What’s included on other lines that’s an extra charge on NCL?

[QuangFre]

I recently sailed on NCL in Europe last summer. Before that, I did so with RCL and Holland. 

From my experience, Holland is far superior in food and service. No room service charges at Holland unlike RCL and NCL. Specialty dining on NCL is even inferior to regular food at Holland.

 

[evandbob]

So there isn't anything chargeable on NCL that other lines make you pay for as well?  I'm going back to the OP's original question in the 1st post.

[TNcruising02]

4 hours ago, mjkacmom said:

You can’t compare the beverage packages because I can’t imagine anyone purchasing NCL’s. We did buy it once before it became a perk, and it was much cheaper than now. Paying just the gratuity means it costs less than any other line. As for the photos, who the heck wants a 16x20 canvas print!

Since promotions are excluded from the sail away cabin choices on NCL, then the beverage package can be compared.  Also, even NCL's beverage perk isn't free.  You still have to pay the gratuity on the retail package price.

Edited June 1, 2019 by TNcruising02

[mjkacmom]

1 hour ago, TNcruising02 said:

Since promotions are excluded from the sail away cabin choices on NCL, then the beverage package can be compared.  Also, even NCL's beverage perk isn't free.  You still have to pay the gratuity on the retail package price.

Sailaway is a great option for those that don’t drink since the rate is lower. I don’t consider the free UBP as really free, but definitely discounted and a lot less than what others charge. I’d rather pay around $20 a day than $50+. I do think it should include water and specialty coffee,.

[TNcruising02]

2 hours ago, mjkacmom said:

Sailaway is a great option for those that don’t drink since the rate is lower. I don’t consider the free UBP as really free, but definitely discounted and a lot less than what others charge. I’d rather pay around $20 a day than $50+. I do think it should include water and specialty coffee,.

I like the bundles with NCL, even if the free perks cost a little bit.  In the end, $20 per day is cheaper than a typical beverage package.  I was just pointing out that if something is not in a bundle, it will generally be more expensive on NCL.  NCL could have their items in line with other cruise lines price-wise, but they don't.  They definitely make their money getting people to choose cabins that are more expensive, but include the perks, and also when they sell items individually.

[navybankerteacher]

1 hour ago, TNcruising02 said:

I like the bundles with NCL, even if the free perks cost a little bit.  In the end, $20 per day is cheaper than a typical beverage package.  I was just pointing out that if something is not in a bundle, it will generally be more expensive on NCL.  NCL could have their items in line with other cruise lines price-wise, but they don't.  They definitely make their money getting people to choose cabins that are more expensive, but include the perks, and also when they sell items individually.

“... even if the free perks cost...”

 

I think this is the way NCL wants you to think — you are so happy to get the “free perks” that it does not occur you to wonder what is a fair price to pay for a “free perk”.

[TNcruising02]

Just now, navybankerteacher said:

“... even if the free perks cost...”

 

I think this is the way NCL wants you to think — you are so happy to get the “free perks” that it does not occur you to wonder what is a fair price to pay for a “free perk”.

It's definitely good advertising.  It's also slightly misleading since you do pay a gratuity fee for the "free" drink package.  I am not sure if you are charged gratuities if you choose the special restaurant perk. Anyway, they are a business and this is working for them. I've got a cruise booked with NCL in December because some extended family members chose the ship.  They are very excited about the perks and the ship.  I prefer Carnival, but our Norwegian cruises have been fun.

[NLH Arizona]

1 hour ago, TNcruising02 said:

 I am not sure if you are charged gratuities if you choose the special restaurant perk. 

Yes, you are.

[navybankerteacher]

2 hours ago, TNcruising02 said:

It's definitely good advertising.  It's also slightly misleading since you do pay a gratuity fee for the "free" drink package.  I am not sure if you are charged gratuities if you choose the special restaurant perk. Anyway, they are a business and this is working for them. I've got a cruise booked with NCL in December because some extended family members chose the ship.  They are very excited about the perks and the ship.  I prefer Carnival, but our Norwegian cruises have been fun.

Not only do you pay addition for the gratuities — but if you stop to think just a little,  is there anything about the drinks that is free —- when the package you buy includes drinks?

 

Does anyone who buys a Ford talk happily about the “free” wheels that came with the car?

[Warm Breezes]

It all comes down to doing your research.  Know what you want out of your vacation.  Find the ships that offer what you want.  Get a bottom line cost for all those ships on what you want to compare apple to apple costs.  Factor in your own past experiences, personal likes/dislikes, and reviews and then choose the ship that best fits what you want at the price you are willing to pay.  It’s all subjective based on your desires and your budget.  IMHO if you get all caught up in this nickel and diming business you may just be missing the bigger picture.

[momofmeg]

On ‎6‎/‎1‎/‎2019 at 6:19 AM, sparks1093 said:

I don't doubt your experience but in our experience they didn't get what should be basic in an Italian restaurant right. 

 Was it your experience when you say "they didn't get" what should be basic? Are you going by someone's else's experience and not your own?  Even if it is your experience, you are talking about once on ONE ship. I have eaten there 5 times on 4 ships.  On the Jade we went back a second night even though we could have picked one of their higher end  choices with our 4 night specialty package we had. Was it as good as Celebrity's Italian restaurant? No but Celebrity  also charged a higher fee and theirs is considered on par  a premium 5 star restaurant. NCL does not consider their Italian a premium restaurant, just an affordable alternate for a small extra fee.  Think Olive garden, NOT 5 star.

 

 

go to NCL's website and see what their price is for their Italian restaurant and then go to Celebrity's website and see the price of theirs. BIG different in fee.

Edited June 3, 2019 by momofmeg
add more

[sparks1093]

2 minutes ago, momofmeg said:

 Was it your experience when you say "they didn't get" what should be basic? Are you going by someone's else's experience and not your own?  Even if it is your experience, you are talking about once on ONE ship. I have eaten there 5 times on 4 ships.  On the Jade we went back a second night even though we could have picked one of their higher end  choices with our 4 night specialty package we had. Was it as good as Celebrity's Italian restaurant? No but Celebrity  also charged a higher fee and theirs is considered on par  a premium 5 star restaurant. NCL does not consider their Italian a premium restaurant, just an affordable alternate for a small extra fee.  Think Olive garden, NOT 5 star.

I would say that spaghetti is a pretty basic requirement for an Italian restaurant and if they can't cook it correctly or have a good tasting sauce then that to me speaks volumes and yes, it was my personal experience on Gem. I have eaten at many Olive Gardens and have never had such overcooked pasta in such bland sauce.

[momofmeg]

12 minutes ago, sparks1093 said:

I would say that spaghetti is a pretty basic requirement for an Italian restaurant and if they can't cook it correctly or have a good tasting sauce then that to me speaks volumes and yes, it was my personal experience on Gem. I have eaten at many Olive Gardens and have never had such overcooked pasta in such bland sauce. 

 

 

 

Okay it was your experience then, you just did a typo.  Well that was never ours and we have eaten there 6 times on 4 ships. As I said, it is on par with Olive garden unlike Celebrity's Italian which was more like  a 5 star restaurant.  But as I said, the fee on Celebrity was at least double.

 

Now Cagney's and the Japanese steakhouse are NCL's premium restaurants. They   also  have a French  (which name I do not remember) plus  they also do a Brazilian one for people who love to eat tons of meat which are more middle priced. I am a vegetarian and do not personally care for French food even though they offer a vegetation dish. so  I do  care to eat at them but my husband likes them all.  All of these are higher fees than the Italian with Cagney's and the Japanese the most expensive.

 

did you complain about the food? chances ae if you had they would have removed the surcharge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Warm Breezes]

25 minutes ago, sparks1093 said:

I would say that spaghetti is a pretty basic requirement for an Italian restaurant and if they can't cook it correctly or have a good tasting sauce then that to me speaks volumes and yes, it was my personal experience on Gem. I have eaten at many Olive Gardens and have never had such overcooked pasta in such bland sauce.

I have to agree with sparks on the Italian food on NCL.  We tried it 2x.  Both times was on NCL Jewel, years apart.  The first time it was an included restaurant, the 2nd time it was a fee but we received it free from a drawing from the Latitudes party.  Neither time did I like sauce on my pasta.  I like that I NCL offers me choices of other restaurants to choose from with the promo they give though.  I don't have to go to any restaurant that I don't like so I don't choose to go to the Italian restaurant.  We do love Cagneys and  Modernos so we choose to use our promo meals there....having more choices is a plus for me.

[momofmeg]

On ‎6‎/‎1‎/‎2019 at 11:15 PM, Warm Breezes said:

It all comes down to doing your research.  Know what you want out of your vacation.  Find the ships that offer what you want.  Get a bottom line cost for all those ships on what you want to compare apple to apple costs.  Factor in your own past experiences, personal likes/dislikes, and reviews and then choose the ship that best fits what you want at the price you are willing to pay.  It’s all subjective based on your desires and your budget.  IMHO if you get all caught up in this nickel and diming business you may just be missing the bigger picture.

 I agree we usually choose ships by itinerary offered. Our last NCL cruise was round trip NY on the Jade to Quebec city where it overnighted and Charlottetown. (Anne of Green gables)  Holland America offered a one way  7 day with a similar itinerary, no overnights, and the  one  way flight tacked on made that cruise made th ocean view room more expensive than our aft  mini suite for this 10 day. Celebrity offered a 14 day round trip  in an ocean view which had   added stops in Maine and Boston, Mass.  that also  cost a 3rd more. I had no interest in Maine of Boston as ports. 

 

As Is aid we had 4 nights in specialties, the dress up night, the dinner was good in the main dining room. In Quebec City we ate  in port. We  ate in the buffet a couple of times. Only one other time did we do the main dining room and it was only mediocre. I liked the buffet better, they offered great Indian food so we would just go there.  

 

[momofmeg]

On ‎6‎/‎1‎/‎2019 at 8:47 AM, evandbob said:

So there isn't anything chargeable on NCL that other lines make you pay for as well?  I'm going back to the OP's original question in the 1st post.

 Yes all the lines have specialty restaurants they charge extra for. The beef people have is the main dining room food is not as good as other lines. All alcohol is an extra fee in any restaurant, even the buffet. The same goes for coke and bottled water  some lines offer premium"fresh squeezed" juices that are extra fees too. You can buy packages for some of these drinks but all lines charge a gratuity on top of these prices for the packages. It is customary on all lines to leave a  gratuity  in specialty  restaurants too.

[SantaFeFan]

24 minutes ago, momofmeg said:

 Yes all the lines have specialty restaurants they charge extra for. The beef people have is the main dining room food is not as good as other lines. All alcohol is an extra fee in any restaurant, even the buffet. The same goes for coke and bottled water  some lines offer premium"fresh squeezed" juices that are extra fees too. You can buy packages for some of these drinks but all lines charge a gratuity on top of these prices for the packages. It is customary on all lines to leave a  gratuity  in specialty  restaurants too.

 

According to an article by Cruise Critic reviewers updated in March this year, on most cruise lines the gratuity is included in the extra fare for specialty restaurants. There are some exceptions, including NCL and MSC. So, according to them, on most ships tipping extra is not "customary". 

 

https://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=2077&et_cid=2921659&et_rid=80868216&et_referrer=Boards

Edited June 3, 2019 by SantaFeFan

[momofmeg]

28 minutes ago, Warm Breezes said:

I have to agree with sparks on the Italian food on NCL.  We tried it 2x.  Both times was on NCL Jewel, years apart.  The first time it was an included restaurant, the 2nd time it was a fee but we received it free from a drawing from the Latitudes party.  Neither time did I like sauce on my pasta.  I like that I NCL offers me choices of other restaurants to choose from with the promo they give though.  I don't have to go to any restaurant that I don't like so I don't choose to go to the Italian restaurant.  We do love Cagneys and  Modernos so we choose to use our promo meals there....having more choices is a plus for me.

Honestly I usually choose pesto sauce over tomato since  I have gotten older unless I have eggplant parmesan which I can enjoy every once in awhile  as long as I don't have it too often. Which is why I pick the Italian they had better vegetarian choices for me.   I am not one to pick Olive Garden at home but  then we have a great local family owned small business restaurant called Fabiano's here where I live. they are Italian Americans so you know their food is great and better than Olive Garden.

 

However I have never had watery over cooked pasta  on NCL in their specialty or my eggplant parmesan done with tomato soup for sauce. That said lol! I have had some great tomato soup on cruises. They always  add a splash of wine to it along with some blue cheese or some other extra garnish which make it taste nothing like Campbell's lol! 

[SantaFeFan]

4 minutes ago, SantaFeFan said:

 

According to an article by Cruise Critic reviewers published in March this year, on most cruise lines the gratuity is included in the extra fare for specialty restaurants. There are some exceptions, including NCL and MSC. So, according to them, on most ships tipping extra is not "customary". 

 

https://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=2077&et_cid=2921659&et_rid=80868216&et_referrer=Boards

 

Here is a recent thread on this subject:

 

 

[momofmeg]

2 minutes ago, SantaFeFan said:

 

According to an article by Cruise Critic reviewers published in March this year, on most cruise lines the gratuity is included in the extra fare for specialty restaurants. There are some exceptions, including NCL and MSC. So, according to them, on most ships tipping extra is not "customary". 

 

https://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=2077&et_cid=2921659&et_rid=80868216&et_referrer=Boards

Maybe so, but there is still a place to add a tip  that they bring you to sign. I have eaten in specialties on Celebrity, Holland America, Princess, Royal Caribbean,  Carnival, and NCL. They all have that line for adding a gratuity whether it is "required" or not. 

[SantaFeFan]

4 minutes ago, momofmeg said:

Maybe so, but there is still a place to add a tip  that they bring you to sign. I have eaten in specialties on Celebrity, Holland America, Princess, Royal Caribbean,  Carnival, and NCL. They all have that line for adding a gratuity whether it is "required" or not. 

 

Of course the do! They provide it for those who feel they had better than expected service. It is not necessary to enter anything on that line. Do so only if you want to, not because it is staring you in the face.  Consider it like the tip jar on the counter at Starbucks.

Edited June 3, 2019 by SantaFeFan

[sparks1093]

53 minutes ago, momofmeg said:

 

 

 

Okay it was your experience then, you just did a typo.  Well that was never ours and we have eaten there 6 times on 4 ships. As I said, it is on par with Olive garden unlike Celebrity's Italian which was more like  a 5 star restaurant.  But as I said, the fee on Celebrity was at least double.

 

Now Cagney's and the Japanese steakhouse are NCL's premium restaurants. They   also  have a French  (which name I do not remember) plus  they also do a Brazilian one for people who love to eat tons of meat which are more middle priced. I am a vegetarian and do not personally care for French food even though they offer a vegetation dish. so  I do  care to eat at them but my husband likes them all.  All of these are higher fees than the Italian with Cagney's and the Japanese the most expensive.

 

did you complain about the food? chances ae if you had they would have removed the surcharge.

 

 

I don't see a typo, but that's not relevant. Since the spaghetti was a side dish and the other things were nicely done, no, I didn't complain. But if we sail on NCL again it's unlikely that we'll use any specialty restaurants, they just aren't our thing.

[NLH Arizona]

32 minutes ago, momofmeg said:

However I have never had watery over cooked pasta  on NCL in their specialty or my eggplant parmesan done with tomato soup for sauce.

I've never had watery over cooked pasta either.  I use to love their spaghetti bolognese, which was a thousand times better then the Olive Garden, but sad for me NCL discontinued it when they changed to the new menu.  Oh well, even though I missed it on my last cruise at La Cucina, the Haven chef made it for me and I was a happy camper.

[sparks1093]

20 minutes ago, NLH Arizona said:

I've never had watery over cooked pasta either.  I use to love their spaghetti bolognese, which was a thousand times better then the Olive Garden, but sad for me NCL discontinued it when they changed to the new menu.  Oh well, even though I missed it on my last cruise at La Cucina, the Haven chef made it for me and I was a happy camper.

I'm really glad that you've never had over cooked pasta on NCL but it really doesn't make up for our experience.

[NLH Arizona]

22 minutes ago, sparks1093 said:

I'm really glad that you've never had over cooked pasta on NCL but it really doesn't make up for our experience.

No it doesn't nor did I say it did when I was responding to another poster who also had a different experience than you, but it shows others that not everyone has had the same bad experience as you.

Edited June 3, 2019 by NLH Arizona