Can't bring soda on board anymore

[triptolemus]

I hope members are wrong and NCL is allowing people with medical notes. :confused: Denying medical issues is like saying someone with a peanut allergy can't bring an EPI pen! CMON! I guess time will tell, I suppose!

 

NCL will now offer EpiPen - available to pre-order for your stateroom. Have peace of mind for just $999 for a two pack of this life saving device.

 

For your convenience and safety, passengers are no longer permitted to bring EpiPen onboard our ships.

[aubreyc1988]

NCL will now offer EpiPen - available to pre-order for your stateroom. Have peace of mind for just $999 for a two pack of this life saving device.

 

For your convenience and safety, passengers are no longer permitted to bring EpiPen onboard our ships.

 

[NLH Arizona]

There is another thread on here about someone being denied with medical notes. I bring pedialyte for my son and we bring formula/water too in case he doesn't eat the food onboard. NCL said they'd allow this, but members here have stated otherwise.

Since no one has come back from a cruise since the new policy, not sure why anyone would say you can bring water for formula, which NCL clearly states that you can bring according to the policy. With regard to the pedialyte, I would call NCL and make sure there is a notation on your reservation about it and while you are talking to them, have them note the formula and water as well.

[NLH Arizona]

I hope members are wrong and NCL is allowing people with medical notes. :confused: Denying medical issues is like saying someone with a peanut allergy can't bring an EPI pen! CMON! I guess time will tell, I suppose!

Only one poster said NCL told them they would not get a medical waiver. The poster wanted to bring water and gatorade, both of which is sold on the ships, in order not to pay the prices onboard the ship.

[LMaxwell]

Since no one has come back from a cruise since the new policy, not sure why anyone would say you can bring water for formula, which NCL clearly states that you can bring according to the policy. With regard to the pedialyte, I would call NCL and make sure there is a notation on your reservation about it and while you are talking to them, have them note the formula and water as well.

 

My NCL cruise is booked with a T.A. I will send them a quick email. Good suggestions. There would be a real problem if NCL did not honor their word to allow parents to bring water for formula onboard.

[Annmeat]

Oh dear Lord. It was a sarcastic remark in response to inanity

Edited July 17, 2016 by Annmeat

[aubreyc1988]

Seeing as an epi pen 2 pack sells for between 650-800 bucks, the markup is not nearly in keeping with NCL pricing. I am speaking of of purchase without an insurance co-pay, of course.

 

an EPI pen is certainly something you need ON your person, it's not an after the fact sort of thing. I used to have one, but my allergy has subsides and is more of an irritation. But I would feel outraged if any medical require was treated like no water on board...Some things you just MEDICALLY NEED

 

Yes, some will abuse medical notes, but some people i can see actually need some special treatment!

[triptolemus]

Seeing as an epi pen 2 pack sells for between 650-800 bucks, the markup is not nearly in keeping with NCL pricing. I am speaking of of purchase without an insurance co-pay, of course.

 

A quick google showed me $380 - good enough for the joke, don't ya think?

[Annmeat]

My NCL cruise is booked with a T.A. I will send them a quick email. Good suggestions. There would be a real problem if NCL did not honor their word to allow parents to bring water for formula onboard.[/quote

 

 

You can absolutely get a waiver for pedialyte, ensure, soy milk/ almond milk. I have a patient who gets them routinely from RCL and received one from NCL access/ accommodation. She didn't even know that fluids were allowed in the past, in her pre-cruise routine she called and was told"the change won't affect you, ma'am" . She didn't realize that liquids were only recently banned.They told her it wasn't actually needed as pedialyte is not available on board except in the infirmary and is a medical necessity. Same with ensure. She has emailed me a copy of the NCL email. I won't post it for obvious reasons.

 

Her family

Is Sailing on Breakaway in September to Bermuda, she has a child with severe physical handicaps which interfere with adequate nutrition .

 

I suggested she also carry the prescription that we give her as she has in the past just in case there are ornery security folk. We do not write on a letterhead, we use the non-forgable pads with water marks and other security measures.

[Annmeat]

an EPI pen is certainly something you need ON your person, it's not an after the fact sort of thing. I used to have one, but my allergy has subsides and is more of an irritation. But I would feel outraged if any medical require was treated like no water on board...Some things you just MEDICALLY NEED

 

Yes, some will abuse medical notes, but some people i can see actually need some special treatment!

 

I was responding to a series of perhaps sardonic comments made by CC members . For some reason the Triptolrmus quot accompanying your picture did not copy.I trying to point out the ridiculousness of some of these posts. You would of course be outraged and NCL would be out of business. My pointing out that the price of 999 is not unreasonable for 2 epi-pens was i....never mind.

 

NCL isn't taking away anyone's medicine .

Edited July 17, 2016 by Annmeat

[Annmeat]

There is another thread on here about someone being denied with medical notes. I bring pedialyte for my son and we bring formula/water too in case he doesn't eat the food onboard. NCL said they'd allow this, but members here have stated otherwise.

 

Call access and get a physician's note on a prescription pad. We give these to out patient's when needed. Had a patient get a waiver for her daughter just today ( she may have actually received it Friday, I saw it today , Saturday) even though NCL said that she would not need it for pedialyte

Edited July 17, 2016 by Annmeat

[GiGi]

NCL is denying water for medical issues. I have been going round and round with them for two weeks. They will not take a doctor's note stating medical necessity. They state that water is available on board therefore no exceptions- use the tap water or buy filtered Dasani water for a crazy price.

 

Pedialyte will not be an issue, nor will water for medical devices such as CPAP machines. Water for formula is also an exception, but I would check if you need to bring it in a specific container size (ie. gallon vs. a case of 12 ounce bottles).

 

I was truly hoping there would have been some kind of reverse in policy (or lowering of the price of bottled water) once the 15th passed. We leave on the 31st so not much more time to figure this out.

[runner.marie]

I was a bit shoked when i heard about this new policy. I agree with you, the price for botteld water is over the top.

That people not amused, because of not bringing their favorit soft Drink, thats someting i cannot understand.

As far as i can remember , filling bottles at the waterstation is not allowed.

If you are booking from Germany, Swiss or Ostria, you will have a AI beverage package with two bottles of water per day included. The minus Point is.....prices are gone up. For me, i don't drink any alcohol...subsidize other passangers :D

But i am not moaning around about that.....it is as it is.:rolleyes:

 

Marie

[insidecabin]

maybe i should have specified for us cruisers. i have checked other sites in different countries and find the prices are always higher than on us sites so either way, you are paying for it. ;)

 

Don't forget that the price(UK/EU) includes the taxes and the extra grsts on the free stuff so make sure you are comparing like for like.

 

Germany booking are on very different terms to the rest of the EU/UK as they have extras included.

 

there have been plenty of trips where UK prices were better than US.

[sparks1093]

True but space isn't unlimited on a cruise ship to carry everyone's preferred brand either, and that is the same as all the others.

 

I acknowledged that fact up thread and stated that the cruise line used to accommodate passengers wants by allowing them to bring on limited quantities of their preferred soft drink. The NCL that I used to know told passengers that they were like family and the ship was their home away from home. Now it seems that passengers are unwanted step-children that'll keep their mouths shut and accept the gruel without complaint.

[sparks1093]

to me, what they get paid isn't my business. That's their business, they signed the contract, just like I signed my cruise contract. It's their JOB, at the very least, to do their job without getting snippy. I would have been unhappy if I had been treated like that and would have made note of it in my comment card.

 

Yep, they work in the hospitality industry and need to treat guests as guests. They should not be taking out their frustrations on them.

[SteveH2508]

to me, what they get paid isn't my business. That's their business, they signed the contract, just like I signed my cruise contract. It's their JOB, at the very least, to do their job without getting snippy. I would have been unhappy if I had been treated like that and would have made note of it in my comment card.

 

NCL have got themselves a reputation for changing the rules after contracts with passenger are entered into - we also know of a few areas where they have changed the rules for employees as well. This may have something to do with some staff having a 'less than stellar' attitude to service.

[mickeysgal]

With this latest and greatest change, I don't know what NCL is trying to prove other than to drive customers away.

 

Classic and Premium beverage packages on Celebrity include gratuities, bottled water and specialty coffees. Looks like Princess includes water and coffee as well with their beverage package.

 

What's next...charging for entertainment, charging by pieces of luggage, charging for anything in the MDR other than some fixed/standard options, cover charges for bar area entertainment? It wouldn't surprise me.

 

But congratulations to NCL...they are redefining the nitpicking nickle and dimeing that cruise lines all too often get labeled. They're leading the way.

[beerman2]

I acknowledged that fact up thread and stated that the cruise line used to accommodate passengers wants by allowing them to bring on limited quantities of their preferred soft drink. The NCL that I used to know told passengers that they were like family and the ship was their home away from home. Now it seems that passengers are unwanted step-children that'll keep their mouths shut and accept the gruel without complaint.

 

Must have missed that! I've had my issues with a situation on my 1st NCL a couple of years ago.We were completely lied to by a couple of NCL officers.

 

If other cruiselines would bring their pricing closer to OUR wants ( UBP added in) we would cruise them.

 

As of now NCL is the only one that meets the criteria .

[rhblake]

I have said it before and I will say it again - We on Cruise Critic have less than 25,000 members while the cruise industry has over 20,000,000 passengers per year. We are nothing in the scheme of things but a ripple in the ocean. Of the members of Cruise Critic I would guess less than 25% of us (about 6,250 of us) lug water on our cruise.

 

As you may be able to tell I don't care about lugging water on my cruise but here is my second contribution to getting to 2,500 post on the subject of lugging water on your cruise.

[SteveH2508]

<snip> Looks like Princess includes water and coffee as well with their beverage package.

 

<snip>

 

Princess's AIBP is $49 + 15% per day IIRC. It includes water, proper coffee and, I think, gelato. Also, their drinks are a couple of dollars cheaper than NCL.

 

If Princess can profit from it, then NCL are either gouging, or NCL's cost base is way out of control.

[swedish weave]

I have said it before and I will say it again - We on Cruise Critic have less than 25,000 members while the cruise industry has over 20,000,000 passengers per year. We are nothing in the scheme of things but a ripple in the ocean. Of the members of Cruise Critic I would guess less than 25% of us (about 6,250 of us) lug water on our cruise.

 

As you may be able to tell I don't care about lugging water on my cruise but here is my second contribution to getting to 2,500 post on the subject of lugging water on your cruise.

 

If Cruise Critic is as insignificant as you say, can you explain why all the cruise lines read these boards and why they support CC groups onboard the ships ??

[titangas]

Princess's AIBP is $49 + 15% per day IIRC. It includes water, proper coffee and, I think, gelato. Also, their drinks are a couple of dollars cheaper than NCL.

 

If Princess can profit from it, then NCL are either gouging, or NCL's cost base is way out of control.

 

Or on average the typical NCL passenger drinks more than the typical Princess passenger than the profit margin each gets is not solely tied the price charged.

 

I personally think most on here are making a mountain out of a mole hill.

You don't bring your own parts and go to the neighborhood garage to fix your car. You don't walk into the diner with your own bagel and cream cheese.

 

Almost every restaurant I know of does not allow you to bring your own beverage.

Many hotels (not the Hampton Inn, Holiday Inn type) that I know of do not allow outside food and beverage as stated in their policies, although many ignore this.

 

I will say I did bring water on board in Barcelona as it was very convenient being sold in the terminal and I knew we would need it when we left the ship on excursions.

 

We also never drink Pepsi products at home, my family managed drinking lemonade, root beer and orange soda.

[sparks1093]

Or on average the typical NCL passenger drinks more than the typical Princess passenger than the profit margin each gets is not solely tied the price charged.

 

I personally think most on here are making a mountain out of a mole hill.

You don't bring your own parts and go to the neighborhood garage to fix your car. You don't walk into the diner with your own bagel and cream cheese.

 

Almost every restaurant I know of does not allow you to bring your own beverage.

Many hotels (not the Hampton Inn, Holiday Inn type) that I know of do not allow outside food and beverage as stated in their policies, although many ignore this.

 

I will say I did bring water on board in Barcelona as it was very convenient being sold in the terminal and I knew we would need it when we left the ship on excursions.

 

We also never drink Pepsi products at home, my family managed drinking lemonade, root beer and orange soda.

 

If any hotel has a ban on outside food and beverage it pertains to the meeting/convention rooms and not the guest rooms (although they imply that it does in their policies). Again, a cruise line is unique and the most apt comparison is with a resort.

[HarpHarp]

A quick google showed me $380 - good enough for the joke, don't ya think?

 

As someone who was in the pharmaceutical industry, I found this article from Bloomberg interesting.

http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/moneybox/2016/07/epipen_costs_have_soared_450_percent_in_the_past_12_years_for_no_good_reason.html?wpsrc=sh_all_dt_tw_top

 

Anyone have news about embark this weekend?