Room Service No Longer Free - NCL Starts $7.95 Charge Per Order

[hpecorari]

[quote name='maywell']The food is free, the actual delivery of the food to your cabin is not, that what the 'convenience' charge of $7.95 is - delivery / service charge fee. Dunno how many ways anyone can phrase it.


(not directed at you shapatack0, I know you explained it already)[/QUOTE]

I'm not sure about that. I think I read somewhere....

Certain items on the room service menu is still free without the delivery/service charge. Other 'enhanced' items there will be a charge for. However, for the life of me I can't find where I read that and I know I'm not making it up! LOL

Harriet

[princess di44]

Feel bad for the ones being the guinea pigs for the "test". Still shake my head in disbelief that they think this is ok

[hpecorari]

[quote name='maywell']I'm going to sound offense on this - If you're saving 2 or more years just to travel 7 days in NCL suite just for one time and never travel again, I think you're doing it wrong.... I can see for 14, 21, 30 or more days, yes that would be a trip of a lifetime and worthy of saving up a suite for but 7 days only? Gotta rethink that vacation financial planning......:confused:[/QUOTE]

I do think that some people do save for years to be able to go in the Haven/suite and rather go every few years in a suite/Haven then ever year in a different class cabin.

Harriet

[shapatack0]

[quote name='hpecorari']I'm not sure about that. I think I read somewhere....

Certain items on the room service menu is still free without the delivery/service charge. Other 'enhanced' items there will be a charge for. However, for the life of me I can't find where I read that and I know I'm not making it up! LOL

Harriet[/QUOTE]

You're not making it up, people who have spoken with (clueless) NCL reps on the phone have reported some version of that. However NCL's written statements on this board indicate there is a charge for everything.

[QUOTE]
riginally Posted by Norwegian Cruise Line View Post
Norwegian Cruise Line has introduced a new enhanced room service menu that is debuting on board Norwegian Getaway and Norwegian Breakaway. The new menu offers an expanded selection for breakfast in addition to a wider variety of options available on the 24 hour menu. [B] Individual items on the menu remain available on a complimentary basis and a convenience charge of up to $7.95 will be added to each order placed.[/B] Room service is one of up to 29 dining options offered across the fleet, and guests continue to be able to enjoy a wide array of complimentary choices onboard 24 hours a day.[/QUOTE]

[CRUISERAT]

[quote name='LMaxwell']Enough with the smoking / strawman arguments. All smokers were given ample notice of change to smoking policy. Can no one see the difference? Maybe a bunch of people are as unsophisticated and incapable of critical thinking as NCL hopes they are, or are plants by the cruise line to cheerlead what a great change this is.

I, for one, will reduce the DSC by any amount charged to me in addition to the amounts I agreed to when sold these cruises by my PCC. Anyone who tolerates these charges is the reason we all get charged more. Stop being a doormat and companies will stop walking all over you.[/QUOTE]

I was wondering who was going to pay for all the free dinners and drinks when NCL was GIVING AWAY THE FARM, now we know :eek: Edited March 31, 2015 by CRUISERAT

[NDCruisers]

We really bring this on to ourselves. Every time a cruise line adds a fee, we complain and just pay it. If we, and I mean everyone, just said no and took their cruise dollars somewhere else, the cruise line would have to react to supply an demand in the market. When they raise the DSC and gratuities, have them removed. Pay directly to the service provider the amount you wish to pay. If people refuse to pay the added fees, service will suffer and cruise line will ultimately see less business. They will then have to react to the market. Ultimately people will just complain, spend less on other things that are important and do what they are told to do....Pay more for less.

[luvcruzing]

Deleted.

Edited March 31, 2015 by luvcruzing
Removed - question already answered.

[maywell]

The semantics of this are ridiculous. Using this logic you could call everything that costs money "free" with a convenience charge. So the food in all of the specialty restaurants are free, they just charge a "convenience charge" for heating it up and delivering it to your table? When I go to my local pizzeria tonight that's free as well, they're just charging me a preparation/cooking charge for cooking the pizza and handing it to me! The food is not "complimentary." Just because something is not a la carte does not mean it is free when you're being charged a cover charge, and NCL is intentionally misleading it's customers because they clearly think that we're all idiots. It is offensive.

 

I guess you didn't bother to read my edit response, but I'll bite:

 

When you paid the fare in full and traveled on the cruise line (doesn't matter which) you were offered room and board of meals that included in the fare. The cruise line doesn't say how,where and the method of you getting the 'complimentary' meals from - the room service now, free food but you're paying the delivery of it. The buffet? Free food but paying DSC for it, same as MDR and O'sheenan. The specialty restaurants? Not included in the fare because they deemed it so and even still you're paying a cover charge plus 18% 'tip (fee). Here's the shortlist of what's included in the fare and whatnot: http://www.ncl.com/faq/cruise-fare-includes

 

Do you have a terms of agreement and/or contract with your local pizzeria to bring you free food at whatever time you or the owner both agree upon, that you pay the service of making and cooking days / weeks /months / years in advance? No? Then don't use that straw man argument especially when you know darn well that land restaurants is not charging you room (your cabin on the ship, unless of course the pizzeria owner is also your landlord), charging you automatic 15-18% 'gratituties' on top of the price of the cover charge of per person and delivery fees to your house. If an land restaurant is charging all that to you ,please me know, so I can not eat that place.

 

If you don't like that of cost vacation on cruise lines is including so many nickel and dime ploys on extras - then rethink about cruising, because this is just the start. They're going to raise prices again in the future probably on other free stuff that don't have charges yet and people are really going to have a good reason to complain.

[maywell]

I'm not sure about that. I think I read somewhere....

 

Certain items on the room service menu is still free without the delivery/service charge. Other 'enhanced' items there will be a charge for. However, for the life of me I can't find where I read that and I know I'm not making it up! LOL

 

Harriet

 

Here:

http://www.ncl.com/faq#norwegian-cruise-line-now-charging-room-service

 

They say its free but a 'convenience charge" is included for each order.

[shapatack0]

I guess you didn't bother to read my edit response, but I'll bite:

 

You're right, I didn't see your edit (which caused me to reread your post and realize I had misunderstood what you were saying) until after I posted my response.

When you paid the fare in full and traveled on the cruise line (doesn't matter which) you were offered room and board of meals that included in the fare. The cruise line doesn't say how,where and the method of you getting the 'complimentary' meals from - the room service now, free food but you're paying the delivery of it.

 

This is demonstrably false. At the time that I booked my cruise, they had a webpage titled "What is included in my cruise fare?" On this webpage they included "Complimentary Room Service between 5 am and midnight." To change this after I paid constitutes false advertising and bait and switch tactics. And to argue that "complimentary" can mean anything other than "free" is ridiculous.

 

Do you have a terms of agreement and/or contract with your local pizzeria to bring you free food at whatever time you or the owner both agree upon, that you pay the service of making and cooking days / weeks /months / years in advance? No? Then don't use that straw man argument especially when you know darn well that land restaurants is not charging you room (your cabin on the ship, unless of course the pizzeria owner is also your landlord), charging you automatic 15-18% 'gratituties' on top of the price of the cover charge of per person and delivery fees to your house. If an land restaurant is charging all that to you ,please me know, so I can not eat that place.

There is no business, none, that is allowed to change the terms of what you have paid for after you have already paid for it. To do so is false advertising and bait and switch, plain and simple. To argue that a cruiseline should be able to do otherwise is ridiculous. Take that to it's logical extreme. What if NCL arbitrarily decided that they were going to start charging a convenience fee for every "complimentary" dining option? Using your logic, they could do so. What if that "convenience fee" was $100 per passenger per day, and was charged on passengers who had already paid in full and were past their cancellation date. Are you ok with that? Fine, your response will probably be "well they have to provide some kind of free option, so that's a different." To which I respond, ok, NCL decides to order a $100 per passenger per day charge on every type of complimentary food except for hot dogs. They are technically then fulfilling their requirement that they provide some sort of board. Are you ok with that scenario?

 

If the answer to any of those scenarios is no, then you should not be ok with this either. NCL can raise their fees any amount they damn well please, I have no problem with that (other than I would take my business elsewhere). The problem is that they advertised a product, charged me for it, took my money, made it non-refundable, and then arbitrarily took away what they advertised that my cruise fare was paying for.

 

If you don't like that of cost vacation on cruise lines is including so many nickel and dime ploys on extras - then rethink about cruising, because this is just the start. They're going to raise prices again in the future probably on other free stuff that don't have charges yet and people are really going to have a good reason to complain.

 

This is an awfully cynical view. They will not continue practices like this if people stand up to them, either by taking their business elsewhere or by legal action, because I'm not as confident as some in this thread that what they are doing doesn't run afoul of consumer protection laws.

[richstowe]

Can all you people never cruising NCL get on with cancelling your cruises.

 

I don't have any booked and need some price drops to filter through.

 

This is my favorite post , but the truth is I skipped 20 or so pages so you never know what was missed. :D

 

We haven't sailed NCL yet because it had a reputation of nickle and dimeing its passengers.

Glad that falsehood has been cleared away . ;)

[Kcruiser2014]

Here:

 

http://www.ncl.com/faq#norwegian-cruise-line-now-charging-room-service

 

 

 

They say its free but a 'convenience charge" is included for each order.

 

 

Ok, so we know at least for now, all suites will not have a charge. But, they still are talking out of both sides of their mouth. It is not free if you have to pay a " convenience charge of up to $7.95". They also did add the little *prices subject to change! Someone at NCL needs to be retrained..., the communication for these latest changes has been abysmal. I'm booked on my first three cruises with NCL. I'm almost ready to pull the plug on all of them, because I am feeling that NCL does not care about its customers.

Edited March 31, 2015 by Kcruiser2014

[ilovetotravel1977]

Well, this is our first cruise coming up in two weeks. Booked last July as a celebration for our 25th anniversary. Since we have booked, all the great things we had looked forward to on our first cruise have disappeared....Blue Man Group...gone. DSC...increased. Planned dining in specialty restaurant for our celebration...cost increased by 18%, planned on Cirque, increased by 18%, planned on coffee delivered with light breakfast to enjoy on our balcony...now we have to pay extra for that too! All added we now have to spend quite a bit more than we had originally planned/budgeted for. Looks like our first cruise will now sadly, most likely, be our last. :(

 

ditto

[maywell]

I do think that some people do save for years to be able to go in the Haven/suite and rather go every few years in a suite/Haven then ever year in a different class cabin.

 

Harriet

 

Maybe it just me, but I'll take quantity/ quality over just plain quality when it comes to my vacation time - I prefer traveling on my birthday each year in studio room and up for 7+ days than waiting every few years for 7 days Haven / suite. Too short to actually enjoy the perks of the thousands spent for Haven / suite - if I'm going to spend thousands like that might as well be every year going to different places and might as well make it 2 weeks to enjoy the time. To each their own...

[Chuck2810]

Well, lots of talk but too early for information. I would be quite unhappy to know I have to pay $8 extra to have my morning juice. The butler probably comes by 3x a day that I know of, once for my pre-breakfast (Juice and maybe a pastry or a bloodymary, etc.) and then for the complementary stuff (can you call it complementary if it's $8?) This is going over like the proverbial lead balloon. I'll drop $150-$250 in tips for the butler and that is MY service charge, NCL.

[beachlover827]

Norwegian!!!! You made a bad choice! This will be my first cruise with Norwegian on the Getaway in may.but sadly it will be my last!!!!

[peanutbutterjelly]

VERY DISAPPOINTED IN NCL this has got to be one of the most ridiculous changes. 7.95 to order room service? Really? Enough nickel and dimming already, BAD DEAL :mad:

[Vellamint]

This should be grandfathered in.....

[mitsugirly]

Here:

http://www.ncl.com/faq#norwegian-cruise-line-now-charging-room-service

 

They say its free but a 'convenience charge" is included for each order.

 

 

Norwegian Cruise Line has introduced blah blah blah (Room Service orders placed by guests sailing in Suites and The Haven will not attract a charge)*. blah blah blah

 

*Prices subject to change.

 

 

giggle...I just knew there was a catch to that as well. They are covering all their bases and for those suites and haven guest...you might want to consider THIS your pre-warning since everyone else didn't get one. :rolleyes: At least this will be considered as a warning. :(

[maywell]

You're right, I didn't see your edit (which caused me to reread your post and realize I had misunderstood what you were saying) until after I posted my response.

 

 

This is demonstrably false. At the time that I booked my cruise, they had a webpage titled "What is included in my cruise fare?" On this webpage they included "Complimentary Room Service between 5 am and midnight." To change this after I paid constitutes false advertising and bait and switch tactics. And to argue that "complimentary" can mean anything other than "free" is ridiculous.

 

There is no business, none, that is allowed to change the terms of what you have paid for after you have already paid for it. To do so is false advertising and bait and switch, plain and simple. To argue that a cruiseline should be able to do otherwise is ridiculous. Take that to it's logical extreme. What if NCL arbitrarily decided that they were going to start charging a convenience fee for every "complimentary" dining option? Using your logic, they could do so. What if that "convenience fee" was $100 per passenger per day, and was charged on passengers who had already paid in full and were past their cancellation date. Are you ok with that? Fine, your response will probably be "well they have to provide some kind of free option, so that's a different." To which I respond, ok, NCL decides to order a $100 per passenger per day charge on every type of complimentary food except for hot dogs. They are technically then fulfilling their requirement that they provide some sort of board. Are you ok with that scenario?

 

If the answer to any of those scenarios is no, then you should not be ok with this either. NCL can raise their fees any amount they damn well please, I have no problem with that (other than I would take my business elsewhere). The problem is that they advertised a product, charged me for it, took my money, made it non-refundable, and then arbitrarily took away what they advertised that my cruise fare was paying for.

 

 

 

This is an awfully cynical view. They will not continue practices like this if people stand up to them, either by taking their business elsewhere or by legal action, because I'm not as confident as some in this thread that what they are doing doesn't run afoul of consumer protection laws.

 

 

I'm going to try to keep this super short:

 

Read the fine print of an actual NCL cruise contract - they can change the terms at any time. Which is exactly what they did with the DSC, room Service, UDP UBP - they didn't have to grandfather people in for the DSC / UDP/ UBP if they purchase / booked before March 1st but did so anyway.

 

They already do charge a 'complimentary fee" for dining service , its call the DSC / service charges and its been increase by $.95-2.95 depending if you have a suite or not. You already paid whatever was the price of the cruise fare which could $30 to $200 or so money per day (including port fees and taxes) for the cabin and free food (room and board). That argument is moot.

 

If that a cynical view of knowing that in the future, prices for everything not part of the initial fare is going up - Good, hard to surprise me when I can clearly see a train wreck from a 100 miles away. Okay, look what up it took for NCL to response regarding the 18% fee for specialty dining and look what happen again with room service fee - what's other thing(s) can they sneak by increasing that will catch next week travelers by surprise? At this point, it will not shock me if they raise the DSC again without giving further notice.

[shealea]

Certain items on the room service menu is still free without the delivery/service charge. Other 'enhanced' items there will be a charge for. However, for the life of me I can't find where I read that and I know I'm not making it up! LOL

There have always been items on the room service menu that had a charge for them. Can't remember exactly what ..... like maybe a shrimp platter with dip. And others things. I have a menu here I can check if anyone wants to know what it was set up like before.

[shapatack0]

I'm going to try to keep this super short:

 

Read the fine print of an actual NCL cruise contract - they can change the terms at any time. Which is exactly what they did with the DSC, room Service, UDP UBP - they didn't have to grandfather people in for the DSC / UDP/ UBP if they purchase / booked before March 1st but did so anyway.

 

They already do charge a 'complimentary fee" for dining service , its call the DSC / service charges and its been increase by $.95-2.95 depending if you have a suite or not. You already paid whatever was the price of the cruise fare which could $30 to $200 or so money per day (including port fees and taxes) for the cabin and free food (room and board). That argument is moot.

 

If that a cynical view of knowing that in the future, prices for everything not part of the initial fare is going up - Good, hard to surprise me when I can clearly see a train wreck from a 100 miles away. Okay, look what up it took for NCL to response regarding the 18% fee for specialty dining and look what happen again with room service fee - what's other thing(s) can they sneak by increasing that will catch next week travelers by surprise? At this point, it will not shock me if they raise the DSC again without giving further notice.

 

I'll keep this short too. Just because a cruise line puts in it's contract terms that it can change the terms of its contract at any time does not mean that is an enforceable term. That is almost certainly a term that would be held to be unconscionable by any court and would not be enforced. You can't contract with someone and put in your contract that only one party to the contract is bound by it while the other party can do whatever the heck they want.

 

The DSC is totally different. For one, it's discretionary, and secondly they did grandfather the DSC increase in, they allowed us to prepay the DSC at the old rate when they rolled it out. The 18 percent increase on people who had purchased the UDP/UBP after they had purchased it is absolutely a problem if they didn't grandfather people in. This is a simple concept, one party to a contract is not allowed to unilaterally change the terms of the contract after the other party to the contract has already performed it's part.

[peg013]

Norwegian Cruise Line has introduced blah blah blah (Room Service orders placed by guests sailing in Suites and The Haven will not attract a charge)*. blah blah blah

 

*Prices subject to change.

 

 

giggle...I just knew there was a catch to that as well. They are covering all their bases and for those suites and haven guest...you might want to consider THIS your pre-warning since everyone else didn't get one. :rolleyes: At least this will be considered as a warning. :(

 

I had to refresh the link before the part about the Suites and the Haven showed up, LOL.

[Uniall]

http://www.ncl.com/faq#norwegian-cruise-line-now-charging-room-service

In Search Box Type In: room service

Click on Item:

 

Is Norwegian Cruise Line now charging for room service?

 

 

Frequently Asked Questions

NCL.com frequently asked questions

Is Norwegian Cruise Line now charging for room service?

 

"Norwegian Cruise Line has introduced an enhanced room service menu that is debuting on board Norwegian Getaway and Norwegian Breakaway. The new menu offers an expanded selection for breakfast, in addition to a wider variety of options available 24 hours. Individual items on the menu remain available on a complimentary basis and a convenience charge of up to $7.95 will be added to each order placed (Room Service orders placed by guests sailing in Suites and The Haven will not attract a charge)*. Room service is one of up to 29 dining options offered across the fleet, and guests continue to be able to enjoy a wide array of complimentary choices onboard 24 hours a day.

 

*Prices subject to change. "

Edited March 31, 2015 by Uniall

[HazelSmrf]

So *my* understanding is that the food itself is free, but you pay the 4.95$ or 7.95$ as a delivery charge... meaning that it would cost you 7.95$ whether you ordered just one coffee or ordered 50 coffees, right? I mean you'd pay the 7.95$ for no matter what amount of stuff you order.