How could NCL improve?

[Ex-Calgarian]

I'm willing to invest in the company because they have a good product but the company does not seem to care by rewarding my financial investment by providing an OBC that can be combined with others. Carnival does that better. I've lost money on my Carnival shares but have held on to them through all of the company's problems because the OBC tells me that they value me as a customer.

Edited November 27, 2013 by Ex-Calgarian

[icem86]

agree with the self serve laundry, and pizza.

[DMH15]

My wife and I have sailed with NCL 4 times over the last 3 years. Their is really nothing we would change. We have really liked each and ever cruise we have been on. However since we have only sailed on NCL we have nothing to compare it to. I will say we had a mini suit on our last cruise on the Dawn, it was pretty worn out and I wish they would change the name of it since you don't have any suite perks. We do love the size of it for 2 people

 

I agree with you. It should be called a DELUXE BALCONY because it is closer represented as a BALCONY than a SUITE. It is deceptive.

 

 

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[DMH15]

1. Tighten up the nonsmoking areas. Maybe one side of the ship balcony rooms could be nonsmoking.

 

2. Not to start an arguement or debate. This is just my opinion/preference. We like traditional cruise dinning. We would like to be able to have a set time/table and maybe wait staff. I have talked to others that would also like this option. Freestyle is great for some but others do like the traditional dinning. We like the way Carnival does it with anytime dinning but we can still choose traditional dinning.

 

I can understand you have your preference but NCL bases their whole persona and marketing strategy on FREESTYLE which they used to revolutionize the cruise industry. Therefore I don't see them offering something that would be contradictory to that.

 

 

 

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[DMH15]

Improve ? How about throwing us suite passangers a bone once in awhile .

Buy 10 get one free .. :D

 

That and a special colored robe in the suites . So IF we decide to wear it to breakfast they will know we are suite slobs....:p

 

back to work

 

Matt, you crack me up.

 

 

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[rpb718]

Just curious as to how many different cruise line forums did the OP post a similar question? And why?

[spidybabe]

I agree with these! I didn't realize that reservations were mandatory for Second City on the Epic. We showed up and were shocked that we could not get in without a reservation. Having to make reservations for all of your nightly entertainment takes away from the Freestyle atmosphere.

 

We felt that way when we sailed on the Breakaway. How did we know what we wanted to do 45 days in advance???

 

And would LOVE to see different itineraries, why cant I go to Canada in the summer??

Safe sailing

Edited November 27, 2013 by spidybabe

[hpecorari]

Just curious as to how many different cruise line forums did the OP post a similar question? And why?

 

I don't believe he's ever sailed NCL, but to answer your question -

 

How could ______________ improve? He posted to the following:

NCL

Princess

HaL

RCCL

Carnival

Celebrity

 

As to why? Your guess is as good as mine.

 

Harriet

[SteveH2508]

I don't believe he's ever sailed NCL, but to answer your question -

 

How could ______________ improve? He posted to the following:

NCL

Princess

HaL

RCCL

Carnival

Celebrity

 

As to why? Your guess is as good as mine.

 

Harriet

 

Maybe there is a cruise line CEO job going and he is doing some research for the interview?:rolleyes:

[cruis247g]

Overall, we like the product, but since you're asking :p

 

- WEBSITE!!

 

- varied itineraries during the summer. There are some interesting transition cruises, but we usually can't take them due to timing.

 

- more consistently high quality service in the main dining rooms. We've had excellent, but also poor, service in those restaurants. Our service had always been good to excellent in the pay restaurants.

 

- larger balconies (not the whole cabin, but the actual balcony) on new builds.

 

- larger (or more) pools on new builds.

 

- OBC that can be used for anything, so I don't have to think about it. I like simple on vacation:)

[bluesea777]

I agree with you. It should be called a DELUXE BALCONY because it is closer represented as a BALCONY than a SUITE. It is deceptive.

 

 

Sorry but I'll have to disagree ... I think NCL did the rename for a while some years back but reverted to mini-suite.

 

That description can be misleading - it could mean either of the following:

• larger cabin with standard balcony, or
  
• standard cabin with larger balcony.
  

Edited November 27, 2013 by bluesea777

[Mrsjones0202]

I love NCL and I think the only thing I'd love is bigger pools. I saw a couple people mention you have to make reservations for entertainment? Does that mean I have to go on the website and reserve seats for all shows on our cruise on the Gem in March?

 

 

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[sjbdtz]

I'd love to see a few small improvements, notwithstanding that I love the product as-is:

 

1. Offer ticketed/assigned seating in the theater. Every land-based theater does this, so the software must exist. Would resolve line-ups & reserved sections... just give a priority weighting for suites/vips and you don't have to close-off 3 rows 'in case' they show up.

 

2. Provide a smoking room near the casino, but make the casino itself smoke-free. Adequately ventilate said room. This works in the casinos in Canada, and they're still busy.

 

3. Provide irons & ironing boards where the old laundry rooms used to be. I never feel like I'm on vacation until I've unpacked & freshened-up my clothes from the travel... OR provide a same-day pressing service on Embarkation day. Currently items sent for pressing are returned the following day.

 

4. Eliminate the "we have to swipe your card" for complimentary drinks in the casino. It's awkward, and silly and wastes paper.

 

5. For spa passes & spa suites, etc. make the thermal suite key-card access 24 hrs / day. There's always staff in there, cleaning and refreshing the area so I think it would be safe (plus the security cameras) and it would be nice to go there at 5 a.m. before anything is open. This was the original premise on EPIC... not sure why they changed.

 

6. Restore the Comp. wine list for casino dinners. Platinum dinners come with a choice from a restricted list, but casino dinners come with House wine (they used to use the comp. list too).

 

7. Get a Mississippi Stud table. I could play that game for hours & hours.

 

8. Figure out how to put a table in the spa Suite. Sometimes we'd like to dine in the room... It can be a folding-leaf table, which expands as needed.

 

9. Eliminate the archaic 'Friends of Dorothy' meetings. Replace them with Gay/Lesbian drop-ins. We're past the time when euphemisms were required.

 

10. Make the casino comp system less fuzzy. With more transparency, medium-to-big players can get a better sense of reward points. It's annoying when $10k losses on one trip = $800 comp (or everything on your charges which aren't DSC or Advances), and the next trip the same play, same spend = $100.

 

11. Make the cruise more all-inclusive...for those that want it. Check-box at purchase time: UBP? Vibe? Soft Drinks? Spa? Eliminate the running to Customer Service to pick up stickers on embark day... and enable people to prepay/budget for their trip on their own terms. Me, I like to make up my mind on the day, but clearly others prefer to plan in advance.

 

12. Respond to all written inquiries. I still have a minor irritant that I took the time to write to Mr. Sheehan 3 times, and have yet to have a response. Even an acknowledgement that they got my note & disagree with my points.... would be better than ignoring me.

 

 

 

Stephen

 

 

.

[FuninWB]

Debarkation on the Dawn this past month was very lengthy, with lines extending around the ship. Perhaps designating a place for each colored tag holder to wait might be the answer. Everyone seemed to be crammed into the Atrium.

[deb63]

One thing I can't do, however, is take an NCL cruise around Cape Horn in South America or to see the Fjords in New Zealand. NCL definitely needs to work on its itineraries. Yesterday I was on the HAL and Celebrity websites looking at itineraries and I became weary just thinking about packing the formalwear.

 

P.S....switch from Pepsi (ugh) to coca cola.:p

 

My feelings match these! We really like the freestyle concept, but there are places we want to go that NCL doesn't. Next summer we are trying the British Isles which NCL doesn't do. We are also looking at South America or Australia.

 

And would certainly spend more $ if they offered coke products.

 

I would also like self service laundries.

Edited November 27, 2013 by deb63

[mrobstad]

I've read through this entire thread and I'm so surprised loyal NCL cruisers haven't mentioned perks for repeat cruisers. On RCCL, repeaters get many things like plush bathrobes, at least 2 cocktail parties and coupon books. I've gotten nothing on NCL, maybe one cocktail hour.

 

Website, for sure....

 

As a solo travelers, I'd like to see them alternate entertainment on the expensive ships. The Epic, which has studios, is the cheapest cuz now it's the oldest. Why not switch BMG with Hairspray every year? Or change up the entertainment every 3-5 years?

 

But the studios and specialty restaurants, and H2O seal the deal for me!

[Sheils65]

Oh no, do not take away freestyle dining! It's the reason we won't cruise any other line (I've heard anytime dining isn't as good as freestyle).

 

I would like a larger breakfast room service menu (with hot items), better beer selections, a private island that the ships can dock at, and a new itinerary out of NYC for 7 day sailings.

 

ETA, a new format for the UBP, where you don't have to see the charges. It is a constant worry until the last day, when they are taken off (since this is a relatively new program, and there have been some variations of what is and what isn't included).

 

 

 

I have been saying this for a long time. I would love to see a western caribbean again out of NYC, it would be 11 day though, not 7. Or even Boston. I know we are more limited with time being in the N.E. but I think with other itineraries it would definetly bring in the crowd.

[Sheils65]

I've read through this entire thread and I'm so surprised loyal NCL cruisers haven't mentioned perks for repeat cruisers. On RCCL, repeaters get many things like plush bathrobes, at least 2 cocktail parties and coupon books. I've gotten nothing on NCL, maybe one cocktail hour.

 

Website, for sure....

 

As a solo travelers, I'd like to see them alternate entertainment on the expensive ships. The Epic, which has studios, is the cheapest cuz now it's the oldest. Why not switch BMG with Hairspray every year? Or change up the entertainment every 3-5 years?

 

But the studios and specialty restaurants, and H2O seal the deal for me!

 

What tier are you on NCL?

Edited November 27, 2013 by Sheils65

[deb63]

11. Make the cruise more all-inclusive...for those that want it. Check-box at purchase time: UBP? Vibe? Soft Drinks? Spa? Eliminate the running to Customer Service to pick up stickers on embark day... and enable people to prepay/budget for their trip on their own terms. Me, I like to make up my mind on the day, but clearly others prefer to plan in advance.

 

I like this. If we can prepay the DSC, it would be nice to be able to pre purchase/pa for these items too.

[davy jones]

Self service laundry. It's needed on 9 day and longer cruises.

Yuengling beer.

[BabsinTX]

I love NCL and offer these suggestions out of love...

 

1. The new website is an abomination. Too many pictures, not enough detail. Must go through multiple screens to get any info. Stop the pop-ups. Why add "modify" on each level of selections (date, cabin, etc.) instead of letting us use the back button as before? And why didn't they add blinking lights to indicate available cabins, rather than making you read the little cabin numbers and scroll the deckplan in its own window? I use an online TA site for NCL info now, since the new NCL site drives me crazy.

 

2. Self-serve laundry, please.

 

3. Deluxe balcony/deluxe large balcony instead of "mini-suites"--which is DECEPTIVE!

 

4. Perks for repeat cruisers--like lower fares!

 

5. New itineraries/ports--South America, Hawaii from the West Coast (I like sea days), different islands in the Caribbean. The Southern Caribbean has several variations; so should the Eastern and Western Caribbean.

 

6. Coca-Cola products--yes!

 

7. Better beer selections and more draft beers, pretty please.

 

8. We're sailing on the Epic on 12/7 and if reports are true about having to make reservations for some or most of the entertainment, I will be unhappy. What do reservations have to do with "freestyle"?

[DMH15]

Sorry but I'll have to disagree ... I think NCL did the rename for a while some years back but reverted to mini-suite.

 

That description can be misleading - it could mean either of the following:

• larger cabin with standard balcony, or
  
• standard cabin with larger balcony.
  

 

I have stayed in many suites hotel and cruise and I think the disparity here is the perks. How many times do people inquire here as to what perks they get with their mini SUITE. Since we know it is NONE I am sure a lot of folks, especially those who don't find CC, are disappointed. In those threads there is a large number of us who feel that name is misleading in this case.

 

 

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[slotaddict]

As a loyal NCL cruiser....(occasionally will sail another line if the price is right), the only thing I can say is that I think its time to step the food up a notch....This year I have sailed 3 times with them and the food isn't getting any better, the first night is always the best......

 

My first cruise on the Dawn back in 2004 the food was wonderful every single night, but has gone downhill ever since. It wont stop me from cruising NCL as I am not really a foodie.....but I think I could be.....:D

Edited November 27, 2013 by slotaddict

[weltek]

I think these have already been mentioned, but in this order I'm hoping someday for:

 

1. Better beer selection....please, please, please! More style varieities (not even necessarily more brands).

 

2. Better trained phone reps and onboard customer service reps.

 

3. Add free internet to Latitudes benefits in upper tiers.

 

4. A coffee package/punch card AND adding it to the UBP (fine, increase the price by $5/day to cover it).

 

#1 and #4 are potential revenue boosters, so I wish they'd do them.

 

Other stuff is so minor, like others have suggested, about better tasting desserts, Coke over Pepsi, etc.

Edited November 27, 2013 by weltek

[david_sobe]

I personally would like to see:

Free slot pulls at least one hour a night in the casino

;)