MaryLS

I was always under the impression that gratuities, whether on land or on a cruise, were an extra given based on the level of service received. Regardless of the amount NCL charges, I just have a problem with being automatically charged for gratuities. In some cases, I believe this reduces the level of service.

 

In addition, whether it was the specialty restaurants, bar servers or the room stewards, I always tipped well above the current charge (prior to auto gratuities). Now, I will comply with NCL's gratuity policies, but that will be all. No extras.

This is taken from my confirmation for my January 2016 cruise:

 

Service Charges:

On all Norwegian Cruise Line ships a discretionary "on-board service charge" of $12.95 per person per day for guests staying in Studio, Inside, Oceanview,

Balcony and Mini-Suite categories is applicable. Guests occupying The Haven or Suite categories will incur a charge of $14.95 per person per day

automatically to the on-board account of all guests. There is no charge for children under the age of three at time of sailing.

If you wish to make things even easier, you may pre-pay your service charge up to one week prior to sailing. Please contact your travel professional and the

charge can be added to your booking, it will be shown separately on the confirmation invoice.

I have a cruise booked for October 2015 and the following is taken directly from my confirmation. How can a confirmation be changed? I thought a confirmation was just that...confirming information that I agreed to when I booked. I will be going to Guest Services to have them reduced, solely based on principle. I also have one booked for January and it clearly indicates the gratuities are $12.95 per day. I will also be going to Guest Services in January. If I decide to continue to cruise NCL in the future (I'm having some serious doubts), I then will agree to what is on my confirmation at that time. This is definitely not the NCL I've know since beginning to cruise with them in 2004!

 

Service Charges:

Norwegian Cruise Line now offers you the ability to pre-pay your Onboard Service Charges of $12 per person per day for guests 3 years and older. Please

contact your travel professional to add to your reservation. See our brochure or http://www.ncl.com for details.

We did it because it looked like so much fun...wrong! We didn't like it at all. The speed of the boat going over the water felt like hitting very bad pot holes on a highway. If you have any back issues, this excursion is not for you. I was very glad to get off and wouldn't do it again.

I should clarify, I was speaking about that UBP. That is not available to a comped inside cabin.

Can you tell me where I can find that? I'm booked in January through CAS and was told no promotions since I am comped for an inside cabin. I did book in June.

Be careful with that. Promotions are only given based on the comped cabin. I was comped an inside cabin and paid to upgrade to a mini-suite....no promotions at all. You only get a promotion if you are comped an ocean view or higher.

From experience, I would recommend you contact Guest Services a few months before your cruise. Do not wait until you board the ship. My Pastor did that once and was denied. Obviously they book up their public spaces in advance.

 

One time when we made arrangements in advance, they gave us adjoining conference rooms to have a Catholic Mass. There were so many that showed up that they had to move us to the theatre. There were a few hundred in attendance.

I have run parish cruises and every time, my Pastor would celebrate Mass on the ship. They were always very well attended by many onboard.

Hi all ! I have been on the Breakaway twice and loved it. Booking again but thinking about the gem. Does anyone know if the Gem has Texas Holdem in the casino? Any suggestions? Breakaway again or try to Gem? Thanks all!

 

I've been on the Gem 5 times and have 2 more booked. I was on the Breakaway once in January 2015. I personally prefer the Gem and the other Jewel Class ships. I find the Breakaway too large and the staff too business-like. The staff on the Gem has always felt like they are family and truly enjoy what they are doing. The staff addresses us by name when seeing us throughout the ship and always go out of their way to greet us.

Is it also true that you can no longer upgrade any higher than a mini-suite? In 2012 I paid to upgrade to a Penthouse Suite. Is that no longer available?

Do those who book through CAS ever get offered upsells or upgrades?

I so wish they would have diet tropical drink mixes, i.e., pina colada, strawberry daiquiri, etc. I know they sell the mixers and I could bring them along....but that would be such a pain! It would be so much easier to have them available on the ship.

I booked the Gem in February 2015 and just checked my itinerary on my email reservation confirmation. It shows the ship coming in at 10:00am. No change from my original booking.

Which ship? If it's the Gem, I haven't gotten an email.

How does CAS calculate the Commissionable Fee? I've always paid $250 pp on a comped inside cabin. I do pay for an upgrade to a mini-suite.

I booked an inside cabin as a single traveler and am receiving the soda package. Does anyone know if I can buy up to the UBP less the cost of the soda package? Or, do I pay full price for the UBP?

Are there any sugar free tropical drink mixes on board? Would love once again to enjoy a tropical drink but can no longer have sugar.

For the ocean view through mini-suite, are all included or a choice of one?

Thanks NCL for listening to the consumers! We were on the Breakaway in January when my friend came down with pneumonia. On the few occasions when he could eat, we brought him food from O'Sheehans. It would have been horrible if he had to pay $7.95 to eat on top of being sick. Great move!!!

I just don't understand this. NCL has instituted policies over the past months that have upset many long time NCL cruisers. Yet, they don't want to upset those that have chairs held for hours on end without using them. I've seen people holding chairs both in the sun and the shade for the same party while I walk around aimlessly looking for one chair that I will use. I vote for the enforcement of the blue dot system!

Has anyone heard any rumor, or, better yet, does anyone have any first hand knowledge of what the upcoming promotions will be?

 

I, personally, don't find the May promotions to be that good.

Laura,

 

Thanks so much for the clarification! This avoids rumors and misinformation and enables people to make choices based on correct information.

All of these posts are exactly why I posted a week or so ago that they have an NCL and CAS liasion to read and reply to make clarifications on these boards. It would make it so much easier than having everyone speculate what is actual policy.

 

I was on the Breakaway in January as HOT. I could get a Rum and Coke but couldn't get a Martini unless I paid $3+. I could get Perrier but couldn't get Pellagrino. I could get Merlot but couldn't get Pinot Noir. I finally asked the bartender for a list but he wouldn't provide one.

 

I also found that I could get different items depending on the server and the bartender. It was all quite inconsistent.

Would it be possible for NCL and CAS to provide a liason to dispel some of the rumors/misinformation on the message boards?

 

I think it would help a lot of cruisers to know the facts before booking a cruise. I also believe it would be a good marketing tool.

 

Any thoughts?