IWORK2CRUISE Posted July 26, 2009 #26 Share Posted July 26, 2009 Whether or not I opt for pay in advance the one thing I really would prefer is to have ONE LINE listed for the services charges on our bill. It could simply state Daily Service Charges for 2 = 168.00. (That is a 7 day cruise.) It becomes annoying and confusing to look over your folio at cruise end and keep seeing "Mary" 12.00 daily for each day cruised, "Jack" 12.00 daily for each day cruised. These are all separate line items that mix in with all of your other charges and I have never liked it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeno Posted July 26, 2009 #27 Share Posted July 26, 2009 Whether or not I opt for pay in advance the one thing I really would prefer is to have ONE LINE listed for the services charges on our bill. It could simply state Daily Service Charges for 2 = 168.00. (That is a 7 day cruise.) It becomes annoying and confusing to look over your folio at cruise end and keep seeing "Mary" 12.00 daily for each day cruised, "Jack" 12.00 daily for each day cruised. These are all separate line items that mix in with all of your other charges and I have never liked it. In total agreement! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poodlelover Posted July 26, 2009 #28 Share Posted July 26, 2009 I am just waiting for the day when you can prepay your shore excursions in advance like you can on Royal Carribbean! It seems to be no problem with RC to prepay and if the excursion doesn't go you are refunded back, etc. and they seem to have no problems with prepayment. That would have been so nice on my recent cruise to Alaska since the shore excursions were rather expensive, I could have been paying them off months in advance before the cruise and had that expense out of the way. I know how some people feel about giving them the money until they absolutely have to, but some of us like to do that and would rather budget it out in advance and would rather have it paid off before I even leave, just works for me, so I think that would be the next great option NCL could offer! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnql Posted July 26, 2009 #29 Share Posted July 26, 2009 For me, it's not about whether I can make an extra buck or two if I put the money in an interest-bearing account. Obviously, we're talking about a nominal sum of money. It's more important to me that I have my money available to me for a longer period because unexpected expenses happen. If I've already given it to NCL as a pre-payment, I can't use it for an emergency (or any sort of unanticipated opportunity). So, for me, it's all about leaving my options open. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poodlelover Posted July 26, 2009 #30 Share Posted July 26, 2009 I like options. Yay for NCL for giving us another choice. I think this says it best...yah for NCL for giving us options. That is what NCL is all about in my opinion! Another freestyle choice I guess! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leyla Posted July 26, 2009 #31 Share Posted July 26, 2009 I would never pre-pay the tips....Friends of ours paid in advance some time back with another cruiseline and never received their tips back. Once your hard-earned money is gone, it is out of your pocket and you have to fight to get it back if for some reason one does not make it on board. I only pay in advance what I absolutely have to. My soon is going on a Bahama cruise in August and now there is a new option to book & pay in advance for the excursions etc. but again, what if there is bad weather or you are not feeling up to it by that time. Once again better in one's own pocket than with the cruiselines. They have made it easier to pay up-front for a reason; it is almost a guarantee for them but not so easy refund for us... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mum and son Posted July 26, 2009 #32 Share Posted July 26, 2009 I agree that it's just nice to be given the option... I'm not saying it's right for everone but it works for me... When I'm on holidays I like to feel relaxed - and part of that for me is knowing that I won't come home to a big cc bill...the more I can pay in advance the better. But that's just me...in fact I will probably pre-purchase some cruise card credit for this very same reason - and will buy when I feel the aussie dollar is strongest. Also, I think it is great because I come from Australia where we are not used to the tipping culture so I like the idea of paying the DSC as part of my cruise cost - and then when I cruise I am also likely to tip more in cash to room stewards, dining room staff etc because I have already paid the DSC as part of my cruise cost. Don't flame me, it's just that this is the way my brain thinks and this arrangement suits me better. There is no right or wrong answer with this one...so each to his/her own. I'm happy to be given the option :D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mypleasure Posted July 26, 2009 #33 Share Posted July 26, 2009 Heaven forbid that a cruiseline should make any money from it's passengers! It is all about choice folks. Some will opt to prepay and be happy doing so and some will not prepay and also be happy. I don't see a problem here at all, it isn't compulsory to pay in advance so why are some of you going into so much detail about it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RnGram Posted July 26, 2009 #34 Share Posted July 26, 2009 I can't find anyplace on the NCL web site advertising the change. I have my trip paid for and I don't see a place to pay for the tipping. Do I have to call my darn cruise consultant? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
time2cruise1 Posted July 26, 2009 Author #35 Share Posted July 26, 2009 I can't find anyplace on the NCL web site advertising the change. I have my trip paid for and I don't see a place to pay for the tipping. Do I have to call my darn cruise consultant? I imagine you will have to call your PCC, TA, Latitudes desk, or main # just like purchasing bon voyage gifts, onboard credits, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickechambers1@aol.com Posted July 26, 2009 #36 Share Posted July 26, 2009 I like to give the cruise lines, airlines and tracel companies as little as possible in these turbulent times.JMO ...says the person with 5 cruises booked! ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrLee Posted July 26, 2009 #37 Share Posted July 26, 2009 ...says the person with 5 cruises booked! ;) I'm sure they're booked with as little as possible. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
halos Posted July 26, 2009 #38 Share Posted July 26, 2009 Let's play with the numbers: For the three months ending 3/31/09, NCL had 2,263,459 Passenger Cruise Days (number of ticketed passengers X number of days sailed). Annualized, this number is 9,053,836. Multiplied by $12 per person, per day =$108,646,032. At 1% interest for one year, this is a million dollars. Even if only 20% of pax opt for this option, the gain to NCL is $200,000. One thing to note, the company will earn more than 1% in their cash management/repurchase agreement accounts. ..and you resent a company making money, why????? :confused: :confused: To each their own. I know my DH doesn't like to pay anything in advance but I would definitely do this...I would have no problems with NCL making a month or two interest off my prepaid gratuities. The interest I'd be making having it in my account is miniscule so it's not a big deal to me. I don't understand why people don't want other people making money :confused: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atljb2 Posted July 26, 2009 #39 Share Posted July 26, 2009 I've looked on the website and don't see where you are able to prepay. Do you call NCL in advance? Any advice appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoisGriffin1 Posted July 26, 2009 #40 Share Posted July 26, 2009 In the UK its added to the price automatically. I prefer this because its £6.50 a day which means I don't have to worry about the $ to £ exchange rate for this. Its nice knowing exactly what it is costing me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seanote Posted July 26, 2009 #41 Share Posted July 26, 2009 ..and you resent a company making money, why????? :confused: :confused: To each their own. I know my DH doesn't like to pay anything in advance but I would definitely do this...I would have no problems with NCL making a month or two interest off my prepaid gratuities. The interest I'd be making having it in my account is miniscule so it's not a big deal to me. I don't understand why people don't want other people making money :confused: Wow! I went back and read my post. I just can’t see where I said or insinuated that I resented the company making money. :confused: I was merely aggregating the piddling sums a previous poster was ambivalent about to show that little bits do add up. Actually, since your comment really peeved me, I think I will continue with my illustration: Let us see: Brown bagging it saves me about $4 a day equaling about $1040 a year. Moving some savings to a high-yield savings account (yes 2% is better than 1%) earns an extra $100 a year. Using an average of $6 in coupons at the market a week = $312 Opening a savings account with a national credit card company quadruples my travel points from ~ $250 a year to $1,000 a year. Not letting the cruise line take my $0.68 for paying early, priceless. Paying attention to my money saved me $2,202.68, which will pay for my January cruise –without taking a single extra dollar from my paycheck. I am a capitalist and I respect the right for companies to make money, but if I had the choice I’d keep it myself. Since you don’t mind giving yours away, send some this way and I’ll put it in the kitty for next June’s cruise. :D <Off soap box> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fin Posted July 26, 2009 #42 Share Posted July 26, 2009 Bravo, Seanote! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melligene Posted July 26, 2009 #43 Share Posted July 26, 2009 i will not give the cruise line (or anyone else, for that matter) use of my money by paying for anything in advance that is not required. I'd rather be earning interest on the money. we have a winner !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjbdtz Posted July 26, 2009 #44 Share Posted July 26, 2009 Wow! I went back and read my post. I just can’t see where I said or insinuated that I resented the company making money. :confused: I was merely aggregating the piddling sums a previous poster was ambivalent about to show that little bits do add up. Actually, since your comment really peeved me, I think I will continue with my illustration: Let us see: Brown bagging it saves me about $4 a day equaling about $1040 a year. Alternative: eating fresh, hot meals, no cooking, and no cleaning up. Moving some savings to a high-yield savings account (yes 2% is better than 1%) earns an extra $100 a year. So 1% = $100 a year.... so you have $10,000 in savings tied up, and not being more effectively used. If you applied $10,000 to a mortgage, you'd save the PRE-TAX mortgage rate. So if the rate is 5%, and you are in a 50% tax bracket...you'd save 10% by paying down the mortgage. Lost opportunity cost: $900 per year ($1000 - $100)(Just assuming we're not illustrating this just for YOUR scenario, but to outline how others could / could not replicate it. Using an average of $6 in coupons at the market a week = $312 Time spent finding coupons, per week: 30 minutes at hourly wage of $120 equals lost wages of $54/week ($60 - $6) = $2,808. NOT clipping coupons would pay for my cruise! :eek: Good thing I don't clip coupons! Opening a savings account with a national credit card company quadruples my travel points from ~ $250 a year to $1,000 a year. Not letting the cruise line take my $0.68 for paying early, priceless. LOL. Paying attention to my money saved me $2,202.68, which will pay for my January cruise –without taking a single extra dollar from my paycheck. That's not paying attention to your money, it's prioritizing how YOU use your money. Others may have different priorities. Some want stability and peace of mind, others worry about currency exchange rates, etc. I am a capitalist and I respect the right for companies to make money, but if I had the choice I’d keep it myself. Since you don’t mind giving yours away, send some this way and I’ll put it in the kitty for next June’s cruise. :D Poor cat...some of those coins must hurt, as they exit. :rolleyes: <Off soap box> we have a winner !! Yes. An investor who, instead of living off the proceeds of their investments....is living on a pension. (actually...I know NOTHING of their financial situation, but the tag line on his posts has always amused me). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njhorseman Posted July 26, 2009 #45 Share Posted July 26, 2009 Yes. An investor who, instead of living off the proceeds of their investments....is living on a pension. (actually...I know NOTHING of their financial situation, but the tag line on his posts has always amused me). "I'm a retired investor living on a pension" is a line spoken by Hyman Roth (the Meyer Lansky-like character) in The Godfather, Part II. As I recall, he said it right before he gets gunned down in the Miami airport. (I added the word "just' in my tag line.) By the way, the proceeds of one's investments can be used to purchase a type of pension...an annuity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjbdtz Posted July 26, 2009 #46 Share Posted July 26, 2009 "I'm a retired investor living on a pension" is a line spoken by Hyman Roth (the Meyer Lansky-like character) in The Godfather, Part II. As I recall, he said it right before he gets gunned down in the Miami airport. (I added the word "just' in my tag line.) By the way, the proceeds of one's investments can be used to purchase a type of pension...an annuity. Too true...and thanks for the trivia... of course now that you put it in context, I remember him saying it. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashdog_1 Posted July 26, 2009 #47 Share Posted July 26, 2009 i like the option. There are times I'd do it and times I wouldn't. If you know you're going to be having some big payments due the month or so after your cruise, (expensive helicopter excursions or anything else in your life like pet insurance etc) perhaps taking care of the service charge ahead of time will lessen the shock of the big ticket expenses after the cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chipster2 Posted July 27, 2009 #48 Share Posted July 27, 2009 I have searched the NCL site and re-checked my e-docs. Where is this option listed??:confused: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
time2cruise1 Posted July 27, 2009 Author #49 Share Posted July 27, 2009 I have searched the NCL site and re-checked my e-docs. Where is this option listed??:confused: Go back and open your edocs again online. I printed mine a couple weeks ago and it just said something about the $12 service charge. Friday it became the following on the Guest ticket Contract To be presented for Passage page 2. Cut and paste from 2 minutes ago. FARES AS AGREED IMPORTANT NOTICE The guests' attention is specifically directed to the Terms and Conditions of this contract, located at the end of this document. These terms and Conditions affect important legal rights and the guest is advised to read them carefully. If you should experience a flight interruption while en-route to your cruise, you may call us toll free from the US and Canada at 1-800-456-7179. Outside the US and Canada you may reach us at 1-305-468-2029. Please note we accept collect calls. NCL now offers you the ability to pre-pay your Onboard Service Charges of $12 per person per day for guests over the age of 3. Please contact your travel professional to add to your reservation. See our brochure or http://www.ncl.com for details. Ship Registry: BAHAMAS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
halos Posted July 27, 2009 #50 Share Posted July 27, 2009 Not letting the cruise line take my $0.68 for paying early, priceless. <Off soap box> Hey, if this makes you happy, then go for it. :rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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