Nickle and dime

[SteveH2508]

Ah ha...that sounds like u got it

 

I believe the 'reason' for implementing it was to reduce waste - a lot of drunks were ordering mountains of food and then leaving most of it. Of course that could just be an excuse...:rolleyes:

[HokiePoq]

I think it is more of an atmosphere that a cruise line creates than physical nickle & diming. In my opinion NCL's main focus is you spending extra $ onboard. Ex: setting up tables in walk ways to sell you perfume or watches. Or telling you to only shop at the port stores that give NCL a kickback. Disney's main focus is to give you an unforgettable experience. They will not do ANYTHING that will disrupt that atmosphere. I feel that your total cruise cost would be the same in the end and have a more layed back vacation on Disney. I cruise NCL often but all the sales pitches drive me nuts! I avoid them as much as possible but they go out of their way to make you notice. I am cruising the Sun this Sunday but do not plan on buying a cruise rewards deposit for this very reason. Considering another trip with Disney...

 

PS don't forget that Disney has soda included at no charge.

 

 

Perhaps Disney is different in this, but all the lines I've sailed with have the sale tables.....HAL, Celebrity, RCCL as well as NCL.

I am amazed that Disney does not. Perhaps when the grandkids get old enough, we'll give it a try. Meanwhile it's two or more (we paid $314pp for a great 7 day Dawn cruise last January) NCL cruises for the cost of a Disney one. I carry my Diet Cokes onboard and we go to happy hours so the cost of those things is quite small and come nowhere near making up the cost differential.

[Seafan22]

I like the menu approach to pricing, so I'm not paying for things I don't really want. On the last few cruises we went on, I paid the service fee ahead; I used the On-Board Credit I had judiciously and ended up with a zero balance upon leaving the ship. And I had a great time.

[KeithJenner]

Disney doesn't give alcohol away, but they allow you to carry onboard any alcohol you want, and then use that alcohol anywhere on the ship. So for instance, if one is a heavy drinker, that saves $790 for two for the cost of the UBP on NCL.

 

It isn't a $790 saving, unless you have some way of obtaining all that alcohol for free off the ship.

 

In addition, you also have to get all the alcohol that two people will drink in a week whilst on holiday to the port and onto the ship (or do shopping at each port). Obviously possible, but I suspect not something that many people will do.

 

Being able to bring on drinks for free will obviously result in savings, but I think I'm safe in saying that the actual saving for most people would be considerably less than $790.

 

I think the point you were making was to demonstrate that Disney isn't necessarily more expensive, depending on your habits, and I wouldn't argue against that, but all the evidence I've seen suggests that this is fairly unusual.

 

I've just done a test booking to compare against my Med Cruise on the Epic this year. We're paying £2,243 for a Mini Suite with DSC prepaid. The Disney cruise in a room with a balcony for the same time costs between £3,823 and £5,768. Adding in the amount we usually spend onboard (and we do spend a lot on beer), NCL will come out at least £1,000 cheaper than the minimum Disney cost. Obviously this is just one example, but it fits in with what others report.

 

What this does is help demonstrate the OP's point that what others see as Nickel and Diming is, to many of us, the opportunity to just pay for those items that we use.

[Tiggertastic]

we just did NCL Sun and the layout of the ship meant that we never felt that they were pushing anything

 

the shops came out at the back of the casino and we would not walk through the smoky casino

 

they laid things out on deck 5 atrium and we never walked through there - we walked through deck 6

 

the photo gallery never had any staff in it trying to sell anything and there was only 3 adverts for specialty restaurants in 10 nights

 

unusual I have to say for NCL but we didn't spend any less than we normally do as it's our choice what we spend

[LizG12]

we just did NCL Sun and the layout of the ship meant that we never felt that they were pushing anything

 

the shops came out at the back of the casino and we would not walk through the smoky casino

 

they laid things out on deck 5 atrium and we never walked through there - we walked through deck 6

 

the photo gallery never had any staff in it trying to sell anything and there was only 3 adverts for specialty restaurants in 10 nights

 

unusual I have to say for NCL but we didn't spend any less than we normally do as it's our choice what we spend

 

that's how I felt on the Dawn. I knew those extras were there, but they weren't a big pushy thing. Breakaway was different, those extras were much more obvious (to me)

[pizzalady1]

My next two cruises are with NCL so I'm trying to research/learn as much as I can about NCL before the cruises.

 

Are juices free? On RCCL, even juice is extra that's why I'm asking.

 

Thanks

 

The OJ from concentrate is free, but the fresh squeezed OJ has a charge. I don't know how much. In the buffet, you get it from the guy at the alcoholic drink station.

[mjkacmom]

The OJ from concentrate is free, but the fresh squeezed OJ has a charge. I don't know how much. In the buffet, you get it from the guy at the alcoholic drink station.

 

And I learned here (after my cruise), that if you have the UBP, and ask for fresh squeezed juice with some prosceco, it's covered! Wish I knew before!

[swedish weave]

SeaShark, please do tell us what is this charge you are referring to, (as I see nobody mentioned this after you put it out there). Thanks!

 

Shark has you on the hook and is gloating in his success !!!!!! lol

[dznymom]

Funny, when I sailed on Disney 4 times when my kids were the appropriate age, I paid to eat in Palo, the only specialty restaurant onboard. Is it free now?

 

I also remember plenty of other places to spend my nickels and dimes as my onboard account was always substantial.

 

What I paid for my Disney cruises including my onboard account was substantially more than I pay for NCL. They both offer a unique product, but as far as value goes, NCL wins by a mile.

[Bars7816]

I think that I am feeling cranky from the sub zero weather, but I feel that I just want to say this. In my opinion NCL and the other cruise lines aren't nickle and diming us, they are merely giving us choices. I would rather have the option of paying extra for something if I want it instead of having it built into my cruise fare.

If I wanted everything included, I would go on an ultra expensive cruise. I feel that I have always gotten decent value from all 3 lines that I have sailed with. NCL is still my favorite though.

 

There, I feel better now.

 

Bonni

Me too!!!

[stsomewhere]

That may be correct but I can cruise twice on NCL for what it would cost for one Disney cruise

 

I have cruised 7 times on DCL. Disney has started to get very expensive. When they can't fill the ships and offer Florida, Military or Cast member discounts You can get some good deals during hurricane season.

 

But, I just booked an 11 night Holiday cruise on NCL Pearl for $4100.

A 7 night DCL cruise on the Fantasy for New Year;s was $8900.

 

DCl has Cove Cafe ( paid coffee bar)- NCL- same thing

 

We just got off NCL Sun 10 night Holiday cruise. It was $300 for our family of 4 to get the soda card. Even if you add that NCl is half the price of DCL.

 

DCL was great when our kids were young. Now that they are teens, they don't use the DCL clubs anymore. My son said that the NCL white hot party and New Year Eve party were the best 2 nights he has ever had on a cruise. (He has been on 15 cruises . The last time we sailed NCL he was 1 yr old.)

[Will Sail For Food]

I have cruised 7 times on DCL. Disney has started to get very expensive. When they can't fill the ships and offer Florida, Military or Cast member discounts You can get some good deals during hurricane season.

 

But, I just booked an 11 night Holiday cruise on NCL Pearl for $4100.

A 7 night DCL cruise on the Fantasy for New Year;s was $8900.

 

DCl has Cove Cafe ( paid coffee bar)- NCL- same thing

 

We just got off NCL Sun 10 night Holiday cruise. It was $300 for our family of 4 to get the soda card. Even if you add that NCl is half the price of DCL.

 

DCL was great when our kids were young. Now that they are teens, they don't use the DCL clubs anymore. My son said that the NCL white hot party and New Year Eve party were the best 2 nights he has ever had on a cruise. (He has been on 15 cruises . The last time we sailed NCL he was 1 yr old.)

 

FYI - the base cruise fare on DCL compared to the base cruise fare of NCL when we priced our current trip would've only been $1300 more total for our party. Maybe NCL overcharged us? haha.

[stsomewhere]

FYI - the base cruise fare on DCL compared to the base cruise fare of NCL when we priced our current trip would've only been $1300 more total for our party. Maybe NCL overcharged us? haha.

 

We priced out the Epic, Breakaway, and Getaway,too. They were $5000-$6000 depending on ship. But, they were only 7 nights. They are still cheaper than DCL.

 

We do have DCL Fantasy cruise booked for the end of August. It was $4200 with onboard booking discount.

[stsomewhere]

Just compared NCL and DCL for our august cruise for the same week

 

DCl Fantasy $4200 western

 

NCL Getaway $3155 eastern

 

I would switch but I promised my daughter that we would go on DCL one more time since she is old enough to go into the teen club.

[NH Cruisers]

I believe the 'reason' for implementing it was to reduce waste - a lot of drunks were ordering mountains of food and then leaving most of it. Of course that could just be an excuse...:rolleyes:

If it is only a excuse I am for it. I hate seeing all the partially eaten food placed in the hallways. You see a lot less of it now than before.

 

Jon

[bonniboo1]

I agree. If you have a token fee, much less chance for waste.

:D

Am I on the Disney vs Ncl thread. I thought that the was the Nickle and Dimed. Lol

[romrai]

23 years ago, we sailed on the pacific princess. It was old, but food and service was great. Booked an inside, got upgraded to a full window. Cost us $7000. (This does not include tips, tours, flights or drinks for 2. It was a 12 day cruise. Today I get a 12 day cruise for 2 at a total of $2500. - $3000. And I have a balcony. Even if spent another $600 for the 2 of us to eat in the speciality restaurants every day, with extra special service, we would still be better off. Considering gas, wages etc etc. have gone up, paying a little extra for this and that is no big deal. When I see people whining, I say, since it's so good elsewhere GO!

[newmexicoNita]

FYI - the base cruise fare on DCL compared to the base cruise fare of NCL when we priced our current trip would've only been $1300 more total for our party. Maybe NCL overcharged us? haha.

 

If you are saying you would be only paying $1300 more for a Disney cruise in the same category cabin, same itinerary and same length of cruise I would love to know where you found that rate? Also remember, sometimes what we see posted as the price, isn't what it ends up being, especially after you add taxes, etc. and taxes can vary, just like port charges. How many are in your party, 2, 3, 5 or how many? $1300 is a lot if there are 3 of you or even 4, it is nothing if the party is 5. You also have to consider the class of ship, the age, etc. The newer NCL ships are going to be higher than those that are 10 years old, the same with DCL. Are you comparing NCL new ships with an older Disney ship?

Edited January 9, 2014 by newmexicoNita

[BurtonRiderT6]

My guess - the night-time delivery charge for room service?

 

Can't be it because you don't NEED to eat room service between 12am-5am, like he mentioned before if they charged for the room card which you obviously need just to get into the room. It can't be the DSC either since you can technically opt out of it if you're a complete a-hole.

 

With that said, I'm really stumped as to what NCL forces you to pay.

[hpecorari]

Can't be it because you don't NEED to eat room service between 12am-5am, like he mentioned before if they charged for the room card which you obviously need just to get into the room. It can't be the DSC either since you can technically opt out of it if you're a complete a-hole.

 

With that said, I'm really stumped as to what NCL forces you to pay.

 

My guess would be the VAT charge?

 

Harriet

[SteveH2508]

My guess would be the VAT charge?

 

Harriet

 

Technically it is the Spanish/Italian governments who charge it - NCL is just the collector.

[Demonyte]

Technically it is the Spanish/Italian governments who charge it - NCL is just the collector.

 

Yep, completely the same as port taxes and fees that are added to the base fare.

[hpecorari]

Yep, completely the same as port taxes and fees that are added to the base fare.

 

Hmmm, I heard that VAT is also charged for drinks and spa while purchased onboard. That's not added to base fare as they have no idea how much one will drink, how much spa use or if the spa will be used, etc. Again, just what I heard as I've never cruised anywhere where VAT was charged.

 

Harriet

[Demonyte]

Hmmm, I heard that VAT is also charged for drinks and spa while purchased onboard. That's not added to base fare as they have no idea how much one will drink, how much spa use or if the spa will be used, etc. Again, just what I heard as I've never cruised anywhere where VAT was charged.

 

Exactly, they can't add it in advance because the consumption (that is the whole reason for the tax) is not known. I meant that VAT added to onboard purchases is "nickle and diming" as much as port taxes and fees on top of the base fare are - all are government or port operator expenses that are not controlled by the cruise line.

Edited January 9, 2014 by Demonyte