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swilliams1660

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Posts posted by swilliams1660

    Long drink lines on ships

    in Norwegian Cruise Line

    Posted

    why is it that people from europe are so ridiculous about tipping. Yes, i understand that waitstaff in the uk (i took the liberty of looking at some of your prior posts) are generally better paid and that they build that tip into the higher prices on the menu, but i would think you would understand that that is not the case on a cruise ship. Do you honestly believe that the 18% gratuity is going to the waiter or the bartender? Maybe they get a cut, but i would think its not much. Do you realize what an extra dollar can mean to a waiter considering what their income is on a ship? Does it really hurt your wallet so much to spend a few more dollars to reward someone for superior service? A tip is not a bribe my friend. You should be ashamed of yourself.

     

    like

    My NCL Email

    in Norwegian Cruise Line

    Posted

    while i am not a frequent poster, i am a lurker mostly around the time of our cruise travels while doing due diligence for our trip. I thank all you all for all of the valuable information and resources that i have gathered here over the years.

     

    My recent research led me to write the following email to ncl and i thought i would share with them some of the disappointment that my family and i are feeling regarding the changes and the way that they were handled. We are pretty new to the ncl brand and starting sailing with them as a result of the partnership that they have with caesar’s entertainment. We love to travel in general, so some of my observations and concerns of the changes are colored in the lenses of all of the type of vacations that we plan.

    My post is not to complain, but just one person who did decide to make contact with the company directly.

     

    Thanks for listening…

     

    as a recent convert to ncl's cruising product, i am writing to register my concerns with all of the changes and lack of formal notification of the changes that are taking place on you cruise ships. My family and i switched to sailing with your line from others and thought we had found a product that we were happy with and felt had value. We enjoy cruising and the ease and feeling of being on "vacation" when we travel, but it now appears that the product that we bought into is no longer the same product that we once found enticing.

     

    While cruising in general is one of our favorite vacation past times, we do enjoy other vacation options. Right now i feel that all of the organizations' changes will be taking the intrinsic ease and enjoyment of our traveling with your brand. It surely feels and appears as though my family and i no longer fit into the demographic of cruisers that you are seeking for the "new" business model and direction that the company is taking. As customers, we like to at least be given the impression of valued guest and customers and not just a margin on your bottom line. While it is true that we are a "captured audience", i don't like being treated like a hostage, but a valued guest.

     

    I write this note again to register my family’s opposition to the recent changes mostly in direct response to the recent investor’s call where your new ceo stated that he has not had any complaints .make no mistake that this is indeed a complaint. Not that i believe it will matter, but i hope that he hears this is one direct complaint regarding the changes and i hope that company sees it personally as i was personally offended by the ceo's remarks. Rest assured, my family and i are listening, waiting and learning each and every day with regards to where our next disposable dollar will be spent and whether your brand works with our bottom line.

     

    Regards,

     

    like

    NCL depriving us of simple pleasures

    in Norwegian Cruise Line

    Posted

    We are a well traveled couple; DINK's. We traditionally do longer voyages multiple times per year. When we are not cruising, we select land based vacations that involve physical activity, exploring, etc.

     

    We recently sampled Royal Caribbean and had a very good time staying in a suite. Not perfect, but very good. We have also traveled on Holland America, Princess, Celebrity, and numerous times on NCL. We have found different things on each line to like.

     

    Due to what appeared to be a good deal (at the time of booking) we booked a standard class balcony cabin on Breakaway for this summer. Now we are beyond final payment period and I was shocked this morning to come on to Cruise Critic to brush up on ship info and find so many changed and revised policies. I have heard of none of these changes from NCL directly. In fact, I find many of these changes to be offensive out of principle alone.

     

    I am a very early riser and go to exercise. I then either go to the MDR or buffet for breakfast and always have a plate to go for my wife. We will be cruising over her birthday this summer and I always love to bring her a big birthday treat in the morning. It is nice for her. It feels good for me. We sit outside and have a wonderful, leisurely, relaxing, quiet breakfast enjoying each others company and the beautiful scenery one sees from a ship. It is private. It is wonderful

     

    Now NCL are telling me they do not trust us to be able to handle such a fait accompli. Maybe others will not care, but this will impact our enjoyment of our vacation. Due to our hectic work schedules there are times we are not together for extended periods of time, and the ability to prepare a special breakfast in bed for my honey does not regularly present itself "in the real world".

     

    I have seen the new room service menu and there is nothing on there worth paying for, so I shall not partake, and it is besides the point. NCL are treating us like children.

     

    For what it is worth, if anyone from NCL here are reading this, we have cruised the mass market lines, we have toured the world. We have stayed at some of the finest hotels and resorts in many different countries and we have always felt welcomed and that hospitality was extended. We have enjoyed many years of cruising with NCL and felt similarly; that we were welcomed and that hospitality was extended. For the first time ever I now feel differently about NCL. It is too late to make alternate plans for our upcoming trip, and we do plan to enjoy ourselves together.

     

    But you have taken the luster off NCL and it will not be easy for us to consider NCL against the competition in the future. We traveled four times on NCL in the prior three years, with three of those times in the Haven. We have traveled, altogether, an average of 15 weeks per year for the last 10 years and spend a considerable amount on these travels and expect certain experiences.

     

    NCL apparently no longer consider us guests. They consider us marks. And they have made vacation feel like the day to day regular world.

     

    I hope some of these changes are rescinded but I will not hold my breath for them. Looking forward to our final NCL trip, but I am sad that it will be our last. This is just my opinion / rant and I must say I feel better having shared my thoughts.

     

    Best-

     

    Steve

     

    Like

    What's wrong with the Grand ??

    in Princess Cruises

    Posted

    I'm trying Princess for the first time in 22 days on the Grand princess, I hope its a nice ship. Do you have the link from the original posting with all the negative comments? I've noticed so far the roll call is pretty boring compared to my past carnival cruises. It looks like its going to be an older crowd which doesn't really excite me much:rolleyes:. I'm by no means young (late 30's) but would prefer not to hang out and chat with 70 year olds!!

     

    AZmike480

     

    Enjoy your cruise with those senior citizens and their parents.

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