When did Free at Sea downgrade to 2 Specialty Dinners instead of 3?

[DaCruiseBug]

8 minutes ago, KeithJenner said:

As I said, I’m taking no side in this. I’m just mentioning that there is a difference between speciality restaurants (which you would otherwise pay for) and the buffet (which is free for absolutely everyone) when making the argument that you did.

 

I didn’t even suggest that you were incorrect in your basic point.

 

And as I said...the buffet isn't free. It's included in your cruise fare. Nothing on that ship is free. If there's no additional charge it's because you already paid for it...including the dining package.

Edited October 2, 2022 by DaCruiseBug

[KeithJenner]

9 minutes ago, DaCruiseBug said:

 

And as I said...the buffet isn't free. It's included in your cruise fare. Nothing on that ship is free. If there's no additional charge it's because you already paid for it.

Whatever.

 

You may want to concentrate your replies on people who are actually disagreeing with your basic point now, or cares about this argument.

Edited October 2, 2022 by KeithJenner

[nferr]

It's not nickel and diming, it's simply an increase in cost. Just like anything else, compare your costs and make your choice. Right now I tend to agree that RCL pricing is better, but mainly because I'm diamond and get four free drinks a day. Plus RCL lets you bring two bottles of wine on board. So that saves me paying $70 a day for RCL's drink package. Although I'll still probably ring up some bar tab. RCL also includes no specialty dining. You have to purchase a package. You still have to really search to find a bargain on RCL (especially out of NY), but I have two cruises booked. But I've also seen some good deals on NCL, just have to keep your eyes open and be flexible. MSC is a completely different story IMO from what I've read online. Some love it some hate it. They do have some dirt cheap fares.

[BirdTravels]

12 hours ago, DaCruiseBug said:

The difference in cruise fare in the above mentioned example is $502 per person. This fare difference includes the built in cost of the beverage package and dining package. 

Wow. Taking data totally out of context and spinning it to make an unsubstantiated point. NCL is executing perfect yield management to maximize profit. Sell at a price point that the market supports. It has absolutely nothing to do with a free dinner. It's smart business 101. 

Edited October 3, 2022 by BirdTravels

[DaCruiseBug]

1 hour ago, BirdTravels said:

Wow. Taking data totally out of context and spinning it to make an unsubstantiated point. NCL is executing perfect yield management to maximize profit. Sell at a price point that the market supports. It has absolutely nothing to do with a free dinner. It's smart business 101. 

 

Smart for business does not equal smart for customers...and that's the point.

[PATRLR]

10 hours ago, nferr said:

It's not nickel and diming, it's simply an increase in cost. 

Yes, overall cruise cost increases.   But the fact that its not the cruise fare itself that is increasing is what makes it seem more like N&D (or for those who get their shorts in a bunch over the use of N&D:  ... is what makes it annoying).

 

[the_scarecrow_in_oz]

A litany of my NCL-cancelled cruises to the Panama Canal and FAS specialty dining offers at the time. All 11 days long. All on the same ship. All on the same itinerary:

 

4/8/2020: balcony.................5 specialty dining nights

11/29/2020: club balcony.....5 specialty dining nights

1/17/2022:   club balcony.....4 specialty dining nights

1/16/2023:   club balcony.....2 specialty dining nights

1/2/2023:     club balcony.....2 specialty dining nights (this cruise has not been cancelled....yet)

[MotownVoice]

Most people have seen onboard pricing to go to heck in a handbasket since mid summer.

This is not all that shocking, unprecedented or even particularly out-of-the-blue.

https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/28015-norwegian-cruise-line-raises-onboard-prices-and-posts-strong-onboard-revenue-numbers.html

[CruizinKittie40]

I booked a 7 day for 2023 and only got one a solo traveler.

[hallux]

46 minutes ago, CruizinKittie40 said:

I booked a 7 day for 2023 and only got one a solo traveler.

What cabin type?  Certain cabin types only get one.  I also booked a 7-night cruise for March 2023 and I only got one, I booked a Studio.

[CruizinKittie40]

2 minutes ago, hallux said:

What cabin type?  Certain cabin types only get one.  I also booked a 7-night cruise for March 2023 and I only got one, I booked a Studio.

ah gotcha yeah I booked a studio.  Seems backwards as our cruises are more expensive! 

[CruizinSusan70]

1 hour ago, CruizinKittie40 said:

I booked a 7 day for 2023 and only got one a solo traveler.

 

13 minutes ago, hallux said:

What cabin type?  Certain cabin types only get one.  I also booked a 7-night cruise for March 2023 and I only got one, I booked a Studio.

Solos, insides and oceanviews now get 1 for any cruise up to 11 nights.

[PTC DAWG]

On 10/1/2022 at 8:36 PM, AviationInScale said:

It is when I used to get more. Thanks for your answer that contributes nothing.

Things can and do change, this has been in place a while. Your option is to  not accept any of the drink and dining options.  Math ain’t hard. 

[PTC DAWG]

On 10/2/2022 at 11:14 AM, DaCruiseBug said:

 

Hopefully this will help you understand...I don't think it will but there's a 1% chance it will.

 

Cheapest 7 day Caribbean sailing with a Balcony cabin in the 1st quarter of 2023 on RCCL =

 

Allure of Seas (2/26) at $1,420

 

Cheapest 7 day Caribbean sailing with a Balcony cabin in the 1st quarter of 2023 on NCL =

 

Breakaway at (2/05) $2,091 with no perks

Breakaway at (2/05) $2,593 with perks

 

But keep telling us how the dining plan on NCL is "free"...

For me add at least $1000. For the Brides and my drink package on Royal.  More times than not, the final price is pretty close on comparable sailings across comparable lines.  YMMV. 

[PTC DAWG]

On 10/2/2022 at 11:31 AM, DaCruiseBug said:

 

You're basically making my point. The $109 per day for the beverage package is double the price what all the other cruiselines charge for their standard beverage package and generally offers LESS than what theirs offer. This is only done for 1 reason. NCL makes a KILLING off those daily gratuities. The higher the cost of the beverage package the MORE NLC gets to pocket in service charges that don't go directly to the workers but instead go into their profits and NCL simply states that it goes in part to pay for incentive programs for the workers. It's just another way NCL nickel and dimes people. Thank you so much for making my point for me without even trying. Just because NCL charges $130.80 per day for their beverage package doesn't mean it's worth anywhere near that. Imagine paying $10 for a half gallon of organic milk...that's what NCL is doing.

 

For example, MSC charges $49 per person per day for their Easy Plus drink package which is the one closest to the NCL drink package. The NCL "open bar" drink package is 167% more expensive than the MSC drink package.

Anyone paying the full $109 pppd deserves all they get.  

[flcraigs5]

So a question on this. I booked a 12 day cruise way back for this fall. My cruise reservation shows 4 night specialty dining. Is this now cut down to 2 nights?

[PATRLR]

Just now, flcraigs5 said:

So a question on this. I booked a 12 day cruise way back for this fall. My cruise reservation shows 4 night specialty dining. Is this now cut down to 2 nights?

No - you get the deal as defined at time of booking.

[flcraigs5]

14 minutes ago, PATRLR said:

No - you get the deal as defined at time of booking.

thank you for clarifying this for me.

[nferr]

25 minutes ago, PTC DAWG said:

Anyone paying the full $109 pppd deserves all they get.  

 Yeah, paying that is just silly. I was looking at one five night cruise and the difference between sail away fare and free at sea is $30 total. So you're getting one free night specialty dining and five days of free drinking for $30. Plus some  internet minutes etc.  Declining the Free at Sea and buying the drink package would be $545 alone!  Every cruise is different.

[hallux]

1 hour ago, CruizinSusan70 said:

 

Solos, insides and oceanviews now get 1 for any cruise up to 11 nights.

I'm aware, that's why I asked the question and made the statement I did...

[CruizinSusan70]

25 minutes ago, hallux said:

I'm aware, that's why I asked the question and made the statement I did...

You asked what cabin type and you mentioned you were in a solo.  I clarified it by adding that insides and oceanviews also only get 1 night.

  So, if you were already aware, why ask about which cabin type?

[hallux]

1 minute ago, CruizinSusan70 said:

So, if you were already aware, why ask about which cabin type?

Because if the person I was trying to help was in one that should get 2 then they would need to address the issue.

[603NHCruiser]

2 hours ago, CruizinKittie40 said:

ah gotcha yeah I booked a studio.  Seems backwards as our cruises are more expensive! 

But that is because rooms outside of the studio room type are based on dbl occupancy. The PP cost may be less, but the overall cost of the room is greater. If you booked an inside or OV as a solo traveler you would be getting the additional meal along with the (often) increase in price from a single supplement fee. If your studio was still more expensive than the cost of an inside for just one guest, that is your choice in booking the studio. 

[jumbojem96]

On 10/2/2022 at 1:17 AM, CruizinSusan70 said:

The FAS now only provides 1 specialty dinner for up to 11 nights of cruising.  In order to generate more monies, NCL offers you the opportunity to purchase an additional two dinners for about 35 pppd, or 140 for two people for two extra dinners.

We currently have 4 bookings, on two of them we got 2 over 7 nights and the others were 4 over 11 and 1 over 7 on our most recent booking.  We decided to buy the extra two dinners for the 140.  Didn't want to eat 6 nights at the MDR with the same menu on our March Prima cruise.

Can you purchase the new extra dinners deal on the app, or is it on board only?

Edited October 3, 2022 by jumbojem96

[hallux]

2 minutes ago, jumbojem96 said:

Can you purchase the new extra dinners deal on the app, or is it on board only?

It's available to me - $70.80 ($59 plus gratuities) for 2 more meals.