JOHNHOWARTH2

1 hour ago, gatorchinsky said:

 

  We carried our bags off around 8:00 am but people started leaving at 7:00 am.  

 

 

 

The last time I arrived at Civitavecchia on the Epic, the ship docked at exact;y 6.00am and I was straight off at that time , and walked it to the railway station. I hope to be doing the same on July 31st to catch the 7.02 am train to Trastvere and then on to Rome airport if the Epic docks at Pier 12BIS N (as phoenix1975 has had confirmed by the port authorities) 

3 hours ago, FLAHAM said:

I guess I have ordered well over one hundred drinks on NCL cruises over the past few years.  I have always had the "perk" alcohol package.  I have always given my key card, have never been given a receipt, and have never been charged a nickle for a drink. 

I am slightly confused regarding the issue of receiving a receipt to sign when getting a drink even when you have a 'free at sea' deal. I thought that the receipt to sign was done away with a few years ago. Is this still the case and you simply hand over your card with nothing to sign ?

5 minutes ago, tokidoki said:

I only have non-refundable OBC from NCL credit card points,  but the last night I get an accurate printout of OBC left and hightail it to a slot machine and play that amount, but then I just cash it out with a 3% loss and take it home.

I have 100 dollars OBC which I would struggle to use. Are you saying I can get a print out from guest services on the last night then take that to the cashier in the casino and cash out , less a 3% charge.

8 minutes ago, StolidCruiser said:

 

 

Please see Post #254 for clarification. 

 

Some simply wish to only read the parts that justify their narrow perspective.

I have read post number 254 and the content is totally erroneous. At the risk of repeating myself to certain posters who do not seem to be able to understand, if you wish not to pay the daily service charge, then simply ask for it to be removed. That is certainly the case for bookings through NCL UK. Just for clarification to make sure that there had been no change, I rang NCL UK today and the lady I administration confirmed to me that was still the situation. It has abdolutely nothing to do with actual lack of any service. The charge is discretionary which means that you have a choice to pay or not

1 minute ago, cybergremlin said:

 

No it doesn't, that's why people have the option to remove/reduce it

At last. A post that is to the point. Why do NCL UK Tel you when booking that the daily service charge is indeed discretionary and can be removed if you so wish by asking for a form at guest services. Why in this thread do so many American posters refuse to believe or understand this point made by NCL ? If you wish to pay the £80.71 for a 7 night cruise, then fine. If you don't wish to pay, then simply ask for the form at guest services and ask for the charge to be removed from your account.

3 hours ago, myjillian said:

You can opt out of NCL grats on the last sea day ONLY.  They do this hoping you will forget to do it.  No matter how many people are on the ship....no matter where the ship is going...the employees pay checks DO NOT CHANGE ! SOOOOOOOO where do you think the monies go???🍹

Very interesting. I was advised by NCL UK to go to guest services as soon as you embark and ask for a form for NCL not to charge the DISCRETIONARY daily service charge. 

5 minutes ago, LrgPizza said:

 

For example, some people want 6 shrimp cocktail instead of 3, or perhaps a salad and a tiny appetizer.  It's hardly the downfall of society.

Maybe not but greed is no excuse

13 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

Multiple Appetizers, One Entree, Multiple Desserts.

Do people really order more than one starter and dessert? Is this why there are so many overweight passengers?

4 minutes ago, trivimp said:

I am still trying to work out if post number 8 is meant as a joke or not. 

Exactly why would you consider the post a joke. The poster is obviously concerned at the level of requests that passengers appear to ask from the NCL employee.Does the title of butler really mean that he/she should be treated like a dogs body?

1 hour ago, sue2002 said:

 Went back to guest services on day 6 to complain again

Just wondered what you did on days 3, 4 and 5?

40 minutes ago, GA Dave said:

Your assumptions are completely off base and insulting.  My DW and I have worked full time plus at “normal” jobs for over 37 years.  At times, we both worked two jobs to make sure our kids were able to go to state college, giving up any trips and extras for ourselves.  We had not made a trip on our own for over ten years and felt it was time to treat ourselves with a Haven cruise.  If us asking for a few simple services from the Butler is making them a slave, then that person is in the wrong line of work.

I guess when you go out to McDonalds, you must cook the food you order and mop the floors when you are done.  If not, you are treating their employees as your “slaves”.

You poor thing. My heart bleeds for you.Yes I can hear the violins playing.😂

8 hours ago, GA Dave said:

No, not a joke at all.  For $10,000 - $15,000 for a cruise, I think we have the right to ask for a few extras.  What we asked for is minuscule compared to what my employer’s customers ask for.  Of course, they are buying single products that cost between $45M and $70M, so their requests are proportional.

I cannot believe that just because you are obviously rich and spend that kind of money on a cruise,you have the right to demand what you wanted to the slave,sorry servant or butler. Is this really how the high society actually live?

2 hours ago, schildiams said:

Is there an NCL shuttle from the ship to the city center?

Yes but the best deal is to pay 5 euros for a return coach shuttle arranged by Tuscany Bus. You will find their coach on the pier right opposite the ship

1 minute ago, phoenix1975 said:

Thanks very much for the replies - my only gripes with the daily service charge is the cost of it, as it's quite expensive compared with other cruise lines, made worse by the Dollar/Pound sterling exchange rate; and that it just goes to the company. My usual cruise line in the UK doesn't have tipping and has now got rid of the service charge completely, absorbing it into the cost of the cruise.

 

Glad they have frozen margaritas and decaff tea.

 

I've wanted to book the restaurants online (so I can see the times/days available) but the system won't let me. UK Customer Services has tried to help but they can't get it to work either. So will have to work out what I want to do and when, and then try and do it over the phone.

phoenix, don't be put off by American posters telling you in bold red type not to opt out of the daily service charge. Remember that NCL UK advise you the charge is discretionary. If you don't feel the need to pay it, just advise guest services when you embark.Simples!

2 hours ago, phoenix1975 said:

🙂

1. I have the 3 speciality restaurant cover charge package - which are the best restaurants on Epic to go to? I'm a bit of a foodie so I want to try whatever's best!  La Cucina, Cagneys and Le Bistro

2. When I book the restaurants (this will have to be via customer services as I can't via the app or the website for some reason) - do they just use my 3 restaurant package to do this?. Just ring up NCL UK

3. If I opt out of paying the daily service charge and decide to tip my cabin steward, can I do this in Euros, or will it have to be in Dollars? They will take Euros.

4. Can you get liqueur coffees made with decaffeinated coffee? If you ask nicely

5. Do they have decaffeinated tea on board or do I need to bring my own teabags?  Yes they do

6. Can you get Frozen Margaritas - I particularly like these on other cruise lines?  Yes

7. Does NCL/the port provide shuttle buses to Livorno Railway station and Barcelona? How much do these cost? Yes they do but at Livorno, Tuscany Bus run a bus into town for €5 return.In Barcelona, Blue Port shuttle Bus (Cruise Barcelona) Outside terminal. Cash on bus €2

8. Is there anything that I should not miss when on board Epic, as I don't want to miss out on something in case I don't cruise with NCL again? Deck 18 for quiet sunbathing

19 minutes ago, StolidCruiser said:

 

You should feel quite proud of yourself (in more ways than 1).

Proud for what reason please?? I do not follow your thinking. Is that an Americanism?

22 minutes ago, doghouse09 said:

I have called NCL and the shuttle costs £48pp and the earliest flight they recommend booking is12 noon. 

Interesting that they said £48. The NCL web site shows $60 but NCL have a very strange exchange rate which comes out at £61.!! I felt that £122 for transfers both ways was far too much and have decided on a train from Rome airport to Trastevere at €8 and then a train from there to Civitavecchia for €4.80 

4 hours ago, elwood_98034 said:

I would be too embarrassed to ask for any of that sort of thing.

I quite agree. I am still trying to work out if  post number 4 is meant as a joke or not. 

On 6/8/2019 at 12:27 PM, JOHNHOWARTH2 said:

 This is not an attempt to not pay the harworking staff, but all I am trying to establish is if this practice actually works and if anybody has successfully had the discretionary DSC waived from their account. Any help would be appreciated

Quite amazing.8149 views and 209 replies but has anybody actually answered the question? Only a total of THREE!

2 hours ago, flahagan said:

I know Santorini is a tender port - how about Mykonos?  We're doing this same itinerary on Jade August 1.

Most of the time no

1 hour ago, phoenix1975 said:

I asked Port Mobility about which pier/dock, Epic should be in, and for the dates I have provided to them, they have told me where they expect the ship to be both for embarking and disembarking (obviously can change but they have a good idea).

phoenix 1975, just curious as to which dates you asked them about? I am boarding the Epic myself on July 24th and disembarking at 6.00am on 31st July. Normally the Epic docks at piers 10 to 13 but yesterday it was at pier 25.

18 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

What that means in actual practice is anyone's guess unless you hear from someone on Epic. My only other suggestion is to email Port Mobility directly and ask -- there is an icon for emails at the top right corner of the link given above.

Thanks cruisemom42. I did contact the Port Mobility and received their response whichis looking good if indeed the Epic docks at pier 25.

Hi John, 

shuttles time tables are synched with the arrival of ships, so you will find the shuttles at about 6.00 o’ clock in the morning.

51 minutes ago, euro cruiser said:

You can find it here:  https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/64-norwegian-cruise-line/

I posted the same question on the above board and someone suggested that I should post the same question on Italy Ports. Unfortunately, nobody seems to have any real information regarding docking at pier 25 and getting to the station from there

3 minutes ago, euro cruiser said:

I would post your question on the NCL board to find recent Epic cruisers who can tell you first hand how disembarking worked in Rome.

Where do I find that please?

Flight from Rome FCO is at 12.15pm so should be OK irrelevant on getting from pier 25 (if it docks there as it did today). I am simply trying to ascertain what other posters have found to get to the station if docking at pier 25.. I really do not think that private transport is an option as that costs.