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

[sundercruiser]

I am sure somewhere in your agreement it mentioned that somehow someway NCL could change its agreement with out notice. It's in all agreements. It is legal speak for when we screw you can't complain because we told you we were going to.

 

Well, technically speaking, what it means is that they can do a lot of things that most people would consider crappy, and get away with it.

 

But we absolutely retain full rights to COMPLAIN about it! And we're doing so, thank you very much!

[Uniall]

While I find it disappointing and depending on how I feel about it after my May 17th Breakaway cruise.......I refuse to be outraged or angry about it. It is a sign of the times not just in the cruise industry but in all lines of business. I am sure somewhere in your agreement it mentioned that somehow someway NCL could change its agreement with out notice. It's in all agreements. It is legal speak for when we screw you can't complain because we told you we were going to. So I will go to breakfast, in a restaurant not the buffet. I will make their wait staff earn my pre determined by NCL tip. I will tip extra for the good service....tip my steward and wait staff directly NOT through NCL. I will not give their corporate structure an extra dime. It is not however the staff on boards fault this is happening and as customers I hope we do not take it out on them.

 

While I understand your point of view, we have differing opinions on how to react to the new surcharges.

 

You are mistaken that "NCL could change its agreement with out notice". The law does not allow a "material" change in a contract once it is offered and accepted. A material change includes product and price and other things that are used to induce you to sign the contract.

 

Several such "other things" NCL has used as inducements that have changed in the last month are: increased Daily Service Charge (mandatory gratuity) and the extension and increase of Room Service Charge (delivery charge).

 

When NCL announced the increased DSC, they said all bookings made prior to the effective date would be at the old cost, if paid before boarding. (This includes sailings that are 18 months in the future)

 

When NCL announced the increased RSC, they applied it without prior notice on people who had already boarded.

 

There is a big difference between the implimentation of the two changed programs.

Edited April 1, 2015 by Uniall

[BrooklynDetroit]

I believe those commenting on this post that it doesn't matter, that this charge is no big deal, that they don't order it anyway... Perhaps have not had the luxury of sitting on your balcony and enjoying a cup of coffee and a pastry, while enjoying the ocean breeze. I have never sailed in a inside cabin not to knock anyone that does, as it is the best value - but I can understand if some of those commenting that they don't sit in their room anyway is because, their is nothing to see in a inside cabin... Now, how about the senior citizens and the handicap who have to have breakfast in the morning prior to taking their medicine and they have a limited budget. What if you are a couple that was not planning to leave the room at all and you were going to have breakfast, lunch and dinner in the room $24 a day? I have only sailed once before on NCL it was the EPIC last April and I loved how great of a value and how free it was in comparison to RCCL who me and my fiancee sail 2-3x a year with and once a year we try a new line - we sailed Princess "Royal Princess - Owners suite R731" we hated it and saw it wasn't for us, now we are sailing April 4th balcony cabin on the getaway and this most likely will be our last sailing with them - I love to order cookies and milk at 11pm - so for cookies and milk I will have to pay $56??? The only reason I am not flipping out is I received a good value as is - BD balcony cabin for $1,390 with $100 obc and Free UBP - what truly urks me is that the UDP really loses value being sold now for $280 instead of $240 - @ $240 - 4 visits to Cagneys you break even - now it's 5 visits - but what if you visit restaurants outside of cagneys you potentially don't even break even. - As far as tips - I will be removing it from my sea pass card because I believe ncl takes a large chunk of it, rather I will get envelopes and tip directly. - the one good thing if you have UBP and UDP tips are included in that. - We have two cruises with rccl this year and will be trying Holland America and Carnival - their has to be a good, fun, honest line out their outside of RCCL -- ps how ridiculous is it that NCL doesn't include specialty coffees in their UBP :rolleyes:

[Uniall]

What are you - a trouble maker ? How dare you not start the cruise day with 2000 calories

 

What are you - a trouble maker ? You are choosing not to detract from the topic

and then , even worse , you deleted it .

 

For Shame on You !

 

LOL

 

I enjoy your Montreal sense of humor and used to visit your magnificent home town every year till the Via-Amtrak train from Chicago was discontinued.

 

Do you know if my favorite Montreal pub still exists, "The Cock 'n Bull" ?

Edited April 1, 2015 by Uniall

[insidecabin]

If doing a test you need controls.

 

Why not a three tier menu

 

Free stuff

$5 page.

$8 page.

 

Order what you want and pay for the highest value page you use.

 

You could even move some current free stuff onto the $5

 

The pizza is already a per item so you could do some of that for high value items

 

The trick with enhancement is ADD value before taking stuff away.

 

And most important tell people what you are doing to add value even if it comes with a charge.

 

Mind you NCL have created a lot of free publicity for what could have been a non event.

 

Azamara went more inclusive and shouted you get more free booze but fares are going UP a LOT.

[Cuizer2]

On our Epic cruises we had eggs and things available on the door hanger

So how is this any new:confused:

 

I don't know, ask the person that originally posted it small. All I did was make it bigger.

[Cuizer2]

LOL....Seems like a good place to repost this old CC favorite!! [emoji6]

 

[ATTACH]345009[/ATTACH]

 

Guinea pig in a blanket? :confused:

 

[AEckhardt]

On our Epic cruises we had eggs and things available on the door hanger

 

So how is this any new:confused:

 

 

Were you in a suite?

[Cuizer2]

I'm just shocked this thread has gone on as long as it has.

 

One of the reasons it has gone on as long has it has is because you have the most posts, (90 as of the time I am writing it) and the next closest person person has less than half (43 at the time I am writing this).

 

Then, many people have responded back because of your insulting posts. You claim you didn't intent to insult anyone, yet when I used the very same words in a post directed at you, you found those words to be a back handed insult.

 

So if you didn't mean to insult anyone, why then are those very same words insulting to you?

[Cuizer2]

Hm, my guess is this is not an actual menu, but the "side-by-side" comparison that Andy Stuart was reported to have shown during yesterday afternoon's webinar.

 

I note that the items on the left are included on the right (under the $7.95/$4.95). So this isn't two different and available menus, one free and one for charge. It's the OLD menu on the left and NEW menu on the right.

 

If this is all understood, then never mind :) but it appears there is still a lot of confusion about what NCL is up to. It will be helpful when we can all agree on (at least) "the facts." Between the "photocopied" ACTUAL menu we've seen from the BA and this comparison between old and new menu, I think we're close to that point.

 

Someone else posted it, but didn't know how to make it bigger. All I did was make it bigger. I quoted the person who originally posted it. Direct any questions or comments to that person.

 

As far as room service menus go, I don't know and I don't care. If I want to eat in my room I go to the buffet, pick out what I want, and return to my room to eat. I don't order room service.

[BrooklynDetroit]

Okay so now it's cheaper to order between midnight and 5am lol, the 7.95 and 3.95 will not be combined. I wonder if you order pizza for $5 will it also carry the additional charge?

Edited April 1, 2015 by BrooklynDetroit

[BrooklynDetroit]

If the additional fee doesn't apply to pizza then the pizza is free lol:D

[NYteacher]

Someone else posted it, but didn't know how to make it bigger. All I did was make it bigger. I quoted the person who originally posted it. Direct any questions or comments to that person.

 

As far as room service menus go, I don't know and I don't care. If I want to eat in my room I go to the buffet, pick out what I want, and return to my room to eat. I don't order room service.

 

Thank you Cuizer2 for enlarging my post. It is a screenshot captured by my TA during Andy Stuart's webinar yesterday. My TA and I have been communicating about the recent changes and he knew I was very interested in the topic. He gave me permission to post it.

 

I think the two menus are side by side, with both prices, is because it was merely a presentation for travel agents to show the changes. I would have to guess that the Breakaway's menu doesn't show Getaway's lower price. I will be aboard Breakaway in four days though, and will repost if different.

 

I posted it here because a lot of people were wondering what the "new enhanced menu" is. Some surmised that it would be worth the $7.95 charge.

 

If one were staying in a hotel, a full hot breakfast for your entire family for the low price of $7.95 would be an awesome deal. Unfortunately, the people on the test ships booked a voyage that already included free room service between five am and midnight. They are deprived of something for which they have already paid. This is a less awesome deal.

[nfglory1]

I believe those commenting on this post that it doesn't matter, that this charge is no big deal, that they don't order it anyway... Perhaps have not had the luxury of sitting on your balcony and enjoying a cup of coffee and a pastry, while enjoying the ocean breeze. I have never sailed in a inside cabin not to knock anyone that does, as it is the best value - but I can understand if some of those commenting that they don't sit in their room anyway is because, their is nothing to see in a inside cabin... Now, how about the senior citizens and the handicap who have to have breakfast in the morning prior to taking their medicine and they have a limited budget. What if you are a couple that was not planning to leave the room at all and you were going to have breakfast, lunch and dinner in the room $24 a day?/QUOTE]

 

I definitely think it depends on the person. Personally, I stay in balcony cabins, but I don't drink coffee and prefer a hot breakfast on my cruises. Also, I usually like going to the 24 hour options for a late night snack. Just never been one to enjoy eating in my cabin. I definitely enjoy grabbing a beer and bringing it back to my cabin, but that's not included in room service any way. So, this change does not affect me and therefore I can live with it not altering my vacation at all. But, with that being said, I can definitely see the cruisers who are handicapped or just enjoy the room service option being extremely upset with the cost and the lack of communication. In all actuality, for me, it may have enhanced my experience since they mentioned including the noodle bar and Asian bar as I didn't usually go to the specialty restaurants.

[BrooklynDetroit]

Thank you Cuizer2 for enlarging my post. It is a screenshot captured by my TA during Andy Stuart's webinar yesterday. My TA and I have been communicating about the recent changes and he knew I was very interested in the topic. He gave me permission to post it.

 

I think the two menus are side by side, with both prices, is because it was merely a presentation for travel agents to show the changes. I would have to guess that the Breakaway's menu doesn't show Getaway's lower price. I will be aboard Breakaway in four days though, and will repost if different.

 

I posted it here because a lot of people were wondering what the "new enhanced menu" is. Some surmised that it would be worth the $7.95 charge.

 

If one were staying in a hotel, a full hot breakfast for your entire family for the low price of $7.95 would be an awesome deal. Unfortunately, the people on the test ships booked a voyage that already included free room service between five am and midnight. They are deprived of something for which they have already paid. This is a less awesome deal.

 

We are sailing getaway in 4 days I will also post - the $7.95 hotel breakfast is not a fair comparison - because a cruise is supposed to be all inclusive - if I took a all inclusive land vacation and they wanted to charge me for room service I'd be irritated.

[hpecorari]

Let's be honest here. The eggs, breakfast meats and potatoes I get in the MDR are not hot......they are warm and that's putting it nicely. I can't imagine the temperature of it if I had it delivered to my room.

 

Harriet

[nfglory1]

Let's be honest here. The eggs, breakfast meats and potatoes I get in the MDR are not hot......they are warm and that's putting it nicely. I can't imagine the temperature of it if I had it delivered to my room.

 

Harriet

 

Agreed, if you were referring to my post, I meant hot meaning not fruit and pastries, more so eggs, meat, etc.

[hpecorari]

Agreed, if you were referring to my post, I meant hot meaning not fruit and pastries, more so eggs, meat, etc.

 

LOL - I don't even remember what your post was. I was just making a 'blanket' statement.

 

Harriet

Edited April 1, 2015 by hpecorari

[cruiserninja1]

So this charge is on Getaway and Breakaway effective yesterday 03-31-15 . When should we expect it to be rolled out fleet wide ? It sounds like the cruisers on Getaway and Breakaway were not notified until they were already onboard , this scares me a little.

[richstowe]

LOL

 

I enjoy your Montreal sense of humor and used to visit your magnificent home town every year till the Via-Amtrak train from Chicago was discontinued.

 

Do you know if my favorite Montreal pub still exists, "The Cock 'n Bull" ?

Different staff , manager, owner and crowd . Same musty smell.

It is located a block East of the old Montreal Forum and was once a real hang out .

 

http://cockandbull.ca/

[soccersharon]

Different staff , manager, owner and crowd . Same musty smell.

 

It is located a block East of the old Montreal Forum and was once a real hang out .

 

 

 

http://cockandbull.ca/

 

 

Now that brings back memories :)

 

Hope all is well!

[Uniall]

Different staff , manager, owner and crowd . Same musty smell.

It is located a block East of the old Montreal Forum and was once a real hang out .

 

http://cockandbull.ca/

 

It was my hangout place after traveling to see the Blackhawks WIN. LOL

[mking8288]

Here's the simple solution to the Room Service dilemma, grab this to use as a tray and go bring back as much as you need and/or can fill up with - of course, that is until guests are banned from walking around the ship with them for safety reasons :D (It is a bit on the small side, but for those accustomed to a light continental or snacks ... it should get the "job" done, I always joked while cruising that Room Service is "me" as DW usually dispatch me to see what's "upstairs while she take a break/nap/shower/iPad moment, etc.)

 

What I'm troubled by is A.S. took the heat for the failure to communicate to the customer base, and, make no pledge or commitment to improve/change the mode of back-handed operations - and, he has been a seasoned NCL veterans - unlike the fellow who ran Olive Gardens. I've said this more than once already on other post, how difficult is it to communicate - do an official corporate email to ALL, not just a webinar exclusively for TA's yesterday, 4 days after the experiment was put into effect on 2 of its largest megaships, without prior notice to passengers, until they boarded it for sailing. This was, IMO, planned & not a rabbit jumping out of the hat magically - jamming the new Feestyle cruising experience with the ships packed with families & children on Spring breaks. Stuart held that live Q&A via Twitter 10 days ago & mentioned about more changes, so I am not completely surprised - still, waiting for his replies to earlier questions posted on T & FB as there's been no acknowledgement so far. NCL can use some damage control on their social media pages & here on CC, but ...

 

As Platinum members, we don't want to stop sailing NCL after 2015 (just one more on the radar due to FCR already purchased, which we might just unload & cancel) - we stopped booking United Airlines after more than a quarter century of flying because we refused to fly a narrow tin can for 3+ hours and get nickeled & dimed unless ...

 

I am not going to challenge others on matters of differences in opinions but surely going to put in my quarter's worth of voices. As a small footnote -

agreed to disagree and the dialogue continued, or else - click on the IGNORE List and move on.

Edited April 1, 2015 by mking8288

[K_8IE]

Is Norwegian Cruise Line now charging for room service?

Norwegian Cruise Line has introduced an enhanced room service menu that is debuting on board Norwegian Getaway and Norwegian Breakaway. The new menu offers an expanded selection for breakfast, in addition to a wider variety of options available 24 hours. Individual items on the menu remain available on a complimentary basis and a convenience charge of up to $7.95 will be added to each order placed (Room Service orders placed by guests sailing in Suites and The Haven will not attract a charge)*. Room service is one of up to 29 dining options offered across the fleet, and guests continue to be able to enjoy a wide array of complimentary choices onboard 24 hours a day.

*Prices subject to change.

[Bostonjetset]

What a disappointment to see so many increases in such a short period of time. The worst of it is that they didn't even notify guests until they were already on the ship; bad bad PR.

 

We are planning, but have yet to book, a Canary Islands trip with NCL for March of next year but all these increases have got me second guessing. We just got off a trip with Princess and were amazed at how it blew NCL away; food, service, atmosphere, decor, everything!. We considered them for the Canaries but they don't stop in Morocco and NCL does; ports are one of the main reasons for cruising for us. We had a wonderful trip on the Breakaway so were not hesitant to book NCL again but the nickle & diming is getting to be a turn off. We don't order much room service [maybe one midnight snack per trip] so it's easy for us to avoid that charge. However, of the three lines we've sailed, the complimentary food on NCL is by far at the bottom and they are increasing the costs of specialty dining? We never set foot in the upcharge restaurants on Carnival or Princess but on NCL we went to two.