No Alcohol in any UK ports - what! 😱

[SouthamptonCruiseFan]

NCL say the UK alcohol serving issue has been resolved apparently. However they have resolved it by putting new wording on the sign. Not a lie now as the say you "may" be served. However you may not. And you WILL not if you are currently on board. Obviously NCL HQ explained "you may now serve alcohol" to the ship differently to how everyone else would interpret that.

[insidecabin]

They may be getting desperate

 

Next 10n Epic is up in the UK site at £299 including taxes.

 

Optional great/service £15.50pppd.

Free at sea £199.

 

[Krydstosser]

7 minutes ago, insidecabin said:

They may be getting desperate

 

Next 10n Epic is up in the UK site at £299 including taxes.

 

Optional great/service £15.50pppd.

Free at sea £199.

 

Now it is "Unfree at Sea" 😂

[Norwayfan1]

16 minutes ago, insidecabin said:

They may be getting desperate

 

Next 10n Epic is up in the UK site at £299 including taxes.

 

Optional great/service £15.50pppd.

Free at sea £199.

 

I wouldn't pay £299 to be treated like rubbish!

[Norwayfan1]

1 hour ago, podgeandrodge said:

But was that the emergency meeting that led to the "resumption" yesterday or a new meeting today after the Liverpool fiasco?

Maybe the management at Miami decided the original weasel-worded notices weren't weasel-worded enough, and had an emergency meeting to make them worse.

[Norwayfan1]

I do hope enough passengers don't take this lying down.

 

Brits often grumble and then do nothing. This has so gone beyond 'Why are you moaning about not getting a sailaway pina colada?'

 

That Free at Sea package is sold in the UK as a fare add-on. It isn't being delivered - simple as that. To not refund some of it is a disgrace. That's mis-selling... by NCL or the travel agent.

 

[luv2kroooz]

1 hour ago, Krydstosser said:

Now it is "Unfree at Sea" 😂

No Complimentary Lobster

No Complimentary Liquor

 

....love the post above Norwegian Screws Lines. 

 

What a sad, sad situation from a large cruise company.

Edited May 20, 2023 by luv2kroooz

[Krydstosser]

2 minutes ago, luv2kroooz said:

No Complimentary Lobster

No Complimentary Liquor

 

....love the post above Norwegian Screws Lines. 

 

What a sad, sad situation from a large cruise company.

This make no sense at all!! 

Bad bad Business decisions it could not be worse! Screw them HARD!! 

No communication

Devastating strategy 

No compensation to affected customers 

 

If you want to destroy your Business this must be the perfect way to do that! Its stupid or more precise Idiotic!  

 

[luv2kroooz]

Just now, Krydstosser said:

This make no sense at all!! 

Bad bad Business decisions it could not be worse! Screw them HARD!! 

No communication

Devastating strategy 

No compensation to affected customers 

 

If you want to destroy your Business this must be the perfect way to do that! Its stupid or more precise Idiotic!  

 

Agree. I am wondering if their financial liquidity situation is significantly worse than they've previously communicated. Maybe they don't have available cash. I have no proof of this, but something just doesn't make sense here. The "two day lack of notice" theory has blown up, as has the "oops someone made an honest mistake theory".

[RVACruiser43]

3 hours ago, Greener123 said:

In Liverpool today 

 

so not totally sorted at all 

Do you have the beverage plan?  If so were you refused a drink in Liverpool?

 

[Myfanwy60]

I am currently on The Star and this is my experience and I am stating fact:

 

Boarded at 11.30am on 21st to find alcohol was not being served, first drinks were served at 9pm

I was not informed by NCL prior to boarding

I put in a written list of questions to the GM (Tony) with no response.

I have asked 3 times for the written regulations regarding alcohol restrictions in UK ports (to date no response)

I emailed NCL but was told because in onboard I have to speak to guest services and was told there was no escalation procedure, so basically tough luck.

On day 2 I asked if there was going to be an issue in Belfast, again I never got a response.

NCL put out an announcement at 8pm on the night before arriving in Belfast that we would not be served alcohol.

There was also a small paragraph in the daily freestyle, again the night before Belfast and ours was delivered whilst we at dinner.

At no point did NCL clarify the position about bringing drink onboard in Belfast, which we found out after the event was allowed.

After leaving Belfast the bars were still not serving alcohol at 11.30pm, at this point we gave up. I still don’t know what time they eventually fully opened. 

The Dawn has been to Belfast twice whilst I have been onboard and both times they were served alcohol, no one onboard can tell me why?

My issue with this whole debacle is the total lack of information from NCL. 

I do have a case number and will be following this up when I get off the ship.

 

 

[RVACruiser43]

Just now, luv2kroooz said:

Agree. I am wondering if their financial liquidity situation is significantly worse than they've previously communicated. Maybe they don't have available cash. I have no proof of this, but something just doesn't make sense here. The "two day lack of notice" theory has blown up, as has the "oops someone made an honest mistake theory".

I saw another funny reason that it was the port merchants requesting no alcohol sales on the ship due to their lack of sales, they were upset people were not leaving the ship to buy their goods/drinks.  🙂  

[tony s]

I go back to my original statement. Deduct from DSC and tell them why. If getting charged for a service your not getting,all included, then get your money back another way. Let crew take it up with bar staff . It may not be so nice but neither is NCL taking my money and not providing for paid services. I am paying for a vacation not a charity for corporate 

[Norwayfan1]

6 minutes ago, tony s said:

I go back to my original statement. Deduct from DSC and tell them why. If getting charged for a service your not getting,all included, then get your money back another way. Let crew take it up with bar staff . It may not be so nice but neither is NCL taking my money and not providing for paid services. I am paying for a vacation not a charity for corporate 

Cruise lines rely so much on people taking the view 'I don't want to punish the hard-working staff...'. It may be a last resort, but at least that gives a customer some power, if NCL won't do the decent thing. They've had ample opportunity.

[luv2kroooz]

13 minutes ago, tony s said:

I go back to my original statement. Deduct from DSC and tell them why. If getting charged for a service your not getting,all included, then get your money back another way. Let crew take it up with bar staff . It may not be so nice but neither is NCL taking my money and not providing for paid services. I am paying for a vacation not a charity for corporate 

Yes, this is the only recourse available for anyone who feels economically harmed. Taking it to Miami won't help. They are the ones driving the chaos. It is too bad, because the crew work very hard, but it is the logical, and quite frankly, understandable action. We regularly donate money to 501c3 charities, not for profit companies. Given the way NCL treats its passengers, it scares me to think how they must treat their crew members.

Edited May 20, 2023 by luv2kroooz

[Steff79]

that is the way NCL wants to be a premium product :-))))

[luv2kroooz]

23 minutes ago, Myfanwy60 said:

I do have a case number and will be following this up when I get off the ship.

I wouldn't expect anything from Miami. Based on past examples, they'll send you a nice letter via email telling you how much they strive to deliver great vacations, how much they appreciate your business, and thank you for your understanding in the matter. They will be very anxious to welcome you back onboard and will thank you for giving them a final opportunity to reiterate their firm position in the matter, which will be you are owed nothing. Good luck to you.

[insidecabin]

16 minutes ago, tony s said:

I go back to my original statement. Deduct from DSC and tell them why. If getting charged for a service your not getting,all included, then get your money back another way. Let crew take it up with bar staff . It may not be so nice but neither is NCL taking my money and not providing for paid services. I am paying for a vacation not a charity for corporate 

For a UK passenger if they only value the drinks component of FAS then they are due £35 for the non use for 1.75 days.

 

That would be reduced for the meal(some have 2), some internet and the shorex credit.

 

Maybe the claim should be for the full retail cost as that is the benefit paid for and not received.

 

 

[Norwayfan1]

I've been cruising for 25 years and I have always paid the recommended gratuities in full.

 

However, I'm sailing with NCL soon and if Free at Sea is not delivered as sold to me, I'm afraid I will deduct from the service charge. Ideally I'd like to deduct it from Tony's salary (the GM on Star (post 976) who seems to think it is fine to ignore his passengers' requests and concerns), but I know I won't be able to be specific.

 

I agree with post 982 that Miami will do nothing. They are a long way away and can hide behind a keyboard. I'd be interested, however, to see what recourse we have in the UK with regard to (for example) travel agents who are selling these packages.

[bendoestheworld]

2 minutes ago, Norwayfan1 said:

I've been cruising for 25 years and I have always paid the recommended gratuities in full.

 

However, I'm sailing with NCL soon and if Free at Sea is not delivered as sold to me, I'm afraid I will deduct from the service charge. Ideally I'd like to deduct it from Tony's salary (the GM on Star (post 976) who seems to think it is fine to ignore his passengers' requests and concerns), but I know I won't be able to be specific.

 

I agree with post 982 that Miami will do nothing. They are a long way away and can hide behind a keyboard. I'd be interested, however, to see what recourse we have in the UK with regard to (for example) travel agents who are selling these packages.

You can file a fraud complaint with the Florida Attorney General. NCL will be notified of the complaint and I would guess they will respond quickly at that point. I know they have their Contract of Carriage but it seems so egregious, especially since they did it last year when I was on Gem as well. what would be more effective is if many people off this Star cruise filed the same complaint.

[SouthamptonCruiseFan]

49 minutes ago, Norwayfan1 said:

I've been cruising for 25 years and I have always paid the recommended gratuities in full.

 

However, I'm sailing with NCL soon and if Free at Sea is not delivered as sold to me, I'm afraid I will deduct from the service charge. Ideally I'd like to deduct it from Tony's salary (the GM on Star (post 976) who seems to think it is fine to ignore his passengers' requests and concerns), but I know I won't be able to be specific.

 

I agree with post 982 that Miami will do nothing. They are a long way away and can hide behind a keyboard. I'd be interested, however, to see what recourse we have in the UK with regard to (for example) travel agents who are selling these packages.

You have to give the retailer, NCL, time to respond once you get home and email them your complaint, and you have ti have complained on board too. They have to respond within 28 days but are normally quicker as they have number of standard replies - all of which translate to: thank you for choosing NCL, we sincerely appreciate your business, now go away. Then you can go through ABTA's complaints procedure. Regarding the travel agent it will depend of they are acting as an agent for NCL or as a principle. Would normally be the former, if not your complaint would be against the travel agency. You can also go through trading standards as perhaps "open bar" is a misleading advertising slogan? That can be done through the CAB. Maybe Trading Standards in Southampton might be interested??

If you booked in the UK your booking is with a UK company, not simply Miami. They are supposed to follow UK regs.

Edited May 20, 2023 by SouthamptonCruiseFan

[Mommapadraig]

2 hours ago, RVACruiser43 said:

I saw another funny reason that it was the port merchants requesting no alcohol sales on the ship due to their lack of sales, they were upset people were not leaving the ship to buy their goods/drinks.  🙂  

But only NCL customers! The other 5 ships in port had no impact on the local economy. We must really pack it in! Lol

[Norwayfan1]

8 minutes ago, SouthamptonCruiseFan said:

You have to give the retailer, NCL, time to respond once you get home and email them your complaint, and you have ti have complained on board too. They have to respond within 28 days but are normally quicker as they have number of standard replies - all of which translate to: thank you for choosing NCL, we sincerely appreciate your business, now go away. Then you can go through ABTA's complaints procedure. Regarding the travel agent it will depend of they are acting as an agent for NCL or as a principle. Would normally be the former, if not your complaint would be against the travel agency. You can also go through trading standards as perhaps "open bar" is a misleading advertising slogan? That can be done through the CAB. Maybe Trading Standards in Southampton might be interested??

If you booked in the UK your booking is with a UK company, not simply Miami. They are supposed to follow UK regs.

Thank you. Good to know. 🙂

[Norwayfan1]

49 minutes ago, bendoestheworld said:

You can file a fraud complaint with the Florida Attorney General. NCL will be notified of the complaint and I would guess they will respond quickly at that point. I know they have their Contract of Carriage but it seems so egregious, especially since they did it last year when I was on Gem as well. what would be more effective is if many people off this Star cruise filed the same complaint.

Thanks for that information.🙂

[KeithJenner]

2 hours ago, RVACruiser43 said:

I saw another funny reason that it was the port merchants requesting no alcohol sales on the ship due to their lack of sales, they were upset people were not leaving the ship to buy their goods/drinks.  🙂  

That was put forward as a possible explanation in Greece last year as well.

 

Always been pure speculation as far as I can tell, and looks particularly dubious when you consider that the port merchants appear to be quite happy with how much they are selling to customers of other lines. 🙂