NCL "nickel and dimes" - Why?

[ShedQueen77]

I've just read yet another comment on another board that NCL nickel and dimes their passengers....or is that nickels and dimes? lol

 

Someone please explain this to me because I don't get it. What does NCL force their passengers to pay for that no other cruise line does? As far as I know all the lines charge for specialty restaurants, photos, casino, bingo, and pretty much everything outside the MDR, tap water, and the bedsheets. I can't wait to be nickel and dimed by NCL in January! :D

 

What am I missing??? :confused:

 

PS- NOT looking to start a war here, I'm genuinely curious.

[njhorseman]

You answered your own question...NCL doesn't charge for anything other mass market cruise lines don't charge for.;)

[DMH15]

Some of us like the al a carte cruising model that NCL provides. Some don't... So they call it "nickel and diming".

 

You can have a lovely cruise with the base fare and DSC. You will have transportation, meals, non-alcoholic drinks like tea, milk, juice, etc. You will have entertainment, lodging with maid service and many on ship activities which are included in your fare (trivia, lectures, etc.). You can sit by the pool, read in the library and work out in the gym AND have a great cruise...

 

Or you can choose to enhance your cruise with add-ons for a fee. You can decide if you think the "extra" is of value to you. They are optional.

 

This is what some refer to "nickel and diming".

[salty dingo]

It's like the airline model that has developed. Lure passengers in with low fares and then make everything else you can think of an extra charge.

 

People who "want it all" will end up paying quite a lot, while the budget cruisers will travel cheaply, indeed. It's really not so bad. Who needs to buy photos or booze?

[ShedQueen77]

Geez, from the way everyone is talking I thought I was going to have to get a second job to do what I'm used to doing on cruises! We buy *a* picture, maybe a virgin drink or two, a few sodas, and a souvenir from the ship. If I have free ice cream, then who cares about the rest? lol

 

Juice is free? Which flavors? Whoops, I think I just hijacked my own thread! :D

[Browezilla]

NCL has more surcharge restaurants. Some seem odd to me to charge for, e.g. Tex Mex.

You also have to pay to go bowling.

Those are the only 2 that come to mind.

[DMH15]

NCL has more surcharge restaurants. Some seem odd to me to charge for, e.g. Tex Mex.

You also have to pay to go bowling.

Those are the only 2 that come to mind.

My mama has got to have her Il Popo!!!

[colleency]

If I have free ice cream, then who cares about the rest? lol

 

Yay! Ice cream!

 

On Cunard in 2006, I didn't have to pay for yoga. There was only one specialty restaurant. You got free access to the spa/sauna when you paid for a treatment, like a massage. It's a more elegant ship. But the base price is waay higher.

 

I think as long as your expectations are about equivalent to what you end up with, you should be happy!

[terrymtex01]

OP.. In all the years I have read of two things NCL charges that others do not. I have read there is a mass market line (and I think it was RCCL but don't quote me) that gives a condensed version of a daily newspaper that you actually have to pay for on NCL and they allow some sauna access or something related to the gym that NCL charges for. Other than that, I have never been able to find anything NCL charges for that others do not. With that said, I am SURE that there are things you get on NCL that you wouldn't on RCCL, etc etc.

[njhorseman]

Some of us like the al a carte cruising model that NCL provides. Some don't... So they call it "nickel and diming".

 

You can have a lovely cruise with the base fare and DSC. You will have transportation, meals, non-alcoholic drinks like tea, milk, juice, etc. You will have entertainment, lodging with maid service and many on ship activities which are included in your fare (trivia, lectures, etc.). You can sit by the pool, read in the library and work out in the gym AND have a great cruise...

 

Or you can choose to enhance your cruise with add-ons for a fee. You can decide if you think the "extra" is of value to you. They are optional.

 

This is what some refer to "nickel and diming".

 

Since all your meals are included unless you choose to eat at a specialty restaurant, and your entertainment is included, I would not call it an a la carte cruising model. You can have a perfectly good vacation without spending one penny on board other than for the daily service charge...and we have done just that a couple of times.

 

It's also not just the NCL business model...it's the model used by every mass market cruise line including those that are considered more upscale.

 

The "nickel and dime" whiners are just trying to stir the pot.

[MagnoliaBlossom]

Let me preface this by saying my next NCL cuise will be #14 - so I am a fan of freestyle.

 

I think people's complaints the misunderstanding of FREEstyle (they think they can have whatever they wantn for FREE) and it's not like most people actually do any home work (WORK!!!) prior to cruising so when things aren't the way they next door neighbor's second cousin whose mailman cruised once were then they're p.o.'ed.

 

It's mostly about expectations vs reality. I had an episdoe of this myself last fall on the Star. I beeboped down for a nice steam only to be told by the oh so snotty spa manager that I had to pay to use the steam room. Since I use the steam room on every cruise this was the very first time I'd been asked to pay for it. Now mind you this is not a deluxe thermal suite like some of the Princess cruises we've taken - no waterfall, no aroma therapy - just me, hot stones, little wooden room right off the shower

I thought I'd misunderstood and asked the hotel manager who was sure I had also and rang up the spa for me and sure 'nuf the spa was right. Hotel Mgr. said it must be new sincre she'd never heard it before but that's the way it was.

 

I felt to charge me 10 or $15 a day to use the steam room was a "nickel and diming" situation. Taking away what was a freebee in order to charge for the same item.

 

But most of the things people complain about are just a misunderstanding of the cruise concept or just not understanding the cost of items in upscale environs i.e. pricey cocktails.

 

Way around it - homework - oh yeh - and bring your nickels and dimes and just enjoy yourself. :)

[njhorseman]

NCL has more surcharge restaurants. Some seem odd to me to charge for, e.g. Tex Mex.

You also have to pay to go bowling.

Those are the only 2 that come to mind.

 

Care to name a cruise line that offers free bowling?

 

Is anyone forcing you to eat in a surcharge restaurant? We rarely do.

Why is charging for a Tex Mex restaurant different than charging for a Chinese restaurant or an Italian restaurant?

[njhorseman]

Geez, from the way everyone is talking I thought I was going to have to get a second job to do what I'm used to doing on cruises! We buy *a* picture, maybe a virgin drink or two, a few sodas, and a souvenir from the ship. If I have free ice cream, then who cares about the rest? lol

 

Juice is free? Which flavors? Whoops, I think I just hijacked my own thread! :D

 

 

Don't get too excited. Juice is only free at breakfast.;):D

[ShedQueen77]

Don't get too excited. Juice is only free at breakfast.;):D

 

Dang it! Now I must go make a whole new post to whine and cry about how NCL is the only cruise line that does this....wait, Carnival did to me as well! :D

 

I did notice that lemonade isn't free like on CCL, however I am going to bring my little packets and make my own....without complaint. :)

[ShedQueen77]

OP.. In all the years I have read of two things NCL charges that others do not. I have read there is a mass market line (and I think it was RCCL but don't quote me) that gives a condensed version of a daily newspaper that you actually have to pay for on NCL and they allow some sauna access or something related to the gym that NCL charges for. Other than that, I have never been able to find anything NCL charges for that others do not. With that said, I am SURE that there are things you get on NCL that you wouldn't on RCCL, etc etc.

 

I'm sure every line has their small differences but in the end they likely balance out.

 

Princess is my next goal unless NCL totally hooks me! :)

[jkloni]

--the Chinese food served during the day (bigger ships)

--the Mexican (burritos, etc.) food station also during the day (bigger ships)

--Sushi served at night from 5-8pm.

--24 hr soft serve ice cream with cones or bowls.

 

--Pictures are less expensive on Carnival vs NCL. 8x10 $22 vs. $25 on NCL

--Carnival's alcoholic drinks cost less (not by much, but do)

--Carnival's coke card's daily rate is less than NCL's.

--Excursions are less on Carnival in almost every instance offering the same excursion. Example $32 vs $49.

 

These are just things I thought of right this minute.

 

Lately we have cruised NCL and Carnival more than the other 2 lines (RCCL & Princess) we've previously cruised on. We enjoy both. We think NCL has better itineraries. Carnival is better for big groups. We do seem to spend more on NCL than Carnival....

 

Kathy

[BJDownUnder]

Quick question - does NCL charge extra for prunes & prune juice at breakfast?.................if so this might cause a few problems as i'm travelling with my mother inlaw

[njhorseman]

Quick question - does NCL charge extra for prunes & prune juice at breakfast?.................if so this might cause a few problems as i'm travelling with my mother inlaw

 

 

They have an ample supply of prunes at no extra charge.:D

[Kancruze]

If I have free ice cream, then who cares about the rest? lol

You will be unhappy to hear this but Princess (at least a few years ago) charges extra for ice cream. I was a little choked but coughed up a few nickels and dimes for that one!!

Every line has something which is extra as so many others have said here. NCL is no different.

[BruceMuzz]

ALL the mass market cruise lines have pretty much the same operating costs.

That means in order to make a profit, they ALL need to get pretty much the same amount of money out of your pockets during the cruise experience.

 

You can call it "Nickel and Diming", "Ala Carte Pricing", or "Pay as You Go". It's all pretty much the same thing. Regardless of the name, this scheme gives the passenger the CHOICE to buy or not. Unlike a few of the more expensive Premium Cruise Lines, If you don't want it - you don't have to pay for it - in many cases.

 

Some Mass Market cruise lines charge a bit more upfront and then put less effort into nickel and diming once you are onboard. HAL, Celebrity, or Disney might be a good examples of this.

 

Other Mass Market cruise lines give you a rock bottom price to get you onboard and then agressively try to part you and your money once they have you. NCL and Carnival might be good examples of this.

 

For MOST passengers the result on any of these lines will be about the same. They have budgeted a fixed amount for their cruise and that's about what they will spend in total.

 

A FEW passengers will fall for the nickel and diming schemes, and spend more than they had planned. You often hear from many of them on this board.

 

A FEW passengers will opt for the rock bottom fares on NCL or Carnival, and then choose not to get involved with the nickel and diming, thereby saving themselves a great deal of money on a cruise vacation.

[Don Haynes]

Why? Because there are some who wish to dine better than the Queen of England. Some cruisers wish to dine on surf and turf every night. A sirloin steak isn't good enough for them. Some have to have eggs benedict every morning. What is wrong with a egg muffin sandwich?

 

When I asked girls out for dinner, I noticed who chose the most expensive item on the menu and who didn't... Cruise lines are no different. If you wish to dine on surf and turf everynight, pay more for it. If you wish to drink the most expensive glass of wine, pay more for it. I am on a budget cruise and cannot afford everyone's expensive tastes. If you have to have caviar, don't look towards me to pay for it....

 

I have no problems with more modest food choices such as table wine, or hot dogs one might find at a church social. But there are those around us who drink like a fish. I say let those who drink like a fish pay for their drinks....

[SPMorrissey]

Last time I went on Princess and Celebrity they allowed to bring 1 bottle of wine for free.

[Planer's Edge]

Last time I went on Princess and Celebrity they allowed to bring 1 bottle of wine for free.

 

...and I am absolutely sure you paid way more than $15.00 (NCL corkage fee) more for your cruise. :rolleyes:

 

PE

[halos]

You can call it nickel and dime or you can call it variety. I don't care what you call it, I love the choices and I love NCL.

No, it's not for everyone and to be honest that is a GOOD thing IMO.

The ships would be mighty crowded if it were everyone's line of choice.

 

NCL provides entertainment (live music) all around the ship...the other lines I have cruised on don't. I like this. This costs money...if NCL makes that up by charging a bit more here and there, I'm Ok with it.

 

I don't mind paying extra for the optional dining venues...BUT I haven't minded up to this point because my cruises with NCL have been really reasonably priced. If the cost of an NCL cruise goes up too much, then I might change my opinion on that.

 

All I can say is that I cann NOT wait to try the Epic :D

 

DISCLAIMER: I haven't met a cruise line yet that I don't like so my opinion is a little jaded :eek:

[heisnuts]

You will be unhappy to hear this but Princess (at least a few years ago) charges extra for ice cream. I was a little choked but coughed up a few nickels and dimes for that one!!

Every line has something which is extra as so many others have said here. NCL is no different.

 

Princess currently has free soft serve during the day and you can always order ice cream after dinner in the main dining rooms for free.

 

It used to be there was only free ice cream from 3 to 4 in the afternoons and in the main dining rooms for dinner.