Mediocre cruise, even worse customer service after!

Norwegian Sky Cruise Review to Caribbean - Bahamas

Cruises: 4-6 cruises
Review: 1
Helpful Votes: 18

Overall rating:

1 out of 5
Norwegian Sky

3 Night Bahamas (Miami Roundtrip)

Sail date: November 21, 2014

Ship: Norwegian Sky

Cabin type: Oceanview

Traveled as: Singles/Friends

Reviewed: 9 years ago

Review summary

I have never written an online review - I work in customer service and know how silly they can sometimes be. However, I need to share my experience about NCL.
A friend and I signed up last minute for a 3 night, weekend cruise to the Bahamas for a discounted price. This was my 6th cruise, but first time with Norwegian. From the beginning, all of the staff seemed uninformed and uninterested. We were looking to sign up for the drink packages (hey - it is vacation after all!) and were sent to about 6 different locations. Finally we end up at the sign up table with another set of friends. We follow the instructions, but somehow they ended up putting all 4 drink packages on one persons card. While inconvenient, we figured it'd be easier to deal with amongst ourselves and not involve the cruise line. The trip itself was uneventful and mediocre. The dinner services were reservation only - and in several restaurants. I much prefer the traditional dinner seatings with other travelers. You make friends with others, and often turn into companions for the other activities on the boat. The food was pretty bland, nightlife for two 25 year olds was hard to come by. Again, mediocre trip. Because it was last minute and discounted (celebrating my new job!) I didn't expect much, but thinking Norwegian is a nicer, higher class cruise line, I was prepared to be impressed. I was wrong. After we get off the ship, the nightmare began.
I actually left my wallet in the stateroom safe (I know, 100% my fault). I realized this getting into the car right off the boat. I call the lost and found and file a report immediately. I should have turned around and gotten back on the boat - but unfortunately, I did not.
I call every day after, spending about 45 minutes to an hour (of course they're only open 9-5) to check on the wallet. Each day they take a completely new report, stating they have no record of my call the day before, and have no answers as to why there isn't already a report when i've spoken to someone multiple days in a row. This continues for about 2 weeks and they finally tell me there "may be" a match, and I need to wait to be contacted by their lost and found coordinator. Each day I call, they repeatedly say they're waiting for the boat to answer the email requesting my wallet. Each day, they promise to call me back with a response. Only until I found a competent employee, Vivian, I received a follow up. For the wallet - all in all, I did get it back, but only after 3 weeks of calls and much wasted time. Now, to the other part.
After about 3 days, the pending charges on my credit card filed go through - totaling around $450. I had already mailed my friend a check for the drink package they accidentally put on his card, thought that part was solved - we were wrong. They charged my friend and I for each individual drink we had, and took the drink package off of his credit card (the charges are pending a few days after you get back to land). We stood in line, followed instructions, got the "Ultimate Beverage" stickers on our cards immediately. We thought it was weird, but were going to figure out the cash amongst ourselves. Later the first day - apparently - they attempted to contact our friend (that had the 4 charges) through his cabin phone, but were unable to (obviously - it's a cruise!) When they were unable to, they took the packages away, yet no one told us when we repeatedly used our cards. This issue was part of my 45 minute, daily phone calls, and again, it took weeks to even receive a response. I demanded they charge us the $220 the drink packages should have been, and refund the $450 they actually charged. After 3 weeks of this, the only reprieve they were willing to make was a $100 on board credit - which I will never be using.
Between the mediocre service on board, and the atrocious service afterwards, I will never use NCL in my travels again.

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