Worst Cruise ever due to NCL and Cheap Cruises dot com
Norwegian Gem Cruise Review to Caribbean - Bahamas
Contributor Level:
Purser
Cruises: 7+ cruises
Reviews: 2
Helpful Votes: 66
7 Night Bahamas & Florida (New York Roundtrip)
Sail date: December 19, 2021
Ship: Norwegian Gem
Traveled as: Singles/Friends
Reviewed: 2 years ago
Review summary
NCL & CHEAP CRUISES ARE THE WORST EVER THEY BOTH RUINED MY CHRISTMAS! Some good friends and I of mine have NCL in their stock portfolios, but after this I will be cashing them in. I have sailed on NCL Gem before in the past with my Late father as well as my wife and daughter on these cruises: Norwegian Sky 2012 Norwegian Gem 2015 Norwegian Sun 2015 They treated him like royalty and I thought that I would enjoy taking another cruise on this ship and it has been absolutely dreadful. On each cruise I went on in the past with NCL, I would buy a Future Cruise Credit. I will not be exercising that option this time due to your lack of concern in this matter. I got an email from CHEAP CRUISES on Monday December 13 about an amazing deal including 4 packages: PREMIUM BEVERAGE PACKAGE SPECIALTY DINING PACKAGE INTERNET PACKAGE $50 USD EXCURSION CREDIT I thought WHAT A GREAT WAY TO SPEND CHRISTMAS! I spent most of my money on this ALL-INCLUSIVE PACKAGE only to get lied to from BOTH companies. Boy, was I wrong in a big way as I quickly found out that both companies are the most petty I have ever in my 60 years had to deal with. Especially with the Christmas Holidays and losing friends to COVID-19, should I mention that cruising is JUST starting to come back? I was truly hoping to take a tour of Charleston South Carolina. The dream of having a cold beverage on Cocoa Beach and then Great Stirrup Cay Island on Christmas eve was dashed when the reality of my drink package being denied became a reality. So, I became a prisoner of my room not by my choice, not of COVID but because of CHEAP CRUISES AND NORWEGIAN. I only left to get food then come back. The shows I am not interested in as I cannot fully enjoy the performances without a beverage. I booked this on Friday December 17 with Cheap Cruises Confirmation #372-43536100 Norwegian Cruise Line #47818198. I did not get a call back the next day as I was informed. I called back on Saturday December 18th and was assured those packages were included as my email stated. On Sunday December 19th, I drove 9 hours to get to NYC and then had to take another Covid test which took an hour. The LAST thing in the world I want to do after 11 hours of traveling and waiting is waiting an ADDITIONAL 2 hours at Guest Services. Upon checking in, Guest Services said I did NOT have a Beverage Package, Specialty dining, internet, and excursion credits. I waited from 12:30 to after 2 pm to have this matter NOT TAKEN CARE OF AS it fell upon deaf ears. I spoke to a Guest Services representative from Peru, his supervisor from The Philippines and HER SUPERVISOR from India. I was told by the Indian Supervisor that I had to show them the email that your company sent, so I did. I was told by the supervisor that they did not get any emails or instructions from CHEAP CRUISES and was told that the only thing included was a slight upgrade to a port window because I booked the "SAILAWAY" rate which was 100% untrue and I could care less about this although it is a nice view. I took screenshots as he requested and sent it to him FOUR times yesterday at 2:04 pm, 3:43 7:42 pm as well as 9;04 pm. HOW MANY EMAILS DO I HAVE TO SEND BEFORE SOMEONE HELPS ME? HOW LONG DO I HAVE TO WAIT BEFORE CORPORATE APPROVES OF SOMETHING I PAID FOR WITH MY HARD-EARNED MONEY?!?!?! When I booked this with CHEAP CRUISES, the rep asked me about special needs, and I told her I was a diabetic but did not need anything. She asked if I needed a box for the used needles and I told her no because I do not take insulin but upon going into my room, I found the box in the bathroom. I even took a photo in the bathroom as I do on every cruise and there was a needle box inside. This and the subsequent phone calls back to CHEAP CRUISES confirmed me that I indeed did book the cruise with those 4 packages. A simple "courtesy call" between the companies would have remedied this matter, but since neither did not lift a finger, my vacation was ruined. There is no excuse for two companies of your stature and reputation not to contact each other, none. Thank you very much for that. Several times between noon and two pm, I called CHEAP CRUISES and could not be heard from a combination of the loud noise on board as well as a bad signal. Once you enter any cruise ship, the signal is bad unless you buy an internet package. I spoke with someone at CHEAP CRUISES, but the call kept fading in and out "CAN YOU HEAR ME?" is about all I heard. I went back to my room and called Cheap Cruises and spoke to a very nice lady and after about 30 minutes, she said that she would pass this on to her supervisor. I am sure she did, and she was a real peach in her tone, but nothing was done. I am not sure who to point the blame, but someone needs to be held accountable. Another guest in line I was talking to talked about a similar ordeal on an earlier cruise with another cruise company and it was resolved in ONE PHONE CALL. After my call to her, I went on my merry way and had a few drinks but at about 7 pm the time of the complimentary liquor tasting, I was denied service not once but TWICE. I was told to again go to the Guest Services, and I did and stood again in a line from 7:30 pm to after 9 pm. I gave them a credit card for a deposit on anything I bought on the ship. I missed the complimentary liquor tasting and the Welcome Aboard show which I always like to attend on every cruise I go on. I felt like a street beggar as none of the bars would serve me and all my money was tied up in this cruise. I am 60 years old and should not have to feel bad or publicly humiliated being denied a drink at a bar when I am not intoxicated. Well, that did not make me happy as it will take more than a day to refund me, perhaps weeks or months. Just ask MSC, they are dreadful just like NCL is now. HAD I KNOWN ALL OF THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN, I WOULD NOT HAVE BOUGHT THIS CRUISE! I would have stayed at home instead, but I paid a lot of money for this cruise only to be denied the advertised bonuses. At Guest Services, a rep from Brazil helped me use the Courtesy Desk phone and I called CHEAP CRUISES back and I could not hear the ladies name and explained everything AGAIN, but after 24 minutes of being ON HOLD, I got disconnected!!! I called back a minute later and a nice lady from CHEAP CRUISES helped me and overheard the conversation between me and the front desk as they REFUSED TO TALK to anyone in your company. She was very helpful and said she would escalate this to the proper people. Monday morning, I went back, and they STILL DID NOT have an answer. So, I WAS DENIED any drinks, I have no internet to check on my business back home. Monday afternoon I went to the Front Desk and inquired about the "Exclusive Cocktail Party" which I got a card on Sunday in my room. It CLEARLY says "For day, time and location of the exclusive cocktail party, please come to the Cruise Next desk in the Atrium by 9:00 pm on embarkation day, or by 9:00 pm on the second day (WHICH I DID) of your cruise for Pride of America." I DID NOT BOOK A PRIDE OF AMERICA CRUISE I BOOKED A NORWEGIAN GEM. I was told that that had already took place. Very bad misleading verbiage! So far, I have missed out on: Complimentary liquor tasting Welcome Aboard show Exclusive Cocktail party South Carolina Shore Excursion wasted over 5 hours of my much-needed vacation time standing in line at the Guest Service desk trying to get an answer to my cruise bonuses and that was only Day Two! Tuesday, the SECOND NIGHT of the cruise, I spoke with a Guest Services rep from The Philippines and was told that NCL has NOT RECIEVED any emails or phone calls from CHEAP CRUISES. She went on to say that I paid for the "SAIL AWAY" rate and no bonus offers were included. She said that their main office has NEVER BEEN CONTACTED and for me to contact GUEST RELATIONS IN MIAMI. I have an email proving different. I spoke to CHEAP CRUISES, and they all told me that they indeed contacted NORWEGIAN in Miami and they REFUSED TO INCLUDE ME MY BENEFITS. so, who is lying? CHEAP CRUISES OR NORWEGIAN?!?!?!?!?!? I tried many times to get ahold of anyone in Miami with NCL and all I got was nothing, no one could help. So, I look at it this way, CHEAP CRUISES has not lifted ONE FINGER in correcting this situation. NCL REFUSED to honor the mistake that CHEAP CRUISES made. I am NOT going to keep begging either company over the phone to correct this issue. Neither company has done anything to remedy this situation. I WILL not be going down to GUEST RELATIONS and waiting in line not one minute more. Somehow someone at BOTH COMPANIES has not followed. On December 21 I got up at 6 am and called CHEAP CRUISES and spoke to a lady who was rather curt in her tone. She asked me to explain everything and as I did, she interrupted twice and said "I am still reading the notes". After all that I called back at 9 am and spoke to a NICER REP and she seemed to help. She got both her supervisor and a NCL representative on the phone. After a very long hold she said that their supervisor would be in the office at 1 pm and she would keep trying to help. No calls back and no emails. This was now the 4th day of a very irritable, uncomfortable, and unhappy situation. 4 days till CHRISTMAS and this is NOT how I wanted to spend my vacation. On December 22 I called and spent 1:35 minutes on the phone with CHEAP CRUISES with yet another rep. After speaking with her supervisor, I was informed that HER SUPERVISOR indeed spoke with NCL both yesterday and today and they refused the request. I was told that I booked the "Sail away" package and although they admitted that the INITIAL agent had made a mistake, 5 different agents at CHEAP CRUISES all said I was to receive the bonuses which I paid for. I HAVE ALL THEIR NAMES. Yet even after she escalated the case to NCL neither company is honoring this request. I got screwed out of a vacation package by BOTH COMPANIES. I went down to the Guest relations to tell them of this and spoke again to rep from The Philippines and her colleague from Morocco. I signed a paper stating that I would not have to pay for the gratuity charges which they took off six days of expenses. This was a small token of kindness on their part and I thanked them for that. I was a prisoner in my room for the last 3 days and for the duration of the cruise as I have no money to buy anything. Neither company are taking care of this so I will in the form of social media posts. I have worked in the public relations field for Walt Disney World, UPS, The Trump Organization and The Home Depot. They all know how to handle situations like this on a much higher, prompt, and courteous level than NCL. I have been on dozens of cruises and write reviews about them all on various social media sites. As far as I am concerned this is a 'BREACH OF CONTRACT" as I paid IN FULL and in GOOD FAITH and have been LIED TO as well as DEFRAUDED. I sent BOTH companies Certified Letters with Return Receipts and to date, I have had 4 phone calls back from CHEAP CRUISES in two days. Yet when I call back there is NO ONE to talk to, cannot get through and I will NOT be spending any further time trying to talk to anyone. I have other reviews for Norwegian, Pullmantur, Royal Caribbean, Carnival and MSC cruises. I have been on a cruise with my late Father and the staff was incredible. I invite you to look at it and see what a great cruise line you once were. Finally, I NEVER once said to NCL or CHEAP CRUISES that I was a valued customer. I was NEVER arrogant saying "Do you know how I am?" or used my prior Latitudes membership to seek anything I did not deserve. I NEVER threatened or tried to coerce anyone to do the right thing. I only ASKED for the RIGHT THING to be done. I am currently disputing this entire fiasco with Capital One as neither company has contacted me since I sent a Certified Letter.Embarkation
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
Onboard Activities
Entertainment
Service and Staff
Ship Quality
Cabin / Stateroom
Ports of call
Charleston, South Carolina Did not visit port
stayed in cabin due to lack of bonuses lied to by NCL and Cheap Cruises
Thumbs Up
0
Port Canaveral, Florida Did not visit port
Disembarkation
16 Comments
1960cruiser 2 years ago
I stopped reading about a third of the way, due to length and prettiness. You mentioned every single little detail trying to make NCL look bad. My question to you is.....what did you expect from a company that's called "cheap cruises"? Did you not pay attention to your paperwork? Everything that is included in your cruise is on there with their charges. Seriously, your cruise is ruined cause you can't have a drink in your hand, so you sit in your cabin and do nothing, well, thats on you 100%. Have you ever heard of the saying "if you are given lemons, make lemonade?" You took a bad situation, that is probably mostly your fault and then blamed everyone, but yourself. BTW, you are going to sell your stock in NCL to get even with them? This is not the time to sell, so you are only hurting yourself.......again.
mepcnp 2 years ago
Sorry but you seem like a child throwing a tantrum, Ncl or any company cannot change of fix what a 3rd party did. I work for Hilton and it is the same thing, if a 3rd party screws up we can't do anything to change the reservation or fix it. Pay for your drinks and enjoy the cruise anyway.
Al1964 2 years ago
It’s a shame but appears to be another example of buyer beware. I always book either directly with the cruise line or my reliable personal travel agent. I’ve learned my lesson from fraudulent hotel bookings on sites that prices were indeed to good to be true. So my advice… Use a reputable travel agent or book your hotel, airfare, etc. directly. And last but not least protect your vacation and always buy the insurance.
mckey70hotmailcom 2 years ago
Why would NCL fix the mistake made by cheap cruises and why wouldn’t you just put all extra expenses on a credit card and enjoy your vacation until you were home and could get the situation rectified? You say you have worked in HR then you should know that guest services on a ship are limited in what they can do? And if you got your gratuity reimbursed then why not use that to buy a few drinks? Things happen..
MargieRita 2 years ago
Sorry that happened but couldn’t you have walked around beautiful Charleston on your own without an excursion instead of sitting in your room? Unless they had restrictions sounds like you missed out on a great city due to your choice. After the last two crappy years most people would be happy to be on a ship even if there were set backs.
Gwbigdog 2 years ago