miracles do happen

[lastchamp64]

I suspect what they meant was ongoing customer-unfriendly changes and price increases at WDW. (You see plenty of people unhappy with this if you spend any time on the DIS boards. And park attendance is down this year.)

 

I almost cancelled a cruise this fall in favor of a short trip to WDW, but the resort prices blew my mind, now that fall is no longer 'off-season' (since there is no more off-season).

 

I've been on the DIS boards since 2008 and am still pretty active over there and have met some great people over the years from there when at WDW. I'm also a DVC member, still love Disney, but there are some some things I really don't care for that Disney is doing, and next year will be the first time in 12 years we won't be at WDW when we sail on the Escape in May. I rented out my DVC points for next year and booked this cruise with the money. I'm sure we'll be back but I'm thinking we are going to rotate between cruises and Disney.

Edited August 13, 2016 by lastchamp64

[tinkr2]

I'm all for miracles, don't get me wrong. But I'm going to save mine for when I'm falling from a hurricane-damaged zip line in Belize, or when I walk into an NCL bar and spot a variety of tasty beers on tap.

 

Using yours on a friend cancelling a cruise seems like a bit of a waste. :)

 

LOL you are my favorite. I am saving my miracles for better stuff also.:D:D

[Computer Nerd]

I dont blame you a bit. I hope that you told someone at NCL why you decided to cancel. If not, take the time to send an email to Andy Stewart or some other executive.

 

The new CEO has made it perfectly clear he does not care if the loyal customers leave, that he wants a new client anyway. In my opinion if he thinks he is going to turn NCL into Oceana he is sadly mistaken. That said, if those that leave and go somewhere else actually send emails it might help the rest of the management make better decisions

 

Best of luck to you and happy sails when you do sail again

 

excellent idea that i hadn't thought of. maybe, with enough letters and emails, they will actually think before enacting dumb rules. if nothing else, they will at least know why they lost a customer. :)

[Computer Nerd]

I've been on the DIS boards since 2008 and am still pretty active over there and have met some great people over the years from there when at WDW. I'm also a DVC member, still love Disney, but there are some some things I really don't care for that Disney is doing, and next year will be the first time in 12 years we won't be at WDW when we sail on the Escape in May. I rented out my DVC points for next year and booked this cruise with the money. I'm sure we'll be back but I'm thinking we are going to rotate between cruises and Disney.

 

can you not use you dvc points for a disney cruise or are they only good for disney timesharing. :confused:

[pcakes122]

his friend's son got a new job.

This is at the very least a festivus miracle.

Whether it rises to the level of a miracle that counts toward sainthood, i don't speak for the church. May require further investigation.

lmao! :d

[earlbird]

Computer Nerd....I am happy for you...You made a decision that makes you "relieved" and ultimately happy....that is a very good thing...

We all should do what we think is best for us.

 

My DH and I (Platiunum) have been sailing NCL for a few years..lately only in suites. We are probably not sailing again anytime soon unless NCL shows in their pricing and amenities that we are valued customers.

I say "we"...as I have one solo (CAS) cruise coming up..and that too will probably be the last for me...since CAS has also changed so much that I really do not get much benefit from them..

 

Good luck and happy traveling...whatever you choose in the future :)

 

JAJA - I totally agree with you. Our last six cruises (out of 35) have been with NCL. However, I do believe that we will also be saying goodbye to Norwegian.

Their CAS program has drastically changed, and does not reward you like they used to.

Good luck Computer Nerd. It looks like you will not be alone.

[lastchamp64]

can you not use you dvc points for a disney cruise or are they only good for disney timesharing. :confused:

 

Yes, you can use your DVC points for a Disney cruise. The problem is that when you use your points on something other than a DVC resort it's not the best use of ones points. I have 200 points with my home resort being the Villa's at Grand Floridian. These are enough points to get me a studio for one week or something at another DVC resort for a longer period of time or a 1 or 2 bedroom suite.

 

If I use points on a cruise, for me alone an ocean view stateroom will require 195-256 points; if I add in each additional person of my party it will require an addition 120-288 points (depending on stateroom) for each one. So if I was to book a stateroom using the least amount of required points it would require 435 points. If I use my points (and borrow from next year) the dollar value of my trip would cost me $5,655 if I sailed with Disney. I used a rental company on my points and received $13 a point and rented 199 points earning me $2,587... My mini-suite with large balcony (M6) on the Escape cost me in total for three people $3,043... When it's all said and done, a better cabin and nearly 1/2 the cost and I still have my points to use at Disney next year. :)

[Usgrant39]

IMO it would be “miracle” if all those cancelling NCL cruises over carbonated sugar drinks would stop trolling this site and move on to your next rant somewhere else.

 

 

 

If you don't like NCL move on to the next board, I know misery likes company but come on now, this is so exhausting.

 

 

 

Totally agree

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[AdoraBelle]

I have one NCL cruise next month but cancelled the next one booked. The cruise lines are getting out of control with the declines in service and the increases for everything. The last cruise we took on Celebrity we were so disgusted with everything we will never take another Celebrity cruise either.

 

 

 

I totally understand the original post and getting fed up. It's not the water or the soda, it's the case of enough is enough. I tried a beach vacation for a week last fall and it was wonderful and no more than most week cruises.

 

 

 

When I booked the Escape After Midnight was the show and Margaritaville were included. I will go to Margaritaville and pay for it and if I miss after Midnight (there is a 2 week break) so be it, but after seeing the tip increases again, the UBP prices increase again etc. enough is enough.

 

 

I may be misreading your post and I suppose it depends on when you're sailing, but I had the impression that After Midnight is complimentary. Maybe someone can correct me if I'm wrong.

 

(One thing people don't seem to be talking about much, I've noticed, is this trick on the Escape of adding a mediocre meal to a show so they can charge you $30 for the evening entertainment. But I thought I had it straight that After Midnight was not an upcharge show. Anyone help me out?)

[zqvol]

I hope you enjoy your trip! We haven't cancelled anything, but we usually have several NCL cruises booked at the same time. Not saying we won't cruise, I still have Hawaii on the list for the near future, but for now we booked a high end all inclusive for next year. It is more money than the cruise would be, but everything is included. Not included "up to a certain price", but included regardless ;-) and we can have lobster every night if we choose ;) It's good to have choices!

 

 

Keep dreaming. The high end AI's don't work they way. Based on personal experience, they won't have top shelf liquor, or if they do it will be an upcharge. As far as lobster, you can have it if it is on the menu, which will be once a week, maybe. But hey, you can bring your own water and wine.

[zqvol]

i was participating in a different thread about the latest ncl 'bait and switch' policy change....yes, my choice of words.....where people cannot now bring soda on board anymore, supposedly for security reasons......but bottles of wine are secure....lol. :rolleyes: so, while i had not made my final payment yet, we were cruising with friends that we had talked into going on this ncl cruise so i felt trapped into going even though i'm fed up with ncl and didn't want to go. low and behold, was speaking with our friends today and they told me they had to cancel the cruise because their son who was travelling had a new job and couldn't take that much time off now. freedom. :D so i got home this afternoon, 9 days before final payment, and cancelled my ncl cruise. i feel so relieved that i don't have to deal with ncl's stupidity anymore and am now taking a nice land vacation for a fraction of the cost instead over the same time period. yea......:D

 

for anyone who wants to flame me for cancelling a cruise over soda, feel free and give it your best shot. the soda issue was simply the final straw that broke the camel's back. i have a laundry list of complaints about ncl and am just happy i don't have to deal with it anymore. for those of you who still love ncl i hope you enjoy your cruises but i'll be back on carnival, princess, rccl, and hal from now on. toodles. :)

 

 

Clearly cruising is not for you. All of the mass market lines that you mention are doing the same things that NCL is doing. Best find a land vacation and another cruise board to visit.

[swedish weave]

Keep dreaming. The high end AI's don't work they way. Based on personal experience, they won't have top shelf liquor, or if they do it will be an upcharge. As far as lobster, you can have it if it is on the menu, which will be once a week, maybe. But hey, you can bring your own water and wine.

 

What high end all inclusive is Sisaaaaa using ? Some may have different policies just like the cruise lines do.

[swedish weave]

Clearly cruising is not for you. All of the mass market lines that you mention are doing the same things that NCL is doing. Best find a land vacation and another cruise board to visit.

 

So far this year, I have cruised on NCL, Carnival, and three on Princess, and you can rest assured that these cruise lines are not the same. I saw first hand how much more Carnival and Princess do for the customers.

[carsaw]

I may be misreading your post and I suppose it depends on when you're sailing, but I had the impression that After Midnight is complimentary. Maybe someone can correct me if I'm wrong.

 

(One thing people don't seem to be talking about much, I've noticed, is this trick on the Escape of adding a mediocre meal to a show so they can charge you $30 for the evening entertainment. But I thought I had it straight that After Midnight was not an upcharge show. Anyone help me out?)

 

After Midnight is not an upcharge show. I was just saying how things change from the time you book to the actual cruise. There is a 2 week gap when After Midnight is not on the Escape and my cruise just happens to be one of them. It's funny that 3 reps told me it will be and I can book it on board, but I know how call centers are.

[Sissaaaaaa]

Keep dreaming. The high end AI's don't work they way. Based on personal experience, they won't have top shelf liquor, or if they do it will be an upcharge. As far as lobster, you can have it if it is on the menu, which will be once a week, maybe. But hey, you can bring your own water and wine.

 

Yikes - what AI's do you use?! Top shelf is standard at all Sandals resorts. Lobster is available every day in season (Barbados is year round). If you are in a restaurant that does not have it on the menu, they will go and get it for you. Maybe the cheaper Sandals like Bahamas or Jamaica don't do that, I couldn't tell you as I have never been to those, but the upscale Sandals resorts most definitely do.

[AdoraBelle]

Yikes - what AI's do you use?! Top shelf is standard at all Sandals resorts. Lobster is available every day in season (Barbados is year round). If you are in a restaurant that does not have it on the menu, they will go and get it for you. Maybe the cheaper Sandals like Bahamas or Jamaica don't do that, I couldn't tell you as I have never been to those, but the upscale Sandals resorts most definitely do.

 

 

Would you be willing to name a couple of your favorite Sandals locations?

[NLH Arizona]

Would you be willing to name a couple of your favorite Sandals locations?

Yes, please do. A couple of my friends and I are thinking of doing an AI and would love some suggestions, since none of us have ever been to one.

[Sissaaaaaa]

Yes, please do. A couple of my friends and I are thinking of doing an AI and would love some suggestions, since none of us have ever been to one.

 

Antigua is my favorite so far. We just booked Grenada, and I am really looking forward to it. It is not a large resort, so everything is convenient! I love that the age group is mixed as well. You have honeymooners and also people celebrating 50 or more years together.

[NLH Arizona]

Antigua is my favorite so far. We just booked Grenada, and I am really looking forward to it. It is not a large resort, so everything is convenient! I love that the age group is mixed as well. You have honeymooners and also people celebrating 50 or more years together.

Is it a couples resort? We would be a bunch of old ladies!!!

[beerman2]

Yes, please do. A couple of my friends and I are thinking of doing an AI and would love some suggestions, since none of us have ever been to one.

 

We went to Excellence Resort in Mexico 3 yrs. ago. They definately had top shelf liquor.

 

Having done both AI's and cruises, I'm not sure which is best! Sure cruises you see 3 or more ports. But you certainly aren't bored staying in a land based AI.

 

AI were actually less expensive for a little while , now they are comparible in price factoring in everything.

[Sissaaaaaa]

Is it a couples resort? We would be a bunch of old ladies!!!

 

It is! They do have the Beaches resort. That's families though, and there may be a lot of kids. I think you guys should do Club Med! LOL

[Computer Nerd]

Yes, you can use your DVC points for a Disney cruise. The problem is that when you use your points on something other than a DVC resort it's not the best use of ones points. I have 200 points with my home resort being the Villa's at Grand Floridian. These are enough points to get me a studio for one week or something at another DVC resort for a longer period of time or a 1 or 2 bedroom suite.

 

If I use points on a cruise, for me alone an ocean view stateroom will require 195-256 points; if I add in each additional person of my party it will require an addition 120-288 points (depending on stateroom) for each one. So if I was to book a stateroom using the least amount of required points it would require 435 points. If I use my points (and borrow from next year) the dollar value of my trip would cost me $5,655 if I sailed with Disney. I used a rental company on my points and received $13 a point and rented 199 points earning me $2,587... My mini-suite with large balcony (M6) on the Escape cost me in total for three people $3,043... When it's all said and done, a better cabin and nearly 1/2 the cost and I still have my points to use at Disney next year. :)

 

ah, okay. pretty much the same with my diamond points. best used for timeshare stays. thanks for the info.

[Computer Nerd]

Clearly cruising is not for you. All of the mass market lines that you mention are doing the same things that NCL is doing. Best find a land vacation and another cruise board to visit.

 

18 cruise taken and 2 more booked and you think cruising is not for me. lol

 

information analysis is clearly not for you. :p

 

btw, take many wonderful land vacations with my timeshare points as well as a couple of cruises a year. it's great to mix things up a bit.

[Computer Nerd]

So far this year, I have cruised on NCL, Carnival, and three on Princess, and you can rest assured that these cruise lines are not the same. I saw first hand how much more Carnival and Princess do for the customers.

 

bingo. we have a winner. :)

[NLH Arizona]

It is! They do have the Beaches resort. That's families though, and there may be a lot of kids. I think you guys should do Club Med! LOL

Well I guess Sandals is out for us. I remember a friend doing a Club Med in the 70's - don't think it is our style. Maybe back to Las Vegas, which is always fun.