted you in hopes of making more money off the deal....and hoping that she would be able to explain the difference in cabin. When NCL actually assigned a cabin to you, you got what was left.

 

NCL would never move you from an assigned cabin to another without notifying the agent first.....this close to sailing, they may even notify you in person.

 

Having retired after 32 years in the travel industy, I can tell you that's how some agents work. Your agent has pulled a fast one....it's not NCL's doing. She's either played fast and loose with your payment or she has skrewed up royally. In any case, you need to be in that office tap-dancing on her desk until she gets you what you paid for........ask for her supervisor......don't let it rest until she gets you moved. Stay in the office while she calls NCL, get on another extension and listen to the conversation....it is your right to do so......at least be there during the conversation...

 

Good Luck....and hang very, very tough.

[Travel Angel]

So I have heard from other agents and passengers on this board. But if nothing else, if it can't protect them, it does leave a paper trail. And it just might make someone think twice before moving them, right?

 

Jana

 

You are correct and have given some wonderful suggestions to the OP and for others to use if they get in similar dilemma's !

 

Thanks for adding your intelligent input (rather than just opinion as many others try to do and many times being incorrect !) to help out the OP and other future cruisers ! :D

[Travel Angel]

NCL will not interfere with a Travel Agent booking under any circumstances other than the agency closing or if the agent has been charged with fraud.

 

I have a feeling your agent didn't book the cabin you wanted. I have a feeling he/she booked a guarantee cabin for a lower rate than what she quoted you in hopes of making more money off the deal....and hoping that she would be able to explain the difference in cabin. When NCL actually assigned a cabin to you' date=' you got what was left.

 

NCL would never move you from an assigned cabin to another without notifying the agent first.....this close to sailing, they may even notify you in person.

 

Having retired after 32 years in the travel industy, I can tell you that's how some agents work. Your agent has pulled a fast one....it's not NCL's doing. She's either played fast and loose with your payment or she has skrewed up royally. In any case, you need to be in that office tap-dancing on her desk until she gets you what you paid for........ask for her supervisor......don't let it rest until she gets you moved. Stay in the office while she calls NCL, get on another extension and listen to the conversation....it is your right to do so......at least be there during the conversation...

 

Good Luck....and hang very, very tough.[/quote']

 

Not sticking up for the online agency they booked thru but, the OP has stated that they had a specific stateroom assigned to them and have documentation from NCL on this.....so that rules out your theory of the TA playing games (if the OP is giving correct info to all of us trying to assist).

 

Not true about NCL (or other cruiselines as a matter of fact) moving a clients stateroom w/out notification (either via email/fax or phone call).....It does happen and has occured on bookings in our office on occassion in the past.

 

I do not discredit your travel knowledge in the industry for 32 years, but customer service has slipped to all time lows within the cruiselines. There are some good customer service agents out ther still, but not as many as in the past I am afraid.