KeithJenner

That isn’t necessarily the case. All these things vary by country. Most of us won’t be able to help the OP as I suspect that very few people on here know exactly how the pricing works in Australia.

Just be aware that the procedure on the turnaround day will differ depending on a variety of factors. For example, in many places people are allowed to stay on the ship but in others they have to leave. My understanding is that US ports require the ship to be cleared of passengers, so that is most likely what will happen in NYC. Others experiences are useful as a guide, but remember that things may be different for you.

But tipping threads on here are particularly entertaining. There are regular participants on them who I don't think realise how entertaining we find them. It isn't the arguments that entertain me, it's the way they are presented. Some of it is comedy gold.

Just to be clear, I wasn't attempting to make (or not make) anyones point. I was just answering your question. I'm just dipping into this thread for entertainment, and just skim reading posts, so still don't really know (or care) what your point is.

If someone books their own flights then they don't get flights from NCL. If they remove the drinks package then they don't get the drinks from NCL. If they remove the DSC then they still get exactly the same from NCL as they would have otherwise. Seems a fairly obvious difference to me.

You will get lots of conflicting answers, all put forward with great certainty. But in reality people are just guessing.

As do others I believe.

As discussed earlier, NCL did try this in Europe a few years ago. It didn’t last long.

This is an annual discussion, so I think you have your answer.

Not the standard package, but it is in the premium plus package.

There will be quite a few people who are platinum, have free at sea and have either upgraded their dining package or taken free at sea plus, giving them 6 (or 5 in some cabins). If they booked using the Amex deal then they are sorted for the week.

In my experience there is no separate line for the discount. One of my bookings is similar to the OP's (if I understand them correctly). I made a booking before I had received my discount for a cancelled cruise and then the discount was applied afterwards. If I look at the two confirmations they are identical other than that the Guest Fare is reduced on the new one. The percentages don't quite work out, and the discount (NCL's always available x% off) is the same so they are obviously adjusting for that. The price I got was very close to what I had calculated before I called. If the OP is comparing their new price with the original for that same booking then it certainly looks incorrect to me, based on what we know. I wonder whether the booking agent is doing a cancel and rebook and the price has changed. Unless something has changed there is no need for it it be done that way as these discounts can be applied retrospectively. I should add that I'm in the UK so some things may be different, but I can't see anything obvious that would differ in this instance.

You miss my point. The discount is off the current cruise fare. Therefore, if the current cruise fare is X then you would expect the discounted fare to be X-10%. If I read the OP's post correctly then they are saying that the discounted fare is X-$2. Any change in prices between the original cruise is irrelevant in that case. Anyway, the OP has stated that the fare is lower than the original. Perhaps the OP could clarify.

The discount is 10% off the current cruise fare.

I have received a couple of these discounts and they have always come through as the sort of discount that I would expect. It isn’t quite as simple as 10% off the total, as the discount doesn’t apply to the taxes and fees, but it was certainly a discount off the cruise fare. It sounds like yours is wrong. They do have history with this sort of thing. A few years ago we had a cruise shortened by a day. They promised a pro rata discount and when it came through it was £10. It took a long time, and quite a few NCL staff to be involved (who all clearly didn’t understand the basics) before they got it sorted and we got our correct discount (plus some OBC as an apology).

You didn't come across as blunt. I was just having a joke with you. 🙂 I have always assumed that the ease of removing the DSC for European customers, even though it isn't particularly advertised, is to keep on the right side of our consumer laws. I could be wrong though. The fact that US customers can remove it is probably a bit more of a question.

Yeah. I have three cruises booked (two 10 day and an 8 day). In aft balcony, mini suite and mini suite with large balcony. The only one close to that price is 10 days on the Viva (mini suite) which is just over $5k. I did have a couple of small discounts and an upgrade, but even taking them into account only the Viva works out as more than $5k Edit - Actually I'm not sure this is relevant. I don't think that anyone actually said they cost that much. Looks like someone misunderstood your original statement that nobody pays that.

I don't know why. For some reason they didn't contact me to let me know. 🙂 Se can all speculate though. Here's my guesses: 1) Exactly what you say. To be clear, I am not saying that the DSC isn't smokes and mirrors. 2) Never ask a supplier of anything to change the way that they charge you. It takes a quite exceptional company to resist the temptation to use that to also increase their prices, and NCL are certainly not that company. Yes, prices went up and by more than the DSC (and other things included) 3) Despite many people (and this applies more to the UK and Europe than the US) saying that the DSC should be included, they haven't really thought it through. Lots of these people remove the DSC anyway, and they found that the prices had increased and they could no longer opt out of some of it. Basically, my point is that whilst it is easy for people to say that the DSC should be rolled up into the fare, it really isn't that easy in practice. It won't just be a case of the prices increasing by the DSC amount and then we all live happily ever after. Many peoples opinions are really just self serving excuses for why they think that they should pay less (or on NCL's side to charge more). Rolling the DSC into the fare wouldn't solve many of the issues, and then in a few years time when NCL announce that they are going to start another charge to replace it (quietly ignoring the fact that it is already included in the fare) we would all be paying more. I haven't studied the numbers in detail, but I believe that is what happened in Europe at least to an extent. I have no side in this argument. I know that in the end we just pay what the cruise line can get away with charging (or decide not to cruise with them). How it is all labelled is irrelevant to me. I don't believe that fiddling with it will help.

You get access to Cagneys/Moderno for breakfast and lunch. No idea about escort off the ship, I’ve always managed to find my way without help. Butler and Concierge are there to help and hinder as usual. Basically, everything you would expect that doesn’t include a Haven area.

People often say this and I always point out that they did exactly this in Europe a few years ago. It didn’t last long.

That isn’t something that I ever recall happening.

This is nothing to do with the free at sea gratuities. This is the service charge which is added to your bill every day during the cruise (unless you prepay it).

I believe that is correct if you pay it online. If you add it when booking then it is taken with final payment and I don’t know what happens if you were to phone to add it. Regardless, if it isn’t already added to your booking then you certainly don’t want to pay it now for a cruise that far out. Just wait until March 2024 and pay it then.

I hope you didn't move.

Yes, you can still do that. It is still stated in the T&C's