luv2kroooz

Interesting. I thought NCL was not discounting to fill, but instead, marketing to fill. Sounds like they are marketing discounts to fill....lol!! Nobody tell Frank....shhhh!

Pre-covid, we were always last minute bookers. It worked out well for us. Post-COVID, not so much. We've actually ended up on Carnival because their rates are better. The caveat for playing the waiting game, in my opinion, is that you have to have complete flexibility with cabin category, assignment, location, and truthfully, even itinerary. We only sleep and shower in our cabin. If you definitely need a suite in a certain location, I probably wouldn't play the waiting game. It is a personal decision in the end. Have a good cruise!

No way! I don't know where blame resides because I wasn't there, but it would seem to me the passengers are pretty far down on that list. The gangway owner/operator and NCL have a basic responsibility to ensure operations are conducted in a safe manner. Safety is paramount. What a passenger may or may not want can never override safety. This is the reason why Captains make the decision to divert away from tropical storms and hurricanes even though passengers may be upset by it. I can't imagine a situation where a captain would knowingly sacrifice safety of passengers and crew to meet passenger demands. From the above post, it sounds like the port authority and NCL may have enforced the weight limit in the morning of the first day which resulted in safe operations, yet abandoned this measure in the afternoon of Day 2, when the incident occurred. I wonder if distance to the next port played into the need to accelerate embarkation on the afternoon of Day 2??

Norwegian defines them as gratuities. See the above post. They definitely are part of the cost of the cruise. However, they are very different from taxes and port fees, which are non negotiable and non discretionary. The DSC is fully discretionary and can be adjusted up or down while onboard prior to the end of the cruise based on the level of service received.

That is Carnival's stated reason for the change......my understanding is a competing cruise line recently switched to environmentally friendly packaging without the price increase.

I agree with the theory. However, if they could raise fares and still fill their ships, I think they certainly would. They are probably pricing at a level to get at or near 100% occupancy and then hoping to make up that low entry price with onboard spending ... Water, specialty dining, shore tours.

As a matter of good hygiene and courtesy to others, please observe the posted signs by the water dispensers asking everyone to refill water bottles by using clean cups, rather than placing used water bottles near or against the water dispenser. Thanks!!

That $5 increase drops to the bottom line. They either need to raise prices or reduce expenses. Carnival has been and continues to do both.

The fall period is historically a slower season for cruising. Same with your January timeframe. We haven't been on NCL since Corona....prices too high and much better values elsewhere, in our opinion. We've been watching Breakaway Nov 6 14 day reposition from NYC to New Orleans for a last minute booking. Hundreds of cabins available, but true to FDR word, prices have been maintained at high levels. So, the ship will sail with lots of empty cabins and we are driving to Florida for a two week land based vacation! Hope you have a great cruise!!

Best to ask your TA. Not all TA issued OBC is refundable. We just asked our TA before booking because we knew with drinks, dining and internet, the only value the OBC had to us was if it could be used against gratuities. Not interested in overpriced shore ex, or spa treatments etc. TA was honest and told us not able to be used on gratuities. For us, it is better to find a TA that offered a monetary discount off the cruise fare. Good luck.