Can't bring soda on board anymore

[Hunwolf]

I don't think that is entirely true. FWIW, my next cruise with NCL isn't until March of 2017 and I've already received the notice...well outside of the cancellation penalty phase.

 

 

I suspect that many of those who have not yet been notified are those who booked with a TA. Remember, NCL is only going to notify the guests who booked direct. Those who booked with a TA will only receive the notice from their TA, not from NCL.

 

We booked with an NCL cruise planner for next June and have not been notified.

[Cruise Junky]

This is Del Rio's way of softly pushing out the "value" cruisers which NCL hates.

Already have booked and payed for my Next Cruise.

And My Last With Ncl.

 

They're not going to draw passengers from the lines of Princess and Celebrity with this ridiculous policy on top of charging the 18% for the drink,package. I'm not a value cruiser and I just cancelled my first NCL cruise in 8 years.

[Feelin' Nauti']

I totally agree with you. We have completed over 20 cruises and this is our first NCL cruise...Hawaii July 23, 2016. I figured we would try NCL and possibly go on more cruises with them in the future. Now, I am so turned off...I definitely will not consider any future cruises with them.:mad:

Same here!

Have my cruise coming up in Nov.

Didn't realize all the nickle and diming NCL does until I started reading the threads.

After my cruise, back to ***Celebrity***, Princess, Carnival, RC.

[IggleDoer]

At the airport, after security, you can buy bottled water or cans of soda and take it on the plane. Why can't someone sell cases beyond security or six-packs at the port and people can buy water or sodas and put it in their carry-ons to bring on the ship?

[cruizinwithkids]

Not entirely true. From their website:

 

Q. Can I bring outside food and beverages into Disneyland Park or Disney California Adventure Park?

A. At the present time, you can enjoy your own food and beverages in an ideal setting at the complimentary picnic area—conveniently located outside the Main Entrance to Disneyland Park.

However, with the exception of food items for Guests with specific dietary restrictions, outside food or beverage items are not permitted in either of the Disneyland Resort theme parks.

The Disneyland Resort features a variety of great dining options for almost every taste and budget—including a wide range of choices to help accommodate Guests with food allergies or intolerances.

 

https://disneyland.disney.go.com/faq/dining/outside-food-in-park/

 

I can't post a link as it's the employee site, but this is what it says there:

 

With the exception of food items for Guests with specific dietary restrictions, we do not permit Guests to bring food and beverage items into our theme parks. We request that all food and beverages brought to the parks by our visitors be left in the lockers located in the Picnic Area. Generally, however, small snacks and plastic bottles for water, juice, etc. are allowed. For safety reasons, please note that metal utensils and glass containers are not permitted in the theme parks.

[tiger-91]

This absolutely infuriates me for several reasons.

 

The no bottled water thing is even worse than the no soda thing.

 

I like to have bottled water in the room for two purposes. First, it's great to have around the room or for walking around the ship. Second, and more importantly, I bring it on my self-planned shore excursions. I typically buy a case of water, bring it onboard, and take a few bottles out at each shore excursion. Now I can't do this anymore, unless I buy the ripoff bottled water from NCL (which is obviously the point of this).

 

The soda thing also sucks. I enjoy having soda in the room so I can fill a glass with ice, pour myself some soda, and sit on the balcony and relax. Now I can't do that anymore. If I want soda, I need to go all the way to wherever they sell it, and bring it back to the room. Awful.

 

I'm cruising in 5 months. I'm hoping there is a major backlash to this (similar to what was experienced with the "no bringing food back to your room" thing), and NCL changes its policy.

 

If not, I might decide to take my business elsewhere in 2017 and beyond. Enough is enough.

 

BTW, I wonder if one could claim a "medical reason" and get an exception made for the bottled water, or if you're only allowed to take gallons of purified water onboard for that reason. Probably the latter.

 

Also, LOL @ not being able to take open drinks you bought at the port back on board. Terrible.

 

Since you only care about water, you could take empty bottles with you and fill them up on board. I'll be doing that with iced tea to take on shore. I took cola on board for my morning caffeine, but I'll make do with iced tea. I started this trick in airports when they disallowed taking liquids through security. Fill bottle up at water fountain after security.

[SeaShark]

We booked with an NCL cruise planner for next June and have not been notified.

Well, either NCL notified everybody with a booking and somehow forgot you (unlikely), or they haven't completely gone through the list of prebooked customers. Either way you've still got 6+ months before you hit the penalty phase.

 

Have you spoken with your cruise planner?

[GeezerCouple]

I don't think that is entirely true. FWIW, my next cruise with NCL isn't until March of 2017 and I've already received the notice...well outside of the cancellation penalty phase.

 

 

I suspect that many of those who have not yet been notified are those who booked with a TA. Remember, NCL is only going to notify the guests who booked direct. Those who booked with a TA will only receive the notice from their TA, not from NCL.

 

Thank you.

 

This is the *first* we've heard from someone who received that email notification directly from NCL *before* any penalty to cancel kicked in.

 

Our next cruise was booked directly with NCL, and the penalty to cancel will kick in in about 2-3 weeks, and we've received absolutely nothing about this from NCL.

And we have a bunch of cruises reserved where the penalty phases don't start for an additional few months, or more.

 

We had to go look for this on the NCL website after reading about it here on CC.

 

So... that is good information to have. It makes a difference.

 

It would also be nice to hear from a few others who are getting this notification comfortably in advance of any penalty cut-off.

 

Thanks again.

[NLH Arizona]

Look, when you buy anything at an airport its highway robbery. One time while looking for yogurt at the airport I did find different prices at different kiosks. Just because it happens everywhere, doesn't mean its right.

 

Some of us like to carry a bottle of water while on our excursions. The water on the ship makes my ankles swell after a few days. I drink tea and coffee at my meals, so I have no choice as to make my own hot drinks...and this is enough to make my ankles swell up. It appears also, I am not the only one this happens to.

 

What NCL wants to charge is offensive!

Sorry you can't drink the water on the ship, but what I was referring to was the price of water being sold at a high price, not if one could tolerate tap water or not or if folks should be allowed to bring it on or not. As I have said, I think NCL needs to reduce the price of their water.

[Feelin' Nauti']

I have cruised NCL once; I'm usually a Celebrity and Royal Caribbean cruiser. The last time I cruised NCL (and my upcoming cruise in October), I received the beverage package as part of my reservation, and had to pay the gratuities for it. When I was on board, I was amazed to learn that the package did not include coffee (unless I put liquor in it) or bottled water. Celebrity and RCCL do not charge gratuities for any free package - it's actually FREE. Plus all the specialty coffees and bottles of water you want are included. I'm pretty sure this will be my last NCL cruise.

When I booked, NCL special said FREE UBP, Great! Then noticed gratuities aren't included. :cool: I will never book with Norwegian

again. Free used to be Free.

So spoiled with Celebrity. Best package out there.

 

Being I paid for the tips, wait staff shouldn't expect me to tip more...;) With Celebrity, being gratuities were included in the free package, I had no problem tipping any server who waited on me and gave great service.

[Jimmy Geegitz]

When I booked' date=' NCL special said FREE UBP, Great! Then noticed gratuities aren't included. :cool: I will never book with Norwegian

again. Free used to be Free.

So spoiled with Celebrity. Best package out there.

 

Being I paid for the tips, wait staff shouldn't expect me to tip more...;) With Celebrity, being gratuities were included in the free package, I had no problem tipping any server who waited on me and gave great service.[/quote']

 

Gratuity not included? If I worked for NCL I wouldn't like this. What happens when you order a drink do they bring u a bill for the gratuity?

[Demonyte]

Gratuity not included? If I worked for NCL I wouldn't like this. What happens when you order a drink do they bring u a bill for the gratuity?

 

You pay gratuities (18% of UBP retail price) with final payment when making a non-suite booking in US and getting the "free" UBP. Nobody with UBP pays gratuities for included drinks onboard.

Edited July 2, 2016 by Demonyte

[Frick_&_Frack]

I suspect that many of those who have not yet been notified are those who booked with a TA. Remember, NCL is only going to notify the guests who booked direct. Those who booked with a TA will only receive the notice from their TA, not from NCL.

 

I book only with a TA and received my notice from NCL for my September cruise yesterday. Still nothing for the other two not in penalty as of yet. And, as I noted earlier, my TA still hasn't been notified by NCL of the change at all.

[SeaShark]

I book only with a TA and received my notice from NCL for my September cruise yesterday. Still nothing for the other two not in penalty as of yet. And, as I noted earlier, my TA still hasn't been notified by NCL of the change at all.

Well, it sounds like you need to ask your TA for an explanation then. I wouldn't want to pay someone who wasn't on top of keeping me informed...YMMV.

[Hunwolf]

Well, either NCL notified everybody with a booking and somehow forgot you (unlikely), or they haven't completely gone through the list of prebooked customers. Either way you've still got 6+ months before you hit the penalty phase.

 

Have you spoken with your cruise planner?

 

 

 

Have not. Plan to contact him next week to discuss this.

 

For us, we really like the itinerary and only have one other option (an RCCL cruise) that would work.

[Hunwolf]

Gratuity not included? If I worked for NCL I wouldn't like this. What happens when you order a drink do they bring u a bill for the gratuity?

 

 

 

On Celebrity you just show your card and order. There's no paper trail on your end though you can tip cash obviously.

 

When I've seen it itemized they factor in the gratuity in advance of the daily charge so you only pay once. NCL undercuts the daily price to draw you in and then hits you with the gratuity. It reminds me of RCCL's "2nd passenger half price gimmick".

[Leavethekidswithmom]

You blew it NCL on this and when you tried to keep the food in the buffet, you blew it! For my safety, please, what's next, were forced to eat with plastic sporks! Please rethink this, it affects all of us and yes even your top paying customers.

[Boschmann]

I suspect that many of those who have not yet been notified are those who booked with a TA. Remember, NCL is only going to notify the guests who booked direct. Those who booked with a TA will only receive the notice from their TA, not from NCL.

 

I booked mine through NCL direct, no notice for Sept 9, 2016 final payment. Just wanted to confirm, you have no prior cruises booked to the one you got the notice for?

[Frick_&_Frack]

Well, it sounds like you need to ask your TA for an explanation then. I wouldn't want to pay someone who wasn't on top of keeping me informed...YMMV.

 

They reached out to NCL to find out why I found out from CC first (and then got an e-mail) and they hadn't been formally notified of the policy. Usually, for other NCL policy changes, they get an e-mail blast just as it's being released. This time, that didn't happen (and, since all they do is cruise vacations, they are not happy to have egg on their faces that way).

 

They are very on top of keeping me informed (however, it's hard to inform someone when you aren't notified ).

 

Sort of like how many people may not have yet been notified of this change who have cruises booked just because they aren't on CC.

[SeaShark]

I booked mine through NCL direct, no notice for Sept 9, 2016 final payment. Just wanted to confirm, you have no prior cruises booked to the one you got the notice for?

Correct. I have no cruises booked before the next one.

[Nola26]

Oh come on I know there are Dads, hubbies and heavy lifters out there that went out in the garage and did a happy dance. Now they don't have to lift and lug that stuff.

 

From NCL's perspective there are indeed lots of reasons to do this, but not just to sell stuff:

Safety - crew doesn't have to lift and maneuver these so less injury risk

Green - fewer bottles and cans to manage, lower garbage volume to handle

Speed - fewer pieces of baggage to move and inspect, faster process per guest

Cost - each of those items saves NCL $

 

It will be interesting to see how prices change on water and soda packages.

 

One suggestion I offer for those looking to keep something in the room, especially for the kids: buy some of those single serve powder drink mixes. Water is easy to grab from buffet.

 

We do have choices and when too many of things stack up against NCL some will make other choices and NCL will be left to reevaluate.

 

For us one less packing decision for our Escape cruise.

[logan25]

I have a solo cruise booked for next February. Booked directly with NCL. I have not as yet received any communication regarding the new beverage policy.

[Sissaaaaaa]

If you go to stay at a Disney World resort for a week, you can bring as many cases of Coke, Pepsi or anything else you want. It's not the same. In the park is like in the airport, but you're not living in the airport a week.

 

You are allowed to bring your own water, food, and snacks into the Disney World, as long as they are not required to be heated.

Edited July 2, 2016 by Sissaaaaaa

[SeaShark]

They reached out to NCL to find out why I found out from CC first (and then got an e-mail) and they hadn't been formally notified of the policy. Usually, for other NCL policy changes, they get an e-mail blast just as it's being released. This time, that didn't happen (and, since all they do is cruise vacations, they are not happy to have egg on their faces that way).

 

They are very on top of keeping me informed (however, it's hard to inform someone when you aren't notified ).

 

Sort of like how many people may not have yet been notified of this change who have cruises booked just because they aren't on CC.

Thats too bad. Definitely sounds like an issue that needs worked on. I'm just glad that I was promptly notified.

[NLH Arizona]

Am I the only one who is thinking this is kind of odd. When NCL announced the no food back to the cabins and other changes, there were articles, etc. about it, but with this there is no press release, no articles, etc. Possibly they are just throwing this all out to get responses not only from the cruising public in general, but those on upcoming cruises and that could be why there is the two week window before it starts. Just a thought!