How does NCL "nickel and dime" you to death?

[maywell]

It doesn't matter how they apply the charge. The ads say it is FREE !!!

 

The drink under the package term is free - not the service AKA the bartender making it. Know the difference....:rolleyes:

[swedish weave]

That's not exactly accurate especially given you didn't consider the OBC I got with my 'free' Unlimited Dining and Beverages Packages, pre-paid automatically charged tips and OBC. The OBC far, far, far more than covered any service charge. There was one on beverages but I don't think we had one on alternative dining.

 

 

What I posted was accurate. The ads say it is FREE, and they add charges.

 

You are distorting the meaning of my post.

[swedish weave]

The drink under the package term is free - not the service AKA the bartender making it. Know the difference....:rolleyes:

 

YOu are also attempting to distort the meaning of my post. They advertise the item as FREE, but add charges if you use it.

[sail7seas]

Sorry you see it that way.

 

I don't. :shrug:

[maywell]

YOu are also attempting to distort the meaning of my post. They advertise the item as FREE, but add charges if you use it.

 

No - there's a disclaimer on the website. Literally an "*" at each section and then you have to scroll down to the "Terms & Conditions" and open it.

 

No offense, that's the problem with some people like you - you don't really pay attention to the "little' details AKA fine print and then cry you got nickel & dimed onboard the ship when you click "Accept" weeks/months/year ago... Just saying...

[maywell]

Sorry you see it that way.

 

I don't. :shrug:

 

If it sounds too good to be true - it probably has a disclaimer / limit / rule on it. ;)

[sloopsailor]

Sorry you see it that way.

 

I don't. :shrug:

 

No - there's a disclaimer on the website. Literally an "*" at each section and then you have to scroll down to the "Terms & Conditions" and open it.

 

No offense, that's the problem with some people like you - you don't really pay attention to the "little' details AKA fine print and then cry you got nickel & dimed onboard the ship when you click "Accept" weeks/months/year ago... Just saying...

 

Interesting that when a specific poster joins the discussion, it becomes an insult fest with his accusations of two people deliberately distorting his comments. :rolleyes:

 

And so it starts - again! Sigh! :(

Edited October 7, 2015 by sloopsailor

[maywell]

Interesting that when a specific poster joins the discussion, it becomes an insult fest with his accusations of two people deliberately distorting his comments. :rolleyes:

 

And so it starts - again! Sigh! :(

 

Oh, I don't know - why don't you go to the cruise line official website in question, look at the promo/ad he's claiming is 'free'; figure out if he's telling the truth or not. Then look or scroll down and see if you can find the 'Terms & Conditions' aka the disclaimer which is similar to the medical pill /device /treatment commercial on TV except its on a webpage. Not to hard to do, right?

 

 

edit - I didn't realize not reading the fine print of an promo to see if there any additional charges/fees or limits to what one is able to get was 'nickel & diming'. I guess like paying attention and knowing as much as possible so I'm not bite in the tush while I'm on a trip - whether its a cruise or land.:rolleyes:

Edited October 7, 2015 by maywell

[sail7seas]

What I posted was accurate. The ads say it is FREE, and they add charges.

 

You are distorting the meaning of my post.

 

On which ship were you actually charged a service charge on the Unlimited Dining Package?

 

[GUT2407]

The drink under the package term is free - not the service AKA the bartender making it. Know the difference....:rolleyes:

 

 

Hey so can I serve myself now?

[sail7seas]

I sailed Princess and Celebrity about 5 or 6 times, years ago. I sailed RCI once and Carnival (sort of). I have sailed HAL over 80 cruises.

 

This summer, for a variety of reasons, I sailed NCL for the first time. The experience far exceeded my expectations. I found the ship more comfortable than I envisioned, the service very good, the food good to very good in most venues, excellent cabin and dining stewards, decorating was really NOT my taste but the ship was clean.

 

I never felt I was being nagged to purchase, spend, or in any way nagged to leave more money aboard. Maybe I was able to tune it out or ignore it but I truly did not feel obliged to tip over the auto-billed tips, though I almost always wrote an added tip on all beverage tabs and when we signed a slip for an alternative restaurant, I always added a tip but that was my choice.

 

I grant that it made a difference that I was a solo in a Penthouse cabin but nevertheless I was as satisfied with my cabin accommodation/service on NCL as I am in my suites on HAL.

 

I never thought I would be as satisfied with that cruise as I was.

 

 

Sorry...... I had to Add "NOT" . The ship's decorating really was not to my taste at all. :eek: :D

 

[maywell]

Hey so can I serve myself now?

 

Go knock yourself out - I'm sure the bartenders on NCL will not mind serving /dealing/putting up with one less person. *shrug* Now, if you manage to get yourself kicked off the ship for serving yourself alcohol behind the counter - that's your own personal problem to deal with...

Edited October 7, 2015 by maywell

[GUT2407]

No - there's a disclaimer on the website. Literally an "*" at each section and then you have to scroll down to the "Terms & Conditions" and open it.

 

No offense, that's the problem with some people like you - you don't really pay attention to the "little' details AKA fine print and then cry you got nickel & dimed onboard the ship when you click "Accept" weeks/months/year ago... Just saying...

 

 

Why then don't they put it up front rather than in the fine print.

 

The same reason they put anything in fine print, because they hope people don't see it.

[Aquahound]

NCL offers FREE booking bonuses in several forms, but when you accept the FREE promotion, they bill you a service charge for using your FREE choice. That is nickel and diming in its purest form.

 

Well, I for one happen to understand what you mean. The original question of this thread was...how does NCL nickel and dime in ways other cruise lines don't. I think some people either didn't read the op or forgot the context.

 

I have taken advantage of the free beverage package on 2 other lines and not once was I hit with a service charge. Free meant free. This is not the case on NCL, so it is yet another example of something NCL charges for that other cruise lines do not. And that, right there, is an answer to the op's question. The fine print or whatever else was being talked about is totally irrelevant to the question.

[capriccio]

On the cruise lines I favor I have never had a problem asking for another main course if the one I asked for wasn't to my liking. In fact, the waiter even suggested I do exactly that when I mentioned trying something, but wasn't sure about liking it. Never been charged. Heck, on one occasion I even liked the main course I ordered so much that I asked for another in lieu of dessert. No problem with that, either.

 

You have corrected the other poster's allegedly "incorrect" information with incorrect information. Ironic, isn't it? ;)

 

We have had similar experiences with Princess. Once my SIL ordered a fish she had never tried before and didn't like it. The waitress noticed she wasn't eating it and insisted - over my SIL's protestations because she didn't want to make a big deal of it - that she chose another entree. We also once had a special dish ordered in advance (it wasn't going to be on the menu that night) in a specialty restaurant. It was delicious and the next thing we know the waiter was bringing out a plate of that night's special because he insisted we try it too. Another cruise we mentioned to our waitress in the MDR that we hadn't enjoyed the pasta in the specialty restaurant the night before. The next day - and every day after that - she insisted on serving a full plate of the special pasta of the day. Luckily we were at a table for 4 and we split it into manageable portions :D. Of course that was the MDR and not a specialty restaurant but for us it is indicative of Princess' service levels.

Edited October 7, 2015 by capriccio

[GUT2407]

Well, I for one happen to understand what you mean. The original question of this thread was...how does NCL nickel and dime in ways other cruise lines don't. I think some people either didn't read the op or forgot the context.

 

I have taken advantage of the free beverage package on 2 other lines and not once was I hit with a service charge. Free meant free. This is not the case on NCL, so it is yet another example of something NCL charges for that other cruise lines do not. And that, right there, is an answer to the op's question. The fine print or whatever else was being talked about is totally irrelevant to the question.

 

 

Yep I've had it on three lines never been hit for extra.

[perditax]

Do they charge a service fee for the SDP now too?

[maywell]

Why then don't they put it up front rather than in the fine print.

 

The same reason they put anything in fine print, because they hope people don't see it.

 

That and its a pretty long list in popup form. The thing is, they did technically not hide it either - True, its at the of the page and they don't have to state it out loud what the disclaimers are because its on a webpage. And a webpage counts as communication / due notice - may not be communication method one likes but its still communication.

 

Sadly, them the breaks - got know some of the manipulate tricks companies use; NCL is not the only one that does that. Banks do it too... :cool:

[sloopsailor]

......and the next thing we know the waiter was bringing out a plate of that night's special because he insisted we try it too.......

 

We had a similar experience at Palo on Disney Magic some years ago. The waiter, who was one of the most personable people we have ever met, saw the choices the four of us were making and began treating us to a wonderful evening of trying similar, and sometimes very different, items for us to taste. All evening long he kept bringing out something new to try. His excitement for his work, the quality of the food, and the ambiance of the place, all made for a superb evening. The samples were conveniently small enough that we did not get overfull. The pizza slices he brought us were to die for. The chef even came out and brought us something he made up special for us, something not even on the menu. We ended up trying almost half the menu! And all for the price being charged for a single meal.

 

By far the best restaurant experience on any ship we have ever had the pleasure of dining in!

Edited October 7, 2015 by sloopsailor

[Aquahound]

Do they charge a service fee for the SDP now too?

 

Yep, according to this link on their site, you get hit with an 18% gratuity plus an additional "service charge.":

 

http://www.ncl.com/specialty-dining-package/faq

 

Yet another example of nickel and diming that other cruise lines do not charge.

Edited October 7, 2015 by Aquahound

[maywell]

Do they charge a service fee for the SDP now too?

 

They've always charged a 18% service fee on the SDP (it came out in like June/July this year - whenever the month they made the same announcement for the a la carte pricing). The UDP, earlier this year was free, even the promo it was under, without service charges til about February or April when they came out with new promos (some people probably still have it free til next year, because of the booking schedule)

[SantaFeFan]

Yep, according to this link on their site, you get hit with an 18% gratuity plus an additional "service charge.":

 

http://www.ncl.com/specialty-dining-package/faq

 

Yet another example of nickel and diming that other cruise lines do not charge.

 

The scuttlebutt in investor circles is that the new CEO feels that NCL has for too long focused on the passengers and not enough on the shareholders. He believes that NCL is established enough with a loyal customer base that it is now time to move focus from customer satisfaction and instead to improving the shareholder's dividends. Word is that NCL shareholders are quite excited that he is showing allegiance to them as the sole benefactors of any future changes with the product.

 

The passengers are apparently of secondary importance.

Edited October 7, 2015 by SantaFeFan

[NMLady]

On which ship were you actually charged a service charge on the Unlimited Dining Package?

 

 

Those who recently had the UDP as a 'free' offer had 18% Service Charge/Gratuity added to their final payment. That is ALL the NCL fleet. This is different from those who booked earlier with that promotion.

[sherilyn70]

On the cruise lines I favor I have never had a problem asking for another main course if the one I asked for wasn't to my liking. In fact, the waiter even suggested I do exactly that when I mentioned trying something, but wasn't sure about liking it. Never been charged. Heck, on one occasion I even liked the main course I ordered so much that I asked for another in lieu of dessert. No problem with that, either.

First, I would expect any restaurant to replace an entrée that we didn't like. That happens in most restaurants, especially in higher end ones.

 

Carnival and RCL absolutely do charge for a second entrée though. Maybe some of the higher priced lines like princess haven't adopted this policy yet. But it is true on multiple lines. I'll check HAL policy when we dine in the pinnacle at the end of the month.

[sail7seas]

Those who recently had the UDP as a 'free' offer had 18% Service Charge/Gratuity added to their final payment. That is ALL the NCL fleet. This is different from those who booked earlier with that promotion.

 

I was on the Dawn in August and I don't think I was charged the S/C nor were my friends. Is it possible it was one of the perks of having booked Suites?

 

I was charged it for UBP but I don't think so for UDP.

 

Edited October 7, 2015 by sail7seas