epic and the hidden charges and lack of space

[Holidaymanbristol]

Returned last Sunday back to the UK after spending a week onboard Epic after five days in Miami.

Excellent and professional getting on, and of the ship,including the stop overs.

Food excellent choice and good variety.plenty of places to eat,cagneys was fantastic and worth the few dollars extra.

The staterooms were a good size and had excellent showers and toilets.beds very comfortable and a.c good.tv single was good as well.

A little tip red carpet is even numbers,blue carpet is odd numbers when returning to your room.

 

 

The poor item I felt onboard this ship,are the water facilitys on board were far to small for 4000 plus people.my two teenagers and us did not go anywhere near the water slides,hot tubs or small watering holes,it was just to busy and crowded.far too many people on board.

 

You have to pay for everything you want to do on the ship via your card,i prefer it where everything is part of the package.You could spend a small fortune on additional costs.

 

Gratatuity charges added to my bill were the best part of 250 dollars for four people ,go to reception and get them removed on the last day of your cruise.

It is best if you wish to hand out your hard earned money, you give to the people you want.

Smoking on the casino floor is a big no no,the sooner they

stop it the better for all concerned.i am amazed NCL allow this to happen.

 

Charging for the use of items on board is a big no no for me,let's have a clear price to use the facilities on board,

 

No where enough deck chairs and space for people to sunbathe,towels left on beds for hours without people useing them.

 

People may think the price is good ,but NCL hidden charges for everything makes it a very expensive cruise.

 

My honest opinion is the ship is filled with too many people and not capable of giving excellent service to all.

sive cruise ship.

Edited January 5, 2014 by Holidaymanbristol
spelling mistake

[ColinIllinois]

A little research before you go on a cruise will disclose any "hidden charges".

 

"Caveat Emptor"

[Juliayn]

Curious if you tried the water slides etc. on a port day when the ship tends to empty out...

[KJE Atlanta]

So, service was good, food was excellent, and you liked your stateroom... and then you removed your service charges? Nice. :confused:

[triptolemus]

So, service was good, food was excellent, and you liked your stateroom... and then you removed your service charges? Nice. :confused:

 

[Rollingstone43]

Disagree completely with the OP. And I'm a Brit too.....(shakes head)

[SeaShark]

So, service was good, food was excellent, and you liked your stateroom... and then you removed your service charges? Nice. :confused:

 

 

It looks like they were removed by mistake. The OP mentioned gratuities so he probably didn't realize that this is actually a service charge and that tipping is not required on NCL ships.

[SissasMomE]

The poor item I felt onboard this ship,are the water facilitys on board were far to small for 4000 plus people.my two teenagers and us did not go anywhere near the water slides,hot tubs or small watering holes,it was just to busy and crowded.far too many people on board.

 

We almost always sail Easter week, which is usually sold out. We have never had a problem getting on any of the slides on the Epic.

 

You have to pay for everything you want to do on the ship via your card,i prefer it where everything is part of the package.You could spend a small fortune on additional costs.

 

Gratatuity charges added to my bill were the best part of 250 dollars for four people ,go to reception and get them removed on the last day of your cruise.

It is best if you wish to hand out your hard earned money, you give to the people you want.

 

Ugh - I really hope you didn't do that. You ripped off a lot of hard working folks if you did.

Smoking on the casino floor is a big no no,the sooner they

stop it the better for all concerned.i am amazed NCL allow this to happen.

 

Charging for the use of items on board is a big no no for me,let's have a clear price to use the facilities on board,

 

No where enough deck chairs and space for people to sunbathe,towels left on beds for hours without people useing them.

 

People may think the price is good ,but NCL hidden charges for everything makes it a very expensive cruise.

 

It is one of the cheaper ones by far.

 

 

My honest opinion is the ship is filled with too many people and not capable of giving excellent service to all.

sive cruise ship.

 

Great.

Edited January 5, 2014 by SissasMomE

[Holidaymanbristol]

Curious if you tried the water slides etc. on a port day when the ship tends to empty out...

 

SO we are not allowed of ship to see the destinations,that is a big part of the cruise

[triptolemus]

Love me some Queen's English!

[snorklinbarb]

If one didn't know, we'd get the idea that many of the items you mentioned are subject to hidden charges. You say you "had to pay for everything you wanted to do on the ship."

 

I've been on Epic a total of a month and that certainly was not the case -

 

Are they now charging for the rope climbing wall?

 

The slides you mention?

 

Blue Man Group?

 

Legends?

 

Sports courts activities?

 

 

I can only think of bowling that has a charge. Of course, casino, bingo, some fitness classes, spa treatments, shorex and so on incur costs just like on other cruise lines.

 

You also mention items you were charged for that were a big no no. No details given.

 

Did you do any research in advance? If so, the $12 pp/day service charge shouldn't have caught you off guard. How did you catch up with all the waiters and housekeeping staff who might have served you, since with Freestyle you probably had lots of different servers at breakfast, lunch and dinner?

 

Norwegian is not unique in putting that charge on your bill each day. More and more lines are handling it that way. They also ask that charges be removed only in the event there is an issue that cannot be resolved.

 

Hopefully you will find a line that more suits you. Glad you liked the food. We're getting on Breakaway soon so always good to hear and many seem to like the new Cagney's menu.

[Holidaymanbristol]

Great.

 

Urrrr i think that we paid the cruise fares that were required before we left the uk, i do not want to be paying over inflated charges on top of the cruise price.

i hope that NCL pay their staff correct wages, as i have to in the uk for my staff to be employed by my company.

[3DBeach]

It looks like they were removed by mistake. The OP mentioned gratuities so he probably didn't realize that this is actually a service charge and that tipping is not required on NCL ships.

 

I don't know if it was a mistake or just the OP desire to give it to who they wanted to?? Maybe the OP will clarify.

[mjkacmom]

SO we are not allowed of ship to see the destinations,that is a big part of the cruise

 

They didn't let you off of the ship? Unless you mean GSC, which tendering depends on the weather. I guess you could have jumped and swam....

 

I really hope this is a troll.

[mjkacmom]

Urrrr i think that we paid the cruise fares that were required before we left the uk, i do not want to be paying over inflated charges on top of the cruise price.

i hope that NCL pay their staff correct wages, as i have to in the uk for my staff to be employed by my company.

 

Just a FYI, the reason many lines had to implement the service is charge is because some people (not necessarily those from out of the US..) had a habit of stiffing the staff at the end of the cruise, and not give them their deserved tips (kind of like many restaurant servers in the US groan a bit when getting a table of those not from home).

 

Unfortunately, some travellers choose not to be good visitors, and not do as if in Rome.

[triptolemus]

Maybe the OP will clarify.

 

OP already did, stating that they didn't want to pay more money on top of what they already paid when booking.

 

There is no indication that they "handed out their hard earned money" to the people they wanted. But I'm giving the benefit of the doubt.... I think they did run around the ship individually tipping the crew who made their trip great.... right?

[Holidaymanbristol]

If one didn't know' date=' we'd get the idea that many of the items you mentioned are subject to hidden charges. You say you "had to pay for everything you wanted to do on the ship."

 

I've been on Epic a total of a month and that certainly was not the case -

 

Are they now charging for the rope climbing wall?

 

The slides you mention?

 

Blue Man Group?

 

Legends?

 

Sports courts activities?

 

 

I can only think of bowling that has a charge. Of course, casino, bingo, some fitness classes, spa treatments, shorex and so on incur costs just like on other cruise lines.

 

You also mention items you were charged for that were a big no no. No details given.

 

Did you do any research in advance? If so, the $12 pp/day service charge shouldn't have caught you off guard. How did you catch up with all the waiters and housekeeping staff who might have served you, since with Freestyle you probably had lots of different servers at breakfast, lunch and dinner?

 

Norwegian is not unique in putting that charge on your bill each day. More and more lines are handling it that way. They also ask that charges be removed only in the event there is an issue that cannot be resolved.

 

Hopefully you will find a line that more suits you. Glad you liked the food. We're getting on Breakaway soon so always good to hear and many seem to like the new Cagney's menu.[/quote']

 

The three shows blue man,legends,and the comedy duo were free,the three shows were good. Blueman excellent,legends good but very short.

 

Many people were asking for charges to be removed,money for old rope in my opinion.

[SissasMomE]

The three shows blue man,legends,and the comedy duo were free,the three shows were good. Blueman excellent,legends good but very short.

 

Many people were asking for charges to be removed,money for old rope in my opinion.

 

That's very sad. When you think about it, $12 per person per day is really nothing in terms of tipping. I know British don't tip like Americans do, but still .... it's nothing. If you only eat 3 meals a day, that's a $4 tip per meal ... actually less, because you have housekeeping in there as well. I don't care if I'm staying in a $100 room, or a $600 room ... I always tip the housekeeping staff. It's unfortunate that NCL uses the term "service charge" instead of what it really is, and that is an auto-gratuity. I think it confuses many people.

[triptolemus]

I think it confuses many people.

 

I don't think you give people enough credit. If one does a modicum of research, one would know that 4,000 people can't fit on a waterslide and understand what the DSC is. If OP is smart enough to figure out the colors of the carpet indicate odd/even room numbers, they are smart enough to read a little bit about the ship and cruise line they are sailing.

 

I think the vast majority of people who remove the DSC know exactly what it is and choose to remove it anyway for whatever reason.

 

Although I will admit seeing a look of bewilderment and amazement when I pointed out that the fish on the carpets always swim fwd. They looked like a cavemen with a candy bar.

[JohnIreland]

Urrrr i think that we paid the cruise fares that were required before we left the uk, i do not want to be paying over inflated charges on top of the cruise price.

i hope that NCL pay their staff correct wages, as i have to in the uk for my staff to be employed by my company.

 

So you don't like the way the cruise industry works , so you decided to take it out on the hard working staff.

 

Next time pay the people who work 16 hours a day to keep you feed and your room clean. Then when you get home write a letter to the corporate office about how you don't like the system.

[SeaShark]

Just a FYI, the reason many lines had to implement the service is charge is because some people (not necessarily those from out of the US..) had a habit of stiffing the staff at the end of the cruise, and not give them their deserved tips (kind of like many restaurant servers in the US groan a bit when getting a table of those not from home).

 

Unfortunately, some travellers choose not to be good visitors, and not do as if in Rome.

 

It might surprise you to know that this really isn't the reason. The reason behind eliminating tipping (tips belong to the employee) and moving to service charges (service charges belong to the employer) is one of control over service standards.

 

In a tipping environment, better service tends to be given to those who tip well or are perceived to be good tippers. (Given their cultural disdain toward tipping, can you image what might motivate a worker when the guest is British? SOME workers might feel that doing their best is a waste of time since there will most likely be no reward(tip)).

 

With a service charge, employees are rewarded through incentive programs for meeting service levels set by the employer. This motivates the employee to treat EVERYONE with equally high standards. If the employee's level of service isn't up to standard, they won't receive potential rewards from the program, won't receive raises/promotions, and will most likely not hold onto that job for very long.

Abolish Tipping.pdf

Edited January 5, 2014 by SeaShark

[pokerpro5]

It might surprise you to know that this really isn't the reason. The reason behind eliminating tipping (tips belong to the employee) and moving to service charges (service charges belong to the employer) is one of control over service standards.

 

In a tipping environment, better service tends to be given to those who tip well or are perceived to be good tippers. (Given their cultural disdain toward tipping, can you image what might motivate a worker when the guest is British? SOME workers might feel that doing their best is a waste of time since there will most likely be no reward(tip)).

 

With a service charge, employees are rewarded through incentive programs for meeting service levels set by the employer. This motivates the employee to treat EVERYONE with equally high standards. If the employee's level of service isn't up to standard, they won't receive potential rewards from the program, won't receive raises/promotions, and will most likely not hold onto that job for very long.

 

100% correct.

 

The original poster here raises a good point, though.

 

The $12-per-person-per-day thing takes people by surprise, as they believe they have bought an "all inclusive" cruise. Sure, some research will eliminate that surprise, but NCL does not make the $12 very clear or noticeable when you are booking. $12 doesn't sound like a lot, but when you multiply it by two (or four), and then by 7 days, you're looking at hundreds of dollars.

 

It would be nice if NCL just did away with the "service charge", included it in the cruise price, and instituted a no-tip policy. Many high-end resorts already do this. I realize NCL is simply engaging in standard cruise industry practice, but they were groundbreakers in introducing freestyle cruising, so they can definitely set another example here which I think would be much appreciated in the long run.

[lisakoivu]

100% correct.

 

The original poster here raises a good point, though.

 

The $12-per-person-per-day thing takes people by surprise, as they believe they have bought an "all inclusive" cruise. Sure, some research will eliminate that surprise, but NCL does not make the $12 very clear or noticeable when you are booking. $12 doesn't sound like a lot, but when you multiply it by two (or four), and then by 7 days, you're looking at hundreds of dollars.

 

It would be nice if NCL just did away with the "service charge", included it in the cruise price, and instituted a no-tip policy. Many high-end resorts already do this. I realize NCL is simply engaging in standard cruise industry practice, but they were groundbreakers in introducing freestyle cruising, so they can definitely set another example here which I think would be much appreciated in the long run.

 

It would be nice... but they can't very well do it unless all the other cruise lines do, because then their cruses would have to go up by $84 per person, losing the competitive edge. Needs to be industry driven initiative rather than cruise line by cruise line... but it would be better.

 

If you can't afford the dsc, you can't afford the cruise.

[Cloudyrain]

I'm a Brit and Im a bad tipper. That being said, I think it's pretty bad to not pay the service charge just because you don't like the idea of it, as opposed to having had a case of terrible service.

 

We were cruise virgins last year so the daily tip thing was alien to us. BUT it's quite clear in the brochure and was also explained when we booked both cruises (one direct, one TA). It was also explained that we could reduce or cancel the payment if we wanted to - though morally I couldn't do that as there was nothing bad about the service.

 

With regards to the "having to pay for everything" Maybe people are better going on an all inclusive cruise with Island Escapes. Personally I would rather pay for what I want - I'm not a big drinker so would rather not pay and contribute to other peoples "free" drink. It's a bizarre comment to make when not actually identifying what people had to pay for that should have been included?!

[Partyatsea]

So, service was good, food was excellent, and you liked your stateroom... and then you removed your service charges? Nice. :confused:

 

 

Our thoughts exactly :rolleyes::rolleyes: