Will NCL refund price reduction after final payment?

[SMNYCruise]

Our cruise price dropped $50 per person. We already paid the final installment. Are we entitled to a refund (or onboard credit or upgrades) or is it discretionary?

[*Wink*]

As a rule, no.. you're not entitled. However, it never hurts to ask. Since the cruise is soon, the ship is dropping prices to get people onboard. The cabin choices are usually not as desirable, so be glad you got the cabin choice you wanted. If in the future, you want the bottom dollar, you'll want to book your cruise last minute. Hopefully the cruise you want won't be sold out and will have the cabin you'd like. Good Luck.

[Budget Queen]

You already paid the final payment, BUT, are you still before the final payment DATE?? If you booked with an agent, they frequently add a week. Count back your days and get the ACTUAL day. If you are prior to this, you may get the adjustment. This needs to be inquired of your booking agent.

[newmexicoNita]

Budget Queen is right on, If final payment date has not passed (75 days prior to sailing unless it is a holiday cruise) NCL will adjust the price. If it is after final payment date, NOPE!!! I have been fighting this for a couple of weeks with NCL. They may offer an upgrade, that is it.

 

Nita

[AFT_LOVER]

but if a cruise is not selling then they upgrade folks to fill the cheaper ones. Good luck!

[SMNYCruise]

Its definately after the final payment date. We cruise in 7 weeks. I am dissappointed that we can't receive credit. It doesn't seem right that early bookings are penalized. At least we were able to rebook our hotel at a cheaper price.

[cliffd64]

Its definately after the final payment date. We cruise in 7 weeks. I am dissappointed that we can't receive credit. It doesn't seem right that early bookings are penalized. At least we were able to rebook our hotel at a cheaper price.

 

Instead of a refund, why not ask for an upgrade?

 

My cruise price dropped 400 bucks from when I booked it, and I went from inside to mini-suite for free just by asking...

[newmexicoNita]

Its definately after the final payment date. We cruise in 7 weeks. I am dissappointed that we can't receive credit. It doesn't seem right that early bookings are penalized. At least we were able to rebook our hotel at a cheaper price.

Many don't think it is right, but there isn't much you can do, have you tried for an upgrade? The best anyone can say, you were happy with the price or you wouldn't have booked, you got your choice of cabins which you would not have if you had waited and no matter what rate we pay for anything we will always find someone who paid less and those who paid more.

 

You are going on a cruise, you will have a great time, you are only talking about a few dollars in the overall sceme of things. I have a client right now that is paying over $300 a cabin more than the going rate.

 

NIta

[cheshiremackat]

We booked online 5 months ago... Now, our Jewel cruise in 3 weeks is dropping like a stone.

 

So, we called and were upgraded. We went from a BC to BA (but not aft, booo). And our other cabin went from a JJ to G obstrt-oceanview.

 

I am *very* interested to see if this ship sails sold out or not.

 

We did not get OBC for the difference, but if the price keeps coming down, I'm going to keep calling.

 

I also suggest it may depend on which agency you use. If your agency (we have used several different online agencies) does a LOT of business with NCL you may get a better offer. We have had various levels of success with this in the past, and the bigger agencies were able to get us "more".

[newmexicoNita]

We booked online 5 months ago... Now, our Jewel cruise in 3 weeks is dropping like a stone.

 

So, we called and were upgraded. We went from a BC to BA (but not aft, booo). And our other cabin went from a JJ to G obstrt-oceanview.

 

I am *very* interested to see if this ship sails sold out or not.

 

We did not get OBC for the difference, but if the price keeps coming down, I'm going to keep calling.

 

I also suggest it may depend on which agency you use. If your agency (we have used several different online agencies) does a LOT of business with NCL you may get a better offer. We have had various levels of success with this in the past, and the bigger agencies were able to get us "more".

the agency has little to do with it beleive me....

[Suni99]

the agency has little to do with it beleive me....

 

Nita,

which other lines besides RCL will adjust your price up till the sailing date?

I wish I had found this post earlier, I agree that booking early you get to choose your cabin etc. but......I am just trying to justify why it would be praticle to keep our current reservation when after the final payment date it is prooven the rates drop significantly....I guess it bothers me that they say ...book early for the best rates....when it fact, in todays economy, this just isnt the case. I am beating a dead horse here, i wish they would be a little more competitive with some of the other lines policys on this issue. :)

[garycarla]

Its definately after the final payment date. We cruise in 7 weeks. I am dissappointed that we can't receive credit. It doesn't seem right that early bookings are penalized. At least we were able to rebook our hotel at a cheaper price.

 

Nobody is being penalized. You are getting exactly what you and NCL agreed to.

 

What is happening is they do not want to sail with empty cabins. They will mark those down and try to fill them and whatever cost they can.

 

Again, if there was no sale, you would be perfectly happy. Don't let the idea that a few people might get a cabin at a lower price. By the way, sometimes ships are full, and people that waited until the last minute can not book at ANY PRICE.

[garycarla]

.......I guess it bothers me that they say ...book early for the best rates....when it fact, in todays economy, this just isnt the case. I am beating a dead horse here, i wish they would be a little more competitive with some of the other lines policys on this issue. :)

 

So, why not just wait until a month or a few weeks before the cruise and book it then?

[*Wink*]

So, why not just wait until a month or a few weeks before the cruise and book it then?

I'm assuming she's a new cruiser, and didn't know.

 

Sunni, the economy has nothing to do with cabins going on sale after final payment. It's been this way for a very long time. What you'll need to remember for your future cruises is book very early (1 year out) or very late. If you book early, you have the choice of cabins/suites. Booking late, you may not get a cabin at all, like Gary said, or most likely, you'll get a cabin next to the kids crew entrance.

[kg66]

Nita,

I have a question re: final payment Vs.Final Payment date....you had me wondering when you said 75 days prior to sail date....so I counted my days, and my TA is way off. I sail Feb 22, but my final payment date is Nov.16 which when I do the math, has me at 98 days?:confused: Am I figuring this out right? Shouldn't my final payment date be Dec 9th?

[newmexicoNita]

Nita,

which other lines besides RCL will adjust your price up till the sailing date?

I wish I had found this post earlier, I agree that booking early you get to choose your cabin etc. but......I am just trying to justify why it would be praticle to keep our current reservation when after the final payment date it is prooven the rates drop significantly....I guess it bothers me that they say ...book early for the best rates....when it fact, in todays economy, this just isnt the case. I am beating a dead horse here, i wish they would be a little more competitive with some of the other lines policys on this issue. :)

It is a toss up, which way to go. RCI and Celebrity (the same company) are the only ones that will always adjust, even then there can be exceptions. Princess will on occassion. I have never had to approach Carnival with this dilemma..

 

NIta

[Suni99]

So, why not just wait until a month or a few weeks before the cruise and book it then?

 

 

well i suppose you have a point, but the brochure says book early for best rates:) also I have children so I book around their vacations ahead of time, but I guess considering the airfare could be dangerous booking to late its best I do book early.I understand all points to this, and yes I am new to cruising, so I am still learning, ty;)

[newmexicoNita]

Nita,

I have a question re: final payment Vs.Final Payment date....you had me wondering when you said 75 days prior to sail date....so I counted my days, and my TA is way off. I sail Feb 22, but my final payment date is Nov.16 which when I do the math, has me at 98 days?:confused: Am I figuring this out right? Shouldn't my final payment date be Dec 9th?

In this case you should be able to get a reduction, an upgrade or something. The wording is: after final payment date...good luck and let us know what happens.

 

Nita

[Suni99]

I'm assuming she's a new cruiser, and didn't know.

 

Sunni, the economy has nothing to do with cabins going on sale after final payment. It's been this way for a very long time. What you'll need to remember for your future cruises is book very early (1 year out) or very late. If you book early, you have the choice of cabins/suites. Booking late, you may not get a cabin at all, like Gary said, or most likely, you'll get a cabin next to the kids crew entrance.

 

lmao, no thanks im leaving my kids home I certainly dont want a kids crew entrance, lol

[kg66]

Nita,

I just called and NCL and they told me that my TA "owns" my reservation since I did not book direct with NCL, and they couldn't even tell me when the exact final payment date is, but said that I was correct in my figuring that it should be due 75 days prior to sailing. I've called my TA and left him a message......hopefully they'll change the date to the correct one or offer an upgrade or something. Just at Christmas time, an extra 23 days to stretch the $ means a lot, if you know what I mean..... I'll let you know when he ret'ns my call what the verdict is....

[terrymtex01]

Its definately after the final payment date. We cruise in 7 weeks. I am dissappointed that we can't receive credit. It doesn't seem right that early bookings are penalized. At least we were able to rebook our hotel at a cheaper price.

 

It is a toss up, which way to go. RCI and Celebrity (the same company) are the only ones that will always adjust, even then there can be exceptions. Princess will on occassion. I have never had to approach Carnival with this dilemma..

 

NIta

 

Nita.. i'm not going to research it again because I do trust what you post. But a few months back this subject came up and I searched RCCL's website (our other favorite cruiseline) and I swear I found where it had the same policy as NCL. That it all depended if the "new rate" was just that, a new rate, or a promo for new bookings only. In other words, if RCCL has a promo going for new bookings only, like NCL does, they would not honor the price difference. Did I just misread something on their site? I wish I had book marked it, but I didn't.

[newmexicoNita]

Nita.. i'm not going to research it again because I do trust what you post. But a few months back this subject came up and I searched RCCL's website (our other favorite cruiseline) and I swear I found where it had the same policy as NCL. That it all depended if the "new rate" was just that, a new rate, or a promo for new bookings only. In other words, if RCCL has a promo going for new bookings only, like NCL does, they would not honor the price difference. Did I just misread something on their site? I wish I had book marked it, but I didn't.

you are right, if the promo is for "new bookings only" RCI wil not budge, but if the rate decreases after final payment, normally they will give something..Again, not always, but they are more generous than other lines with this... I think the issue here is: the promo NCL ran last month was not for "new bookings only" I did get some of my clients a little something. The issue here is before or after final payment date..That is where it becmes very touchy.. I can assure you, I have spent hours on the phone this past week with NCL...

 

 

Nita

[kg66]

Well I got a reply back from the on-line TA that I've been using.... re:final payment date....if you remember I have a 23 day discrepancy with the final payment date. They said I was correct in figuring the final payment date was Dec9th, but they used Nov16th as the Final payment date as a "safety window" , should I be away, or forget. This gives them room for error. I explained that I'm a responsible adult, and want the correct Final Payment Date, with Christmas coming, and this is a surprise cruise for my family. The $ has to move slowly, not to cause alarm with the hubby. So my advice to others....count back 75 days and make sure your TA has given you the correct Final Payment Due Date.....thanks Nita for helping me to figure this out.

Kathy

[Budget Queen]

Nita,

I have a question re: final payment Vs.Final Payment date....you had me wondering when you said 75 days prior to sail date....so I counted my days, and my TA is way off. I sail Feb 22, but my final payment date is Nov.16 which when I do the math, has me at 98 days?:confused: Am I figuring this out right? Shouldn't my final payment date be Dec 9th?

 

I frequently post about this, including on my above post, ALWAYS count back your days yourself. It is COMMON for booking agents to back this date up a week or more. I always pay at the last minute and agressively keep track of pricing trends up until then. There can be a lot of price action with cancelations and returned group space.

[terrymtex01]

I frequently post about this, including on my above post, ALWAYS count back your days yourself. It is COMMON for booking agents to back this date up a week or more. I always pay at the last minute and agressively keep track of pricing trends up until then. There can be a lot of price action with cancelations and returned group space.

 

I think this is a great practice, however my advise is once you reach final payment date, do not check prices again because more than likely you are just in for heartache. (not posting this to you, BudgetQueen, just those that may not know NCL wont usually budge after final payment date).