Service expectations on ncl?

[djasinsk]

Hello

j am currently on ncl star. I want to ask the brain trust here what is a reasonable service expectation.  
 

we upgraded to the top level beverage package mostly for good wine. 
 

Other than gatsbys it seems none of the bars such as garden cafe, top siders etc have ANY premium wine.  I get they may not have a full selection, but to have none at all?   Seems like a rip off to sell a package and then not have any of it available. 
is this really how it is supposed to work?   I got one nice bartender to go get me a glass one time, but most just say no. 
I did get the manager to stock one bar with one wine we like, but she was clear it’s only for us and against the “rules”. 
 

cabin stewards.  It seems our steward doesn’t want to clean our room when we ask him “can you clean ours next “ when we leave for lunch or a late breakfast etc.  they just want to “do them in order”
 

I am used to celebrity, princess, costa etc.  I have never had these type of issues on other lines. 
 

is this how ncl is supposed to be.  
 

tried a polite expectations discussion at guest services and the gentleman spent the whole time answering different questions than being asked. Basically the run around. 
 

It seems I can get things marginally improved if I speak up a lot but feel like all of this should be automatic. 
 

how do others get good service on ncl?
 

lots of extra tips don’t seem to help. 

 

Edited November 26, 2023 by djasinsk
Updated info.

[SoloAlaska]

You may not be able to get your premium wine around the ship but that doesn’t mean they don’t have lots of other options covered by your package. Just saying it may not be an intentional ripoff of the package. If you said you couldn’t get bottled water anywhere which is part of your package as well I’d say that is a ripoff.

 

Expecting the steward to change their schedule around yours is a little much. Cash is not always king, try being kind instead of complaining. You might catch more flies with honey than cash.

[laudergayle]

Last year we upgraded to Premium Plus beverage and found that premium wines were basically in the dining rooms, the bar outside MDRs and the wine bar only.  Thus, we haven’t upgraded since.  I think it works much better for those who drink spirits.

 

also, we’ve had great stewards on our past several cruises since going to 1x service.  You probably have either a new steward, a stubborn steward or one ready to go home.  It is not the norm.

[BirdTravels]

18 minutes ago, djasinsk said:

Hello

j am currently on ncl star. I want to ask the brain trust here what is a reasonable service expectation.  
 

we upgraded to the top level beverage package mostly for good wine. 
 

Other than gatsbys it seems none of the bars such as garden cafe, top siders etc have ANY premium wine.  I get they may not have a full selection, but to have none at all?   Seems like a rip off to sell a package and then not have any of it available. 
is this really how it is supposed to work?   I got one nice bartender to go get me a glass one time, but most just say no. 
I did get the manager to stock one bar with one wine we like, but she was clear it’s only for us and against the “rules”. 
 

cabin stewards.  It seems our steward doesn’t want to clean our room when we ask him “can you clean ours next “ when we leave for lunch or a late breakfast etc.  they just want to “do them in order”
 

I am used to celebrity, princess, costa etc.  I have never had these type of issues on other lines. 
 

is this how ncl is supposed to be.  
 

tried a polite expectations discussion at guest services and the gentleman spent the whole time answering different questions than being asked. Basically the run around. 
 

It seems I can get things marginally improved if I speak up a lot but feel like all of this should be automatic. 
 

how do others get good service on ncl?
 

lots of extra tips don’t seem to help. 

 

There should be no expectation that you get your room cleaned on demand. That is unreasonable. The room stewards have a job. They do their job. The cruise line, not you, define what the job is. Almost all cruise lines have gone to once-a-day cleaning, doubling the work of the room stewards.  They have from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm to clean their roster. If you are leaving your room at lunch time, you may have already missed your cleaning spot and, by your own doing, are at the back of the line. 

 

It appears that you know where to get the wine you want. Get it there. Yeah,,, the Buffet is probably not where a lot of people are getting premium plus wine. Over time, the cruise line has found where people are ordering premium plus wine. And rather than going through the effort of stocking all wine at all bars,,, never to be ordered, they have made decisions on where that wine will be stocked. On big ships, there is a wine bar where you can find most of the wines onboard. 

[graphicguy]

I’ve sailed Celebrity, too.  I like them.

 

But, as mentioned, asking the steward to drop everything just to clean your cabin is probably something a little over the top on either line.  That screws up their entire schedule.

 

Getting a “fine wine” in the buffet or at the pool bar isn’t something I’d expect.

 

I haven’t sailed Costa or Princess.  But, NCL and Celebrity are pretty close in service.  I wouldn’t think your “asks” are something I’d do at either cruise line.

[djasinsk]

1 hour ago, BirdTravels said:

There should be no expectation that you get your room cleaned on demand. That is unreasonable. The room stewards have a job. They do their job. The cruise line, not you, define what the job is. Almost all cruise lines have gone to once-a-day cleaning, doubling the work of the room stewards.  They have from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm to clean their roster. If you are leaving your room at lunch time, you may have already missed your cleaning spot and, by your own doing, are at the back of the line. 

 

It appears that you know where to get the wine you want. Get it there. Yeah,,, the Buffet is probably not where a lot of people are getting premium plus wine. Over time, the cruise line has found where people are ordering premium plus wine. And rather than going through the effort of stocking all wine at all bars,,, never to be ordered, they have made decisions on where that wine will be stocked. On big ships, there is a wine bar where you can find most of the wines onboard. 

I think asking for room to be cleaned “next” not “on demand” as you stated is actually quite reasonable.  Any decent hotel would do this for a guest. 
 

and asking that atleast some premium offering be available at each bar is also quite reasonable. 

[All-ready2cruise]

8 minutes ago, djasinsk said:

I think asking for room to be cleaned “next” not “on demand” as you stated is actually quite reasonable.  Any decent hotel would do this for a guest. 
 

and asking that atleast some premium offering be available at each bar is also quite reasonable. 

I believe you would be considered in the minority.  Most who cruise on a regular basis (NCL and other cruise lines) accept that with the limited number of stewards/staff, that we all need to be more considerate of our hard-working people. I'm very grateful for the work they do to make my cruise more enjoyable! 

I do not request my cabin to done by a certain time and appreciate if it gets done. 

Have a good day. 

[ChiefMateJRK]

I sail in steerage (inside).  I sleep, shower and go out for fun.  I generally don't care when my cabin gets cleaned.  If I'm out of the room for breakfast, it's almost always cleaned by my mid-afternoon nap time (if it's a nap day - most aren't).  If not, then I'll just go hog a lounger in the OL and sleep there. (jk - I've never done that).

[SoloAlaska]

36 minutes ago, djasinsk said:

I think asking for room to be cleaned “next” not “on demand” as you stated is actually quite reasonable.  Any decent hotel would do this for a guest. 
 

and asking that atleast some premium offering be available at each bar is also quite reasonable. 

Funny comment about a decent hotel. I had a hotel at $400 and it took 4 hours to get a second towel. Expecting basics like towels etc is reasonable but snapping your fingers to change the stewards work pattern is not.

 

Also every bar has premium offerings just maybe not wine by the glass that you expect. Also Celebrity is the same I can’t get my premium scotch anywhere but at Cellar masters. Specialty restaurants will go out of their way to go procure my favorite scotch but even the MDR right next to Cellars won’t. I just get up and go get it myself.

[TheDawg79]

Saying “clean mine next” is a demand. Telling employees when to do their job and in what order is excessive expectation for sure. That is almost the definition of a demanding person. Also not ever bar is set up for every single cruisers specific tastes. You cannot honestly expect that. Even “any decent hotel” bar does not have extensive offerings for every taste and budget. So what should these other bars omit from their limited space to make room for you and your tastes? Will there be any room for my tastes, or does mine not matter as long as your expectations are met? 

Edited November 26, 2023 by TheDawg79

[BirdTravels]

4 hours ago, djasinsk said:

I think asking for room to be cleaned “next” not “on demand” as you stated is actually quite reasonable.  Any decent hotel would do this for a guest. 
 

and asking that atleast some premium offering be available at each bar is also quite reasonable. 

Having a complete wine cellar selection at every bar is far from reasonable. 

 

And you are allowed to ask to have your room cleaned on demand. And you got your response... wait your turn... which was perfectly reasonable for the cabin steward. Maybe "can you clean my room on demand" accompanied by a $50 would work better next time. 

[Asawi]

5 hours ago, djasinsk said:

 

how do others get good service on ncl?
 

lots of extra tips don’t seem to help. 

 

I usually get great service.  Not sure why. But it could be that I never take it for granted. I treat staff well. Sometimes ask for things/service but never "demand". Show gratitude for services done. 

I do my tipping after receiving good service. I don't use tips to "buy" it. 

[Catchum]

Had the upgraded beverage on Celebrity once (didn't pay for it myself) and it was impossible to get the good wines so not an NCL issue. Honestly if it has the % on it I'll drink it. Someone comes and cleans my room every day? Yes please and thank you- the stewards have a set schedule and break times. They will work around you, sit on the balcony whilst they fix your room or grab your gear and hit the gym till they are done.

[scamper]

5 hours ago, djasinsk said:

I think asking for room to be cleaned “next” not “on demand” as you stated is actually quite reasonable.  Any decent hotel would do this for a guest. 
 

and asking that atleast some premium offering be available at each bar is also quite reasonable. 

I'm with you on the wine issue.  I am thinking it's more NCL wanting to limit consumption of higher end wines on their packages.  They'd rather you drink what they want you to drink in the most places and restrict the finer wines to one or two locations.  They're hoping you have more meals in alternative locations and won't miss the more expensive wines, thus they don't have to pour as much.

 

Alas, nowadays I believe to get better service and higher end products, you have to look more at the luxury and "premium" lines or, perhaps, The Haven.

[Karaboudjan]

10 minutes ago, scamper said:

I'm with you on the wine issue.  I am thinking it's more NCL wanting to limit consumption of higher end wines on their packages.  They'd rather you drink what they want you to drink in the most places and restrict the finer wines to one or two locations.  They're hoping you have more meals in alternative locations and won't miss the more expensive wines, thus they don't have to pour as much.

 

Alas, nowadays I believe to get better service and higher end products, you have to look more at the luxury and "premium" lines or, perhaps, The Haven.

 

I'm thinking it is NCL wanting to make sure they can go through a whole bottle before it goes bad once it is opened.

[scamper]

3 minutes ago, Karaboudjan said:

 

I'm thinking it is NCL wanting to make sure they can go through a whole bottle before it goes bad once it is opened.

That's why the Coravin was invented. 

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=pour+wine+without+removing+the+cork&atb=v347-1&iax=videos&ia=videos&iai=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DQ47qGYpYQeQ

[laudergayle]

3 hours ago, Asawi said:

I do my tipping after receiving good service. I don't use tips to "buy" it. 

We get AWESOME service.  We tip daily with a kind note.  First day usually asks for some minor things (breakfast hang tags, extra hangers, etc).  But then every day after it is some version of “Thanks…hope you have a great day”. 
 

I believe they look forward to servicing our room.  Plus, I typically do a quick pre-service. Towels all together on the floor, bed partway made, bar glasses and cups emptied and grouped together.  
 

When he/she sees us in the corridor, we are always addressed by name and thanked.  Our cabins are typically cleaned between 8 am -11 am while we’re out for the morning.

 

[Karaboudjan]

1 hour ago, scamper said:

That's why the Coravin was invented. 

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=pour+wine+without+removing+the+cork&atb=v347-1&iax=videos&ia=videos&iai=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DQ47qGYpYQeQ

 

Those are not cheap, they take up space, and probably take more time to use properly than a busy NCL bartender has.

[scamper]

30 minutes ago, Karaboudjan said:

 

Those are not cheap, they take up space, and probably take more time to use properly than a busy NCL bartender has.

Fine. Waste the wine. I don't care.

[SoloAlaska]

44 minutes ago, laudergayle said:

We get AWESOME service.  We tip daily with a kind note.  First day usually asks for some minor things (breakfast hang tags, extra hangers, etc).  But then every day after it is some version of “Thanks…hope you have a great day”. 
 

I believe they look forward to servicing our room.  Plus, I typically do a quick pre-service. Towels all together on the floor, bed partway made, bar glasses and cups emptied and grouped together.  
 

When he/she sees us in the corridor, we are always addressed by name and thanked.  Our cabins are typically cleaned between 8 am -11 am while we’re out for the morning.

 

Your what I call honey and money, what a great guest to have.

[cruiser1961]

2 hours ago, laudergayle said:

I typically do a quick pre-service. Towels all together on the floor, bed partway made, bar glasses and cups emptied and grouped together.  

We're totally with you on this. Really, how difficult is it to do a "pre-service check" on a 270 sqft space? 

  

[DI9]

14 hours ago, djasinsk said:

I think asking for room to be cleaned “next” not “on demand” as you stated is actually quite reasonable.  Any decent hotel would do this for a guest. 
 

and asking that atleast some premium offering be available at each bar is also quite reasonable. 

 

Neither of these is reasonable on a mass market cruise line. If you want to go Viking, Seaborn, Oceania, yes. 

 

[DominicAUS]

We’ve upgraded the drinks package, with varying wines in the bars, but understand they can’t stock every bar with every upgraded wine, either I get what wine they have or make the choice to go somewhere else, I’m not driving the ship. I was able to get grey goose, plus many other upgraded vodka and gin at all the bars visited. 
 

our cabin attendant was fine hardly saw him but more than likely he was working his tail off. The times we saw him, he was polite and the cabin got cleaned when he got to it. Was it convenient, not always but if we didn’t want to be disturb we put the DND sign on. I can use my towel more than once and my room at home doesn’t get cleaned daily, I can skip a day, if I need anything I can ask him or call him. 

[djasinsk]

Thanks for all the feedback. It’s clear from reading the feedback of those who cruise ncl frequently that the kind of service I want is not available on ncl.  It is what it is.  

Not angry or anything, just a little disappointed.  

[ready2cruzagain]

I have not sailed NCL since right at the Pandemic. We have sailed MSC 6 times since the Pandemic. I really have no idea what to expect on NCL for service after reading the boards. I don't need my cabin cleaned twice a day but I do expect clean towels everyday. Yes, I do use new wash clothes and towels daily at home. 

 

We are rarely in our cabin, up and out by 6 am and then back at around 2:30 - 5 for a nap and to get ready for dinner. We are then out of the cabin until around 11pm. I sure hope that my cabin steward will "find time" to clean our cabin daily during that time. If not then I guess I will have to go and find my own towels.

 

I am like @Asawi and do my tipping after receiving good service. I do not tip hoping to get service that I am already tipping for. I swear the more cruise lines raise the daily service charge the more some of the people on these boards say they don't care and the cabin steward works hard. I am not asking for anything special, just do the job.

 

I do not believe it to be unreasonable if I were to ask the cabin steward to clean the cabin or at least leave towels when we are not in the cabin considering how little we are there. I am not saying that one should "demand" it be cleaned next but I see nothing wrong with telling the steward the few hours that we are in the cabin and asking for it to be done at a different time.

 

I am sure I will get a lot of flack for stating this but I just can't believe how often people say the cabin steward works hard, it is okay if they don't get to the cabin or they are so busy. That just blows my mind. Do you honestly say that about everyone in the service departments? I can't imagine going to a restaurant and tipping a lousy waiter and saying "oh well". Is it so customary now to tip no matter what? Just asking.