WashyWashyHappyHappy95

You don’t like the new hash browns while some people just dream of having clean drinking water! First world problems....:rolleyes:

I'm pretty sure anything on a cruise is a First World problem...

If the hash browns are "one of the best parts of an NCL cruise", I suggest you skip the boat and find a local buffet.

I like eating hash browns with a sea breeze.

The mushrooms were there... hiding under something.

So did you eat your thimble of beans with a spoon, or did you down it like a shot?

WHY did they make this change? WHY WHY WHY?

The old hash browns were crispy, crunchy, salty dark brown deliciousness. Like little crispy potato latkes. They were just perfect. One of the best parts of an NCL cruise.

These new hash browns are like hockey pucks, more yellow than brown, and texture-wise almost more of a knish. Thick, heavy, bland.

We know you read these boards NCL. Please fix this! Bring back the old hash browns!

Is it just me, or do you get a TINY little thimble of beans?

No, it must be used on board... but the CN certificate goes on you’re on board account so essentially that is going to use your OBC.

 

 

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It's not technically OBC. That's what they want you to think, so you spend more.

If you buy 2 cruise next deposits at $250 each, you'll simply see a charge for $250 instead of $500. That doesn't really mean you have any "credit" to spend. Kinda sneaky how NCL phrases that.

Quite simply, the service charge is a way for NCL to offset the cost of labor.

 

That's it.

 

Just like airlines on occasion impose a fuel surcharge. The difference is that when airlines do this, participants on the Flyer Talk forums don't feel the need to whine and complain about it or demand to know why type of jet fuel or what brand.

I've never seen an airline offer a fuel surcharge that they claim is "discretionary" and used to support their hard working crew.

What part of "The reason there's a fixed service charge is an important one: Our Crew (as are the crew from other lines) is encouraged to work together as a team. Staff members including complimentary restaurant staff, stateroom stewards and behind-the-scenes support staff are compensated by a combination of salary and incentive programs that your service charge supports. How much is the charge? Onboard Service Charges are additional." don't you understand?

You're ignoring my main point. If the crew only gets 10% of the DSC pot on each cruise, and the rest goes to "administrative fees" or padding salaries back in Miami, you don't care?

So if on any given NCL cruise, 75% of the DSC funds went to Miami, and only 25% actually were distributed to the crew, that wouldn't bother the people who say we're "just complaining?"

If NCL got verify where it goes and say something like, "While the charge is discretionary, 100% of your DSC is distributed to the hard working crew who made your cruise the vacation of a lifetime."

If they could say that, they would, but they can't, so they don't.

I’m only aware of smoking areas inside the enclosed “courtesy room” in the casino and I heard Spice still has an area. I’ll try to confirm at guest services.

 

We’ve been crazy-busy getting things in motion for the M&G events, and really haven’t explored the ship much.

 

I walked by Laser Tag... looks and sounds awesome!

That smoking room in the casino must ABSOLUTELY reek inside.

We were told on the gem during the 3/27 we could not order an app and a soup when using the coupon. We weren't all that hungry and skipped dessert so it wasn't a big deal but the coupon does state it...we just didn't think the waiter would actually care.

 

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They're confusing the platinum coupon rules with SDP

It is that way fleet wide, not just on the Gem.

It's not that way on the Breakaway.

Tell the waiters they're wrong. Order what you want. You won't be charged.

$300,000/1733=$173 bucks or so, not exactly earth shattering money.,

That's implying every single eligible crew member gets paid out of the DSC on every single sailing.

Perhaps that's the case, but I doubt it? What if you only get a bonus if you say get....10 hero cards in a week, and only 10% of the MDR waiters and cabin stewards get that many cards?

I generally sail solo on 7 day cruises, but if you talk about larger groups on longer itineraries, the services charges add up to serious dough.

I've literally never had a staff/service issue on an NCL ship, but my cynicism still gets the best of me.

Lets adjust some numbers for easy math, and DECREASE the service charge to a convenient $10/day.

For a 7 day cruise with 4k passengers, that comes out to $280k! On one ship!

Does anyone really think NCL is really distributing $300k+ (remember, we adjusted the rate down) in performance bonuses, on every single ship on every single sailing? If they did, you'd think they would brag about it more.

They don't, Just the opposite. There is no transparency about the service charges AT ALL. That leaves the possibility that of that $280k, a big fat chunk of it goes to Miami for "administrative fees" or something along those lines.

If that's the case, I wish NCL would just eliminate the service charge, raise their rates slightly, and increase the base compensation their crew members receive. There's just something unavoidably fishy about the DSC's as currently implemented.

Theoretically, how would a "quiet zone" be enforced?:confused:

 

Maybe NCL isn't the cruise-line for you if you desire quiet. Maybe try Oceania?

There are quiet zones on other NCL ships.

Seems like a waste of space. How many people can realistically use it at a time....maybe 20-30? I get that it's a gimmick to get families to book Norwegian instead of RCL, but that space would have been great for a nice "quiet zone" sundeck.

Honestly never get why people go so nuts over the pineapple at Moderno's.

It tastes like a warm piece of pineapple. I like pineapple as much as the next guy, but I just don't get the hype.

It's not just the adjoining cabins.

On a recent cruise there was someone 2 cabins down that smoked, and it still stank. With the wind patterns when the ship is at sea, it pretty much shunts the smoke directly down the entire row of cabins.

I like sleeping with the door open too, and more than once I was woken up by the stink of cigarettes, but it wasn't from the cabin immediately to my left or right.

I noticed NCL stopped making an explicit point of mentioning during the muster drill that smoking isn't permitted on balconies. They really could make a much greater effort here. Put a placard in the rooms with "SMOKING NOT PERMITTED ON BALCONIES" in huge letters, and make a point of saying it loud and clear during the muster drill.

How tolerable is that Rose?

No, someone has the list, but it ain't me. Probably someone on the ship.

I'd just as soon get a 2nd bottle of sparkling wine than a white or a red.

Will they do that for you?

For a lot of cruisers no loud disgusting pool deck and more green spaces sounds like a plus.

They'll have a lot less work to do in drydock, since NCL began these renovations during the Sun's previous cruise, putting the passengers at substantial risk on top of ruining what for many was a once-in-a-lifetime cruise.

Water from the faucet tastes fine.

Run the faucet for a minute or two, then let the water sit out and "breathe" for about 5 more, then put some ice cubes in it.

You won't know it's not Evian.

There is no stupider way to waste money on the ship than buying water.

Yes

could you then post said list?

Anyone got a list of the wines that are covered?