onetimearoundtheworld

Hard time believing it. It might be the crew member decided that it was the end of his last contract ever and wanted to get off with a bang. 

Other than that this is how to violate as many rules as possible with as many witnesses as possible while drawing as much attention to the situation as possible. 

I do agree that the OP has many valid points. It is ridiculous that they charge 2€ for fries alone. There is just no reason to do it. They are not making any serious amount of sales anyway from what I can see. And it is super obvious that they try hard to avoid to put any of the to pay items like ice cream, pizza or burgers in the for free venues. Even now during the world cup games they seem to offer popcorn for a fee. Whereas at every single other cruise line for any movie night they were always for free.

I was just pointing out that you won't starve. It is certainly easier with NCL where blue lagoon/O Sheehan's / the local is open 24hours minutes the hour or so cleaning. 

Costa is pretty much the weakest of the main cruise lines but I feel their biggest weakness is that they don't really know what to do going forward. Being a solely Italian/France and a little bit of Spain local cruise lines seems not be enough to fill all ships on worldwide itineraries and for an international appeal they are just way behind the competition.

I just checked the schedule on the Fascinosa which is the same class. Breakfast from 6:30 to 10:30. Lunch from 12:00 to 15:30 coffee and snacks from 16:00 to 17:30 dinner from 19:00 to 20:00 or your assigned MDR time at 19:00 or 21:15. But then you also have pizza from 19:00 to 01:00 and snack bar on the lido deck from 19:00 to 05:00! And the ice cream and crepes bar from 16:00 to 24:00
Sure the last three are to pay but 5€ for a burger, fries and dessert menu or 5,25€ for a classic pizza isn't too bad considering Costas price level and that they often include service charge in the booking. So what you pay on service charge on NCL or RC alone gives you a burger, pizza and ice cream every day.

Other than that it is still costa and their passenger mix in the med is annoying but they pleasantly surprised me. Service has been top and the buffet situation for breakfast and lunch isn't as bad considering there are four stations with the same offerings so you can find a quick moving one. Quality in the buffet actually one of the best compared to other mainstream cruise lines. No fast food but some nice appetizer options and not the usual US based cruise line stuff.

4 hours ago, MeHeartCruising said:

When I booked a cruise a few months ago, their web interface let me apply a $250 Cruise Next certificate AND a $300 Cruise First certificate.  Since it let me try it, I did it.  And it actually processed the transaction accurately.  A couple weeks later, they sent me an email indicating this was not permitted and they removed one of them.  I can't recall which one they removed.  But at least they notified me about it.

Interesting that this has been going on for a while now. Even with different types of vouchers.

8 minutes ago, KeithJenner said:

It’s not clear from the picture you uploaded, but it looks as though you are booking an inside cabin (and you say it is for November).

 

The usual offer, which I think is current, is that you need to book a balcony or above more than six months in advance to be able to use two vouchers.

Correct. And that is what NCL says. I don't even doubt it. But then don't show the customer that two are getting applied to exactly that booking. And even worse don't let the booking go through and get created and then tell him to put in more new money than promised.

I am really awestruck that NCL doesn't feel ashamed and just apologizes for their screw up. It is not that they have an obvious error fare for something that really costs them money.

A quick word of warning. NCLs webinterface allows you in the payment step before booking the cruise to add two cruise next vouchers to the booking and reflects the discount accordingly. If you believe you just have to pay the remaining balance as calculated you might be wrong. I did it for a cruise in November. The booking went through but with an error and neither credit card nor second CN voucher got applied. Third and final response from NCL is that for a cruise at that time no double cruise next promotion is running and a second CN voucher won't get applied. They now expect to pay the whole outstanding balance with just one CN voucher applied per credit card.

Obviously my fault how could I expect with that screen to expect that two CN vouchers will get applied 🤡

3 hours ago, Sweetnspicy said:

I was a little hopeful they would drop the testing requirement. I’m happy with keeping everything else. [...]

If they don't want my money. Tons of other vacation options available without testing requirements. We will see how long the cruise lines will be able to afford it when other businesses move on.

8 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

How so?  Aren't the benefits the same?  Why would I care if I'm the only one on the ship with this status or one of 2000?  I don't look at it as an "achievement."  I look at it as two more free meals and some other crap that I can't remember right now.

Does anyone really believe that will last longer than 2022?

First these promotions seem to be pretty desperate considering that so far the public statements always have been stronger bookings than ever, huge demand, ...

Second those free meals, free laundry, free behind the scenes tour do not only stress the availability, more important they reduce the on board revenue. And that is where NCL needs to make a good amount of money in the near future. We already saw that with the shore excursion percentages off and price raises.

No doubt we will see a new and "improved" latitudes program soon. 

On 4/22/2021 at 5:00 PM, graphicguy said:

It sounds like NCL will strictly isolate anyone (if there's anyone) who may contract COVID.  It sounds like they're not going to let anyone who's infected to board the ship, and there will be frequent  blood/oxygen and temp checks upon boarding, re-embarking, and disembarking.  Plus, they have their air purification systems in place.  So, if all that doesn't mitigate anyone who may become infected, then I don't see what else could be done.

Apart from the CC "I will do everything just to cruise" crowd it will be interesting to see who else is interested in paying NCL money for that. Especially when more and more types of traveling without those measures will be available. 

They have done it all the time. Barcelona, Civitavecchia, Copenhagen, Dubai, Singapore, Sydney, Fort-De-France, Buenos Aires and dozens others. 

12 minutes ago, farmersfight said:

O.k., maybe you're right, he's not a politician. More like a wanna be super-model posing for the cover of InStyle magazine;

 

 

Nice picture. And better dressed than 97% of NCL guests after 6pm 

18 minutes ago, fabnfortysomething said:

I am puzzled by your statement above-what country are you from?

 

I am in UK and have always had to have a passport to travel abroad ie anywhere outside UK

What government id are you referring to-there is only a UK passport or driving license that qualifies as government id as far as I know and I would be laughed at if I tried to show my driving license at an airport or ferry port 

Germany. I never talked about what UK citizens have to provide. But entering the UK from Germany you don't need a passport. Not pre Brexit and not for the next months.
Example of the valid ID for entry... 

22 minutes ago, ziggyuk said:

 

Everyone who sails NCL has to provide parasport details as part of the online check-in, this is nothing new.
Nobody in the EU could ever sail IN or OUT of the UK without a passport before Brexit and they still can't now, the UK have NERVER had open borders like most of the rest of Europe, if you are going to keep making these statements, please can you check your facts.

 

Lets try again:

British citizens ALWAYS needed a passport to enter Europe and they still do - NO CHANGE.

European Union citizens ALWAY needed a passport to enter the UK and they still do - NO CHANGE

 

Just about the only change is you can now only stay visa free for 90 days and that is both ways.

 

I repeat.... the UK never had open borders with the EU, passports were always needed.

 

You complain when I call it nonsense, I'm sorry, that's what is is, there is not friendlier way to say it.

Wrong on so many levels. But at least some good r/confidentlyincorrect/ stuff.

2 nighters on the Jade in both directions in 2018 was done with government ID only, no passport.

And even now until the 01. October EU citizens can enter UK with a government ID, no passport.

Because they have seen the low demand even with super cheap cruise fares offered. More ships certainly won't help. And with the dynamic of infections in Europe there won't be much cruising going on in the next weeks anyway. 

2 hours ago, Formula280SS said:

And "essentially all" of the masks appear to be exactly the same; like right out of the same box of 500?  

The same box I still have more than 150 masks from. Go figure 🙄

I have no doubt that the major cruise lines already have a plan set out for that. 

54 minutes ago, lbt43 said:

They have no interest in a restart?  Yeah, they love burning cash and being on the brink of bankruptcy.  Good call.

Which of that would change under any realistic variation of an US cruising restart in 2020?

I'm pretty sure the del rio and all the other cruise line CEOs have no interest in a restart. Contrary to most of the fanboys here they know the numbers of the "restart" in europe. MSC postponed the start of the second ship for a second time now. They can't even fill the only one going with iirc correctly four embarkation ports with more than 30% even though they are throwing the cruises away optionally with alcoholic drinks and excursions.

They are perfectly happy with the cdc and other authorities stopping them. Best way for them to put the blame for crushing the company and burning the investors money under their responsibility to someone else.

And btw yeah trusting the cruise line as the safety and well being of guests is their first priority right

https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/coronavirus-norwegian-cruise-line-leaked-emails-show-booking-strategy-11590056

There is a much more important reason: there is no profit.

MSC had to postpone the start of the second ship due to low booking numbers. Pricing for the MSC and TUI ships is low and last minute staterooms available. MSC started to include their drink package for some departures as well. Aida wanted to start weeks ago and is now preparing for November. 

Sometimes companies recognise a good opportunity when it occurs. Like cathay pacific in 2019. I still remembered it even though I didn't book one of the tickets. So I am sure a creative marketing and PR department at NCL could have used that for something very valuable:

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-46732952

Just now, luv2kroooz said:

Oh no, not without risk. How do you figure? You could have taken 100% cash today to buy anything you want (food, gasoline, clothes, another vacation) or 125% gift certificate to be used at some point in the future for a Norwegian cruise. Surely you can see the risk associated with the options you had? If there was no risk involved, wouldn't the offer be 100% cash or 100% future cruise credit.

No unless a canceled cruise were you only paid with a cruise next deposit so far would give you the option to get a cash back of the full CN voucher amount. I seriously doubt that is an option. 

I had two cruises in October that got canceled now. Both were before final payment (UK) and the deposits were cruisenext vouchers. Now I got two 25% FCC credits of the CN value. Not that I would complain but no idea why as I still expect my CN vouchers to get back into my account. So the 25% would be pretty much free money without risk.

It doesn't matter how often you touch your mask or if you put it in your pockets. As long as you cover mouth and nose you limit the spread of droplets. Sure if the mask gets contaminated on the outside and then you touch your face afterwards it is your own problem. But that is why you shouldn't touch your face in the first place.

The facts that the usual three precautions masks, distance and hand washing work well is not doubted by any professional and so freaking obvious that any discussion about it is just stupid. 

Those places that follow the recommendations, which by the way hurt no one compared to the alternatives, already show and will do so even more in the future to have greater success, a better economic recovery and less deaths and long lasting medical consequences. 

Look at Germany for example, where river cruising already has started and the first ocean going cruises will do so in two weeks. Sure there will be restrictions and rules to follow but it is kind of the reward of listening to professionals and follow the rules to get back to a normal life earlier than those crying loudly about masks and defying rules and common sense. 

In a way you get what you deserve I guess

Everyone knows what has to be done to reduce the risk and probably everyone in the industry knows that only very few cruise operators have a business model that supports it.

I am pretty sure all the major cruise lines are only waiting for a vaccine or another way of the pandemic to end and hope their money lasts long enough. The whole plans and panels are just a show for the public. If you look at the EU working group recommendations there is no way that a cruise like that would be anything like the mainstream cruise lines have offered the last years. Especially regarding medical treatment and quarantine ashore and repatriation plans, risk groups, social distancing and fixed groups onboard. There is no profit in that kind of cruise business. 

On 6/14/2020 at 8:13 PM, luxecruisers said:

SeaDream offers a "Raw Food" menu inspired by Hippocrates Health Institute.

Quote

The Hippocrates Health Institute is controversial for giving patients false hope about treating cancer with "natural" methods that are unproven and implausible despite claims otherwise[...]
Brian Clement and his institute have been directly criticized for promoting a number of ineffective treatments, including ones claimed to "reverse" cancerand multiple sclerosis. He is not a medical doctor. His treatments have been widely criticized as ineffective and possibly dangerous.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippocrates_Health_Institute

Sounds legit.