Where is the OFFICIAL notice of dining policy changes?

[wruiz14]

They will post on the website soon. I received a call today from their executives offices (305) 436-4000 since I wrote them an email asking for official confirmation. The lady in the phone clarified (and ratified) that there is indeed a mandatory $7.95 room service charge for each order placed after 10am* in all their ships. *Continental breakfast before 10am is still delivered for free.

 

 

 

She also confirmed that there is no food allowed in cabins, except from room service. Restaurants will decline bagging it or boxing it.

 

 

 

I mentioned they should post something on their website given all the to-and-fro on the Internet and she said they are working on it. No ETA, unfortunately.

 

 

7.95 for each order placed ... Does that mean that I could order 4 cheeseburgers in one order and pay one room service charge? I know that the fee is frustrating - but if I'm ordering for a family of 4 - that's not too bad.

[punkincc]

NCL responded to someone who asked about snacks and you can still take snacks and coffee back to your room. Just no full meals. So your banana bread or cookies etc will be fine

 

Someone posed a question of the NCL Facebook page and received this response which they posted to one of the many threads here on CC yesterday.

 

The first paragraph of the response was the canned "For our guest's well being" statement, but a second paragraph was included specific to the buffet carryout issue: "This means that going forward, guests are unable to take full plates of food from any of the restaurants or buffet back to their rooms. For guests who need a snack, etc. throughout the day, they are able to take a piece of fruit or a box of cereal from the buffet."

 

I don't consider a piece of cake or a cookie a full plate of food. So now they are going to tell me what I am allowed to snack on? Yeah those dry boxes of cereal really hit the spot!

 

Utterly ridiculous.

Edited May 9, 2015 by punkincc

[SAILPRO]

They will post on the website soon. I received a call today from their executives offices (305) 436-4000 since I wrote them an email asking for official confirmation. The lady in the phone clarified (and ratified) that there is indeed a mandatory $7.95 room service charge for each order placed after 10am* in all their ships. *Continental breakfast before 10am is still delivered for free.

 

She also confirmed that there is no food allowed in cabins, except from room service. Restaurants will decline bagging it or boxing it.

 

I mentioned they should post something on their website given all the to-and-fro on the Internet and she said they are working on it. No ETA, unfortunately.

 

No need to bag or box, we'll bring our own Ziploc since we don't want them to charge a 'bag fee" :D

[deladypilot]

Someone posed a question of the NCL Facebook page and received this response which they posted to one of the many threads here on CC yesterday.

 

The first paragraph of the response was the canned "For our guest's well being" statement, but a second paragraph was included specific to the buffet carryout issue: "This means that going forward, guests are unable to take full plates of food from any of the restaurants or buffet back to their rooms. For guests who need a snack, etc. throughout the day, they are able to take a piece of fruit or a box of cereal from the buffet."

 

I don't consider a piece of cake or a cookie a full plate of food. So now they are going to tell me what I am allowed to snack on? Yeah those dry boxes of cereal really hit the spot!

 

Utterly ridiculous.

 

The person I was quoting took a snap shot of her email and it just said....You can still take a snack back to your room. No limits were given except for the full meal.

[punkincc]

7.95 for each order placed ... Does that mean that I could order 4 cheeseburgers in one order and pay one room service charge? I know that the fee is frustrating - but if I'm ordering for a family of 4 - that's not too bad.

 

Very reasonable if I am staying at a hotel and have to pay for my food anyway, but on a ship full of complimentary food, which I have paid for with my cruise fare, or paid a fee for at a Specialty restaurant, it seems a little crazy to be unable to enjoy this food where I please and be forced to pay $7.95 for burgers when I could just pick them up at the buffet and bring them back to the cabin.

[wruiz14]

Very reasonable if I am staying at a hotel and have to pay for my food anyway, but on a ship full of complimentary food, which I have paid for with my cruise fare, or paid a fee for at a Specialty restaurant, it seems a little crazy to be unable to enjoy this food where I please and be forced to pay $7.95 for burgers when I could just pick them up at the buffet and bring them back to the cabin.

 

 

True - the food should all be included regardless of where we get it. Just trying to find a different or positive way to view it. I'm not a big room service person, although I would enjoy it more without the fee.

[punkincc]

The person I was quoting took a snap shot of her email and it just said....You can still take a snack back to your room. No limits were given except for the full meal.

 

Well, the response that I referred to was very specific, and it said that the "snacks" were restricted to "a piece of fruit or a box of cereal".

 

The command came down from on high to eliminate carry out food in order to make Room Service our only option, but no one really thought it through, so now they are trying to do damage control and are just making it up as they go along.

[SAILPRO]

I believe suites are exempt from the room service convenience fee.

 

Yes, they are exempt cause they're living the 'suite life', which most cannot afford. :D

[LMaxwell]

NCL responded to someone who asked about snacks and you can still take snacks and coffee back to your room. Just no full meals. So your banana bread or cookies etc will be fine

Please define what is a snack versus full meal.

[LMaxwell]

7.95 for each order placed ... Does that mean that I could order 4 cheeseburgers in one order and pay one room service charge? I know that the fee is frustrating - but if I'm ordering for a family of 4 - that's not too bad.

It has been reported here as two items per person per room for the fee. So yes 4 hamburgers would work as long as it is 2 people or more.

[SAILPRO]

Well, the response that I referred to was very specific, and it said that the "snacks" were restricted to "a piece of fruit or a box of cereal".

 

The command came down from on high to eliminate carry out food in order to make Room Service our only option, but no one really thought it through, so now they are trying to do damage control and are just making it up as they go along.

 

Cause they're using the 'Play Book'. :D

[EaglesWin]

7.95 for each order placed ... Does that mean that I could order 4 cheeseburgers in one order and pay one room service charge? I know that the fee is frustrating - but if I'm ordering for a family of 4 - that's not too bad.

 

Yes, $7.95 per order.

[cruzsnooze]

I emailed the London office of Guest relations NCL this was the email reply

 

I am sorry that you are unhappy with the recent changes implemented fleet wide.

 

 

 

For our guests’ well-being and to maintain a beautiful clean environment, we ask that guests enjoy their meals while dining at one of our many restaurants. Every ship in the Norwegian fleet offers dining at any time day or night, with a wide variety of options and cuisines available complimentary.

 

 

 

Norwegian Cruise Line is offering an enhanced room service menu on board. 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.

 

 

 

We are always looking to enhance the guest experience onboard and as a part of that continuously try out new menus, services and amenities at various times throughout the year.

 

 

So in order to keep their environment beautifully clean Ive decided I will pack some zip lock bags and plastic tubs so when I visit the buffet and fancy a snack I can put the snack in my zip lock bag or plastic container (nice and clean) and put these in my rucksack to carry back to my cabin (still nice and clean) and enjoy eating it my cabin (environment in my cabin will be no different than if I was eating from room service )

 

this could be the way to go folks? :p

So Haven guests don't need a clean and beautiful environment apparently!!

[NLH Arizona]

It has been reported here as two items per person per room for the fee. So yes 4 hamburgers would work as long as it is 2 people or more.

It has also been reported that there is no limit by a few passengers who have recently returned from their cruises.

[SAILPRO]

Please define what is a snack versus full meal.

 

Both means the same according to NCL. :D LOL

[DaytonCruiser]

It has also been reported that there is no limit by a few passengers who have recently returned from their cruises.

 

One would wonder if they were told they could order an unlimited amount of food..or..did they just not order enough to get cut off.

[NLH Arizona]

One would wonder if they were told they could order an unlimited amount of food..or..did they just not order enough to get cut off.

One report was from a poster who said they ordered an appetizer, main course and dessert for each of them. Another said they orderd breakfast which was way over two items per person. There has only been one report of someone saying that their friends on a ship told them they were limited to two items per person.

 

Here is the report about limiting: Friends of ours just returned from Getaway and were informed when trying to place an order that the 7.95 fee is good for 2 items per person, per room. Additional items will incur additional fee. They declined / cancelled their order. No news about breakfast items. Don't "kill the messenger". Just passing along the news.

 

Here was one response: We did not run into this. Just off the Getaway and ordered room service once for dinner. We ordered an appetizer, entree, and dessert each with no problem.

 

Here is another response: We just got off the Getaway yesterday and had ordered breakfast twice from room service. There were two of us in the cabin....we had eggs, bacon, potatoes, grilled tomatoes, fruit plate with yogurt dip, toast, danish, coffee, and juice. Each day it was only one fee of $7.95 and we certainly had more than two items each.

 

Hope this helps.

Edited May 9, 2015 by NLH Arizona

[DaytonCruiser]

I had read those, but it doesn't say they were told it was unlimited. Maybe they just didn't reach the limit.

If its truly unlimited people can just order for 3-4+ cabins at a time.

Edited May 9, 2015 by DaytonCruiser

[NLH Arizona]

I had read those, but it doesn't say they were told it was unlimited. Maybe they just didn't reach the limit.

Well, if there is a limit, it certainly isn't two items per person, as has been reported on here, based off what they ordered.

 

BTW, I'm sure they will soon figure out if some is ordering for others that are not in their cabin, just to save them the convenience charge.

Edited May 9, 2015 by NLH Arizona

[NJGeorge]

The problem NCL is creating for itself is that it's clearly choosing not to communicate their new policies. Communication goes a long way and it feels like they're hiding. Like it or not,the bottom line is that it's a corporation that is in business to make money and if these fees " work" at all for them,the other lines will almost surely follow. Capitalism at work. I was a TA back in the late 90s,and it only took one carrier to decide to take the plunge and cut commissions entirely...they pretty much all gleefully followed. I left the industry because people didn't want to pay fees for me to do the legwork. The office became a bit stressful as the work dried up a bit and it wasn't fun anymore.

 

I was on Carnival's CC page and their frequent cruisers are very up in arms about the way their policies are changing over there as well.

 

As they all roll out the newest,latest and greatest mega ships,they've got to figure out a way to pay for them and operate them while being able to turn a profit..the whole point of them being in business. Unless a majority of frequent cruisers put their feet down and switch to land based vacations,this is just another round of purse string tightening. Cruising has evolved a great deal over the years and will continue to do so,not always to the benefit of those that take the cruises.

Just like baggage fees on air flights. No one was going to pay them.

I was one of those people. Well I pay and hate it.

Cruising has changed dramatically in the last 3 years.

Time to look for the next underrated undiscovered thrill.:rolleyes:

It was a nice ride.

[Barb Nahoumi]

No need to bag or box, we'll bring our own Ziploc since we don't want them to charge a 'bag fee" :D

 

Good thinking.

 

Now what about parents who need to leave a Specialty restaurant with a crying child? Will they have to forfeit their meal which they paid for, rather than bring it back to their cabin? Or will the restaurant refund their money?

 

There are so many problems that this new policy will cause.

[hpecorari]

Well, if there is a limit, it certainly isn't two items per person, as has been reported on here, based off what they ordered.

 

BTW, I'm sure they will soon figure out if some is ordering for others that are not in their cabin, just to save them the convenience charge.

 

True, but if a family of 4 booked two rooms, one for mom and 2 children and the other for dad and two children they should have no problem all ordering with one RS order...and should be permitted to do so, IMHO, of course.

 

Harriet

[NLH Arizona]

True, but if a family of 4 booked two rooms, one for mom and 2 children and the other for dad and two children they should have no problem all ordering with one RS order...and should be permitted to do so, IMHO, of course.

 

Harriet

I would also agree that if there is a family of four or more with two or more rooms, they should be able to place one order and pay only one fee. What I'm talking about, is what has been posted on here saying that they would order for a ton of people and only paying one fee. I'm sure NCL will be able to sort things out.

 

Plus, it was very good to see SuiteTraveler answer some of your questions on this: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2205908&page=4. Hopefully it will ease some folks minds. That is, if it stays that way, since we really haven't seen anything official from NCL Corporate.

Edited May 9, 2015 by NLH Arizona

[BRANDEE]

There is so much confusion regarding the no food from restaurant here on the NCL boards. So many $$ changes since I paid in full. I sail in a few weeks and have received no notice of any changes. (booked over a year ago)

 

My pre paid specialty restaurant charges have an 18 % gratuity charge. I will deduct these charges from my daily service charge. If I need to use room service, I will also deduct $7.95 each timed charged. If a gift bottle of wine arrives and I have to pay $15 corkage, that too will be deducted. NCL has declined to honor veterans discounts on my sailing so further reductions of 10%. Maybe I will deduct the whole daily service fee. Since all the changes occurred after full payment, this is my only recourse.

Edited May 10, 2015 by BRANDEE

[DMH15]

There is so much confusion regarding the no food from restaurant here on the NCL boards. So many $$ changes since I paid in full. I sail in a few weeks and have received no notice of any changes. (booked over a year ago)

 

My pre paid specialty restaurant charges have an 18 % gratuity charge. I will deduct these charges from my daily service charge. If I need to use room service, I will also deduct $7.95 each timed charged. If a gift bottle of wine arrives and I have to pay $15 corkage, that too will be deducted. NCL has declined to honor veterans discounts on my sailing so further reductions of 10%. Maybe I will deduct the whole daily service fee. Since all the changes occurred after full payment, this is my only recourse.

So take away from those working 14 hour days serving you. Please explain to your steward and waiters if you can look them in the face.