ighten

TBF My experience has always been the same as Jerseyden whatever type of coupon it is..

As Nola says - just work it out - sometimes its cheaper to just pay the a la carte (especially in the fixed price and LA Cucina depending on what your having)

Other than that your best option is to pre buy the package and forget about it- or decide each night on your free nights either to pay on your account or not.

Never known a sailaway cabin change once its been assigned - They may assign you a better room (ie book inside - assigned a balcony) but once assigned and you have a number I have never seen it change

TBF most people must surely be using the perk anyway.. Just back of Pearl 2 weeks ago and both Cagneys and Bistro (in fact all prems) were full most of the time.

Have to say Pearl was my best Cagneys (not usually my fave restaurant) experience by far  both in service and quality.  Worst Cagneys I have come across has to be Getaway (horrible room when the outside cant be used) - but then again you have Ocean Blue as an option.

There UK - they only have the daily grats to pay (DSC call it what you want) . As CazV says drinks/Meal upgrades etc the grats are included into the package price already for UK customers (and the EU In general I think - Trade description acts here dont allow you to offer something free, then put a charge on it)

You can pay upfront or untick the box - lets not confuse them with terms in other countrys

Always the room steward (Unless they were terrible but I have yet to come across one who wasn't good).. Sometimes the very odd excellent waiter and bar staff. Shore guides depending on the country.

You can choose to pay upfront or untick the box and have it charged to your onboard account at the end.

Its part 3 as you comp lete the booking - Travel Choices - Prepaid Service Charges

Ah thx - that explains something .. So its still is not working - just back from the Pearl 2 weeks ago and still nothing showing. Sure they'll get around to it. We should be moving to Platinum with this so I'll keep an eye on it.

Just started the Trip report.

NCL are offering the Asia Itinerary for Spirit in May 2020 and Nov/Dec 2020 . Its a good itin because of the multiple overnighters but one odd thing is despite it showing Tokyo as the first two days it lists the first day as Embark at 5pm and then re arriving the following morning.. Is this an error or is there a reason?

https://www.ncl.com/uk/en/cruises/15-day-east-asia-from-tokyo-yokohama-SPIRIT15YOKTOKSMZKOBSASTSNSHAHKG?numberOfGuests=4294953449&state=null&Ntk=p_Itinerary_Port&Ntt=TOK&itineraryCode=SPIRIT15YOKTOKSMZKOBSASTSNSHAHKG

Or Blue Moon at a stretch if you prefer  a wheat beer (they usyally have two recipes - the summer and normal)

On 2/11/2019 at 4:50 PM, zounds said:

    Does anyone know if Lattitudes (points) status would be a factor in GTY assignments ?  We are Platinum and just booked a Getaway GTY.  Thanks, Steve.

Probably used to be until they started the whole bidding upgrade thing.. We have booked inside GTYs in the past as very last minute bargains and been allocated Balconys (So we still have never seen the inside of  an inside ;)). Wouldnt risk it now though - you just seem to get some OBC.

Just back from POA a few weeks ago - I havent put the trip report up here yet though its here day by day on the blog as usual here

https://notesfromthebarn.blogspot.com/2019/03/feb-2019-ncl-pride-of-america-hawaii.html

In one word SUPERB - would do it again tomorrow (even with the flights from the UK). Just loved everything about the people, the islands and the ship

As mentioned above - if its your first visit or (as in our case - not the easiest place to get to) this cruise is a brilliant way to get a feel for it all...

Dont know if this is any help but we actually took the Stockholm Vasa (with free time on your own ) tour; but after Vasa it did appear then that all the coaches (no matter where they came from)  dropped you off in front of the Royal Palace on Gamla Stan near the Johans Stature - Nobel Museum is around the corner and from there your into the old part of the city. Its a sort of timed area - coaches come in drop you off and your told when to be back as the coaches cant stay. https://notesfromthebarn.blogspot.com/2017/06/ncl-getaway-baltic-cruise-pre-and-day-1.html

2 hours ago, spanishguy1970 said:

disembarking from the Epic has always been awful for us and i don't understand why, we still love the ship though.

It does depend on the port though - 2 examples from our last Epic trips are Southampton for a repositioning - Absolute Nightmare - 1 gangplank at what seemed like a 45degree angle.. AAARRRGGHH

Barcelona - seamless and off in 2 minutes.

The dining would have no charge if it's a free perk 

14 minutes ago, Lolou127 said:

Sorry to keep asking so many questions! So we’ve got service charges included which I assume is DSC? so what are tips? I’m a very confused it’s time NCL cruiser 😂

If you booked in the UK and have service charges included (either pre paid or included) your all set to go - everything else is discretionary for you as even your bar and dining includes the gratuity.. 

20 hours ago, Lolou127 said:

Reading this post with interest, we’re in the U.K. and booked our first NCL cruise last weekend before the offer changed, ive just checked and I’ve got all the included offers listed and an item that says service charge on beverage package, this is listed separately to the included gratuities that was part of the offer

 

does this mean I’ll just have to pay gratuities on the specialty dining package? Or are there other gratuities I’ve not taken into account?

Its different in the UK. Regardless if you bought the All inclusive rate -  or from April 2nd booked under the new system (free at sea (same as the US)) ie pick two free perks : you wont have to pay any grats on drinks or dining .  Thats because when you book through the UK or EU sites they have to actually include it - In the UK/EU consumer law protects you so NCL cant say a perk includes free drinks or free specialty dining  if you then have to pay grats on top.

21 minutes ago, YANKEES75 said:

Like anyone, I hate the feeling like I was duped. Quick summary, I purchased the studio room, but recently realized that the Balcony suite is only $30 more. I rather have a bigger room and balcony. Spoke with NCL. They are unable to switch my room and I’m not able to upgrade. 😡

I suspect(as everyone else is saying) your looking at the price pp for 2 - it would be almost double for one person.. If not cant you just cancel and rebook

Sail away and last minute (x class) prices (especially if you like to drink even moderately) are now looking such an absolute bargain(especially to UK and EU as grats are included in the price of drinks and dining)

This is mainly because they have kept the price as low as the old just cruise price (the diff is no DSC but even paying that is still a cheaper option) - but now give you an option of a 99£ a week opportunity to add the perks ; where as before you would have had to move up to the lowest premium included offer which was a much bigger jump - or have a huge bar bill..

As someone mentioned earlier I wonder how long it will be before NCL remove it from x class 😉

The location doesnt help on the breakawy/getaway ships - works ok when the sides are open but if they close the deck off its almost a corridor..  The area near the kitchen is ok.

Quality of food In Cagneys though can vary I must admit - not just ship to ship - but day to day - if its not right, send it back.

I too found Ocean Blue superb and Le Bistro (horrible internal location though on the Getaway) is good though I just wish they would change the menu more regularly

Bistro  (duck or the lamb) followed by Cagneys(this one really depends as one thing that was great last time can be meh on a different ship) - (both are trumped for me if you have the seafood option (mind blank I cant remember the name)  on the larger ships - then that's a first) - just dont get the whole Teppanyaki thing but maybe I'm missing something - the whole idea of dinner having to be a show sends shivers down my spine lol.

Me neither - you seem to be asking  a cash v credit ? but Im not sure what your asking

Have to admit if we have been over the limit or extra appetizers they have never charged or even mentioned it

Ah but they call "free at sea" an upgrade -

Just done the personal maths on our June trip - If we went (as we were) with the old just cruise offer on a 14 nights we would end up with a around a 1K bar bill (at the very  least) - BUT DSC would be included. 

With a sail away price that is actually slightly less (than the just cruise) plus the addition of now pre paying the DSC we are only paying 150 pp more and getting  meal upgrades  and drinks included..

Fortunately NCL have been very helpful and cancelled and rebooked us on the new package

They cant it would be illegal (contravenes trading standards) in the UK and EU to offer a perk as free then add a charge to it