erdoran

I was eagerly awaiting last Year’s Black Friday deals and they had a great one - FREE AT SEA!  The same one that had been running before and after.

OP, I think people new to cruising may not realize what their risks and options are, both with regard to travel insurance vs cancellation penalties AND - even worse - their financial exposure during the cruise if something horrible, like a heart attack happens mid-cruise, especially at sea.  Can you imagine that happening, you being so far from lan that you die before you get to a hospital with appropriate facilities (yes, there ARE on-ship facilities that might be fine, I just don’t know) AND your spouse/estate being saddled with a bill in the hundreds of thousands of dollars for medevac and uninsured medical treatment?  It’s cold comfort, but losing the cruise fare is the lesser of two evils.

Regarding travel insurance, when I booked by phone with a TA, I think he had to uncheck travel insurance on every single info page.  Online, there is a travel insurance section and in My NCL, summary, it’s there too.  There is ample opportunity.  The thing is, I suspect you, like me in my naive days, figured you are in good health and nothing would prevent you from going on the cruise, and travel insurance IS pricey.

As others have said, EVERY cruise line, without exception, has a cancellation policy and applies it.  They make $$$$$$ selling travel insurance so it’s very much in their financial interest to do so.  They are in business to make $$.  They do as they say and they publicize the cancellation penalties and make the insurance available in order to be fair - it’s their business model.

There is a wonderful travel insurance forum in cruise critic, I strongly advise you to read it and learn about your real options, not just the cruise line insurance.  You do have lots of choices.

Someone posted here a few months ago about a cancer diagnosis and “heartless NCL” sticking to their published refund policy.  That is what they do.

Finally my hubby had CABG in 2004 and it saved his life -doc said he’d have died within weeks otherwise.  He’s still around to annoy me all these years later - although headed in for a cath on Tues.  I know you are disappointed, but think of how much worse it would have been had you not known about the problem and something happened during the cruise?

A lot of time TA’s have $xxx to work with to incentivize you to do business with them.  If they aren’t allowed to pay for the tips for your UBP then ask them for it in OBC and use that to upgrade to the fancy booze pkg instead.

You guys make it look really tempting but for us on a 14 day x 2 = 28 x $35 that works out to close to $900 and hubby isn’t a wine or Starbucks guy .. sigh...and I’m too cheap to pay the extra!

Lots of good reviews on here for Geoblue for medical and evac...worth having a look.  I am planning to buy the annual plan when it gets closer to my trips...

Also the Bliss has the Observation Lounge with snacks much of the day....and the casinos put out some goodies in the evening.  And then there’s the bar mix that’s out, and you can ask at the bar for some as well if you want.  That’s a nice salty snack.

10 minutes ago, david_sobe said:

This is one of those threads where people only want to see black and white.  Yes, of course you can cruise NCL without eating at specialty restaurants or indirectly buying the beverage package with the "free" promos.

The issue is how cruising and especially NCL is creating more and more fee based venues whether it be eating, entertainment, or lounging, etc.  You don't have to sign up for any of them.  However, I remember when ALL entertainment venues were included in the cruise price. My last NCL cruise there was upcharge for a magic show.  What are all these new restaurants NCL is creating on board?  Fee based.  If NCL announced 2 new MDR or fare included restaurants on board, it would be refreshing.  More and more venues require upcharges from go carts to lounge chairs.  I think that is the motive of the complaints about upcharging.  We normally splurge and take advantage of the fee based venues.  However afterwards, I tell myself we did not have to do it.  None of us have to pay extra but IMHO its fair (criticism) to point out all the upcharge that is all over the ship.

Magic show upcharge?  Tell me more!!!!!

Also someone on my roll call for Jan Bliss said there is now an upcharge for surf & turf in Ocean Blue & Cagney’s, and for a whole lobster in Cagney’s, so be aware and budget/order accordingly.

Yeah, I don’t like that there are so many upcharge items either, but from my first cruise in 1988 I’ve always felt like my cruise fare was like a ticket to a money grab, and really just the down payment on the bill - but for me, I am still happy with my perks and carefully-selected extras.

11 hours ago, erdoran said:

My OBCs are always ONLY 

• Rarely spa services - priced about what a luxury hotel would charge
• sometimes ncl excursions either for price (yes, sometimes they can be a deal) or peace of mind—knowing I have the option to go independent one way or another;
• $5-$10 in drink taxes or less - dumb but not enough to worry about
• cruise next certificates
• extra tip vouchers because I want the miles or I didn’t bring enough cash, or both.

As in every resort or hotel, there are lots & lots of ways to choose to spend your $$.  Many OPTIONAL items are very overpriced.  You see the same thing at Disney or other hotels/resorts.  

 

As others have said, no one forces you to spend the $$.  Go-karts?  Yes, very pricey.  Not worth it?  Don’t ride.  Overpriced specialty dining?  Used to be MDR was only choice, there are multiple MDRs, buffet, noodle place, etc - free.  At home you can choose to go out to each someplace expensive or eat home (free-ish)), here at least free means you don’t have to do anything but eat, no cooking or cleanup, which is better than home.

 

Laundry?  Ridiculous except for the $20 mid-cruise special, which is $10 with gold status, and free with platinum.  Better than hotels!

 

It’s a business, not a charity.  I get sick of being hustled by the art auction people (never been to one) and the spa people, but try walking down any boardwalk!  

 

As others have said, assuming you prepay your DSC, you can’t get off the ship with big fat goose-egg for a final bill.  

Ooh, I meant you CAn get off the ship-however a later post reminded me of my mandatory wifi so in my case I will probably always have that one, although since I’ll be retired by my next cruise (I think) I may see if we can stick to the 250 mins....

Someone quoted $50 for medical & evac coverage only.  Where do you find that?  We are looking at Geoblue Trekker for I think $350 or so for a year....

FWIW, I had to cancel after final payment because of illness and the travel insurance co (may even have been thru NCL, I forget) refunded me the entire cost of the cruise to my credit card, including the value of the CN.  This was in 2011.

My OBCs are always ONLY 

• Rarely spa services - priced about what a luxury hotel would charge
• sometimes ncl excursions either for price (yes, sometimes they can be a deal) or peace of mind—knowing I have the option to go independent one way or another;
• $5-$10 in drink taxes or less - dumb but not enough to worry about
• cruise next certificates
• extra tip vouchers because I want the miles or I didn’t bring enough cash, or both.

As in every resort or hotel, there are lots & lots of ways to choose to spend your $$.  Many OPTIONAL items are very overpriced.  You see the same thing at Disney or other hotels/resorts.  

As others have said, no one forces you to spend the $$.  Go-karts?  Yes, very pricey.  Not worth it?  Don’t ride.  Overpriced specialty dining?  Used to be MDR was only choice, there are multiple MDRs, buffet, noodle place, etc - free.  At home you can choose to go out to each someplace expensive or eat home (free-ish)), here at least free means you don’t have to do anything but eat, no cooking or cleanup, which is better than home.

Laundry?  Ridiculous except for the $20 mid-cruise special, which is $10 with gold status, and free with platinum.  Better than hotels!

It’s a business, not a charity.  I get sick of being hustled by the art auction people (never been to one) and the spa people, but try walking down any boardwalk!  

As others have said, assuming you prepay your DSC, you can’t get off the ship with big fat goose-egg for a final bill.  

Can’t you rent the equipment from whatever shop you dive with, so you don’t have to deal with security?

Having said this, the excursion folks might be helpful as I’m sure you aren’t the first person to ask about this, whether or not you are taking an NCL excursion.

My employer told all employees how our salary levels were computed, based on indexing across similar job positions in 10 equivalent companies.  The $ amount of course wasn’t made public, but the method was.

Never said he would, just that he has the OPTION to do whatever he chooses - captain has absolute power for decision-making.....

and with great power comes great responsibility!

Can’t you write again to Chase and call, explain that it’s a duplicate charge and look, here’s the identical $300 on your wife’s card?  At that point I would think the burden is on NCL to document what the $300 is for and how they are NOT duplicate.  But there are time limits—I usually give the vendor a reasonable chance to remedy things, then escalate to credit card company before 90 days from the initial charge or error.  

6 hours ago, NLH Arizona said:

I guess some of us have been told things that weren't exactly true, like the time a server's assistant talked about her children and how hard it was to care for them.  We came to find out, she was single with no children and was just trolling for tips.  I believe the same goes for those that say don't pay the DSC, because it is more beneficial to them, because they get a share of the DSC plus larger tips from people like you that they told to not pay the DSC and tip cash.  I believe you probably tipped them well, while stiffing the rest included in the DSC, which the OP said was paid to the crew, but if that is what you can live with, that is your business.

 

There is an ex-NCL officer on this site and he has told everyone over and over again how the DSC works and and I would rather believe him since he is knowledgable, not a crew member who might have figured out a way to get more money for themselves versus being a team member and sharing the wealth with his team.

Referencing the ex-NCL officer, he said crew members get a minimum wage totally independent of how much DSC is paid.  If DSC goes above a certain (unknown) figure their pay increases to reflect this - probably not dollar for dollar, but something.  I had asked that question of OP, “isn’t there a minimum wage paid regardless?” But that wasn’t answered.

8 hours ago, SouthLyonCruiser said:

I would be very careful about trying to cheat the system. Many mentioned losing your drink package; no one mentioned the possibility that you could be kicked off of the ship for theft. (I don't know if the captain has that option, but I would not like to find out the hard way).

The captain is the judge and jury on the ship and has absolute power to kick you off the ship for anything or nothing....

Have a heart to heart with the other two people and decide who will drink the least.  Make that person #3, and use the drink pkg for the two heaviest drinkers.  #3 gets either corks n caps or pays for drinks.  If there's a reason you are #3 as far as "who pays for what" then #1 or #2 make a deal with #3 that they pay #3's bar tab (or it gets divvied up or however the group wants to handle it).  

1 minute ago, nyc2pdx said:

So maybe I can ask for beef Wellington?  I’ll be sold for life. 

You can ASK for anything, whether or not you GET is another story....

The reason we are complete Haven addicts is because of the day hubby looked at the menu and said "there's nothing there I like".  They asked him what he likes and he asked for spaghetti & meatballs and voila!  EVERY DAY at dinnertime there was a dish of spaghetti & meatballs for him.  Sold for a lifetime for a bowl of pasta!  

I just asked my roll call if anyone is interested in getting together a bulk Blue Mountain coffee buy - has anyone ever tried this and knows a reliable source?

Is there a place I can buy 100% blue mountain coffee that will be legit, and NOT a tourist trap?  Like a local grocery store or walmart walking distance from port? (Too much to hope for?). And is US cash accepted?  Credit cards?

NCL Bliss to Ochoa Rios.  Never been to Jamaica before.  Hubby says Negril Beach is gorgeous, and there is great scenery everywhere.  I’m looking for tour recommendations that will cover ground and show us Negril as well as other beautiful stuff.  NCL offers Dunns Falls and Ochoa Rios variations; I’m more about seeing lots of things.  Any recommendations?

On 11/1/2019 at 11:33 AM, Ennzo said:

DSC always ends up in the staff's hands, NCL doesnt pay us salary you do, DSC is our salary, how it works is everything gets pulled and distributed evenly among hotel workers(galley,housekeeping, restaurant, bar etc).

If you choose to withdraw your DSC and give cash to your steward or anyone else you may do so, that cash will be only for that person he/she doesnt have to report to anyone how much cash she got or from who. Example you want to tip me cash, that cash is only mine, nobody has the right to take it away from me not even the captain. Hope i menaged to explain it well enough, english is not my first language😄

I have done all my 5 contracts on Epic, my 4th contract i joined Bliss but had to go home after 3 weeks in due to some family issues, and was resceduled to Epic on my way back. Favorite bar Maltings, Atrium Bar and Spice H2O.

Sorry I raised the evidently taboo issue of handing staff DSC directly.  Assuming the total $$ paid out is identical,  I wanted to know if crew benefits more from it being given to them directly or given to NCL.  Clearly the "right" answer is "give it to NCL" based on some of the responses to my question.  I was responding to the above highlighted section, which made me think it's better for the crew to give them their tips directly.  Clearly I misunderstood and should not have raised such a controversial topic.  There was NEVER an intent to use that to justify people paying out LESS than the total DSC-it has to start with the basis of "DSC is $500 for my cruise, so if I were to give it out directly I must give out at least $500 directly, and be certain the behind the scenes people share in it".  

Ennzo, thank you so  much for clarifying some of the mysteries.  I never know whether I'm wasting crew time chit-chatting with them--I am always polite & respectful, but don't know if crew actually wants to interact or is just being polite to pax.  Great to know it's "ok" to chit-chat if the bartender isn't swamped, and to get to know them.  LOVED our bartenders in Bliss Haven summer 2018, friendly and expert mixologists!

1 hour ago, Sailing12Away said:

This is awesome, thank you so much. We'll be in Haven in January and our first experience on the Jade didn't have a true Haven restaurant. The lunch specials are all me... I could do without some of that fancier stuff for dinner. Is it possible to order a lunch special at dinner time? Or to be brought to the room? Any way to know what they are without taking a walk down there, or is that something the butler can find out for us?

You can ask the butler for any menu; advance ordering is very helpful as well.  So if you know you want a lunch special for dinner, let the butler know in the morning (or after lunch) along with what time.  Very helpful to him/her.

Jade had daily specials for suites (substituted for Haven) breakfast and lunch.  We had breakfast in Moderno’s, lunch in Cagney’s.  We almost missed an excursion once because Moderno’s was SO SLOW, and we had allowed lots of time.  Just that once but after that we had the butler deliver breakfast so it wouldn’t happen again.