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

[cruiserninja1]

Is there a thread with info from people that were on the BA and GA last week when the charge or "test" began?

[Love2Cruz2015]

Many posters have not noticed or are having a memory lapse regarding the BIG PICTURE.

 

Within 2 months of NCL buying Regent & Oceania cruise lines, NCL's CEO Sheehan made a surprise "I'm outta here" despite having just signed 3 year contract with bonuses to run the merged cruise lines. This is quickly followed by the firing of NCL's newly hired CEO Masden. In the short span of 3 months, Regent/Oceania's CEO, DelRio, moves up from heading the purchased subsidiary lines to running the mega merged lines.

 

In one of DelRio's first public discussions he announces he's is going to increase NCL's bottom line.

Within 2 months, he raises prices and cuts back product and services.

1. Increase Daily Service Charge

2. Decrease employee's covered by Daily Service Charge

3. Cut Back Platinum perk of comp dinner w/ wine a LeBistro for each member to one per cabin.

4. Removes employees from participation in Daily Service Charge when assigned to Specialty Restaurants.

5. Adds new 18% Service Charge to Specialty Restaurants.

6. Without warning, adds Room Service Convenience Charge.

7. Adds 18% Service Charge On top of new Room Convenience Charge.

 

and there appears there is no end in sight.

 

For those of you old enough to remember the great entertainer, Al Jolson, he had a saying after finishing his first song an evening's performance:

"You aint seen nothin, yet."

 

Hang On Folks. I think it's going to be a bumpy ride ......... and not from high seas.

 

 

It seems like you are one of the few poster's who gets it. And yeah, ceasing the Nickelodeon partnership will turn off a lot of families....despite the eye roll of the poster who followed you. Perhaps NCL is after a different clientele...but if that clientele is the older, more affluent, they too, will not enjoy being "nickeled and dimed" so like the old saying goes, a hunter who goes after two rabbits ends up losing both.

[sjbdtz]

It isn't conjecture as much as it is basic math . . .

 

 

The increased ($12.95 or $14.95 pp/pd) service charge covered a large number of the ship's crew...INCLUDING the Specialty Restaurant Staff.

 

NCL removed the Specialty Restaurant Staff from the scope of the DSC. However, they did NOT provide a proportional decrease in the amount of the DSC to reflect their removal. Thus...we are all still paying the DSC as if the Specialty Restaurant Staff was still included. (Where is that extra money going if not to the Specialty Restaurant Staff??? :rolleyes:)

 

ADDITIONALLY...NCL is automatically adding an 18% gratuity** to your check in the Specialty Restaurant on behalf of the staff.

 

That is proof of double-dipping at the very least.

 

 

 

**The guest should ALWAYS determine:

 

a) When, and even IF, a gratuity is earned

b) The amount of any gratuity given to a service provider

 

If the guest isn't making the decision, then it is NOT a gratuity.

 

 

A) that's why the service charge is not a gratuity. Gratuities are not required (though they ARE appreciated) on NCL. Much like Crystal, Seven Seas, etc.

 

B) Do you know factually, that the original intent was not to increase the DSC from $12 to $13.50 and that perhaps somebody had the idea that $12.95 was probably more palatable to customers....and the way to achieve that was by extracting Speciality Servers from the pool and applying a new "user pays" 18% to that fee to take care of those servers? That's what seems most logical to me (I don't know anything, but I do have a Master's in International Management, if it helps).

 

 

I couldn't care less how the crew is compensated. I will remove the DSC and tip how I see fit.

 

If the laundry folks have a problem with how they are compensated then that's between them and their employer.

 

Maybe if people would stop canceling and rebooking when the fare drops the cruise line would have enough money to pay those folks and wouldn't have to try and screw the consumer.

 

Maybe if people left the DSC in place, then the crew who understood they were getting a portion of the DSC wouldn't be compromised.

 

The laundry folks understand their agreement. It's YOU who keeps proposing to alter it....because apparently YOU know better than either of the parties to the agreement.... :rolleyes:

 

 

 

 

Stephen

 

.

[welove2cruise*]

We (DH and I) each received dinner for 2 last month on the Gem. And a poster on another thread (who is on the Getaway now) stated he and his DW each received the dinner for 2 platinum reward. So it may be something coming in the future (wouldn't be surprised), but I don't believe it has been implemented yet.

 

__________________

 

 

We sail out of Southampton in October..already underwent a fiasco with our sailing being canceled and then rescheduled so I am going to keep my fingers crossed that this will not be another change for us.

[AceDoc]

 

Either way I hope that those who are upset take action and above all not let it ruin a cruise they already have booked.

 

 

 

TheCapt

 

Amen to that. :)

[Uniall]

8. Spongebob disappears from NCL next year apparently:eek: - Oh the horror - the world is now definitely ending:rolleyes:.

 

Don't be too smarmy and sarcstic.....

 

Ms. Sponge Bobbi is really ticked off .. LOL

[SJ]

So I read about Princess' attempt to charge $3 per room service order last May. Are Princess passengers smarter than NCL passengers in getting the cruiseline to back down on the charge? Or is Princess management smarter the NCL management for backing down when it realize its passengers are vehemently opposed to the charge? Or is it both?

 

Any reason why NCL passengers want to accept whatever ncl wants to charge what was once included? I may still give NCL my business but I would require a much lower fare comparing to other cruiselines than before since I might have to pay more for the same experience on other cruiselines. If I want a land vacation experience at sea, I wouldn't need to get on ship anymore.

I enjoy the cruise experience over land vacation precisely to avoid having to make decisions during my vacation. Being all inclusive with the exception of alcohol and soda was the big draw for me. Now it's easier to list what's included in my ticket price than to list what's excluded. I don't understand why some see this as an improvement.

Edited April 6, 2015 by SJ

[Loucat]

Many posters have not noticed or are having a memory lapse regarding the BIG PICTURE.

 

Within 2 months of NCL buying Regent & Oceania cruise lines, NCL's CEO Sheehan made a surprise "I'm outta here" despite having just signed 3 year contract with bonuses to run the merged cruise lines. This is quickly followed by the firing of NCL's newly hired CEO Masden. In the short span of 3 months, Regent/Oceania's CEO, DelRio, moves up from heading the purchased subsidiary lines to running the mega merged lines.

 

In one of DelRio's first public discussions he announces he's is going to increase NCL's bottom line.

Within 2 months, he raises prices and cuts back product and services.

1. Increase Daily Service Charge

2. Decrease employee's covered by Daily Service Charge

3. Cut Back Platinum perk of comp dinner w/ wine a LeBistro for each member to one per cabin.

4. Removes employees from participation in Daily Service Charge when assigned to Specialty Restaurants.

5. Adds new 18% Service Charge to Specialty Restaurants.

6. Without warning, adds Room Service Convenience Charge.

7. Adds 18% Service Charge On top of new Room Convenience Charge.

 

and there appears there is no end in sight.

 

For those of you old enough to remember the great entertainer, Al Jolson, he had a saying after finishing his first song an evening's performance:

"You aint seen nothin, yet."

 

Hang On Folks. I think it's going to be a bumpy ride ......... and not from high seas.

 

We are far enough out to cancel our booked NCL cruises and have NO problem doing this.

This is greed and bottom line orientation. While it may please the Board and stockholders, the competition is too great to take in all of this.

What is said CEO doing to increase the cruise experience?

Yet to see this.

We have enjoyed NCL but did not marry the line!

Other cruise lines are watching the reaction to these changes as well as cc members on other lines.

[Uniall]

Sorry to ask this...BUT..is this a definite ?

 

"3. Cut Back Platinum perk of comp dinner w/ wine a LeBistro for each member to one per cabin."

 

With everything going on...I may have missed the announcement. :o(and some posters say yes..others no...:confused:)

 

Uniall .. I totally agree with your overall interpretation.

 

 

Where did you discover the change for Platinum regarding Le Bistro? The two dinners in Le Bistro were something we were looking forward to..as well as the wine. :(

 

The one comp dinner with wine per cabin (regadless of Platinum members) is a "test" run in Europe. The Breakaway & Getaway are the guinie pigs in US.

[thecaptain1969]

So I read about Princess' attempt to charge $3 per room service order last May. Are Princess passengers smarter than NCL passengers in getting the cruiseline to back down on the charge? Or is Princess management smarter the NCL management for backing down when it realize its passengers are vehemently opposed to the charge? Or is it both?

 

Any reason why NCL passengers want to accept whatever ncl wants to charge what was once included? I may still give NCL my business but I would require a much lower fare comparing to other cruiselines than before since I might have to pay more for the same experience on other cruiselines. If I want a land vacation experience at sea, I wouldn't need to get on ship anymore.

I enjoy the cruise experience over land vacation precisely to avoid having to make decisions during my vacation. Being all inclusive with the exception of alcohol and soda was the big draw for me. Now it's easier to list what's included in my ticket price than to list what's excluded. I don't understand why some see this as an improvement.

 

 

Well to my knowledge nobody has really "accepted" it at all. As of now it is a "trial program on the BA and GA. The debate on what action to take on the matter is ongoing.

 

I don't believe that NCL passengers are any less intelligent than Princess passengers, the final outcome of this trial policy is far from being settled.

 

 

 

 

 

TheCapt

[eroller]

Many posters have not noticed or are having a memory lapse regarding the BIG PICTURE.

 

Within 2 months of NCL buying Regent & Oceania cruise lines, NCL's CEO Sheehan made a surprise "I'm outta here" despite having just signed 3 year contract with bonuses to run the merged cruise lines. This is quickly followed by the firing of NCL's newly hired CEO Masden. In the short span of 3 months, Regent/Oceania's CEO, DelRio, moves up from heading the purchased subsidiary lines to running the mega merged lines.

 

In one of DelRio's first public discussions he announces he's is going to increase NCL's bottom line.

Within 2 months, he raises prices and cuts back product and services.

1. Increase Daily Service Charge

2. Decrease employee's covered by Daily Service Charge

3. Cut Back Platinum perk of comp dinner w/ wine a LeBistro for each member to one per cabin.

4. Removes employees from participation in Daily Service Charge when assigned to Specialty Restaurants.

5. Adds new 18% Service Charge to Specialty Restaurants.

6. Without warning, adds Room Service Convenience Charge.

7. Adds 18% Service Charge On top of new Room Convenience Charge.

 

and there appears there is no end in sight.

 

For those of you old enough to remember the great entertainer, Al Jolson, he had a saying after finishing his first song an evening's performance:

"You aint seen nothin, yet."

 

Hang On Folks. I think it's going to be a bumpy ride ......... and not from high seas.

 

 

 

Great synopsis of many recent changes, and not positive ones. Don't forget that DelRio has also laid off some 200 employees at NCLH headquarters in Miami within the past couple weeks, and the rumor is that there may be two more rounds of layoffs. The atmosphere in the head office is not good, and of course this trickles down to the ships. Less people in the head office to support the management team on the ships. Not good.

 

I'm hoping all this will smooth over in time and NCL will be better than ever, but in the meantime it sure seems like all the great strides Kevin Sheehan made with NCL are being mitigated. I also would love to know the real reason why Sheehan left so abruptly.

[Cuizer2]

OK. So how much advance notice is enough?

I don't think it would make any difference if the cruise line made it so those past final payment would be unaffected. There would still be weeping and wailing and rending of garments.

 

Example. Celebrity has given passengers until 20 April to purchase or upgrade drink packages before the price goes up. Some have multiple cruises booked into 2017, and they don't want to drop a big lump sum this far out. It would be nice if those already booked could purchase at the lower price, but come on. Is the cruise line supposed to give two yars notice?

 

On the flip side, how many of those before final payment, including moi, have actually canceled? Reading the NCL and X boards, one would think both lines are doomed to going out of business.

 

As long as the new charges are disclosed before the person books, that is all the notice they need. If they booked earlier than they should be grandfathered into the lower price. The airlines did this with checked baggage fees. The cruise lines can do it with the new fees that they are creating.

[motleyfan]

yep. i have friends who travel on cruises they stay in the cabins the entire cruise enjoying the balcony. they dont like meeting people. i look at her crazy when she tells me this. is that what i do,?heck no. im too nosy to stay in my cabin unless im sick as a dog like last cruise:o

 

but believe it or not for a lot of people that is a vacation for them! the highlight of the vacation. i tell her all the time she and her hubby would hate me, as i would have their butts out that cabin doing everything!!!:D

 

at the end of the day its their money and if that is how they want spend it, who are we to say its wrong. to each their own.

 

well I'll tell you this my favorite thing about the Ncl Cruises I've been on are the nightclubs if you go on a cruise and don't get turnt up and get a little wild you ain't cruising right of course that is just my opinion lol

[motleyfan]

Many posters have not noticed or are having a memory lapse regarding the BIG PICTURE.

 

Within 2 months of NCL buying Regent & Oceania cruise lines, NCL's CEO Sheehan made a surprise "I'm outta here" despite having just signed 3 year contract with bonuses to run the merged cruise lines. This is quickly followed by the firing of NCL's newly hired CEO Masden. In the short span of 3 months, Regent/Oceania's CEO, DelRio, moves up from heading the purchased subsidiary lines to running the mega merged lines.

 

In one of DelRio's first public discussions he announces he's is going to increase NCL's bottom line.

Within 2 months, he raises prices and cuts back product and services.

1. Increase Daily Service Charge

2. Decrease employee's covered by Daily Service Charge

3. Cut Back Platinum perk of comp dinner w/ wine a LeBistro for each member to one per cabin.

4. Removes employees from participation in Daily Service Charge when assigned to Specialty Restaurants.

5. Adds new 18% Service Charge to Specialty Restaurants.

6. Without warning, adds Room Service Convenience Charge.

7. Adds 18% Service Charge On top of new Room Convenience Charge.

 

and there appears there is no end in sight.

 

For those of you old enough to remember the great entertainer, Al Jolson, he had a saying after finishing his first song an evening's performance:

"You aint seen nothin, yet."

 

Hang On Folks. I think it's going to be a bumpy ride ......... and not from high seas.

 

Can you post a link to where he said that about increasing the bottom line?

[Cuizer2]

You really think people gearing up for a cruise are dreaming of the room service? Maybe I'm alone on this but i get excited thinking about all the awesome things to do on the ship not sit in my room lol. I can do that at home for free.

 

Just because it is not something you would do, doesn't mean that for others it is something that they look forward to.

 

The world doesn't revolve around you. You are just going to have to get used to the idea that some people enjoy things that you don't.

[motleyfan]

It seems like you are one of the few poster's who gets it. And yeah, ceasing the Nickelodeon partnership will turn off a lot of families....despite the eye roll of the poster who followed you. Perhaps NCL is after a different clientele...but if that clientele is the older, more affluent, they too, will not enjoy being "nickeled and dimed" so like the old saying goes, a hunter who goes after two rabbits ends up losing both.

 

I've heard from multiple sources that norwegian is going after the 18 to 35 market

[Rileyz]

Can you post a link to where he said that about increasing the bottom line?

 

http://www.thestreet.com/story/13054496/3/how-norwegian-cruise-lines-new-ceo-plans-to-shake-up-the-cruise-industry.html

[Uniall]

Can you post a link to where he said that about increasing the bottom line?

 

It was reported earlier that it's on the NCL's UK website.

[SJ]

well I'll tell you this my favorite thing about the Ncl Cruises I've been on are the nightclubs if you go on a cruise and don't get turnt up and get a little wild you ain't cruising right of course that is just my opinion lol

 

I don't go to nightclubs because they are not my thing. I propose the next service charge should be for the adult only night clubs/comedy clubs on ships with a two drink minimum. Wouldn't this also mimic night clubs on land because NCL wants to imitate what goes on land establishments? Please advise NCL you would support this and I wouldn't argue its merit or lack there of.

Edited April 6, 2015 by SJ

[motleyfan]

http://www.thestreet.com/story/13054496/3/how-norwegian-cruise-lines-new-ceo-plans-to-shake-up-the-cruise-industry.html

 

Hate to say but you were right about the price increasing I don't mind paying for the room service fee but I hope he's not dumb enough to think raising prices like crazy will bring people in. for that to work you have to add a lot of bonuses and bells and whistles.

[Uniall]

http://www.thestreet.com/story/13054496/3/how-norwegian-cruise-lines-new-ceo-plans-to-shake-up-the-cruise-industry.html

 

Riley

Thanks for the Link.

 

I've added the text to preserve the info

 

"How Norwegian Cruise Line's New CEO Plans to Shake Up the Cruise IndustryBy Brian Sozzi Follow | 02/25/15 - 07:00 AM EST

 

 

TheStreet: What do you think is driving the strong wave season this year for the industry?

 

Del Rio: First off, I think the world has been led to believe that the wave season is the end-all, be-all. Once upon a time, when the industry was nascent and all cruise ships were based out of South Florida, especially in the winter months, it was, let's go to Miami. It's a much more mature market right now, one with worldwide itineraries and a global footprint. I think most people out there think if you don't hit a homerun in the wave season you are dead. Not true.

 

So what has made this wave period so strong? I think it has been an OK wave period, I don't think it's a record wave period. Business did improve in the last four four weeks. January was just OK to perhaps slightly subpar, and February has been very, very strong.

 

TheStreet: Could you discuss the pricing environment?

 

Del Rio: The industry has been fixated that the only lever it has to stimulate demand are lower prices. We think it's a losing proposition over the long term and short term. One thing that has worked well at the Prestige brands, and which we are testing at the Norwegian brand, is the idea of the deal.

 

I'm not asking for the moon, but an extra $3 or $4 per person. There are two people per room, for a seven-day cruise that is an extra $50. Can I get $50 from you and your wife to come aboard my ships versus someone else's ships, and how do I get you to do that? I think I have a lot of different levers to pull.

 

TheStreet: Why is Cuba so exciting to you and the industry at large?

 

Del Rio: Florida and Cuba are only 222 miles apart. That's what makes it so exciting. God put that body of land in the right place for the cruise industry. Cuba is exciting for other reasons, too. It's the pent-up demand. It has been 55 years since Fidel Castro took over in 1959. There have been 11 U.S. presidents, starting with Eisenhower all the way to Obama. Cuba is more than a sandbar in the Caribbean. It has history. It has culture. We think of the music. We think of the arts. It has multiple ports, too.

 

There is no question that tourism will be one of the leading industries for Cuba's comeback into the free enterprise system. The knock on Cuba has been that its infrastructure is weak such as the hotels, restaurants and roads. The great thing about the cruise industry is that we bring our own infrastructure with us. When we visit Cuba, we don't need anything. Just a couple of buses so we can bring people to the sites. "

[jonbgd]

well I'll tell you this my favorite thing about the Ncl Cruises I've been on are the nightclubs if you go on a cruise and don't get turnt up and get a little wild you ain't cruising right of course that is just my opinion lol

 

Been there done that

When I was younger and a single cruiser, I slayed lots of Betties, while cruising.

Being a single good looking male(especially traveling solo) is like moths to a light;)

 

But now, being older, in a LTR. Im content, relaxing on my balcony enjoying free room service, with my loved one.

Edited April 6, 2015 by jonbgd

[Uniall]

Fasten Your Seatbelts, It's Goin To Be Bumpy

 

 

Edited April 6, 2015 by Uniall

[motleyfan]

I don't go to nightclubs because they are not my thing. I propose the next service charge should be for the adult only night clubs/comedy clubs on ships with a two drink minimum. Wouldn't this also mimic night clubs on land because NCL wants to imitate what goes on land establishments? Please advise NCL you would support this and I wouldn't argue its merit or lack there of.

 

Why are you proposing charges and then you're upset about the room service fee?

[LMaxwell]

Maybe if people left the DSC in place, then the crew who understood they were getting a portion of the DSC wouldn't be compromised.

 

The laundry folks understand their agreement. It's YOU who keeps proposing to alter it....because apparently YOU know better than either of the parties to the agreement.... :rolleyes:

 

That's the contract the employees agreed to. They knew the DSC is not guaranteed. Heck, NCL won't even guarantee how much of the DSC pool they pass to the employee. It's discretionary. Why the heck is the laundry guy paid out of a discretionary tip pool? That's very shady.