Nickeled & Dimed

We will be taking our first cruise on NCL shortly and have cruised numerous times on Princess and Celebrity. We have recently been told that NCL has taken nickel & diming to a new level; not allowed to bring water on board and worse than that, not allowing water purchased on board to be brought back on board. Cutting back on the quality of food and charging for decent food items in the complimentary dining rooms.

Can anyone comment on this and compare the overall experience on NCL to Princess and X.

I cannot help, having only cruised on NCL, but I find it slightly amusing that you haven't even sailed yet and are already complaining about being "nickled & dimed". If you are that concerned about policies that you KNOW are in effect before you sail, perhaps you should stick with the lines that you are happy with.

I cannot imagine taking bottled water onto the ship nor purchasing bottles of water while on the ship so I cannot advise you with a solution.

We will be taking our first cruise on NCL shortly and have cruised numerous times on Princess and Celebrity. We have recently been told that NCL has taken nickel & diming to a new level; not allowed to bring water on board and worse than that, not allowing water purchased on board to be brought back on board. Cutting back on the quality of food and charging for decent food items in the complimentary dining rooms.

 

Can anyone comment on this and compare the overall experience on NCL to Princess and X.

No nickels or dimes. Due to a security iss post-French bombings, the cruise like has elected to prohibit bottles or cans of liquid to reduce security screening time. Wine is on since each bottle is inspected prior to being brought on board.

People want lower fares, which results in things that might otherwise be included in your fare being switched to for-purchase items. Things might be included on other lines, but fares are much higher. I've never had any complaints about the food in NCL dining rooms, and I'm extremely picky. Is it as high-end as in the pay restaurants? No. Is it inedible slop? No. It's decent food. As far as bringing water on board, you heard correctly. This applies to most other beverages. There's absolutely nothing wrong with the water coming out of the sinks on board. It's been purified, much like most of the bottled water people drink.

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We will be taking our first cruise on NCL shortly and have cruised numerous times on Princess and Celebrity. We have recently been told that NCL has taken nickel & diming to a new level; not allowed to bring water on board and worse than that, not allowing water purchased on board to be brought back on board. Cutting back on the quality of food and charging for decent food items in the complimentary dining rooms.

 

Can anyone comment on this and compare the overall experience on NCL to Princess and X.

If you think about that you can't bring back on board a bottle of water you walked off the ship with it makes sense--how would they know you purchased it on the ship? I don't believe it's for security reasons or because it took to long to screen people; I'm of the belief that it's a way to make more money. So, you either deal with it and pay what they charge or drink the ship's water (which is just fine, IMO).

As far as food quality, I eat most of my dinners in the specialty restaurants because I prefer the atmosphere and am a bit of a foodie. Yes, the food is better in those restaurants, as it should be since you're paying extra for it. But, I've found the food in the MDR, O'Sheehan's, the Asian restaurant, and the buffet to be good. If they didn't have so many specialties, I would be fine eating in the restaurant that are included in my fare.

You really don't have to pay for anything you don't want to pay for. No one forces you. Most of what you pay for on NCL, you pay for on all the other lines as well.

We will be taking our first cruise on NCL shortly and have cruised numerous times on Princess and Celebrity. We have recently been told that NCL has taken nickel & diming to a new level; not allowed to bring water on board and worse than that, not allowing water purchased on board to be brought back on board. Cutting back on the quality of food and charging for decent food items in the complimentary dining rooms.

 

Can anyone comment on this and compare the overall experience on NCL to Princess and X.

you won't see charges any differently than on other lines... all of them have specialty dining... which of course is optional... actually NCL just has more options for specialty dining... and also, they have rolled out new and exciting menus.. I was just on the Breakaway and the food everywhere was great.. so I have no clue what you are talking about... can you be specific about what is "nickle and diming" on NCL that isn't exactly the same as other line?

We will be taking our first cruise on NCL shortly and have cruised numerous times on Princess and Celebrity. We have recently been told that NCL has taken nickel & diming to a new level; not allowed to bring water on board and worse than that, not allowing water purchased on board to be brought back on board. Cutting back on the quality of food and charging for decent food items in the complimentary dining rooms.

 

Can anyone comment on this and compare the overall experience on NCL to Princess and X.

I've never cruised with any cruiseline other than NCL so I can't help you with a comparison BUT I recently returned from a cruise on the Sky. I left spending absolutely ZERO money, drank the water from the tap and didn't lose any weight (the "free" food was acceptable IMHO).

Try to ignore those saying that NCL "nickels and dimes" all passengers. You too can have a zero balance at the end of your cruise!! ;) Go on your cruise with a positive attitude and you'll have a great time!

No nickels or dimes. Due to a security iss post-French bombings, the cruise like has elected to prohibit bottles or cans of liquid to reduce security screening time. Wine is on since each bottle is inspected prior to being brought on board.

Hysterical!

I guess you believed others when they stated NCL prohibited food to be brought back to the cabins for "safety concerns" LMAO

Of course the prohibited water is to increase money being spent on board.

Its not rocket science. Its a business and the NCL business model has been extremely aggressive over the past year of finding ways to increase revenue. Its foolish, unfair, and highly irresponsible to make up stories.

Hysterical!

I guess you believed others when they stated NCL prohibited food to be brought back to the cabins for "safety concerns" LMAO

Of course the prohibited water is to increase money being spent on board.

Its not rocket science. Its a business and the NCL business model has been extremely aggressive over the past year of finding ways to increase revenue. Its foolish, unfair, and highly irresponsible to make up stories.

+1

NCL does have a few 'extras' over other lines - e.g. Room Service $7.95 a pop (with a few exceptions).

Higher priced Drinks Package (with higher priced drinks) and less included in the package than other lines. (not really an issue if you get it for 'free' - that's NCL 'free' BTW - pay 18% for a 'free' package (which is probably baked into your cruise fare anyway (US only))).

Their excursion prices are apparently a bit higher than others (cannot comment directly on that) - OP - you get the picture I hope. Forewarned is forearmed.

The price of your Princess or Celebrity cruise would be at least 50% higher for a similar category (unless you're comparing the Haven to a suite). Shockingly, you do not get the same amenities on a cheaper cruise as you do on a higher-priced one. Here's the good news, you get to decide what you get "nickle and dimed" for. Don't want to pay for bottled water? Great, you're not required to. Don't want to pay the upcharge for the Cagney's steak? Excellent, you don't have to. Many, if not most, passengers report enjoying their cruise without paying a single dime outside of gratuities.

If you want a more "all inclusive" experience, you're welcome to have that with another line, it's just going to cost you more upfront. Norwegian has chosen the alternate approach - fewer included amenities and a lower upfront cost, allowing each passenger to choose how much additional they want to spend.

Sounds like you may prefer the first option, and if that's the case, out may want to stick with Princess, X, Azamara, etc in the future. However I would suggest not getting caught up over what probably amounts to less than $100 worth of "nickle and diming" and try to focus on enjoying your cruise.

I prefer ala carte cruising. I pay for the extras I want.

If anyone has a problem with NCL's policies there are other choices.

Me? I am fine.

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OP what type of cabin? You can choose 2 perks with many cabin categories. Yes you do pay 18% gratuity on beverage and dining packages. But that is minimal.

You can CHOOSE to pay for extra things or not.

Don't go into your cruise with a preconceived notion, try it and see for yourself.

There is obviously a certain % that thinks NCL nickle and dimes and a % that don't.

I prefer ala carte cruising. I pay for the extras I want.

 

If anyone has a problem with NCL's policies there are other choices.

 

Me? I am fine.

 

 

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I don't worry about nickel-and-diming because I don't want most of the stuff they are selling anyway. I would like to bring a few bottles of water on board, just so I can refill them as needed in my cabin or elsewhere.

BTW, Princess (and to a lesser extent Celebrity) is not always more expensive. We are sailing on the Getaway Dec. 4 followed by the Regal Princess Dec. 11. The Princess cruise is about $150 cheaper; both for a guarantee balcony cabin. Norwegian is giving us $85 OBC; still higher than Princess, but not much.

I feel the same. I would rather get to choose how I spend my money, opposed to paying for things that I don't want or use, like what happens on some other lines.

Agreed - the main issue is that if people are aware of the possible extra charges going in, they do not scream 'nickle and dime'. If they are caught unawares - they scream.

I prefer 'a la carte' - BUT - NCL charges more for things than the equivalent on many other cruise lines - that's my beef.

Agreed - the main issue is that if people are aware of the possible extra charges going in, they do not scream 'nickle and dime'. If they are caught unawares - they scream.

 

I prefer 'a la carte' - BUT - NCL charges more for things than the equivalent on many other cruise lines - that's my beef.

This Nickel and Dime has to stop because we usually cruise Norwegian but we just got off our one and only and last Princess cruise and I have to say the sales pitches for the alcohol and soda package was non stop the first two days so annoying! Never had that issue with Norwegian and Princess charges for everything as well. All cruise lines charge for similar stuff. The items in the boutiques were a rip off on Princess compared to Norwegian. Maybe you should try them before complaining about something that hasn't happened yet.

We will be taking our first cruise on NCL shortly and have cruised numerous times on Princess and Celebrity. We have recently been told that NCL has taken nickel & diming to a new level; not allowed to bring water on board and worse than that, not allowing water purchased on board to be brought back on board. Cutting back on the quality of food and charging for decent food items in the complimentary dining rooms.

 

Can anyone comment on this and compare the overall experience on NCL to Princess and X.

NCL has a number of things they charge extra for, or prohibit, or have different policies for that will cost you money in the long run. We haven't sailed Princess in a few years, but are looking at them again because of NCL's declining value for us. We are also looking at X as an alternative.

You know the water policy. But it gets worse. The beverage plan does not include bottled water, specialty coffees, sports drinks, etc. If you get this plan "free" and you are in the US, they charge you 18% of the value of the package, so it will cost you about $95 per person per week. For a plan you can get free on X that also includes bottled water and specialty coffees. If you are a wine drinker, the NCL beverage plan has been a disappointment for many, with few "wine by the glass" selections available. In addition, NCL has recently raised the prices of [a few] drinks beyond the $15 limit, so premium drinks made with top shelf liquor will cost you the difference (about $2.35). And there is a small menu of ultra-top-shelf drinks they say are excluded form the plan, but that bar tenders are, so far, only charging the difference (I expect this to change, perhaps in the next 30 seconds.) If you are not into the top shelf liquors, and drink 3 or more drinks per day, the beverage plan is probably worth the 18% gratuity. But if not, you're better off taking another promo.

While on the subject of beverages, they do not have a coffee card like Princess does. The regular coffee is your average diner style coffee, and not as bad as I remember on Princess. The specialty coffees on NCL are very good, but you pay for each one. No discount because you have the beverage plan.

Dining:

They did add some premium selections in the main dining rooms that cost extra, but I don't view this as a negative. If one member of your party really wants the add-on Porterhouse steak, you can have him or her order it in the main dining room instead of all of you paying for a specialty restaurant. I find the free food in the main dining rooms and O'Sheehan's pretty good. While presentation is not as good, and the service is much slower than on Princess, the food itself is fine. And the ability to truly use Freestyle dining is a plus ... you can eat when you want, where you want, with whoever you want, in your regular clothes.

Some NCL "gotchas":

- Room service costs $7.95, except for continental breakfast items in the morning.

- Generally, you will not be able to apply your on board credit to your daily service charge. NCL may give you OBC, but it is deemed "non-refundable" and can't be used for the daily charge. Your TA may or may not give you "refundable OBC" that can be used for any thing on your account. On Princess and X OBC is simply OBC, and you can use it for any charge that appears on your account.

NCL plusses include the aforementioned Freestyle dining that they do better than anyone else, a great fun atmosphere, pretty good entertainment with a lot of live music on board, and for the larger ships fantastic resort-style amenities, including adults only areas.

I have 2 cruises booked on NCL. One in 2017 and another in 2018, and have no problem with the prices. The only problem I have is with the Beverage package,which, per day, is valued much higher than any other line, plus they add the 18%. No other line does that. The packages range from $42.00 to 65.00 per day, and that includes the 18%. For my Alaska cruise,I just took the dining pkg, and grats. For my Carib, cruise, I took the Beverage and grat pkg. For that cruise, I'm also looking at Celebrity and the Anthem on Royal since I have another year and change to worry about it.I'm hoping against hope that they change their policy on this, or maybe have a price reduction before final payment. Sorry for rambling on.

Just returned from the Escape. Overall the on board charges are about the same as any other line that I've traveled on (Princess, Royal, Holland, Carnival). I guess most people concerns are the specialty restaurants, which some are ala cart and not a set fee like most specialty restaurants. There's not Laundry facilities so to have ship to do your laundry is expensive. But other than that it's all the same as other cruise line. For me Carnival has more value. This was my first NCL and I've cruise about 17 other times. I don't think I'll do NCL again. There's some good features with NCL but not enough to seperate itself from other cruise lines.

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We will be taking our first cruise on NCL shortly and have cruised numerous times on Princess and Celebrity. We have recently been told that NCL has taken nickel & diming to a new level; not allowed to bring water on board and worse than that(TRUE), not allowing water purchased on board to be brought back on board.(TRUE) Cutting back on the quality of food and charging for decent food items in the complimentary dining rooms. (TRUE)

 

Can anyone comment on this and compare the overall experience on NCL to Princess and X.

It's all true despite the excuses you will read here. I don't consider it nickle and diming, but $5 and $10 dollaring! The company has to make a profit and the course they have charted bothers some and not others.

We will be taking our first cruise on NCL shortly and have cruised numerous times on Princess and Celebrity. We have recently been told that NCL has taken nickel & diming to a new level; not allowed to bring water on board and worse than that, not allowing water purchased on board to be brought back on board. Cutting back on the quality of food and charging for decent food items in the complimentary dining rooms.

 

Can anyone comment on this and compare the overall experience on NCL to Princess and X.

My comment is that a lot of people like to whine.

I have 2 cruises booked on NCL. One in 2017 and another in 2018, and have no problem with the prices. The only problem I have is with the Beverage package,which, per day, is valued much higher than any other line, plus they add the 18%. No other line does that. The packages range from $42.00 to 65.00 per day, and that includes the 18%. For my Alaska cruise,I just took the dining pkg, and grats. For my Carib, cruise, I took the Beverage and grat pkg. For that cruise, I'm also looking at Celebrity and the Anthem on Royal since I have another year and change to worry about it.I'm hoping against hope that they change their policy on this, or maybe have a price reduction before final payment. Sorry for rambling on.

Royal also charges 18% and the price for their Deluxe Beverage Package (which includes everything up to a certain price, including bottled water and coffee), is priced at $44-$55, depending on what ship and sail date you are on and not including the 18%. For Anthem, count on it being on the higher side.

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You just proved my point. The Anthem is on the high side, and still only $55.00 compared to NCL's $79.00.