If only it were only Nickles and dimes.

[CaptainBazz]

3 hours ago, corman-cruise said:

It seems like the service on board has decreased, nobody walking around the buffet offering orange juice, coffee or pastries. 

No big show productions, but the musicians are amazing. 

We did Wonder and Navigator last year...no one ever came around offering orange juice or pastries...no big production shows that stand out...lots of ice shows which seems to be their big theme...had to pay to get Specialty restaurants which cost more than the gratuities that NCL charge...all cruise lines do things differently...just enjoy what you get 😎

[hallux]

One of my co-workers was looking at a cruise, had one priced on Royal Caribbean and thought he had a good deal.  I went on NCL's site, found a similar itinerary on a similar-sized ship, same room was a nearly identical price (taxes, fees, dining and bev. package gratuities included in the NCL price, txes and fees in the Royal Caribbean price).  Royal Caribbean's price did NOT include their beverage package, for which he would have paid full price.

[SeaShark]

3 hours ago, corman-cruise said:

It's simple, With ncl you get free items/included 

free gratuities, means

you still pay a gratuity for the free drink package worth, 

you still pay gratuities on the free dinner package worth 

 

So yes, Nickle and dimes. When I sailed with princess or celebrity they did not charge you a fee/graditude for something that was included. 

 

 

NCL doesn't charge you for what is included either. However, the drink package and the specialty dining are not included...they are extra add ons that you get for free. You aren't required to take them, you could take the sail-away rate without the free add ons, but you choose to take them. Your choice, not included.

 

There are opportunities out there with many lines where you can win/get a free cruise...the cruise is free..you pay nothing for the cruise. HOWEVER, you will still pay taxes....because the cruise is free, but the taxes are not.

 

NCL offers packages covering both drinks and specialty dining for purchase. These come with two costs: one cost for the package and another for the service charge. Two. Different. Charges.

 

NCL offers to give you the drinks and/or the specialty dining at no charge....but they do NOT offer to give you the service charge portion for no cost. (Welcome to marketing 101: it isn't the deal you get, its the deal you think you get).

 

What I'm curious about is why are you on NCL in the first place? It would seem like you are "trying" other lines looking for what makes you happy...and if you had found it, you wouldn't still be looking. When you decided to "try" NCL, what hole were you hoping that they would fill that you haven't had filled by your other cruise experiences?

 

 

[RB9643]

5 hours ago, corman-cruise said:

No big show productions,

 

Uh, you're on the Encore?  What is your definition of a "big show production"?

 

[corman-cruise]

1 hour ago, RB9643 said:

 

Uh, you're on the Encore?  What is your definition of a "big show production"?

 

Off the top of my head, Broadway type productions like cats. Dancers, band, singers 

I have to repeat, all the music acts are very good. The Nashville tenors were fantastic, best show I have ever attended on a ship. The lounge singers are so good that you enjoy having a cocktail and listening into the late night. The comics were forgettable. The magician was good. 

We have had some awful singers on the other ships, you had to consume large amounts of alcohol to help you survive their performance. 

 

[RB9643]

17 minutes ago, corman-cruise said:

Off the top of my head, Broadway type productions like cats. Dancers, band, singers 

 

I apologize if I'm confused or misinformed. You are on the Encore. Have you heard about "Choir of Man"?

 

 

[corman-cruise]

16 minutes ago, RB9643 said:

 

I apologize if I'm confused or misinformed. You are on the Encore. Have you heard about "Choir of Man"?

 

 

Yes, and I said all the musicians are good.. Choir of man is as close to a Broadway type production as they got. Close but not there. 

In the past we would have choirs of man shows along with a big production. 

It seems after covid, cruise Iines cut back on the big productions. 

I will go one step further, the Nashville tenors blew them away. The choir of men cast sat in the audience in front of us, they were fist pumping and loving the act. 

Edited April 27, 2023 by corman-cruise

[RB9643]

7 minutes ago, corman-cruise said:

Choir of man is as close to a Broadway type production as they got. Close but not there.

 

Ok. That's pretty much all we need to know.

[gotscrapz]

8 hours ago, KeithJenner said:

I have sailed on NCL many times and, as we had our son with us on most of them, we ate in the buffet a lot more than would have been my preference.

 

In all those cruises I have never once seen anyone walking around the buffet offering orange juice, coffee and pastries.

 

Maybe it is what happens on other lines, but I don't see that as any indication that anything has changed on NCL.

 

For what it's worth, I know where the orange juice, coffee and pastries are and will go get them myself if I want them. Given the choice, I would rather I am left to choose what I want, but of course each to their own.

I am confused by this also. You can have things delivered by room service or in the MDR and a few other sit-down breakfast options depending on the ship. The buffet is self-serve, so they have these things but you need to get them yourself when you choose your other items.

[UnbridledEnthusiasm]

I'll admit to me NCL does seem very nickel and dime. I just feel there are charges for things that should be included as well as them cutting corners which to me is a bit tacky. Only reason I continue to go with them is because they have in my experience a bit more of a younger vibe in terms of entertainment and when I've gone to their solo cruiser meets compared to ones I have done on Princess. It's definitely not an amazing line (but I haven't been on any line I'd consider amazing either). 

[dexddd]

13 hours ago, KSSS2013 said:

 

 I would challenge you to compare prices between the other lines. I've found that even with the gratuities NCL is by far less expensive than most other cruise companies. 

  If you're getting better value from other lines then enjoy them. I've tried several other lines but have always found that NCL gives us the best price with all the perks. Now if you're not a beverage package person, other lines can be a lot less expensive.

  I still keep MSC out of the equation since they're pretty aggressive these days, but I honestly think their food and entertainment is pretty bad...unless you're in the Yacht Club.

 Also, when I cruise on NCL by bill is typically zero at the end, I find it hard to believe you're spending extra money unless you want top shelf beverages, bottled water, or specialty coffee.

 

 

 

The main entertainment on MSC is the same for all.

[RD64]

Economics 101 - there is no such thing as a free lunch. You will always be paying for the “free” in one way or another.

[Liljo22]

9 hours ago, corman-cruise said:

Yes, and I said all the musicians are good.. Choir of man is as close to a Broadway type production as they got. Close but not there. 

In the past we would have choirs of man shows along with a big production. 

It seems after covid, cruise Iines cut back on the big productions. 

I will go one step further, the Nashville tenors blew them away. The choir of men cast sat in the audience in front of us, they were fist pumping and loving the act. 

Most of the newer ships have Broadway shows.  Encore had Kinky Boots but stopped the show in January.  

[corman-cruise]

Just now, Liljo22 said:

Most of the newer ships have Broadway shows.  Encore had Kinky Boots but stopped the show in January.  

If you get a chance to catch Nashville tenors on the ship, don't pass it up. They were very good. 

[tonit964]

We have a big family trip to Alaska in July on the Encore. My brother & his wife sailed NCL once back in 2009 and only Princess since. They always order breakfast (cereal, coffee, toast ) room service, I haven't told him yet that there is now a $4.95 charge to do that. He's going to flip out.

[insidecabin]

All the lines Obfuscate with smoke and mirrors on how they build the price.

 

You build you package with the bits you want and get a total.

 

Then you compare

Once on board we find there is very little extra to pay for if we got it right up front on ll lines.

 

They all charge for addon in one way or another nothing is really free.

Princess have Princess plus/premium(UK £50/£65pppd

NCL have free at sea (in UK it is a fixed rice based on length of cruise roughly £20pppd+grats £15)

....   

 

It gets more complicated when they start doing promotions on the promotions,

Princess recently had a get premium for the price of Plus.

 

MSc have a drinks package but the cost for that varies cruise to cruise you can't just add a number 

[G-DawgMN]

3 hours ago, dexddd said:

The main entertainment on MSC is the same for all.

 

 But I keep going back due to their prices...:)

 

[Hutcha]

@corman-cruise you've awaken the beast. The NCL loyalist have come out to defend!!

 

I would agree with you. NCL nickels and dimes you. Just because it's in the terms, doesn't mean you need to be happy with it. All cruise lines have been trying to extract extra money from you, in this post covid world, but I take exception to some of the things that NCL does. Forgive me if my numbers aren't exact, but here are some examples.

 

Yes, advertising and marketing are great ploys that companies use to lure you. NCL is great at it. Take the drink package, and the gratuity on it. Other cruise lines include the gratuity when the package is included (MSC and Celebrity come to mind). NCL inflates the cost of the drink package ($119/day?) so they can extract a higher grat out of you. Who else charges this much for a drink package?

 

Bottled water. What line charges so much for a drink package, and doesn't include bottled water?

 

A big pet peeve of mine is the miniscule amount of top deck space that is taken up with pay for amenities, The Vibe, The Haven, laser tag, racetrack, etc I feel that deck and pool space is inadequate. For that reason I will not sail NCL outside of The Haven. The exception might be to try the Prima class.

 

The Haven. Great product, if you can get it for the right price, but it still has it's limits. I sailed with the premium plus drink package. You could get a steak dinner delivered to your room, but if you want a glass of wine delivered with it, you have to pay for it. Same with the minibar. For the price these rooms go for it, those things should be included.

 

The included internet is a joke. Is it factual, sure.

 

I probably will sail NCL again, but I can't imagine doing it outside of The Haven. That opinion might change after my MSC Yacht Club cruise this fall. 

[Hutcha]

16 hours ago, Liljo22 said:

With Celebrity, you have to select a upgraded package to get drinks, wifi and tips included.  You are paying extra for gratuities.  They are just calling it something different.

I looked at several cruises on NCL, that are over a year away, and the sail away rate is "sold out". How does one not pay for something they don't want ,but the rate is inflated because of it?

[RocketMan275]

7 hours ago, UnbridledEnthusiasm said:

I'll admit to me NCL does seem very nickel and dime. I just feel there are charges for things that should be included as well as them cutting corners which to me is a bit tacky. 

That's a most profound statement.  People that complain about nickel and dime want more included at a lower price.  

[Liljo22]

28 minutes ago, Hutcha said:

I looked at several cruises on NCL, that are over a year away, and the sail away rate is "sold out". How does one not pay for something they don't want ,but the rate is inflated because of it?

Sailaway rates will open and close based on how sales are going at the time. 

 

Is the rate really inflated because of it.  Other cruise lines have similar sail away rates that are hundreds of dollars per person cheaper than being able to select the room location.  Below is the difference between the guaranteed rate and regular rate on Royal.  They don't include any perks but they are charging over $200 per person more to be able to select your room.  I don't see how that is any different than NCL.

 

Edited April 27, 2023 by Liljo22

[UnbridledEnthusiasm]

21 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

That's a most profound statement.  People that complain about nickel and dime want more included at a lower price.  

?

[SeaShark]

36 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

That's a most profound statement.  People that complain about nickel and dime want more included at a lower price.  

 

How very true. Lots of whining about what "other lines do" (yet they want NCL, not the other lines?) and derogatory labeling (cheerleader, loyalist, nickel and diming) in place of honest discussion.

 

Only proves how upset the fox is over the grapes, right Aesop?

[complawyer]

if you're looking tp book a cruise based on the quality of the shows, please look elsewhere.

 

regardless of the quality (or lack thereof) broadway shows are broadway showS and are incomparable to anything else (except possibly the west end in london) a cruise can offer.  so if you want a broadway show, instead of a cruise, book a week in new york.  we saw jersey boys last year on the bliss and walked out. the acoustics were bad, the gentleman playing frankie valli was horrible. 

 

on some cruises we dont even bother to see these shows, and i have yet to be overly impressed with any singers in any lounge.

 

if you want orange juice and pastries, get up off your tushie and get them. if youre at breakfast in the buffet, they are easily and readily available. if youre eating at one of the mdr's, ask your server and i'm sure he or she will happily comply.  if youre in a haven or a suite with a butler, tell hem/her what you want, and it'll be brought to you.

 

so i quote the old song "so what do you want for nothing? A  RUBBER BISQUIT!

[carohs]

It's not nickel and diming, but rather a different price structure. NCL breaks out your fare into multiple components, and you have the option to opt out of SDP, FAS, or whatever you don't feel you need. At the end of the day, a cruiser should decide if they got the value out of it by comparing the all-in costs to cruise on NCL vs any other line. The value of things like food, drinks, and entertainment are of course subjective. Decide to cruise or not cruise on NCL but complaining about the price structure of the company seems rather pointless.