Norwegian / NCL Charges

[Cruiseisle]

I’m reading a lot of posts regarding Norwegian / NCL and am interested in other opinions on this …

 

Does anyone else out there think that NCL is beginning to “nickel and dime” on charges? We wanted to know what other folks think. Thanks in advance.

[LadyShiva]

No.

[garycarla]

I’m reading a lot of posts regarding Norwegian / NCL and am interested in other opinions on this …

 

Does anyone else out there think that NCL is beginning to “nickel and dime” on charges? We wanted to know what other folks think. Thanks in advance.

 

Folks have been asking this for the past 3-5 years. Over and over.

 

Then others come here and compare other cruiselines. Carnival, Princess, Royal, etc. etc all charge for drinks. All charge for photos. All charge for soda. All charge for upscale dining. All charge for....

 

 

This gets so old.

[russianmom]

What is free on CCL, RCL, Princess, Celebrity etc that is a fee or charge on NCL?? :confused:

[Richie2pies]

What is free on CCL, RCL, Princess, Celebrity etc that is a fee or charge on NCL?? :confused:

 

Corkage on EVERY bottle of wine.

[emcelh]

And that's about the only difference. But there's no limit on how much wine you can take on or where you can drink it.

[LadyShiva]

Corkage on EVERY bottle of wine.

RCI corkage policy: $25 per bottle if consumed in public spaces (like your dinner table), and you are limited to 2 bottles per cruise to carry on.

 

Yes, all cruise lines have charges.

 

Cruise Critic lists the alcohol policies for the cruise lines, by the way: http://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=46

Edited July 8, 2013 by LadyShiva

[russianmom]

Corkage on EVERY bottle of wine.

 

So on NCL I can bring on unlimited wind for $15/bottle but on Carnival:

guests (21 years of age and older) may bring on board one bottle (750ml) of wine or champagne, per person, only in their carry-on luggage. A $10 corkage fee per bottle will be charged should you wish to consume this wine in the main dining room; $14 corkage fee per bottle in the steakhouse.

 

I guess I'd rather be "nickel and dimed" then….

[Warm Breezes]

I’m reading a lot of posts regarding Norwegian / NCL and am interested in other opinions on this …

 

Does anyone else out there think that NCL is beginning to “nickel and dime” on charges? We wanted to know what other folks think. Thanks in advance.

 

No. NCL charges extra for the same things all other lines charge extra for (alcohol, soda, specialty dining, photos, bingo, casino, internet, spa). The only difference is that NCL has many more for fee options in dining....but they also have just as many, if not more, included dining options as the other lines.

[jerseygirl111]

I don't feel nickel and dimed. I know what to expect going in and plan for the extras I want to spend on. I've been on cruises that had very low onboard charges and some that just about broke the bank. But, its my choice, I decide how much to spend and on what. That's what I like about NCL and Freestyle.

[SuiteCruiser]

It's called choices, and I like them. The thing that really irritates me is that people say they charge for a show, Cirque, so say that's being nickeled and dimed. How about the dozen other free shows? Far more than any other line. Next was pizza 24/7 was $5 when delivered. Yes, but a full menu sit down restaurant is open 24/7, why do you need pizza at 3:00 AM, and if you do, pay the $5! The pizza on CCL was horrible and we had to wait 20 minutes for a slice. I'd much rather munch on something at Blue Lagoon or O'Sheehan's at no charge. Is that available on the other lines? No, but they say NCL is nickel and diming! What a joke.

 

Honestly some people just don't understand. If you don't like the options, go elsewhere.

[sdmike]

I like having options. I'm not required to purchase one single thing that has an additional charge to enjoy my cruise...but I can if I want.

 

I didn't find Carnival or RCCL significantly different other than NCL having way more dining options.

Edited July 8, 2013 by sdmike

[kylenyc]

You can have perfectly enjoyable vacation without spending anything above the base fare, and NCL has plenty of wonderful live music, evening shows, and activities that are included.

 

I think there is a large segment of society that has a fixed perception and ideals about a cruise vacation such as set traditional dining and entertainment times, mandatory formal nights, a certain level of "elegance", etc. Norwegian has been innovative by introducing Freestyle Cruising with flexible restaurant style seating (first come, first served) and a more casual atmosphere. I think some folks have never forgiven NCL for changing ever since, while others continue to compare NCL to past traditional cruise experiences. Fortunately there are many who welcome the change and don't want to have the exact same cruise experience every time.

 

I enjoy the flexibility in dining and entertainment choices and being able to basically customize my vacation depending on my mood. If people truly didn't want or willing to pay for these options, then NCL would go belly up. Instead, other cruise lines have instead followed NCL's innovations by introducing their own "anytime" and "my time" dining, and specialty restaurants.

 

There are many things across the mass market cruise lines you must pay extra for - alcohol, soda, specialty coffees, specialty restaurants, souveniers and gifts. Because NCL charges for things such as $5 for room service pizza, people get all in a huff over it when there is a 24 hour alternative restaurant that serves plenty of comfort food. If I saw people ordering a made-to-order pizza just to eat a slice or two and tossing away the rest... I'd want to charge a modest fee to discourage it. Likewise, if people are abusing the room service amenity by ordering between 1 am to 5 am instead of going to the restaurant, a small service charge may be smart way to discourage it.

 

Corkage fees is another point of contention - Carnival allows passenger to bring on one 750 ml bottle of wine without corkage, Royal two bottles, Norwegian none but their corkage is less than Royal's. None of them allow hard liquor or beer to be brought on board. So at what point does Norwegian become the poster child of nickel and diming?

 

P.S. I think Carnival has their equivalent of nickel and diming, it's called the bacon police and they can't seem shake that either :p

Edited July 8, 2013 by kylenyc

[OceanBlue123]

I think that as long as NCL has dinner time waits of up to an hour just to get a seat in a non-fee dining room, while pushing and pushing you to pay up for their specialty restaurants, then you will hear complaints about nickle and diming.

 

And you should. Those complaints are quite valid.

[kylenyc]

I think that as long as NCL has dinner time waits of up to an hour just to get a seat in a non-fee dining room, while pushing and pushing you to pay up for their specialty restaurants, then you will hear complaints about nickle and diming. And you should. Those complaints are quite valid.

Do you really think your continuous exaggeration of "problems" here and on other posts will persuade anyone? Please be specific on exactly how NCL is "pushing and pushing for you to pay up".

 

10 cruises with NCL and no hostess at the main dining room has ever told me, demanded, or tried to persuade me to go to a specialty restaurant, or held a gun to my head. The specialty restaurants are offered as an upscale experience by the restaurant reservation folks. I've never waited an hour for the main dining room on any ship. There are two or three on every ship. Does it happen on occasion... probably. Some people like yourself may have experienced long waits on the Breakaway (it's a new ship with new crew and procedures) and I'm sure NCL is working on it. The closest thing I can see being reasonable is that the hostess may need better training or procedures to redirect passengers to the less crowded of the main dining rooms. Also, I've read recent accounts of them providing free drinks for longer than expected waits which is the antithesis of nickel and diming IMO. They've done this before and nothing new.

 

P.S. Your other complaint about paying for Cirque... This has been done on Epic for two years and the only live evening show that has a cost. Many shows and live entertainment are included with no fee. If it wasn't working out for NCL, they wouldn't have repeated it on Breakaway neither have they added more for-fee evening shows. The only fair thing I've heard is that Breakaway Cirque's performance was surprisingly good but the dinner not so much.

 

Btw. Welcome to Cruise Critic... Looking forward to your next 25 hopefully more balanced posts.

Edited July 8, 2013 by kylenyc

[OceanBlue123]

Sorry to interrupt your little circle of love Kyle, but pretending a problem does not exist does not make it go away.

 

I must admit that I, too, have never had a gun held to my head on an NCL cruise. I guess by your definition my cruises must have been perfect, also.

 

If the specialty restaurants were just an upscale option, rather than overwhelmingly intrusive in terms of lost MDR dining space and constant advertising, I might actually agree with you. Sadly that is not the case. Almost every negative NCL review complains about all the extra charges they are trying to get out of us. We cannot all be wrong.

 

The first step is admitting there is a problem.

[kylenyc]

Sorry to interrupt your little circle of love Kyle, but pretending a problem does not exist does not make it go away.

 

I must admit that I, too, have never had a gun held to my head on an NCL cruise. I guess by your definition my cruises must have been perfect, also.

 

If the specialty restaurants were just an upscale option, rather than overwhelmingly intrusive in terms of lost MDR dining space and constant advertising, I might actually agree with you. Sadly that is not the case. Almost every negative NCL review complains about all the extra charges they are trying to get out of us. We cannot all be wrong.

 

The first step is admitting there is a problem.

So still can't provide specifics about how anyone was "pushing and pushing you to pay up" can you?... and now you add "overwhelmingly intrusive"... how exactly specifically? And what "constant advertising" are you talking about? Like on the other thread.. you continue to lose credibility by constantly exaggerating issues in a way no reasonable person will give much weight to. According to you, on my Breakaway experience the hostess chased me down and buried me in ad flyers and sales pitches like some snake oil salesman, and bait and switched the main dining room like Crazy Eddie.

 

Btw... Circle of Love sounds mighty good compared to the Pit of Despair and Negativity.

Edited July 8, 2013 by kylenyc

[mypleasure]

I do not, nor ever have, felt that the extra charges are wrong or nickle and diming. I am happy to pay for those things I want and very happy to not be subsidising those things others want but I do not. I would expect it to be the same on any other line I should chose to sail. NCL allows unlimited wine at a fee, I don't drink wine often so I don't see why I should subsidise those who can drink a bottle per day. NCL allows you to carry on unlimited water and soft drinks - no charge levied.

If we take a vacation on land we usually find that we have to pay for as many meals per day as we want, all of our drinks, internet, spa etc. What is so different? I say nothing is different.

I too have, on occasion, had to wait to be seated at the main dining rooms. I say on occasion because on our most recent cruise it was one time in 12 nights and the wait was around 20 minutes. No big deal for me as I have waited far longer to be seated at a restaurant on land.

There is no such thing as a perfect cruise, little things will happen and be an inconvenience. Some will make them into big things and let it spoil their cruise others just get on with it. It is all about personal choice, pay for what you want, ignore what you don't. I like that. Always understand that cruiselines are a business and need to make a profit and that you are not the only person on the ship so sometimes you will have to get in line and wait your turn.

[sparks1093]

Never felt nickel or dimed, never felt pushed into a specialty restaurant, never had to wait more than 30 minutes for dinner.

[goose30]

I think that as long as NCL has dinner time waits of up to an hour just to get a seat in a non-fee dining room, while pushing and pushing you to pay up for their specialty restaurants, then you will hear complaints about nickle and diming.

 

And you should. Those complaints are quite valid.

 

Never waited more than 15 minutes. You must be going to all the wrong places at the wrong times.

[CapeCodCruiser]

Not nickel & dimed at all. The extra fee items are all choices.

 

Have ya'll priced a Cirque show away from NCL? :eek:

[tinkandpan]

Just off the Breakaway and I have to say, I didn't feel nickel and dimed overall. I had no problem walking into the main dining room 3 of the nights with no wait. (ate around 6ish). We did La Cucina and Moderna and didn't mind the upcharge on those. We also did the Cirque show which I thought was worth the price of the show (although dinner stunk beyond stink). I do have a problem with the pricing already increasing at places, like the spa, cirque show (getting rid of standard seating), and Ocean Blue. I know you aren't being forced to go there, but find it kind of sad to see such an increase already occurring on the 4th sailing.

 

I also was annoyed by the charges for the ship tour, and the liquor tastings that used to be free, but I guess people probably took advantage of those. Otherwise, I thought things were priced fairly.

[4774Papa]

What is free on CCL, RCL, Princess, Celebrity etc that is a fee or charge on NCL?? :confused:

Celebrity gives you a free glass of champagne when you board, NCL charges.

Celebrity has happy hour for its elite members with three free drinks per day, also free laundry for elites. I don't think NCL does this for its Gold or Platinum members.

Both charge for soda, bottled water, alcoholic drinks, etc.

Celebrity doesn't charge for any of its shows. NCL charges for some.

Both cruise lines have specialty restaurants that charge extra.

[KeithJenner]

NCL offers its latitude Platinum members free laundry, and I think they get drinks at the latitudes party (I don't know for sure on that one as I am not Platinum).

[emcelh]

Celebrity gives you a free glass of champagne when you board, NCL charges.

Celebrity has happy hour for its elite members with three free drinks per day, also free laundry for elites. I don't think NCL does this for its Gold or Platinum members.

Both charge for soda, bottled water, alcoholic drinks, etc.

Celebrity doesn't charge for any of its shows. NCL charges for some.

Both cruise lines have specialty restaurants that charge extra.

 

I didn't know Celebrity had a cirque type show.