is the "nickel and dining" that bad?

[ready2cruzagain]

OP, honestly, Carnival does their share of nickel and diming also. 18 cruises on Carnival here and we are going to try NCL again after 10 years due to the fact that Carnival's entertainment has become non existent. Our last cruise on Carnival...a couple of months ago...there was no band (they had a couple of duo singers which were really bad) and their production shows are really bad anymore.

 

NCL does charge for room service but Carnival upped its room service menu and now has several things that are for a fee of $3.33 on their room service menu.

 

Forget the nickel and diming, you can control how much they do that.

[KeithJenner]

For reasons that I won't bore everyone on here with, we usually have a breakfast in our cabins on port days and so this has incurred a cost to us that we were not aware of when we booked.

 

 

Were you aware that breakfast items aren't subject to the service charge, so you may not have that extra cost?

[Burgmeister]

Were you aware that breakfast items aren't subject to the service charge, so you may not have that extra cost?

I thought, and I may well be wrong here, that if you wanted anything more than a criossant and beverage (i.e. some hot breakfast items) then you would be subject to a charge.

 

If your about to go ashore then a decent breakfast is a must! If I'm wrong then that's great news as cabin lunches and dinners aren't usually on the agenda for us.

[KeithJenner]

I thought, and I may well be wrong here, that if you wanted anything more than a criossant and beverage (i.e. some hot breakfast items) then you would be subject to a charge.

 

If your about to go ashore then a decent breakfast is a must! If I'm wrong then that's great news as cabin lunches and dinners aren't usually on the agenda for us.

 

 

 

I don't know much about room service, but the latest menu that I've seen onboard only had a tiny selection of hot breakfast items (2 omlettes and French toast).

 

Again, others will know more than me here, so I'd better step aside before I cause too much confusion.

[sjlocke]

It's on the page that talks about specialty dining packages. Here's the link.

 

At the bottom of the table it says:

 

18% gratuity and specialty service charge will be added at time of purchase.

 

It's also in the FAQs.

 

It's also in the terms and conditions.

 

There was no purchase. It was part of a promo.

 

I did also just buy four nights UDP for two others, which the site says should be $84pp, and in the cart it was $99 something, so I assume that was for the gratuities, even though they didn't break it out anywhere. What's the point of doing it that way if you have no choice? Just charge the $99 on the rate page and be done with it.

[babs135]

I'm finding this thread slightly alarming. As we are not in a position to book anything until probably July at the earliest I've simply been 'skimming' through those threads that might apply to us. I haven't gone any deeper into details until I know if we can actually book.

 

We are looking at the Bahamas/Florida cruise on the Breakaway out of New York in December (over New Years Eve) and it is the jam in the sandwich that is from the UK and back on the QM2. I realise that we will find a huge difference between the two ships, but it is the other comments posted here that worry me.

 

I'm getting very confused as to what exactly is included in the cost of the cruise and also whether it is worth getting any of the packages. I'm not sure I totally understand the comments made about gratuities on the packages. We drink, but not a huge deal and we've never felt the need to eat in any specialty restaurant on any ship we have sailed on.

 

I do have a brochure (always like one as it is much easier to read), but I get the feeling it is rather out of date as it still says Nickelodeon is on board which I believe is wrong? From what is being said here, I also get the impression that by the time you have read the most recent brochure it is out of date anyway. NCL keep changing things almost on a daily basis.

 

Would value clarification. Thanks in advance.

[mjkacmom]

I thought, and I may well be wrong here, that if you wanted anything more than a criossant and beverage (i.e. some hot breakfast items) then you would be subject to a charge.

 

If your about to go ashore then a decent breakfast is a must! If I'm wrong then that's great news as cabin lunches and dinners aren't usually on the agenda for us.

 

Well, then the room service charge really works in your favor! Before the service charge, there were zero hot items on the breakfast menu. In fact, the new menu is much more expansive than the last one!

[renata102]

You are right, of course. It is possible to avoid room service, and to only eat in MDR's -- but to the extent the food quality and service in those MDR's have been downgraded from previous levels as the number (and costs) of the specialty restaurants have increased, you are feeling encouraged to seek alternatives other than the formerly perfectly adequate included options. Then too, considering the amounts involved, "nickel and dime" really is not the appropriate term: how about $10 and $20?

 

I never eat in specialty restaurants on board these ships

 

I did notice a downgrade of food and service in the MDR, since the barrage of specialty restaurants on NCL. I didn't see it on the Disney cruise. I can't comment on RCCL or Princess as I haven't cruised on them in years

[Aquahound]

All cruise lines nickel and dime but having just got off the Escape, I can say with certainty that NCL is still the leader in that area. No amount of conjecture from loyalists can convince me otherwise. I actually sail multiple lines, so I say this from experience.

Edited April 28, 2016 by Aquahound

[KeithJenner]

I'm not sure I totally understand the comments made about gratuities on the packages. We drink, but not a huge deal and we've never felt the need to eat in any specialty restaurant on any ship we have sailed on.

 

 

 

Ignore the talk about gratuities on the packages. From what you say, you would be unlikely to buy one and as you're in the UK, you wouldn't pay the gratuity if you took one as your promo.

 

As you are from the UK, I'd recommend the drinks package as your promo as long as you are likely to have a drink a day (or a couple of soft drinks) as that has the most value.

 

To answer your question as to what is included in your fare:

 

The cruise

All food in the buffet, main dining rooms (except for a couple of optional entrees) and the 24 hour pub.

All entertainment except for the show on the newer ships which includes a meal.

Water, basic tea and coffee (ie not including things like latte's from the coffee bar) some other soft drinks from the buffet.

If you select the drinks plan then all alcoholic drinks up to the value of $15 plus sodas (again, not speciality coffee).

If you select the meal plan then a number of meals at the speciality restaurants.

Breakfast items from room service

 

What isn't included:

Daily service charge (automatically added to your account each day and a pain to remove).

Speciality coffees

Alcoholic drinks and sodas etc (if you don't select the drinks plan)

Speciality restaurants (if you don't select the meal plan or if you have more meals than the plan covers). Includes the dinner show on newer ships

Spa costs

Photos

Souvenirs

Excursions

Bottled water

Non breakfast items from room service (fixed fee charged).

 

Obviously I've missed some things off of both lists, but you can see that other than the first item, the extra cost items are largely discretionary and most are also charged by other lines, to my understanding.

 

It's probably true that NCLs fees are higher than many and there are a few things that they charge for that others don't, but for many people it shouldn't make much practical difference.

[KeithJenner]

All cruise lines nickel and dime but having just got off the Escape, I can say with certainty that NCL is still the leader in that area. No amount of conjecture from loyalists can convince me otherwise.

 

 

 

To be honest, I don't think many people are denying that NCL charges more than most (whether it fits in with the definition of "nickel and dimeing" is a fairly pointless digression really).

 

However, the point that many of us are making is that, in practice, this isn't necessarily a big issue for lots of people.

[DMH15]

I agree with this IF it was clearly stated before you book. We booked our cruise when NCL were clearly advertising that room service was complimentary except between midnight and 5am. Shortly after booking, however, this was amended to include the "Service Charge". For reasons that I won't bore everyone on here with, we usually have a breakfast in our cabins on port days and so this has incurred a cost to us that we were not aware of when we booked.

 

Of course things change and of course a company is entitled to change its policy. But you should either receive the terms as set out when you agreed to your contract or be allowed to cancel without charge (I appreciate that US cruisers can do this - EU cruisers can't).

 

Let's take this a bit further as an example. Say you have done your "due diligence" and have compared prices and that you're a family man so has to book ahead so as to be able to get time off work while the kids are on school break. You choose Cruise Line A because it has what you want and even adding in the extras its cheaper than Cruise Line B for a similar class of product. So you book.

 

One month later you get an email from Cruise Line A.....

 

"For your convenience we have introduced a small charge for the kids club. This small charge of only $10 per child per day is to improve the experience ...blah, blah"

 

"OK" you think,"That's not too bad, we'll only use it on the 5 sea days and we've only 2 kids so it's only an extra $100 - still cheaper than Cruise LIne B"

 

One month later another email from Cruise Line A....

 

"Following the success of our kids club initiative we have made it even better. To attend the kids club you will need to purchase a Kids Club pass to cover your entire cruise duration for each child. Don't worry though it is still $10 per day per child"

 

"Hmmm", you think " Thats now 14 days at $10 per child. $280 extra I wasn't expecting to have to pay - not that much better than Cruise Line B"

 

A further month passes and the dreaded email arrives....

 

"We have had a review of our gratuities/Service charges and have decided taht the staff that work so hard looking after our kidies should also receive this award therefore we will be adding 18% + tax to the cost of the kids club"

 

"Oh FFS" you now think. "This isn't what I signed up for - $350 more cost to swallow"

 

 

 

This may or may not happen, but you get the point. Would everyone on here be that surprised if, one day, they received an email from their cruise line that went along the lines of...

 

"Following the success of our A la carte dining we have decided that, for your enjoyment and benefit, all of our restaurants will now adopt this policy. For the avoidance of doubt, this includes the MDR and buffet restaurants."

 

They are, of course, entitled to change their policies but it shouldn't be unilateral.

 

 

The breakfast you used to have is still complimentary. Full breakfast, now available, is not.

[Warm Breezes]

As you can see from my history and future cruises booked I like both NCL and CCL. I disagree that 1) Carnival is a party ship (especially on cruises 5+ days) and 2) NCL nickel and dimes you. I don't pay anymore for my NCL cruises on-board than I do on any other line I have sailed. Having said that I rarely do room service except for an occasional breakfast, rarely eat at specialty restaurants, rarely drink, and rarely purchase pictures on any line. We have been on 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 day Carnival cruises and never once experienced the party atmosphere on the ship. We didn't go searching for it either. The majority of our cruises on Carnival were family cruises and they were a perfect family vacation destination. I'm sure you will have fun no matter which one you choose.

[mjkacmom]

The breakfast you used to have is still complimentary. Full breakfast, now available, is not.

 

That poster mentioned in a later post that they enjoy a hot room service breakfast, which wasn't even an option on the old room service menu.

[Texsylvanian]

i choose to pay for the extras on NCL.....but adding the gratuity to the drink and dining packages is certainly nickel diming since we all pay a flat rate gratuity per day, and no ones seen a raise.

 

 

Well, yes and no. I understand it LOOKS like it's a new charge, but if it weren't for the package, you'd be paying the price of each individual drink, plus 18% anyway. Same with the specialty restaurants: you pay the cover charge (or now, a la carte, which I DO think stinks!) plus that extra 18%. That extra charge has always been there, without being included in the package, but now you're just paying the 18% on the package which should be less than doing it piecemeal.

[richstowe]

I'm almost new to NCL (I would have said going to be new, but not so sure now).

I'm doing my due diligence and glad I'm finding out about these charges prior to (maybe) booking.

 

Yesterday I learned that my 'free' UDP would cost us $200.00.

 

Are there any other surprises that NCL has in store that most cruise lines don't charge for?

Last night we booked a Med cruise . $100 a night balcony peak of Summer ! :) Excellent itinerary . Up till now we haven't booked NCL because of the nickel & diming OR non mandatory optional charges . You choose the term . And yes a "free" drink package that doesn't include canned sodas , coffee or water but costs 100 PP for a week is outrageous . And this is just one example that Muushka listed . BUT the cruise will cost $1000 for a 1 week cruise all in . This is waaay below the competition .

 

So in the end I'm fine with their pricing model . I recognize that they are more aggressive in searching out extra fees to charge . I will account for this when choosing our next cruises . NCL will have to be cheaper with their base fares to compensate .

[Burgmeister]

The breakfast you used to have is still complimentary. Full breakfast, now available, is not.

Sorry, I have only previously sailed with RCCL ( a few times) and they have a very good, complimentary, room service breakfast. I was not aware that the only room service breakfast available on NCL prior to the change of fees was very basic.

 

Thanks for the clarification.

[Cauzneffct]

While new cruisers might not do their due diligence, there are many of us who are very savvy and know the costs etc. We book a cruise based on current ship information, which sets our expectations. Then, 5 months later we learn through CC that Uptown Grill is changing into something that doesn't interest us in the least. We feel disappointed because they have taken something away, and we realize this will make the buffet even busier. I can see where the feelings of disappointment might make us feel we've been nickle and dimed.

 

That's my position as well. I'm less concerned with things that cost money costing slightly more money than I am with things that were advertised as free being taken away and replaced with things that cost money.

[Cauzneffct]

With the mentions of doing one's diligence, i'll add that diligence is even more important if you've cruised before but are new to NCL (or vice versa).

 

The Room Service charge on NCL was a bit of a shock as I assumed (wrongly, and that's on me) that the then-free menu was comparable to the free menu on Princess. Learning that I would potentially be paying for items that I assumed would be free was eye-opening (but again, that's on me).

 

We booked a family mini-suite and my mom and aunt booked the inside across the hall, assuming that the doors would face each other like on our previous cruises. It wasn't until recently that I really looked at the deck plan and figured out that the insides have their own corridor, so rather than being across the hall, my mom/aunt will in essence be down past the elevators and back up the other side. Not NCL's fault of course, but something we didn't even think about.

[babs135]

Thanks for your reply Keith. With all the stuff people were saying I was beginning to totally lose the plot!

 

Out of curiosity, are you saying the Americans pay gratuities on their packages but we don't?

[Sissaaaaaa]

The room service menu has improved, and the quality of the food has improved since adding the service charge. We don't use it often, but my kids like to order something after coming back to the cabin for the night. If you don't want to pay the charge, you can always go to the buffet, make a plate, and bring it back to your room. I have always paid a service charge when ordering room service in hotels. I realize this was free on cruises for many years, but instead of raising fares, they added a convenience charge for those who use this. That's the way I look at it anyway.

[KeithJenner]

Thanks for your reply Keith. With all the stuff people were saying I was beginning to totally lose the plot!

 

 

 

Out of curiosity, are you saying the Americans pay gratuities on their packages but we don't?

 

 

 

Everyone pays gratuities if they purchase the packages, but if it's taken as a promo then some countries (including the US) have to pay them whilst others, including the UK, don't.

[KeithJenner]

Last night we booked a Med cruise . $100 a night balcony peak of Summer ! :) Excellent itinerary . Up till now we haven't booked NCL because of the nickel & diming OR non mandatory optional charges . You choose the term . And yes a "free" drink package that doesn't include canned sodas , coffee or water but costs 100 PP for a week is outrageous . And this is just one example that Muushka listed . BUT the cruise will cost $1000 for a 1 week cruise all in . This is waaay below the competition .

 

 

 

So in the end I'm fine with their pricing model . I recognize that they are more aggressive in searching out extra fees to charge . I will account for this when choosing our next cruises . NCL will have to be cheaper with their base fares to compensate .

 

 

This is very much my point. If the total cost is ok then I don't care how it is charged.

 

It does raise an issue though. How much the overall price has changed depends a lot on the individual.

 

For example, I'm in the UK, drink enough to make the beverage promo worth a decent amount. For me, overall cruise price has not moved much in the last few years (I have one booked for next year which will be by a long way my cheapest ever).

 

Meanwhile, someone in the US, or who stays in suites, who uses Room Service, eats every night in speciality restaurants may have had a significant increase.

 

That's why a question like "how big a deal are the extra charges?" Is so difficult to answer.

 

One thing that's for sure though is that costs are going to continue to rise. I'm booking ahead whilst the beverage package is still offered, but when that's finished then things may well look a lot different to me.

[janpo]

That poster mentioned in a later post that they enjoy a hot room service breakfast, which wasn't even an option on the old room service menu.

 

 

Fruit which was included on the breakfast menu is no longer free. Only thing we saw in December that was free were pastries and yogurt I believe. Coffee too, of course.

[kathybelcher2433]

I noticed a few new phases have been "coined" (pun intended) in this stream. "Nickel and Dining", "Nickel-Diming", and of course, all the various and assorted misspellings.

 

Why don't we recognize inflation and just call it "quartering" since it sounds like some guests feel they are being drawn and quartered.

 

(In all seriousness I agree with the posters comparing finished price to finished price and coming out even or ahead in NCL.)