NCL adds weddings at sea, tests expanded room service/order fee, drops Asian cover

[redfantum]

It is not included on the Sky because they don't have an Asian restaurant/Noodle bar. So I have no added value and I won't pay $8 for a pot of coffee.

[Anet01]

I think anything would have been better than finding out on the ship. That is unfair to those families. I agree some notice should have been given regarding the room service fees, prior to departure. This is just common courtesy.

[April7901]

 

I didn't hear him say why the different charges on each ship. My best guess is to see which one produces least food waste and brings the most money to the bottom line. Once the accountants figure that out, it will be time I am sure to roll it out across the fleet.

 

 

This. It's test marketing 101. Try different price points, see what the results are, and then choose the best option. My guess is that if/when there's a system-wide rollout, the fee will fall somewhere in the 5.95 range.

[fshagan]

I can't believe this! Last year I PAID to eat Chinese noodles and now they are FREE????!!?!>!:?!>?! I am going to write a letter to Frank Del Sheehan and give him a what for.

 

How is NCL going to repay me? If I had invested that $10 in an interest bearing savings account I could have nearly $10 after inflation. I cannot believe they are making this change without consulting us on Cruise Critic! When did they realize they were going to do this? Was it BEFORE I spent the money last year? I want to see the documents and find out. I think I'll call the Attorney General in the morning.

 

Don't they care about the money we gave them in the past? I am going to demand they refund me my negative savings I could have earned, or I am going to stiff some workers by reducing the DSC I reduce on every cruise anyway! (I hear their families in the Philippines are well off anyway, and don't really need the money).

 

I will not be happy until they reinstate the charge all of us paid in the past, or refund everyone who has ever paid for Chinese noodles in the past. This is OUTRAGEOUS! They cannot do this to us. They are just greedy corporate pigs disrespecting our past expenditures.

 

At the next meet and greet, let's tell them off. We will all chant "Bring back the surcharge, bring back the surcharge!"

 

If we are successful, we can go after those market-fixing oil company executives who have ILLEGALLY lowered gas prices on the 99% while still keeping their tanks filled with Premium at higher prices.

[kchiumento]

I can't believe this! Last year I PAID to eat Chinese noodles and now they are FREE????!!?!>!:?!>?! I am going to write a letter to Frank Del Sheehan and give him a what for.

 

How is NCL going to repay me? If I had invested that $10 in an interest bearing savings account I could have nearly $10 after inflation. I cannot believe they are making this change without consulting us on Cruise Critic! When did they realize they were going to do this? Was it BEFORE I spent the money last year? I want to see the documents and find out. I think I'll call the Attorney General in the morning.

 

Don't they care about the money we gave them in the past? I am going to demand they refund me my negative savings I could have earned, or I am going to stiff some workers by reducing the DSC I reduce on every cruise anyway! (I hear their families in the Philippines are well off anyway, and don't really need the money).

 

I will not be happy until they reinstate the charge all of us paid in the past, or refund everyone who has ever paid for Chinese noodles in the past. This is OUTRAGEOUS! They cannot do this to us. They are just greedy corporate pigs disrespecting our past expenditures.

 

At the next meet and greet, let's tell them off. We will all chant "Bring back the surcharge, bring back the surcharge!"

 

If we are successful, we can go after those market-fixing oil company executives who have ILLEGALLY lowered gas prices on the 99% while still keeping their tanks filled with Premium at higher prices.

 

 

Bravo [emoji122][emoji122][emoji122][emoji122][emoji122]. Well played my friend, well played. Best post I have seen all week. [emoji41]

[lettienets]

So if you order a pizza, you pay the pizza charge + the $7.95 delivery. Is there a tip on that or is part of $7.95 ?

[Snowrose]

Following the enthusiastic response to the previous $15 cover charge being waived for the Asian fusion restaurant Ginza on Norwegian Star, the line has decided to make the Asian restaurants and noodle bars complimentary on 11 ships by mid-April.

 

This includes venues like Norwegian Gem's Orchid Garden, Norwegian Pearl's Lotus Garden, Norwegian Epic's Shanghai's Chinese Restaurant/Shanghai's Noodle Bar and Pride of America's East Meets West, as some examples. (The dining charge waiver doesn't apply to Norwegian Sky and Norwegian Sun.)

 

Didn't hurt that apparently RCCL recently made their Asian restaurants complimentary, either. A little bit of competition is a good thing. ;)

Edited April 1, 2015 by Snowrose

[backsbanny]

For the asian restaurants there is no cover charges BUT there will be some menu items offered a la carte and not FREE.you will have to pay for some items

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[maywell]

I can't believe this! Last year I PAID to eat Chinese noodles and now they are FREE????!!?!>!:?!>?! I am going to write a letter to Frank Del Sheehan and give him a what for.

 

How is NCL going to repay me? If I had invested that $10 in an interest bearing savings account I could have nearly $10 after inflation. I cannot believe they are making this change without consulting us on Cruise Critic! When did they realize they were going to do this? Was it BEFORE I spent the money last year? I want to see the documents and find out. I think I'll call the Attorney General in the morning.

 

Don't they care about the money we gave them in the past? I am going to demand they refund me my negative savings I could have earned, or I am going to stiff some workers by reducing the DSC I reduce on every cruise anyway! (I hear their families in the Philippines are well off anyway, and don't really need the money).

 

I will not be happy until they reinstate the charge all of us paid in the past, or refund everyone who has ever paid for Chinese noodles in the past. This is OUTRAGEOUS! They cannot do this to us. They are just greedy corporate pigs disrespecting our past expenditures.

 

At the next meet and greet, let's tell them off. We will all chant "Bring back the surcharge, bring back the surcharge!"

 

If we are successful, we can go after those market-fixing oil company executives who have ILLEGALLY lowered gas prices on the 99% while still keeping their tanks filled with Premium at higher prices.

 

 

That pretty much summarize all the comments that were upset over the room service charge - Well played, well played. Thank you. :)

[newmexicoNita]

I hope the free Asian starts by my trip on April 11! I'm sure the room service fee will already be in effect.

 

Depending on which ship you will be cruising on, the room service fee, is just 2 ships and only a test. I am guessing it will not go into effect for a month or so, maybe longer.

 

I too hope, the Asian starts soon. We will be sailing on a 10 day cruise starting this Monday. Maybe it will be available prior to the end of our cruise. We always eat at the Asian restaurant.

 

BTW: for those who are not happy because of the room service changes, remember, if you order room service at a hotel you pay a hefty service or delivery fee.

 

I am happy to see NCL is doing positive things and trying to make some people happy. The overall satisfaction is the important thing. There will always be those who want something different.

[newmexicoNita]

I can't believe this! Last year I PAID to eat Chinese noodles and now they are FREE????!!?!>!:?!>?! I am going to write a letter to Frank Del Sheehan and give him a what for.

 

How is NCL going to repay me? If I had invested that $10 in an interest bearing savings account I could have nearly $10 after inflation. I cannot believe they are making this change without consulting us on Cruise Critic! When did they realize they were going to do this? Was it BEFORE I spent the money last year? I want to see the documents and find out. I think I'll call the Attorney General in the morning.

 

Don't they care about the money we gave them in the past? I am going to demand they refund me my negative savings I could have earned, or I am going to stiff some workers by reducing the DSC I reduce on every cruise anyway! (I hear their families in the Philippines are well off anyway, and don't really need the money).

 

I will not be happy until they reinstate the charge all of us paid in the past, or refund everyone who has ever paid for Chinese noodles in the past. This is OUTRAGEOUS! They cannot do this to us. They are just greedy corporate pigs disrespecting our past expenditures.

 

At the next meet and greet, let's tell them off. We will all chant "Bring back the surcharge, bring back the surcharge!"

 

If we are successful, we can go after those market-fixing oil company executives who have ILLEGALLY lowered gas prices on the 99% while still keeping their tanks filled with Premium at higher prices.

 

GReat post: love it, good for you.

[LrgPizza]

For the asian restaurants there is no cover charges BUT there will be some menu items offered a la carte and not FREE.you will have to pay for some items

There will be? Where did you see that part?

[maywell]

There will be? Where did you see that part?

 

In his mind's eye, in his mind's eye, lol...And even if there was charge for some of those items, there be people to buy since it way cheaper plus 18% than the room service fee. lol.

[ltjn]

So lets see, a $7.95 or $4.95 convenience fee is being charged for delivery of free food that use to be free. Now people are going to be bought off by free noodles that everyone thinks is wonderful.

 

No wonder corporations can get away with anything they want to do. Just give someone something cheap for free and they will all line up and praise the Ivory Tower for their concern and caring. Oh, what wonderful people management is!

 

Also, apologize after the fact, because you were trying to slide a new fee in place, got caught and get a lot of unexpected negative feedback.

 

Just like Royal Caribbean did a few years ago when they kicked their Diamond Member out of the Concierge Club. CEO Goldstein admitted they did not expect the outrage they received. So they bought off the Diamonds with free glasses of cheap wine and beer nuts (No soda that was changed after an another outrage). Everyone was happy!!

 

So when will the next under handed fee change take place, and what are you willing to sell your beliefs for? Noodles are gone!

[logan25]

Some Asian restaurants now complimentary. Ok, finally a change which I like. Looks like I'll be hitting Epic's Shanghai in May and November.

 

As for the legally binding wedding ceremonies, where does the couple file the paperwork?? In Bahamas??

Edited April 1, 2015 by logan25

[LrgPizza]

Some Asian restaurants now complimentary. Ok, finally a change which I like.

Me too! Yet there will be posters here who will come up with a reason to b**** about it. That's a given.

Edited April 1, 2015 by LrgPizza

[snorklinbarb]

For the asian restaurants there is no cover charges BUT there will be some menu items offered a la carte and not FREE.you will have to pay for some items

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

It appears from the current menu that a special lobster dish is the only item carrying a special $10 charge.

 

We don't know whether Norwegian will tweak the menu in any way. But what extra charge items are you referring to?

[cadien]

It appears from the current menu that a special lobster dish is the only item carrying a special $10 charge.

 

We don't know whether Norwegian will tweak the menu in any way. But what extra charge items are you referring to?

 

The Star implemented the free Asian restaurant first. The sushi still has a surcharge, of course, and there is a new hot rock dish that has one as well.

 

The fee part is in the press release here : http://www.ncl.com/nclweb/pressroom/pressRelease.html?storyCode=PR_032415

Edited April 1, 2015 by cadien

[hawkeyetlse]

So lets see, a $7.95 or $4.95 convenience fee is being charged for delivery of free food that use to be free. Now people are going to be bought off by free noodles that everyone thinks is wonderful.

The à la carte items at the noodle bar originally cost $3 to $5 and the Asian restaurant used to have a cover charge of $15. It is your right to be outraged at the room service charge because this service used to be free, but you cannot also condemn NCL for doing the opposite and removing charges for something that used to cost extra.

 

Evidently you consider noodles and other Asian food to be "cheap" and so they should have been free to begin with. But if room service is so important and valuable, then maybe it shouldn't have been free this whole time.

[ltjn]

You are being bought off by noodles, just my opinion!

[hawkeyetlse]

You are being bought off by noodles, just my opinion!

I have no idea if it was NCL's intention to have the two changes (room service becoming an extra charge, noodles/Asian restaurant becoming complimentary) compensate one another. But since I personally value the Asian restaurant much more than I value room service, and since I come out on top price-wise as well (and that's not my opinion, it's mathematics), I'm happy to be "bought off" in this way any day of the week, and every day of my cruise. :D

[Nola26]

I could care less about being married at sea (can't wait to see the fees for that though).

Wow I can get eggs at a diner price, just what I wanted on vacay

Explain the price difference of $3.00 convenience charges between the same exact ship (4th request to that question)

Never been on the Star, could care less since Chinese food is the cheapest take out you can get land based......whoooppppppeeeeee to that.

 

The pricing difference is for NCL to determine how much customers are willing to pay for room service. Once the test data is analyzed they will standardize pricing across the fleet. As much as I want a fee of zero I doubt NCL is willing to settle there. Personally I believe they chose to do the test now due to the crowds/families traveling for spring break/Easter as a way to deter use of the service.

 

Pizza and pasta are the lowest food cost items to serve, not Chinese or Asian food.

[BeachMartini]

Would much rather have another complimentary dining venue over free room service any day. Consider me bought by noodles!

[Beaver1975]

Nope, nothing new here. Same set of whiners rehashing the same old same old.

[TheManitoban]

Andy did actually accept the blame and apologize for not making an announcement about the service charge test on BA/GA for the room service.

 

I didn't hear him say why the different charges on each ship. My best guess is to see which one produces least food waste and brings the most money to the bottom line. Once the accountants figure that out, it will be time I am sure to roll it out across the fleet.

 

Heck the whole late night charge on most cruise lines for room service was adopted in an effort to cut down on food waste. (even outside the financial impact for the cruise line, I am not one who likes to see lots of food wasted because there are so many who don't know where their next meal comes from every day.)

 

Thats a good point regarding the different fees. I was just thinking while reading this thread that if I did want room service at $7.95 I'd likely be sure to err on the side of ordering way too much then risk ordering too little. They might suspect that $7.95 will produce waste. They are looking for the sweet spot for generating orders without incurring waste