graphicguy

Yay.....will include you in the list. Looking forward to meeting you. “This is looking to be a great group and a lot of fun. Thanks! So far… -Graphicguy (1) -biffluger (4) -Northofu1 (2) -Mary and Barbara (2) -GrammieCruising (2) -Ticatraveler (2) -Smokelynx (2) -Nicole (1) -Ted and Dolly Farmer (2) -Dumkat01 (5) -Peacham (3) -Vickie, Pat, Roberta (3) -loveysbydesign (2) -Thomas, Stephan and Leo (3) -JL2007 (1) -RedgeToo (1) -Big Moodys Fan (1) Sebastian and Sabine (2) Smiler000 (3) NCL is hosting our… MEET AND GREET FRIDAY OCTOBER 6 FROM 11:00 A.M. UNTIL NOON IN CAGNEY’S STEAK HOUSE! They will have crew to answer our questions!!!! They usually provide drinks and snacks!”

Great! Please let me know. We'd love to have you join us. I need to send NCL Epic crew a list, hopefully by tomorrow.

Beg to differ on that one... In the post where the OP shows the receipt for the drinks (which is the first indication they do not have FAS, given they were issued a receipt), it clearly shows they were changed for 2 drinks @ $11/ea. They were also charged $4.40 and 44¢ respectively for taxes. The total charge on the receipt was $31.24. If they had FAS, there would have been no charge for the drinks. Not buying the idea that they are charged and then supposed to get a credit for drinks. I've sailed NCL a lot, both with FAS and without FAS. I've never seen that before....ever.

Probably a little misleading. Yes, NCL does break out Europe's VAT as a separate line item. But, if the rest, like Royal, Celebrity, etc are including it, that explains why their drink packages cost so much more. Moreover, your experience shows if you "pre-pay" for your drinks (which is essentially what FAS does) meaning you bought the package prior to sailing in European waters, taxes were "included".

Beat me to it. I know there was some discussion about buying drinks with FAS, and since it was purchased at booking the fare (presumably billed in Florida), there would be no VAT charged. Some even reported that being the case. But, as you say, if you are buying drinks a la carte, you are purchasing them subject to tax laws in whatever country you happen to be ported. As such, you're subject to the VAT. To me, that's the only logical explanation. If none of that is true, and the OP does indeed have FAS, and is getting receipts (which is the first sign they don't have FAS), something's messed up on their account and they need to get it rectified by Customer Service and to do so before they leave the ship. Once they disembark after the cruise, it will be too late.

DSC is for the entire crew who service you....the cabin steward, the busboy, etc. I'm at a loss why a crew would try to disenfranchise their co-workers by suggesting the OP remove the DSC. If the OP "pre-paid" the DSC, and was charged the DSC anyway, that's yet another reason to go to Customer Service. The OP's account is either really, really, really screwed up, or s/he's not getting ANY credit for having FAS. Again, this confuses me!

Just another "tip" OP...keep an eye peeled for NCL sales...particularly ones focused on a specific itinerary or geographic area. They had GREAT sales on Alaska and Europe this year in the form of targeted coupons. Not sure who got the coupons, as it seems not everyone did. But, hedge your bet and sign up for a Latitudes account. While it is a PITA with much of their marketing, allow NCL to email you with offers. Every once in a while something comes through that is well worth a look-see!

VAT refund….having traveled a lot for business before I retired, I used the VAT refund a lot. If I bought higher ticket items like electronics and even clothes, the VAT refund was usually significant. However, the VAT refund does not apply to food or drink.

I am even more confused. So, with the FAS, drinks are charged, you get a receipt for them, you sign for them and they are later credited back? I dunno? Customer Service lines are always long. Try going when in port and more guests are off the ship. It’s been years since I had a receipt with FAS. So, that’s confusing. Further, you are only supposed to be charged for the difference between the $15 limit for FAS and whatever the charge is for drinks over that amount. I believe you even get a discount on that, too. Someone at guest service RECOMMENDED canceling the service charges that go to ALL crew? Again, go to Customer Service and get this squared away. If you have FAS, something “hinky” is going on with your account. This makes no sense.

I have put a ceiling on what I will pay for the Haven. First, I don’t do shorter cruises, as they are a way different “vibe” and guest list than cruises 7 nites or longer. I’ve taken 5 Haven Cruises….all on either the Breakaway or the Getaway. All were in the Haven Spa Suite. 4 as a solo and 1 with my (then) wife. I obviously love the Haven experience…from the exclusive restaurant, to their lounge, to the bar, to the pool, to the Capt’s dinner, to the concierge taking care of ALL of my dining, excursion, entertainment plans, etc. I have the 6th Haven Cruise coming up next week on the Epic for 11 nites in the Mediterranean. Nor sure how or why, but I was able to score a 2 BR Suite for $100 more than a Haven Spa Suite. All of them were well below $5K. Probably on average, they were between $4,400-$4,600. Wouldn’t have mattered if they were as a solo or as a couple. Aside from paying for tips and fees, the fares would be the same. So, what price is worth it? To me, anything below $5K. But, I also have price ceilings on other cabin types, too. And, that extends out to price ceilings on different cruise lines and different ships. Yeah…I have way too much time on my hands!!!!!

Getting exciting now! From what I can tell, the old port is relatively close to where the Epic will be docked. I don’t think it’s close enough to walk dragging luggage, but certainly a short UBER! Flying out of Louisville? When do you get to Marseille? If interested, I’m hosting a Meet and Greet on board. Let me know if you’re interested and I’ll add you to the list. “This is looking to be a great group and a lot of fun. Thanks! So far… -Graphicguy (1) -biffluger (4) -Northofu1 (2) -Mary and Barbara (2) -GrammieCruising (2) -Ticatraveler (2) -Smokelynx (2) -Nicole (1) -Ted and Dolly Farmer (2) -Dumkat01 (5) -Peacham (3) -Vickie, Pat, Roberta (3) -loveysbydesign (2) -Thomas, Stephan and Leo (3) -JL2007 (1) -RedgeToo (1) -Big Moodys Fan (1) Sebastian and Sabine (2) NCL is hosting our… MEET AND GREET FRIDAY OCTOBER 6 FROM 11:00 A.M. UNTIL NOON IN CAGNEY’S STEAK HOUSE! They will have crew to answer our questions!!!! They usually provide drinks and snacks!”

Kinda got a good feel on what to expect. Barcelona port and waters, expect VAT on my drinks. Should be good elsewhere (France, Italy)! I don’t think the OP had FAS. So, not sure s/he has a valid claim! Will report back next week!

deleted!

Good point. It’s been awhile since I’ve seen a FAS receipt, too! Thinking the OP does not have Free at Sea, which makes this whole thread moot!

My guess is OP doesn’t have FAS to begin with. So, in answer to the title of the thread….FAS isn’t free if you don’t include it!

OP...you sure you have Free at Sea? IF so, you need to go to Customer Service and show them how you were charged for drinks. As far as where you sailed, didn't you originate in Barcelona? I know the Epic sailed from Barcelona on Sept 24. Something's not adding up here.

Formal photos these days are usually done in their on board studio. Although, I have seen some photographers floating mourned the stairs and atrium. That said, those I see dress up for the photos are usually casual later on, at least my observation.

OP…I think your questions can be best answered via the NCL WEB site. Here’s how to bid on an upgrade (if offered to you)… https://www.ncl.com/ca/en/content/upgrade-advantage-terms#:~:text=Upon receipt of an Invitation,bid up to two levels There is no “upsell”, per se. You either purchase a Haven fare when booking, or you book another cabin (I believe the minimum category to get an offer to upgrade to the Haven is a Balcony cabin) and be invited by NCL to bid. Here are the categories of Haven Suites and what they include…. https://www.ncl.com/why-cruise-norwegian/cruise-accommodations/the-haven?cid=PS_DIG_NA_BRP_GOO_NA_NA_NA_NA_NA_NAM&gclsrc=aw.ds&gclid=Cj0KCQjwpc-oBhCGARIsAH6ote95V7uKRHWBIhYywW_aMHJrZHDdTZqxlcGqhO8ayoLvnKYfgy-xRqMaAlC3EALw_wcB I think this covers all your questions. As mentioned before, there are no “tricks” to getting a Haven Suite. You either book them outright, or you bid for upgrades. Just a personal note, the upgrade path to the Haven from a lower cabin category is rare, and it’s not necessarily the least expensive way to book the Haven. Don’t know what you’ve already spent or who offered you to spend even more for an upgrade. But, no one here can answer the question for you about whether it’s a “good deal”. If you already booked a cabin for $7K and was offered to upgrade for $3,200 for a Haven Spa Suite for example, I’d probably consider that a hard pass. But, that’s up to you.

Lots of questions… What do you mean “offer for a haven stat room for around 3200….”? You called NCL and they said it would cost ($)3200 to upgrade to the Haven? Or, the bidding starts at 3200? This is for what category of Haven Cabin? Why disappointed for not getting the Garden Villa? Which ship?

I get it. Some want to see the VAT as a line item (me included) and some don't and want it rolled into the cost of their drinks while in those ports. I think it's a catch-22. I want the transparency. I don't think there's a "correct" way to do it, however. Someone, somewhere is going to be upset regardless of which way they do it. Alaska cruises...Seattle charges drink taxes while in port until you get out to sea (not sure how far out the ship has to be).

Flip side to that, I’ve never had an issue getting a seat in the OL. Just have to know when to go. I went for breakfast, early in the day. I’d also go after returning from an excursion, before most were back on board. If I observed a book or clothing on a chair or couch, I’d observe for 20 minutes or so, and gave it to the wait staff stating it was left behind and appeared someone forgot it.

Bottom line….some are angry that there’s a VAT being charged by Spain. They don’t want to see it. They’d rather it be hidden from them. (J/K)!

Another good catch. Thanks! Now, where did I put my old BRUT stick?

I’d go with the Bliss for the Observation Lounge (OL) alone. The OL offers a 270º panoramic view in a comfortable environment of the amazing views of Alaska. Plus, it’s a newer ship. If you’re looking for activities, you’d be hard pressed not to find something to do every minute of every day on the Bliss. Jersey Boys is the main show and is excellent. But, while you have to wait in line, the band in Syd Norman’s offers some of the best entertainment I’ve ever witnessed at sea. I’ve sailed the Solstice and The Edge. Like both of them. Probably give the “edge” to the EDGE as it has the huge windows aft of the ship and has the “Magic Carpet” would be ideal to see Alaska while in the ship.

https://www.usa.philips.com/c-e/philips-one.html