When did Margaritaville become a specialty on Escape?

[trvlqueen]

Someone should get motley and lyndamir together.

 

Maybe between the two of them they could find a rotisserie grill with no line.

[LoveyHowell]

No there definitely was a two hour line. I asked how long the wait was

 

Why do you keep ignoring the question of why you didn't just ask your butler to place an order for you? You need not have waited on line.

 

You missing Margaritaville is squarely your own fault and not due to any line. You paid a big premium for a butler and then didn't ask them for their services. And for you the solution is to penalize everyone that was told the food was complimentary?

[SuiteCruiser]

No there definitely was a two hour line. I asked how long the wait was

 

There is a huge difference between being told it's a two hour wait and being given a pager, going to a bar and having a drink, in comparison to standing in line for 2 hours.

 

Nobody did that.

[trvlqueen]

First off what is this we? Last I saw we were all only customers. Secondly all you people want is for everything to be included, yet you don't understand and all inclusive Cruise would make the price jack-up immensely. I for one like the premium restaurants because you get a better quality food at a reasonable price. My dream is for all of us customers to act like that customers. If you like a service continue to patronize if you don't there are other services out there.

 

I am acting like a customer - and I am PISSED OFF that something that was advertised as FREE when I bought the product that was supposed to include it is now an extra charge. Think of it this way - you go to the big box store and purchase a new computer ... and you're told that everything is included - cables, monitor, tower, keyboard ... everything. Then you get home and open the box and find there is no power cord, and you go back to the store to collect the power cord and are told "Oh, we decided for purposes of making more room in the box that we would no longer include that. But you can buy one for $50." As a customer, how would you feel? I'm guessing not too happy - and that's how we - the customers - are feeling. Did I book the cruise specifically FOR this venue? No - but it did play a major role in my decision to book this ship over two others we were considering. Therefore, I feel justified in being pissed off. If you can't grasp that, then feel free to email me a gift certificate to cover my meal, because you got yours for free - or at least had the option to - and you claim you wouldn't mind paying for it. So I'm inviting you to do that ...

[mianmike]

I am acting like a customer - and I am PISSED OFF that something that was advertised as FREE when I bought the product that was supposed to include it is now an extra charge. Think of it this way - you go to the big box store and purchase a new computer ... and you're told that everything is included - cables, monitor, tower, keyboard ... everything. Then you get home and open the box and find there is no power cord, and you go back to the store to collect the power cord and are told "Oh, we decided for purposes of making more room in the box that we would no longer include that. But you can buy one for $50." As a customer, how would you feel? I'm guessing not too happy -

 

No the corporate apologists would say they are glad the computer didn't come with the promised power cord as they now have choices: 1. Buy a cord and use the computer for its intended purpose or, 2. Not buy a cord and instead use the non-operational computer as a staged faux computer. Choices are wonderful!

[mitomom]

I have only read a few posts here. We booked a group of ten to sail very soon. We booked the Escape almost a year in advance, as we were sold on what the ship was "supposed" to have. One thing that caught our interest was Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville, My husband is a huge fan and visioned himself sitting at the bar in there and having a burger, it was promoted all along as complimentary dining. Now, we maybe will try it out for it's still complimentary breakfast, if we can buy a margarita on the side! lol I doubt we will pay for lunch there. Our group has called and emailed NCL and voiced our concerns over this issue. It's about principle. It really is misleading advertising. It's like they received this great interest with their new partnership with Jimmy Buffett, and then when it became "too" popular, they saw another money making venture. I read someone suggested that these new charges should only apply to new bookings, and I agree. The only way NCL will know they made a mistake here is if they hear from the masses. So if you disagree with the decision contact them. Then maybe something can be done to fix this mess.

[motleyfan]

I have only read a few posts here. We booked a group of ten to sail very soon. We booked the Escape almost a year in advance, as we were sold on what the ship was "supposed" to have. One thing that caught our interest was Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville, My husband is a huge fan and visioned himself sitting at the bar in there and having a burger, it was promoted all along as complimentary dining. Now, we maybe will try it out for it's still complimentary breakfast, if we can buy a margarita on the side! lol I doubt we will pay for lunch there. Our group has called and emailed NCL and voiced our concerns over this issue. It's about principle. It really is misleading advertising. It's like they received this great interest with their new partnership with Jimmy Buffett, and then when it became "too" popular, they saw another money making venture. I read someone suggested that these new charges should only apply to new bookings, and I agree. The only way NCL will know they made a mistake here is if they hear from the masses. So if you disagree with the decision contact them. Then maybe something can be done to fix this mess.

 

If you ever want the cruise Norwegian definitely do it before reading the Cruise Critic boards lol. For being fans of Norwegian you would think that would be bringing people to the ship I've had friends that have never cruised but have thought about cruising look at the boards and said idk

[motleyfan]

Why do you keep ignoring the question of why you didn't just ask your butler to place an order for you? You need not have waited on line.

 

You missing Margaritaville is squarely your own fault and not due to any line. You paid a big premium for a butler and then didn't ask them for their services. And for you the solution is to penalize everyone that was told the food was complimentary?

 

Because I didn't want to eat in my room all day

[motleyfan]

There is a huge difference between being told it's a two hour wait and being given a pager, going to a bar and having a drink, in comparison to standing in line for 2 hours.

 

Nobody did that.

 

They weren't giving up pagers on the 3 day someone else even mention that to

[motleyfan]

I am acting like a customer - and I am PISSED OFF that something that was advertised as FREE when I bought the product that was supposed to include it is now an extra charge. Think of it this way - you go to the big box store and purchase a new computer ... and you're told that everything is included - cables, monitor, tower, keyboard ... everything. Then you get home and open the box and find there is no power cord, and you go back to the store to collect the power cord and are told "Oh, we decided for purposes of making more room in the box that we would no longer include that. But you can buy one for $50." As a customer, how would you feel? I'm guessing not too happy - and that's how we - the customers - are feeling. Did I book the cruise specifically FOR this venue? No - but it did play a major role in my decision to book this ship over two others we were considering. Therefore, I feel justified in being pissed off. If you can't grasp that, then feel free to email me a gift certificate to cover my meal, because you got yours for free - or at least had the option to - and you claim you wouldn't mind paying for it. So I'm inviting you to do that ...

 

Before you bought your ticket it says in fine print subject to change. You could have saw where it says subject of changes and said I don't want to risk any serious changes there's already been quite a few changes so I'm just not going to buy this Cruise lol

[Casino Comp Chick]

Before you bought your ticket it says in fine print subject to change. You could have saw where it says subject of changes and said I don't want to risk any serious changes there's already been quite a few changes so I'm just not going to buy this Cruise lol

 

Ok since you are obviously understanding everyone's point, let's put it in terms you can understand.

You book a cruise, you get onboard, you go to use your bathroom and find there is no toilet paper in your room, you call your room steward for a roll and they tell you all the public toilets are now locked and it will be a $24.95 plus 18% charge for a haven type entry fee to use the toilets for the week plus it entitles you to 1 complimentary roll in your room.

Do you accept that "change" willingly or do you raise a stink (pun intended)

Edited December 1, 2015 by iimmie

[janpo]

Ok since you are obviously understanding everyone's point, let's put it in terms you can understand.

You book a cruise, you get onboard, you go to use your bathroom and find there is no toilet paper in your room, you call your room steward for a roll and they tell you all the public toilets are now locked and it will be a $24.95 plus 18% charge for a haven type entry fee to use the toilets for the week plus it entitles you to 1 complimentary roll in your room.

Do you accept that "change" willingly or do you raise a stink (pun intended)

 

That scenario wouldn't bother him as much as if they had an upcharge to his boozing. The drink is free, however the glass is $20 and if you actually want booze it in it's another $10 with another $18 service fee for our convenience of course.

Edited December 1, 2015 by janpo

[hpecorari]

Because I didn't want to eat in my room all day

 

Your Butler can bring you food 'anywhere' on the ship,

 

Harriet

[WirelessRoute]

I am acting like a customer - and I am PISSED OFF that something that was advertised as FREE when I bought the product that was supposed to include it is now an extra charge. Think of it this way - you go to the big box store and purchase a new computer ... and you're told that everything is included - cables, monitor, tower, keyboard ... everything. Then you get home and open the box and find there is no power cord, and you go back to the store to collect the power cord and are told "Oh, we decided for purposes of making more room in the box that we would no longer include that. But you can buy one for $50." As a customer, how would you feel? I'm guessing not too happy - and that's how we - the customers - are feeling. Did I book the cruise specifically FOR this venue? No - but it did play a major role in my decision to book this ship over two others we were considering. Therefore, I feel justified in being pissed off. If you can't grasp that, then feel free to email me a gift certificate to cover my meal, because you got yours for free - or at least had the option to - and you claim you wouldn't mind paying for it. So I'm inviting you to do that ...

 

You hit the nail on the head. These are my thoughts exactly. What makes it worse is that we cruise later this week and have not received any notification of the upcoming charges at Margaritaville. Only the rumors we have read here. We've contacted NCL guest relations along with FDR and received no reply. So when people say we have more choices now, maybe next time we will choose to cruise with another company.

[sjbdtz]

As a customer, how would you feel? I'm guessing not too happy - and that's how we - the customers - are feeling. .

 

I think his argument, which....for once.... I agree with, is that you are advocating on behalf of everybody. There IS no "WE" the customers. There's you, A customer, and ME another customer. And we don't necessarily feel the same way. So saying that 'we the customers' are feeling 'not too happy' is inaccurate.

 

I for one (because it doesn't affect me) could not care less about the charge for M'Ville. I ate there once, and didn't care to go back. Would I have eaten there if it cost $7? Sure....once.

 

Things go from Free to Pay all the time. Look at the New York Times, or the Globe & Mail in Canada. Free for years, then suddenly : Pay-Wall.

 

 

But again, it's not THAT you are pissed off, it's that you are ASSERTING on my behalf, that I am too....and I'm not. That's what MF meant when he asked "who is this 'we'" ?

 

 

Ok since you are obviously understanding everyone's point, let's put it in terms you can understand.

You book a cruise, you get onboard, you go to use your bathroom and find there is no toilet paper in your room, you call your room steward for a roll and they tell you all the public toilets are now locked and it will be a $24.95 plus 18% charge for a haven type entry fee to use the toilets for the week plus it entitles you to 1 complimentary roll in your room.

Do you accept that "change" willingly or do you raise a stink (pun intended)

 

Hi CAthy, Kudos for the pun, but this isn't an equivalency. An equivalency might be that they advertised the new Bulgari scented toilet paper, but when you arrive on scene only the standard toilet paper is available free, and the scented (which you never had before) is now available at a surcharge.

 

The problem is that it was advertised as free, and then changed and advertised as pay.

 

But in either case, you hadn't had it before...so it's not as though they were taking something away.

 

Now, if you're a big Bulgari fan and booked your cruise around the glory of the scented rolls, you might be disappointed that it's going to impact you financially more than you expected. OR you can decide to stick with the normal rolls.

 

 

 

.

[hpecorari]

 

Hi CAthy, Kudos for the pun, but this isn't an equivalency. An equivalency might be that they advertised the new Bulgari scented toilet paper, but when you arrive on scene only the standard toilet paper is available free, and the scented (which you never had before) is now available at a surcharge.

 

The problem is that it was advertised as free, and then changed and advertised as pay.

 

But in either case, you hadn't had it before...so it's not as though they were taking something away.

 

Now, if you're a big Bulgari fan and booked your cruise around the glory of the scented rolls, you might be disappointed that it's going to impact you financially more than you expected. OR you can decide to stick with the normal rolls.

 

.

 

Just wanted to say that NCL has NEVER given something for free and taken it away during one's cruise.

 

Meaning, in your example, they never used Bulgari scented rolls in a cabin and halfway through the cruise stopped using them and only used their normal everyday rolls.....unless you wanted to pay extra for those scented rolls for the rest of your cruise.

 

That, actually, is giving something and taking it away. They've never done that to my knowledge - with toilet paper or anything else.

 

Harriet

Edited December 1, 2015 by hpecorari

[Lily815]

There is a huge difference between being told it's a two hour wait and being given a pager, going to a bar and having a drink, in comparison to standing in line for 2 hours.

 

Nobody did that.

 

No one waited 2 hours. I was on the same sailing. Yes, we were told it was a 2-hour wait, but we were always seated in under an hour.

[Lily815]

They weren't giving up pagers on the 3 day someone else even mention that to

 

They most certainly did too. We were given a pager, and so was everyone else in line. The pagers worked on the entire ship. You did not have to stand there and wait.

[projectorguy1]

They most certainly did too. We were given a pager, and so was everyone else in line. The pagers worked on the entire ship. You did not have to stand there and wait.

 

I hate to make this my first post, but I've been reading this board for a while to learn as much as I could before we sail on the Escape in January...

 

Motleyfan seems like a decent person, but he is beginning to derail thread after thread with his not very helpful, sometimes nonsensical, posts.

 

Motleyfan...You are embarrassing yourself on this forum...please read more, and post less. Your posts are frustrating to weed through, and take away from the usefulness and flow of this place.

 

You can respond to me, and be defensive, or take this message as intended, which I believe would be beneficial both to you, and the other posters here.

 

I actually believe you are primarily trolling the board for your own amusement, but I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt with this post...

[blueclawfan]

I booked the escape along time ago for january because it was a new ship and figured most kinks would be worked out by January . After hearing all the flack about ncl on this board it looks like this could be it for ncl.If i could i would change now but too late. Why i left RCCL for this i dont know but i am booked on harmony of the sea in 2017 already .

[rg24601]

I booked the escape along time ago for january because it was a new ship and figured most kinks would be worked out by January . After hearing all the flack about ncl on this board it looks like this could be it for ncl.If i could i would change now but too late. Why i left RCCL for this i dont know but i am booked on harmony of the sea in 2017 already .

 

The year of watching this website and seeing NCL's roll out of the Escape is definitely disconcerting.

 

Hopefully some of the stuff on here will help others in our party come to the same conclusion and skip the upcoming cruise.

[rg24601]

If you ever want the cruise Norwegian definitely do it before reading the Cruise Critic boards lol. For being fans of Norwegian you would think that would be bringing people to the ship I've had friends that have never cruised but have thought about cruising look at the boards and said idk

 

Actually I have your excellent videos to thank for actually getting some of our party to rethink the Escape, this and the static mess NCL did to roll the ship out has caused us all to pause for the upcoming cruise.

 

Without this board I don't think I could have had them see the light.

 

any video's of the non working water slides or spa?

[SuiteTraveler]

Maybe you haven't been in a Margaritaville before? They're in touristy places and full of kids. Universal Studios has one, Las Vegas, Niagara Falls, etc.

 

No, I haven't been to one. As far as I am aware, they are like House of Blues or Hardrock Cafe - touristy places. But it seems to me that kids would not be especially drawn into Margaritaville as they can't afterall drink alcohol. Do they do something special for kids that would make kids want to drag mom and dad in there? Or is it more like mom and dad want to go? Just trying to understand the appeal. I've been researching this company and am considering whether it is a good investment or not...

[SuiteCruiser]

No, I haven't been to one. As far as I am aware, they are like House of Blues or Hardrock Cafe - touristy places. But it seems to me that kids would not be especially drawn into Margaritaville as they can't afterall drink alcohol. Do they do something special for kids that would make kids want to drag mom and dad in there? Or is it more like mom and dad want to go? Just trying to understand the appeal. I've been researching this company and am considering whether it is a good investment or not...

 

They're closer to Hard Rock, than House of Blues, but it's a family restaurant. Clowns, people on stilts, if you go anywhere touristy, they are there, out on the street, inviting you in. If kids had never been to one, the one on the Escape is not likely to draw them in as it doesn't have the atmosphere, but if they have been, they want to go back. For example, my kids wanted to go there several times when we were at Universal, they were 14. My nephew had been to one and kept talking about it and as soon as we got to Niagara Falls, we had to go there, he was 8.

Edited December 1, 2015 by SuiteCruiser

[SuiteTraveler]

For what it's worth I was on the 1st full Caribbean loop and MV was included. We got a buzzer and went back to our loungers, so the wait time was irrelevant, The food was OK, not great apart from the Key lime pie which I thought was pretty good.

But here's the thing, do people really go to MV for the food? I've always gone for the good time atmosphere! Which was non-existent in MV at sea. There was a distinct lack of fun, music or any other kind of the stuff you get in a standard land based MV.

The 5 O'clock somewhere bar was better but only because the wait staff (Curly and his pal) made it that way, and the only time they could play music was via a passengers phone and a Bluetooth speaker. Which was of course dependant on the passengers choice of music and how long they stayed at the bar.

 

I would have been quite happy to pay say a $5 cover if the experience was anything like the land based one. On my cruise it was not.

 

So the Margaritaville at sea is really nothing more than a glorified dining venue and bar? They don't do the "fun stuff" they do on land? So why are people willing to pay for this at all? Sounds very disappointing to me.