Is the outside beverage ban making you look elsewhere??

[EleventyBangBang]

Yes, it will definitely make me look elsewhere next time, just on principle.

 

I would only stay with NCL if they lower their price of water. I would gladly pay 9$ for a 12 pack of 1 liter Aquafinas, but 47$ is just insulting. I'd also wager that enough people would agree to make such a change actually be more profitable.

 

The main "argument" people are making in favor of this new policy seems to be "I don't personally like bottled water and/or soda, therefore you shouldn't either". I think this is really insulting and condescending, not to mention misses the point of the whole "freestyle" concept that led many of us to choose NCL in the first place. For what I'm already paying for this vacation, I really don't think reasonably priced bottled water is too much to ask.

[NJ7]

This year I booked 6 cruises - 5 on NCL and 1 Disney. Next year I am still cruising and traveling a lot - but don't have any cruises on NCL.

 

It has just been a combination of so many things - I don't like a lot of the changes. Looking at each one separately- none of them are that big a deal. But when they all come together - it has definitely negatively impacted my cruise experience with NCL. Since I am not one to pay for something I don't like - I have been exploring different options.

 

I have a family member who can only drink diet decaf beverages so I usually bring a few caffeine free diet sodas with us - now we won't be able to do that - and then my family member will complain to me the whole cruise about how NCL doesn't offer any caffeine free diet beverages other then tap water - no thank you - love my family member but don't want to spend my vacation listening to them complain about the beverage options.

Edited July 12, 2016 by NJ7

[Sissaaaaaa]

No. I think it's silly to leave over soda, but hey - to each his own.

[xriva]

I have a family member who can only drink diet decaf beverages so I usually bring a few caffeine free diet sodas with us - now we won't be able to do that - and then my family member will complain to me the whole cruise about how NCL doesn't offer any caffeine free diet beverages other then tap water - no thank you - love my family member but don't want to spend my vacation listening to them complain about the beverage options.

 

What about Sierra Mist or whatever Pepsi's Seven-UP wannabe is? That's caffeine-free. Also, there should be root beer on board (I think.)

 

So, there may be a couple of choices - if your family member only wants Diet Caffeine-Free Coke, then it's an issue.

 

(Time to get flavor packets and ask for club soda. Or diet club soda.)

[omc329]

As can be seen by my signature, I am already looking for a new cruise line. The H2O issue does not directly impact me, but it is the continued streaming of changes, (post booking to boot), in an ongoing effort to drain more and more of my $$$ that has me upset with NCL. I do NOT TRUST NCL anymore. I want a line I can have a little more faith in the delivered product from time of booking.

 

I continue to monitor these boards, as the most reliable means, (note: lack of trust in NCL to notify me in a prompt manner), of knowing what new changes NCL has in store for us on our spring cruise. I will also continue searching around for better values in the industry for any further bookings until such a time as I am convinced NCL is done with their continual degrading of their product.

[UPNYGuy]

I think for some of us, even though the drink policy doesn't affect us personally, it is reflective of an attitude that clearly is permeating NCL and doesn't bode well for the future. I've never brought a drink on board, but I just booked our next two cruises on MSC when we've been exclusively NCL. Maybe we'll come running back. Or maybe we'll stay gone for good.

 

 

This was what started me looking at other cruise lines. DW and I came over here after several sailings on Holland America that had issues that were 100% caused by ship age. We knew that they were older vessels when we booked them, and we did it because they were 55,000GRT ships (small by today's standards). We did have issues with the front desk staff on one cruise, but it was one cruise out of 8 that we had with HAL.

 

We jumped ship to NCL to test the waters, and found them to be great, and the Dawn and Jewel classes comparable to what we found the HAL vista class. And as much as I will flatly say I'm no longer the HAL flag waiver since DW and I tried NCL (product is not as good as I perceived it to be on HAL), I do feel that Carnival Corp has more respect for the HAL pax base than NCLH does for the NCL pax base (average age of the HAL ships notwithstanding). HAL doesn't change policy every other week.

 

 

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[FranknBeans]

ABSOLUTELY HAD ENOUGH OF NCL.

We have cancelled 2 cruises and are still considering cancelling Hawaii.

Just too much BS from them in the last year since FDR came on board.

And looking very forward to Celebrity.

[jolgro]

To answer the OP; No I don,t leave NCL

Drinking Pepsi or buying a few bottles of water onboard ......if I watch the news and see what kind of problems are going on in the world right now......[emoji33] but not bringing water bottles ??? Really

[littlelulu01]

The new rule bugs me a little bit It's not the ban on beverages that gets to me. I wouldn't cancel a cruise over it but it's the fact that if I sail in a suite and am given the UBP as an included perk, most of my non alcoholic beverage choices are not included. I don't drink alcohol and don't see myself trying to consume a bunch of fattening virgin drinks just to get my "free" perk value. It is offensive to be given a perk that is advertised as "ultimate beverage package" that includes "unlimited drinks"....well except for me it covers no drinks and I'll have to pay for each bottle of water, each speciality coffee and each can of soda I consume. My UBP with unlimited drinks is going to add a lot more to my fare. Yes this time I will pay it because those items are things I want on my vacation. I thought about not giving them another $ but I want spa passes, I want spa treatments and some extras on vacation. In addition I'll now be put through some lengthy boarding process to ensure I don't have a bottle of water left over after my long wait for a cable car ride in Santorini? i guess if this is what making more money looks like for NCL yes, I may look for an alternative vacation next time around. Being charged over $6 for every bottle of water I want with my free UBP is pretty darned offensive. I'm happy to pay for my spa passes but $6 plus for a bottle of water and not able to wait in a hot line with a fresh cold water bottle prior to boarding a ship in hot med ports? That sounds like an extreme measure to earn more $.

[SuiteTraveler]

The new rule bugs me a little bit It's not the ban on beverages that gets to me. I wouldn't cancel a cruise over it but it's the fact that if I sail in a suite and am given the UBP as an included perk, most of my non alcoholic beverage choices are not included. I don't drink alcohol and don't see myself trying to consume a bunch of fattening virgin drinks just to get my "free" perk value. It is offensive to be given a perk that is advertised as "ultimate beverage package" that includes "unlimited drinks"....well except for me it covers no drinks and I'll have to pay for each bottle of water, each speciality coffee and each can of soda I consume. My UBP with unlimited drinks is going to add a lot more to my fare. Yes this time I will pay it because those items are things I want on my vacation. I thought about not giving them another $ but I want spa passes, I want spa treatments and some extras on vacation. In addition I'll now be put through some lengthy boarding process to ensure I don't have a bottle of water left over after my long wait for a cable car ride in Santorini? i guess if this is what making more money looks like for NCL yes, I may look for an alternative vacation next time around. Being charged over $6 for every bottle of water I want with my free UBP is pretty darned offensive. I'm happy to pay for my spa passes but $6 plus for a bottle of water and not able to wait in a hot line with a fresh cold water bottle prior to boarding a ship in hot med ports? That sounds like an extreme measure to earn more $.

 

Just a thought, but have you tried ordering a virgin Cuba Libre? Because the alcohol version is included, so wouldn't the virgin version also be? So you would get Pepsi and some lime on ice - not bad...

[NLH Arizona]

The new rule bugs me a little bit It's not the ban on beverages that gets to me. I wouldn't cancel a cruise over it but it's the fact that if I sail in a suite and am given the UBP as an included perk, most of my non alcoholic beverage choices are not included. I don't drink alcohol and don't see myself trying to consume a bunch of fattening virgin drinks just to get my "free" perk value. It is offensive to be given a perk that is advertised as "ultimate beverage package" that includes "unlimited drinks"....well except for me it covers no drinks and I'll have to pay for each bottle of water, each speciality coffee and each can of soda I consume. My UBP with unlimited drinks is going to add a lot more to my fare. Yes this time I will pay it because those items are things I want on my vacation. I thought about not giving them another $ but I want spa passes, I want spa treatments and some extras on vacation. In addition I'll now be put through some lengthy boarding process to ensure I don't have a bottle of water left over after my long wait for a cable car ride in Santorini? i guess if this is what making more money looks like for NCL yes, I may look for an alternative vacation next time around. Being charged over $6 for every bottle of water I want with my free UBP is pretty darned offensive. I'm happy to pay for my spa passes but $6 plus for a bottle of water and not able to wait in a hot line with a fresh cold water bottle prior to boarding a ship in hot med ports? That sounds like an extreme measure to earn more $.

Soda is included, however not in cans, with the UBP. I cruise in a aft penthouse suite and have always had a liter of water waiting for me in my cabin and my Cabin Steward or Butler on one of the cruises replaced it when it was empty, the other cruises, I didn't drink it all. Juices are also included.

[Cruisercl]

All the pathetic changes FDR has implemented in the last year or so have upset many cruisers. More importantly FDR has been making lots of changes affecting the crew. They are being squeezed tighter and tighter and policies are being changed for the negative. Get to know a crew member on your next cruise and have an honest conversation about it with them. FDR is doing the best he can to squeeze everyone for an extra nickel and dime and ruining the company from the inside out, and the outside in.

 

This has been my observation too.....well put. :)

[riclop]

No not at all.

[littlelulu01]

Soda is included, however not in cans, with the UBP. I cruise in a aft penthouse suite and have always had a liter of water waiting for me in my cabin and my Cabin Steward or Butler on one of the cruises replaced it when it was empty, the other cruises, I didn't drink it all. Juices are also included.

 

I have had success with the butler replacing a complementary bottle of wine with some water but also had failure asking for an included bottle of wine to be replaced with a bottle of water. I remember my husband saying at the time, wow that's either The least expensive wine known to man or a bottle of water must cost an arm and a leg on this ship.

 

I guess it's more about the principle. To be given a perk and then told your drinks aren't included. I have had this issue since the UBP came out though and still sail NCL. There's much more that I enjoy about NCL than dislike so I'll live with the UBP that doesn't suit me.

[CruiseMan1970]

Overall for just myself and my husband the answer would be no as I drink Mtn Dew which is currently offered on NCL. If however for any reason NCL chose to stop offering it and I couldn't bring it onboard then I would probably choose to not sail with them.

 

My answer would be NO also.

 

 

I was a heavy Mtn Dew drinker (cube a day habit) before going on my first NCL cruise in 08. Back then it was all Coke products and I didn't think I would be able to do it. Actually brought a 12pack of Mnt. Dew on board with me and didn't even finish it. After a few days I didn't even miss it and haven't touched the stuff since. Really got into drinking Ice Tea after that cruise.

 

See if you can go without for a week and see what happens. I'll tell you I felt a lot better and lost a lot of weight not drinking it.

[littlelulu01]

Just a thought, but have you tried ordering a virgin Cuba Libre? Because the alcohol version is included, so wouldn't the virgin version also be? So you would get Pepsi and some lime on ice - not bad...

 

Thanks. I'll try that. Every time I see a thread posted asking about non alcoholic alternatives there doesn't seem to be many suggestions. I know we will be eating more than at home and my vices are morning speciality coffees, which aren't low calorie. I'm just not crazy about sweet fruity drinks, which I typically see for suggestions. I know I'm probably in the minority and also that NCL certainly doesn't need to offer up a package tailored to me. With this beverage ban hoopla I just figured it was an opportunity for me to give a few more shameless plugs in hopes that NCL might actually just include soda cans, speciality coffees and bottle water in the UBP. Usually I've seen them implement a good and bad option. Like they raised UBP price but included drinks to $15. I'm still holding out hope that they use this beverage ban as a good bad option. Raise UBP price but finally start including my drinks in the plan. If that happens you certainly won't see me complaining about the price increase or looking into other lines. Offer something like Celebrity's non alcoholic preimum package and I may just become a huge NCL superfan.

[nw gardener]

The newest FDR/NCL passenger "take away", "belt tightening" or whatever you wish to label it as [beverage ban] is the straw that is making DH and I consider twice if we wish to book future cruises with NCL. Too many changes in the last year and a half that might be good for NCL's bottom line, but they all add up to a negative for us. We have one more cruise booked with NCL for next summer on the Sun, but I did book my annual winter Caribbean cruise with friends with MSC this time. At this point, we are keeping our Sun cruise, but I'm keeping my eyes open right up to final payment. As a consumer I just don't know what NCL is going to do between now and then, and I feel it just may be more take a ways. MSC's price was just too good to not try them, we loved Celebrity's beverage package, and HAL has great itineraries and we like their smaller ships. So instead of looking at NCL first when shopping, they are further down our list even though we have more cruises with them. I'd like to see NCL go at least 6 months without doing something that makes another negative 50+ page thread on CC!

[darlene62]

Agree. Also, we do have some pretty good insider info since our son works for NCL and has for the past 4 years. Sure he has some complaints but all in all, he enjoys what he does and his fellow crewmembers seem pretty happy (at least in his pictures with them). He has been on 5 different ships and each has had some good and some not so good stuff.

I am honestly happy that your son seems happy with working for NCL. I find the majority of the staff to be doing their best with what they are given. And lets be real the public can be difficult. That said.....not to pick exclusively on NCL but the changes mid stream have been not right in my opinion...(holding back my true feeling because i would be banned). Some of us pre plan a cruise and those "little things" such as water and what type of soda etc we prefer are deal breakers......maybe in others mind they aren't.......but don't judge. Those feelings are there and people are entitled to what they want when they save for their ideal vacation. HOWEVER...when NCL changes the rules mid stream without allowing a grandfather clause or allowing to back out without penalty is WRONG. At the very least they should allow those who booked when the "contraband" was allowed to cancel without penalty.......now that said.......I have little sympathy for those who lost specific ports during cruise due to weather or "island unrest"...sorry folks that is beyond control of ship and safety of passenger is paramount

[NJ7]

What about Sierra Mist or whatever Pepsi's Seven-UP wannabe is? That's caffeine-free. Also, there should be root beer on board (I think.)

 

So, there may be a couple of choices - if your family member only wants Diet Caffeine-Free Coke, then it's an issue.

 

(Time to get flavor packets and ask for club soda. Or diet club soda.)

 

If they had diet Sierra Mist that would work but they don't have that on board. The flavor packets might be a solution - will need to test that out. just googled it - and since there are no sugars in club soda - that actually might work. Thanks for the suggestion!

Edited July 13, 2016 by NJ7

[YKennedy]

What bothers me more than the inability to bring on beverages is their service charge for room service. These cruise lines are adding on so many additional fees for everything that I am not seeing the advantage to cruising. All inclusive resorts don't keep dinging you with add-on fees and if you bring in a coke or Pepsi, there are no questions asked. That being said we will be leaving for Alaska next week [emoji1] on Celebrity (our first cruise with Celebrity). I've heard many great things and am keeping my fingers crossed that I won't be disappointed. I do love NCL and it is my preferred line but with all I am reading lately, they won't be the first cruise line I check.

 

 

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[UPNYGuy]

I do love NCL and it is my preferred line but with all I am reading lately, they won't be the first cruise line I check.

 

Same here, I have one cruise on NCL coming up in October that is with a group, and I have 3 more next year that I will be cancelling. Two of those are going to be on MSC, and one is going to be on HAL.

[2ManyCruises]

No....but the daily new threads about this topic are causing me to rethink my coming to this website. :p

 

Yup. This is excactly why I haven't read or commented lately. It's so tiresome. It's understandable that some don't like the changes. The solution is simple - just go elsewhere and comment on thier boards. Lots of choices out there. We could care less about the changes all companies do it.

 

Oh I should mention the we're not NCL cheer leaders. As our recent cruises have been on RCCL, Disney and Princess. But we do prefer NCL

Edited July 13, 2016 by 2ManyCruises

[KeithJenner]

well except for me it covers no drinks and I'll have to pay for each bottle of water, each speciality coffee and each can of soda I consume.l

 

 

 

I think there is a little confusion about the soda

 

It is included, but you just don't get it in unopened cans. They give you it in a glass from a fountain, but in my experience, if you ask for something which the bar only has in cans then they just pour it from the can.

 

My experience is that drinks which only come in cans are not excluded, you just don't get it in the can, in the same way that they won't give you unopened bottles of beer.

 

The T&Cs specifically mention fountain soda, but we have fairly often been given drinks poured from cans.

[momofmab]

Not a loyalist, but it doesn't affect whether I'd pick NCL or another line.

 

I never understood the allure of hauling heavy cases of water and soda onboard to begin with (not to mention the other crazy stuff people bring with them on cruises), but to each their own.

 

There's no beverage or food that I couldn't do without, which would cause me to cancel a vacation. Now, if they told me I couldn't bring my hairdryer...that's another story!

 

The bottom line is this...cruises are more popular than ever - NCL in particular is very popular. Until ships start sailing half-empty, they can pretty much raise prices wherever they want. For every one person who cancels with NCL, there are two or three people behind them to take their place.

[Joyously Sailing Away]

Yes.

I have sailed on HAL in the past and really enjoyed the service.

This September I'm cruising with a group and we are booked on the NCL Pearl. Final payment is in and then we hear "oh by the way, you can't bring anything on board....."

This will be my one and only cruise on NCL. I'm going back to HAL. Or maybe giving Princess a try.

NCL just has to much nickel and diamond nonsense for my taste.

 

 

Have a great day[emoji924][emoji4][emoji106]