$1m in bookings safe with NCLH

TRAVEL Associates Kew’s Kathy Pavlidis (pictured) says she’s “so happy to have her eggs in the Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH) basket,” with the proactive approach of Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises (RSSC) having helped her manage more than $1 million in bookings disrupted due to COVID-19 cruise cancellations.

The 2017 CLIA Cruise Consultant of the Year told Cruise Weekly the NCLH brands had been a standout in their response through the pandemic, with the approach of putting customers first ensuring all refunds had been received, as well as ensuring many clients had rebooked through her threeperson office.

She said in many cases where clients had paid a deposit and were concerned about final payment, the date for finalisation had been extended, while those who had decided to pay in full had received bonus future cruise credits which had seen them rebook immediately.

With the further extension of NCLH’s cruise pause (CW yesterday) Pavlidis said one couple had now been disrupted three times - but each time had taken the option of the future cruise credit meaning they were

“super happy having made 25% on each cancellation”.

“Our job is to help the customer get the right outcome - we’ve just got to present them with the facts,” she said, with 100% of her Norwegian, Oceania and RSSC bookings resolved.

“Every cent owing has been paid back, on every cruise, and they’ve protected our commission too,” she said.

Pavlidis’ experience is a stark contrast to that described by Helloworld Travel Chief Executive Andrew Burnes, who earlier this month blasted NCLH in an email to the group’s travel agency members, saying Norwegian had been “dreadful to deal with”.

Helloworld and its Seven Oceans Cruising wholesale brand have dropped Norwegian as a preferred supplier (CW 15 Jun), with the company still not commenting further on the furore.