Cost of go karts on Bliss

[eddeb]

I am not complaining, just want fellow cruisers that the new guy Andy is making his

 

stockholders happy be seemingly to increase fees dramatically from week to week.

 

The thermal spa for a six day cruise for example was $10 per day for the daily pass.

 

Now it is $219. Many folks have said they can't get a heated chair...

 

They are doing this all over the ship, random price increases with no end in sight.

 

And yes folks we are on the Bliss soon, and sure we will love this ship and great layout.

 

We are platinum with Carnival, and even though we love no time dining on NCL, just would

 

like others to know what the new guy is adding $$$$ to your future cruise weekly, if not daily.

 

They deserve to make a lot of money, but lets not get too greedy is the message we hope will

 

get through to Andy, the new CEO and chief of extra overcharging.

 

Take care and safe travels everyone.

 

May your seas be flat,

And your tummies be fat.

 

All in jest as usual.:cool::cool:

 

We are the Moore's

Tampa Bay :halo:

Edited June 6, 2018 by eddeb
Need to change daily to weeklu and add by intead of be, thanks, Ed n Deb

[eddeb]

I am not complaining, just want fellow cruisers that the new guy Andy is making his

 

stockholders happy by seemingly to increase fees dramatically from week to week.

 

The thermal spa for a six day cruise for example was $10 per day for the daily pass.

 

Now it is $219 for 6 days. Many folks have said they can't get a heated chair...

 

They are doing this all over the ship, random price increases with no end in sight.

 

And yes folks we are on the Bliss soon, and sure we will love this ship and great layout.

 

We are platinum with Carnival, and even though we love no time dining on NCL, just would

 

like others to know what the new guy is adding $$$$ to your future cruise weekly, if not daily.

 

They deserve to make a lot of money, but lets not get too greedy is the message we hope will

 

get through to Andy, the new CEO and chief of extra overcharging.

 

As to the previous poster, I had said that by the time of our Eastern cruise it may be $20 per

 

person we have two kids and wanted to do this every day. I could get ten minutes at Malibu

 

Grand Prix here in Tampa for $6pp. I feel that NCL needs to reign in the EPS corporate staff

 

and ask them to make NCL a great Value for all its guests, not a venue for stockholders.

 

Take care and safe travels everyone.

 

May your seas be flat,

And your tummies be fat.

 

All in jest as usual.:cool::cool:

 

We are the Moore's

Tampa Bay :halo:

[Travelcat2]

I am really confused as "Andy" is not a new guy. NCL has been under "new" management for 4 years. NCL passengers should be aware that all cruise lines are increasing prices. As with everything in life, prices increase (for instance, where we live we are paying $5.00 for a beer during happy hour when it was $3.50 not long ago). And, with the demand for cruising, prices will likely continue to rise in the foreseeable future.

 

In terms of the go karts, the popularity is overwhelming and it was going to be difficult if not impossible for everyone that wants to do the go carts to get a reservation on a week-long cruise. People on the christening cruise had difficulty getting a reservation and the ship was only about half full. Perhaps NCL was hoping that an increased cost would lessen demand.

[eddeb]

Thanks Kitty Kat,

 

Very good Post.

 

Take care,

 

Ed Moore:cool:

[frank212]

It’s showing up as $9.95 per person for my cruise in October

 

 

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[Something fun!]

Have you seen hotel prices lately?:o

[david_sobe]

The course is for 10 minutes (at least that is what I saw on youtube). $10 for 10 minutes is fair in my book if it stays that much. The part people are talking about tipping is a joke right?

Demand would be huge so I often wonder how it works with so many passengers. One person reported they booked a reservation but sill had to wait in line 45 minutes.

 

I suppose it could be worse. On RCCL the surfing and simulated sky diving is one or two at a time so that must really be a challenge for people to try.

[dexddd]

The course is for 10 minutes (at least that is what I saw on youtube). $10 for 10 minutes is fair in my book if it stays that much. The part people are talking about tipping is a joke right?

Demand would be huge so I often wonder how it works with so many passengers. One person reported they booked a reservation but sill had to wait in line 45 minutes.

 

I suppose it could be worse. On RCCL the surfing and simulated sky diving is one or two at a time so that must really be a challenge for people to try.

 

Other reports say once the leader does his 8 laps everyone else is waived in so if that is the case then not 10 minutes. Could be more/less if it is based on winner.

[steamboats]

I am really confused as "Andy" is not a new guy. NCL has been under "new" management for 4 years. NCL passengers should be aware that all cruise lines are increasing prices. As with everything in life, prices increase (for instance, where we live we are paying $5.00 for a beer during happy hour when it was $3.50 not long ago). And, with the demand for cruising, prices will likely continue to rise in the foreseeable future.

 

In terms of the go karts, the popularity is overwhelming and it was going to be difficult if not impossible for everyone that wants to do the go carts to get a reservation on a week-long cruise. People on the christening cruise had difficulty getting a reservation and the ship was only about half full. Perhaps NCL was hoping that an increased cost would lessen demand.

 

Travelcat2,

 

I´ve been on the 2 nighter out of Bremerhaven to Southampton and even there it was difficult to get on the carts as there were many pre scheduled races going on (travel agents).

 

Raising the price from April to now has nothing to do with regular price increases. And 7 Dollar would do the crowd control as well as the 9.95 Dollar.

 

steamboats

[Travelcat2]

Travelcat2,

 

I´ve been on the 2 nighter out of Bremerhaven to Southampton and even there it was difficult to get on the carts as there were many pre scheduled races going on (travel agents).

 

Raising the price from April to now has nothing to do with regular price increases. And 7 Dollar would do the crowd control as well as the 9.95 Dollar.

 

steamboats

 

Not arguing with you but wonder why you feel that $7 would control crowds? I don't think that NCL knows yet if $9.95 is enough to control crowds. If you think about it, if someone is really into the cars, paying $100 for 10 reservations isn't much - especially when you compare it to what drinks cost. On our cruise last week, people didn't want to get out of the cars - they enjoyed it that much.

[david_sobe]

Don't be mad at me but this thread is almost funny to me ;)

With all the increases with NCL the $2.95 cent raise to drive go carts is absolutely nothing. Lets be real. On land to drive these go carts would be $9.95 easily but you would probably get 15 minutes. With 4000 people on board there is no way to allow the time to be that long. I think $10 for 10 minutes is completely reasonable.

To cancel or refuse go cart racing because of $2.95 is silly IMHO.

Yes there is an endless pattern of NCL increases but this one gets a pass from me (no pun intended).

A simple cocktail on NCL is more than go cart racing. Your daily auto gratuity is more than go cart racing.

Smell what I'm cooking? ;)

[erdoran]

Shhhhh....I don't want any more price increases before my cruise!!!!

[Oceansaway17]

It’s all simple economics supply and demand. If there are more people that want to ride the go carts than they can handle, the obvious thing is to increase the price. It’s not rocket science.

 

Besides $10 is not that expensive. We have a go kart track near my house that charges $20 a race. Plus an$8 yearly license fee.

 

 

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I was on the Bliss for the 15 day PC and I think that the 7 day will be so crowded for carts that they raised the price hoping to discourage folks. I never did ride as I was more into watching and it is very enjoyable to watch from above and below.

[20YearsBetweenCruises]

On the Panama Canal Cruise I did not think it was crowded at all. When we went, a group just started. No one came while we waited. We were the only 4 on it. After we were done, no one was waiting. There were only about 20 kids on our cruise and the rest was mostly an older adult crowd, so figured we were not a good cruise to test crowds. I would not think the various TA cruises would be a good test either. The first Alaska cruise will be first time to see how popular it will be (in my opinion).

 

 

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[Guest hrtcruises]

I thought this article that has a comparison of the average daily spending between the three major cruise lines was interesting: https://www.bloomberg.com/amp/news/articles/2018-06-07/go-karts-on-deck-19-laser-tag-coax-cruisers-to-open-wallets

[david_sobe]

I thought this article that has a comparison of the average daily spending between the three major cruise lines was interesting: https://www.bloomberg.com/amp/news/articles/2018-06-07/go-karts-on-deck-19-laser-tag-coax-cruisers-to-open-wallets

 

 

Interesting article. NCL does not surprise me with being #1. I think other lines are going to also start charging for everything. Until the public slows down with cruising, the fees and prices will continue to go up.

[erdoran]

This is a cynical point of view, but my experience with cruising is that the cruise fare really just buy you a ticket to a money grab/high pressure sales scenario. No, you don't HAVE to spend another penny, other than DSC (prepaid) and other appropriate tips for Haven people - but outside your suite, the pressure to spend is unrelenting. Spa treatments are the spa tech pushing other products & services; there are art auctions and extra-cost opportunities galore, booze is pushed hard (although with UBP that pressure is gone). There's even the "water scam" - ask for water and if you aren't careful they'll silently give you "for-cost" water out of a bottle. And of course, almost every extra-cost item has that 20% "tip" surcharge. Waiting for the gift shop to add tips :>

[Alegeeter]

All you need to enjoy is to know what is included and what is an extra cost at the time that you book and know how to restrain yourself and say no.

[david_sobe]

All you need to enjoy is to know what is included and what is an extra cost at the time that you book and know how to restrain yourself and say no.

 

 

True but you have to admit the amounts of things that cost extra on cruise ships has went way up from 10 years ago. Its hard to keep track sometimes. It used to be just restaurants. Then entertainment. Then private areas. And now even deck activities.

[cruisescouter]

Price went up to $9.95. It was a lot of fun, but wish people would not use them as bumper cars and crash into you from the back. I had a bit of whiplash.

[mjkacmom]

This is a cynical point of view, but my experience with cruising is that the cruise fare really just buy you a ticket to a money grab/high pressure sales scenario. No, you don't HAVE to spend another penny, other than DSC (prepaid) and other appropriate tips for Haven people - but outside your suite, the pressure to spend is unrelenting. Spa treatments are the spa tech pushing other products & services; there are art auctions and extra-cost opportunities galore, booze is pushed hard (although with UBP that pressure is gone). There's even the "water scam" - ask for water and if you aren't careful they'll silently give you "for-cost" water out of a bottle. And of course, almost every extra-cost item has that 20% "tip" surcharge. Waiting for the gift shop to add tips :>

Of course they make most of the profits on the extras, not fares. Even the spa (not owned by NCL) makes most of the profit on selling products, not the cost of the treatment (just like on land)

[erdoran]

All you need to enjoy is to know what is included and what is an extra cost at the time that you book and know how to restrain yourself and say no.

Of course---it's just annoying to me to be subjected to continual sales pitches. I go to the spa to relax, not to be a captive audience. Ask, but take no for an answer. They don't. When I'm paying $100-$150 for spa services, I don't expect that kind of treatment.

[Moby0215]

This is a cynical point of view, but my experience with cruising is that the cruise fare really just buy you a ticket to a money grab/high pressure sales scenario. No, you don't HAVE to spend another penny, other than DSC (prepaid) and other appropriate tips for Haven people - but outside your suite, the pressure to spend is unrelenting. Spa treatments are the spa tech pushing other products & services; there are art auctions and extra-cost opportunities galore, booze is pushed hard (although with UBP that pressure is gone). There's even the "water scam" - ask for water and if you aren't careful they'll silently give you "for-cost" water out of a bottle. And of course, almost every extra-cost item has that 20% "tip" surcharge. Waiting for the gift shop to add tips :>

 

 

 

I have never been pressured to buy anything I didn’t want. Me or my wife never approached about the spa. Ask for water all the time, never given a bottle. But even if that happens why would I give them my card to charge me? I would just say no thanks i would like tap please. Art auctions being a money grab/sales pressure? Come on! Bottom line, I feel like we cruise on different lines cause I’ve never experienced any of this.

 

 

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[erdoran]

I have never been pressured to buy anything I didn’t want. Me or my wife never approached about the spa. Ask for water all the time, never given a bottle. But even if that happens why would I give them my card to charge me? I would just say no thanks i would like tap please. Art auctions being a money grab/sales pressure? Come on! Bottom line, I feel like we cruise on different lines cause I’ve never experienced any of this.

 

 

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We must, or different ships or different times. I haven't done a big boat cruise since 2011, and honestly, one of the biggest reasons was my perception as I've said. It's not that someone is in my face pressuring me personally (other than my spa experience, which made me stop getting treatments), but the constant commercials got annoying. I love my small board Tradewinds cruises, but DH won't go on them, and he asked about a big boat cruise, so we're giving it another try.

 

btw the water thing wasn't that they brought a sealed bottle of water to the table so you had a choice about paying and were at least aware there would be a charge - the waiters would walk around with bottled water in a bucket like is used for wine, and if you asked for water, sometimes you'd get it poured from those bottles before you could stop them, or you wouldn't even realize and that is what you would be given. This happened to me a couple of times when I asked for water like you would at any restaurant, and I had seen other CC posts around then where it happened to other cruisers--you don't realize until you get handed a bill. Hopefully it's stopped now.

[ColeThornton]

Man, you guys hijacked the heck out of this thread. The OP had a simple question.