Welcome to new NCL cruisers - are the promos attactring new customers?

Over the last week I have noticed an increase in the number of posters who are new to NCL board. Has any else also noticed the same trend? Are the promos (free UBP, UDP, etc) attracting new customers?

By the way, welcome to the NCL board. We are happy to have you?

I am new:) I have one NCL cruise in my history, but before freestyle, so that makes me new I think.

For me it was not really the promos that got me. I cruise solo now mostly, and it was the studio concept, plus NCL gives me a break on the exchange rate on the Canadian dollar. I booked a studio on the Escape, with 100 free mins internet, and got a very good break on the US to CAD dollar exchange rate.

I have been cruising exclusively (except for one Celebrity), with Carnival since 2000. I have enjoyed all my Carnival cruises, but when I started to look at their prices for next fall, I was surprised at how much more it cost from this year, and last year. I have always wanted to try one of those studio rooms, I only need a place to lay my head at night, and a bathroom/shower, and don't need a window or a balcony.

To me it was a no brainer, NCL Escape, new ship, with lots of entertainment and dining options, for about 200.00 less than a 7 day on Carnival. So looking forward to the Escape:)

My apologies for the typo. My previous message is suppose to say Welcome. We are happy to have you!

I am new:) I have one NCL cruise in my history, but before freestyle, so that makes me new I think.

 

For me it was not really the promos that got me. I cruise solo now mostly, and it was the studio concept, plus NCL gives me a break on the exchange rate on the Canadian dollar. I booked a studio on the Escape, with 100 free mins internet, and got a very good break on the US to CAD dollar exchange rate.

 

I have been cruising exclusively (except for one Celebrity), with Carnival since 2000. I have enjoyed all my Carnival cruises, but when I started to look at their prices for next fall, I was surprised at how much more it cost from this year, and last year. I have always wanted to try one of those studio rooms, I only need a place to lay my head at night, and a bathroom/shower, and don't need a window or a balcony.

 

To me it was a no brainer, NCL Escape, new ship, with lots of entertainment and dining options, for about 200.00 less than a 7 day on Carnival. So looking forward to the Escape:)

Welcome and thanks for your reply.

Yes, dh and I are new to NCL and are looking forward to a new ship and new experiences on Escape! We got a great price and the UBP thrown in for free, so I just couldn't pass it up.:)

Being Diamond+ on RCCL, we get a free happy hour every day from 5:00 to 8:30, plus other perks that kept me sailing with them. Now, I am excited to try NCL and all they have to offer.

I love to research the ships we sail on here at CC and read reviews and look at pics. So, it is making me crazy that I have had to wait so long for either of those for Escape. Not long now though!

It wasn't the promo's. Just had small window to go and NCL was the only option. We are really looking forward to it.

The promo helped our decision. We have only done a Disney cruise and were going to go on another but this cruise was three days longer and $400 cheaper. The UBP sealed the deal. I can't wait to see how this cruise will compare.

Booked our first NCL cruise early this year when 3rd & 4th go free was on. Also got UBP so too good a deal to miss, but first looked as the cruise left in the correct day for school holidays. Will find out in just over a week whether or not we will be back. So far so good :)

Going on my first NCL in January after 22 cruises in just 4 1/2 years. Been hangin in the NCL board now for a few weeks. Like what NCL has done recently with Pitbull/Escape and changing there tipping policy by declining onboard passengers from removing tips. Obviously they standing behind their staff and employees, that I respect and like. :cool:

Celebrity is my preferred choice but I want to give NCL a try for a few reasons. 1) Very attracted at this time to new ships aka Escape, 2) Don't want to get burned out with a good thing currently going on with Celebrity, 3) like all the different dining/bar/entertainment options available on Escape, 4) trying a new cruise line is exciting and interesting and 5) looking for a slightly younger crowd (even though I'm 61, I think I'm in my 40's :rolleyes:).

I'm new and im going on my first cruise for a wedding in November and then got comped by Caesars and going again in May. I feel there's so much I need to learn. I did get the free UBP for November and I'm geeked!

I've cruised NCL just once prior, in Hawaii. Great time. Now going on 11/28 cruise on Escape. Got the beverage pkg when booking way back in January. Should be great fun!

I'm going on my first cruise next month. The deal of 3-8 passengers free plus the UBP free and the NCL exchange rate couldn't be beat. We were looking Disney cruises but I couldn't justify the cost. $7000 USD for Disney vs $2500 CDN for NCL for my family of 5.

The Norwegian promos and terrific pricing made up our minds for us. We were looking at a nice European trip and hadn't really considered a Med cruise but we simply could not pass up the price with UBP for the 12-night March 16, 2016 Western Med cruise on Epic.

While we love cruising we do like to mix it up a bit and have only done land vacations in the last ten years. We're excited!!!

Well, we are new to the world of cruising. We ended up canceling our cruise for December of this year, but the promos were a big part of what pulled us in. However, when they were doing the older beverage, and dining package, we also booked a suite on the Dawn for October of 2016. Therefore, we got the UDP, UBP, gratuities, and $200 cabin credit. For us, these promos undoubtedly swayed us to spend the money, and go for a suite.

The promos were definitely a deciding factor for our group. I was all set that we were going on another Carnival cruise when I checked the prices for the Getaway (on a whim). They were $28 cheaper, included the UBP, and the ship was absolutely awesome, way better than the ship we were looking at. Win win for me. Booked in a heartbeat.

Can't wait. Time is dragging.

People aren't getting the UBP "free" though, right? Or are they mostly not noticing the extra charge(s)?

People aren't getting the UBP "free" though, right? Or are they mostly not noticing the extra charge(s)?

As far as I understand, the packages underwent a change, which I'm sure someone with more knowledge of that subject, will chime in with shortly.

However, for us, as far as I understand, we are grandfathered into the older packages. Therefore, we aren't subjected to the new charges on the beverage package, and aren't limited to the number of nights we eat in speciality restaurants, when using the dining package. But, I also assume that means we are limited to $11 drinks with the drink package.

I've only cruised Carnival, DW has sailed RCI as well. When we were recently looking for a late Oct/early Nov cruise the promos made NCL a better overall value for us and we'll be doing our first NCL cruise in a couple weeks.

We have cruised twice on RCI and once on HAL. We were originally looking at taking RCI out of Miami this summer but after pricing NCL and RCI, we felt NCL's pricing was much better so that brought us to the Escape. Plus we'll be on a new ship. At the time we booked, I don't think RCI was offering any promo like NCL was. I realize the UBP isn't free, but it was still a pretty good deal to us.

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I Only have one cruise under my belt and it was on the Getaway. We loved it but I really wanted to try something different for this year. I was looking at Harmony of the Seas, but Escape with beverage package was a couple hundred cheaper for a balcony. I was going back and forth on it until my TA said, "will your husband forgive you if he can only have X beers a day in the Harmony?" That did it for me, the (original) UBP reeled me in. Also we booked the Jade for 2016 with KSF and the original UBP. So yes 100% for us.

As far as I understand, the packages underwent a change, which I'm sure someone with more knowledge of that subject, will chime in with shortly.

 

However, for us, as far as I understand, we are grandfathered into the older packages. Therefore, we aren't subjected to the new charges on the beverage package, and aren't limited to the number of nights we eat in speciality restaurants, when using the dining package. But, I also assume that means we are limited to $11 drinks with the drink package.

You are correct about the Ultimate Beverage Package. Under the current promo, the guest have to pay the 18% gratuity. If you booked earlier this year, NCL paid for the gratuity. Additionally, the UBP now covers drinks up to $15.

People aren't getting the UBP "free" though, right? Or are they mostly not noticing the extra charge(s)?

We did have to pre-pay the service charge on the UBP but that's perfectly fine. It isn't "free" in that sense but for our particular situation came down to under $10/pp per night and made the cruise "all-inclusive" enough to entice us to just go ahead and book it.

People aren't getting the UBP "free" though, right? Or are they mostly not noticing the extra charge(s)?

I'm paying the same base price for my Escape cruise in 2016 that I paid for my Getaway cruise in 2014 - same cabin, same week, and same itinerary. This one has UBP for free, and we bought it on the other. Despite a few minor increases in DSC and gratuity rate, we are still saving hundreds of dollars compared to what we paid 2 years ago. So yeah, it's free.

I'm paying the same base price for my Escape cruise in 2016 that I paid for my Getaway cruise in 2014 - same cabin, same week, and same itinerary. This one has UBP for free, and we bought it on the other. Despite a few minor increases in DSC and gratuity rate, we are still saving hundreds of dollars compared to what we paid 2 years ago. So yeah, it's free.

I was referring to the subject of this thread, newly-booking NCL customers who may not notice the service charges OR be aware that it used to be free literally, not just figuratively.

I don't use the drink packages; NCL is just quite obviously more weaselly than most with their wording, and I feel like I'll have to be extra careful with the fine print if I sail with them again. To me it's less about perceived value and more about how shady they are.

We were rccl (diamond) but yhe new ships (water slide rope course) sold us for the kids...not to mention the price. . Holiday cruises ate half the price of rccl...no brainer. ..now I have 7 cruises under my belt with ncl

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