Question for recent spa pass purchasers

[bostongal965]

The thermal spa pass just showed up as available to purchase on MyNCL and asterisked at the bottom is the notation *An 18% spa/gratuity fee will be applied to all purchases.

 

I know there is an autogratuity for actual spa services, but are they now charging 18% for the spa PASS as well?:( I was going to try a mock purchase, but I'm not in a suite, so it'll show as unavailable for a couple more days.

 

Any recent purchasers have to pay a gratuity on the pass??:confused::confused::confused:

[Director Don]

I purchased 2 spa passes last week for the GEM; $199 each.... no 18% added.

[bostongal965]

Thank you!! That's what I was hoping (that the asterisked message was just for actual services). I would've been seriously upset, and likely reconsidering buying a pass if there was a service charge.

[bnorris10]

I also bought 2 passes and only paid the price for the passes

[minisuitegian]

I purchased 3 Thermal Suite passes, the myncl.com website doesn't apply the 18% online. Heard from NCL PCC and they stated it is applied at the terminal upon checking in. We sail later this year and will know for sure then.

 

Make sure to have an amenity report sent to you and check if the charge shows up on your credit card statement. There were some issues with other cruisers and ncl's system did not actually charge the card.

Edited November 8, 2015 by minisuitegian

[piper45maru]

I purchased 3 Thermal Suite passes, the myncl.com website doesn't apply the 18% online. Heard from NCL PCC and they stated it is applied at the terminal upon checking in. We sail later this year and will know for sure then.

 

I bought the spa pass for the Pearl a couple of weeks ago and just got off the Pearl yesterday, and there was no separate 18% charge for the spa on my account. Hopefully, just bum news from the PCC and not something they're going to start doing, but I'll be on the lookout for a separate charge on my cc, as well.

[janetz]

For the spa passes I believe the grad is included. We purchased online for our BA cruise and paid 179pp vs. 199pp onboard. :)

[hawkeyetlse]

I purchased 3 Thermal Suite passes, the myncl.com website doesn't apply the 18% online. Heard from NCL PCC and they stated it is applied at the terminal upon checking in.

:confused: That sounds extremely unlikely to me. Why wouldn't they just charge you the whole amount when you purchase on-line and give your credit card? Are they even able to process payments at the check-in terminal?

Make sure to have an amenity report sent to you and check if the charge shows up on your credit card statement.

I'm not sure if the spa pass appears in the amenities invoice, but it definitely should appear in the Payment section of your Vacation Summary, and in your e-docs under "Current Reservations". You should also receive a spa confirmation after purchasing the pass on-line.

[bostongal965]

I'm fine paying $179 (I was even going to be fine paying the $199 if I purchased on board - this is my one big cruise splurge - I'm not a jewelry person). I'm not fine paying an 18% gratuity under any circumstances - what would it be for? Handing me a towel? Checking my room key card? And I'm with the poster who said it makes no sense to charge once on the site and then again on board.

[hawkeyetlse]

I'm not fine paying an 18% gratuity under any circumstances - what would it be for? Handing me a towel? Checking my room key card?

Well, yes… You get a tiny bit of service from the reception staff, but inside the spa area you will see attendants cleaning and squeegeeing, taking away used towels and robes and stocking fresh ones, etc. It's not that there is no service provided, it's just (1) it's not directly personalized service like when you buy a spa treatment or order bar/restaurant service, and (2) all of this service has up to now always been included in the high price of the spa pass.

 

I can well imagine that NCL is itching to add the 18% one day soon, though… Spa pass prices have increased several times over the years (and they have eliminated couples passes, etc.), so this would be a pretty unsurprising future move for NCL. But as far as I know, it hasn't happened yet.

[BirdTravels]

We purchased spa thermal suite passes on the Epic 2 weeks ago and there was no gratuity added. Just the list price.

[bostongal965]

"Well, yes… You get a tiny bit of service from the reception staff, but inside the spa area you will see attendants cleaning and squeegeeing, taking away used towels and robes and stocking fresh ones, etc. It's not that there is no service provided, it's just (1) it's not directly personalized service like when you buy a spa treatment or order bar/restaurant service, and (2) all of this service has up to now always been included in the high price of the spa pass."

 

 

Fair enough, but then what is the $199 for? I mean, seriously?? At some point they just need to STOP. Especially when there are other cruise lines with FREE adults-only areas.

 

NCL is making it hard for this former cheerleader to keep shaking her pom-poms.

[hlsess]

We purchased spa thermal suite passes on the Epic 2 weeks ago and there was no gratuity added. Just the list price.

 

Did you use it daily? Worth it? Crowded?

[minisuitegian]

We purchased spa thermal suite passes on the Epic 2 weeks ago and there was no gratuity added. Just the list price.

 

That is now 3 times my NCL PCC has been wrong with information.

[janetz]

We used it everyday and it is worth every penny.

It seems you can call NCL many times with the same question and get a different answer each time.

The only charge is the one you pay. 199 onboard or 179 online. [emoji41]

Edited November 9, 2015 by janetz

[piper45maru]

We used it everyday and it is worth every penny.

 

Agreed. I just got off the Pearl, and I loved every second I spent in the spa--I went there several times a day between meals and other activities. I'm going to be purchasing a pass every time I cruise in the future!

 

On my cruise, there were usually 5-6 people in there besides me, and never more than 10. Very quiet, uncrowded, and relaxing.

[cyndepet]

How far in advance before the cruise date will this option show up for purchase? We're not cruising until March 6th, and I'm not seeing it yet.

[bnorris10]

How far in advance before the cruise date will this option show up for purchase? We're not cruising until March 6th, and I'm not seeing it yet.

 

100 for haven/suite

 

90 for everyone else

[ibizasue]

I am just trying to book it. Thermal suite pass on the epic and it is quoting me 103 pound for 10 days? Is this correct