Phone call from NCL

[CruisinMaterial]

It's certainly a possibility but, at this point, even if NCL released a statement explaining the reasons for the change in policy, I doubt anyone would believe them. I could count on 1 hand the number of times I've taken food to my cabin and the only time we used room service was when we had an early shore excursion and were in a suite.

 

I almost think, it would have been better if they had raised everyone's fare a few dollars to cover the cost of room service. No one would have noticed. They could have raised the fare a bit more to cover the increase in the DSC, bar drinks, and the 18% gratuity at the upcharge restaurants. By spreading the cost over all the passengers, even the ones who don't use those services, it would have been less obvious. Then again, maybe they felt that those using the services should pay for them. In any case, they've got a bit of a PR mess on their hands.

 

It is a PR nightmare but not for the masses, only for the few paying attention to this and for old-time cruisers. We have gotten used to the true FreeStyle concept of doing what we want, when we want it and now they're saying you still can if you pay a fee or allow the crew to deliver it to your cabin. The timing of this is rather poor but I think it's for the best in the long run. Since the prices have already gone up and I can't afford a balcony going solo anymore then I will be eating in the buffet anyway.

 

I'm not following where you're saying raise the prices across the board... they have already and they're saving a ton on fuel expenses so the profit is being pocketed. Not to mention the Euro falling has led to their gains as well. :cool:

[CruisinMaterial]

This makes no sense whatsoever. What about butlers bringing full meals to suites? How is this any different? I don't eat full meals in my stateroom but this is confusing and inconsistent.

 

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Forums mobile app

 

The difference is WHO is bringing it to the cabin. It's controlled and no spillage.

[CruisinMaterial]

The frightening thought is whether the other lines follow this rule. THAT is what bothers me the most about this. I prefer RC myself, but if they stop you from taking food back to your room, then I'll likely just stop cruising.

 

I sometimes feel like lines are trying too hard to get around the "having lots of people on board" issue. If NCL was actually concerned about food and safety issues, then maybe they shouldn't be cramming as many people as they do on the Breakaway and Getaway.

 

Logistically speaking unless they were to devote more space on newer ships to dedicated room service kitchens, they would never be able to keep up with the demand. The ships are too large and carry too many people. This new fee will cut back I'm sure on the busy signals or lack of answering we got from sailing on the newer, larger ships. Unfortunately you can't just roll it out to select ships, it has to go out fleet-wide. :(

[Freckle53]

What is a full meal to one person, is a snack to another... That answer still doesn't clarify anything.

[CruisinMaterial]

What is a full meal to one person, is a snack to another... That answer still doesn't clarify anything.

 

Basically no hot plates leave the buffet but fruit or cookies can. Hot plates CAN go to the pool deck but not back to the cabin.

Edited May 8, 2015 by CruisinMaterial

[DaytonCruiser]

Basically no hot plates leave the buffet but fruit or cookies can. Hot plates CAN go to the pool deck but not back to the cabin.

 

How about cold cuts,salads,sushi?

[PaulMCO]

I received a phone call from NCL Corporate regarding the email I sent to them last night. My inquiry was concerning the article Cruise Critic published. As stated on another thread, I received an email from them earlier ... and now the phone call. No food is allowed to be removed from the restaurants to take back to your cabin. That portion of the article is accurate. However, you can still get your food from the buffet and eat outside by the pool - not a problem at all with doing that.

 

Pretty impressed that I received a response via email and now by phone call.

 

 

So what will prevent me from taking food to my room -- the Food Police.

 

I can just see at the buffet -- getting some soup from the "Soup Naazi" -

 

Sir vere do you take this soup??

To my room sir --

 

No you can't -- NO SOUP FOR YOU...

Edited May 8, 2015 by PaulMCO

[SAILPRO]

Logistically speaking unless they were to devote more space on newer ships to dedicated room service kitchens, they would never be able to keep up with the demand. The ships are too large and carry too many people. This new fee will cut back I'm sure on the busy signals or lack of answering we got from sailing on the newer, larger ships. Unfortunately you can't just roll it out to select ships, it has to go out fleet-wide. :(

 

All their reasons are nothing but nonsense and bs. :mad:

 

It's all about the MONEY. :mad:

[Freckle53]

How about cold cuts,salads,sushi?

 

What if the cookies just came from the oven and are hot still? What if the mystery meat is lukewarm?

 

I hope all this is just being blown out of proportion here with some rogue, think they know it all NCL phone reps practicing their creative storytelling. If not, I think I'm sorry I didn't just book with Carnival again. Their 24 hour pizza and deli areas (with no restrictions on where you ate it) supplied my dinner and lunches more often than not--in my room to boot while our youngest was napping or sleeping for the night.

 

I don't have a problem if they ask that guests please try to eat in the dining areas and post signs or something, but if there is heavy handed enforcement (which I doubt because if they can't be bothered with chair hogging, is plate guarding really going to happen?), I am not happy with that and won't be back.

[rvsullivan]

This is depressing. I've gotten into the habit of getting coffee, tea and couple Danishes in the morning and taking them back to the cabin. With all the changes, after my Alaska cruise, the next one may be with another line.

 

You know that coffee, tea and Danish are part of the free delivery room service in the mornings?

[rvsullivan]

I received a phone call from NCL Corporate regarding the email I sent to them last night. My inquiry was concerning the article Cruise Critic published. As stated on another thread, I received an email from them earlier ... and now the phone call. No food is allowed to be removed from the restaurants to take back to your cabin. That portion of the article is accurate. However, you can still get your food from the buffet and eat outside by the pool - not a problem at all with doing that.

 

Pretty impressed that I received a response via email and now by phone call.

 

Who was the person that called and what was his/her position with NCL?

[SJ]

The key is whether other cruiselines will follow. If they do follow this new policy, then we consumers are out of luck. Cruising as we know it will be gone forever. If they don't follow, ncl will be forced to change this policy as this make their product not as appealing especially to families with young children, people with mobility issues, etc. Time will tell all...

 

It's also way too early to declare success or failure of this new regime. If these changes did result in increasing their bottom line, then it's on us consumers because we agreed or was complacent about these changes. So therefore we must sleep in the bed we made. Businesses don't need that much resistance before they change their tune but no reason for them to change if we keep agreeing to getting less for the fares we paid. Some ask why not just raise fares? Because fares are ultimately determined by the market. Cruiselines can set whatever fares they want but we will only pay what we want. I can ask for $1million for my $300,000 house, guess how much I will actually get? Probably much closer to $300,000 than a million I would imagine. So many forget the power lies with us consumers. Ask yourselves, is it easier to spend money or earn money?

 

Even if people are not online, eventually all cruise on NCL will know the policy and they can decide whether they want to deal with this inconvenience or move on to another line or another type of vacation. Time will tell, don't be fooled by today's stock prices.

Edited May 8, 2015 by SJ

[jackparts]

Unless I missed it, the OP had onfo direct from NCL on the change to Feestyle cruising. There are many posts that vary, many the same thing, but no actual place where I can find on NCL website, wording that gives the facts of Feestyle dining. 2 or 3 plates per person, being allowed to eat poolside, etc. Come on NCL. Get the correct information out so we can understand it. CEO et all, do your jobs and allay all our fears. With so many recent $$ changes, it sure would be nice to have an active public information department rather than a rumor department full of bs and supposition.

[newmexicoNita]

I took it upon myself to call NCL directly just now.

 

I got a very rude phone agent mind you, but this is what she said:

 

You will not be able to take ANY food out of public ares (restaurant or buffet). There will be NO exceptions for people who are sick and/or people with small children who prefer to eat in rooms for convenience. She even suggested that this shouldnt be a problem unless your kids are not well behaved in which case they shouldnt be going on the cruise anyways and then preceded to say "What, you dont take your kids to restaurants back home?". I dont even have kids, I was just asking. Then she said, "If a person is sick they shouldnt be eating because that would just make them more nauseated". Seriously, NCL? I hope this is not what youre getting phone agents to tell people? :confused:

 

AND IT DOES APPLY TO DRINKS ALSO! She said ANY drinks from the bar cannot be taken back to enjoy on your balcony!! :eek:

 

I told her that made no sense because what about those who order bottles of wine and they get delivered to the room itself. She said bottles of wine would be an exception but drinks ordered one at a time from the bar must stay in public areas!

 

This is ridiculous. If im walking around with a glass of wine how are they going to know if i poured it in my room or got it from the bar? No way to enforce that.

 

I am an avid NCLer and will be a Platinum member after our next cruise. I have gone out of my way to defend them in the past but this is just getting insane.

 

I pay extra to have a balcony and now youre telling me i cannot BUY a Martini from the bar and bring it back to my room?! Why am I paying extra for a balcony?

 

Not happy.

 

What a jerk, but there will always be those people.Maybe she is just tired of all the phone calls. As for booze and the bar; I don't believe for one second they intend on limiting where you can drink. Alcohol is one of the 3 biggest money makers on any ship. I don't know what dept you called, but if you just dialed NCl and didn't email or go directly to customer service you are not going to get a straight answer.

[CruisinMaterial]

Unless I missed it, the OP had onfo direct from NCL on the change to Feestyle cruising. There are many posts that vary, many the same thing, but no actual place where I can find on NCL website, wording that gives the facts of Feestyle dining. 2 or 3 plates per person, being allowed to eat poolside, etc. Come on NCL. Get the correct information out so we can understand it. CEO et all, do your jobs and allay all our fears. With so many recent $$ changes, it sure would be nice to have an active public information department rather than a rumor department full of bs and supposition.

 

I agree a press release would help quell this situation but then again... it wouldn't work for everyone. :(:eek::(

[CruisinMaterial]

What a jerk, but there will always be those people.Maybe she is just tired of all the phone calls. As for booze and the bar; I don't believe for one second they intend on limiting where you can drink. Alcohol is one of the 3 biggest money makers on any ship. I don't know what dept you called, but if you just dialed NCl and didn't email or go directly to customer service you are not going to get a straight answer.

 

Also doesn't help when people are constantly spreading misinformation (not this threads OP) on here and on several NCL related FB groups. People call them to get the information clarified and after answering the same question 1,000 times in one day and not generating any bookings, I would be annoyed too. Especially when I'm sure more than just one person has been rude to this person today. People have been flooding the NCL chat and that's a third party vendor. Hasn't stopped them because people think they're getting through to NCL. Management is in Miami, not a call center located in Mesa, AZ. If folks would call corporate it might get through to FDR. :cool:

Edited May 8, 2015 by CruisinMaterial

[newmexicoNita]

While I occasionally will leave the buffet with a piece of fruit or cookies, I don't take entire plates back to my cabin. Except when I was on the Epic last, I did take my breakfast back to the studio lounge to eat in peace and quiet.

 

As for eating in a hotel room while traveling, yes I have. As a woman traveling alone, there are plenty of times I would prefer to eat in my room versus sitting alone twiddling my thumbs through a dinner service. So I have gotten take-away from restaurants more than a few times.

 

I doubt anyone is going to make a scene over someone taking a cookie or two out of the buffet:I think most of you can figure that one out. When I am talking about hotel rooms, yes, there are times when people do order room service and they pay dearly for it. Yes, we will stop and buy food at a near by restaurant on rare occassions and eat in our hotel room, but it is rare. Even our daugher, she used to have a job where she traveled worldwide alone, says, other than when she was exhausted she rarely ate in her hotel room. I am sure there are those who do enjoy eating in their hotel room. Hotel rooms are not small little cabins with tiny balconies.

[newmexicoNita]

As a matter of fact I've brought food back to my room from a hotel buffet numerous times. Recently even. Myself, my daughter, and her infant son did a road trip and my daughter and I took turns going to get our food and bring it back to the room while the other person stayed in the room with the baby.

 

That baby will be 2 when he goes on a cruise with us the end of next year. If he gets cranky while we are trying to eat, oh well.

 

OK, you brought food back from a buffet. Normally the rule of thumb is: no food is to be taken from the buffet for eating later. Most buffets, in hotels as well post this. I can't imagine anyone doing this, but I guess I just didn't realize some do. I do think a cruise ship is different, the buffet is paid for in our cruise rate, but in a hotel: totally different.

[emcelh]

It is a PR nightmare but not for the masses, only for the few paying attention to this and for old-time cruisers. We have gotten used to the true FreeStyle concept of doing what we want, when we want it and now they're saying you still can if you pay a fee or allow the crew to deliver it to your cabin. The timing of this is rather poor but I think it's for the best in the long run. Since the prices have already gone up and I can't afford a balcony going solo anymore then I will be eating in the buffet anyway.

 

I'm not following where you're saying raise the prices across the board... they have already and they're saving a ton on fuel expenses so the profit is being pocketed. Not to mention the Euro falling has led to their gains as well. :cool:

 

Not really serious about raising prices. If they had though, I wouldn't have noticed. What they've done will increase the cost for some passengers is they want to eat in their cabin.

[newmexicoNita]

We also do the same, except it's just my husband and myself. Hampton Inns, Homewood Suites and other hotels don't care where you eat your food. I don't really see why a cruise ship does either. In 8 cruises, every time we've ordered room service for breakfast and placed trays outside our room, they've been picked up by the time we've showered and left to go to the pool. Cruise ship housekeeping staff (at least the ones we've had) are fast!

 

I like to sleep in on vacation and my husband is an earlier riser. Nice guy that he is, he will go downstairs when we're at hotels and bring breakfast back to the room for us to enjoy together. He does the same on cruises - gets food from the buffet and brings it back for us to enjoy on our balcony - or we'll order room service. Enjoying breakfast on our balcony while watching the ocean or pulling into port is one our favorite things about cruising.

 

When taking food from the buffet, I wonder how they will police where you're taking your food. If my husband has swim trunks on when going to the buffet, will they assume he's taking it to the pool, when he's really bringing food back to our room? (Both of us are rule followers, so he'd likely never do that...but for his beloved banana pancakes from the buffet, he might!)

 

I'm curious to see how this all plays out.

 

Breakfast as part of the hotel room cost, like the ones you are suggesting has nothing to do wiit regular buffets one pays for. I am sure many take food from the ones you are referring to and eat in the rooms. That is like comparing apples and oranges.

[CruisinMaterial]

For now. Every day on the web, particularly twitter someone wishes they hadn't said something because it's effected their bottom line. The question is will it effect the cruise line or him alone and how long will it take if things continue along the way they have been for the past few months.

 

What concerns me the most is yesterday in the investor call he said this was only the START of changes. For the most part they have not impacted me... YET... however, what further changes does he have up his sleeve? :confused::eek:

 

Time will definitely tell how much people are put off by this and how intrusive these new policies end up being for the masses. With cruising attracting so many NEW customers to fill these mega ships, the old timers who know the way cruising used to be are increasingly becoming a minority. :cool:

[perkydebrajean]

OK, you brought food back from a buffet. Normally the rule of thumb is: no food is to be taken from the buffet for eating later. Most buffets, in hotels as well post this. I can't imagine anyone doing this, but I guess I just didn't realize some do. I do think a cruise ship is different, the buffet is paid for in our cruise rate, but in a hotel: totally different.

 

Every Hampton Inn and Embassy Suites, and Home 2 Suites by Hilton I've ever stayed at has had a buffet breakfast included in the price of the room. Main reason we like to stay there. I've never seen a sign stating that you can't take the food back to your room at them.

[SteveH2508]

Every Hampton Inn and Embassy Suites, and Home 2 Suites by Hilton I've ever stayed at has had a buffet breakfast included in the price of the room. Main reason we like to stay there. I've never seen a sign stating that you can't take the food back to your room at them.

 

Staying one or two nights is rather different to staying 7 or more nights on a cruise ship. When we stay in a hotel we do not 'move in' - i.e. we do not unpack completely.

 

On a cruise ship we unpack completely, fix things how we like and effectively we move in for the duration.

 

1 day in a hotel - we can go with using the dining room for breakfast. 7 days or more on a cruise ship we do things differently some days.

[Miss Pat]

My next cruise is in Oct on NCL and that will use up the last future cruise deposit I have.

 

I hope to see you and "the old guy" on a Princess ship soon !!!

I'm still wearing my rings- everyday. ;)

[deladela]

My opinion and beleive it or not, I do have a right to one: simply, it is beyound me with the exception of sick people and a very few other situations why anyone would be so concerned about bringing food to their cabins. Do you go to a buffet and bring food back to your hotel room or your home? I think the cruise lines have every right to control where you eat what. But again, it is my opinion and I will continue to feel this way. I do think, not being able to bring your dessert back to your cabin is a little over the top.

My husband and I eat in our cabin quite often when we cruise. We spend little time on the pool deck or in any of the public areas. That is our preference. We also often take food back to our hotel rooms when traveling because we prefer the solitude and quiet. When I pay for a meal at a land based restaurant and I have leftovers I take the leftover food to go. Sometimes I order dessert to go because I want it later. My hubby also brings breakfast back to the cabin for me many times during a cruise. Just because you don't cruise that way doesn't mean others don't and your satisfaction with your vacation is not any more important than mine. NCL's motto is "eat where you, when you want, with whom you want" so I guess they better start looking for a new motto because this new policy is far from "freestyle"!