UKstages

i know! i thought it was pretty funny that you were quoted in the article! i rarely read CC articles, i hang mostly in the forum myself. and only when i have trips planned. i'm not sure it's that they have done an appalling job of communicating it... i think it has more to do with filipino culture. most cabin attendants are filipino and they excel in the hospitality business because they are very customer focused and genuinely believe "the customer is always right," which is often not the case. they tend to be very bad at having difficult conversations and confrontations and conflict of any kind, especially if it could negatively affect discretionary tips. the periodic announcements in the daily lend credibility and authority to the message and make it easier for them to remove decorations. ultimately, i think it is up to the discretion of the GM and/or the captain. if the decorations are disruptive or pose a fire hazard, they will be removed. so far (in this thread) i haven't offered an opinion - yea or nay - on this topic. but i definitely have one.

https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/4373/

i understand that you can't have the dressing, but if there is normally french dressing in the shrimp louie, it's being made wrong. most chefs use thousand island dressing for simplicity sake, but a proper louie dressing is similar to thousand island, but a little spicier. a proper louie dressing contains chili sauce, worcestershire sauce and onion, while the haven does put piccalilli in their shrimp louie, this, too, is not a standard preparation.

cabin door decorations are not permitted, but many people ignore that prohibition and do it anyway. sometimes, they are asked to remove them, sometimes they are removed by cabin stewards. and sometimes, nobody notices or seems to care and the decorations remain throughout the cruise. enforcement is spotty. there are many threads on this on cruise critic.

the viva is a prima class chip and, at least as of this writing, NCL's plan was to have the same non-rotating menu in the MDRs on all prima class ships. whether or not they change that, based on customer feedback from the prima, is anybody's guess. my thinking is they won't and it will be the same menu throughout the cruise.

agreed! i very much appreciate your saying this! thank you! yes, that is correct! and what i actually said was that i doubted that the GM's assistant would be given the responsibility of "potentially tending to the ordinary booking requests of 1500 or 2000 (or more) passengers." you seem to have a different impression of the number of folks eligible for the benefit than i. and that's certainly valid. but you also seem to be conflating "passengers" with "platinum members" (and above). please remember that most people travel in a group of two or more people. so to take care of the reservations of 1500 passengers would mean there only need be 750 platinum (or above) members on board. you don't need to be a platinum member yourself to have a concierge reserve something for you, if you're traveling with a platinum member. the platinum member makes the reservation, which is for at least two passengers. so how many on a ship of 4,000 plus passengers are platinum, sapphire, diamond and ambassador? how many are eligible for this benefit? is it a dozen, do you suppose? is it sixty? is it a thousand? let's say it's just sixty. i'm pretty darn sure it is hundreds more than that, especially after a year or more of double and triple points promos. but let's say it's just sixty... out of 4,000 passengers. and let's say that only half of those attempt to utilize the concierge services perk on any given day. let's also say that it takes ten minutes to talk to that passenger, find out what they'd like and make the appropriate reservations. some bookings might take twenty minutes, some might take an hour, but let's call it ten minutes. that would be 300 minutes - or five hours - to process just one interaction for each of those thirty passengers. you really think the GM's assistant has that much free time to do something that is not a primary job responsibility? five hours? and what if there were eighty platinums and above requesting services? the assistant would not have enough time to answer the phone and process the requests and do his or her primary job. and how long do you think NCL could keep such an assistant who was subject to such relentless pressure? oh, my goodness. if by "no it alls" you mean me, that's disappointing. and not really accurate, quite frankly. there is a lot i don't know. that's why i am on cruise critic... to learn from others. perhaps it's the same for you. (perhaps not.) is there something you think you could possibly learn from your fellow cruisers? look, i'm not saying you didn't receive concierge services from the GM's assistant. i'm quite confident you have. i'm not saying somebody told you to talk to the GM...somebody probably did. what i'm saying is that the GM's assistant is not responsible for providing concierge services for an entire ship full of elite passengers and their guests. it is not a platinum (and above) perk to talk to the GM's assistant and have him or her book reservations for you. please don't get hung up on the number of people! it could be 1500, it could be 2000, it could be 120. whatever the number, it would be an impossible task for the GM's assistant to achieve. in closing, i do believe the good people of this forum are fully capable of deciding for themselves which ideas are impractical and fantastic, as well as who knows it all, who knows a little and who - like jon snow - knows nothing.

i don't have a line of credit with NCL, so i can't answer those specific questions. but i can focus on the "charge to the room" part of your query. yes, it's true, there is a 3% fee. elite players get that convenience fee waived and if you have strong play, you can ask for the fees to be waived even without elite status. but there is no guarantee. many people have credit cards with loyalty and reward programs, including NCL's card. and when you calculate the benefits associated with those cards, the 3% fee is either a wash or the value of the benefits actually outweigh the convenience fees. also important to note: when charged to your cabin folio, the charge goes through as a purchase, and not a cash advance, so there are no extra charges unless you are carrying a balance and paying interest.

indeed. that has been my point all along!

oh, my goodness, please do try. i, for one, would welcome the feedback. we're all here to learn and share. and, lawd knows, i make misteaks all the time. i'd be eager to learn what was misstated in my post, so the error can be corrected. we are in complete agreement. and you pretty much just described every online forum. indeed. i noted that in my post. ("i have no doubt that you have contacted the GM's assistant and received professional and courteous service.") i think we all believe that you have contacted the GM's office when you need help with something, although that bit about having based your experience on 10 - 15 cruises is new for post #37, as is the data that you were told this by the "people involved." you hadn't mentioned either of those things before. it does lend credibility to your comments. i think what most find incredible is that a GM's assistant would have the responsibility of potentially tending to the ordinary booking requests of 1500 or 2000 (or more) passengers. and that NCL has never advised anybody of this method of utilizing concierge-like services. and that passengers who speak directly with the GM's office would enjoy a higher priority for their requests than passengers sailing in the haven. it doesn't make any sense. if true (it isn't), that would be a terrible business decision by NCL to devote such limited resources to such a monumental task.

so, if i understand you correctly, you're stating that it is NCL's intention to provide access to the general manager's "secretary" or assistant for routine concierge-type services... booking dinner or show reservations or assistance with priority tenders or disembarkation? that is not actually the GM's nor his or her assistant's job. other than listening to and soliciting general feedback about the staff, the ship and its day-to-day operations, the GM and his designee generally only get involved with customers in escalated problem resolution. when something has gone seriously wrong, you reach out to the GM who has (along with his assistant) extraordinary powers to make things right. in fact, they hold much more power than a haven concierge. so it would be odd for a platinum latitudes member in an ocean view cabin to contact them to get a routine 7:30 dinner reservation at cagney's. there is zero rationale for that. i have no doubt that you have contacted the GM's assistant and received professional and courteous service. they are very much in the "making people happy" business and i'm sure they were delighted to assist you. but, unless there has been some sort of very serious problem (not being able to get a reservation or book an excursion wouldn't normally qualify), this is simply not done. this is not in fact "an actual perk." you may have utilized their services, but that doesn't make it a perk. they shouldn't state it because it isn't true. and i can assure you that they would prefer that people didn't share this idea on cruise critic! substitute "general manager" or "general manager's assistant" for "cruise next" and that statement would also be true. the fact is that the concierge in the haven (and his or her team) is the very same concierge that is supposed to provide service to top tier latitudes members and those in suites. in reality, haven guests get the lion's share of the concierge team's attention and keep them pretty busy. even (non-haven) suite guests only get an introductory letter from them. there is rarely any other proactive contact or assistance. concierge service for top tier latitudes members is a stated benefit, but it is an elusive ideal. the cruise next desk can indeed fill in some gaps, as others have noted, but their primary job (other than selling certificates for future travel) is to oversee and administer top tier benefits... not to make routine reservations when none are available.

i'm not so sure there is a hard and fast rule that governs all. like everything in a casino - on land or at sea - it may be a play-based rule, meaning that strong play could qualify someone to have more than three trips booked at once.

understood. and i agree! i wish i had your faith. but then i look at photos of lobsters in NCL brochures and websites illustrating "free at sea" specialty dining and i have to acknowledge that these weasels often bend the truth. they are quite capable of deceiving their customers when it suits their interest. outside of the haven, there is no such thing on an NCL ship as "free" lobster in a specialty dining restaurant. they are certainly able to create the impression that they still have both options, which, i suppose is their legal loophole. my belief is that they have already made their decision. we don't know why they may not have canceled a port reservation. as for holding one port reservation and not canceling it till the last minute, that's kind of unethical. it deprives other ships in need of a berth and deprives the port of revenue. i'm surprised ports would allow this without a hefty close-in cancellation fee (much like NCL itself charges its customers).

they typically will ask you when you first arrive at the restaurant if you want to use your dining credit.

how would you know? from what the "young lady in charge" told you? in brief: the horse drawn carriage tours are generally unregulated, which poses the risk of serious injury not just to the horses, but to drivers, customers and passers-by. accidents have happened; both horses and passengers (including children) have been hurt or killed. the horses are subject to extreme temperatures and long work hours, as well as being forced to traverse hard paved streets, often treated with harsh chemicals, which affect the horses' hooves. they battle vehicular traffic, as well as construction sites. they are exposed to loud noises and exhaust fumes for 12 hours or longer each day. they are often deprived of appropriate food and water. at night, they are often tethered so tightly to their stalls that they can't lie down. there is often no pasture; there is often no paddock. just hard paved streets and 1000 pound loads for many hours a day without suitable breaks. no. why? has one gone missing? i have taken a horse drawn carriage ride, yes indeed. many years ago. i live in new york city, which has had a long tradition of carriage horses for tourists, until new laws were passed strictly regulating the businesses.

you mean, apart from the dictionary definition of "concierge?" it's on the NCL website on the latitudes benefit page: "concierge service to assist you with specialty restaurant, entertainment, and shore excursion reservations."

that's because you don't have to. the cruelty to horses used in the carriage trade - whether intentional or accidental - is well documented in the USA and canada and around the world.

oh, gosh, i think it's exactly the other way 'round. i think it's far more likely NCL has made its plan known to the various port authorities well in advance so they can secure a berth, but intentionally declined to notify customers and potential customers simply because they don't want to curtail sales or initiate cancellations on the affected itineraries.

respectfully, you simply don't understand. or perhaps you're confusing me with another poster. those are not my intentions! your suppositions are wrong! you continue to chastise me for providing cover for the "arrive at any time" crowd. i have done no such thing. go back and read my posts in this - and other similar threads - and my message will be quite clear: arrive at your assigned time! in post #22, i said "choosing a check-in time implies a social contract; there is a moral obligation to show up at the appointed time, for your benefit, comfort and safety... and for the benefit, comfort and safety of your fellow passengers." what about that could possibly be misconstrued as a recommendation to cut into line? post #26 did not recommend excuses... it was an attempt to explain to another poster why somebody might choose (and be assigned) an early check-in time. that poster said that people insisted on queuing up at 9 am because they wanted a free lunch. i pointed out that NCL actually has 9 am check-in times (those people may not be jumping the queue) and, by the way, there are lots of reasons people may choose early check-in times... it ain't all about a free lunch.

the reasons i offered were in defense of why people might choose an early check-in time (contrary to another poster, it's not always about booze and food). my posts here have been about how important it is for people to adhere to their assigned check-in time. i'm on your team with regard to enforcing check-in times!

aw, shucks, thanks. i come and go on CC, based on when i'm cruising. i hadn't cruised since september, 2022. but last week, i booked three cruises, so i'll be here for a bit.

agreed, but in my case, that would be because i haven't yet gone to bed.

that crowd of people who "insist" on getting to the pier by 9 am... do you, by any chance, know what time their check-in is? NCL offers check-ins at 9 am, so if they could be right on time. NCL counts on very early check-ins to equally distribute the work flow throughout the day and to ensure everybody gets on board before departure. as for the terminal... due to customs, border patrol, security and baggage requirements, traffic tends to flow one way through the terminal. there is very little intermingling of those getting off the ship with those coming on board. those disembarking may indeed be filling the terminal and facilities, but it's generally not the same areas of the terminal and facilities used by those embarking. as for why people get on board early, the characterization of them as wanting a "free lunch" or making the most of their drink package is curious. there are many reasons people get on board early. some practice covid protocols and know that an early check-in means less exposure to unmasked individuals. some want to get on board to sort out last minute dinner or entertainment reservations. some find it boring to wait in a sterile hotel room. some suffer from agoraphobia and want to arrive early when there are likely to be fewer people. some simply love cruising and can't wait to be back on board. and, yes, some enjoy getting a seat at the local or the buffet or their favorite bar before the madding crowd descends.

i love a four year old resuscitated thread as much as the next guy, but i have only read the new posts, so forgive me if this has been mentioned. also, i have no dog in this hunt (see what i did there?), except to say that i am disappointed and disheartened at the increasing acceptance of so-called-service dogs (service animals can only be dogs or horses, by the way) in supermarkets, retail stores, theatres and such. most of the time, they are not service dogs at all. it's a big problem for businesses, as they are limited, by law, by what they can do and say when a customer declares a dog a "service animal." (again, i'm talking about imposters here and not genuine service animals.) an emotional support animal is not a service animal; there are clear distinctions. and emotional support animals, such as your emotional support goldfish or hamster or giraffe, have limited legal protections and most of those apply to housing discrimination. (you can't be denied housing for you and your emotional support ocelot, for instance, even if your landlord or homeowner's association has a "no pets" policy.) USA law changed a few years ago with regard to travel and airlines now have strict rules regarding service dogs and ESAs. In general, service dogs are allowed to fly with their owner, with proper documentation, and service animals must travel as pets. i myself would love to cruise with a dog, but i agree with those who have posted that a cruise with dogs would be a logistical nightmare and pose a risk to the safety, serenity and health of the passengers.

yes, and it's quite successful at doing that, except when people choose to ignore check in times! you're absolutely correct that check-in times are rarely enforced. but choosing a check-in time implies a social contract; there is a moral obligation to show up at the appointed time, for your benefit, comfort and safety... and for the benefit, comfort and safety of your fellow passengers.

they play it, you'll pardon the expression, straight. (that is to say, not for laughs... well, they play the game for laughs, but do not exploit or mock the gay couple.) it may be important to note that - typically - the "hosts" of these shows are filipino. the philippines, while a very catholic and quite religious country, has a strong record of support for LGBT folks in the workplace and in the hospitality industry. also, many of the hosts of these shows are members of the community themselves. so they lean into this quite professionally whenever it happens. and even embrace it. but the couple selection is usually, as noted, a random draw. that being said, filipinos in the workplace are not very good with improvising. they strictly follow the book, play by the rules, and do what they've been told and what they've rehearsed if the card or powerpoint slide they're reading says "she" or "he" or "husband" or "wife," they will likely stumble... read it as written, then giggle at themselves and their error and correct it on the fly. (these observations of filipino culture are based on my 48 business trips to the philippines in the past nine years.)