NCL - will not help if you run into any problems!

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jeb2006

Guest
(td) My wife and I made a trip to Hawaii in Feb. 2007. Had booked two nights pre-cruise hotel (at the NCL main hotel in Honolulu).
Due to circumstances beyond our control, we were delayed in getting to Honolulu, so we missed the first of two nights at the hotel.
Following the cruise we contacted NCL, which were completely unyeilding in even compensating a small portion of the $300 (cost of hotel per night).
All they kept saying is if we had taken out "private trip insurance", which we did not.
Even so, it would be good PR if NCL would of at least given a small refund. Even $50 would of gone a long way towards a statement by NCL for being sorry for our lost night in Honolulu.
So, bottom line: If you cruise NCL and have any problems, you are "on your own"!
I urge any who reads this to please think before going on NCL.
For if you cruise on Norweigian Curise Lines, you are taking a chance!
(td)
 
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suer182

Guest
Sorry you had a hiccup with your prenight stay. But, without private insurance, most of the main stream cruise lines would not offer a refund either.
 
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newmexicoNita

Guest
I have to agree with Staff: this is the reason for insurance, there was a time many years ago when cruise lines were more inclined to give refunds, OBC or certificates, but those days ended about 5 years ago. You can't blame NCL or any other line for the fact you did not protect yourself. this would be the same case with a hotel where you had a deposit or Cc on file and couldn't arrive til the next day.

I don't think I can stree enough how important travel insurance has become. No, some still take their chances and 99.9% of the time everything goes smoothly, but just let that 1% affect you and yur views on insurance should change.

I hope you wil re-consider holding NCL at fault.

Nita
 
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jeb2006

Guest
In reference to the two comments above...

Trip insurance (I'm certain) has risen in popularity due to the fact of the cruise line(s) lack of help in situations that is beyond the traveler's control.
About 9 months ago I had made a reservation at a nice hotel for a few days. On the day I was to arrive at this resort hotel, I called up and cancelled. My only reason was that I changed my mind. With the resort hotel, no problems as long as it was cancelled by 6pm on day of arrival.
Apparently this does not hold true if you book your hotel through the cruise line.
What I actually learned is this: Next time I want to stay a night or two in a hotel before a cruise, book the hotel on my own, not through the cruise line!
It would have gone a long way if NCL would of at least "compramised" in refunding a portion of the money lost due to not making the hotel on the first night.
Three points that I learned is:
- NCL (and perhaps other lines) are unwilling to compramise
- Book the hotel on my own (not through the cruise line)
- NCL is not interested in "good PR". They rather save their few
bucks than to "go that extra mile" to show that they actually care

I urge other to "buycot" NCL.
As long as the major cruise lines keep selling out their cruises, non of them will have any desire (or reason) to change their "lack of caring business practice".
 
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newmexicoNita

Guest
jeb,

do you intend on boycoting all cruise lines? As for your experience with a hotel, that was not a resort type hotel I can guarantee everyone. Yes, standard hotels will allow cancellations upto 4pm or 6pm day of with no penalty. Resort hotels, which include Florida hotels (most) Vegas, Caribbean and many others require a deposit or one night which is not refundable.

As for why the popularity of insurance, that I can not answer, but you could be partially right. The cruise lines realized all the problems that were occuring and the lost revenue by allowing changes when either true emergancies or convenient emergancies came up. Thus the insurance issue came into play. No one can force you to choose to pay the extra charge for insurance, but you certainly have no reason to blame others for your decision to gamble.

If you continue to choose no insurance I have a gut feeling you are going to lose again. Someone told me years ago, insurance is the one thing you buy and hope you waste your money on. How true this is.

NMNita
 
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scottmalinowski

Guest
Jeb2006

I am sorry to say this, but you have to be kidding me. You said it was beyond your control that you missed your stay at your hotel. Was it NCL's either? I am assuming it wasnt. You cant expect them to give you money back for something that had nothing to do with them.

I actually can contradict your statement of NCL doesnt help out. I had an issue with them last June. I wrote the president Colin Veitch a letter and was given $563 towards a future cruise which I just used. They will go out of there way for the most part to help and guest, if its something they had a part in. They obvioulsy had no part in your problem, so why should they pay for it.
 
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jeb2006

Guest
In reference to the last two posts...

"do you intend on boycoting all cruise lines?"
No, I was thinking of just NCL. My complaint is with NCL and it would not make any sense to me to "buycot" other cruiselines just because I don't like something NCL did not help with.

"As for your experience with a hotel, that was not a resort type hotel I can guarantee everyone."
With this comment, I am afraid I will have to contradict. The hotel I was refering to was a resort hotel in Florida.

In reference to the very last post...the fact it was not NCL "fault" about not making it the first night never was a dispute. Two facts are lost though when the "thought process" stops with that.
1. It also was NOT my fault
2. I would not expect NCL to refund all the money, just half. "Half" since it was neither NCL or my fault.
Life is filled with "compramising", but NCL appears not willing to "compramise". And as long as there are people who "accepts" NCL (or other lines) not "giving one inch" they will continue to do as they please.
 
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newmexicoNita

Guest
Jeb,

Point: all cruiselines follow the same proceedures, that is why the comment about boycotting all lines. Just because you have not had this happen before doesn't mean it wouldn't have regardless of the cruise line.

2-as for the Hotel not being a resort hotel: you obviously don't know much about resort hotels: I don't know which hotel NCL was using, but I do know 2 things; all hotels in Hawaii are considered resort hotels regardless of what you may think of the hotel and most hotels NCL uses for pre and post stays are resorts. As I said I have no idea which one you are referring to so I can't judge as to whether it met your opinoon of resort.

As for the hotel you cancelled because you just changed your mind, in Florida, again, not knowing where and what hotel is was I can't judge whether is was a resort, but I can assure you all resorts do require a deposi, not just a guarantee and all have a cancellation policy. You stated you just had to cancel prior to 6pm, that isn't a deposit just guarantee.

It wasn't your fault, again, not knowing why you couldn't arrive on the date you were reserved none of us can judge whether it was or wasn't your fault but short of death or grave family illness you just simply can not expect any refund.

You say NCL doesn't care; last year there was a family that had a tragic death about a week prior to their sailing on NCL. If wasn't actually the couple but a relative. NCL gave them a certificate for a free cruise anytime within the next year. You say NCL doesn't care. IF thier is a true uncontrolable situation they will bend.

Of course no matter how many of us try to explain this, you will continue to think you deserve a refund of some kind. That is your right and you have every right to boycott anything you please. I doubt your coming on this board is going to convince anyone not to sail NCL> Maybe just venting will help you get over it. NIta
 
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jeb2006

Guest
Based on the post I just read, it occured to me that I did neglect to say why I was unable to arrive for the first night hotel in Hawaii.

Continental Airlines (whom I was flying on) had a 4-hour flight delay due to mechanical issues witht the plaine. This caused me to miss my connection in Houston for Hawaii (being 5 hours late getting to Houston). Continental had no seat to get me to Hawaii until the next day.
I did call Honolulu when I realized that Continental was not able to get me an alternate flight to Hawaii until the next day.
(I was not just a "no-show")

In the last post, the statement, "IF thier is a true uncontrolable situation they will bend". Mine was "uncontrolable", but NCL did not bend. Perhaps this is no longer true as it apperently once was??

Hope this clerifies for all why I did not make it the first night.

Perhaps I should think of buycotting continental Airlines as I think of it?
 
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newmexicoNita

Guest
Jeb, not that I really think boycotting anything will really help, but yes, if Contenental had mechanical problems and caused you to miss your connection the blame lies strictly with them. I have read of situations like this before though I have never personally experienced it nor have any of my clients. Again, here is where insurance comes in.

Many years ago a situation came up with one of my clients; it was a New Years cruise on xxx cruiseline. Due to horrible snow storms in NYC they could not get out. Guess what Carnival had to say? No insurance, sorry, no cruise. The weather was so bad it would have been 2 or 3 days before they could join the ship and one of the persons cruising was in her 80s. Of course they choose not to cruise. I didn't blame them and I was really upset with xxx cruise line, but again, I understood.
Nita
 
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