what the heck is freestyle 2.0?!!!

[cavy68]

i keep seeing reference to this but have'nt seen what this is!! please explain.

[johnql]

Check out the following link:

 

http://www.ncl.com/nclweb/pressroom/pressRelease.html?storyCode=PR_122007_Freestyle2.0

[njlandlubber]

Thanks for the weblink, i was wondering also what this was about. it sounds great, just wondering when it will be completed, and which ships first, etc. To me the info on the url sounds like our company's quarterly "town meetings" and all these politicians on tv every day and nite.. just alot of whooie and alot of what they belive the public wants to hear. I'll belive it when i see it.... all i want is to nothave to pay for every bottle of water i ask for, every glass of soda or wine. thaks for sharing the info.

 

By the way, what is "Latitudes" ?

[Toyz711]

latitudes is the past passengers program

http://www.ncl.com/nclweb/cruiser/cmsPages.html?pageId=LatitudesBenefits

you, automatically, get a membership number when you book your 1st cruise, but you don't get any benefits until your 2nd cruise. after that you just have to make sure that the same latitude number is used with each booking.

you don't have to pay for every water or soda, the tap water on the ship is free and every bit as good as bottled water (or even better)...or bring your own, along with your own sodas. you are still paying for it, just not paying NCL for it.

wine, bring your own..just pay for the corkage fee, still can be less then buying wine on-board.

[newmexicoNita]

Thanks for the weblink, i was wondering also what this was about. it sounds great, just wondering when it will be completed, and which ships first, etc. To me the info on the url sounds like our company's quarterly "town meetings" and all these politicians on tv every day and nite.. just alot of whooie and alot of what they belive the public wants to hear. I'll belive it when i see it.... all i want is to nothave to pay for every bottle of water i ask for, every glass of soda or wine. thaks for sharing the info.

 

By the way, what is "Latitudes" ?

Unless you are prepared to pay top prices for luxury sailing you will always pay for sodas, wine and bottled water. Other than All inclusive resorts where can you go and not pay for these things?

 

When will it be completed? I think it is scheduled to be fully implemented on all ships by June 1st.

 

Nita

[njlandlubber]

thanks. i haven't sailed in many years and "what back then" EVERYTHING was included in your cruise price... every food and drink. so it's kind of eye-opening to find how things have changed over the years.

 

I dind't realize we could bring wine - other blogs said that would be confiscated before your board. but if we can have it and just pay a corking fee, that's good... what is the corking fee ?

thanks again all...

[negc]

Thanks for the link to NCL's description of Freestyle 2.0 After reading it, I have a new respect for the copywriter's ability to present basic information in the most obscure and difficult to comprehend language. He or she apparently never found a basic word that couldn't be replaced by a polysyllabic but less precise or understandable word or phrase. Can someone translate it into plain English for those of us unfamiliar with NCLSpeak? Excuse my ignorance, but perhaps someone can tell me whether an "action station restaurant" is a buffet or something else? I was thrilled to learn that NCL will provide its Lattitudes members with "tangible, meaningful, and deliverable benefits" - tangible and meaningful benefits are nothing if they can't be delivered.:rolleyes: And what the heck are Drink Flags and why is providing them such an advance?:confused:

Sorry, if I am more intrigued by the copywriter's art than with the information his or her efforts impart.:rolleyes: We are looking at sailing on the Norwegian Spirit when it begins to sail to Bermuda from Boston in 2009 and look forward to experiencing these new enhancements to the NCL cruise experience at that time.:)

[negc]

thanks. i haven't sailed in many years and "what back then" EVERYTHING was included in your cruise price... every food and drink. so it's kind of eye-opening to find how things have changed over the years.

 

I dind't realize we could bring wine - other blogs said that would be confiscated before your board. but if we can have it and just pay a corking fee, that's good... what is the corking fee ?

thanks again all...

I have been cruising since 1980, on most major cruiselines ( though not the all-inclusive very pricey ones) and there has NEVER been a time when EVERYTHING, especially wine and alcoholic drinks, was included in the price. Most of the things for which the cruiselines charge extra can be considered discretionary expenses and the amount you spend on them is pretty much up to you.:rolleyes:

[TonyFred]

Since cruisers are cheaper now than they were "way back when", I have no problem with paying for any booze that I drink.

Also I had no problem whatsoever in reading the NCL press release and I thought it was very clear.

[negc]

Since cruisers are cheaper now than they were "way back when", I have no problem with paying for any booze that I drink.

Also I had no problem whatsoever in reading the NCL press release and I thought it was very clear.

So you can translate "action station restaurants" for me and "tangible, meaningful and deliverable benefits" actually indicates with some specificity what kind of benefits they are talking about? If so, I'd appreciate it very much.;)

[mbisson]

So you can translate "action station restaurants" for me and "tangible, meaningful and deliverable benefits" actually indicates with some specificity what kind of benefits they are talking about? If so, I'd appreciate it very much.;)

 

Tonyfred-we saw that coming didn't we?

[negc]

Tonyfred-we saw that coming didn't we?

Seemed like a reasonable request, don't you agree?:D

[TonyFred]

Action station restaurants simply means that there will be specialty stations where you can get a particular food item prepared to order right in front of you. Ever heard of an omelet station? Man, I am from Tennessee and I could figure that out. ;)

As far as the Latitudes benefits, I am more than happy to wait and see what they are. Anything is better than what was already in place.

Are there are other items that were too confusing for you?

Glad I can help.

[AFT_LOVER]

is the former buffets. Cooked to order food served to you there. No more food in service heaters over hot water that turns cold & dirty folks serving themselves, dropping the tongs & putting food back so you can take it & get sick. So I appreciate this, tho we may not be eating there other than getting desert crepes.

 

 

 

So you can translate "action station restaurants" for me and "tangible, meaningful and deliverable benefits" actually indicates with some specificity what kind of benefits they are talking about? If so, I'd appreciate it very much.;)

[newmexicoNita]

thanks. i haven't sailed in many years and "what back then" EVERYTHING was included in your cruise price... every food and drink. so it's kind of eye-opening to find how things have changed over the years.

 

I dind't realize we could bring wine - other blogs said that would be confiscated before your board. but if we can have it and just pay a corking fee, that's good... what is the corking fee ?

thanks again all...

The corkage fee is $15 per bottle. Of course the question often comes up about boxed wine as it is getting more popular all the time: it seems the corkage fee (how you cork a box I dont know) varies with whomever you encounter when checking in. SOme say the just paid teh $15, some say $30 and others more.

 

It must have been a long time since you have cruised, we have been cruising for about 25 years and never was liquor or bottled water included, soda was in rare cases.

 

Another possibility, which many of us do, is order a bar set up prior to cruising. You choose the type of alcohol you want in your cabin. Basic brands like JWalker Red, Absolute, Jim Beam will run $40.00 per liter plus a $3 service charge. That is a heck of a lot less than buying booze on the ship. As for water, if bottled water is really your thing, you can bring as much on board as you like, no charge. The only problem is getting it on the plane if you are flying.

 

Hope this helps a little.

 

Nita

[newmexicoNita]

Thanks for the link to NCL's description of Freestyle 2.0 After reading it, I have a new respect for the copywriter's ability to present basic information in the most obscure and difficult to comprehend language. He or she apparently never found a basic word that couldn't be replaced by a polysyllabic but less precise or understandable word or phrase. Can someone translate it into plain English for those of us unfamiliar with NCLSpeak? Excuse my ignorance, but perhaps someone can tell me whether an "action station restaurant" is a buffet or something else? I was thrilled to learn that NCL will provide its Lattitudes members with "tangible, meaningful, and deliverable benefits" - tangible and meaningful benefits are nothing if they can't be delivered.:rolleyes: And what the heck are Drink Flags and why is providing them such an advance?:confused:

Sorry, if I am more intrigued by the copywriter's art than with the information his or her efforts impart.:rolleyes: We are looking at sailing on the Norwegian Spirit when it begins to sail to Bermuda from Boston in 2009 and look forward to experiencing these new enhancements to the NCL cruise experience at that time.:)

I think the "action station" has now been explained, latitude benies, I have no idea, I guess we will have to wait a few months to find out: drink flags are the same as what you often see in resort hotels around the pool. Instead of being bombarted every 5 minutes by a cocktail server, you raise the flag if and when you want to purchase a drink. Only then will someone approach you and take your order.

 

Nita

[garycarla]

i keep seeing reference to this but have'nt seen what this is!! please explain.

 

Welcome Aboard. There is also a bunch on hoopla on the main www.ncl.com website about 2.0. There have been a number of questions, comments, rumors and the like going on here about 2.0. Seems to be rolling out over the next few months. We will see.

 

Meanwhile, here is a nice FAQ, but it does not have 2.0 listed. Click here

[negc]

Thanks for the translations and the information. Of course a simple minded person from Boston would probably better understand terms like "specialty food stations, or "food cooked to order stations" or even buffets with stations for special cooked to order foods" than the term "action food restaurants which sounds like maybe a gymnasium for active food groups. As far as drink flags, I had pretty much figured it out but I always found that raising my hand towards a waiter did the trick and it didn't require the use of a special purpose flag (are there different flags for beers, mixed drinks, or sodas?);) Glad to know that others think that the terminology about the benefits is as vague and ambiguous as I do. Sorry if I offended anyone but pretentious language and language that obfuscates rather than enlightens defeats the whole purpose of language.:rolleyes:

[mbisson]

language that obfuscates rather than enlightens defeats the whole purpose of language.:rolleyes:

 

No comment ;)

[TonyFred]

Hey negc

No problem.

Us Southerners are always happy to help a Yankee understand the more difficult things in life. (ie big words like action station)

Just kidding.

:eek:

[mbisson]

Us Southerners are always happy to help a Yankee

 

Hey, we won that war so give us the respect we deserve.

 

That's "Damned Yankee" to you guys ;) (at least that's what my friends in West Virginia call me)

[chrisbd1]

This Texan understood every word. :eek:

[garycarla]

Personally, i think most of this stuff is a PR persons dream. Head honchos in Miami decide they want to improve the image. They give the food and beverage people a half of a percent budget increase. They tell the PR guy it was a 20% increase and to write up some stuff that sounds great.

 

We can all revisit this in the fall.

[Carnac767]

Hey, we won that war so give us the respect we deserve.

 

That's "Damned Yankee" to you guys ;) (at least that's what my friends in West Virginia call me)

 

You mean it's over? When did that happen? :) Anyway, people in WV have no right to call you that. After all, they seceded from us (Virginia) to become Yankees.

[negc]

Hey negc

No problem.

Us Southerners are always happy to help a Yankee understand the more difficult things in life. (ie big words like action station)

Just kidding.

:eek:

 

Appreciate it very much. Maybe you could publish a dictionary that explains some of NCL's verbiage for the rest of us illiterate Yankees. :D