If you were in charge of NCL...

[BikerAl]

Change, can be very positive, but is usually perceived to be bad, because it is different from what we are used to. There are a number of threads here on CC, and on other cruise web sites discussing resent changes being made by NCL. Some folks have written Andy Stuart, and received a form letter back, which covers cappuccino but doesn't answer other questions. I Talked to my PCC a couple of hours ago, and she verified the changes posted in a couple of threads... removal of coffee machines, no more champs at boarding, no more free cappuccino, all passengers must clear their stateroom by 9 AM and one other, which I can't remember.

 

If I ran NCL, I would put a link on the front page of NCL.com to a statement from NCL. This statement would list changes, with a short explanation of how these changes would enhance the NCL experience...that may be maintaining competative cruise pricing, or better coffee for a modest price, or 90% of the bubbly was left in glasses, or whatever the truth is. Most of us are big boys and girls, and can take the truth.

 

Al

[Kancruze]

I would charge way less for the photos or I would totally do away with the program. In the days of digital cameras, everyone has one, why would we pay lots of money for a picture?

 

I would also bring back the bubbly welcome. My friend doesn't drink champagne but that was one of the things she was most impressed about on her first cruise. I think it makes embarking a special occasion and that's why the champagne toast.

[halos]

If I were in charge. I would look at the feasibility of using an U.S. flagged ship as transportation up and down both coasts. Starting In Bar Harbor Maine stopping at all ports such as Boston, New york, Philly, Norfolk, Charleston, Cape Canaveral, Miami, New Orleans, Texas, True the canal with stops in Cal. Washington, up to Alaska turn around and head back.

Some people will not fly. Don,t like trains. Hate to drive.

I would pay a fair price to get on in Boston and get of in Florida Visit with Family for a week or two then catch a ship back home.

Just a thought.

Can it be done?? I don,t know!! J.M.O.

 

It probably can be done. But' date=' would you do it without a casino onboard?

 

PE[/color']

 

I would LOVE that and no...don't gamble so don't care about a casino. But having no casino is likely why that type of cruise will never be offered :(

 

I would charge way less for the photos or I would totally do away with the program. In the days of digital cameras, everyone has one, why would we pay lots of money for a picture?

 

I would also bring back the bubbly welcome. My friend doesn't drink champagne but that was one of the things she was most impressed about on her first cruise. I think it makes embarking a special occasion and that's why the champagne toast.

 

I agree on both counts. I have cut back so much on ship photos since the prices went through the roof. I used to buy a lot of them...now there are times when I walk off the ship (as in my last cruise which was 14 days) with NOT ONE.

It's also a total turn off that they don't do all of that digitally...having all those pics printed up is a total waste and all cruise lines who still do that should be totally ashamed of themselves. I would start buying photos again if they made the change to digitally viewed and cut the cost.

 

I am not very upset about the champagne welcome but I have to admit that after Freestyle 2.0 was implemented, I thought that NCL was really trying to get above other mass market lines with a little class....how long did that last, barely 18 months? :rolleyes: Sad.....

The bubbly isn't vital to having a great cruise by any means, but starting off your cruise in that manner, certainly sets the stage for a great vacation. It is very sad that it is now gone.

 

 

 

PE...I agree with you 100% as far as latitude levels being based on number of days. I don't begrudge the suite people their perks at all...I think it's awesome and if you're spending all that $$ on a suite, you certainly deserve them...but when it comes to latitude points it should be days at sea counted.

I also agree that for other lines that do NOT give the awesome perks NCL does, it would be different altogether.

 

I know that NCL employes thousands of crew members, but I would like to see a little more consistancy in service. I have had some of the best service ever on NCL (Dawn) as well as some of the worst. (Spirit)

[Bridge Maven]

It seems that people don't mind paying extra for things that were never included in the base cruise fare or miss amenities they never had. So with that in mind, I would think twice about charging extra for things that were previously included and only introduce free amenities if I felt it was feasible to keep on doing it for a long period of time.

 

BTW - this appears to be a trend with all the mass market cruise lines, not just NCL.

[JackHamilton]

I would charge way less for the photos or I would totally do away with the program. In the days of digital cameras, everyone has one, why would we pay lots of money for a picture?

 

We thought about buying a digital copy of one of the pictures. We didn't - it was something like twenty or thirty dollars, even though we had already bought the print. Given that it would cost at most a dollar or so to create, including the cost of a small USB flash drive (and not even that if they sent it by email), the price was completely unjustified.

[halos]

It seems that people don't mind paying extra for things that were never included in the base cruise fare or miss amenities they never had. So with that in mind, I would think twice about charging extra for things that were previously included and only introduce free amenities if I felt it was feasible to keep on doing it for a long period of time.

 

BTW - this appears to be a trend with all the mass market cruise lines, not just NCL.

 

You have to understand that they may charge extra for things now, but the base price of cruising hasn't gone up at all in well over a decade.

The nice thing about this is that people who have tight budgets can still cruise...they just can't have the optional 'things'. If the cruise lines charged what they need to make a profit by making the base fare higher, and eliminating surcharge items, many people would not be able to cruise. As it is now, most anyone can cruise and people that can pay for the extras can enjoy these things without it affecting the people who are on a limited budget.

 

Capice?? ;)

[JackHamilton]

You have to understand that they may charge extra for things now, but the base price of cruising hasn't gone up at all in well over a decade.

The nice thing about this is that people who have tight budgets can still cruise...they just can't have the optional 'things'. If the cruise lines charged what they need to make a profit by making the base fare higher, and eliminating surcharge items, many people would not be able to cruise. As it is now, most anyone can cruise and people that can pay for the extras can enjoy these things without it affecting the people who are on a limited budget.

 

Capice?? ;)

 

It's more than just the money - it also costs me time and effort when formerly free things become non-free.

 

Suppose I'm on the back deck and I want a cappuchino. On the Gem, I would walk a few feet to the machine and make one. Now, I would have to go inside, go down 5 flights of stairs, and wait in line at the coffee bar - in addition to paying.

 

The marginal cost to NCL of leaving the machine out and operational is effectively zero - the cost of the materials to make a cappuchino is about the same as the cost of a cup of coffee with cream, which remains free. So I don't see the point. The hassle factor is enough that I won't switch to paying for espresso drinks, I'll just be unhappy with NCL.

[mbisson]

If I were in charge of NCL---I'd try to arrange free (or dirt cheap) cruises for the on shore sales people & customer service people every couple years so that they could be more familiar with onboard operations and could better answer questions from customers.

 

(I'm fortunate that the NCL people I've had contact with have sailed frequently, but it seems some aren't that lucky)

[JackHamilton]

If I were in charge of NCL---I'd try to arrange free (or dirt cheap) cruises for the on shore sales people & customer service people every couple years so that they could be more familiar with onboard operations and could better answer questions from customers.

 

(I'm fortunate that the NCL people I've had contact with have sailed frequently, but it seems some aren't that lucky)

 

My first cruise, as my signature shows, was on the SS Independence, operated by the now defunct American Hawaii Cruises.

 

That cruise was free. A friend worked for the cruise line office in San Francisco, and was not only allowed but required to take a certain number of cruises every year. So he was slowly taking his friends on cruises, because he didn't want to travel alone. I had to pay for my airfare, of course, but the cruise was free. Other friends got a cruise to Alaska on the Explorer.

 

It's a bit surprising that NCL doesn't do the same thing.

[halos]

It's more than just the money - it also costs me time and effort when formerly free things become non-free.

 

Suppose I'm on the back deck and I want a cappuchino. On the Gem, I would walk a few feet to the machine and make one. Now, I would have to go inside, go down 5 flights of stairs, and wait in line at the coffee bar - in addition to paying.

 

The marginal cost to NCL of leaving the machine out and operational is effectively zero - the cost of the materials to make a cappuchino is about the same as the cost of a cup of coffee with cream, which remains free. So I don't see the point. The hassle factor is enough that I won't switch to paying for espresso drinks, I'll just be unhappy with NCL.

 

 

Point taken...and if you are unhappy with NCL or any cruise line, or any product...you should cease to buy it.

[gemsm]

[quote name='FLAHAM']So perhaps those of us who sail in Courtyard Villas should get several times the credit as those who sail in insides?[/QUOTE]

Gotta agree with you on that one.

I would get rid of the whole surcharge for specialty restaurants thing. If you want to have specialty restaurants on board more power to ya but they should be included in the cost of the cruise.

Make sodas cheaper or keep them the same price but offer sodas free in the MDR and specialty restaurants.

Free drinks for people actually gambling in the casino.