Maplemoose

It's not a contradiction. Your choice of any entrée is included. However, if for some reason you want more than one entrée, you would have to pay extra for the additional one. I have eaten at Cagney's 4 times using the SDP, and each time we ordered multiple sides and multiple appetizers. There was never a charge, which coincides exactly with how the terms are written.

 

Yes, you can dine at the same restaurant for every one of your meals if you would like. That's your choice.

 

I don't know if the current promo is for 3 or 4 meals. I'd have to go to the NCL site and read the terms, and I'll leave that to you or someone else.

Thank you.

After googling and reading through this thread I am still a bit confused about the SDP in the free at sea promotion. First is it currently 3 meals or 4? Can one go to the same restaurant more than once as long as the maximum meals is not exceeded? In the FAQ, it states "No, all items listed on the menus are included in the package. Additional entrée charges also apply for dining at Cagney’s Steakhouse and Le Bistro." That sounds like a contradiction to me! Do I have to pay for all items with a price tag? Looking at the Bistro menu provided what would I be entitled to for free? Thank you.

Thank you. I did a little playing around and found that the tips oh the drinks only, were about $100 a person and combined with any other offer were about $113. That was for a week for each person. If you chose a dining free plan only the tips were only $13 a person. So a 7 day cruise with free drinks and dining would for 2 would end up with total SC and tips of about $400.

Last cruise 18 months ago on the Getaway I was charged the Service Charge up front and that was the end of it except for the auto tip on my drinks. Now I am contemplating the Drink/Dining package. So my understanding is that I would be paying up front for gratuities on that and then the DSC at the end of the trip? Is that how it works and if so how much would they charge? I can see probably 18% of the daily cost for the drink package but how would they calculate the dining tips. They don't know how many specialty meals you would have. Thanks

If you choose the Canadian "at par" deal then I doubt you could put it on a USD credit card, it would have to be on a CAD credit card. If you could it would make things even more complicated and expensive. Firstly the cruise costing, say USD1000, would be charged to your credit card as CAD1000 then the bank would convert that back to USD and charge you the fee. At least this would be a gain for you.

Then you become a "Canadian customer" and have any pre-embarkation further purchases converted by NCL from the USD price to the CAD at THEIR locked in exchange rate. Then if you buy, say USD100 OBC, NCL would automatically convert that to about CAD145 at their present rate. If you have nominated a USD credit card the bank would convert it back to USD at their rate and also charge you any fees for the international transfer. This is true for ALL future purchases made prior to boarding. So that would certainly be more expensive.

You would have to balance the gain at the start and the loss after.

As the currency on board is USD and charges there would be paid directly in USD to a USD credit card.

 

It is in fact logical for any Canadians using a CAD credit card initially because they are locked in at 1.07; 1.11; 1.18 or 1.33 to give the boat a USD credit card at embarkation for purchases made on board.

 

Mike

Ok, I am not talking about the Cdn at par. The last time we went I paid in US dollars with my Cdn credit card. My credit card billed me the US amount plus about 15%. NCL gets their price in US dollars and I get charged in Cdn dollars at the market rate the day VISA bills me. Are you saying that changed? That is like buying a book at $20 US on your VISA and being charged $40 Cdn when it should be about $27. I am also not talking about "booking" anything else or putting money on an onboard account. It was also logical that NCL would not give you taxes and fees at par. That's know as "read the fine print". They are not out to lose money but I can't see how they can wave a money wand and charge you more than the actual cost that you agree to. If the total when you book for everything is $1000 USD then at todays rate you would be paying about $1330 CAD on your Canadian credit card. Please explain why this isn't so. I find the back and forth thing described above as bizarre and completely new. Why would this change because the exchange rate goes up? And what is the benefit of pre-buying onboard credits?

I'm the brother that Lor74 is referring to. Booked the Aug.20 sailing on the Escape and took advantage of the Canada at par promotion. Very happy about this.

 

Once I realized that all the taxes and pre-cruise add-on's were being converted at 1.46 I called NCL to complain. Spoke to an agent and escalated to a supervisor. Bottom line is there is nothing they can do and that my TA has to call. I spoke to my TA and they called as well and was told the same thing. Reservation is locked in at 1.46.

 

Three days later NCL introduces new fares and now at a lower FX rate. Called NCL and my TA again but was given the same info. Only option was to cancel the reservation and make a new one. Unfortunately the pricing was different with the options I had and it actually ended up costing more. So I'm still locked at 1.46. [emoji35]

 

 

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If a person booked and paid by credit card in American dollars, why would they not be charged the credit card exchange rate? Is this only because you chose the Cdn at par deal for the base fare? Does that give them control somehow?

My question concerns the NCL Getaway specifically and their policies which may differ from other cruise lines. First, may only one person get the soft drink package (as opposed to both myself and my wife having to buy it?). I know the Getaway is a Pepsi ship. My wife drinks Pepsi and I drink Coke. One option is me taking Coke aboard and her getting the package. Second, do most of the bars serve fountain sodas or is she going to end up buying cans in certain places or walking somewhere else to get a fountain drink with her card. Once again, I am only interested in experiences on the Getaway or at least NCL ships. Thanks.