Norwayfan1

I have just sailed on the Norwegian Star too, with the Free at Sea package. There were no restrictions on alcohol service, although - and this is bizarre - on Belfast evening a member of the staff in Ginza brought out the dreaded 'we can't serve alcohol because of UK regs etc but those with drinks packages may be served'. He wiped the notice clean and placed it prominently on the bar counter. That notice was displayed nowhere else on the ship as far as I could tell. Presumably the message didn't reach Ginza - who knows?!! 🤔 I did have an e-mail from P&O (in response to a query I sent off during 'Drinksgate') to say that NCL were the only company sailing out of the UK who were operating a 'no alcohol because of UK Regs' policy. Other competing cruise lines watching that fiasco must have been laughing with glee. Hopefully we've seen the end of the nonsense.

There's nothing to stop NCL compensating their crew for any gratuities they missed out on, as a result of NCL's own incompetence.

Thank you. Useful to know. I prepaid too.

Thanks for that information.🙂

Thank you. Good to know. 🙂

I've been cruising for 25 years and I have always paid the recommended gratuities in full. However, I'm sailing with NCL soon and if Free at Sea is not delivered as sold to me, I'm afraid I will deduct from the service charge. Ideally I'd like to deduct it from Tony's salary (the GM on Star (post 976) who seems to think it is fine to ignore his passengers' requests and concerns), but I know I won't be able to be specific. I agree with post 982 that Miami will do nothing. They are a long way away and can hide behind a keyboard. I'd be interested, however, to see what recourse we have in the UK with regard to (for example) travel agents who are selling these packages.

Cruise lines rely so much on people taking the view 'I don't want to punish the hard-working staff...'. It may be a last resort, but at least that gives a customer some power, if NCL won't do the decent thing. They've had ample opportunity.

I do hope enough passengers don't take this lying down. Brits often grumble and then do nothing. This has so gone beyond 'Why are you moaning about not getting a sailaway pina colada?' That Free at Sea package is sold in the UK as a fare add-on. It isn't being delivered - simple as that. To not refund some of it is a disgrace. That's mis-selling... by NCL or the travel agent.

Maybe the management at Miami decided the original weasel-worded notices weren't weasel-worded enough, and had an emergency meeting to make them worse.

I wouldn't pay £299 to be treated like rubbish!

Earlier today, this was the number I phoned, to speak to the Company Rep who said Miami had issued the statement to say alcohol restrictions are lifted. Phone was picked up more or less straight away. Anyone able to phone from the UK (including folk in Liverpool today) might want to give them a call to tell them it appears not to be sorted. 0333 241 2319. I guess it might be a different number when dialling from other locations.

Text received from travel agent... 'I can confirm, what you were seeing online was correct, for some reason, NCL were not serving alcohol to their guests when in UK waters/ports however NCL have had an emergency meeting and we have received the news that this has been lifted and normal service has resumed.'

This This is just disgusting. We phoned NCL this morning about another matter, and also asked about the alcohol situation. This call was made to an articulate company representative who sounded totally clued up. She said this matter was completely sorted for the UK and a notification to that effect had been issued to staff on Thursday. I also had an e-mail from my travel agent yesterday evening saying exactly the same thing. How anyone can continue to defend this ridiculous company is beyond me.

No, I didn't know that! I've just googled it and it was a long time ago, I see - 2011. I checked Youtube but it seems to be unavailable in the UK.

I think whoever their Chief Exec is, they should get themselves on that Undercover Boss TV programme. They could put on a wig, false beard and moustache and work as a Bar Person who has to put those weasel-worded 'no alcohol' notices on the counters, followed by a spell at Guest Services, meeting unhappy customers. And maybe one or two work shifts on phone duty/live chat...

Sounds like good news coming through - here's hoping everyone sailing UK this summer has a wonderful holiday, with no further hassle or upset. That's cute wording from NCL, though - 'Upon further investigation....'! 😏 Out of curiosity I e-mailed another cruise operator yesterday to enquire whether the issues currently affecting NCL passengers also applied to their ships sailing UK. They telephoned me and left a voicemail (there's a novelty - a return call, rather than being deliberately cut off!!!!) assuring me that they had the required licence to serve alcohol in UK ports, adding that if anything were to change in future they would contact customers to inform them.

Why bother cancelling the beverage package? Just pay up anyway, even if you buy all the booze in town. NCL will be grateful for your dosh. 😁

I think I'll contact that lot, to let them know the bother they are in....😁

My relative has just completed a live chat with NCL. After consulting a supervisor, the agent said that restrictions had been lifted in Livorno. When asked about the situation specifically in the UK he said there was no update to the previous company statement. When asked what the previous statement said, as my relative hadn't seen one, he wasn't able to produce it. When asked if he knew what the problem was in the UK, he said this was a situation of the UK's making. He said he was aware that other cruise companies were serving alcohol but that those companies were putting themselves at risk of being fined. The agent ended the chat before any follow up questions could be asked.

I was on Norwegian Star last year. In three Spanish ports (and all the sailing time in between) NCL charged VAT on every transaction. I was well aware that Spanish VAT is charged in Spanish waters but I did query this this at Guest Services because I couldn't understand why it was being charged on a pre-paid Free at Sea fare addition and I still believe they were wrong. The lady at the desk said: "Well it's not going to be a lot of extra money, unless you are a very heavy drinker." 🤑 I had sailed just a few weeks earlier to Spanish ports with Celebrity and yes, Spanish VAT was charged on the ship, but not on any drinks at all, as everyone had the 'Always Included' fare that Celebrity used at that time, so every passenger had a drinks package.

I wonder if they are teaching different lessons on PR Management courses these days. It used to be the case that, if your company generated bad PR, you could limit damage and try to turn it into a plus by holding your hands up, explaining and putting things right... then using your prompt, customer-focused action to prove what a great company you were! Is treating your customers like idiots really in the textbook?!

Gosh. If only they had a Head Office somewhere, that might be able to give them that information...🤔

Sorry, I was wondering about the ports in the Republic of Ireland and whether any extra taxes were charged there.

I think a good way of judging a company is how well they deal with problems that are clearly upsetting people - regardless of where the fault lies. I recall that, when cruises restarted (but Covid still caused restrictions), Marella Cruises had to make some itinerary changes to a round-UK cruise. Not their fault at all, but they sent letters of apology and offered full refunds - and for anyone who chose to cruise anyway despite the changes, they gave £100 per passenger OBC. I thought that was quite classy.

Are there any extra taxes being charged during your itinerary (like the dreaded Spanish tax)? Just curious!