luv2kroooz

This is so sad to read. What a dishonest, disreputable company. They will eventually anger enough customers. All they would have to do is add another sentence at the bottom of their sign stating they were issuing a pro rata refund of service charge and beverage package for the missed days. Why would they think they are entitled to charge customers and then keep customers money for a service they don't provide? I really feel for those that paid decent money to upgrade to the premium plus and now can't even enjoy the offerings. How unethical can a company be? Wow. I own a business and operate it for profit. However, I operate it in an ethical, prudent manner. I would never think to rip people off like this. Well, this stuff tends to catch up and work itself out. At the end of day, NCL will be accountable for it's unethical behavior.

Here is how this seemingly simple process can go astray....NCL shortens port calls in the name of unforeseen circumstances, which compresses the time for the shore excursions. As a result, every excursion has to leave as soon as the ship arrives and every excursion returns at all aboard time, creating huge bottlenecks to disembark and embark. NCL sells shore excursions to thousands of people and then asks everyone to meet at the same time in a lounge that holds 900 people. Total chaos. You can't get down to the stage area to get your assigned tour bus and everyone is crowding in the theater waiting to be called ashore by bus. People who can't get into the theater can't get a bus number or hear instructions about which tours are being called. Unsafe, unhealthy, and unprofessional. All the tours end up leaving late and returning late or having excursion time shortened to get back to port on time. This creates huge lines at the shorex guests from unhappy people requesting refunds. Why they can't figure out a better process is amazing. My opinion is that if NCL can't call in a port for at least seven or eight hours, they should cancel the port. We had a shortened 5 hour and a 6 hour port call and it was total chaos. Not the way we want to spend our vacation.

You got it. I know. I can't figure out why they can't keep a beverage package offering for at least 6 months. Talk about about micro management. Truth be told, I made good friends with one of the bartenders on a recent cruise. I tried some of the good boy vodka neat on a recent cruise. I had never heard of it, but it was pretty smooth. Good boy is from Poland.

Yes, the list posted above is outdated. You need the April revision from NCL.com. Belvedere discontinued. Grey Goose has moved to premium. To answer half of your question, Tito's fully included and widely available on our recent cruise.

Sail on a ship that calls in Livorno, Southampton, Dover. Then let us know how that worked out for you.

You suppose??? It has nothing to do with the size of the company. You'd feel differently if they were a small, privately held company? I wouldn't. Yes, if they are holding themselves out to be a cruise line offering cruises to world class destinations, it is not unreasonable to expect them to be fully aware of the local laws in the ports in which they choose to conduct business in advance of arriving at the port especially as it relates to offering for which they intend to charge passengers. They know or should know what the rules are. Yes, it is absolutely a reasonable expectation to have this all ironed out and buttoned down prior to docking at the port, as opposed to printing up nebulous, cryptic announcements about port rules and regulations after arriving in a port. No other cruise line does this, by the way. They are a cruise line operating cruises across the world. It is their business. It it is what they do.

Better said. You are looking for people to validate date your point of view. That is too bad.

Whether or not anyone is or isn't paying is irrelevant to the issue at hand. If they were, NCL would have no problem charging the $109 per person per day, just like they are doing with the service charges for the "free" beverage package, and then changing the offering. Is it your position that as long as no one is paying full price it is ok to advertise something and then not deliver?

Wow. That is an eye-opening chat, filled with misrepresentations. NCLs legal department is probably very busy right about now. Thank you for sharing.

This is evidently the newest NCL bait and switch tactic. They advertise and charge customers full price for unlimited open bar and then put signs up at each bar saying they are unable to deliver the unlimited open bar in the name of customs and border laws. They don't offer a partial refund due to the customs and border laws. So, they end up charging passengers for a service not delivered. Talk about fraud and breaking the law. Wow!!

Wrong again. I have never suggested NCL should disobey laws, did you? What I am doing is blaming NCL for selling and charging passengers for an unlimited beverage package at a port where it knows it evidently can not serve unlimited beverages. I am in the process of learning if this applies to all cruiselines. If you knew anything about the port of Livorno, you would know that your suggestion to leave the ship and shop local is a foolish one. Livorno is a cargo port...miles and miles of cargo. You can't just hangout shore side and drink. The closest bar and retail store is miles from where the ship docks.

NCL uses NYC as an embarkation port for their transatlantic cruises. Many of these calls were to embark guests before sailing over to Europe.

Of course, that is because your cruise started in April, not May. The change is supposed to be effective for cruises embarking on or after May 1.

C'mon man. The beer and wine selection on NCL has and continues to degrade and erode with very very poor quality selections. The issue is that people are paying in advance for a service. Then, the service is not being offered in the name of rules and regulations. Why in the world would someone pay NCL to drink and then go ashore to pay to drink again? If I know in advance that I can't use my beverage package for two or three ports on my itinerary, then I can make an informed decision about whether I want to buy said package or go ashore and drink as you suggest. When I purchase the Free at Sea promotion sold as unlimited open bar, I expect it to be unlimited open bar.

Hi. This was the January 2023 version. A revision happened effective May 2023. Grey Goose will not be the well vodka going forward.

You are correct. Grey Goose moving to plus. Belvedere remove, too. Have not seen a new May 1 menu yet, so don't know. Expecting somewhere between $18-$20 plus 20% service charge plus 8-10% sales tax if docked in a US or European port that charges such a tax.

Half the clothes, twice the money. Be thoughtful and strategic and you can be very very efficient with your packing.

That is fair, but if the cruise line decides not to pay, then they need to inform their guests in advances of the rules of the game. I know someone who bought the upgraded drink package and was faced with unexpected $29-$30 taxes on each bottle of champagne. There were also times when they couldn't get the premium spirits they paid for due to port rules and regulations.

Good point and it makes sense, but it doesn't work that way. You will be charged sales tax in all US HomePorts based on the menu price of the drink (even though you have free drinks).

It will vary from bar to bar. Generally, your Atrium bar, O'Sheehans, Mixx and the bars up on the pool deck will have a wide variety of beers, wines, spirits and cocktails. Then, you will have some bars that are more spirit focused, like Shaker's which focuses on martinis. Not sure you could get a pina colada or strawberry daiquiri at the martini bar. They may not even have a blender. Likewise, Maltings is going to be more focused on Whisky, Bourbon and Scotch. They will have a special menu focusing on cocktails made with Whisky, Bourbon and Scotch. Now, they will probably still have some vodka, gin, rum, etc, to make basic gin and tonic, vodka soda, rum and coke, but there may be some drinks for which they don't have the ingredients since they are focusing on bourbons there. The bar in La Cucina will probably have Limoncello which you might not find at every other bar on the vessel. Hope that helps!

Yes, the early booking fares are artificially inflated. Then they run the promotions about free air or cruise next double up offers if you book 6 months (sometimes 4) months out. Just be patient if you really want to sail on NCL. If you can book and sail last minute, their last minute discounting is alive and well and is some of the best in the industry. You could save hundreds even thousands over the "fake" promotional pricing if you have flexibility. Yes, MSC and Carnival sailing into NYC will also disrupt this artificial inflation.

Yes, credit cards widely accepted worldwide. I'd take an average of $40-$50 per port of call. Allows for some incidental spending in port and some incidental tipping onboard and on tour.

If you choose NCL, make sure you fully understand dock location. It is my understanding that NCL often times uses docks that may be located far away from the actual ports that they visit. Also, look at port times to understand how much time you will have ashore. We would choose Princess for an Alaska cruise over NCL, RCL and Carnival.

You could head up to the Garden Cafe buffet on Italian night and probably get pretty close. You might find some smoked meats and imported cheeses plus fresh veggies spicy peppers, etc.

Predictable response. Good luck to you.