Is the next cut or "added convenience fee" going to be The Children's Programs?

Below is one of the reasons we booked the Escape for our Family cruise ( 3 cabins), now I am beginning to wonder what "added convenience fee" will be dreamed up between now and when we cruise.

I don't need parenting or grandparenting advise, I am just asking others who booked for NCL's children's programs if they are getting a bit concerned about what changes may occur there.

GUPPIES NURSERY

With the first-ever Norwegian nursery on Norwegian Escape, parents can rest easy knowing their tots (6 months – 3 years) are being well looked after by our dedicated staff. Featuring an Active Room with sensory-based activities, games and toys based on a daily theme, plus a Quiet Room for babies to sleep and rest, parents can have the vacation they deserve while their little ones do too.

The kids club hours & fees is one of the reasons we've cruised DCL exclusively in the past - DCL even had a kids overnight on our Panama Canal trip. And there were no kids club fees.

As NCL doesn't include lunch/ dinner hours already, and charges for late night hours, it will be an adjustment for us. I'm hoping there are no additional chargers.

Fyi - there's already no drop off program for children under 3.

Fyi - there's already no drop off program for children under 3.

abbyar,

That is why we specifically chose the Escape, it somewhat indicated that there will be. True, we have not been able to get any details but are/were hoping that the New Escape Program for 6 month to 3 years would include something similar to the "over 3" programs.

Below is one of the reasons we booked the Escape for our Family cruise ( 3 cabins), now I am beginning to wonder what "added convenience fee" will be dreamed up between now and when we cruise.

I don't need parenting or grandparenting advise, I am just asking others who booked for NCL's children's programs if they are getting a bit concerned about what changes may occur there.

 

GUPPIES NURSERY

With the first-ever Norwegian nursery on Norwegian Escape, parents can rest easy knowing their tots (6 months – 3 years) are being well looked after by our dedicated staff. Featuring an Active Room with sensory-based activities, games and toys based on a daily theme, plus a Quiet Room for babies to sleep and rest, parents can have the vacation they deserve while their little ones do too.

And it shouldn't bother anyone if they added a fee to the kids club. I have always wondered why it is free in the first place, especially when the kids are very young?

And it shouldn't bother anyone if they added a fee to the kids club. I have always wondered why it is free in the first place, especially when the kids are very young?

Why shouldn't it bother anyone? Unless you get in on the Kids Sail Free promotion you are paying full price for a child regardless of age. I would assume part of the justification of that is due to the cost of the kids program. As far as I know you already have to pay extra for certain times as well as a separate gratuity.

I don't have a dog in this fight as we have never travelled with little ones, but I have to believe that any Children's Services fee or service charges per child policy on NCL will send families in droves to the other cruise lines which have none.

But in light of everything else which has come down the pike at NCL recently, I think the likelyhood of some sort of fee is just a matter of time. And, it will probably be sprung on unsuspecting parents DURING their cruise with a micro print statement at the bottom of the Freestyle Daily rather than first on the website and with a start date well in the future.

Don't most cruise lines that offer nursery service charge a fee? I think there is a difference between the kids clubs and babysitting. I remember paying $ for the nursery at Beaches, and that is a true AI.

ETA even DCL charges for the under 3 crowd.

I specifically became interested in NCL Escape because of the childrens program "Guppies" and booked the ship over RCI because of it. I actually booked BEFORE the Freestyle Choice promotion (since have added the promo so kids sail free, etc.) but my PCC was adamant that NCL was not charging for this. RCI WILL watch young children but charge per hour. Therefore for NCL to claim this is a first for the age group means it is included.

I have emailed both my PCC and NCL Social Media to ask about the childrens program and if it will have charges in the future but have not received a response.

Don't most cruise lines that offer nursery service charge a fee? I think there is a difference between the kids clubs and babysitting. I remember paying $ for the nursery at Beaches, and that is a true AI.

 

ETA even DCL charges for the under 3 crowd.

Yes, RC charges for under 3 on an hourly basis as well. I can understand that due to the extra work that is involved for the very young. If NCL started adding an additional fee to their current programs that are fleet wide (3+) that would definitely be a deal breaker for us and to be honest I am a little worried because it has been one thing after the other lately.

My husband and I are doing a vow renewal in Jan and a large group of family is traveling with us. I am already nervous about telling everybody about all the new fees as I was the one who picked the cruise line.

I specifically became interested in NCL Escape because of the childrens program "Guppies" and booked the ship over RCI because of it. I actually booked BEFORE the Freestyle Choice promotion (since have added the promo so kids sail free, etc.) but my PCC was adamant that NCL was not charging for this. RCI WILL watch young children but charge per hour. Therefore for NCL to claim this is a first for the age group means it is included.

 

I have emailed both my PCC and NCL Social Media to ask about the childrens program and if it will have charges in the future but have not received a response.

LMaxwell,

What you said above is exactly the same reason we booked the Escape. Like you , we had been thinking about Royal until we read about the new Guppies Program on the Escape.

I specifically became interested in NCL Escape because of the childrens program "Guppies" and booked the ship over RCI because of it. I actually booked BEFORE the Freestyle Choice promotion (since have added the promo so kids sail free, etc.) but my PCC was adamant that NCL was not charging for this. RCI WILL watch young children but charge per hour. Therefore for NCL to claim this is a first for the age group means it is included.

 

I have emailed both my PCC and NCL Social Media to ask about the childrens program and if it will have charges in the future but have not received a response.

They would definitely lose a major competitive edge for young families if they began charging. We have a 7 month old at home and this added feature would be a huge draw to us for our next cruise.

I had asked yesterday about this, specifically about the childrens program on Escape.

Here is the response I received this morning

"Thank you for the feedback. We understand your frustration and apologize for the inconvenience. We will be passing this feedback along to the correct people internally.

Regarding, children’s facilities, we will not be charging extra for the children’s facilities or kids camp.

Feel free to reach out with any additional questions."

I will be bringing this with me on my cruise. If any charges are levied I will speak to management onboard and if not removed I will have my credit card company go to bat for me. I have better things to do on vacation than to chase managers around to have charges corrected.

They did ignore other specific questions about upcharges though.

I hope this comes to fruition. NCL has been promising a "nursery" since early 2012 when they raised the start age of Splash Academy from 2 to 3.

My kids are 7 & 9 so it doesn't matter to me, I just hope they follow thru better than they have in the past....

I asked my PCC and got this response

"No the Splash Academy is a free service that is included in the rate of the cruise. "

My response to that

"

Does this hold true for the Guppies service on NCL Escape or is this considered separate. "

"This holds true as well for the guppies program. "

I asked my PCC and got this response

 

"No the Splash Academy is a free service that is included in the rate of the cruise. "

 

My response to that

 

"

Does this hold true for the Guppies service on NCL Escape or is this considered separate. "

 

"This holds true as well for the guppies program. "

Just what I wanted to hear.......now as for whether or not they keep their word is ANOTHER MATTER completely!!!

Just what I wanted to hear.......now as for whether or not they keep their word is ANOTHER MATTER completely!!!

Agreed 100%. But now I have basically the same answer from two verified NCL emails and will be boarding with those documents printed out.

Below is one of the reasons we booked the Escape for our Family cruise ( 3 cabins), now I am beginning to wonder what "added convenience fee" will be dreamed up between now and when we cruise.

I don't need parenting or grandparenting advise, I am just asking others who booked for NCL's children's programs if they are getting a bit concerned about what changes may occur there.

 

GUPPIES NURSERY

With the first-ever Norwegian nursery on Norwegian Escape, parents can rest easy knowing their tots (6 months – 3 years) are being well looked after by our dedicated staff. Featuring an Active Room with sensory-based activities, games and toys based on a daily theme, plus a Quiet Room for babies to sleep and rest, parents can have the vacation they deserve while their little ones do too.

Don't give them any ideas

Since every program, even Disney, charges for the nursery (6 months - 3 years), I would be surprised if NCL kept this free.

But I don't trust them on kids programming at all. We had booked a cruise with them and then they announced they were changing the 2-year-old program but absolutely no details. We had a 2-year-old cruising. We gave up because they couldn't answer us and booked a cruise on Carnival. Glad we did. About three months before sailing (after final payment would have been due) they finally announced that there would be no program for 2-year-olds. I kind of found it shocking since the trend has been to increase access to kids programming, not decrease.

GUPPIES NURSERY

With the first-ever Norwegian nursery on Norwegian Escape, parents can rest easy knowing their tots (6 months – 3 years) are being well looked after by our dedicated staff. Featuring an Active Room with sensory-based activities, games and toys based on a daily theme, plus a Quiet Room for babies to sleep and rest, parents can have the vacation they deserve while their little ones do too.

I specifically became interested in NCL Escape because of the childrens program "Guppies" and booked the ship over RCI because of it. I actually booked BEFORE the Freestyle Choice promotion (since have added the promo so kids sail free, etc.) but my PCC was adamant that NCL was not charging for this. RCI WILL watch young children but charge per hour. Therefore for NCL to claim this is a first for the age group means it is included.

I've just interpreted this to mean it's a first for Norwegian. The Escape will be the first time they've taken children under 3 at all.

I've just interpreted this to mean it's a first for Norwegian. The Escape will be the first time they've taken children under 3 at all.

It will not be the first time they take children under 3 and I have two responses from NCL representatives confirming NO CHARGE for Guppies program on Escape. If they try to charge me for what was promised to me at time of booking, and verified by two agents of the company, I will challenge it and let me credit card company handle it.

Furthermore, any new charge, or any charges I have been deliberately mislead or lied to about will be met with reducing the DSC in lockstep.