Suggestions to NCL on how to enhance/improve cruise experirence

[hpecorari]

No one is making it a smoking battle, as you say, just commenting on a post as to the logistic of the suggestion.

 

That's enough, please.

 

Good to know. Seems it always ends that way, however.

 

I love this thread and would hate to have it hijacked.

 

Harriet

[bingo3]

I would love it if they offered a "photopass" option like they do at Disney. I hate that they print out all of those pictures, and then most get thrown away. I would love the option to pay one price, and get a CD of all my pictures. I think they had that option on my last cruise (April 2012 Epic), but I don't see it on any of the dailies that I've read through. It would also be great to have access to the pictures online when I get home and still have the option to buy them. Disney seems to find the photopass (now called memory maker) to be very lucrative...so NCL could make a lot of money with it as well.

 

Alternatively, I think they would sell more if they lowered the price for pictures.

 

I agree, I am not paying ridiculous prices for pictures I can take with my own digital camera. And how many 8 x 10's can a person use anyway? I think if they were offered at more reasonable prices, more people would buy, thus more revenue than from the small number who do purchase. And judging by all the pictures I see left on walls that go in the trash on cruise ships, those paying for their pictures are also paying for all the waste. :rolleyes:

 

I like Pepsi products.... will never please everyone on that one unless you can carry both brands, which is probably not cost effective.

[WouterC]

Purely selfish suggestion: more ships and home ports in Europe. There's not a lot of itineraries NCL does in Europe.

 

Right now I think it's only the Epic, the Jade and the Star.

Would also like the opportunity to sail one of the new ships, but sailing in Europe.

[dazza74]

Being back the old cocktail menus. I might be wrong on this but I'm sure there use to be more than 16 listed on the menu. First noticed this on the Star last November and just now on the Spirit. Granted the bar staff will make you what u want but it's nice to see more options for inspiration.

 

Would be nice if there was a limited program for say $50 where you can stay on the ship later than 9am on disembarkation day. Have some lunch, relax by the pool and get of two hours before departure. Would help with some of the late flights home.

 

I love NCL so keep up the good work and your staff are amazing and always HAPPY. Thank you.

[WouterC]

*SNIP*

 

Would be nice if there was a limited program for say $50 where you can stay on the ship later than 9am on disembarkation day. Have some lunch, relax by the pool and get of two hours before departure. Would help with some of the late flights home.

*SNIP*

 

I remember Royal Carribean does this, it's called Late Departure Program. We did it on the Navigator of the Seas (our honeymoon cruise). Not such a great experience with MSC, who insisted we'd be out of our cabin by 7AM! We had a great cruise, but that was a bit of a downer.

 

Imagine my relief when I read that, on our upcoming Epic cruise, we have to leave our cabin by 9AM.

Edited April 24, 2014 by WouterC

[hbooden]

Being back the old cocktail menus. I might be wrong on this but I'm sure there use to be more than 16 listed on the menu. First noticed this on the Star last November and just now on the Spirit. Granted the bar staff will make you what u want but it's nice to see more options for inspiration.

 

you.

 

 

It really is very easy I am surprised that they have a small mixed drink menu!

 

 

 

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[spidybabe]

On our Gem cruise in 3/09 there were early bird dinners at some specialty restaurants, and the pictures were "all you took for $89.00". We didn't realise at the time how good a deal the pictures were, although we did take advantage of the 1/2 price early birds ( we ate at 6:20 -- no big deal), The waste of all the pictures are insane.......

Safe sailing

[gooch47]

I believe that even with a late departure package, you'd still have to get off and then back on at a US port. They have to "zero out" the passengers before they can start bringing the new ones on.

[Cruzn Bills Fan]

I commented earlier in the thread about Diet DP for my wife, but after thinking about it and discussing it with the boss (afore mentioned wife) we've decided that our upcoming cruise on Getaway will be our last on NCL until they open up some new itineraries. The only reason we're going on the upcoming cruise is because we want to see Getaway. Come on NCL hit some new spots!

[hbooden]

I commented earlier in the thread about Diet DP for my wife' date=' but after thinking about it and discussing it with the boss (afore mentioned wife) we've decided that our upcoming cruise on Getaway will be our last on NCL until they open up some new itineraries. The only reason we're going on the upcoming cruise is because we want to see Getaway. Come on NCL hit some new spots![/quote']

 

 

 

Totally agree! Dh and I haven't cruised yet ;) so my speaking up is slightly obnoxious but...we are hitting 6 islands on our upcoming cruise and to be honest we would never repeat it too many places we haven't been! There will still be other places for us to go since it's our first but so many if the Caribbean cruises are duplicates!

 

 

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[TifffanyD]

I commented earlier in the thread about Diet DP for my wife' date=' but after thinking about it and discussing it with the boss (afore mentioned wife) we've decided that our upcoming cruise on Getaway will be our last on NCL until they open up some new itineraries. The only reason we're going on the upcoming cruise is because we want to see Getaway. Come on NCL hit some new spots![/quote']

 

Well it looks like the escape is going to Tortola... have you been there? We've been once but I am looking forward to visiting it again since we ferried to Virgin Gorda and spent NO time on Tortola.

[Aquahound]

Since NCL monitors this board, I thought that it might be a good idea to start a thread where people can post suggestions to either enhance or improve NCL and/or the cruise experience. We often critique/comment about things that we may not like about NCL, but often do not offer any suggestions on how to improve the product.

 

Mine would be ship maintenance. Compared to the other cruise lines I have sailed, I have consistently noticed the most excessive corrosion, broken fixtures, rust, etc on NCL ships. I think they can do a little better job trying to keep everything looking new.

[GreyingJay]

I agree, I am not paying ridiculous prices for pictures I can take with my own digital camera. And how many 8 x 10's can a person use anyway? I think if they were offered at more reasonable prices, more people would buy, thus more revenue than from the small number who do purchase. And judging by all the pictures I see left on walls that go in the trash on cruise ships, those paying for their pictures are also paying for all the waste. :rolleyes:

 

I'm sure printing the photos only cost them pennies each, and they make it all back in profits off the ones that people do buy. But I agree it's a waste. I always waved off the photographer when he or she came by, or walked past the ones in the ports and hallways. If they don't take a photo of me, then there's nothing to print and waste! Everyone should do this if you have no intention of buying photos.

 

I do like the idea of buying a CD or browsing on a website to purchase files. As I said above we waved off every photographer every time, but in retrospect maybe it would have been nice to have one nice family portrait of our first-ever cruise.

[newmexicoNita]

Well it looks like the escape is going to Tortola... have you been there? We've been once but I am looking forward to visiting it again since we ferried to Virgin Gorda and spent NO time on Tortola.

 

We have gone to Tortola twice, both times on NCL. The best part of it is the wonderful trip to Virgin Gorda, one of the most beautiful places in the world. Tortola also has an awesome spice shop: they are not friendly but I will put up with anything for quality spices.

[newmexicoNita]

Mine would be ship maintenance. Compared to the other cruise lines I have sailed, I have consistently noticed the most excessive corrosion, broken fixtures, rust, etc on NCL ships. I think they can do a little better job trying to keep everything looking new.

 

wow, other than some corrosion and rust on the Spirit just before they went into dry dock a few years ago, and it wasn't all that bad, I have never seen a thing broken, dirty, etc on any NCL ship, not even the Sea just before it left the fleet. I guess your experience has been very from ours. In fact we have only seen a couple of ships, and we have cruised all mass marketed lines more than once that would fit your discription: one Princess ship, one RCI ship and 1 Carnival. Oh yes, one line that is long out of business. It was so bad it was funny. NCL gets excellent ratings for its cleanliness. I realize that is the same exactly as you are talking about, but they go hand in hand. We were on the Sun a few months ago and there was no signs of rust, broken fixtures or anything like that. It is next to their oldest ship.

Edited April 25, 2014 by newmexicoNita

[medicalma'am]

OK, I found out recently that the suites on the Sun DO NOT HAVE A LAVAZZA machine in any but the two top suites. Now THOSE cabins should definitely get a comp coffee card to use at the atrium cafe. The Lavazza coffee machine is one of my favorite things about a suite. It seems like a small thing for NCL to provide for those suite guests and I think the cost to them would be negligible. Even though the guests would have to go all the way to the atrium to get their coffees, it would be worth it to me. That is also one less thing for the butlers to take care of in those suites. I wonder if there are any other ships in the fleet that do not have the Lavazza machines in the suites?

Edited April 25, 2014 by medicalma'am

[Aquahound]

I guess your experience has been very from ours.

 

Yes, apparently it has.

[The Mister]

Seconded. However, I think Dr. Pepper is a Coke product in many areas -- but maybe not all!

Speaking as a Texan, I can assure you that Dr. Pepper is not a Coke product anywhere. Mr. Pibb is Coca Cola's take on Dr. Pepper, but Coca Cola's exclusive contracts don't disallow Dr. Pepper products the same way that they do Pepsi products. (Perhaps they know from market research that Pibb is considered inferior?)

[blackwing]

I'm pretty sure that Dr. Pepper merged with 7 Up. Then the merged company later was bought by Cadbury Schweppes, which was later bought by Kraft. I think Cadbury is probably under Mondelez, which Kraft spun off as its packaged goods business. Pretty sure that if the ships carry Coke that you won't be seeing Dr. Pepper or 7 Up.

[Cruzn Bills Fan]

Well it looks like the escape is going to Tortola... have you been there? We've been once but I am looking forward to visiting it again since we ferried to Virgin Gorda and spent NO time on Tortola.

 

We have not been to Tortola and would love to go. I haven't looked at Escape's itinerary but I'm guessing it's something like this: Sea day, sea day, St Martin, St Thomas or vice versa, then Tortola, sea day, Nassau, Miami. Same old thing. (I will check the itinerary).

 

It's now 3 minutes later and I was close with the itinerary just no St Martin.

Edited April 25, 2014 by Batman's Skivvies