old sole

Anybody have any insight as to how they match up cabin categories if you select a replacement cruise as offered above on a different ship where categories aren't the same? Example: The Star is likely to have the same situation it appears. We have an SJ Suite on the Star in October 2016. If we get a similar choice as the Sprit folks to sail on Epic instead, how exactly is the fare protected? There are no SJ suites on Epic.

We're on the same Star cruise as emcelh which disappeared today, so I guess we may be getting something similar to one of those letters soon. If it happens it will be the second time NCL has yanked a cruise out from under us due to a redeployment.

There's nothing similar to our cruise currently being offered so I don't expect our fare or amenities package will be protected. I think my choice may be option 3: go ahead and take my $250 FCC I used as a deposit and shove it. I'm done.

Norwegian is increasing Gratuities. Just received this email: "Norwegian Cruise Line is adjusting its daily service charges, effective for all sailings that depart on or after August 1, 2015.

The new rates are:

$13.50 per person per day for any category up to a mini-suite stateroom

$15.50 per person per day for any suite category

Any guest that has made a booking by July 31, 2015 will have the option of prepaying their service charges at the current rate if done prior to the final payment due date. Guests with existing cruise reservations who have already pre-paid their service charges at the current rate will not be affected..........you book in January so it does not effect you

The part in red is not entirely true. We booked an Oct 2016 10 day cruise for 3 people under a promo that included gratuities for the first 2 people. The gratuities for the third passenger at the time were $12/day in a suite. The third person was not permitted to prepay gratuities and still cannot do so. We are told that because all three passengers are booked on the same promo code they cannot be prepaid and will have to be paid onboard. So instead of $120, those gratuities will now be $155 with no option to prepay no matter how much they increase before sailing.

Traffic is not too bad on a Saturday morning. I'd do it that morning instead of adding onto an already tiring day and having to deal with getting into a hotel very late at night.

We live in the Orlando area and leave around 7 to 7:30 AM when we're sailing out of Miami. You might want to add a little time if you're planning to turn in the car in Miami and take a cab or shuttle to the port. It's not a stressful drive at all but I'd much rather do it in daylight hours instead of at night.

I just searched for this topic - and have a question still after reading this topic - especially since NCL seems to be changing thing after thing after thing....

 

When I go to the NCL site, this is what I see for haven and what I see for suite - one mentions concierge and one does not - should this be a concern?

We have been in a non-Haven suite on the Pearl. We did have a butler and he was excellent. We never had a reason to think he was treating us any differently than he would have if it were a Haven suite. We also had access to the Concierge. We didn't get the same vibe from her as we did the Butler. She would answer questions, and did respond to our requests, but just didn't offer anything unless asked. We did not receive an invitation to early access to the Chocolate Buffet for example and only found out after our cruise that it is something usually extended by the Concierge. We did chalk up her demeanor to our not being one of her Haven guests. Maybe that was not the case and maybe she was just not a gung-ho Concierge for anyone, but that is the impression we left with.

I agree its a nonsense policy. I don't like spreading around CC numbers unnecessarily either.

As a workaround, how about go purchase a $50 pre-loaded Visa or MC and use that card number to satisfy the personalizer and print your docs. Then use it up for routine expenses. Might cost you a few $ in fees but you won't expose your other cards.

Complemantary room service I ordered for this morning was coffee, two OJ's' 2 cinnamon buns, on croissant and 4 chocalote croissants. Where it asked I said 2 people. I received everything I ordered.

 

Harriet

Thanks Harriet.

So once again, we just have to guess at what the intent is of a printed statement.

My reading comprehension is just fine. Apparently my intent comprehension is not so finely honed.

Thanks Harriet. That helps me with one part of my question. I wondered if they might just expect a check mark and then would bring 2 of that item. What you say makes perfect sense - but then makes the other part of my question relevant:

Is there really a limit of 2 items per person? For example, with two people in the cabin is an order for 3 Cinnamon Rolls and 3 Croissants not permitted? Or an order for 2 of each of those and also 2 Fruit Danish?

Thanks for taking time out of your vacation for getting the wording at the bottom of the new menu clarified. Much appreciated.

I thought NCL was the only one who charged for room service. While having a facial today the esthetician told me that she was just on a Carnival cruise and they were charged $4.00 for their breakfast room service order that consisted of coffee, hot chocolate, a croissant and a banana.

There has been a misunderstanding somewhere along the way. Carnival did introduce an expanded room service menu in early May on three ships that did add some for-fee items such as chicken wings, fried shrimp, sushi, and french fries, but items that were previously available free are still free 24/7. There is no delivery charge. There was no change to the breakfast room service menu hang tag and all of the items you listed are available and still free even on the three test ships. I have no idea what the $4 could have been, but it wasn't for a room service order for those items. Could someone have written in a $4.00 tip? That would have shown up on the folio as a charge and possibly been labeled room service. That's my only guess.

Under "Freshly Baked Bread" there is a note in parentheses that says "2 pieces per person".

So does that mean if I put write in qty of 1 on the line next to Cinnamon Rolls and qty of 1 on the line next to Croissant they will bring 2 of each? Or does it mean if I want two of each I should put a 2 on each of those lines - and that is all I am permitted to order if there are 2 people in the cabin?

You pay the delivery fee + the cost of food + the gratuity on the cost of food. It is not confusing except to people who don't want the rue to be what it is.

 

good luck with you meeting because if you are successful you will have the fine print changed fleet wide in hours.

It should be changed if they don't intend to honor it and only have it there to deceive. Sorry, but taking my order then splitting it into two orders so they can collect $7.95 on one part of it is just wrong. Why not be honest to start with? Why is that statement that exempts certain orders from the convenience fee even there if there are ZERO orders that qualify?

Thanks for the update Mischelle. Sounds like reducing the price to only double typical retail has really boosted sales and no doubt resulted in more $ in the bank for Carnival than was the case with the old pricing.

Want to try it on liquor? I'd be a buyer at $40/liter. I'm not at $80.:):)

I let the time expire before I could edit my post. I wanted to add that I believe Carnival's beds are twins that convert to a King and NCL's are twins that convert to a Queen. I could be wrong, but the space on either side of the pillows seem to support that. If I'm right then that would explain why the bed-to-wall space in your pictures seems so similar.

I just have to say I'm CONSTANTLY reading how Carnival has bigger rooms than NCL. This is mentioned over and over. We sailed Carnival last year for the first time and their interior room was no different than NCL's. I have to admit I had my hopes up when we went, thinking we would be getting a larger room...but that wasn't the case. So I sit here scratching my head every time someone says this. :confused:

 

 

I mean this is no bigger than the interior on a NCL ship. This was our interior on the Dream before putting the top bunk down.

 

 

 

An ocean view on NCL Star, which is the exact same set up as an interior, but with a window:

 

 

 

 

Interior on NCL Pearl...set up the same:

 

 

 

I'm still confused about NCL versus Carnival and what is different.

 

To me, sailing either, you should expect the same. :confused:

All classes of Carnival ships have the same published size for interior cabins, 170 sq. ft. NCL Spirit lists the largest inside cabins in the NCL fleet at 149 sq. ft. Pearl and Star list 141 sq. ft. Other classes of NCL ships list smaller inside cabins - P.O.A shows 132 sq. ft. Breakaway is 129 sq. ft. Now that's small.

Layout, furniture, closets etc. can make a difference. Maybe that's why the Carnival cabins didn't seem more spacious to you.

Thank you so much, just ordered so as well. Any one know the size of the bottles didn't see it mentioned.

Click on the name of the item and it expands and adds a description. 12 16.9 oz bottles.

Incidentally, we just purchased a couple of 35 packs of 16.9 oz Zephyrhills water at Sam's today for our hurricane closet. They were $3.29 ea. So about a $1 for 12 of them. The $2.99 for a 12 pack from Carnival is certainly a deal from what you would normally expect on the ship, but it's not so outrageously low that anyone should call it an obvious pricing error.

We ordered two 12 packs each for 2 upcoming cruises. Thanks, OP:)

Not really. You can ask when you enter, but it's likely that a particular server you had the previous night will be in a different restaurant altogether.

If you order a fee item, the RS charge is dismissed. Is that what you are saying? A soda isn't free. With this thinking, there could never be a RS charge.

Not quite. If you order only complimentary items from the room service menu (other than continental breakfast items in the morning) there is a $7.95 convenience fee. NCL makes an exception to that in the terms and conditions printed on the menu itself for orders which include complimentary items and also include non-complimentary beverage or special occasion items. For an order like that, they say an 18% gratuity will be added on the non-complimentary items, and the convenience fee will be waived for the order.

The open question is whether staff on the ships are actually waiving the fee on qualifying orders. The terms are clear. But a number of posters here are skeptical that the terms will in fact be followed. That's what people are asking verification of.

The $13.75 is for a pitcher (before the 18% gratuity which will be added on)

oops! sorry, mking, I was typing while you answered

Yes you can. At noon, they may have already started boarding. If that's the case you can just get on. If you arrive before they start boarding they will give you a boarding group number and you will board when they call that number.

We generally arrive between 10:30 and 11:00. Most of the time we have to wait a bit, but they usually do start boarding before noon.

Well, nice attempt to discredit me. However, in the corporate world that obviously you are not a part of. When you deal with a publicly traded company. EVERY SINGLE CHANGE TAKES WEEKS IF NOT MONTHS. The COC (chain of custody) had to go through meeting after meeting. Think tanks, VP's, EVP's, Directors then, legal has to review and use very specific verbiage. And this is for every single change that makes any change to contract language. Also, making policy official in some states. And since NCL HQ is domiciled in Fla. they have 60 days to have this change made permanently by including a contractual change in printable form.

 

If you like PM me and I will discuss this in greater depth with you.

 

Thank you.

You're right, I'm not a part of the corporate world now. But I was, for many years. In a multi-billion $ public company. In a consumer-oriented business (but one producing and selling products, not hospitality). I and my teams developed and implemented many changes in policy and practices that affected our customers and I am very familiar with levels of review as well as cross-functional review including legal. I am also aware that before you execute an agreed upon plan, you develop an implementation strategy including among many other things supporting printed materials, a training plan for those involved in implementation, and review of any changes needed in outward-facing electronic communications affected by the change.

There is ample evidence that NCL did none of this. Even today, the website still prominently displays room service as one of the complimentary dining options and it is not. Even today, the FAQ on room service charges says it is a test on two ships only. As of this week's sailings there still is no information available to passengers telling them they cannot take food to their cabins from the buffet, something the CEO's office and Public Relations have told news organizations and individuals who ask has already been implemented and is enforced on the ships.

No, this new policy on no take-out from the buffet to the cabins was not planned. At least not properly. It was a hasty decision in reaction to an unexpected reaction to the room service charge. That one may have been planned, but not the no-take out rule. It was part of an all hands on deck scramble to throw together anything they could think of to meet FDR's edict to raise per-passenger spending by $50-$60 PP and do it immediately. Take-out was jeopardizing the expected new revenue from room service, and rather than rethinking the room service charge in light of guest negative reaction, they decided to try to force people to pay for it to make the numbers they had promised the boss.

And actually, these changes do not require NCL to make any change to the contract. The contract already covers them. So no notice to any governmental or regulatory body is required. These are minor operating procedure changes and they are well within their legal rights to impose them. Someone might quibble about the fact that room service is advertised as complimentary when it is not. And someone might quibble that when the room service menu says that orders that include a non-complimentary beverage are exempt from the $7.95 convenience fee but they charge it anyway that is unfair (actually I do quibble about that one, and I think they would lose a credit card dispute over it). But they are minor policy matters and would never rise to the level of a legal challenge.

So no thanks, I don't need any schooling on corporate change processes. And I'm pretty sure my instincts are right about the hasty, poorly thought out implementation of these changes - without proper planning.

Woo hoo! Finally, open warfare! Blood in the water! Hooray!

 

Just kidding.

 

Simply wanted to point out that the cruise line you deplore is OCEANIA not OCEANA. I understand there is actually an Oceana. But Oceania is the one you hate.

 

Teach your grandchildren well.

 

Happy sailing

 

Donna

Just trying to poke a little fun, and obviously failing.

Thanks for the correction on the name of the line though, I would have made that mistake forever otherwise.

Fair winds and following seas!

Very interesting information. I certainly believe you as I cannot imagine the new CEO coming up with this idea. However, it makes sense that the current president would follow through with what the old CEO was planning. Puts a different spin on the whole subject. However, I have no doubt that many will not believe you :rolleyes: Thank you posting -- it makes a lot of sense.

Here's one.

This policy was not planned by anyone. It is an obvious knee-jerk reaction to guest's avoiding the new $8 room service charge by increasing take-away from the buffet. If it had been planned, there would be a coherent policy, in writing, and staff trained in how to enforce it. Here we are nearly a month into implementation and there is still no written policy, no notice being given on the ships, and no enforcement. Except for the few CC members who have read about it here and a few people who might have seen the article in USA today, it doesn't exist.

No, it wasn't planned by KS. It wasn't planned period.

It just wasn't a topic until last month. I know the search capability on CC is feeble, but I did my best to see where and how often this had been discussed in the past. I searched for "spilled" and browsed 10 pages of returned posts going back to August of 2013. I found reports of spills in the dining rooms, waiters who spilled drinks on people while serving them, a report of a drunk falling in a club and remarkably not spilling his drink, and a couple of mentions of "spilling the beans", but only one report of spilled food in a hallway. It was in a review of a Breakaway trip in December 2013 from an obviously disgruntled passenger. Here is that review:

Originally Posted by sks314 View Post

"This is not a fancy or cleverly worded review and certainly not for entertainment purposes. These are all facts and truthful statements of my experience on this very recent cruise. I was on deck 13 for those of you who care to know. Having always cruised RCCL I thought I'd give the new Breakaway ship a try. Although the ship is beautiful, I will never cruise NCL. To begin with, we never met our stateroom attendant, from the best of my knowledge we had two different attendants since one left the ship to go home. The hallways were littered with food trays and laundry bags on a regular basis. It took 3 days before the Cheerios that someone spilled on the carpet in the hall to be cleaned up, 4 days to get ice and a couple of glasses. There was vomit in the elevators, the bathrooms on the ship were also atrocious. Luckily I had the foresight to unmake the bed before we left because I found the bed was made over my husband's wet bathing suit. The food in the Garden Cafe was cold and had no variety. Although I must say the specialty restaurants were fabulous and so was the staff in the perfume shop. We had an opportunity to share our experience with an upper level crewman who sent several other crew to talk with us, however I did not see much change. There is not much more I can say except I hope you take this review seriously and consider another cruise line. "

I've seen typical responses from cruise line loyalists (not just here on the NCL forum, but yes, here as well) to reviews that read like that, and generally the person posting is ripped mercilessly for their obviously exaggerated claims.

That review is the only mention of spilled food in the hallways I found until the mega-thread that started in March over the room service charge. Beginning with that thread and since then, people have been coming out of the woodwork to claim they can hardly move around in the ships without having to step over or around piles of spilled food.

It just wasn't a topic of discussion until then. It isn't true. Just because NCL belatedly latched onto it as a justification for their ridiculous no take-away policy doesn't change the fact that it was not and is not a problem.

I actually like the policy and hopefully it will help get rid of some of the plates sitting around the pools that i have seen with half a burger on it, or also clean up the hallways in the middle of the night, which I have seen on numerous occasions with food and plates on the floor. It's not going to solve everything, but just like the smoking policy, which I was in favor of and also was very unpopular on these boards, just like the food issue, is another example how people get so up in arms and say they are not going to cruise on NCL anymore, but the bottom line it never had an effect on their bookings. Cruise critic posters are a very small percentage of the cruising population and to think you are going to change their minds because of what you say on here is completely ludicrous.

Sorry to disappoint, but THERE IS NO RESTRICTION on taking food from the buffet to the outdoor seating around the pool. And the claimed increase in plates in the hallways (even if true) was caused by the imposition of an $8 charge for room service, and could easily be solved simply by informing people via in-cabin printed cards that plates should not be placed in the hallway but will be retrieved from the cabin during twice daily cleaning. This instead of having the steward tell guests to put them outside, as has happened to me.

I keep getting junk mail from them wanting me to book a cruise. I guess this is a result of NCL buying Oceania.

 

They say they can't find me in their system to stop it.

 

The thought of an Oceana cruise makes me cringe.

Words in purple were altered from the original post.

It's obvious the mailing lists have been shared for cross-marketing purposes. I doubt it will bear much fruit for either.