Room Service No Longer Free - NCL Starts $7.95 Charge Per Order

[sundercruiser]

It boggles the mind this argument has lasted this long.

 

LOL, and yet, here you are! It is oddly compelling, isn't it. :)

[maywell]

Threads like this remind me never to trust online reviews & ratings.... too many are easily obsessed over the smallest thing, which taints everything.

 

*sigh*

 

 

.

 

I know, I'm glad I stuck to my instincts about NCL because if I had let the negative reviews of the Breakaway and the those incidents on Splendor taint my viewpoint - I would never go cruising again.....

[Cuizer2]

 

It boggles the mind this argument has lasted this long.

 

At the rate you are going, I suspect it will last a lot longer. :)

[Cuizer2]

but even if he didn't and took your case and in some parallel universe you were found to be correct, what would be your award? $7.95.

 

Plus interest. :)

 

Except, as I've explained many times before, though apparently you have missed it each time, I don't use room service (not even in land based hotels) and I don't intend to use room service in the foreseeable future.

 

But I do usually read the menus. Is there a charge for that?

[Uniall]

As the brilliant licensed attorney you clearly purport to be, please cite the criminal statutes that have been violated. And please don't just regurgitate the same blather about not getting what you paid for and that's fraud.

 

A real attorney would laugh at your preposterous belief that this situation qualifies as fraud, but even if he didn't and took your case and in some parallel universe you were found to be correct, what would be your award? $7.95.

 

It boggles the mind this argument has lasted this long.

 

I don't know the other poster at all and, to my knowledge, have never cruised with him/her.

But, as a retired prosecutor who spcialized in consumer, financial and charitable fraud cases, NCLs actions could be presented as a criminal case in several different ways:

1. Theft by Deception

2. Deceptive practices

3. Criminal Consumer Fraud

4. Attempt (to commit any or all the above)

5. Conspiracy (to commit any or all of the above with others)

6. Raise it from Misdeanor to Felony by adding another Count for each and every room charge levied for $7.95 on the Getaway or $4.95 on the Breakaway until the total reached the required amount for a Class 1, 2, 3, or 4 Felony.

 

Would a prosecutor file such charges? Probably not. But, a violation of criminal law also violates the civil law which can result in Actual Damages and Punative Damages.

 

At the very least, written On Board Notice to NCL that you do not authorize any charges to your credit card for Room Service Convenience Cahrge that was not in affect at the time of the booking would set the stage fro a credit card appeal.

Edited April 3, 2015 by Uniall

[StolidCruiser]

When did I claim to be an attorney?

 

When did I claim it was fraud?

 

You are correct and are due my apologies for ascribing to you things that you had not said. My exuberance on the topic clouded my ability to intelligently follow the discussion.

 

I sincerely appreciate the much-deserved reality check.

Edited April 3, 2015 by StolidCruiser

[NLH Arizona]

No, it just needs to explain the criminal statutes.

 

OMG, there is no criminal statutes with regard to these increases and policy changes. Your contract only covers passage, the rest can be changed at the company's discretion. Unless NCL changed the cost of the cruise after your deposit or final payment, they are abiding by their contract. with the passenger.

[SteveH2508]

OMG, there is no criminal statutes with regard to these increases and policy changes. Your contract only covers passage, the rest can be changed at the company's discretion. Unless NCL changed the cost of the cruise after your deposit or final payment, they are abiding by their contract. with the passenger.

 

Helloo - there is a big wide world outside of the US which NCL markets and sells cruises to.

 

In Europe (certainly in UK) they have committed a prima facie criminal offence with this RS charging change (for those currently on BW and GW anyway). The fact that neither NCL nor the authorities would probably give a flying f**k, does not change the morally reprehensible behaviour of what I thought was (until recently) a generally moral company.

 

I no longer trust NCL to behave morally and will deal with them in the future (if ever) on that basis.

[NLH Arizona]

Helloo - there is a big wide world outside of the US which NCL markets and sells cruises to.

 

In Europe (certainly in UK) they have committed a prima facie criminal offence with this RS charging change (for those currently on BW and GW anyway). The fact that neither NCL nor the authorities would probably give a flying f**k, does not change the morally reprehensible behaviour of what I thought was (until recently) a generally moral company.

 

I no longer trust NCL to behave morally and will deal with them in the future (if ever) on that basis.

Hellooooooo - I live in the United States, as does the person I was responding to.

 

If you think NCL has committed a crime in your country, run don't walk to the nearest legal office and file a lawsuit.

 

If you don't trust NCL, then don't cruise with them - problem solved. But, keep in mind, all cruise lines change their policies/prices and don't always notify their customers upfront or ask their approval to do so, so you might have a hard time finding a company that you feel is up to your moral standards.

 

I certainly hope you have many more cruises, no matter what line you choose.

Edited April 3, 2015 by NLH Arizona

[Uniall]

OMG, there is no criminal statutes with regard to these increases and policy changes. Your contract only covers passage, the rest can be changed at the company's discretion. Unless NCL changed the cost of the cruise after your deposit or final payment, they are abiding by their contract. with the passenger.

 

Read my post, take the LSAT (Law School Admissions Test), Attend Law School for 3 years, Pass the Bar Exam(s), Practice Law for 40 years and then you will realize you are wrong.

[ColinIllinois]

Threads like this remind me never to trust online reviews & ratings.... too many are easily obsessed over the smallest thing, which taints everything.

 

*sigh*

 

 

.

 

 

Obsessed is putting it mildly. Always entertaining to read the "Last Word" crowd. ;)

[NLH Arizona]

Read my post, take the LSAT (Law School Admissions Test), Attend Law School for 3 years, Pass the Bar Exam(s), Practice Law for 40 years and then you will realize you are wrong.

You and my neighbor, who is still practicing corporate law, have differing opinions.

[SteveH2508]

NLH Arizona - I respect your many helpful posts on this site but in this case you probably need to back away from trying to defend the indefensible. Let NCL try to dig themselves out of the hole they have dug - it is not your job. Just saying...

[Uniall]

You and my neighbor, who is still practicing corporate law, have differing opinions.

 

Your neighbor either does not understand all the facts in this matter or needs to take some CLE courses (Continuing Legal Education)

 

The big screw up by NCL in this case was not what they did but how they did it.

 

They violated civil law (contract, consumer fraud and tort) and criminal law (theft, fraud and deception) by adding a new charge for what had been an Advertised Freebie without prior notice to customers who had already booked the cruise AND who were beyond the point of cancellation without penalty.

 

The intial reports of this new charge came from people who boarded the two test ships the day the unannounced charges were activated.

 

You will note, last month, when NCL increased the Daily Service Charge (crew gratuity fund) they announced said anyone who booked before the effective date could prepay the old rate regardless of how far in the future was the sailing date.

 

That's what NCL should have done with the Room Service Surcharge to avoid potential legal complications, and the even more important public relations nightmare and brand loyalty damage.

Edited April 3, 2015 by Uniall

[SteveH2508]

Hellooooooo - I live in the United States, as does the person I was responding to.

 

If you think NCL has committed a crime in your country, run don't walk to the nearest legal office and file a lawsuit.

 

If you don't trust NCL, then don't cruise with them - problem solved. But, keep in mind, all cruise lines change their policies/prices and don't always notify their customers upfront or ask their approval to do so, so you might have a hard time finding a company that you feel is up to your moral standards.

 

I certainly hope you have many more cruises, no matter what line you choose.

 

I do not have a horse in this race as I am not currently booked on an NCL cruise, therefore I do not have a cause for complaint or action - filing lawsuits is generally an action for the terminally stupid - that I am not.

 

We have no cruise booked at present, but we are looking at Princess, HAL and P&O in preference to NCL (for several reasons) even though we have Platinum perks (being diluted as we speak) with NCL.

 

The point that many seem to be missing is that letting NCL mess with the advertised deals in this manner is to condone being ripped off - where/when will it end?

 

I am not one of those sheeples that just blithely suck up whatever the corporate world sees fit to throw at me - I shall make an informed choice - the problem here was people on GW and BW did not get their informed choice - YMMV however.

[NLH Arizona]

NLH Arizona - I respect your many helpful posts on this site but in this case you probably need to back away from trying to defend the indefensible. Let NCL try to dig themselves out of the hole they have dug - it is not your job. Just saying...

I'll post what I want and I don't think it is indefensible. Just saying! BTW, I would never be so rude to tell you to stop posting your opinions. Edited April 3, 2015 by NLH Arizona

[SteveH2508]

I'll post what I want and I don't think it is indefensible. Just saying! BTW, I would never be so rude to tell you to stop posting your opinions.

 

I was just suggesting that you might be misguided in defending NCL by your saying that they have not potentially opened themselves to lawsuits of various kinds in various jurisdictions. Time may tell on that one - I'm waiting for that cruise line chasing lawyer (whose name shall not be mentioned here on CC;)) to pitch in on this one.

 

Nowhere was I rude, I was just making a suggestion, which you are free to ignore (as I shall now because it is my bedtime:D).

[NLH Arizona]

Your neighbor either does not understand all the facts in this matter or needs to take some CLE courses (Continuing Legal Education)

 

The big screw up by NCL in this case was not what they did but how they did it.

 

They violated civil law (contract, consumer fraud and tort) and criminal law (theft, fraud and deception) by adding a new charge for what had been an Advertised Freebie without prior notice to customers who had already booked the cruise AND who were beyond the point of cancellation without penalty.

 

The intial reports of this new charge came from people who boarded the two test ships the day the unannounced charges were activated.

 

You will note, last month, when NCL increased the Daily Service Charge (crew gratuity fund) they announced said anyone who booked before the effective date could prepay the old rate regardless of how far in the future was the sailing date.

 

That's what NCL should have done with the Room Service Surcharge to avoid potential legal complications, and the even more important public relations nightmare and brand loyalty damage.

My neighbor does understand. Now I understand why our Supreme Court Justices don't always agree. It is interpretation of the law. You have your interpretation of the law and he has his and I'll put my money on my neighbor Larry and NCL, who probably like the company I worked for, ran all changes past their legal department before implementing them.

 

I'm not saying that they didn't do a poor job of announcing this on the Breakaway or Getaway, just as they did a bad job announcing some of the other changes, but I don't feel (as my neighbor does) that they broke any laws with this test. Not to mention that no one is forcing anyone to have room service, thus they will not incur the charge. Who knows if the test will be a hit or fail and if it is a hit, I'm sure NCL (after Andy Stuart had to apologize to those on the Breakaway and Getaway about the lack of notification about the test) will rollout this differently than some of the more recent changes, if it goes fleet wide.

[lettienets]

Are there coffee makers in Breakaway and Getaway cabins?

[Uniall]

My neighbor does understand. Now I understand why our Supreme Court Justices don't always agree. It is interpretation of the law. You have your interpretation of the law and he has his and I'll put my money on my neighbor Larry and NCL, who probably like the company I worked for, ran all changes past their legal department before implementing them.

 

I'm not saying that they didn't do a poor job of announcing this on the Breakaway or Getaway, just as they did a bad job announcing some of the other changes, but I don't feel (as my neighbor does) that they broke any laws with this test. Not to mention that no one is forcing anyone to have room service, thus they will not incur the charge. Who knows if the test will be a hit or fail and if it is a hit, I'm sure NCL (after Andy Stuart had to apologize to those on the Breakaway and Getaway about the lack of notification about the test) will rollout this differently than some of the more recent changes, if it goes fleet wide.

 

The law is very clear, one party can not unilaterally change the terms of the offer once the contract is executed.

If the unilateral change is involves a term that has been advertised to induce the other party to enter the contract (free room service between 5am and 11pm) it becomes false advertising, fraud in the inducement, deceptive practices, and/or host of other names used in different jurisdiction.

That means the other party can choose to cancel the contract or enforce the original terms, at his sole discretion and, in intentional cases, punish the perp.

[ontheH2O]

Are there coffee makers in Breakaway and Getaway cabins?

 

Yes there are. You can hire them for $6.25 per hour.

[Cuizer2]

OMG, there is no criminal statutes with regard to these increases and policy changes. Your contract only covers passage, the rest can be changed at the company's discretion. Unless NCL changed the cost of the cruise after your deposit or final payment, they are abiding by their contract. with the passenger.

 

A contract which allows someone to commit a crime is unenforceable.

[Cuizer2]

Hellooooooo - I live in the United States, as does the person I was responding to.

 

If you think NCL has committed a crime in your country, run don't walk to the nearest legal office and file a lawsuit.

 

If you don't trust NCL, then don't cruise with them - problem solved. But, keep in mind, all cruise lines change their policies/prices and don't always notify their customers upfront or ask their approval to do so, so you might have a hard time finding a company that you feel is up to your moral standards.

 

I certainly hope you have many more cruises, no matter what line you choose.

 

There you go again, recommending legal action. Do you get a percentage of all the cases you refer?

[Cuizer2]

My neighbor does understand. Now I understand why our Supreme Court Justices don't always agree. It is interpretation of the law. You have your interpretation of the law and he has his and I'll put my money on my neighbor Larry and NCL, who probably like the company I worked for, ran all changes past their legal department before implementing them.

 

Including the fuel surcharge no doubt. They didn't get that one right either.

[Cuizer2]

Yes there are. You can hire them for $6.25 per hour.

 

Well, that is less than the room service charge. :)