Raising gratuities again!

[cardbucfan]

Apparently I chose to prepay service charges at the time I made my reservation so it's showing in my reservation rolled into the total payment. How smart of me lol!

 

Still no email either.....

[Demonyte]

That is the email sent out last February not the new one.

 

We are talking about reservations made before March 1 there.

[pspercy]

. . .

May be time for me to be less loyal to NCL when I choose my next cruise since they're too focused on squeezing more money from passengers and not anything else. :mad:

 

it's not just NCL:eek:

[spidybabe]

They raised it again!! Not even 6 months apart??

Glad we prepaid

Safe sailing

[JimHam4]

I sail aug. 1 and no email

 

We do too and just got the email this morning. A little pi$$ed off. We're a family of five and convinced be brother in laws family to join us so now eight of us have increased grants. Being past final payment according to the email we're stuck. First cruise with NCL and trying to stay positive but everything keeps changing and not sure what to expect when we get on board. Considering going to guest services and changing to the original amount at the end of the cruise, and I usually tip on top of the autos.

[vinnytman]

I received the same email. The end was a little confusing to me when it said, "Guests who are sailing in Suite categories also receive the services of a concierge, butler and dedicated wait staff."

 

So I called NCL, since we're on a December Jade sailing in a GV... and three people at NCL said that if you're sailing in the Haven, the butler, concierge, and Haven staff are ALL covered under the DSC now, and that's why the DSC is higher in the Haven categories.

 

Interesting...

[punkincc]

No, as long as you prepay before your finale payment you pay the old rate

 

Yes, but which "old rate" do you pay?

 

I have already received 2 emails for my January 2016 cruise. The first stated I could prepay at the old rate of $12.00 rather than $12.95 if paid before the final payment date, and now a new email saying I can pay $12.95 rather than $13.50 before final payment. So did I lose out because I waited and will now be forced to pay $12.95? Seems like the first offer should stand as I have not passed final payment date. I would hate to wait and have it increase yet again. Ridiculous.

[Demonyte]

it's not just NCL:eek:

 

Maybe not, but the reasons why we have been loyal to NCL for years have long gone, now my business is up for grabs - and to be honest, Celebrity's product is much more appealing to me at the moment.

[nadeki]

I got emails for my two upcoming cruises. One I have made the final payment on as it is due in two days. The other is due in a week.

 

NCL does not allow me to make the payment online.

 

If I don't pay by July 31st I am at the new rate?

 

Thanks for the five day warning! And a website working.

 

As always it is not the amount of money but the way it is introduced.

[AdrenalineRush]

I for one will speak with my wallet, I've had enough of playing the guessing game of what I will actually receive at time of embarkation, when the execs finally stop messing up what was a wonderful line I will have a look at where it landed, plenty of other lines out there.

 

That's what I did. Had 3 cruises booked over the next two years. Cancelled them all. I will wait and see what the product looks like mid 2016 to decide if I'm coming back.

 

Singularly, none of the changes bothered me,its the prospect of the next change( ones that would occur after final payment) that had me leery of keeping my bookings.

[Demonyte]

Yes, but which "old rate" do you pay?

 

I have already received 2 emails for my January 2016 cruise. The first stated I could prepay at the old rate of $12.00 rather than $12.95 if paid before the final payment date, and now a new email saying I can pay $12.95 rather than $13.50 before final payment. So did I lose out because I waited and will now be forced to pay $12.95? Seems like the first offer should stand as I have not passed final payment date. I would hate to wait and have it increase yet again. Ridiculous.

 

I'm planning to pay $12pppd one way or another. They have promised to honour the original price if I prepaid, so if I'm not able to do that anymore, I'll handle the correction onboard.

[4774Papa]

Maybe not, but the reasons why we have been loyal to NCL for years have long gone, now my business is up for grabs - and to be honest, Celebrity's product is much more appealing to me at the moment.

We cruise NCL and Celebrity.

 

Wait until you see what Celebrity has done with its stupid Go Big, Better and Best pricing!

[hpecorari]

Dear ,

 

 

Norwegian's daily service charges make it easy for guests to provide gratuities to key onboard staff who provide superior guest service during the cruise, including their room steward, restaurant servers and behind-the-scenes support staff. Guests who are sailing in Suite categories also receive the services of a concierge, butler[/COLOR] and dedicated wait staff.

 

 

Sincerely,

Norwegian Cruise Line®

 

Now, here, it does not state complimentary restaurant servers....so it 'looks' like it the DCS goes to ALL servers...and if that's the case why the 18% gratuity in the specialty restaurants?

 

The other sentence makes it seem as if the Concierge and butler ARE included in the DSC.

 

Harriet

Edited July 16, 2015 by hpecorari

[Fido Chuckwagon]

You could not be more wrong. Look at their last earnings statement and their stock up over 65% in the last year. They don't hold gratuities it can not be shown as revenue or earnings.

That said I think FDR is a mad man and actions of late make no sense to the guests or the industry.

 

Earnings statements do not tell the whole story and all the stock price means is that investors think NCL is doing well

[vinnytman]

Now, here, it does not state complimentary restaurant servers....so it 'looks' like it the DCS goes to ALL servers...and if that's the case why the 18% gratuity in the specialty restaurants?

 

The other sentence makes it seem as if the Concierge and butler ARE included in the DSC.

 

Harriet

 

That's what I stated above -- the last line was a little confusing.

 

From above:

 

So I called NCL, since we're on a December Jade sailing in a GV... and three people at NCL said that if you're sailing in the Haven, the butler, concierge, and Haven staff are ALL covered under the DSC now, and that's why the DSC is higher in the Haven categories.

[Demonyte]

We cruise NCL and Celebrity.

 

Wait until you see what Celebrity has done with its stupid Go Big, Better and Best pricing!

 

I'm aware (well, haven't checked out the exact effects on prices yet since we are booked for 2017 already) but it's not just that companies change things (only thing permanent is the change) but also how they do it.

 

I might lose my respect to Celebrity too at some point, but it doesn't change the fact that NCL lost it already.

 

It's like talking about the least of many evils. :)

[Snowrose]

Can't login to MyNCL right now.

 

CAS is Unavailable

 

There was an error trying to complete your request. Please notify your support desk or try again.

 

CAS, is that Casinos At Sea? We don't even have CAS.

 

I'm thinking the servers are just overloaded as people are checking their cruises (and maybe prepaying their DSC) due to the new email.

 

Oh, heady! NCL, a massive influx of cash! What in the world are you using it for?

[hpecorari]

I'm curios then why the difference in price for each category other than the addition of butler & concierge services. You're right that NCL should make things clear. Could it be they are wording this to justify the extra cost, because I can't see any reason for it?

My dinky room & the OS are being cleaned each day by the room steward, the "behind the scene" staff is the same, etc. I don't understand why that DSC should be higher for those pax.

 

Suites sometimes are larger than mini's and below. Sometimes are two bedroom and three bedroom. Some even have two or three bathrooms. There is no way it can take the same amount of time to clean some of these suites as it does other cabins. That's why, I believe, suites/Haven cost more.

 

Harriet

[canadianeh934]

Yes, but which "old rate" do you pay?

 

I have already received 2 emails for my January 2016 cruise. The first stated I could prepay at the old rate of $12.00 rather than $12.95 if paid before the final payment date, and now a new email saying I can pay $12.95 rather than $13.50 before final payment. So did I lose out because I waited and will now be forced to pay $12.95? Seems like the first offer should stand as I have not passed final payment date. I would hate to wait and have it increase yet again. Ridiculous.

 

I am in the same boat....I will be calling to see which rate we will be paying....I have a back to back cruise book in Jan 2016....we got two e mails both times.

 

I was not impressed with the food rules that they later retracted as well as the new Room service fees that have been added since we booked. This is another reason why I will choose my next cruise very carefully.

[Snowrose]

I have already received 2 emails for my January 2016 cruise. The first stated I could prepay at the old rate of $12.00 rather than $12.95 if paid before the final payment date, and now a new email saying I can pay $12.95 rather than $13.50 before final payment.

 

We booked our cruise in Oct 2014, so we should have the same terms.

 

Maybe it's just me but seems like if they make the commitment that you can pay $12 if you pay before your final payment that you can hold them to that. After all, it's *still* before your final payment.

[hpecorari]

I received the same email. The end was a little confusing to me when it said, "Guests who are sailing in Suite categories also receive the services of a concierge, butler and dedicated wait staff."

 

So I called NCL, since we're on a December Jade sailing in a GV... and three people at NCL said that if you're sailing in the Haven, the butler, concierge, and Haven staff are ALL covered under the DSC now, and that's why the DSC is higher in the Haven categories.

 

Interesting...

 

But *really* does not make sense. It's only $2.00 more per passenger so if you times that by 7 days it is a total of $14.00 per person. If there are two people in your suite you are talking about an additional $28.00 more over ther cabins. I can't believe that the $28.00 will be split between the concierge and butler. That would be $14.00 for the concierge and $14.00 for the Butler - for 7 days? Makes no sense to me.

 

Harriet

[Cruisercl]

Once again, IMO, NCL is not honoring the intent of the contracts that I signed when I booked; this is only getting worse over time. This is kind of a sad situation for those of us loved cruising with NCL.

 

Also, IMO the value of a NCL cruise has gone down:

-smaller cabins and balconies (now called balconettes on the 'away' ships) so why am I paying more to have my cabin serviced?

-in my e-mail about the increase in the daily charges the DC is referred to a gratuity, which implies a tip which is at the customer discretion-not so much apparently

-I agree with a previous poster; I am sure the service people are not getting a raise with this extra money

-higher costs for less- of everything including the cruise base price, dining, drinks.

-the product they offer is not worth the extra money they are 'surprise' charging

 

If FDR wants to increase prices to bring up the 'level of cruising' on NCL, I expect to get more than what I am getting now:

 

-glass of champagne on embarkation

-lobster in the MDR

-better bar service by the pools

-availability of service overall-no over 2 hour dining in the MDR, not having to go look for someone to wait on you-this has happened to me quite a bit on my last couple of cruises

to name a few.

 

I will cruise the NCL cruises I have booked now but will certainly be cruising other lines where I can get my monies worth with the cost I agree to pay and the company is honest with their customers.

 

Happy and safe cruising all!!

[canadianeh934]

It is a poop show with the way things have been introduced....

Edited July 16, 2015 by canadianeh934

[LrgPizza]

We booked our cruise in Oct 2014, so we should have the same terms.

 

Maybe it's just me but seems like if they make the commitment that you can pay $12 if you pay before your final payment that you can hold them to that. After all, it's *still* before your final payment.

 

It doesn't have to be before final payment, just before the cruise. Even if you've made final payment already, the option is still there to pre-pay gratuities.

[luddite]

This is an extra $324 for a 2 person cruise. IT's a cost you sometimes forget about. All this plus drinks and the extras and you are spending another $1,000 at least.

 

No.

It's $ 7.70 extra for two pax for the week.

The costs ARE starting to add up.