Probably my last dealings with NCL....

[surfsidebeach]

Hello,

 

I have had a horrendous experience with NCL in the last few weeks...

 

First, I found out that CVC had went out of business and kept my final payment of $657.00 for themselves. I do NOT fault NCL in any way for this. It is the rest that I am upset about...

 

I received a call from NCL telling me that I needed to pay them $742.xx immediately or I would lose my reservation and $500 deposit. After some brief research on CVC I paid NCL the $742.xx and placed a dispute on my AMEX card for the $657.00. I am now out around $80.00 IF the AMEX dispute goes through...

 

I notice today that I paid $469 per person and outside staterooms are now going for $329. I called NCL about an on-board credit -- and was flat out told (by a supervisor) that there is nothing they can do (except upgrade me into a different room, but the rooms she wanted to put me in were worse!)

 

So with this, I am hoping I will enjoy my cruise on NCL in January, but this will probably be my last time on an NCL cruise unless something changes quick for the better.

[Arwenmark]

There is nothing new or unusual about that. NCL does not give credits after final payment. That has been their policy for some time.

Sorry about the agency bankruptcy, skip town thing though.

[surfsidebeach]

Just out of curiosity I checked out BBB.org to see if I would possibly have a chance there for help; and that is a long shot... has anyone noticed or pointed out that NCL has an "F" rating their. That is sad.....

[surfsidebeach]

There is nothing new or unusual about that. NCL does not give credits after final payment. That has been their policy for some time.

Sorry about the agency bankruptcy, skip town thing though.

 

I guess it is the situation as a whole that makes me most upset. I do not fault NCL at all for the $657.00's that I need to try to get back from AMEX -- it is the fact that I have now paid full retail to NCL, yet when I call there is nothing they can do as I am still a "travel agency booking".... So the rates have dropped around $280 total plus having to pay the full retail price has resulted in my paying $365 more than a new booking -- and I get no customer service as I am a "agent booked reservation"...

[mikedw]

Most of the cruiselines have a bad rating with the BBB. The lines refuse to join the BBB and they tend to give bad ratings to companies who won't pay there membership fee. The BBB is pretty much useless, had some dealings with them in Maryland with trying to get a situation resolved with a landscaping company. The company totally ignored them.

[surfsidebeach]

Most of the cruiselines have a bad rating with the BBB. The lines refuse to join the BBB and they tend to give bad ratings to companies who won't pay there membership fee. The BBB is pretty much useless, had some dealings with them in Maryland with trying to get a situation resolved with a landscaping company. The company totally ignored them.

 

In some ways I do not blame the cruise lines for this stance. I find it very frustrating that there is such a limited method of contact available with them though...

[DAGVBSB]

Most of the cruiselines have a bad rating with the BBB. The lines refuse to join the BBB and they tend to give bad ratings to companies who won't pay there membership fee. The BBB is pretty much useless, had some dealings with them in Maryland with trying to get a situation resolved with a landscaping company. The company totally ignored them.

 

The Better Business Bureau is worthless. I never follow anything that they say. A friend who's company also refused to join the BBB told me that once you are a member of the BBB (a company that is), then they will never give you a poor rating regardless of what kind of comments that they get from your customers. If you don't join them, then they generally publish only the negative comments about your company. That way they can always say that BBB members get better ratings than those who don't belong.

 

BBB is basically a scam.... just ignore them.

[DAGVBSB]

There is nothing new or unusual about that. NCL does not give credits after final payment. That has been their policy for some time.

Sorry about the agency bankruptcy, skip town thing though.

 

Not only is it NCL's policy, but it is most cruise lines policy these days.

 

Many people have come on here complaining about not getting a price break after final payment. It has nothing to do with being with a travel agency or not.... it is the same rule for all.

 

 

If the price of the cabin had gone up after final payment, would you be willing to pay NCL the higher price? That would be the fair thing to do...if you expect their better price, then they should expect the better price from you too. In fact, you still have the better deal... if the price goes up after booking, they don't add to your price whereas a customer could take advantage of a lower price all the way up to final payment.

 

It's a trade off... book early and get a better selection of cabins in exchange for the risk of the price dropping. OR, wait to book to see if the price goes down but in exchange, have a far less selection of cabins. The OP said so themselves, the remaining cabins that NCL has are not very good locations, so they are having a sale to get rid of them. (like the "Charlie Brown Christmas Tree" lower the price to clear the inventory.)

[CruisnGram]

I'm normally one of the first to defend NCL on sticking to their policies, but I'm sorry, I'm with the OP on some of this one.

 

First of all, do they have zero compassion over the fact that this person got royally screwed over by the TA going out of business? No, it wasn't NCL's fault, but you would think that they would have 1) tried to honor the price that the TA offered him, or at least offered him something as a good will gesture (if he has proofof what the TA was charging him) and 2) be willing to take over his reservation and at least converse with him.

 

I understand that after he made final payment and the cruise price dropped, that their policy is no refund or OBC. I don't have a problem with that, but I certainly do with the other 2 issues. It's just bad customer relations on their part and I'd be *issed off too if I were the OP.

 

CG

[Blue-eyedCruiser]

I only book direct, for the above reason.

[Pianoman6582]

We only book through NCL directly. As I've stated on other threads, this is the only smart thing to do....

 

Get yourself a good PCC (that's "Personal Cruise Consultant" to all those that don't dig the jive). They will be able to give you room credit and all sorts of things that TA's with their fly-by-night tendancies cannot...

 

One thing about travel agencies: A friend of mine is a travel agent. The airlines are making his business harder and harder. I am not one bit on the side of the idiots that closed and screwed over so many people, but here's how the TA system works.

 

This guy, Malcolm, sells a plane ticket. He gets a comission. The trick is the way the comission is calculated. Historically the TA was given a percentage of the fare as his comission. Now, the airlines give a flat fee--of like $25 bucks! This means that a $100 fare yields the same comission as a $5000 dollar fare. It's no wonder travel agencies are dropping like flies. Then take into account sites like travelocity and expedia that make it oh so easy to book a flight (or a cruise for that matter), what incentive does anyone have to use a travel agent? All that being said, I firmly swear I am NOT a travel agent, nor do I play one on TV.... I just know the plight of the travel agent. However, these @$$es at CVC need to be strung up!

[surfsidebeach]

My biggest beef is with NCL's total inpersonal communication in regards to CVC going out of business (and stealing millions of dollars in the meantime)... Why they would not honor my original contract is beyond me. I guess the realization that fares have gone down $140/pp has just put icing on the cake for me. I now understand that cruiselines are just like airlines; with very little thought for the customer. This fact makes me very happy with my recent purchase (resale, of course) of Wyndham timeshare points (with their own problems, i know)...

 

I'm normally one of the first to defend NCL on sticking to their policies, but I'm sorry, I'm with the OP on some of this one.

 

First of all, do they have zero compassion over the fact that this person got royally screwed over by the TA going out of business? No, it wasn't NCL's fault, but you would think that they would have 1) tried to honor the price that the TA offered him, or at least offered him something as a good will gesture (if he has proofof what the TA was charging him) and 2) be willing to take over his reservation and at least converse with him.

 

I understand that after he made final payment and the cruise price dropped, that their policy is no refund or OBC. I don't have a problem with that, but I certainly do with the other 2 issues. It's just bad customer relations on their part and I'd be *issed off too if I were the OP.

 

CG

[surfsidebeach]

I only book direct, for the above reason.

 

Lets just say I have completely learned my lesson on this one...

[sjbdtz]

Lets just say I have completely learned my lesson on this one...

 

 

I just don't understand. Had the price dropped BEFORE the final payment date?

 

If the price dropped AFTER the final payment date, well...there are dozens of threads on CC explaining why cruiselines do this, to fill the ship AFTER THEY KNOW how many un-cancelled cabins they have left.

 

 

As for the $80....the reason that agencies are less expensive than the cruiseline is that they rebate some of their commission.

 

The reason the cruiseline doesn't, is to avoid 'channel conflict'. This arises when you pay people to represent you, and then undercut them. NCL's part of the bargain is that they sell at a published (from time-to-time) rate, and that the agencies will always be in a position to do better if they want to give up some of their commission.

 

NCL won't do anything about the $80.....but there's also nothing that would have prevented you from rolling the dice a 2nd time with a different agency, and keeping your $80 "savings".

 

 

I don't see any reason here to be upset with NCL. They didn't force you to deal with them, and everyone knows there are no price drops after final payment. Their offer of a cabin upgrade was not required, and was more than fair.

[terrymtex01]

I have to say after reading the whole thread I don't understand why the OP had to pay an additional $80.00, so I won't comment on me thinking that is right or wrong. The one thing I do have to say is that the biggest area of improvement NCL could make is their customer service. Anyone who has read any of my postings knows I am a fan of NCL, but I also see their faults. Customer service is such an easy thing to fix. No, I don't mean laying down and letting the customer walk all over you, but there are VERY inexpensive ways to say no to a customer without creating a dissatisified customer. There are companies all over the place that teach these methods.

 

One day I do hope NCL gets their customer service act together. I've heard both good and bad things about NCL's customer service and I have to say our dealings with them have always been ok at minimum, just wish they would work on it.

 

PS. I do agree with NCL about not refunding price drops after final payment. I know that makes me not so popular on the boards, but I do agree with NCL on that issue.

[Budget Queen]

I have to say after reading the whole thread I don't understand why the OP had to pay an additional $80.00, so I won't comment on me thinking that is right or wrong. The one thing I do have to say is that the biggest area of improvement NCL could make is their customer service. Anyone who has read any of my postings knows I am a fan of NCL, but I also see their faults. Customer service is such an easy thing to fix. No, I don't mean laying down and letting the customer walk all over you, but there are VERY inexpensive ways to say no to a customer without creating a dissatisified customer. There are companies all over the place that teach these methods.

 

One day I do hope NCL gets their customer service act together. I've heard both good and bad things about NCL's customer service and I have to say our dealings with them have always been ok at minimum, just wish they would work on it.

 

PS. I do agree with NCL about not refunding price drops after final payment. I know that makes me not so popular on the boards, but I do agree with NCL on that issue.

 

 

 

The $80 was the agency's price, having NOTHING to do with NCL.

[TrinaLC]

Can't the OP transfer the resie to a different TA? Whether or not the original has gone out of business?

[BikerAl]

I am so glad you said "probably" rather than never again as I did. I was booked on the Pearl for the 9 day southern leaving in a couple of weeks, but they canceled that cruise and put the Pearl on her weekly itinerary. I tried to change to the Jewel, but at the same time they increased the price a bunch, for the same suite. I tried talking to my PCC, his supervisor, and got the tough caca answer. I wrote a letter of explanation to Mr Veitch, and received the price difference in OBC's. I came back on CC, and ate my words.

 

Try the letter route.

 

Al

[Soda's Mom]

Just out of curiosity I checked out BBB.org to see if I would possibly have a chance there for help; and that is a long shot... has anyone noticed or pointed out that NCL has an "F" rating their. That is sad.....

i would pay very little attention to BBB anymore. They used to be a great sourse of information and a great way to nogociate and settle disputes, anymore they are pretty useless.

 

As for the price drop, I understand your frustration but this has been NCLs policy for as long as I can remember. They do offer upgrades after final payment if anything is available, but no OBC. I hate the policy truthfully, and yet it doesn't stop me from sailing them..

 

Nita

[garycarla]

Putting the Travel Agency thing aside, since the biggest beef is over the price change....

 

Let me ask this: If the price HAD NOT changed, would everything be okay?

Yes.

 

Other than whatever this $80 thing is all about, did you make an agreement with NCL to cruise at ONE price and are they following through on that agreement?

Yes.

 

If the cruiseline has a few cabins left and wants to sell them at a reduced price to avoid sailing with an empty cabin, should they not be allowed to do that?

 

As mentioned above, this topic gets beat to death about every week or so. All because NCL decided to sell their last cabins at a reduced price. I guess people think they should just sail with them empty.

 

Being upset over that is just not worth it. But, I do have compassion over the hassles with the TA going out of business.

[surfsidebeach]

I guess what it has come down to is a combination of things; a perfect storm... Between noticing the much lower prices (don't know if it was before or after the final payment as I was more worried about a billing problem I had back then.. if I would have only knew!), having to pay the full retail price after expecting the lower price (and having NCL make out on that in the end, I will not change my stance on this one thing --- they were collecting less than 1100 from the TA, now they have collected amost 1200 from me), and finally still being worried about AMEX giving me the fraudulent charge back (still pending).... All these things combined created a perfect storm.

 

If AMEX credits me the fraudulent charge (it was billed through a Paypal Pro account and not NCL, and I know how Paypal can be), and NCL concedes on the 80ish dollars (OBC, or credit to card), I would be 100% happy in the end. If either of these has a problem, I will be very upset (again, most worried about the AMEX charge, but this has nothing to do with this thread in the end...

 

Putting the Travel Agency thing aside, since the biggest beef is over the price change....

 

Let me ask this: If the price HAD NOT changed, would everything be okay?

Yes.

 

Other than whatever this $80 thing is all about, did you make an agreement with NCL to cruise at ONE price and are they following through on that agreement?

Yes.

 

If the cruiseline has a few cabins left and wants to sell them at a reduced price to avoid sailing with an empty cabin, should they not be allowed to do that?

 

As mentioned above, this topic gets beat to death about every week or so. All because NCL decided to sell their last cabins at a reduced price. I guess people think they should just sail with them empty.

 

Being upset over that is just not worth it. But, I do have compassion over the hassles with the TA going out of business.

[Healthe]

Just out of curiosity I checked out BBB.org to see if I would possibly have a chance there for help; and that is a long shot... has anyone noticed or pointed out that NCL has an "F" rating their. That is sad.....

 

 

To answer your question, no you won't find the Better Business Bureau ratings pointed out here. But, yes, you are correct. The BBB gives NCL an "F" rating with over 300 unresolved complaints pending for the past 36 months. Of the other lines: Carnival (& all of its other lines) is rated

"A-". Disney is rated "B". Costa is rated "B-". (I couldn't find a rating for Royal Caribbean/Celebrity, but doubt it's an "F".

 

Sorry for all of your troubles.....NCL is not customer friendly.

[terrymtex01]

Wow..I didn't even know the BBB was in businenss any more. Guess that shows how effective they are.

[AFT_LOVER]

The TA screwed you, not NCL. If you used AMEX then a cashback of the bankrupt company is due to you by AMEX not NCL. You did not pay NCL, the charge did not say NCL, did it?

 

So lighten up since you have a beef with a low ball company not NCL. You could also contact your Attorney General's office with this beef. Much better than any BBB contact.

 

As far as prices lowering after final payment. That is easy for a brain to figure out. Folks cancel the cruise the day before final payment so they do no lose their deposit, so now they have a load of empty staterooms to sell fast. So lower prices. I book a month before the cruise to get the best price & even then I saw lower prices after. I met folks who booked a week before the cruise & got a $200 BC balcony. In 4 days they got BA with an upgrade for free. So now I will wait til a week before.

 

My biggest beef is with NCL's total inpersonal communication in regards to CVC going out of business (and stealing millions of dollars in the meantime)... Why they would not honor my original contract is beyond me. I guess the realization that fares have gone down $140/pp has just put icing on the cake for me. I now understand that cruiselines are just like airlines; with very little thought for the customer. This fact makes me very happy with my recent purchase (resale, of course) of Wyndham timeshare points (with their own problems, i know)...

[Budget Queen]

Actually, discounting has been going on, after final payment, for the 26 years I have been cruisings. It just wasn't well known. I used 800 number discount agents and booked booked that way for many of my late booked cruises, prior to wide spead internet use.

 

It's not all "roses" for those who do late book, you must be prepared for nothing being available and overall extremely flexable.