VIP Priority Plus

[garycarla]

The only snooty people are snooty people.

[jingle5616]

Just a thought. NCL has a long history of starting new programs at very low prices and steadily rising them until they achieve market balance. While a 7 day cruise VIP package is now $99, it will soon be substantially more. They will squeeze every dollar they can from this package. I can remember a lot of confusion about what price a venue or package was because they adjusted the pricing so often.

 

NCL is now a public company, it needs to hit its marks. I'm sure they have thought about how much impact they can put on it's suite customers before driving them away. If they miss that mark it will impact their bottom line in a substantial way. I don't see them doing that.

 

Other than that I see a lot of envy and reverse envy on this thread... Hi ho.

[Gregor4500]

I didn't take the time to read all the posts on this thread. But my opinion as someone who on the last 8 cruises had a suite 4 times and a balcony or mini the other 4 is I like it.

 

I'll still book a suite when it fits my budget because Cagneys is a nice perk but not the best. I enjoy the larger room, priority Embarkation and the Concierge service.

 

That being said, when not in a suite I'll probably try to purchase the VIP offer.

 

Although that same $99 could buy me specialty dinner every night instead of breakfast and lunch.

[abe3]

I agree that one of the vocal people on here is a regular suite passenger and has the service charge quote on their signature. I don't agree with that person at all on that point. The crew deserves that service charge and probably more for what they deal with daily.

[abe3]

Also that is their opinion on the service charge. Also it is my opinion just like all others concerning this topic. I don't agree with this promo because I think it has a negative effect with suite passengers. I know others disagree with his and you are untitled to that opinion also. This makes me less likely to book a smaller ship like the pearl or jewel in the future but hopefully by then we will know how this promotion pans out

[mpk218]

Cruising just isn't what it used to be , maybe all these little changes over time are the burr under the saddle...

 

Think about it . NCL buys two upscale lines and next begins to turn NCL proper into Kmart... The new business plan , Blue light Specials. Plus.... . ;)

[rochelle_s]

Cruising just isn't what it used to be , maybe all these little changes over time are the burr under the saddle...

 

Think about it . NCL buys two upscale lines and next begins to turn NCL proper into Kmart... The new business plan , Blue light Specials. Plus.... . ;)

 

WOW:eek:

 

All because a few non-suite folks might be eating breakfast in Cagney's?

 

 

Rochelle

[kiyoko]

Definitely the CAS folks have far more to complain about with this change. I'm not likely to hit Golden, so have no horse in this race, but they've been working off of a list of perks were provided that run through to the end of March. Now they've been taken away mid-term, and sold off to people at $99 bucks a shot.

 

There's another thread started by Harriet recently that discusses these CAS perk changes, and despite the revised website listing of the CAS benefit tiers and what people have been told when calling shoreside, it sounds like these changes haven't been implemented yet. It's clear as mud when these changes will be official, but according to at least two recent CAS passengers, they are still getting the same "old" benefits. Since I hate surprises, I'm hoping that I can know what to expect by the time I go on my next sailing.

 

[CAS Perk Changes]

Edited September 25, 2014 by kiyoko

[janpo]

All this for 40 passes.

Edited September 25, 2014 by janpo

[medicalma'am]

I am thinking of another side of this coin. How will this impact the staff: concierge, butlers, Cagney's wait staff? If there really were that many CAS people already taxing the system, then not so much. So, will those $99VIP passengers know that they must tip? It seems that the staff will be working harder and not be rewarded as much. Will those people know that they are not in the DSC pool? I wonder how the employees are feeling about these changes.

 

I am facing the possibility of changes to my job and don't know how I feel about it. It depends on how it comes down in the end. I have been told that it is possible that my supervisory duties will be eliminated and I will have more patient care. That is fine with me. There will also be more RNs to share the load on my shift (2-10 p.m.). That is fine with me also. My pay will not be effected, but the new RNs hired on will not be RN IIIs, thus will not have my pay scale. So we shall see. I am sure that NCL staff have the same response to this.

 

Sidebar - I have never 'hung out' in the casino. I am shocked beyond words that someone can gamble away $80,000. :eek: I guess $90 is nothing to those CAS members who lost the perk.

 

I must say, when sailing in a suite that I have NEVER seen Cagney's very busy. There have been many times that we have been the only ones there.

 

[njhorseman]

WOW:eek:

 

All because a few non-suite folks might be eating breakfast in Cagney's?

 

 

Rochelle

 

I guess you either didn't notice or don't understand the meaning of the ;) emoticon in the post.

[mpk218]

WOW:eek:

 

All because a few non-suite folks might be eating breakfast in Cagney's?

 

 

Rochelle

 

WOW !!! That sure is a lot of WOW's for one thread . :p

 

Believe me , cruising has changed significantly over the years .

Some for the better but mostly for the worse.. Its becoming more generic with every passing year..

 

It all started when they first removed the stairwell gates separating the steerage from the rest of us ... :eek: WOW weee

[mpk218]

I guess you either didn't notice or don't understand the meaning of the ;) emoticon in the post.

 

;) Just a little push back ...

 

fish in a barrel ;)

[rochelle_s]

I guess you either didn't notice or don't understand the meaning of the ;) emoticon in the post.

 

Yes I didn't see the sarcasm emoticon used so I took it at face value.

 

 

Rochelle

[njhorseman]

I am thinking of another side of this coin. How will this impact the staff: concierge' date=' butlers, Cagney's wait staff? If there really were that many CAS people already taxing the system, then not so much. So, will those $99VIP passengers know that they must tip? It seems that the staff will be working harder and not be rewarded as much. Will those people know that they are not in the DSC pool? I wonder how the employees are feeling about these changes.

 

I am facing the possibility of changes to my job and don't know how I feel about it. It depends on how it comes down in the end. I have been told that it is possible that my supervisory duties will be eliminated and I will have more patient care. That is fine with me. There will also be more RNs to share the load on my shift (2-10 p.m.). That is fine with me also. My pay will not be effected, but the new RNs hired on will not be RN IIIs, thus will not have my pay scale. So we shall see. I am sure that NCL staff have the same response to this.

 

Sidebar - I have never 'hung out' in the casino. I am shocked beyond words that someone can gamble away $80,000. :eek: I guess $90 is nothing to those CAS members who lost the perk.

 

I must say, when sailing in a suite that I have NEVER seen Cagney's very busy. There have been many times that we have been the only ones there.

 

[/size']

 

You're off base.

 

Cagney's waiters are compensated from the service charge pool just as the waiters in every NCL dining venue are. No tipping is required...it's strictly at your discretion.

 

Nothing in the package provides any concierge or butler services, so no need to tip them. For priority disembarkation, the package purchasers will be told to gather in the same place as the others getting this service and will be herded off the ship with all the rest of the priority passengers...zero additional work for the concierge.

Edited September 25, 2014 by njhorseman

[njhorseman]

;) Just a little push back ...

 

fish in a barrel ;)

 

Yep...:D

[mydreamvacation]

[quote name=skeeter195;44219182

 

Also the comments about suite guests paying more up front and spending more and being more valuable is hogwash. I am a CAS player and play big at times. On my last Breakaway cruise' date=' I was playing blackjack next to a gentleman who in 1 hour lost, not played over $80,000 dollars. Big players will do this and if things do not turn around during the week, they can lose hundreds of thousands. Sometimes they win, but when playing that much if they win 45% of the time(which most recreational gamblers would be very happy with) the casino still comes out way ahead. .[/quote]

 

For once I am speechless lol. I can't even wrap my mind around someone gambling away 80k much less loosing hundreds of thousands that sounds like a person has an addiction problem or heck of a lot more recreational spending money than I do lol. I had no idea people spend that kind of money in the casino but if that's the case then the CAS people should be even more upset than the suite ppl as they certainly have contributed a lot more to the coffers then I do.

[cliffd64]

Practical question for non-suite Getaway or Breakaway passengers who might get this package... If you are in a non-suite cabin, where are you supposed to eat your room service breakfast? Seems to me it might be a tad clumsy to have room service without much of a table to eat it on... I think for my own purposes I'd rather be at a real table eating comfortably. I think for Getaway and Breakaway... the room service breakfast is not much when compared to Cagneys for breakfast and lunch on the smaller ships.

 

I think I'll skip this package on our next cruise which is on the Getaway.

 

Just my luck, we are in a suite on our 2015 cruise we have on the Star... so I won't be able to try it out then either :) We are sharing a 2 bedroom suite with another couple, so there is no price differential switching back to a balcony in this case...

[luvcruzing]

As a Golden CAS guest, I ate breakfast in Cagney's three times (and enjoyed it very much), but never lunch (not a big lunch eater) on my last cruise. On my next cruise, if the breakfast/lunch amenity is removed (not a given right now), I will not purchase the $99 VIP package, because that would confirm to NCL that I am willing to pay EXTRA for the amenity package I was promised and already paid for with my slot play, which I am not.

 

I never got the priority embarkation, and I wasn't impressed with the priority disembarkation - took way too long to gather all the other guests. I finally asked to be walked off, which the concierge did.

 

In my opinion, if the breakfast/lunch amenity is removed, NCL/CAS has broken their contract with me. They assured me that if I played enough, I would earn certain amenities. I did my part. I don't think it's too much to ask NCL/CAS to now do their part.

Edited September 25, 2014 by luvcruzing

[Shawnino]

The only snooty people are snooty people.

 

I'm not snooty. Ask anyone.

Well, ask anyone who matters...

[monkeybone]

There's another thread started by Harriet recently that discusses these CAS perk changes, and despite the revised website listing of the CAS benefit tiers and what people have been told when calling shoreside, it sounds like these changes haven't been implemented yet. It's clear as mud when these changes will be official, but according to at least two recent CAS passengers, they are still getting the same "old" benefits. Since I hate surprises, I'm hoping that I can know what to expect by the time I go on my next sailing.

 

[CAS Perk Changes]

 

Agreed...This will be a shame if they keep making changes to CAS. They will lose a lot of players.

[ClarkBHM]

If the poster who said it will be 40 passes sold is correct then yes it very well could have a large impact on the experience I paid thousands of dollars for. Cagneys only holds 108 people at full capacity. On the Star suites if booked at full capacity hold over 300 people. Add another 40 to that and it is quite possible that suite passengers will be displaced. I don't care if you get to dine in Cagneys for paying your $99 or if the HD or CAS wants to bestow that upon you -just as long as I get my seat that I already paid for.

 

Add to that, it's very rarely, if ever going to run at 108 full capacity. There will be a lot of tables with only two or three people at them and it is unlikely that they will have two parties sit together at Cagneys. Thus, the number of tables could be full with only 54 people if its just a bunch of couples.

 

Like I indicated previously, I did have to wait to eat at Cagneys when I was in my suite, and would not be happy if I had to wait even more frequently due to the addition of the 99ers.

[maywell]

Practical question for non-suite Getaway or Breakaway passengers who might get this package... If you are in a non-suite cabin, where are you supposed to eat your room service breakfast? Seems to me it might be a tad clumsy to have room service without much of a table to eat it on... I think for my own purposes I'd rather be at a real table eating comfortably. I think for Getaway and Breakaway... the room service breakfast is not much when compared to Cagneys for breakfast and lunch on the smaller ships.

 

I think I'll skip this package on our next cruise which is on the Getaway.

 

Just my luck, we are in a suite on our 2015 cruise we have on the Star... so I won't be able to try it out then either :) We are sharing a 2 bedroom suite with another couple, so there is no price differential switching back to a balcony in this case...

The same way other guests who room service do it without the package have been doing it for years- eat on the bed with special tray that has legs that's sits comfortable on your lap or the portable table. Reallyx making a mountain out of a molehill.....[emoji15]

[LrgPizza]

All this for 40 passes.

 

We are currently at over 9 posts in this thread per pass that will be sold. :p

 

So' date=' will those $99VIP passengers know that they must tip? It seems that the staff will be working harder and not be rewarded as much. Will those people know that they are not in the DSC pool? I wonder how the employees are feeling about these changes.[/size']

 

Do you think the people buying these passes are complete imbeciles with no social graces simply because they aren't sailing in a suite? "How could they possible have heard of tipping?! These are lowly humans!!" Give me a big break.

 

And for the record, those servers ARE covered by the DSC, so your belittling point is moot.

Edited September 25, 2014 by LrgPizza

[ColinIllinois]

The only snooty people are snooty people.

 

 

Edited September 25, 2014 by ColinIllinois