Price Dropped on Cruise and NCL not offering to match or OBC or...

[iheartbda]

We would never have booked the cruise if we werent happy with the price we paid.

 

THIS is the bottom line.

[98Charlie]

let us know if it works so we can all go back and get more!!! LOL

 

I'm a loyal shopper at that busy gas station. Can't see why they won't help me out even though thier gas prices is one of the lowest in our city right now. :rolleyes:

 

Dianne

[brunolvr]

Let me understand this. Someone shops for a cruise. They find a price they like and pay it. They are ready to cruise.

 

* If the cruiseline NEVER lowers the price, they are perfectly happy with what they paid.

 

* If the cruiseline RAISES the price for other people, they are happy. In fact, you might even tell those other people they should have bought earlier.

 

* If the cruise sells out and others can not buy a cabin at any price, they are happy. Again, you might tell others they should have bought earlier.

 

BUT - if the cruiseline has some cabins that are about to be EMPTY when the ship sails and they decide it makes good business sense to sell them cheaper to fill them and get some revenue, then you are mad. You are mad that somebody else got a deal.

 

So, in the end, you are not mad about your price. You are mad that somebody else is getting a better deal.

 

Well said, garycarla!:)

[Suni99]

I'm a loyal shopper at that busy gas station. Can't see why they won't help me out even though thier gas prices is one of the lowest in our city right now. :rolleyes:

 

Dianne

 

Lmao, cute, point well made, it makes sense, I can understand ppl's frustration with lower fares not being adjusted, but as said above, you need to be happy with the price when you book and not expect anything to change. RCCL has the policy of giving price reductions up until the day of cruising, but I personally would never sail with them due to their (IMO) awful customer service.:eek:

[nolaAlive]

I'm so glad I found this thread today! I filled up my gas tank yesterday and paid for my gas. Today that same gas station is selling gas for 8 cents less per gallon than I paid yesterday.

 

I'm going to that station today and ask for either a refund of the difference in price or a credit on my next purchase at their station.

 

Works for me.;)

 

Dianne

 

Ho Ho Ho.

 

Not even close. I am not cruising today and then asking for the price for tomorrow's cruise. But everyone that filled up at that station on the day you did, probably paid the same price.

[98Charlie]

Lmao, cute, point well made, it makes sense, I can understand ppl's frustration with lower fares not being adjusted, but as said above, you need to be happy with the price when you book and not expect anything to change. RCCL has the policy of giving price reductions up until the day of cruising, but I personally would never sail with them due to their (IMO) awful customer service.:eek:

 

I will admit when I saw a huge price drop on our upcoming Spirit cruise after final payment --- I did call my TA to see if NCL would give us OBC or a free upgrade. What the heck. I'm human. NCL offered us an upgrade from a high deck inside to a low deck port hole cabin. They offered us something. It was a something we really didn't want so we said no thanks and will be very happy staying where we originally booked.

 

I know where you are coming from on Royal Carribean. Have sailed the line twice and was never wowed during our cruise. However, we will never say never to book another cruise on the line if the original booking price is a price we like and the itinerary is great.

 

We have sailed NCL, Carnival, Princess, RCCL and Celebrity and are not really loyalists to any specific cruise lines. I certainly wouldn't say I would never sail a line again just because I've had a bad experience on a cruise.

 

Different ships and a different crew and officers can combine for an entirely different cruise experience.

 

Dianne

[rickechambers1@aol.com]

Ho Ho Ho.

 

Not even close. I am not cruising today and then asking for the price for tomorrow's cruise. But everyone that filled up at that station on the day you did, probably paid the same price.

 

And everyone that bought the cruise on the date you bought it probably paid the same price...seems VERY close.

 

You have options...pay more and upgrade to a great cabin/suite, stick with what you have and enjoy your vacation, or cancel this trip and find another vacation that you will enjoy.

 

When you're on your death bed (hopefully a long ways off), what are you going to be thinking "What fantastic memories I have of time spent with my loved ones" or "Damn NCL still owes me $2,000 for that price change".

[garycarla]

Trying to compare to gas stations, retail stores or car dealers is NOT the same, so don't bother.

 

This is the cruiseline business, and this is NCL.

 

They have their rules that makes sense to them.

 

They offer you a deal that you either take, or don't. If you take it, they promise not to change it. Done deal.

 

The sad, so sad part of all of this is not that anyone is upset with the price they paid, they are just upset that somebody else got a better deal. How childish and irrational.

[nolaAlive]

One rule: Do not return to web-site to re-check the prices after the final payment date has passed!!

 

I wasn't planning on it until I read how many holiday cruise bargains that were appearing and mine happened to be one.

 

As mentioned, lesson learned. ;) NCL deliberately holds off on price decreases until after the penalty phase has begun. Those who try to plan ahead are screwed. Those who know how to play the game are rewarded.

 

This is not a last minute reduction to fill the ship; the cruise is still almost 2 months away.

 

The other major cruise lines choose instead to attract both new business and repeat customers. Perhaps once NCL learns this lesson they too, will be profitable. Of the three main cruise lines in the US market, NCL is the one most likely to fold in the current economy.

 

Some one mentioned that customer service was better on NCL. I couldn't disagree more.

 

If the economy tanks as bad as some people seem to think it might, I wouldn't be surprised if cruise lines start canceling cruises that aren't selling well. If that happens to some of those who are destructively criticizing me, I wonder how loud they will whine?

 

And yes, I do realize that some are actually trying to help.

[nolaAlive]

They offer you a deal that you either take, or don't. If you take it, they promise not to change it. Done deal.

 

 

How many promises did NCL break when moving ships from Hawaii to Europe?

[croozymooner]

 

The sad, so sad part of all of this is not that anyone is upset with the price they paid, they are just upset that somebody else got a better deal. How childish and irrational.

 

Why is it childish and irrational to be upset that you got a bad deal? People get excited about getting a good deal, so why wouldn't the reverse bye true? You wouldn't volunteer to pay higher prices. My cruise, that I paid X amount of dollars for, is only worth 0.6X now. The value of my cruise is less than what I paid for it.

 

If I bought a used car or jewelry at X amount of dollars and had it appraised and it was really only worth 0.6X, I'd be upset. So would most people.

 

I'm not asking NCL to make up the full difference. Obviously when we book travel, prices can change and circumstances change. In this particular circumstance, the price change is quite dramatic and much more than I have ever seen with previous cruises. I would expect any company run by executives who are learned in customer service to offer some small token to those customers who ask for it to show that their business is appreciated and although the situation is unfortunate, they would like to do what they can to keep their customers happy (so that their customers keep returning and spending more money). It's just bad business otherwise.

 

I spent years working for a large retail company who was routinely ranked #1 in customer service in its class. This is what good companies do. They recognize that small costs (and of course there is some room for debate here as to what small costs entail--I would think dinner for 2 in a cover charge restaurant is pretty small) to keep customers happy are more than repaid by repeat business. Unhappy customers tell 10 people about their bad experiences where happy customers tell 2 people.

 

No, this won't ruin my vacation as another poster noted. I'll still have a great time and enjoy my shore excursions. I'll just tell other people who are planning a cruise to not book with NCL and I'll never book with them again.

[98Charlie]

Ho Ho Ho.

 

Not even close. I am not cruising today and then asking for the price for tomorrow's cruise. But everyone that filled up at that station on the day you did, probably paid the same price.

 

I paid for the gas in my tank yesterday on my way home. I have not used all of that gas in my tank but today the price went down, so am I due a credit on the price of the fuel I haven't used yet?

 

I was happy with the price of fuel I paid yesterday. Today the price is lower. Do I expect a refund or credit from the gas station today?

 

You are right that everyone who bought from the gas station yesterday paid the same price. I haven't used the fuel I bought yesterday. Price wen't down today but I paid for that fuel yesterday at a higher price.

 

Dianne

[iheartbda]

.... I would expect any company run by executives who are learned in customer service to offer some small token to those customers who ask for it to show that their business is appreciated....

 

....I would think dinner for 2 in a cover charge restaurant is pretty small) to keep customers happy are more than repaid by repeat business.

 

I'm not sure if the OP stated what they actually want. I'm assuming they want the lower fare.

 

However, what you're proposing might be a good trade off for some but, after reading these boards for awhile, a small token that cruise lines have offered to people in the past was never good enough and it didn't satisfy them.

[newmexicoNita]

How many promises did NCL break when moving ships from Hawaii to Europe?

This happens all the time or often anyway, by all lines. RCI just decided to cancel a few of their So Amer cruises. Ships charter ships out all the time, some lines, like HAL more than others, itineraries are changed for many reasons. What does this have to do with your not getting an OBC? You were offered an upgrade, your reasoning as it not really being an upgrade does not hold water (pardon the pun) I do understand, to you, these were cabins that were not desirable, at least to you, but they were a higher catagory thus an upgrade. This has happened to us when we have chosen to go with a guanantee cabin or when clients have. We may get a higher catagory, which is an upgrade, but the location isn't as good as the lower cat..

 

Don't get me wrong, I understand what you are griping about, but I also understand the other side of the coin.

 

NIta

[nolaAlive]

I paid for the gas in my tank yesterday on my way home. I have not used all of that gas in my tank but today the price went down, so am I due a credit on the price of the fuel I haven't used yet?

 

I was happy with the price of fuel I paid yesterday. Today the price is lower. Do I expect a refund or credit from the gas station today?

 

You are right that everyone who bought from the gas station yesterday paid the same price. I haven't used the fuel I bought yesterday. Price wen't down today but I paid for that fuel yesterday at a higher price.

 

Dianne

 

The gas station no longer has an option to resell the gasoline you put in your tank to someone else. Your analogy is not valid.

 

Carnival has a guarantee that if you are not pleased with you purchase, they will let you off at the first foreign port, charging only for the portion of the cruise (gas) that you used and will even pay for the plane (taxi) to take you home.

 

Will your gas station do that?

[garycarla]

Why is it childish and irrational to be upset that you got a bad deal? ....

Why did you book the cruise if it was a bad deal?

 

 

...The value of my cruise is less than what I paid for it....

 

The value has changed only because somebody else is getting a better deal. If NCL did NOT offer this to anyone else, would the value of cruise gone up or down???

 

 

 

....I'll just tell other people who are planning a cruise to not book with NCL and I'll never book with them again.

 

So, if next year you are looking at various cruises and NCL offers a better overall package, you would book elsewhere and be less satisfied?

[nolaAlive]

I'm not sure if the OP stated what they actually want. I'm assuming they want the lower fare.

 

However, what you're proposing might be a good trade off for some but, after reading these boards for awhile, a small token that cruise lines have offered to people in the past was never good enough and it didn't satisfy them.

 

The lower fare would be nice, but I can't see that happening. I was expecting at least an OBC for some, not all, of the price decrease.

 

A bar setup here or a dinner there would cost them pennies, but go a long way to satisfying this customer who paid them thousands.

[*Wink*]

Why is it childish and irrational to be upset that you got a bad deal? People get excited about getting a good deal, so why wouldn't the reverse bye true? You wouldn't volunteer to pay higher prices. My cruise, that I paid X amount of dollars for, is only worth 0.6X now. The value of my cruise is less than what I paid for it.

 

If I bought a used car or jewelry at X amount of dollars and had it appraised and it was really only worth 0.6X, I'd be upset. So would most people.

 

I'm not asking NCL to make up the full difference. Obviously when we book travel, prices can change and circumstances change. In this particular circumstance, the price change is quite dramatic and much more than I have ever seen with previous cruises. I would expect any company run by executives who are learned in customer service to offer some small token to those customers who ask for it to show that their business is appreciated and although the situation is unfortunate, they would like to do what they can to keep their customers happy (so that their customers keep returning and spending more money). It's just bad business otherwise.

 

I spent years working for a large retail company who was routinely ranked #1 in customer service in its class. This is what good companies do. They recognize that small costs (and of course there is some room for debate here as to what small costs entail--I would think dinner for 2 in a cover charge restaurant is pretty small) to keep customers happy are more than repaid by repeat business. Unhappy customers tell 10 people about their bad experiences where happy customers tell 2 people.

 

No, this won't ruin my vacation as another poster noted. I'll still have a great time and enjoy my shore excursions. I'll just tell other people who are planning a cruise to not book with NCL and I'll never book with them again.

Coozymooner ~ No one forced you to book your cruise when you did. If you wanted the lowest possible fare, then you have to wait till last minute... or did you not know that? Some people don't.

The OP stated that they were offered an upgrade at no cost. Isn't that a "small cost" gesture?

I don't understand why you agree to a price and the contract when you booked, but then get upset and "tell all your friends to not sail NCL" when NCL hasn't broken their end of the deal.

You made the choice, right?

 

I don't know what line of retail you were in, but let's say it was clothing. You buy a coat at the beginning of Fall. You got 10% off and were happy with that. Then, come spring time, that same coat is now 70% off. Do you feel entitled to a "small cost" from the retail store to appease you?

 

I do look after final payment at the fares, and I do try to get a better deal. But if I don't, I wouldn't be angry at NCL or any other cruise line. I'd accept that it was my choice when I booked and that I was happy with the price then.

 

Either way, I hope you enjoy your cruise so much that you will give NCL another try.:)

[MrLee]

Carnival has a guarantee that if you are not pleased with you purchase, they will let you off at the first foreign port, charging only for the portion of the cruise (gas) that you used and will even pay for the plane (taxi) to take you home.

 

 

Apparently you're on the wrong board. This is the NCL board. If you click on boards at the top, you'll find the Carnival board. :rolleyes:

[nolaAlive]

This happens all the time or often anyway, by all lines. RCI just decided to cancel a few of their So Amer cruises. Ships charter ships out all the time, some lines, like HAL more than others, itineraries are changed for many reasons. What does this have to do with your not getting an OBC? You were offered an upgrade, your reasoning as it not really being an upgrade does not hold water (pardon the pun) I do understand, to you, these were cabins that were not desirable, at least to you, but they were a higher catagory thus an upgrade. This has happened to us when we have chosen to go with a guanantee cabin or when clients have. We may get a higher catagory, which is an upgrade, but the location isn't as good as the lower cat..

 

Don't get me wrong, I understand what you are griping about, but I also understand the other side of the coin.

 

NIta

 

Or Carnival with Freedom and now Liberty. The fact is that cruise lines can and do break promises. Some other poster seems to think that they don't.

 

At least I'm not breaking a promise to go on a certain sailing; I'm just trying to get some satisfaction.

 

As mentioned, lesson learned. Don't book NCL in advance.

 

Once more of their customers learn this lesson, will NCL be more profitable or closer to bankruptcy? With fewer customers paying deposits months in advance, will NCL's cash flow be better or worse?

 

As mentioned, I'll probably sail NCL again, but I will never again book in advance with them.

[nolaAlive]

Apparently you're on the wrong board. This is the NCL board. If you click on boards at the top, you'll find the Carnival board. :rolleyes:

 

Really? I should complain on the Carnival board about what poor customer service NCL has? That seems a little illogical to me. :rolleyes:

[MrLee]

Really? I should complain on the Carnival board about what poor customer service NCL has? That seems a little illogical to me. :rolleyes:

 

In that case you should probably be talking about what NCL does/doesn't do. Not what Carnival does. Different corporation you know. ;)

[mbisson]

Carnival has a guarantee that if you are not pleased with you purchase, they will let you off at the first foreign port, charging only for the portion of the cruise (gas) that you used and will even pay for the plane (taxi) to take you home.

 

Wow-good for them ;)

[*Wink*]

As mentioned, lesson learned. Don't book NCL in advance.

 

Once more of their customers learn this lesson, will NCL be more profitable or closer to bankruptcy? With fewer customers paying deposits months in advance, will NCL's cash flow be better or worse?

 

I doubt this will happen. Many, if not most, cruisers aren't expecting dirt cheap prices for their cruise. Those who do, wait.

Many, if not most, cruisers want to be able to pick their cabin or suite, just like you did. If you wait, you'll end up with a less desirable location. Even you admitted the location they offered wasn't very good in your eyes. Most cruisers probably agree with you on that. That's why it's still available. Categories are always debatable among cruisers. What the cruise line may deem a higher category, the common cruiser would disagree. That's why you book early.

[happy cruzer]

Dear nolaAlive.

 

I agree with you. You should get some compensation.

 

The cruiselines have unofficially incouraged earling booking as a risk free proposition by historically honoring price drops. They want you to book early. To me the cancellation policies are crazy. How many hotels get the same kind of deposits that early and then have penalities?

 

Anyway, they have historically tended to honor the price drops. Now that they are short of money the policy seems to be changing on many lines.

 

I am seeing posts on Celebrity as well complaining about the price drops not being honored.

 

So many cruisers are starting vote with their future bookings by booking very late.

 

I get what you are saying. Good luck, I would try again to get some OBC.