Free at sea 5 offers are "Never Ending" ?

With these "free" promos, the basic price of cabins plus port taxes, etc. seems to go up. Even with the 3 & 4 person sail free, prices are higher so the "free" is being rolled into the pricing. :(So not always a sale for some of us.

 

MARAPRINCE

It really just depends. When comparing NCL to Carnival for our next cruise, the pricing was near identical, NCL may have even been slightly cheaper. And that included a drink package for my wife and I with NCL.

Nothing is free. Just look at the bottom line price. Sure, they say "free drinks" but you're paying for it somehow be it through your fare and the bloated service charges. 20% service charge on $89? Funny, comparable beverage packages on Carnival and Royal (that include bottled water) sell for nearly HALF that amount. Now, I wonder why NCL's beverage package is twice that of competitors? It's so they can charge everyone a higher service charge per day.

All the cruise lines do it. Royal does BOGO 50%, 30%, blah blah blah. At the end of the day, the price is the same. The only thing that changes is the promotion name and theme.

Mark, to us it is almost like going on an AI cruise which is just fine. The best part is, for those who really do not want all the perks, just want the lowest price they have that choice as well. It is all good.

Except in most cases you have to book a gty cabin to get the lowest price without the perks.

At least that has been my experience. Maybe I'm missing something.

Bill

Except in most cases you have to book a gty cabin to get the lowest price without the perks.

 

At least that has been my experience. Maybe I'm missing something.

 

 

Bill

Bingo. The "perks" come with higher priced cabin categories and in some cases said "perks" require you to spend money you normally wouldn't spend. Exmaple: $50 dining credit. OK great, but without it, I would have just eaten free in the MDR. But, might as well use it, right? Oops, the credit isn't going to cover the whole family. Cha-ching! Extra money in NCL's pockets. Example: UPB. OK great, but what if normally I wouldn't have bought UBP because I'm a light drinker? Cha-ching! Extra $18/day in "service fees" in NCL's pockets.

These "perks" (or in reality, sales gimmicks) do work out to SOME folks' advantage. Or they at least tell themselves it does.

I have seen a number of cruises that don't offer it -- we were planning an Alaskan cruise next summer and opted for the Jewel, with Free at Sea, over the Bliss, which didn't have Free at Sea. Not surprising, given that the Bliss is new, better and more popular, but it made our decision for us.

 

What I like is the rare instance (Black Friday last year was one time) where everyone gets all five of the Free at Sea choices, not just two in a balcony. That's worth waiting for.

We are sailing on Bliss to Alaska and we got Free at Sea but it's only for 2 upgrades.

Except in most cases you have to book a gty cabin to get the lowest price without the perks.

 

At least that has been my experience. Maybe I'm missing something.

 

 

Bill

Bill, I think you are right but the fact still remains: you have choices. if you want to go cheap you can, if you want the perks so it is an IA you can have that. Or you can bid for a better category cabins and hope for the best at a better rate than the Free at sea rate. At least I think you can.. You still do not choose your cabin.

Bingo. The "perks" come with higher priced cabin categories and in some cases said "perks" require you to spend money you normally wouldn't spend. Exmaple: $50 dining credit. OK great, but without it, I would have just eaten free in the MDR. But, might as well use it, right? Oops, the credit isn't going to cover the whole family. Cha-ching! Extra money in NCL's pockets. Example: UPB. OK great, but what if normally I wouldn't have bought UBP because I'm a light drinker? Cha-ching! Extra $18/day in "service fees" in NCL's pockets.

 

These "perks" (or in reality, sales gimmicks) do work out to SOME folks' advantage. Or they at least tell themselves it does.

Look at it this way, it simply is an AI like a land AI. If you choose an AI on land but don't like the dining choices do you think you can simply say, reduce my rate a little, I would be happy to eat in the buffet every meal? :confused:

Nothing is free. Just look at the bottom line price. Sure, they say "free drinks" but you're paying for it somehow be it through your fare and the bloated service charges. 20% service charge on $89? Funny, comparable beverage packages on Carnival and Royal (that include bottled water) sell for nearly HALF that amount. Now, I wonder why NCL's beverage package is twice that of competitors? It's so they can charge everyone a higher service charge per day.

 

All the cruise lines do it. Royal does BOGO 50%, 30%, blah blah blah. At the end of the day, the price is the same. The only thing that changes is the promotion name and theme.

Your response reminded me of a large big box clothing retailer i do not shop at anymore...the name rhymes with "Bowls" but spelled like k.o.h.l.s....i bought a shirt ($25.00) with a 20% off coupon....and on the reciept it said i saved $54.00 !!!! im like wait....the shirt was only priced at $32.00 how can that be....its crazy...

Given the seeming never-ending nature of Free at Sea, I'm reminded of the class action suits against the maker of My Pillow for similar marketing tactics:

The difference is that NCL does have cruises being offered that do not include the deals. And they do change from time to time.

It's a very popular offer and people are booking.

the free at sea promo spoiled me with the dinning package. i dont think i can cruise without it again

I am hoping for NCL to sweeten the deal a little bit this memorial day...we shall see!

I'm new to NCL and looking at a 10 night on Dawn next year but it doesn't offer any "free" packages. Do they not offer them on longer cruises or do I just need to wait?

I'm new to NCL and looking at a 10 night on Dawn next year but it doesn't offer any "free" packages. Do they not offer them on longer cruises or do I just need to wait?

how did you pick your cabin? if you booked a guarantee cabin,you do not get any free packages. All of the 10+ days cruises on the dawn shows as free at sea eligible on the ncl website.

how did you pick your cabin? if you booked a guarantee cabin,you do not get any free packages. All of the 10+ days cruises on the dawn shows as free at sea eligible on the ncl website.

If you book a guarantee cabin, it does come with Free at Sea choices. If you book a Sail Away rate, it does not.

All Sail Aways are guarantees, but all guarantees are not Sail Aways.

Ahh, I'll check their site. I was looing at another site that shows all cruise lines, ports, etc. "to go" if you know what I mean ;)