Is it just me?

[TSUmom]

I still think cruising is a bargain vacation. I don't like all of the extra fees or the cut backs in Latitudes either. I think about land vacations and add up the costs, hotel, paying for every meal including room service, tipping waiters, hotel staff, concierge etc....and to me it still can't compare to a cruise.

 

I am not being critical about any complaints because I too don't like many of the changes but I plan on continuing with my cruise vacations. Just my thoughts....

[roger001]

Still a super bargain, especially if you shop carefully for prices. We've done enough port stops now that it is generally the journey, not the destination that we like about cruising. With that in mind, I keep finding some great prices. However, these little fees (convienence fees) are psychologically irritating as they are so rapidly being added. If NCL would just say, "hey, we've got to increase our revenue and have had to increase the following prices accordingly". They should be called product price increases, not "convenience fees". That term aggravates the hell out of me.

[LakeWobegon]

Fairly new to the boards. When will I stop saying that? I think its a great deal. We're taking our second ever cruise next year, first with our family on he Escape of spring break. So, I guess its not such a great deal given supply and demand for that time. Ha! But overall it is and if you shop around and find the right times.

 

I've done a lot of research in picking NCL and the ship. Last cruise wife and I went on was for our honeymoon on RCCL's Explorer of the Seas when it was brand new. I've read a lot about how NCL nickels and dimes you to death and then have witnessed all this new fee hoopla.

 

My take on it is this: I'd rather pay for what I'm going to use (i.e. fees) and get charged a lower overall base price. I think Norwegian needs to play this up a little more in their freestyle cruise promos. One example is I've read reviewers saying they love Disney because everything's included. Well, I checked a 7 day cruise on Disney next year at the same time and a deluxe family verandah cabin was nearly twice what we are going to pay on the Escape for two large balcony connecting rooms (150 sq ft nearly of balcony space combined). So if I end up paying a couple of hundred dollars more in fees, I'm good with that verus thousands more on Disney. And getting more than twice the space to live in over the week.

 

Now, that is not meant to be a review of Disney versus NCL. I've read great things about both and some good posts comparing the two for family vacations on these boards.

 

The other option that would cost less outrage is for NCL to just quietly raise its base prices for cruises across the board. But again, I'm the sort of person that would rather pay for what I want to use as I go versus paying a lot more for something I may never.

Edited April 2, 2015 by LakeWobegon

[Cruise-Crazy]

Yeah, even with $8 room service still all in all a good deal. Just unpack and your hotel room floats around to all kinds of fun places. :D

[KateQ22003]

I don't think there have been any threads about cruising not being a good value. I think the threads are about the NCL value vs. other cruise lines.

[cigarboo]

It's not all about cruise value or even the value of NCL versus other cruiselines. It's about changing the rules without notice. If I sign up for a cruise that's suppose to include such and such and now the same cruise I had in mind is filled with extra fees, it's not fair. No notice effects the people that can not just, NOT sail on this particular cruise because they already paid, took vacation time off, arranged with others for the trip, etc.

 

Now, I have no sympathy for people who book in the future and come back complaining about fees, because they now know about the fees and have a choice. I still think NCL has competitive pricing and cruise value in general is pretty good, but it's still not right to sell "A" and Charge "A+B+C"

[cliffd64]

To these points I will add... shop around a bit... check out the other mass market lines...

 

Even if you add in these fees and increases the bottom line is that Norwegian still has some of the best value out there. Maybe that will change over time, but with the current promotions and prices I can't beat the value and trust me I have looked ...

 

It's easy to gripe about these increases and new convenience fees, but when I look at whether or not they will affect me... it seems insignificant.

 

Drink prices going up: - no effect - have the UBP as a promo next cruise...

Room Service convenience fees: no effect - in a suite

18% gratuity on Specialty Restaurants: No effect - have the UDP as a promo next cruise

DSC Charge Increased: No effect (this time anyway) as we pre-paid them already.

 

 

OK, so let's conjecture as to whether or not it would matter if these promos went away?

 

Drink Prices... well, I MAY purchase the UBP if it's not a promo... so the increase becomes moot.

Room Service: Well, we were never big room service people, so this is a non-issue.

18% gratuity on Specialty Restaurants - This may make us stick to the MDRs and have fewer specialty restaurants over the long haul. Price impact is minimized.

Dsc increase - it is what it is... a dollar a day (when not in a suite) will not kill me.

 

I guess I'm not losing any sleep yet on these things...

[spanishguy1970]

It is still a bargain and i can understand the fees ( sorta) but i will never understand or accept the cut back in latitudes rewards. I kinda thought they were working on adding another tier to improve upon those perks but it does not seem to be the case. What is the point of becoming a loyal cruiser if these perks are diminishing? now i get when a friend said to me that he is not loyal to one cruise line, he picks the ones he likes and gets on it at any particular moment because at the end of the day executives will do what they want, they are there to make a buck. Appreciation for customers should be improved upon not diminished because that is they way they keep our business, at least that is what i think. :)

[cliffd64]

It is still a bargain and i can understand the fees ( sorta) but i will never understand or accept the cut back in latitudes rewards. I kinda thought they were working on adding another tier to improve upon those perks but it does not seem to be the case. What is the point of becoming a loyal cruiser if these perks are diminishing? now i get when a friend said to me that he is not loyal to one cruise line, he picks the ones he likes and gets on it at any particular moment because at the end of the day executives will do what they want, they are there to make a buck. Appreciation for customers should be improved upon not diminished because that is they way they keep our business, at least that is what i think. :)

 

I haven't seen any reduction in Latitudes benefits at least on the US site... As platinum, I still get whatever it is I received last year... They may have made some changes to the European site, but not in the US as of today...

[Cruiser Who Knows Nothing]

We visit my snowbirds parents every Easter, the DH and I usually leave the kids with my parents and escape to SoBe for 2 nights. This year we are taking the Sky and got the free UBP. The 3 night cruise is an easy $600 cheaper than 2 nights in SoBe. Can't wait until tomorrow!!

 

 

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[spanishguy1970]

I haven't seen any reduction in Latitudes benefits at least on the US site... As platinum, I still get whatever it is I received last year... They may have made some changes to the European site, but not in the US as of today...

 

Yes the cutbacks have been done NCL.EU and some people are already noticing the cutback such as the box of chocolates. the European NCL the free dinner at le bistro is now per stateroom not per platinum member. The point is, yes here it has not changed, however if it started there is only a matter of time it happens here in the U.S. I hope not but i wont be surprised.

[cruisedealership]

Cruises are still the best bang for your buck, and best way to see more places for less.

[cliffd64]

Yes the cutbacks have been done NCL.EU and some people are already noticing the cutback such as the box of chocolates. the European NCL the free dinner at le bistro is now per stateroom not per platinum member. The point is, yes here it has not changed, however if it started there is only a matter of time it happens here in the U.S. I hope not but i wont be surprised.

 

I guess the point is... until is does, there is no sense in complaining about a change that hasn't happened.

 

My loyalty to Norwegian is simple. When I can find a better set of circumstances... I will take it.

 

Right now, with the free promotions they are offering they have made that difficult.

[Cuizer2]

I still think cruising is a bargain vacation. I don't like all of the extra fees or the cut backs in Latitudes either. I think about land vacations and add up the costs, hotel, paying for every meal including room service, tipping waiters, hotel staff, concierge etc....and to me it still can't compare to a cruise.

 

I am not being critical about any complaints because I too don't like many of the changes but I plan on continuing with my cruise vacations. Just my thoughts....

 

I don't think it is the amount of the fees that is bothering everybody but rather the way they are being implemented.

[nfglory1]

I guess the point is... until is does, there is no sense in complaining about a change that hasn't happened.

 

My loyalty to Norwegian is simple. When I can find a better set of circumstances... I will take it.

 

Right now, with the free promotions they are offering they have made that difficult.

 

100% agree. After doing months of research before booking my cruise, I found NCL to have the best deal for the criteria that I was looking for. Even after the changes, which didn't really affect me with the exception of the small increase in DSC (I have the UBP, don't eat in speciality restaurants and don't order room service), it still comes out to a fantastic deal. May can't come fast enough!!!

[spanishguy1970]

I guess the point is... until is does, there is no sense in complaining about a change that hasn't happened.

 

My loyalty to Norwegian is simple. When I can find a better set of circumstances... I will take it.

 

Right now, with the free promotions they are offering they have made that difficult.

 

Not complaining simply stating the changes that are already happening as per comments being made here on cruise critic and people who comment on the Facebook NCL page. Little changes here and there but is it happening. I guess i will know more on my 28 days coming cruise on the Norwegian Jewel. :):)