PortFees45

This is predatory lending. Horrible. 

If you can't afford to pay for your cruise in full, then you can't afford the cruise. 

37 minutes ago, salty dingo said:

Escape sailed recently nonstop from NYC  Oct 27 to Port Canaveral Oct 29, loaded with passengers so that clearly is not true.

Port Canaveral wasn't the final destination. 

3 minutes ago, schildiams said:

At what point does this end? Extra charges for hot tubs on higher decks?

They're literally already doing this. See the new expanded Vibe on the Encore. 

2 hours ago, JamieLogical said:

NCL employees definitely monitor these boards. Maybe not in an official capacity, but maybe just out of their own curiosity or desire to improve their personal service. I have had NCL employees on board recognize me from this site.

I think Frank Del Rio is SeaShark.

(It's a joke, people. Please don't ban me). 

1 hour ago, graphicguy said:

I think it depends on the ship or the maitre’d of the restaurant.  I’ve had my Platinum SD with no restrictions.  Never tried more than on entre, but have ordered as many sides as my heart desired.

Every single time I've used a voucher the waiter has practically told me the restrictions before saying "Welcome to Cagney's." 

It's so obvious NCL hates giving these benefits. It's like they're complying with a court order or something. 

Hey NCL, why don't you just rescind the entire voucher program and tell us to all go pound sand if we don't like it. We know that's what you want to do. After all, according to Frank Del Rio there are unlimited selfie-taking, Instagram loving millennials to take our place...

6 hours ago, ready2cruzagain said:

 

So up to $35 for the entree, what about a side? Voucher doesn't state a side, so I have to pay $6 for a baked potato?  Sorry, want to make sure I have everything right for January.

You get 2 sides with a Platinum voucher. 

Hey, NCL, the fact your MOST LOYAL CUSTOMERS even have to worry about this is disgusting. This decision was clearly made by some spreadsheet reading idiot who knows nothing about hospitality. 

12 hours ago, Turtles06 said:

There’s no evidence that NCL monitors these boards, let alone acts on anything posted here.  It would be good to make your thoughts known to NCL by contacting them directly. 

That's absolutely not true. NCL monitors these boards VERY closely. 

16 hours ago, fstuff1 said:

now the question is:

does the upcharges pertain to the free meal at cagney's for being Platinum?

can anyone comment who had eaten at cagney's using their Platinum dinner certificate since this new nickel and dime menu came out a couple of weeks ago?

 

Yes the upcharges apply to Platinum diners. 

They shouldn't. It's tacky, cheap and gross. But they do. 

3 hours ago, Zippeedee said:

Someone posted a photo of the soup. The "sandwich" is actually cut into little squares like croutons in the soup. They said it was very good. It isn't the typical elementary school lunch!

I tried it. It's the same cheese you can get in the buffet, on the same bread you can get in the buffet, with the same tomato soup you can get in the buffet or the MDR during lunch. 

They did trim the crusts for my convenience. 

14 minutes ago, fstuff1 said:

yeah i know.

im just commenting on he $16 charge for 3 pieces of bacon hat you can get the same thing for free by doubling up the breakfast bacon at breakfast on every bite

I think it's the same pork belly as before, they just changed the name. I guess "thick cut bacon" is more appealing goatee, tattoo and camo pattern crocs crowd. 

2 hours ago, waterjock said:

Ocean blue is the only restaurant that limed your app and desert selection. They dropped the ten dollar surcharge so they limit your choices.

Unless it's in the terms and conditions of the SDP, or in writing somewhere at Ocean Blue, they're not going to limit me. 

1 minute ago, fstuff1 said:

 

Confirmed:

Nickle and Diming is back at Cagney's 😞

I mean yeah NCL I get it you gotta save some money...but can't you do it with a little class? Put it on the menu, or don't. This just comes off as so cheap, desperate and tacky. 

3 hours ago, schildiams said:

I am on the phone with NCL right now and they are denying any changes. I am pressing this and asking for a supervisor. The first rep said that there may be "specials not on the regular menu" that have an uncharge. I told him that these items are on the menu and were not uncharged recently. Please take pics of menus!

I like your style. 

I'm boycotting the entire ship. The NCL Encore, elimination of SpiceH20, and the disgusting expansion of Vibe got me booked on an upcoming RCL cruise for the very first time. 

I hope so, because nothing screams classy like a $2 upcharge for some asparagus. 

On 11/15/2019 at 10:12 PM, waterjock said:

I ate in Ocean Blue on Escape the seafood was outstanding. You are limited to one selection each of 3 courses and any 2 sides.The jumbo scrimp app and the mixed seafood where the the best i have ever had.

You can get as many appetizers as you want. The only limit, as per the SDP T&C, is a charge for additional main courses. 

57 minutes ago, FLAHAM said:

 

Nonsense. 

Exactly. Other pax do not care, and if anything the staff probably likes serving a 1-top. Less to do. 

Dining alone does not make staff and other guests "uncomfortable." That's entirely in your head. I assure they're not even paying attention to you and couldn't care less. 

I've broken 20's into smaller bills a Guest Services all the time. 

4 minutes ago, zqvol said:

 

Yes, you get one app, one salad, and one dessert.

They charge platinum voucher users the upcharges on the appetizers

1 minute ago, OceanBlueWaters said:

I am a fan of Spice and there is no Spice on Encore.  I LOVED Spice on the Escape and never found it to be crowded with people. If someone brought their kids in, the crew immediately told them the rules and they left (on Escape and my experience).

 

NCL:  $209 (VIBE Pass) x 300 pass holders x 52 weeks = $3.2M/year for NCL (just Encore).  This is assuming all passes are sold/every week and is a rough estimate.

 

That is a hefty profit of $3M/year (minus alcohol/incidentals) just on Encore.  I guess taking away public space and adding up-charge venues is truly in the best interest of NCL.  I would never pay for VIBE, but that is just me.

 

I do hope they don't mess with the Escape in drydock...

 

JMO 🙂

 

 

Only problem with Spice on the Escape is it's right near a big exhaust fan, so it's never really that quiet. 

Aside from that, and the disgusting people over at the smoker's bar, it's a lovely space. Best Spice H20 in the fleet. Escape is NCL's "last good ship." Lets see if that's still the case after drydock. 

On 11/15/2019 at 9:30 PM, shof515 said:

Every 5 years or so, the ship needs to be go into drydock as required by various maritime laws. The only place the ship can go into drydock is in Europe. Therefore, the Escape has do some Europe based sailings.

 

The Escape was built in 2015 so its due for some drydock work.

 

In drydock, they will do additional maintenance work they can not do at sea like whole engine overhauls, changing the decor in the public spaces, etc, etc. Drydock usually last about 2 weeks

...and they'll expand the Vibe. 

8 minutes ago, schildiams said:

Thanks 🙂 My worry is that this will happen in ALL of the restaurants.

Not the Haven restaurant...those are literally the only passengers Frank Del Rio cares about. Everyone else can eat slop out of a bucket as far as he's concerned. 

For their convenience, of course. 

It shouldn't, but it does. It's such a tacky slap in the face to NCL's most loyal customers. 

3 hours ago, sverigecruiser said:

 

The small public deck isn't really a problem if everyone do enough research before they book, as you have done.

 

You have decided not to cruise on the Encore and that's probably a wise decision for you.

How does research help? What, so you can scope out all the upcharge options for quiet space?