Is it true that the bubbly welcome is not offered now on cruises?

[14ersco]

Have to agree with Terry and smeyer about NCL reducing little perks to the point where it is worth looking around at other cruise lines; especially since anytime dining has now spread beyond NCL. We did just that last month when we did a long weekend with Carnival. That cruise was comparable or better than our past cruises on NCL.

 

The anytime dining worked great; never had a line and you can have the same wait staff every night. There was one night Carnival called elegant which meant nothing more than a nice pants suit or dress for women and dress shirt and khakis for the men. You can dress more elegant than that, but were not required. Also the specialty coffee was free in the dining room. Laundry rooms were also still available. Daily service charge was only $10 and the majority of it went to your specific steward team and wait staff team (a small amount is pooled); this seemed to provide better service than the all pooled service charge on NCL. Even being a Carnival weekend cruise there was no more partying happening than on a NCL cruise.

 

Others have posted that this is only a little drink, but perks keeping dropping away since Apollo took over control of NCL. Remember back one year and the big discussion on these boards was the loss of the benefits from the NCL credit card.

 

Well we have used up our credit card benefits, our cruise rewards are gone, our Latitude perks have been paired down. So since NCL has reduced their loyalty to us, Carnival was comparable, and we are also price conscious we are more willing to shop around. Will we still cruise NCL, sure, but there is a lot more cruise lines who will probably be getting some of our business.

[hamrag]

The bubbly was a nice touch to the ship welcome onboard. Getting to the ship is the most stressful part of the cruise. Even though it was probably cheap wine, it signaled the beginning of your NCL cruise and completion of boarding.

 

Would be nice if NCL could offer something in exchange.

 

A wine bottle carry on without corkage? I suppose that would cost them more in lost sales.

 

Discount on your first drink purchase?

 

They give you free (for now at least) hand gel for goodness sake!

[hamrag]

This assumption might work if the company is cutting things that had dedicated employees working at and/or maintaining.

 

None of the stuff they are cutting required dedicated personnel to do/perform. They can't layoff people by cutting the welcome champagne, turn down mints, or charging for cappuccino/espresso. NCL might be looking to layoff some of their crew, but that will not related to these recent cuts.

 

I must admit to having wondered about all of that, and thought do they use additional "cruise terminal" staff at boarding to help with the welcome drinks etc. and if so then there would be a crew cost saving in that particular area. Anyone know?

[smeyer418]

Have to agree with Terry and smeyer about NCL reducing little perks to the point where it is worth looking around at other cruise lines; especially since anytime dining has now spread beyond NCL. We did just that last month when we did a long weekend with Carnival. That cruise was comparable or better than our past cruises on NCL.

 

The anytime dining worked great; never had a line and you can have the same wait staff every night. There was one night Carnival called elegant which meant nothing more than a nice pants suit or dress for women and dress shirt and khakis for the men. You can dress more elegant than that, but were not required. Also the specialty coffee was free in the dining room. Laundry rooms were also still available. Daily service charge was only $10 and the majority of it went to your specific steward team and wait staff team (a small amount is pooled); this seemed to provide better service than the all pooled service charge on NCL. Even being a Carnival weekend cruise there was no more partying happening than on a NCL cruise.

 

Others have posted that this is only a little drink, but perks keeping dropping away since Apollo took over control of NCL. Remember back one year and the big discussion on these boards was the loss of the benefits from the NCL credit card.

 

Well we have used up our credit card benefits, our cruise rewards are gone, our Latitude perks have been paired down. So since NCL has reduced their loyalty to us, Carnival was comparable, and we are also price conscious we are more willing to shop around. Will we still cruise NCL, sure, but there is a lot more cruise lines who will probably be getting some of our business.

 

 

I agree with you I now use a American Express cash card and get cash I can use on any line...sometimes as much as 3%...I think the ending of the credit card was a big mistake and I just don't "buy" that it was BofA alone deciding that.

[downsized]

I posted earlier that I (we) would sorely miss the bubbly...and we will.

Neither of us are wine drinkers (DW will take a Diet Coke or Pepsi over any other drink)...me...I drink beer.

We book suites because we can, and we like the perks. That being said, we do not drink the bottle of bubbly that is in our room (we try to find "newlyweds" near our suite and give it to them on the last night of the sailing.)

 

To me, I am not really "cruising" until the pretty lady hands me that glass of bubbly. Maybe it's kind of like the "toy" in a box of CrackerJacks...really not worth much, and not exactly a keepsake, but the box of CrackerJacks would absolutely NOT be the same without it.

 

Cruising NCL will not be the same without that first glass of bubbly.

[newmexicoNita]

leave them at home :)

 

now I think that is a great idea..When can we leave? Of course we are snowed in and I can't even get out of our drive way..lol

[jaja]

Have to agree with Terry and smeyer about NCL reducing little perks to the point where it is worth looking around at other cruise lines; especially since anytime dining has now spread beyond NCL. We did just that last month when we did a long weekend with Carnival. That cruise was comparable or better than our past cruises on NCL.

 

The anytime dining worked great; never had a line and you can have the same wait staff every night. There was one night Carnival called elegant which meant nothing more than a nice pants suit or dress for women and dress shirt and khakis for the men. You can dress more elegant than that, but were not required. Also the specialty coffee was free in the dining room. Laundry rooms were also still available. Daily service charge was only $10 and the majority of it went to your specific steward team and wait staff team (a small amount is pooled); this seemed to provide better service than the all pooled service charge on NCL. Even being a Carnival weekend cruise there was no more partying happening than on a NCL cruise.

 

Others have posted that this is only a little drink, but perks keeping dropping away since Apollo took over control of NCL. Remember back one year and the big discussion on these boards was the loss of the benefits from the NCL credit card.

 

Well we have used up our credit card benefits, our cruise rewards are gone, our Latitude perks have been paired down. So since NCL has reduced their loyalty to us, Carnival was comparable, and we are also price conscious we are more willing to shop around. Will we still cruise NCL, sure, but there is a lot more cruise lines who will probably be getting some of our business.

 

I,too, agree...we have sailed Carnival and though, I prefer NCL, would consider going CCL again...

[newmexicoNita]

ACtually we always compare for price and itinerary. But I will still stay with NCL if the price is similar or better and the itinerary is what we are looking for...

 

Nita

[Planer's Edge]

I must admit to having wondered about all of that, and thought do they use additional "cruise terminal" staff at boarding to help with the welcome drinks etc. and if so then there would be a crew cost saving in that particular area. Anyone know?

 

I don't believe this to be true. The people handing out the "bubbly welcome" are regular ships crew. The cruise terminal staff do not even board the ship.

 

PE

[hamrag]

I agree with Jerseyboy above, that NCL is heading towards becoming known as a low class cruise line.

 

According to the 2010 edition of Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising it already is! The "mass" cruiselines scoring higher than NCL are:

Cunard

Celebrity

Princess

Holland America Line

RCCL

MSC

P&O

Disney

Some AIDA ships are scoring about the same as the newer NCL's

Some Costa ships are scoring higher than the older NCL's

[swedish weave]

They give you free (for now at least) hand gel for goodness sake!

 

Is it better straight or mixed with orange juice ?;)

[ddakrt]

Others have posted that this is only a little drink, but perks keeping dropping away since Apollo took over control of NCL. Remember back one year and the big discussion on these boards was the loss of the benefits from the NCL credit card.

Did Apollo not inject $1 billion into NCL that lead directly to the Freestyle 2.0 improvements? :confused:

[terrymtex01]

I have a question that I tried to find the answer to in this thread but could not. At one point it was mentioned that the OP was reporting the "no champagne" for a 1 day CTN or something like that. Do we know for sure that the champagne has been stopped on all cruises? Or just the 1 to 3 day CTN?

[smeyer418]

Did Apollo not inject $1 billion into NCL that lead directly to the Freestyle 2.0 improvements? :confused:

Apollo owns both Oceania and Regent/Seven Seas. I think they are playing around with what combination of upscale and mass market works best with NCL. This minimalist approach IMO doesn't bode well for Epic.

[smeyer418]

According to the 2010 edition of Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising it already is! The "mass" cruiselines scoring higher than NCL are:

Cunard

Celebrity

Princess

Holland America Line

RCCL

MSC

P&O

Disney

Some AIDA ships are scoring about the same as the newer NCL's

Some Costa ships are scoring higher than the older NCL's

 

I guarantee that Cunard doesn't consider itself a mass market line(and neither does HAL) but at least agree with most of the list. RC and NCL are very similar.

[scchasgal]

I have a question that I tried to find the answer to in this thread but could not. At one point it was mentioned that the OP was reporting the "no champagne" for a 1 day CTN or something like that. Do we know for sure that the champagne has been stopped on all cruises? Or just the 1 to 3 day CTN?

 

 

Hi Terry there is a Live from... thread and the OP on the sailing has reported no welcome aboard bubbly or OJ it along with the cap and ex discontinued at no charge. PE has also emailed Hugo and he confirmed it.

[Planer's Edge]

I have a question that I tried to find the answer to in this thread but could not. At one point it was mentioned that the OP was reporting the "no champagne" for a 1 day CTN or something like that. Do we know for sure that the champagne has been stopped on all cruises? Or just the 1 to 3 day CTN?

 

All cruises, Terry. :(

 

PE

[ddakrt]

According to the 2010 edition of Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising it already is! The "mass" cruiselines scoring higher than NCL are:

Cunard

Celebrity

Princess

Holland America Line

RCCL

MSC

P&O

Disney

Some AIDA ships are scoring about the same as the newer NCL's

Some Costa ships are scoring higher than the older NCL's

 

At least we're better than Carnival! :p

[ddakrt]

Apollo owns both Oceania and Regent/Seven Seas. I think they are playing around with what combination of upscale and mass market works best with NCL. This minimalist approach IMO doesn't bode well for Epic.

 

I think the Epic will be just fine, the entertainment venues on that ship blows all other current cruise ships out of the water. That will be why most will sail the Epic, it won't be because people thought they are getting a free glass of bubbly, or for the turn down mints, or for the specialty coffee.

 

How are people reacting to all of Oasis' spending opportunities anyway? Over there you have to pay for fish and chips, ice cream, specialty coffee, Johnny Rockets, CUPCAKES :eek:, etc.

That ship seems to be getting good reviews and is doing fine, don't see why Epic wouldn't be the same.

[hamrag]

At least we're better than Carnival! :p

 

Yes, by a fine whisker!!

[14ersco]

Did Apollo not inject $1 billion into NCL that lead directly to the Freestyle 2.0 improvements? :confused:

 

How much of this money did they have to give to the shipyard for canceling Epic's sister ship and for remodeling the Epic?

[smeyer418]

How much of this money did they have to give to the shipyard for canceling Epic's sister ship and for remodeling the Epic?

 

 

the money was paid to Star for a portion of the stock in NCL. It also was used to reduce debt that Star was also a guarantor on. A small portion was left in NCL as operating capital. so really none was used to cancel epic sister. there was a small money call to both owners last year- but most of the Billion was cash to Star or a reduction on loans that Star was on the hook for.

[terrymtex01]

Hi Terry there is a Live from... thread and the OP on the sailing has reported no welcome aboard bubbly or OJ it along with the cap and ex discontinued at no charge. PE has also emailed Hugo and he confirmed it.

 

All cruises' date=' Terry. :([/color']

 

PE

 

Thanks to both of you for verifying it. I have made several postings about us not really ever drinking alcohol and in fact almost always give away our bottle of champagne they give us in the suite, but I know this was a very well liked perk of 2.0 by a lot of people and I hate to see it taken away.

[jhuntermartin]

The bedding is good too but the other bedding was nice when new too (I sailed the Dawn when it was less than a year old and it was the most comfy bed I had ever slept in) and they were at a point they had to change it and they made a big thing out of it but IMHO they had to do it anyway.

 

I know it's cheap bubbly so why cut it (and the coffee) down if it makes people a little happy?

 

I am reconsidering cruising on mass-market line, yes. I have been a big fan of NCL for years (and I still am a fan but starting to find they go too far). NCL was much better a few years back. There are other types of travel I might like to do (more trips with the RV, the ATVs or off-road bikes, land vacation in more exotic places) and because I like to cruise, I may do a Cunard cruise once in a while (but the formal atmosphere is great but I wouldn't want all my vacation in this atmosphere either).

 

They say money talks. What else can I do than stop buying a product that isn't to my liking anymore? Yes, I can complain here but NCL won't get the point unless people stop buying the product.

 

Star Cruise Lines owns NCL with a private equity firm called Apollo Managment. They are saying is unless NCL starts making money the will discontinue the brand. As a veteran cruiser I have always been interested in taking NCL but I´ve just seen to many mixed reviews about them to feel comfortable taking them as of late. I found this on the net that might further clarify.

 

"In August 2007 Star Cruises took the market by surprise when it sold 50% of NCL for $1 billion to US-based Apollo Management in order to strengthen NCL's financial position. The NCL brand stays solely under Star Cruises ownership for the next 16 months, after which a decision will be made either to liquidate the brand or to continue operations if the brand can be made profitable."

[RichNY]

How about this....NCL's post cruise surveys indicated that the champagne was not a big attraction so they are phasing it out....