Why the dislike of Freestyle/NCL

[Retired not Expired]

Oh, that's gorc. He's never been on an NCL ship or even one with anytime. He's all upset because RCI is introducing My Time and is on every thread about it spreading the gospel. He reproduces every known negative about it and saying it is the truth.

 

He's one of those we've been talking about.:rolleyes:

BTW, he's promised to quit sailing with RCI if they do it fleet wide. I believe many of the traditionalist on RCI are now wishing it does happen so he will go away. He's been one of the best advertisers for My Time.:D

[cruzerfornow]

I need to spend more time on the NCL board! I love the entertainment factor here.....who knew? :p

 

Oh..and I have cruised on NCL ....:eek:

[Retired not Expired]

I need to spend more time on the NCL board! I love the entertainment factor here.....who knew? :p

 

Oh..and I have cruised on NCL ....:eek:

Welcome over to the NCL board, whoever you may be.:D

[Cruising89143]

BTW, he's promised to quit sailing with RCI if they do it fleet wide. I believe many of the traditionalist on RCI are now wishing it does happen so he will go away. He's been one of the best advertisers for My Time.:D

 

I'm hoping that they go ahead with Anytime Dining so that more than a couple will move to another cruise line and board. The RCI board has been without a doubt the most negative board on CC for the last month. Some of these folks want to cruise for fifty bucks a day but they expect a Ritz Carlton experience for that.:rolleyes: When are people going to learn that you get what you pay for?

[mbisson]

Don't ya feel the love.

 

If this is love, no wonder the divorce rate is so high!

[mbisson]

Exactly!! I wish the lines would raise prices by 35- 50% and get back to some nice cruising..AND lower drink prices by 30% while their at it! ;)

 

as Mr Pete said..cheap cruises attract cheap people....:eek:

 

Oh lordy-I see some more "trailer trash" comments on the horizon

[CanadianTwosome]

Exactly!! I wish the lines would raise prices by 35- 50% and get back to some nice cruising..AND lower drink prices by 30% while their at it! ;)

 

as Mr Pete said..cheap cruises attract cheap people....:eek:

 

Okay, rather than appeal to the ideal that we should be able to discuss things without slinging insults, I'll address it.

 

I disagree that 'cheap cruises attract cheap people'. I don't consider myself 'cheap', but I do like to get a good deal on something I am going to purchase anyway. I could be a bazillionaire and I would still expect to get the best value for my dollar. I give to charities by choice, why should I pay extra for something I don't have to? That being said, while I do consider price when cruise shopping, I don't complain about any of the costs - I don't complain about the fare, the surcharges for restaurants or soda, the autotip, the port charges... I accept that if I want to indulge myself and my family in this particular style of vacation, I will have to pay for it. I also do not go back to the website weekly and check fares to see if what I paid is now higher or lower than the current fare. On the other hand, I see people denouncing NCL daily for having extra charges. So... these people who claim NOT to be attracted to the 'cheap' NCL cruises are actually the ones complaining about spending money... wait... isn't that what it means to be 'cheap'? :)

[cruzerfornow]

Okay, rather than appeal to the ideal that we should be able to discuss things without slinging insults, I'll address it.

 

I disagree that 'cheap cruises attract cheap people'. I don't consider myself 'cheap', but I do like to get a good deal on something I am going to purchase anyway. I could be a bazillionaire and I would still expect to get the best value for my dollar. I give to charities by choice, why should I pay extra for something I don't have to? That being said, while I do consider price when cruise shopping, I don't complain about any of the costs - I don't complain about the fare, the surcharges for restaurants or soda, the autotip, the port charges... I accept that if I want to indulge myself and my family in this particular style of vacation, I will have to pay for it. I also do not go back to the website weekly and check fares to see if what I paid is now higher or lower than the current fare. On the other hand, I see people denouncing NCL daily for having extra charges. So... these people who claim NOT to be attracted to the 'cheap' NCL cruises are actually the ones complaining about spending money... wait... isn't that what it means to be 'cheap'? :)

 

We all LOVE a good deal..nobody does more online research for the best price on a cruise than I I'm sure...BUT if the BEST price was 30 to 50% higher and the quality and service was 50% higher I would GLADLY pay it..and YES cheap cruises DO attract cheap people, that doesn't mean "ONLY" cheap people, just means there WILL be more of them.... and I'm saving my trailer comments for later! :eek:

[Cruising89143]

Exactly!! I wish the lines would raise prices by 35- 50% and get back to some nice cruising..AND lower drink prices by 30% while their at it! ;)

 

as Mr Pete said..cheap cruises attract cheap people....:eek:

 

I have been cruising for 21 years now and since 9-11 things have changed. Cruises are much cheaper today than they were in the 80's and 90's. The lower prices have attracted a new type of cruiser and IMHO it has changed cruising as we know it today. Lower prices to fill the ships which in turn has also lowered the quality of the overall on board experience. I have accepted it and most things I can deal with but I know that as long as I continue to cruise on the mass market lines, this is how it will be but I still love cruising.:)

 

By the way, Pete's been around a while and has a lot of cruising under his belt. He too has seen the changes too.

[CanadianTwosome]

We all LOVE a good deal..nobody does more online research for the best price on a cruise than I I'm sure...BUT if the BEST price was 30 to 50% higher and the quality and service was 50% higher I would GLADLY pay it..and YES cheap cruises DO attract cheap people, that doesn't mean "ONLY" cheap people, just means there WILL be more of them.... and I'm saving my trailer comments for later! :eek:

 

I think we probably have different ideas of what 'cheap' means. I think there are plenty of 'cheap' people on all types of cruises and vacations. If someone is willing to spend $10,000 on a cruise but stiffs their server for a tip, I consider that person 'cheap'. It's not always about what they spend on themselves, if you see what I mean... so fares aren't necessarily the thing that makes the difference.

 

On the other hand, offering cruises for less money, with or without options to pay for extras, the way NCL does it, opens cruising to a segment of the population that cannot afford to pay 35 or 50% more. That doesn't mean they are 'cheap', or low class, or 'undesirable'... it just means they don't have as much discretionary income as some others. :)

[cruzerfornow]

I think we probably have different ideas of what 'cheap' means. I think there are plenty of 'cheap' people on all types of cruises and vacations. If someone is willing to spend $10,000 on a cruise but stiffs their server for a tip, I consider that person 'cheap'. It's not always about what they spend on themselves, if you see what I mean... so fares aren't necessarily the thing that makes the difference.

 

On the other hand, offering cruises for less money, with or without options to pay for extras, the way NCL does it, opens cruising to a segment of the population that cannot afford to pay 35 or 50% more. That doesn't mean they are 'cheap', or low class, or 'undesirable'... it just means they don't have as much discretionary income as some others. :)

 

You have finally figured out what we have been trying to say...raise prices and all of these "diapers in the pool" "jeans in the dining room" "why can't I not pay the tips" threads will dissapear from CC! :D

 

Now who wants to buy me one of those Celebrity $10 martini's? :p

[JWestShuh]

I can't wait to wear my jeans in the dining room. Just wanted to say that.

[AlCruise256]

We definitely did NOT like freestyle dining. We were a party of 6 in Nov 07 and we wanted to sit together. They would only take reservations for two days (ie, today & tomorrow night) so every other day we had to make new reservations by going to a desk during the day and waiting in line. We made a reservation for a specialty restaurant that they lost & we had to wait in line for 45 min. If we did not get down to make a reservation when they opened each day, the smaller restaurants filled up & we could not get in. There was no way to get the same waiter on another night. The last night the service was very slow & it took 2 hours to complete the meal.

 

By the way we all thought that the food was mediocre and not as good as Princess. In fact, we ate at the cafeteria one night & decided that it was better as there was more variety.

[jeffs55]

We all LOVE a good deal..nobody does more online research for the best price on a cruise than I I'm sure...BUT if the BEST price was 30 to 50% higher and the quality and service was 50% higher I would GLADLY pay it..and YES cheap cruises DO attract cheap people, that doesn't mean "ONLY" cheap people, just means there WILL be more of them.... and I'm saving my trailer comments for later! :eek:

 

My NYC area apartment is probably smaller than most trailers, but I chose to scrimp there to afford things like a nice cruise. On our first cruise we spent over $1,000 each plus airfare for an inside for 7 days. (in 1985 dollars off season!)

Somethings gotta give. So we can spend more for Oceanic etc or understand

that in order to fill these huge new ships the lines have to give the mass market people what they want at the price they (we) are willing to spend.

[CanadianTwosome]

You have finally figured out what we have been trying to say...raise prices and all of these "diapers in the pool" "jeans in the dining room" "why can't I not pay the tips" threads will dissapear from CC! :D

 

Now who wants to buy me one of those Celebrity $10 martini's? :p

 

/ignore