Roayl Caribbean and Celebrity follow suit and them some on DSC...

As I posted and had it deleted, We are waiting til five days before final payment to see if there are any changes, ie. room food and 18% on specialty dining. We have our T/A looking into other cruises and all included venues in case we decide to cancel the cruise on the Breakaway in favor of something else.

What I find "amazing" is that some folks around here don't see that the REAL damage from all the chaos is that it made a certain percentage of otherwise content NCL cruisers start looking around at other options -- something they never would have done before.

 

No business wants that. It's too expensive to recruit new business!

 

:rolleyes:

Exact same thing happen when Sheenan took over - people were in an uproar due to policy changes and $2 DSC increase he instituted. And look at the forum now, same old but now with a new CEO in an uproar over DSC increase and policy changes AGAIN.

Really, read some of the old posts from 2007 - people have been anger then and still are now. Still don't know what real damage is til next year since this is technically not a year yet to see if the policies habe done damage - it dealt a blow to some CC posters but the actual NCL cruising population? That's a good question since some dondon't even know about CC or even that NCL had a website to book trips....(yes, I have ran into people that didn't know neither - That why CC posters need to be mindful of that fact that some, if not most of the NCL cruisers just don't know)

What I find "amazing" is that some folks around here don't see that the REAL damage from all the chaos is that it made a certain percentage of otherwise content NCL cruisers start looking around at other options -- something they never would have done before.

 

No business wants that. It's too expensive to recruit new business!

 

:rolleyes:

Poppycock. Most of the folks who are ranting and raving and pounding on their keyboards will still sail on NCL. For those that do leave they will be replaced by new cruisers before they even post on another cruise lines forum.

The cruise industry is booming and NCL has a lot to offer.

Poppycock. Most of the folks who are ranting and raving and pounding on their keyboards will still sail on NCL. For those that do leave they will be replaced by new cruisers before they even post on another cruise lines forum.

 

The cruise industry is booming and NCL has a lot to offer.

So true - same posters complaining about Del Rio are the same ones that complained about Sheenan are still sailing the line. That why my stance of them claiming they're not going to sail NCL anymore is now 'I'll believe it when I see it"..... Honestly, I can see those people sailing on Royal and Celebrity then running back those 2 line 'nickel and dimed" too much (which is no different from NCL when it comes to specialty dining and drinking - I compared)

I still find it funny that there are posters on here whining about what others post and their opinions. Why not simply worry about your selves?

I can only speak for myself and I hate the new RS fee because of the policy that prevents food being taken back to your room.. without that policy I could care less about the new Room service fee.

I think it is a piss poor management that resorts to a policy that forces people to pay for a service that is not required by implementing a policy that will force people to pay. I liken it to parking when you can self park without a fee or use Valet parking that charges a fee. There is a choice.

So true - same posters complaining about Del Rio are the same ones that complained about Sheenan are still sailing the line. That why my stance of them claiming they're not going to sail NCL anymore is now 'I'll believe it when I see it"..... Honestly, I can see those people sailing on Royal and Celebrity then running back those 2 line 'nickel and dimed" too much (which is no different from NCL when it comes to specialty dining and drinking - I compared)

Don't take my comment as just being one of the dreaded "cheerleaders". I think it's great if people try something different and if these changes spur that then so be it. The only ship I have any loyalty to is the S.S. ColinIllinois.

Poppycock. Most of the folks who are ranting and raving and pounding on their keyboards will still sail on NCL. For those that do leave they will be replaced by new cruisers before they even post on another cruise lines forum.

 

The cruise industry is booming and NCL has a lot to offer.

Exact same thing happen when Sheenan took over - people were in an uproar due to policy changes and $2 DSC increase he instituted. And look at the forum now, same old but now with a new CEO in an uproar over DSC increase and policy changes AGAIN.

 

Really, read some of the old posts from 2007 - people have been anger then and still are now. Still don't know what real damage is til next year since this is technically not a year yet to see if the policies habe done damage - it dealt a blow to some CC posters but the actual NCL cruising population? That's a good question since some dondon't even know about CC or even that NCL had a website to book trips....(yes, I have ran into people that didn't know neither - That why CC posters need to be mindful of that fact that some, if not most of the NCL cruisers just don't know)

<tongue-in-cheek post>

I think you have uncovered the deep, dark hidden agenda. NCL are now pitching to the un-informed, non-internet savvy types. They do not want people who can communicate ('cos NCL cannot:rolleyes:) because we can see through their BS.

Don't take my comment as just being one of the dreaded "cheerleaders". I think it's great if people try something different and if these changes spur that then so be it. The only ship I have any loyalty to is the S.S. ColinIllinois.

I wasn't - I was commenting that same people complaining now are the same one ones complaining then. Anyone with a differing opinion and common sense is always going to be seen as 'cheerleader' - they truly forgot the definition of that term.

Going /Traveling on another cruise line(s) is not bad thing to do - it puts in perspective the differences and similarities between the lines. Heck some are lines and ships are better than - is NCL the best? No, its not actually - they have so much crammed in but not enough space for all of it. But I have to admit when it comes pricing for solo passengers, they have some nice sweet deals on the Breakaway-class ships thats hard to ignore ($2035 for 3 B2B weeks is not a bad deal for one person). To each the own regarding their travels - I keep traveling on NCL as long as they have good pricing and/or iternaries I want and if it doesn't, there's other lines out there I can use for scheduled/last-minute trips. NCL is not the only line in the world, but to complainers it seems to be so....

 

I think you have uncovered the deep, dark hidden agenda. NCL are now pitching to the un-informed, non-internet savvy types. They do not want people who can communicate ('cos NCL cannot:rolleyes:) because we can see through their BS.

I even know the travel agency some use - no that not a jest, I had to hear the only rant regarding DSC, drinks and excursions because it seems the travel agent did bother to tell the person about neither. Let me just say I had a hard time picking my jaw off the floor because the person truly did not know - that why now, I mindful that some NCL cruisers just do not know anything....

Edit- If you think thats bad, this same brick motar travel agency also books for Carnival and Royal too...

I really see absolutely no uproar on the other boards.

You can still save .95 a day on Carnival. Everybody run!

If Carnival (CCL) management is smart, they will stay put and let NCL and RCL add fees and cut services while Carnival rakes in the dissatisfied customers.

Looks like Carinval is increasing their gratuities as well now.

I have a group on the NCL Dawn for this October. I had already planned on taking THIS SAME GROUP on the NCL Star in Jan of 2017 and had already held the space. When I informed the group about the recent policy changes at NCL (Room Service Fee and no food outside the restaurants), I was told by more than 75% of the group that if I kept the group on the Star for Jan 2017, they would not go. It is too late to make changes for the sailing for this October, but my clients have spoken and the group space on the Star has been given back. Yes, people are speaking with their vacation dollars.

How is it too late to make changes for October? If your clients are upset about the 2017 cruise, they will have the same issue on the October cruise. If they feel that strongly, why not cancel October and book the cruise line that makes you/them happy? Final payment is still a long way off!

I really see absolutely no uproar on the other boards.

There was the dynamic dining uproar over on the RCI board late last year, but that seems to have died down recently.

How is it too late to make changes for October? If your clients are upset about the 2017 cruise, they will have the same issue on the October cruise. If they feel that strongly, why not cancel October and book the cruise line that makes you/them happy? Final payment is still a long way off!

They may have more involved than just the cruise deposit. Think about hotel and air reservations, deposits, etc.

I really see absolutely no uproar on the other boards.

RCCL booze price increases caused a fair few dummies being spat out.

Looks like Carinval is increasing their gratuities as well now.

Are the increases only on Carnival ships or do the increases apply on HAL, Princess, Costa, Cunard and all the other lines owned by CCL ?

There was the dynamic dining uproar over on the RCI board late last year, but that seems to have died down recently.

Yeah that was a melt down. But not really much about the gratuity.

As I posted and had it deleted, We are waiting til five days before final payment to see if there are any changes, ie. room food and 18% on specialty dining. We have our T/A looking into other cruises and all included venues in case we decide to cancel the cruise on the Breakaway in favor of something else.

Be careful, the next thing you know they will push the final payment date out in order to reap their rewards earlier.

Looks like Carinval is increasing their gratuities as well now.

Not true according to Carnival corporate and John Heald.

How is it too late to make changes for October? If your clients are upset about the 2017 cruise, they will have the same issue on the October cruise. If they feel that strongly, why not cancel October and book the cruise line that makes you/them happy? Final payment is still a long way off!

We started planning this group in June of last year, when pricing was first released, so many people have known for a while that they were going. As a result, a good portion of the people have already purchased their air fare to Boston. While some could change their plans (booked with Southwest), some booked on other airlines that do not allow free changes. As a result, YES it is to late to make a change for this years cruise.

Yes, they are not happy about having to endure the "new policies" on the October cruise (that didn't exist when they booked their cabins or paid their deposit), however, rather than lose money to change, we will put up with it. HOWEVER, NCL will not see this group again (unless all the other cruise lines decide to follow the example of FDR).

Looks like Carinval is increasing their gratuities as well now.

I think Carnival beat NCL to the punch, there's were raised last year. I believe they became effective October 1, 2014.

I sense alot of distress when that news is officially confirmed on the Carnival forums....Til then, I'll assume its still hearsay.

I sense alot of distress when that news is officially confirmed on the Carnival forums....Til then, I'll assume its still hearsay.

Carnival corporate and John Heald both say the rumors about another increase are not true.

I believe they are business savvy enough to stay put and allow NCL and RCL to send business to them.

Carnival corporate and John Heald both say the rumors about another increase are not true.

 

I believe they are business savvy enough to stay put and allow NCL and RCL to send business to them.

Minded linking the article because I think that also hearsay too....Just saying and considering the claims on other boards that John Heald does not like CC posters much, some solid info regarding increase being not true is needed....