NCL Clarification on room service fee

[bjtravelnews]

I have been discussing the new convenience fee for room service with my TA and she just got a letter from NCL regarding the updated policy. I have copied it from my e-mail (I took out her name):

 

Hello XXXX,

 

As a valued travel partner we want to provide you with an update on our room service offerings.

 

Norwegian Cruise Line is offering an enhanced room service menu 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 $7.95 will be added to each order placed.

 

To provide our guests with more options as a part of their Freestyle Cruising experience, coffee and continental breakfast selections will not attract a convenience charge. Room service orders placed by guests sailing in The Haven will also not incur 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.

 

Regards,

 

Industry Development Team

Norwegian Cruise Line

 

Glad to confirm that morning coffee and danish will not incur the fee. However, a little surprised that the convenience fee is now $7.95 for both ships.

[ColinIllinois]

Thanks. Already posted a few times yesterday.

Edited April 9, 2015 by ColinIllinois

[RuthlessBoss]

I don't see a clarification. In one sentence it states certain items are complimentary and in the same sentence it says $7.95 for each order placed. Isn't ordering coffee or a Danish "placing an order?"

[njhorseman]

I don't see a clarification. In one sentence it states certain items are complimentary and in the same sentence it says $7.95 for each order placed. Isn't ordering coffee or a Danish "placing an order?"

 

You either missed or don't understand the subsequent sentence "To provide our guests with more options as a part of their Freestyle Cruising experience, coffee and continental breakfast selections will not attract a convenience charge."

 

That sentence defines an exception to the service charge, as does the next sentence referring to Haven passengers.

Edited April 9, 2015 by njhorseman

[hpecorari]

Nevermind

Edited April 9, 2015 by hpecorari

[Markanddonna]

Is this notification anywhere official for the rest of us to see on the NCL website? I see their explanation in the money matters section of the FAQ hasn't been modified with this new detail. I have a 19 night cruise in a week and feel like my head is spinning with these new specifics but I will examine the written info left in the cabin very carefully from now on.

[njhorseman]

Is this notification anywhere official for the rest of us to see on the NCL website? I see their explanation in the money matters section of the FAQ hasn't been modified with this new detail. I have a 19 night cruise in a week and feel like my head is spinning with these new specifics but I will examine the written info left in the cabin very carefully from now on.

 

No changes to the website yet.

 

Given the history, I wouldn't be surprised to see conflicting information lingering on the website for a considerable time.

[sundercruiser]

No changes to the website yet.

 

Given the history, I wouldn't be surprised to see conflicting information lingering on the website for a considerable time.

 

LOL, considering that "conflicting information" is right there in the email announcement, I'd say that's a pretty good bet!

 

This language: "Individual items on the menu remain available on a complimentary basis and a convenience charge of $7.95 will be added to each order placed" which I'm pretty sure is identical to last week's announcement here and other social media, directly contradicts the new bits in paragraph 2, that coffee and continental breakfast is free.

[LrgPizza]

Is this notification anywhere official for the rest of us to see on the NCL website? I see their explanation in the money matters section of the FAQ hasn't been modified with this new detail. I have a 19 night cruise in a week and feel like my head is spinning with these new specifics but I will examine the written info left in the cabin very carefully from now on.

It doesn't appear your 19 night cruise is on Getaway or Breakaway, so what is posted above doesn't apply to you. For now it hasn't been implemented fleet wide.

Edited April 9, 2015 by LrgPizza

[RuthlessBoss]

You either missed or don't understand the subsequent sentence "To provide our guests with more options as a part of their Freestyle Cruising experience, coffee and continental breakfast selections will not attract a convenience charge."

 

That sentence defines an exception to the service charge, as does the next sentence referring to Haven passengers.

 

I see the sentences you are quoting. I'm referring to the other sentence.

[njhorseman]

I see the sentences you are quoting. I'm referring to the other sentence.

 

The sentence has no conflicting information. There is no charge for the individual items (in other words you won't be charged $3.95 for a hamburger, $2.50 for a grilled cheese sandwich and $1.95 for coffee) but you will be charged a $7.95 fee for the delivery of the order.

 

Look...I'm not defending what NCL is doing here, but you don't need a degree in linguistics to understand what it says.

[rvsullivan]

Pretty clearly it states "no charge for coffee or continental breakfast". It's hard to put a negative spin on that. Some might try to keep the anger up by making it something different, but it is very clear. Because every reference on the different locations on the website have not been updated, doesn't change it. Give it a day or so and references will be updated.

For the Panama Canal cruise, not one of the two affected ships, so it should/is no issue.

Edited April 9, 2015 by rvsullivan

[RuthlessBoss]

The sentence has no conflicting information. There is no charge for the individual items (in other words you won't be charged $3.95 for a hamburger, $2.50 for a grilled cheese sandwich and $1.95 for coffee) but you will be charged a $7.95 fee for the delivery of the order.

 

Look...I'm not defending what NCL is doing here, but you don't need a degree in linguistics to understand what it says.

 

How was I supposed to know it meant a hamburger?

[jackparts]

Ok, we on the boards know about it, but it's not noted on other NCL sites. What do think will happen when someone that has cruised in the past gets on board and does not know about the change?

[rvsullivan]

Ok, we on the boards know about it, but it's not noted on other NCL sites. What do think will happen when someone that has cruised in the past gets on board and does not know about the change?

 

Not much. If someone is really unhappy, they can do as a poster the other day. Refuse delivery and send it back. The sites tend to get updated as they can. Patience.

[sundercruiser]

Pretty clearly it states "no charge for coffee or continental breakfast". It's hard to put a negative spin on that. Some might try to keep the anger up by making it something different, but it is very clear. Because every reference on the different locations on the website have not been updated, doesn't change it. Give it a day or so and references will be updated.

 

And in the exact same email they say that "a convenience charge of $7.95 will be added to each order placed." How can you possibly pretend to know with any certainty which is correct?

 

This isn't a question of different things appearing on different locations of the website. This is in the SAME EMAIL.

[punkincc]

And in the exact same email they say that "a convenience charge of $7.95 will be added to each order placed." How can you possibly pretend to know with any certainty which is correct?

 

This isn't a question of different things appearing on different locations of the website. This is in the SAME EMAIL.

 

Looks like a bad cut and paste effort to me. The original intent was to charge $7.95 on each order, even if for only coffee. Now they are having to back track and try to explain (badly) that free coffee is delivered with no convenience charge, but free non-continental items will incur a convenience fee for delivery.

 

And still no clarification on whether or not those items which "attract" a convenience fee ( what a strange choice of word ) will also have a gratuity and service fee of 18% added to the $7.95 convenience fee. It appears that it was intended for the 18% to apply only to for fee items like shrimp platters, but I believe the actual test cruisers reported it being applied accross the board to all delivery fees.

[Nola26]

The letter seems to reflect gripes on this board and potentially comments from passengers after week one of the "trial". If you only order the old breakfast items there's no convenience fee added (cereal, milk, pastries, juice coffee, etch). However, if you order sandwich, salad, cooked eggs then the order will have the $7.95 fee added. Looks like NCL believes $7.95 isn't too much to ask for the fee as the $4.95 isn't mentioned.

 

I'd rather no fees, but it's encouraging to see NCL jockey based on feedback.

Edited April 9, 2015 by Nola26

[CruisinMaterial]

I’m happy with the explanation NCL gave and the exclusion of their pre-convenience fee morning room service remaining free. :):)

 

 

 

My only concern is about sick people on the ship who choose to voluntary quarantine until they improve so as to not spread disease throughout the ship. I’m wondering at what cost this change will increase the amount of illness seen on ships? If the crew who are devoted to delivering room service are idle then I would hope they would be cleaning public parts of the ship. NCL already does a good job of this anyway compared to Carnival but I really hope they’d step it up with the change. :cool:

[rochelle_s]

I’m happy with the explanation NCL gave and the exclusion of their pre-convenience fee morning room service remaining free. :):)

 

 

 

My only concern is about sick people on the ship who choose to voluntary quarantine until they improve so as to not spread disease throughout the ship. I’m wondering at what cost this change will increase the amount of illness seen on ships? If the crew who are devoted to delivering room service are idle then I would hope they would be cleaning public parts of the ship. NCL already does a good job of this anyway compared to Carnival but I really hope they’d step it up with the change. :cool:

 

 

Personally I would prefer that anyone handling food stick to that job. If there are any viruses on the ship I would be worried about cross contamination if the person cleaning was also handling my food.

 

 

Rochelle

[mking8288]

This, for pax sailing on these 2 ships only and everyone else booked and/or sailing other ships within the NCL fleet then can step back ??

Norwegian Cruise Line is offering an enhanced room service menu on board Norwegian Getaway and Norwegian Breakaway ... To provide our guests with more options as a part of their Freestyle Cruising experience, coffee and continental breakfast selections will not attract a convenience charge ...

"Glad to confirm that morning coffee and danish will not incur the fee ... that the convenience fee is now $7.95 for both ships."

 

What is NCL's current definition of selections for a "continental breakfast" then - beyond just coffee and danish, in being delivered free ?? One can assume or take it for granted before that "old breakfast items are" but ...

 

Does this mean that juices, fruits, yougurts, cold cereals & milk, or even jam/jelly/peanut butter/marmalade and hot chocolate are included or excluded - some of the above, all of the above, or none of the above ??

 

The explanation, to me and IMO only - is still partial and leave the door ajar for interpretation.

 

This presumption is that the test or the 2 week trial is over and these prices will go into effect immediately forthwith on the next sailing, until further notice. Would the NCL rep please clarify and care to elaborate ?

Edited April 9, 2015 by mking8288