Norweigan Cruise Line - Ripping us of in the UK?

modeller

I'm currently researching a cruise for next year, but have found that NCL are charging UK residents more (than European/US) and trying to block purchases made via their Euro website.

When booking in Europe/USA , NCL will treat a 12-17 year old as a child. Via NCL in the UK, your teen is classed as an adult at a much higher rate. Why?

If you try to book via NCL's European phone center they will not take booking from UK residents. Isn't this a breach of EU rules?

:mad:

stoneman

Use cruisecompete, they will give you the U.S. prices for a cruise

modeller

Great link, thanks! Just got a quote which beats the Euro sale price.

dzug1

modeller wrote: »

If you try to book via NCL's European phone center they will not take booking from UK residents. Isn't this a breach of EU rules?

:mad:

They are not an EU company

loobs40

Its not always the case the US prices are cheaper than the UK. Watch out on CruiseCompete that the quote is like for like.

Avoid quotes which offer a 'too good to be true' price. They will be too good to be true

Don't forget that bookings made in US dollars which look good today may not be so good tomorrow with currency fluctuations. Also factor in any credit card currency conversion charges. Halifax Clarity credit card works for me

travellerboy

loobs40 wrote: »

Its not always the case the US prices are cheaper than the UK.

Most of the recent cruises I have considered, the US T/A are definitely not cheaper. The best deals at the moment are booking via a European T/A like www.dreamlines.de due the fact that the Euro to Pound exchange rate is so good.

LondonDiva

Also have a look at vacationstogo

stoneman

travellerboy wrote: »

Most of the recent cruises I have considered, the US T/A are definitely not cheaper. The best deals at the moment are booking via a European T/A like www.dreamlines.de due the fact that the Euro to Pound exchange rate is so good.

We have booked for the last 3 years using US travel agents and they have always beaten the pants off of the cruise lines own site. The main thing is the extras they will entice you with. This year we are on the Epic in the caribian in a courtyard suite. NCL price $,5000. TA price when biding on cruise compete $4,700 plus $400 on board credit, 2 bottles of wine and dinner in 2 of the speciality restaurants.
What you do have to remember with NCL is that they charge $12.50 per day per passenger compulsory gratuity, then all bar drinks have another 15% added to them as well.

travellerboy

stoneman wrote: »

................. NCL is that they charge $12.50 per day per passenger compulsory gratuity, then all bar drinks have another 15% added to them as well.

There is no such thing as a compulsory gratuity.
A Gratuity is something given voluntarily, what you mean is they apply a Service Charge.

stoneman

travellerboy wrote: »

There is no such thing as a compulsory gratuity.
A Gratuity is something given voluntarily, what you mean is they apply a Service Charge.

In their terms it used to say "gratuity", when they got fed up with people adjusting it they changed the term to "service charge" that gets pooled between all of the staff except for salaried ones.
Sorry for the use of wrong word;)

poet123

travellerboy wrote: »

Most of the recent cruises I have considered, the US T/A are definitely not cheaper. The best deals at the moment are booking via a European T/A like www.dreamlines.de due the fact that the Euro to Pound exchange rate is so good.

That looks a useful site, if only I could speak German, I can't see a language changer.

stoneman wrote: »

We have booked for the last 3 years using US travel agents and they have always beaten the pants off of the cruise lines own site. The main thing is the extras they will entice you with. This year we are on the Epic in the caribian in a courtyard suite. NCL price $,5000. TA price when biding on cruise compete $4,700 plus $400 on board credit, 2 bottles of wine and dinner in 2 of the speciality restaurants.
What you do have to remember with NCL is that they charge $12.50 per day per passenger compulsory gratuity, then all bar drinks have another 15% added to them as well.

We have just booked via a US TA for a Celebrity cruise, was cheaper but the main attraction for me is that they don't have cancellation charges, they do price drops or upgrades and they take care of their customers.

The gratuity or service charge is not compulsory and can be removed if you are so minded or wish to pay in cash. We don't remove it but lots of Brits do, and it causes outrage on the cruise boards!!