Here is my complaint letter I filed with NCL regarding a cruise I have recently taken.
August 16th
Norwegian Cruise Line
7665 Corporate Center Drive
Miami, FL 33126
This letter serves as formal complaint in reference to a cruise taken August 7th -August 15 on Norwegian Cruise lines' Pride of Aloha. I have taken several cruises on both Royal Caribbean and Carnival cruise lines and I have never experienced the level of subpar service, low quality of food and numerous inconveniences as I have on this NCL cruise. Prior to this cruise I had the opinion through word of mouth and print that NCL was a premier cruise line. I no longer have that opinion. Following is a list of items that I deem to be totally unacceptable:
1. Room service number was constantly busy.
2. Cabin was not clean upon arrival. Dirty glasses with unrecognizable substances were in the bathroom.
3. Foul smell in bathroom. Problems flushing during later part of cruise.
4. Cabin was two floors above the theatre (stage) and I could hear every sound check and concert very clearly.
5. Food was often either over or undercooked. I believe my bout of food poisoning was due to undercooked eggs. I had to spend money on food on the islands and should not have because I was afraid to eat the food onboard!
6. Little or no labeling on items in buffet line.
7. Hand sanitizers were not explained and were often empty.
8. Long waits for food in both the buffet lines and in Crossing restaurant.
9. Buffet line ran out of food.
10. Professional pictures had mysterious and miscellaneous spots on them and full shots had feet cut off.
11. Same menu every day at the restaurant with only a different special. Who goes on a cruise to eat the same food every day?
12. No midnight buffet with ice sculptures.
13. Buffets later in the week obviously contained overcooked leftovers.
14. Jacuzzis were sometimes inoperable.
15. Staff was not knowledgeable about the basics ie. Hawaiian tax rate.
16. NCL offered shore excursions were higher than you could get on the island sometimes significantly.
17. Chinet paper plates were given at breakfast.
18. Filet mignon at specialty restaurant was dry I ordered medium!
If NCL knew that they had problems with staff, quality of food, service, etc then based on that knowledge passengers should have been informed in advance and given the opportunity to either take the cruise with the potential problems outlined or get a refund. That would have been the honest thing to do. I would think that a corporation such as yours would own up to subpar service instead of risking the blow to NCL's formerly exceptional reputation. I will admit there were a few staff members that tried very hard to make the cruise enjoyable but the efforts of one or two were not enough.
I had been looking forward to this cruise of the Hawaiian islands for 9 months and came away sorely disappointed. My total investment was well over $3,000 including a first class ticket from Nashville, TN. Not a small outlay for what I received in return. I expected this cruise to be the trip of a lifetime not bargain basement and had I not had extra money in which to spend on the islands to eat and enjoy shore excursions I would have been beyond myself with fury.
Nevertheless, I respectfully request a refund of both my cruise and associated airfare. I absolutely DO NOT want to receive only a voucher towards future sailings. That would be a slap in the face and an insult to my intelligence and would say to me that NCL does not respect my money or my time. I believe with the number of items I have described a refund for my past sailing is not asking for too much. I am sure that had you taken the same cruise and paid the amount of money you also would expect some form of monetary compensation.
I look forward to your response to this very serious matter and I truly hope that you resolve these issues before taking any more unsuspecting consumers hard earned money.
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