Wildcatllamas

I've never seen anyone else say that NCL quoted a number, that is why I asked.

 

I usually stay in a penthouse suite and leave the butler $10 per day per person and concierge $5 per day person.

 

I just wonder where wildcatlama got their info.

 

As I said earlier right before I took my first cruise with NCL I had found a page on their site that listed what was in the suites and photos. It also had a recommended tip amount for the butler of at least $10 per day per person. I have never been able to find that page again.

 

As to Andy Stuart's FB page - I sure can't find one so back to plan A and post to NCL's page. I don't think they are to happy about that right now.

Sounds same as the current promo, but an "excursion credit" instead of OBC.

 

It pretty much is. I am starting to think they are test driving various options to see what they could offer as an option B. Like the airlines - you can cruise economy with no perks or for X amount all of the following would be included (And maybe even the convenience fee - :D).

This is such bull by them. Nobody would have given a crap if they rolled out an "experimental" premium menu that incurred a $7.95 fee while simultaneously keeping their complimentary (meaning actually free, no "convenience charge bull") menu. Then they wouldn't be engaging in fraudulent business practices and false advertising, they would in fact be testing out a new menu. And if in fact, they decided to phase out free room service, after giving everyone who had already paid NOTICE and a chance to CANCEL before final payment was due, then they would not be seeing anywhere near the level of outrage they are currently seeing. They are not stupid, they just don't care because they have utter contempt for their passengers and clearly think we are all a bunch of idiots.

 

I don't disagree with you. Just letting folks know what Andy Stuart has said. He has said if folks have any problems or comments to post to his Facebook page.

April will have a choice of beverage package, dining package, gratuities or excursion credit. Passengers 3 - 8 sail free. Haven't heard if booking into a suite you get all of the promos.

NCL has a monthly webinar for TAs. Listening to it right now.

Listening to Andy Stuart right now and he was very apologetic about the lack of communication on the convenience fee. He showed a shot of the expanded menu and it is a bigger menu with eggs and potatoes and things like that. He was saying they are wanting to see if there is interest in having this larger menu.

 

But they are giving folks another complimentary dining menu. By mid-April the Asian and Noodle Bars will be complimentary.

Here is the email I received from NCL about suites being included in the room service charge.

 

Hi, it does not. Room service is complementary for our Haven guest. I

apologize for all the confusion today. Given that this is a new change

that is being implemented, we are still sorting through process. But, to

confirm once again, no room service charge for our Haven guests

 

For those ships that do not have a Haven area they are just suites. And with the wording that is currently in place if this fee is rolled out those in plain old suites will be paying the "convenience fee" as well. Just read the post that suites won't be paying either. So when I sail folks can order through me for a small service charge of course ;)

 

When I first sailed with NCL in 2012 I had found somewhere on their site that the recommended tip for the butler was $10/day/per person in cabin. I know I had been digging around and found a page with photos and listings of what was in each suite. I have never been able to find that page again. And since pot wasn't legal in Colorado at that time I can't even claim I was stoned from the smoke drifting up to my mountain top;).

 

If NCL would also take a look over on the Carnival thread they will see that this has spread over there. People who were thinking about sailing on NCL are now saying no way.

[quote name='Pikaia'][URL]http://www.ncl.com/faq/cruise-fare-includes[/URL]
In the list of things not included:


I contacted [email]socialmedia@ncl.com[/email] for clarification, as I'll be on the Dawn in a suite in June.

I asked whether or not the website means I'll be charged a convenience charge if the butler brings food to my room. I got no response to my question. Instead, I was told, "As of right now, the room service charge has not rolled out to the rest of the fleet."[/QUOTE]

My sister asked me to go with her on the Dawn in April 2016 for her birthday and we are in a suite. If we have to pay a convenience fee for the butler bringing us food we will sure be looking at making changes. When I have been in a suite previously I have always tipped the butler at least the very minimum recommended by NCL even if the only thing they did was deliver the daily snack.

Right now the main thing was wanting a cruise that went out of New Orleans. Carnival is right there and although they don't have the suite perks like Norwegian we can spend more celebrating her birthday in NOLA and cruise Carnival.

I thought they only charged for room service between midnight and 6am, as well as for pizza. But could have missed any changes, since it has been a couple of years since I was planning a cruise on them. Can anyone, NCL cruiser update whether this is a fact or not? thanks:)

 

NCL is currently charging $7.95 or $4.95 "convenience fee" to have room service deliver anything to your cabin. It is currently on a "trial run" for the next two weeks on the Breakaway($7.95) and Getaway($4.95). There was no notice given to any passengers regarding the implementation of this fee and Guest Services is merely saying they will take the passenger's complaint but can't remove the fee.

 

About 2 weeks ago they also implemented an 18% gratuity on the specialty dining. When I first sailed with NCL I was told the specialty dining fee was to cover the gratuity. That was removed from information not long after my second cruise with them. I have always tipped extra because the service was always exceptional.

 

Prior to the 1st of March they raised the daily service charge. So since Del Rio took the helm he is very hard on implementing a comment he made about getting an extra $4 - $5 out of each passenger.

 

I did my first cruise with Carnival in January. Entertainment was awful and bed was to firm but overall it was a great cruise. Food was excellent. So NCL may not have me there much longer.

I had enjoyed cruising on Norwegian and at this time will be on two upcoming NCL cruises with friends. But I am seeing the handwriting on the wall with the transition in management.

 

I took my first CCL cruise when a friend's husband had to back out in January. There were areas they definitely weren't better than NCL but many areas they far surpassed NCL.

 

With that said I sailed on other lines before NCL and now I have sailed on CCL. NCL keeps up with these maneuvers to extract more money from their passengers in devious ways I may go back to one of the other lines quite easily.

Having sailed both it depends on what you are wanting. I have to agree with kcwingwalker - Carnival hands down the best desserts (over Princess, Royal and Celebrity even) and entertainment on the larger NCL ships is definitely better with a pretty good edge for NCL's small ships. Carnival still has lobster and escargot in the MDR and both were excellent! NCL - nope - have to go to specialty restaurants but still excellent.

 

Beds on NCL were always better than one on Carnival.

 

Staff friendliness was equal.

 

I am currently booked on the Dawn in one of their suites in April 2016. And hands down NCL knows how to do the "suite" life better than any of the other cruise lines I have been on. And with their promotion that they have going on now through the 6th of April you just can't go wrong on that one.

 

Since Dawn is an older ship your cabins will be a little larger than most of the newer ships but probably comparable to Carnival.

 

Hopes that helps a little.

A lot of folks have been searching for the pillows from the suites. I would love to have the ultra foam memory foam pillow. It was the best pillow I have slept on. It was not the hard memory foam you usually find.

I for one would love if they added outside solo suites. My late husband and I always did suites but I just can't justify $4000 + just for me. Smaller suite cabin with a small balcony would be great.

I second Rustic Inn. I eat there every time I am in FLL. Good food and portions.

I have sailed three times in suites on NCL and have one on the Dawn booked for 2016. In comparing them to Princess, Celebrity and Royal they win hands down in my book.

My late husband was on a CPap and peritoneal dialysis and I have to say NCL was the best line we cruised for addressing all of his needs prior to and during the cruise. I know one time the water wasn't in our cabin and my husband commented to our room attendant who immediately went and got some in case he wanted to take a nap. As it was the weather was muggy and humid and most of the time he didn't use it because he felt like he was drowning. I do know what you mean about chlorine. A reason I don't use steam rooms that use chlorinated water.

We did find that traveling with a plug adapter also helps more for hotel rooms but you never know.

I'm with Lady Shiva - I would do the Drury Inn again in a heartbeat. It was about $32 from the airport to the Drury and then $10 from there to the port. The French Quarter was about 5 blocks and I would get up every morning and walk over there to Cafe Beignet while my late husband slept in. Harrah's was I think about 6 blocks. Right on the corner was a stop for the Hop on and hop off. The breakfast and managers hour aren't bad and can save you a few bucks on meals.

Can anyone who has done the Chef's Table on the Getaway recently, confirm that you need to get to Headliners to sign up?

 

Planning on surprising the GF with this. We sail on the 20th.

 

Thanks

 

CP Tech when I was on the Getaway in May I went right to Le Bistros hostess station and signed up. There are only 12 seats available so you do want to go and sign up as soon as you can.

 

For those who are talking about the pre-concierge I have to say they really dropped the ball on my September cruise. I had requested the Chef's table as well as certain things in my cabin and not one thing had been done. Fortunately Leah the concierge jumped in and saved the day on everything.

Sun after seeing the list of entertainers for the Blues cruise I so wish I could have been on that one as well.

Dan was great. So glad he let you come along on the galley tour. That was beyond believable. Dinner in the MDR wasn't bad at all and I am like you - can take it or leave it. If you get a chance you should try the Chef's Table. But pace yourself. Great food and wine pairings. So much wine that the quiet reserved group by the end of dinner is having a rollicking good time.

Hope our paths cross again.

Barb

I had the spa mini-suite and loved the spa pass to the Thermal Suite. I especially loved the salt room and the heated loungers.

Oh the calamari looks good. I am always hesitant to order calamari because it usually winds up being like batter fried rubber bands.

I set in on a DI push onboard ship a couple of cruises back and couldn't believe what the woman was telling folks. She was telling folks that a diamond with a color of G or H and clarity of SI was a better diamond than a D with a VS or VVS rating. I thought I had misheard so raised my hand and asked if she could repeat that and she did. I then commented that a D color is a colorless and she kept saying "no it is a yellowish color". She kept telling folks how these G with an SI were your best buys and that was what they specialized in. Yes they will be more inexpensive but there is a reason and they aren't better than a D or E with a VS or VVS rating unless the cut is totally botched.

:eek: Well darn since we usually use this venue at least once or twice during the lunch hours for some wings or something.

 

Do they still have the cheesecake here?

 

I can say the wings are delicious. The F & B director had raved about them the night my friend and I dined with him, so we had to try them.

When I had dinner with the F & B director of the Sun on my cruise the very end of September the goal was to have the new menus out for the MDR around the 1st of November. He said it had been pushed back from the original 1st of October date. So it wasn't a firm date but they are changing.

On my Getaway cruise in May we had quite a few birthdays and anniversaries so I to got sheet cakes as a surprise for everyone. I had a full cake and a 1/4 for an estimated 110. We ended up with about 65 total and there was only about 1/2 the full cake left. I went with chocolate for the large and vanilla for the 1/4 and both were beautifully decorated and very tasty. I told the staff to give the remainder to the staff and they got some pretty big smiles on their faces so I don't think any went to waste.