Cagney's - Important info

[onthebalcony]

We have the UDP and have booked Cagney's for 4 nights. NCL hasn't informed me of any changes!

[buckirj1]

You'd think NCL would have paid more attention to Disney for lessons in how/how not to roll out a dining plan.

[NLH Arizona]

To RuthlessBoss' question, punishing the staff for the company's change in service might be the best solution to having the company rethink how it's treating it's customers. For example, if the DSC revenue were to drop 20% or even 25%, the cruise line is likely lose it's best employees to other cruise lines that aren't experiencing this drop in revenue.

Let see, you think that punishing the staff is the best solution. First of all the crew has a contract and has to stay through it, so you will actually only be punishing the crew and passengers, not the company. Secondly, there will always be another person to take that leaving crew member's position (especially when you consider the average salary for all jobs is $850 a month in the Philippines). Thirdly, even if a few removed their DSC, there are still a lot of others, like me, who will pay it, so the company probably wouldn't feel it.

 

There is only one way to punish the company and that is not to sail with them.

[SissasMomE]

Just came back from a great cruise on the Gem. We were told by the Hotel Director that Cagney's will have changes starting in June. It will not be part of the UDP anymore and all items on the menu will be al a carte pricing. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news to all. Carol

 

Doesn't surprise me in the least.

[LMaxwell]

We have the UDP and have booked Cagney's for 4 nights. NCL hasn't informed me of any changes!

 

Do you think they will inform you before your cruise or while on it?

 

You'd think NCL would have paid more attention to Disney for lessons in how/how not to roll out a dining plan.

 

NCL isn't Disney. Disney is the ne plus ultra is getting a pass for this kind of shenanigan. It is shortsighted and arrogant of almost any other hospitality company to think they command the market like Disney does.

[Wendy&Grumpy]

Are personal attacks the only thing in your repertoire?

 

I was taught you get what you give, so I'm repaying your favors. ;)

 

If you'd focus more on the substance of conversations and less on attacking those you disagree with, this would be the least of your worries.

[cruisebie]

I have a feeling...and this is just my opinion, NOT based on anything that anybody told me...that pretty soon the UDP will be a thing of the past. If this is true about Cagney's, my opinion is that this is step 1 of phasing out the UDP.

 

 

 

I've also read many times on these boards that when trying to make reservations for specialty restaurants, guests were told they are fully booked and unavailable, but then the restaurants would only be maybe half full for the evening. Is it possible that this is NCL's way of "limiting" how many people eat at the specialty restaurants, especially Cagney's, if they have the UDP? Meaning NCL already has their money for the UDP (if they didn't get UDP under the promo...and remember inside cabins don't qualify for it so that's a lot of people) and now won't allow them to book Cagney's because they don't make money that way. I've read many times here that some passengers eat at Cagney's sometimes 3 or 4 times throughout their cruise. My boss did that when she went on BA last summer and had the UDP and she and her husband loved Cagney's. They ate there most nights.

 

 

 

 

 

You could be right about NCL trying to limit the number of people eating at Cagney's. Whatever the reason, UDP bookings will inevitably increase at Le Bistro and Moderno. I would be concerned that one of these will be the next to be removed because of "overbooking".

 

I am very unhappy about this latest change, along with some of the other changes they have made. When I booked my next cruise, I factored in the "free" UDP when looking at the cost of the cruise, since I tend to eat in the specialties most nights. Although, the basic cruise price was higher than last year, with the included UDP, it was do-able. Since that time, NCL has devalued the UDP by taking away the "free" Illusionarium on the 1st night and removing my favorite specialty restaurant.

 

I feel like NCL is chipping away at the things that make a cruise unique and enjoyable and I find that I am not looking forward to it as much as I did previously. Maybe it's time to explore other options.

[trex-de]

Keep the comments coming! If the HD on the Gem did tell a CCer this information, he was TOLD to leak it. A high level employee would not let this "slip".

 

I believe NCL is watching our responses very closely.

 

Has the op made any further comments since the first post? I have not noticed - just trying to keep up.

[SissasMomE]

I am not familiar with Cagney's, therefore I am not certain whether it will affect my upcoming cruise, so please pardon the question if it has already been addresses, but if you get the UDP as a bonus for a booking (in our case we were able to get the UDP and the UBP) does the elimination of one signature restaurant greatly affect your dining choice options (this will be our second cruise on NCL, so I am still trying to learn about which places are "must trys" and which are just "so-so" )

 

It's on over-hyped Outback. Once upon a time it was very good - that was a long time ago. Quality has gone downhill over the years. I certainly wouldn't run to that restaurant! Then again, we have many 4- and 5-star steakhouses near us, so that may be why we are no longer impressed.

Edited April 26, 2015 by SissasMomE

[$hip$hape]

Grandfathering would seem to be a reasonable compromise.

Will Cagney's soon disappear from NCL's UDP deck of cards ?

Is it real or magic?

Like Illusionist David Blaine, NCL makes things change.:D

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQ3OK_bdLa0

Edited April 26, 2015 by $hip$hape

[RuthlessBoss]

Let see, you think that punishing the staff is the best solution. First of all the crew has a contract and has to stay through it, so you will actually only be punishing the crew and passengers, not the company. Secondly, there will always be another person to take that leaving crew member's position (especially when you consider the average salary for all jobs is $850 a month in the Philippines). Thirdly, even if a few removed their DSC, there are still a lot of others, like me, who will pay it, so the company probably wouldn't feel it.

 

There is only one way to punish the company and that is not to sail with them.

 

Let' s clarify something now. I'm not the one who said punish by holding or reducing the DSC. I said why punish the staff that had nothing to do with the situation.

[CasinoCruzGirl]

Interesting. It now says for May 1 - 30

 

Free dining CREDIT

Edited April 26, 2015 by FootballParent

[triptolemus]

but since it clearly says that NCL can change the price or program at will...

 

Where is this stated?

 

I can't seem to find this.

[SissasMomE]

Interesting. It now says for May 1 - 30

 

Free dining CREDIT

 

Dining Credit .... no longer UDP, or whatever it was called.

[CasinoCruzGirl]

Dining Credit .... no longer UDP, or whatever it was called.

 

 

 

Yep

 

But what about all the people who booked with UDP. Shame on NCL.

 

This about concretes the OP statement

[NLH Arizona]

Let' s clarify something now. I'm not the one who said punish by holding or reducing the DSC. I said why punish the staff that had nothing to do with the situation.

The post was in response to what antas901 said. I didn't think you said it, she just had your name in her comment.

[NLH Arizona]

Where is this stated?

 

I can't seem to find this.

It was quoted on one of these threads.

[littlelulu01]

Keep the comments coming! If the HD on the Gem did tell a CCer this information, he was TOLD to leak it. A high level employee would not let this "slip".

 

I believe NCL is watching our responses very closely.

 

Has the op made any further comments since the first post? I have not noticed - just trying to keep up.

 

The worst thing I see about all of the changes is the way they are rolled out and the total lack of updating their website to reflect the changes. I think that's what scares me the most. The fact that changes are made on the ruse of a test basis, consistently leaked in this manner and updated on only parts of their website if at all and consistently after the fact is a slimy way of doing business.

[triptolemus]

It was quoted on one of these threads.

 

That's nice, but...quoted from where? You said that "it clearly states NCL can change the price or program at will."

 

What, exactly, do you mean by "it"?

[NLH Arizona]

That's nice, but...quoted from where? You said that "it clearly states NCL can change the price or program at will."

 

What, exactly, do you mean by "it"?

Ask the person who quoted it and posted it on Cruise Critic.

[cruisebie]

Since this hasn't happened, has only been reported by one passenger who heard it from a crew member and NCL has not announced it yet, we don't know if (1) this is really happening and (2) if it is, how the rollout will be, if any.

 

 

Although it hasn't been announced yet, I tend to believe this will happen. Supporting this is the fact that NCL has stopped letting pax reserve Cagney's prior to boarding. Also, there was the post by NCL that "exciting" changes were coming to Cagney's. Who will be excited, I wonder? NCL's accounting dept?

 

If roll outs of other recent changes are any indication, the rollout will be onboard without prior notice. Maybe there will be a statement buried somewhere in the Freestyle Daily for embarking passengers.

[triptolemus]

Ask the person who quoted it and posted it on Cruise Critic.

 

You posted it now. I'm asking you.

 

Or are you saying that you're not actually certain that "it" actually says anything about changing price and program at will? You're just sort of making it up as you go along?

Edited April 26, 2015 by triptolemus

[antas901]

Let see, you think that punishing the staff is the best solution. First of all the crew has a contract and has to stay through it, so you will actually only be punishing the crew and passengers, not the company. Secondly, there will always be another person to take that leaving crew member's position (especially when you consider the average salary for all jobs is $850 a month in the Philippines). Thirdly, even if a few removed their DSC, there are still a lot of others, like me, who will pay it, so the company probably wouldn't feel it.

 

There is only one way to punish the company and that is not to sail with them.

 

First, in this forum, I feel the need to thank you for remaining civil :) - others are not so kind. So "thank you." :) My position is that it "might be the best solution" ... I leave plenty of room to say that this might not be the best solution.

If 25% of the passengers reduce/eliminate the DSC, when the contract ends, the crew members with other options will seek those other jobs, leaving behind crew that is "less than stellar" and has nowhere else to go. The new employees coming on board will be trained by the "less than stellar" crew and that will impact NCL's service to it's customers. NCL (or any service provider) can't endure a reputation of bad service. NCL would have to change the way they do business.

 

I agree there are a lot of people like you who will pay the DSC and me who pre-pay the DSC. To your point (and part of what I was saying) it will take more than "a few" to make an impact (I use 20-25% as the number that would get NCL's attention).

 

How about this example ... you go to SuperCuts and get a haircut. You pay the stylist and say "I am not going to tip you because your company doesn't use energy efficient light bulbs". If 25% of that stylist's customers do the same, that employee would have to speak to his boss and say "our customers are not tipping because of these light bulbs. I need you to switch them so I can get tips again. And, if all of the stylist were having this same issue, the company would have to look into changing the thing that the customers don't like. I guess the SuperCuts owner could let the employees quit/leave and get all new ones fresh out of beauty school. But, good business says "keep skilled employees." (I have no idea what SuperCuts uses; I'm giving a hypothetical example). This is how the reduction in the DSC "could" impact NCL.

 

But, I also don't care too much about the changes that the cruise line is making. Out of the previous cruises, I've ordered room service enough to count on one hand - total. They could charge $19.95 per order and I'd be fine. If Cagney's is removed from the UDP and Ocean Blue is added, I'd love that. Between the Brazilian Steakhouse, Japanese Steakhouse and Cagney's Steakhouse, it seems like it could be repetitive. I'm hoping that this change is truly a "change" and not a "reduction."

 

Not sailing with NCL is also a solution, but doesn't that also punish the employees?

[mking8288]

Yep

But what about all the people who booked with UDP. Shame on NCL.

This about concretes the OP statement

Interesting. It now says for May 1 - 30

Free dining CREDIT

 

There we go, thanks - FBP for getting this image ... uploaded

 

NCL is getting the last laugh monitoring these postings, again - dirty job done, words got out and let all those "selfish" cyber cruisers go at each other instead of us.

 

Like I said last night, good luck redeeming those perks in 2016 (OMG, 2017 - better lock them in now & make full payment ... they will honor it, right. They will? Better think again.)

 

Wait, these doesn't affect us so ...

 

Hold it - no more UBP for May bookings, either. Nope, we don't drink alcohol. :D

 

Sarcasm mode off - flame protection on, ignore list enabled. Go ahead, make my day.

Edited April 26, 2015 by mking8288

[bobg529]

Let see, you think that punishing the staff is the best solution. First of all the crew has a contract and has to stay through it, so you will actually only be punishing the crew and passengers, not the company. Secondly, there will always be another person to take that leaving crew member's position (especially when you consider the average salary for all jobs is $850 a month in the Philippines). Thirdly, even if a few removed their DSC, there are still a lot of others, like me, who will pay it, so the company probably wouldn't feel it.

 

There is only one way to punish the company and that is not to sail with them.

 

 

Your logic is irrefutable as far as it goes, however what if withholding the DSC is not being done to punish anyone, but to simply control the cost associated with the cruise with the only means possible? If a traveler has budgeted say $2000 for a trip including dining extras etc, and the increases in gratuities has raised the price point to $2400, isn't it within that travelers rights to cut the budget by cutting the OPTIONAL gratuities? Yes, of course this is unfair to a grossly underpaid staff, but why should the traveler be concerned with the well being of the crew? Isn't that really the job of their EMPLOYER? I do not say this out of cruelty. There are far too many employers in today's world that use incentive techniques to underpay their staff and then lay the blame on the customers instead of themselves. Every company is entitled to try to maximize its profit, but it can be done without cheating either the customer or the employee. I would greatly prefer if we could go back to the old days, where their were NO discounts or "special offers". The cruise line would be responsible to set a fair and yet profitable price. If the buying public is unhappy with the price, there is no gun to their head to force them to buy. The market will ultimately determine if the companies strategies are a success. NCL should be selling itself as the line to travel on due to merit, and not through shoddy marketing tricks.