Q: I recently took a Western Mediterranean cruise with my family, which included flight arrangements made through Norwegian Cruise Line. Before our departure, we tried to check in online, but the first leg of our flight was not showing up on the Delta Air Lines app.
We contacted the NCL air department, and a representative said they needed to reissue the outbound tickets and send us new air confirmations. She told me to go to the airport in the morning and resolve the situation at the Delta check-in desk.
At the airport, the agent could not find our reservation. Delta only had four seats remaining on the flight, so I purchased the tickets to avoid missing the cruise.
I have asked NCL to reimburse us for the $1,796 we spent. NCL asked us to file a claim with AON, the travel insurance we had purchased through NCL, but AON turned down our claim. We also disputed the charge on our credit card, but lost.
We have exhausted all of our known options. We would be grateful if you would consider mediating on our behalf.
A: NCL should have given you valid airline tickets. If there was a last-minute glitch, it should have taken care of you instead of sending you to the airport to negotiate with Delta.
I have been getting quite a few complaints about airline tickets booked through a cruise line. They look a lot like yours. There’s a ticketing glitch, and passengers have to buy new tickets. The cruise line refuses to cover the extra costs, pointing to the strict terms and conditions on its site.
In your case, there were also some crossed wires. In the correspondence between you, the cruise line and the travel insurance company, it’s clear there was a misunderstanding of what happened and who was responsible.
