NCL: A Contrarian View

[hpecorari]

Gobbledygook! Even as they try to clarify they continue to mystify! Can't they find somebody better able to express themselves in clear English? It reads like it could have been written by a certain poster we all know and love around here.

 

We all (kind of?) know what they're trying to say. But somebody reading that "sentence" with no prior knowledge of past or current NCL policy would hardly be excused for thinking This thing says both -- that "butlers and concierge [sic] are not included" and "the DSC is for the additional dedicated Haven/suite staff."

 

While you quoted in red ink, here's my blue pencil edit. NCL can comp me a dinner at Cagney's for this help and I stand ready to apply my awesome editing skills for future pronouncements, too.

 

Hi Catherine, sorry for any confusion. Our dedicated Haven/suite staff of butlers and concierges are not included in the DSC.

 

I didn't copy and past Cathy's question which I should have. Here it is paraphrased:

 

Why was this deleted that the B&C's were included in the DSC? Were you wrong in your answer? If you were wrong than what is the justification of the higher rates for suites?

 

To which NCL posted, and I quote:

Norwegian Cruise Line Hi Catherine sorry for any confusion butlers and concierge are not included the DSC is for the additional dedicated Haven/suite staff.

 

Harriet

[Cruise4Real]

I didn't copy and past Cathy's question which I should have. Here it is paraphrased:

 

Why was this deleted that the B&C's were included in the DSC? Were you wrong in your answer? If you were wrong than what is the justification of the higher rates for suites?

 

To which NCL posted, and I quote:

Norwegian Cruise Line Hi Catherine sorry for any confusion butlers and concierge are not included the DSC is for the additional dedicated Haven/suite staff.

 

Harriet

 

Ahhhh, got it. They mean the additional $2.00 pppd charge for Haven/suites is for additional dedicated Haven/suite staff (presumably the folks who clean up the Haven common areas, hot tubs, etc.?).

 

I still think it's difficult to understand and really sloppy for corporate communication to the public via social media. Here's my edit, again :)

 

Hi Catherine, sorry for any confusion. Butlers and concierges are not included in the DSC. Passengers in Haven/suites pay $2.00 pppd more in DSC than other passengers in order to compensate the additional dedicated staff who serve them.

[Homosassa]

I think some people have misunderstood the point I was trying to make about improving the overall experience on NCL for everyone.

 

I am not suggesting that NCL become a part of the Oceania, Azamara, Silverseas class.

 

I took my first NCL cruise in 1978 and have cruised on them throughout the years.

 

I love the ships and the entertainment available. However, I have been discouraged by the downward trend in the quality of the food (food is a big part of cruising for me) and the trend of dividing the passengers into a caste system.

 

Many of us that cruise do not need suites or exclusive areas. We are happy with smaller cabins (in my case, insides that are low and amidships) because that is what we prefer.

 

Could we afford one of the villas or other suites. In my case, absolutely IF I wanted to. But I don't want a cabin on the upper decks and I don't need all the space.

 

What I do want is to walk on board a ship and have access to all parts of the ship. I want first class service and excellent food.

 

I have not experienced this on my last two NCL cruises and at this point, consider NCL to be a bottom tier experience for a mass market cruiser.

 

I am hoping that when this all shakes out, NCL will realize that a ship that is full of passengers that can afford to pay for a quality experience (i.e, good service, entertainment, and food) may be more beneficial to the bottom line that the current fare system.

 

Make the cruising experience a relaxing, enjoyable vacation without worrying about preplanning restaurants and shows at a price that includes quality entertainment and food and there will be passengers willing to pay for an overall even quality of experience for anyone on the ship regardless of cabin type.

[punkincc]

That quote from NCL wasn't in any e-mails but was posted by them on FB.

 

I can see extra staff for the Haven....but if you're just in a suite....what's the extra staff besides the Butler?

 

Harriet

 

The email wording I was referring to was the wording on the Emails sent out to passengers informing them of the increase in DSC. The initial one 5 months ago made reference to Butler and Concierges for Suites which would lead one to believe they are why Suite passengers were paying more DSC than those in other cabin types. My comment was that apparently whoever writes these emails never reads them, as 5 months later the same erroneous info is being sent out in Emails informing of the second increase. Crazy that it takes the cruising public to point out to a company that they apparently do not know their own policies.

 

And may I say that the wording of their response, even on casual Facebook, is a shame. Run on sentences? How embarrasing.

Edited July 18, 2015 by punkincc

[luddite]

where smoked salmon doesn’t swim, where roast “turkey” is a strange compressed protinaceous turkoid blob and have the privilege of paying a premium over NCL.

 

 

:D This is a terrific line.

Kudos.

[travelerpair]

I have been reading ( and reading …. )(and reading ….) all of the negative rants/reviews/posts/threads/threats about the changes occurring at NCL over the past few months.

 

As some background, my partner and I are just slightly on the wrong side of 50 and have been lucky and fortunate enough in life to travel around a lot of the world on many different ships and many different lines over the past 20+ years. We have sailed on everything from inside cabins on Chandris Fantasy (look it up) up to and including Oceania, Celebrity Xpedition, Travel Dynamics, Ponant, Azamara and The Haven.

 

We used to be complete Celebrity addicts until about two years ago when after three cruises in a row that drove us slightly crazy, we decided that we would become “free agents”. This is, we wouldn’t be slaves to loyalty programs with their free drinks and internet and see what else was out there.

 

We returned to NCL last year and were hooked. However, in the past two years we have also sailed on HAL, RCI, Celebrity, Oceania and Azamara.

 

People … you have NO clue how good you have it on NCL and the spectacular value that is provided. To all those who say they are cancelling their reservations and going somewhere else, I say: “Off you go”!

 

Go on Royal Caribbean and go to the buffet where fried starchy food goes to die, where the varieties of fresh fruit can be counted on four fingers, where smoked salmon doesn’t swim, where roast “turkey” is a strange compressed protinaceous turkoid blob and have the privilege of paying a premium over NCL.

 

Go on Celebrity (where I’ve sailed about 250 nights) and return to the ship at 3:30 and try to get a decent snack without standing in a buffet line serviced by, oh, one server manning the pasta station and one person doing … well, I’m not sure what she was doing. Enjoy the evening “entertainment” and after you’ve woken up, go back to your cabin for a proper sleep.

 

Look at what you’re paying for what you’re getting. I paid $700 for an inside cabin on Celebrity’s Zenith in 1992 and couldn't understand how they could make ANY money providing what they did. That’s about $1400 in 2015 dollars for an inside cabin. Celebrity actually didn’t make any money and that’s why they were ultimately acquired by RCI. Could you imagine paying $1400 for an inside cabin today?! I’d be laughed and ridiculed off of these boards.

 

NCL is cutting back wherever they can … and so is everyone else. Trust me. I’ve been on everyone else and many of them recently. The same economic realities are faced by all of the cruise lines - it’s a fine line between keeping everyone happy while providing shareholder value.

 

Perhaps NCL made a fatal error in actually telling people that they were cutting back as opposed to Royal Caribbean/Celebrity where the on board product was noticeably worse each time you sailed on them without them actually announcing the cutbacks. (As an FYI, Celebrity cut back their entertainment staff to one or two people - trivia, hosts, ambassadors - all gone for the most part - again, look it up)(oh, and by the way, most of their specialty restaurants are now $50(!!!) per person cover charge.

 

Those brand spanking new ships cost a LOT of money and have to be paid for. While it’s fantastic they we’ve all been spoiled and have frankly received more than our dollar’s worth in the past, those days are over. My room at the Hilton before my last Breakaway cruise cost $330 a night with nothing included, or $2300 for the week before meals. What did you spend for the last dinner you went out for at home and how does that compare to per diem that you are paying for a night on a ship that included your room, meals and entertainment?

 

People have to be realistic … it truly is a privilege to have the means, ability and health to go on a cruise but ultimately, it’s still a business that has to make money.

Appreciated you post. I accept you point of view, but I believe accepting less for more is just what is wrong with most services and in this case travel product. NCL has the best suite perks. We are hooked on them. However, I am not willing to pay more for nothing.

[DebJ14]

Ahhhh, got it. They mean the additional $2.00 pppd charge for Haven/suites is for additional dedicated Haven/suite staff (presumably the folks who clean up the Haven common areas, hot tubs, etc.?).

 

I still think it's difficult to understand and really sloppy for corporate communication to the public via social media. Here's my edit, again :)

 

Hi Catherine, sorry for any confusion. Butlers and concierges are not included in the DSC. Passengers in Haven/suites pay $2.00 pppd more in DSC than other passengers in order to compensate the additional dedicated staff who serve them.

 

There is definitely more real estate for the steward to clean in the suites. We were told on RCCL that that is precisely why the suites pay more in gratuities. The cabins are at least the size of 2 regular cabins.

 

We have not yet sailed in the Haven, but I understand there is a person in the courtyard area who takes care of people. Perhaps that person is included in the DSC, thus the increase?

[Markwa]

I have been reading ( and reading …. )(and reading ….) all of the negative rants/reviews/posts/threads/threats about the changes occurring at NCL over the past few months.

 

As some background, my partner and I are just slightly on the wrong side of 50 and have been lucky and fortunate enough in life to travel around a lot of the world on many different ships and many different lines over the past 20+ years. We have sailed on everything from inside cabins on Chandris Fantasy (look it up) up to and including Oceania, Celebrity Xpedition, Travel Dynamics, Ponant, Azamara and The Haven.

 

We used to be complete Celebrity addicts until about two years ago when after three cruises in a row that drove us slightly crazy, we decided that we would become “free agents”. This is, we wouldn’t be slaves to loyalty programs with their free drinks and internet and see what else was out there.

 

We returned to NCL last year and were hooked. However, in the past two years we have also sailed on HAL, RCI, Celebrity, Oceania and Azamara.

 

People … you have NO clue how good you have it on NCL and the spectacular value that is provided. To all those who say they are cancelling their reservations and going somewhere else, I say: “Off you go”!

 

Go on Royal Caribbean and go to the buffet where fried starchy food goes to die, where the varieties of fresh fruit can be counted on four fingers, where smoked salmon doesn’t swim, where roast “turkey” is a strange compressed protinaceous turkoid blob and have the privilege of paying a premium over NCL.

 

Go on Celebrity (where I’ve sailed about 250 nights) and return to the ship at 3:30 and try to get a decent snack without standing in a buffet line serviced by, oh, one server manning the pasta station and one person doing … well, I’m not sure what she was doing. Enjoy the evening “entertainment” and after you’ve woken up, go back to your cabin for a proper sleep.

 

Look at what you’re paying for what you’re getting. I paid $700 for an inside cabin on Celebrity’s Zenith in 1992 and couldn't understand how they could make ANY money providing what they did. That’s about $1400 in 2015 dollars for an inside cabin. Celebrity actually didn’t make any money and that’s why they were ultimately acquired by RCI. Could you imagine paying $1400 for an inside cabin today?! I’d be laughed and ridiculed off of these boards.

 

NCL is cutting back wherever they can … and so is everyone else. Trust me. I’ve been on everyone else and many of them recently. The same economic realities are faced by all of the cruise lines - it’s a fine line between keeping everyone happy while providing shareholder value.

 

Perhaps NCL made a fatal error in actually telling people that they were cutting back as opposed to Royal Caribbean/Celebrity where the on board product was noticeably worse each time you sailed on them without them actually announcing the cutbacks. (As an FYI, Celebrity cut back their entertainment staff to one or two people - trivia, hosts, ambassadors - all gone for the most part - again, look it up)(oh, and by the way, most of their specialty restaurants are now $50(!!!) per person cover charge.

 

Those brand spanking new ships cost a LOT of money and have to be paid for. While it’s fantastic they we’ve all been spoiled and have frankly received more than our dollar’s worth in the past, those days are over. My room at the Hilton before my last Breakaway cruise cost $330 a night with nothing included, or $2300 for the week before meals. What did you spend for the last dinner you went out for at home and how does that compare to per diem that you are paying for a night on a ship that included your room, meals and entertainment?

 

People have to be realistic … it truly is a privilege to have the means, ability and health to go on a cruise but ultimately, it’s still a business that has to make money.

 

Terrific summary. I always feel like responding to others that just bag the cruise lines but do not need the hassle that can come with that, so to read your plain and simple facts of life summary was great.

Myself I have booked a large Balcony (this is a treat for us) and I received the UBP, UDP and $75 OBC. The cost saving,s allow us to enjoy the cruise a bit more without having to count our pennies every day and could not do the same if not on a cruise package.

Great reading

 

Mark

[jaja]

 

I can see extra staff for the Haven....but if you're just in a suite....what's the extra staff besides the Butler?

 

Harriet

 

I have to agree here...we book an aft Penthouse.. 1 room..1 bathroom .There is a big difference between these suites and the Haven...in regards to staff needed for upkeep. But I guess it is just easier for NCL to lump all suites together. :mad:

[sparks1093]

What I find curious is this: I'm not really certain some these people who are complaining so much about NCL have ever actually cruised on NCL because they don't seem to know certain things about how NCL operates, which anyone who has cruised NCL should know. So that brings me to what I think may be going on. There are people who get on the internet with the purpose of trying to impact a company's stock or cause problems for a company. These people may not even be customers of that company but they believe that they are engaging in some kind of activism by making damaging posts to cause maximum harm to these companies. They act in concert to try to influence others and cause as much damage to a company as they can. Unfortunately there are many online groups that do these things. And that's what I suspect may be going on here with some posters. They may be members of this type of group and they may have a goal of damaging NCL. They may, in fact, be internet hacktivists and not actual cruisers.

 

A good number of loyal NCL cruisers (people that were labeled "cheerleaders")were upset enough about the changes that they cancelled their cruises and have evidently left the NCL forum. I have personally sailed with NCL only 4 times, but in that time they had banked a good deal of good will with me and my family. That goodwill has now been expended. This does not mean that NCL is an evil company, that the company is going to fail or anything else- it just means that we don't like the changes and NCL is now on equal footing with their competitors. I do hope to sail with NCL, but as long as their fares remain several hundred higher than their competitors it isn't going to happen. I do understand that business is business and Del Rio certainly can take the company in whatever direction he wants to take it. That doesn't mean that I (or others) have to follow.

[emmak8]

Remember, it's all about the money. Cruise lines have to make money any way they can:

 

gratuities

excursions

beverages

photographs

specialty restaurants

specialty entertainment

gift shops

 

You can cut out all but gratuities .

[lanceholt]

I love the ship within a ship concept. Only those that want that type of cruise pay for it. The other 90% plus can cruise more affordably.

 

Agree, very like the Concierge Level at the large hotels, you want it, you pay for it, but others in the hotel can stay more affordably.

[lanceholt]

I haven't actually sailed with NCL yet, but we are booked for Europe April 2016 In haven family suite. It was by far the cheapest we found for that itinerary so there is no way I would cancel and go to another cruise line.

 

We have traveled on land in Europe and a number of years ago it became so expensive that we changed to European cruises with a few days tacked on before/after on land. First time we booked NCL in the Med it was also by far the cheapest European itinerary you could find. We can usually cruise in a suite for less than a balcony on other lines. If you can find a better deal, go for it, or if you don't like what you get just don't go. That is the beauty of free choice.

[sjbdtz]

Gobbledygook! Even as they try to clarify they continue to mystify! Can't they find somebody better able to express themselves in clear English? It reads like it could have been written by a certain poster we all know and love around here.

 

We all (kind of?) know what they're trying to say. But somebody reading that "sentence" with no prior knowledge of past or current NCL policy would hardly be excused for thinking This thing says both -- that "butlers and concierge [sic] are not included" and "the DSC is for the additional dedicated Haven/suite staff."

 

While you quoted in red ink, here's my blue pencil edit. NCL can comp me a dinner at Cagney's for this help and I stand ready to apply my awesome editing skills for future pronouncements, too.

 

Hi Catherine, sorry for any confusion. Our dedicated Haven/suite staff of butlers and concierges are not included in the DSC.

 

 

Your edit completely changed the message that was being delivered.

 

The message was (my edit):

 

The butlers & concierge are NOT the recipients of the extra Suite DSC. That DSC is for the other people who tend to the Haven exclusively.

 

 

Those people would include the Haven attendant who will deliver food to your chair in the Haven.

 

There are attendants required to clean the Haven itself, also the Haven lounge, etc.

 

What NCL seems to have done is segregate those people from the normal DSC pool, and have them compensated just from the Suite uplift in DSC. That mimics the approach of User-Pay used elsewhere on the ship.

 

I would expect that some small portion of it goes to the staff at the Haven Restaurant (no charges, so no tips), and the Haven Lounge barstaff who wouldn't have enough guests to provide them a reasonable income without some top-up.

 

That's what the comment in Red was saying.

 

 

 

Separately, does anybody remember the Andy Stuart quote from the Money On The High Seas tv documentary, where he says "we all have little secrets in which we earn our money"?

 

Clearly even at the VP level revenue management was top-of-mind. Probably even moreso now that he's in charge.

 

 

Stephen

 

 

.

[newmexicoNita]

A good number of loyal NCL cruisers (people that were labeled "cheerleaders")were upset enough about the changes that they cancelled their cruises and have evidently left the NCL forum. I have personally sailed with NCL only 4 times, but in that time they had banked a good deal of good will with me and my family. That goodwill has now been expended. This does not mean that NCL is an evil company, that the company is going to fail or anything else- it just means that we don't like the changes and NCL is now on equal footing with their competitors. I do hope to sail with NCL, but as long as their fares remain several hundred higher than their competitors it isn't going to happen. I do understand that business is business and Del Rio certainly can take the company in whatever direction he wants to take it. That doesn't mean that I (or others) have to follow.

 

Maybe I am just getting old, but I haven't seen any true "cheerleaders" that have left and gone to onther lines. Well, at least none that come to mind, I am sure there have been a handful: certainly not enough to affect the overall picture. I have seen a few that are or were very upset.Most of the problems have been related to the room service charge. That seems to have hit some peoples pocket book the hardest. The rest of the stuff is minor ande I doubt would ever chase away a true NCL vet. My travel agent did say: what would have been the best approach to all this would have come out with a bundle package or a marketing approach, using the bundle idea. They could have put everything into one announcement, from the a la carte, to the gratuity increase, to room service, using an approach like "to save confusion" of whatever. Would people have gone into orbit? SUre, but it would have died down within a very short period of time. This will too,

 

btw: I remember when they introduced the new perks: a glass of champagne upon boarding, coffee pots in every cabin: robes for everyone. The excitement was unbelievable. They they took it all away a few years later. So many said they were going to find another line:all over a couple little perks taken away. For those who have been around long enough, you must remember when "Freestyle" was introduced. OMG, you would think the world had come to an end, but what happened? Within a few years every line adopted some form of open dining. And how about NCL being the first to introduce the DSC instead of the old form of tipping? The same thing, people were on here for months saying they would never cruise NCL and the thought it was awful. My point? Is any of these recent changes worth having a cat fit over and will it really affect any of us 10 months or 10 years from now?

Edited July 19, 2015 by newmexicoNita

[sparks1093]

Maybe I am just getting old, but I haven't seen any true "cheerleaders" that have left and gone to onther lines. Well, at least none that come to mind, I am sure there have been a handful: certainly not enough to affect the overall picture. I have seen a few that are or were very upset.Most of the problems have been related to the room service charge. That seems to have hit some peoples pocket book the hardest. The rest of the stuff is minor ande I doubt would ever chase away a true NCL vet. My travel agent did say: what would have been the best approach to all this would have come out with a bundle package or a marketing approach, using the bundle idea. They could have put everything into one announcement, from the a la carte, to the gratuity increase, to room service, using an approach like "to save confusion" of whatever. Would people have gone into orbit? SUre, but it would have died down within a very short period of time. This will too,

 

btw: I remember when they introduced the new perks: a glass of champagne upon boarding, coffee pots in every cabin: robes for everyone. The excitement was unbelievable. They they took it all away a few years later. So many said they were going to find another line:all over a couple little perks taken away. For those who have been around long enough, you must remember when "Freestyle" was introduced. OMG, you would think the world had come to an end, but what happened? Within a few years every line adopted some form of open dining. And how about NCL being the first to introduce the DSC instead of the old form of tipping? The same thing, people were on here for months saying they would never cruise NCL and the thought it was awful. My point? Is any of these recent changes worth having a cat fit over and will it really affect any of us 10 months or 10 years from now?

 

There were a number as I recall, exactly how many I don't know because I didn't keep track. Change is change but the change that is getting me the most is the seeming direction that Del Rio wants to take NCL and if I am right in that the recent changes are only the tip of the ice berg. I know that I would probably feel differently if I hadn't read his interview where he talked about $4 or $5 more per passenger or the statements to investors saying that passengers are a captive audience. The changes may work out to be a good thing for NCL (only time is going to tell if the strategy is going to work), but that doesn't mean that they will be good for me as an individual customer.

[maywell]

 

btw: I remember when they introduced the new perks: a glass of champagne upon boarding, coffee pots in every cabin: robes for everyone. The excitement was unbelievable. They they took it all away a few years later. So many said they were going to find another line:all over a couple little perks taken away. For those who have been around long enough, you must remember when "Freestyle" was introduced. OMG, you would think the world had come to an end, but what happened? Within a few years every line adopted some form of open dining. And how about NCL being the first to introduce the DSC instead of the old form of tipping? The same thing, people were on here for months saying they would never cruise NCL and the thought it was awful. My point? Is any of these recent changes worth having a cat fit over and will it really affect any of us 10 months or 10 years from now?

 

 

This paragraph pretty much sums up my attitude to some of these complainers that claim they been cruising since Ronald Reagan was making movies - However did they survive all those other changes from years past? How did they handle the Norway, Majesty, Dream, etc leaving the fleet and all these big humongous ships replacing them? I guess extremely well since they have no problem sailing on the likes of Pearl, Sky, Dawn which is 3 times the size of the older ships. How did they cope with lobster, escargot, sushi, etc going unannounced from the MDR (complimentary) to specialty restaurants (extra fee - nickel & diming) under Sheenan's tenure? I guess well since some have no problems with what's in the MDR for dinner and others went to specialty restaurants to paid to eat those dishes. Speaking of Sheenan, there's posts here from 2007-2008 regarding the $2 increase in DSC from $10 to $12 where people were extremely upset about the it - some of the people upset about it are still posting and sailing on NCL to this day.

 

There's been more changes but ones I and NewmexicoNita listed are like the major ones that would make one scratch head regarding the situation now compare to years past. Except for the room service fee - you ordered alot of room service and the cost hurts or you just don't care about it - every new change that came out this year, is hardly worth battling a eyelash at (Yes, even the a la carte dining - you're either going to eat in there and pay for it in some form or you're not).

 

Something odd number of years / decades of cruising and this year's changes hurts the most compare to NCL past history? Kinda hard to take some people who say they are experience cruisers seriously right now when they extremely upset for most of the minor changes. (Some of the changes have grandfather clauses to them due to booking early and/or the promos - yet, some people are still upset and whining about it)

[Aquahound]

A good number of loyal NCL cruisers (people that were labeled "cheerleaders")were upset enough about the changes that they cancelled their cruises and have evidently left the NCL forum.

 

One of them claimed to quit cruising and Cruise Critic all together...although I think she's back with a new name. ;)

[Cruise4Real]

Your edit completely changed the message that was being delivered.

 

The message was (my edit):

 

The butlers & concierge are NOT the recipients of the extra Suite DSC. That DSC is for the other people who tend to the Haven exclusively.

 

Those people would include the Haven attendant who will deliver food to your chair in the Haven.

 

There are attendants required to clean the Haven itself, also the Haven lounge, etc.

 

What NCL seems to have done is segregate those people from the normal DSC pool, and have them compensated just from the Suite uplift in DSC. That mimics the approach of User-Pay used elsewhere on the ship.

 

I would expect that some small portion of it goes to the staff at the Haven Restaurant (no charges, so no tips), and the Haven Lounge barstaff who wouldn't have enough guests to provide them a reasonable income without some top-up.

 

That's what the comment in Red was saying.

 

Hey, great catch! As you point out, I had definite difficulty understanding what the heck NCL was saying. If you want to put that on me, go right ahead. LOL!

 

I'm sure you've read the subsequent posts between Harriet and me where she explained that the NCL statement was in response to a query by somebody on the other page. With the query in hand I was able to (just barely!) figure out what the text I labeled gobbledygook actually meant.

 

If you want to pretend that the gobbledygook was "crystal clear," feel free. IMESFHO it was a horribly run-on sentence devoid of useful punctuation and contained a number of errors of basic English. If that's good enough for you, fine. It's not good enough for me.

[sjbdtz]

Hey, great catch! As you point out, I had definite difficulty understanding what the heck NCL was saying. If you want to put that on me, go right ahead. LOL!

 

I'm sure you've read the subsequent posts between Harriet and me where she explained that the NCL statement was in response to a query by somebody on the other page. With the query in hand I was able to (just barely!) figure out what the text I labeled gobbledygook actually meant.

 

If you want to pretend that the gobbledygook was "crystal clear," feel free. IMESFHO it was a horribly run-on sentence devoid of useful punctuation and contained a number of errors of basic English. If that's good enough for you, fine. It's not good enough for me.

 

No, no. I wasn't criticizing you. I was just pointing out what I believe they intended to say.

 

I agree it could certainly have been clearer.

 

I have the good fortune of working with 12 people for whom English is not their first language, and deciphering is one of my new talents. :D

 

 

Stephen

 

.

[motleyfan]

Yup love ncl but would eventually try another line only to cruise places that NCL doesn't currently go.

[motleyfan]

^^^ Realest of real talk right here.

 

I still think NCL is the best mid-level line out there, and can be a great value if you understand how they work.

 

But the new management team has a lot to learn regarding nickel and diming, as well as silly, customer-hostile policies which don't bring in much revenue.

 

Rules against bringing food to your cabin? And then they retracted these rules, leaving egg all over their faces? Did they never hear of market research?

 

TWO separate increases to the DSC in 4 months, with a refusal to grandfather existing bookings unless people prepay the DSC?

 

And now this a la carte nonsense.

 

I have no issue with NCL finding new ways to profit, but it seems right now they just randomly change a policy, wait to see how angry everyone gets, and go from there.

 

Where did these people go to school?

 

Thank you for saying management team and not just blame it on Del Rio like some cruisers on here tend to do. People forget that no matter what Del Rio comes up with there is a board of directors. Anything he says has to be voted on and approved by them. So to the people who blame poor Del Rio you must also blame the Board of Directors. I definitely agree with the Op I've never Cruise Danny line other than Ncl but I have looked into them before.

[sparks1093]

Thank you for saying management team and not just blame it on Del Rio like some cruisers on here tend to do. People forget that no matter what Del Rio comes up with there is a board of directors. Anything he says has to be voted on and approved by them. So to the people who blame poor Del Rio you must also blame the Board of Directors. I definitely agree with the Op I've never Cruise Danny line other than Ncl but I have looked into them before.

 

It starts at the top, but at the end of the day whoever is making the decisions is taking NCL in a new direction and many NCL loyalists don't like it (and this all started when Del Rio took over so fair or not he's the one that is going to be blamed). (And as I understand it Del Rio handpicked his management team after getting rid of the old one, so in many eyes it's same same.)

 

I don't think this means the end of NCL, just the end of NCL as we knew it. Some people will stay, some people will leave, and new people will be attracted and life will go on for all of us. I have a lot of good memories of my cruises with NCL and am saddened that I will likely not be able to cruise with them in the future. C'est la vie.

Edited July 21, 2015 by sparks1093

[newmexicoNita]

There were a number as I recall, exactly how many I don't know because I didn't keep track. Change is change but the change that is getting me the most is the seeming direction that Del Rio wants to take NCL and if I am right in that the recent changes are only the tip of the ice berg. I know that I would probably feel differently if I hadn't read his interview where he talked about $4 or $5 more per passenger or the statements to investors saying that passengers are a captive audience. The changes may work out to be a good thing for NCL (only time is going to tell if the strategy is going to work), but that doesn't mean that they will be good for me as an individual customer.

 

ok, I will buy that, I know there have been a few and a few others that say they will leave. I really don't think more than a handful of true, long time NCL "cheerleaders" Are goint to desert due to these changes. Even if Del Rios idea is to end up hitting the average customer up for an additional $5 a day, that isn't enough or shouldnt' be enough to drive any of us away. That is a mear $50 on a 10 day cruise. Maybe we should put him into a catagory like Turmp: brillant businessman, jerk when it comes to attitude and communication skills?

[sparks1093]

ok, I will buy that, I know there have been a few and a few others that say they will leave. I really don't think more than a handful of true, long time NCL "cheerleaders" Are goint to desert due to these changes. Even if Del Rios idea is to end up hitting the average customer up for an additional $5 a day, that isn't enough or shouldnt' be enough to drive any of us away. That is a mear $50 on a 10 day cruise. Maybe we should put him into a catagory like Turmp: brillant businessman, jerk when it comes to attitude and communication skills?

 

Yes, he could work on his delivery some:). My biggest concern is the seeming direction Del Rio wants to take NCL- he wants to turn NCL into a more upscale line and I've no interest in sailing on Oceania lite. If the price is right I'll still choose NCL (at least once more;)) but given the pricing I've seen lately I don't think that's going to be happening anytime soon.