MisterFidgetpants

Yes

Thanks for the wine list. I didn't realize chocolate wines were a "new" thing. I just know it tastes like Yoohoo but you get a buzz. :D

I don't make threats, I state facts (unless I explicitly state that a post is an opinion). Once my June cruise is over, it's goodbye NCL and good riddance. Too many other good lines out there (CCL, Princess, RCCL, HAL) to ever waste money sailing NCL again.

Well, me know your first statement is up for debate...but why are you going on NCL if you hate them so much? What happened that you feel this way? And at least I hope you have a good time and make the best of your cruise; if you have a great time are you willing to reconsider your position?

If you want to stick to facts, show any piece of literature from NCL that states the PCC is optional. If you can't show that, then stick with the facts and stop using such wording.

The DSC is discretionary. That means optional.

PCC's are notorious for not giving exact and proper information to guests. Again, read the policy from the NCL web site that was posted earlier.

Go call NCL. Your own PCC or the main number. Ask if the DSC is discretionary or mandatory and tell me what they say. I don't care of you like their policy or not. We all have to abide by it. I'm not saying opinions just black and white facts.

Okay - admit that I have not personally seen the trash, however, unless many posters are liars, this does exist on NCL ships. Many posters are so self-involved in their personal "wants" that they can not see the whole picture. Sometimes it takes an outsider to listen to what is being said and draw a conclusion in the hopes of opening the eyes of those whose eyes prefer to be shut.

 

I am "buying into the story" that was NOT concocted by the "suits" in Miami to "cover their tracks" because I know that the CEO of NCL would absolutely never "concoct" anything. He is the most honest individual that I have ever met. He does not lie and speaks the truth (as he sees it). Even I do not always agree with his vision, however, he has run successful cruise lines for years and I have not.

 

It would be great if any passenger on one of the larger NCL ships walked the entire ship two or three times - observing plates on the floor and thinking about how much effort it would/will be to continually be walking the ship to pick up plates. I look forward to learning what measures will be taken to curb not only the plates on the floor (even typing this grosses me out) and the food that is spilled on the carpeting in the hallways.

My meter is pegged. Ease up a bit

Just because you can legally do something doesn't mean it's right, or expected. You can go out for dinner, and not leave a tip. You can eat spaghetti with your hands. You can blow your nose on your sleeve in a crowded elevator. You can remove the DSC.

 

However, the terms are clearly written. If you have an issue that is not resolved, you can adjust your DSC. Nowhere does any literature state that you are free to remove it, for any reason, and just tip people on your own. If I missed it, please post it. I'm going to trust what my eyes see, vs. what some minimum wage drone on the other end of the phone tells me.

All I'm doing is saying what the policy is. Nothing more or less.

Why do people here insist on stirring words or saying nasty things about NCL employees to justify passing off falsified statements as fact? Give us all a break

Right on for putting up everything.

Inquiring minds would like to know. Or if anyone has a wine list for those available by the glass that would be great to have.

Congratulations JeerLeaders! Happy for you. You won!!

 

 

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This is a win for you as well. I hope you realize that.

Norwegian Cruise Line said it will once again allow passengers to take food to their cabins from dining venues, reversing a month-old policy.

Norwegian President Andy Stuart said the decision was made after getting considerable customer feedback from a number of channels. In particular, the issue became subject of in-depth discussion on the website Cruise Critic, where a thread attracted more than 65,000 views.

Great News

http://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Norwegian-Cruise-Line-reverses-ban-on-taking-food-to-cabins

“We’re changing the policy,” Stuart said. “We’re still going to fix the issue because the issue is the same,” he said.

So instead of banning food, Norwegian will have more frequent inspections of the corridors so dishes get removed quickly.

“It’s another good example of how we listen to customer feedback and act on it,” Stuart said. “We picked the wrong solution."

There is no flaw. When demand for a certain job is reduced and the staff is also reduced then it gets done in the same time. However, if demand is reduced the job can be completed in less time and more efficiently by the same number of staff. Neither you nor I really know what NCL's future staff planning will be but I am assuming they will not be cutting their staff on board the NCL ships.

If the job gets done in the same time, then the $7.95 fee is a complete and total ripoff.

The goal by NCL is to cut its way to great profitability. To do that you have to eliminate staff, one of the biggest areas of overhead to any hospitality company. They can't FORCE people to pay for optional services, but they can make those services so unattractive that the demand decreases and thus staffing levels drop.

If you owned your own business and did not strike a happy medium between charging for a service and staffing levels you'd have an issue if your demand decreased but you maintained staff levels.

Yes and no. They are added to your account, and can in theory be removed. NCL says in order to remove them you have to tell them why you want to remove them, and you have to give them an opportunity to fix whatever is causing you to want to remove them. That is the theory. In practice, all it may take to remove the DSC is a trip to the desk. I don't know how it actually works because I have never felt the need to remove them. We tip more than the DSC amount almost every time we go out for dinner, so the amount to me seems rather small.

I have no issue leaving them in place, paying them, giving additional cash for excellent service.

I just take issue with people misquoting the policies or telling others they are not discretionary. My PCC confirmed it is a discretionary charge.

My husband and I just did the Sands Brewery tour in Freeport earlier this month and we would recommend if you like beer of course. It cost us $26 roundtrip for the 2 of us by taxi. A little steep for the 5 mile journey but it was a rainy day and our cab driver waited for us while we were at the brewery. I believe the tour was $5 per person plus tax. It's a walking tour of the brewery and then your guide will take you to the tap room. Our guide explained each beer and we sampled. After sampling, it was basically a free for all. You could have as much as you like. I think we were there for about an hour to an hour and a half. So after costs and tips, our $50 excursion worked out well and was great that we could go at our own pace.

Thanks, that's pretty reasonable on cost and could be interesting.

Because NCL's PCC's always give correct information...

The PCC was correct . It is a discretionary charge. You can do nothing and stay automatically on, or can option out and handle business the way you see fit. That's 100% accurate and factual. It's what NCL has their employees telling people and they are the ones that took my booking, so I have no reason to disbelieve them. Further, the poster I had responded to I also responded to prior when he or she had given incorrect information.

There can be as many different opinions as there are people, so I'm not trying to argue anyones feelings about it, I'm just correcting someone who made an incorrect statement.

I just feel it is important for people to set aside opinions or agendas and just stick to facts, even if they don't always like them.

Who says there will be fewer staff? The crew size does not change because of the room service charge. The trays and dishes get picked up sooner if they are not overworked by the combination of so many room service & carry out dishes/trays.

 

 

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You seem very certain of this, but you have a flaw in your statement. If you reduce the demand for a service, you can reduce the number of staff that provide the service. This opens up berths for staff to work in other, higher volume areas.

I am glad you are placated by some free hot noodles, but that doesn't exist on the ship I am going on, so that's not such a great tradeoff from where I sit.

If NCL is using these new charges to improve service levels I will eat crow.

Then my complain about a 7.95 fee. About the price of a value meal.

If the cost were so trivial as to be insignificant, then it should be insignificant to NCL and they should not ask for it.

If it was truly optional, why would anyone pay it?

 

Just a "for instance". Part of it goes to the waiters, would you think it was ok not to tip them? Would you not tip in a restaurant on land?

 

The optional part is if you want to give something over and above the DSC.

I am not new to cruising. I am new to NCL. When booking I asked about extra charges and was told that about DSC. The PCC said DSC is entirely optional. We'll be charged it but can turn it off. My PCC said many folks prefer the old way of tipping cash, this is just an alternate way the cruise line came up with for our convenience and we are not obligated to their way.

I never said I wouldn't pay it, or that I won't tip, or that waiters don't deserve the tips they earn. I was just correcting someone who said it is expected to pay the autocharge DSC when really it is an optional charge and not the only way to handle things. NCL's own PCC's will tell you that. That's all.

The option to give more always exists everywhere in life.

The $7.95 room service trays are better. There will be fewer of them.

 

 

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It begs the question; if there are fewer staff because of fewer orders, won't the trays sit in the halls longer before anyone is on duty to collect them?

This is known as punting the problem.

I also stopped in a liquor store, somewhere between the dock and the main shopping drag (Bay Street) and bought a couple single beers - a Banks and a Strong Back Stout. Although my rum was confiscated (nicely), the guy waved me through with the beers and I was able to enjoy them on the ship.

Now that you mention it, there is a beer brewery in Freeport that I was considering. (I know the above post references Nassau) Do like to sample different beers. It's not an NCL excursion. May run over there in the morning to check it out and shoot on back to the ship for a lazy afternoon. Owe you a beer if our paths cross.

Glad to help. If that wasn't enough, there is more, 4 pages of spa specials, casino tournaments, photo specials, drinks and games but you got most of it if you saw all 4 pages.

Nope; perfect. I know where to get food and booze while everyone else is off the ship.

The plan is to pour it over a couple ice cubes and sip.

I *think* your plan will succeed.

We've been to Nassau before and went to that distillery. Nice grounds, friendly bar staff. It's a great "free" site to see in Nassau. Yes, the drinks they made packed a punch.

Again, thanks for posting those photos!

The DSC is expected to be paid.

When we booked our PCC from Norwegian said it is optional.

Did you have any of the promos? We have the drink promos package; assume they are good on drink of the day and specials?