NCL supposedly includes 2 out of 4 choices of freebies...

[Dayana]

We were EXTREMELY disappointed in this "Free Service " offer with an ocean view room. After booking, and upon arrival on the Norwegian Dawn Cruise Ship last week, we were informed that our room did not qualify for the promotion. No one at the quest services counter would help resolve the issue. We called the company office in Florida and still were told "not qualified."

This was a deceptive promotion and we will NEVER cruise Norwegian again! We'll stay with Carnival where we've consistently had good service for our past 3 cruises. Beware of being suckered by Norwegian Cruise Lines folks!

 

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May I inquire as to the category cabin you booked?

 

 

 

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[CruisinHarvey]

We were EXTREMELY disappointed in this "Free Service " offer with an ocean view room. After booking, and upon arrival on the Norwegian Dawn Cruise Ship last week, we were informed that our room did not qualify for the promotion. No one at the quest services counter would help resolve the issue. We called the company office in Florida and still were told "not qualified."

This was a deceptive promotion and we will NEVER cruise Norwegian again! We'll stay with Carnival where we've consistently had good service for our past 3 cruises. Beware of being suckered by Norwegian Cruise Lines folks!

 

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My assumption is that you booked the guarantee rate. You tried to save on the cabin. Those don't come with the perks.

[azgkrudi]

My apologies - I guess I shouldn't have opened the proverbial "can of worms", so I'll close it now. I do appreciate such positive feedback from you all. It would be great to meet face to face on a cruise sometime so we can have this same discussion ;-)

[Moby0215]

We were EXTREMELY disappointed in this "Free Service " offer with an ocean view room. After booking, and upon arrival on the Norwegian Dawn Cruise Ship last week, we were informed that our room did not qualify for the promotion. No one at the quest services counter would help resolve the issue. We called the company office in Florida and still were told "not qualified."

This was a deceptive promotion and we will NEVER cruise Norwegian again! We'll stay with Carnival where we've consistently had good service for our past 3 cruises. Beware of being suckered by Norwegian Cruise Lines folks!

 

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Your booking confirmation would have told you everything that you were getting. Not sure where your confusion is coming from?

 

 

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[dd likes to cruise]

Sailing Epic in April. When booking our TA told us immediately that the drinks were free but we pay the 18% and it is added to the cruise price. All spelled out very well in all the paperwork. I calculated the amount and even though not BIG drinkers that amount will be well spent.

 

We are on a transatlantic and with all those sea days it will be very nice. I do drink some soda, so that alone is good for me. And I love Pina Coladas - I don't even care if it has the alcohol in it. Then add in a few real drinks and we are way over the 18%.

 

Again all spelled out in the paperwork and fine print on the web.

[ImNotSara]

We were EXTREMELY disappointed in this "Free Service " offer with an ocean view room. After booking, and upon arrival on the Norwegian Dawn Cruise Ship last week, we were informed that our room did not qualify for the promotion. No one at the quest services counter would help resolve the issue. We called the company office in Florida and still were told "not qualified."

This was a deceptive promotion and we will NEVER cruise Norwegian again! We'll stay with Carnival where we've consistently had good service for our past 3 cruises. Beware of being suckered by Norwegian Cruise Lines folks!

 

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There was nothing to resolve most likely. Your failure to read terms of an offer does not result in an issue that NCL needs to resolve.

[BirdTravels]

We were EXTREMELY disappointed in this "Free Service " offer with an ocean view room. After booking, and upon arrival on the Norwegian Dawn Cruise Ship last week, we were informed that our room did not qualify for the promotion. No one at the quest services counter would help resolve the issue. We called the company office in Florida and still were told "not qualified."

This was a deceptive promotion and we will NEVER cruise Norwegian again! We'll stay with Carnival where we've consistently had good service for our past 3 cruises. Beware of being suckered by Norwegian Cruise Lines folks!

 

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If you took a minute to read the terms of the promotion, you would have known what you were entitled to. Tens of thousands of people cruise on NCL every week and don't have problems understanding what's included with their cruise. Sorry that you didn't take time to read before you bought.

[OneWord]

Smart people would take a few minutes to read about what they are buying before blindly giving someone your credit card number. The Ts&Cs for the free at sea are not long (like the passenger contract). And if you don't like it, cancel. Immediately. Then there is nothing to complain about.

 

Exactly

[csopi]

Don't really care what they call it, free or not, took the UBP and SDP. I look at the overall cost, the ship and entertainment, the ports and food reviews. I don't have any loyalty to a particular cruise line.

 

Set to sail on Getaway in 2 weeks. For the date I was looking for it was the best overall value, Princess Regal was close, but I sailed on her last year ( it was great) and thought I would try something different.

 

Never had a bad cruise so far, not expecting to have anything but a great time on Getaway either. Always beats the cold in February in Canada.

Life is too short, vacations are for relaxing and having fun, just need to look past small annoying issues. That is what the UBP is for.

[triptolemus]

We were EXTREMELY disappointed in this "Free Service " offer with an ocean view room. After booking, and upon arrival on the Norwegian Dawn Cruise Ship last week, we were informed that our room did not qualify for the promotion. No one at the quest services counter would help resolve the issue. We called the company office in Florida and still were told "not qualified."

This was a deceptive promotion and we will NEVER cruise Norwegian again! We'll stay with Carnival where we've consistently had good service for our past 3 cruises. Beware of being suckered by Norwegian Cruise Lines folks!

 

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There's only one sucker in this story.

 

And it's the one using excessive exclamation points!!1!11one!

[sfaaa]

We were EXTREMELY disappointed in this "Free Service " offer with an ocean view room. After booking, and upon arrival on the Norwegian Dawn Cruise Ship last week, we were informed that our room did not qualify for the promotion. No one at the quest services counter would help resolve the issue. We called the company office in Florida and still were told "not qualified."

This was a deceptive promotion and we will NEVER cruise Norwegian again! We'll stay with Carnival where we've consistently had good service for our past 3 cruises. Beware of being suckered by Norwegian Cruise Lines folks!

 

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It's clear NCL is comfortable with your decision to go back to Carnival. I can't blame NCL.

[Cuizer2]

Sounds great, right? You go to make your 2 choices on the booking, and all of a sudden there's a $223.92 "Choice Promo Service Charge". So what is free about that?! Really clever of NCL to try to sneak that by the unsuspecting prospective customer.

 

Disclaimer: If you don't choose that option but only the standard cruise fare option, you wouldn't be charged the "Choice Promo Service Charge" - but most folks would be saying heck yeah, I'll choose 2 free options, so they click on one, and not even realize they are still paying for those "FREE" options.

 

We have always bought the beverage package before once we got on board, and haven't cruised NCL in awhile now, but when we saw the promo we thought, "Oh, that's a great deal with those "FREE" choices." NOT! Good thing I was paying attention.

 

I'm sure there are others who have already posted about this here, but I was so ticked off I had to create my own post with my frustration. I wasn't patient enough to wade through several months of posts to find this topic. ;-)

 

Admittedly the word "free" should have a very big asterisk next to it. The base cost is free, however, they still want you to pay the 18% gratuity. So it should read, Free * ... * 18% gratuity not included.

 

It is kind of like free (you have to pay the $223.92 shipping and handling). Or free cruise (you have to pay taxes and port fees).

[Gimmiethebeach]

 

Never had a bad cruise so far, not expecting to have anything but a great time on Getaway either. Always beats the cold in February in Canada.

Life is too short, vacations are for relaxing and having fun, just need to look past small annoying issues. That is what the UBP is for.

 

 

Amen

 

 

 

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[Two Wheels Only]

Admittedly the word "free" should have a very big asterisk next to it. The base cost is free, however, they still want you to pay the 18% gratuity. So it should read, Free * ... * 18% gratuity not included.

 

They would need another asterisk to note that suite bookings don't pay the 18% on the SDP nor UBP.

[triptolemus]

They would need another asterisk to note that suite bookings don't pay the 18% on the SDP nor UBP.

 

Which makes it FREE for them.

 

And me!

 

No asterisk required!

[clskinsfan]

We were EXTREMELY disappointed in this "Free Service " offer with an ocean view room. After booking, and upon arrival on the Norwegian Dawn Cruise Ship last week, we were informed that our room did not qualify for the promotion. No one at the quest services counter would help resolve the issue. We called the company office in Florida and still were told "not qualified."

This was a deceptive promotion and we will NEVER cruise Norwegian again! We'll stay with Carnival where we've consistently had good service for our past 3 cruises. Beware of being suckered by Norwegian Cruise Lines folks!

 

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Just to be fair to NCL. Were you told up front that the UBP was included? Or did you just assume it and not make the correct selection when you booked your cabin?. I get being frustrated. But if you made the error you should really be frustrated with yourself not NCL. And I do agree with you about Carnival. I happen to love cruising with them. I am not loyal to any specific line though.

[uneamie]

Because then there would be a lot of people scamming the system.

 

 

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Not sure how anyone would be scamming the system....unless you mean one person would give drinks to the other person. I guess that could happen. If that's the case, my 2 brothers are in the cabin next to us. technically I could get the drink package for hubby and and I and both of us could give drinks to them. I think that would be complicated and not something I'd be into doing but that probably happens. I decided to not get the free drink package and just pay for my drinks.

[Regguy]

I knew I'd get a bunch of pushback which is why I rarely post here. I just thought it was a little misleading - they advertise FREE this and FREE that, so you go through the process of choosing your cabin, selecting your "freebies" -- then you get to the booking screen and see that extra couple hundred dollars tacked on.

 

There is a very nonvocal group that reads cc that agrees entirely that it's both misleading and designed to be so, and pretty consistent with NCL's marketing M.O. over the last few years. But, frankly, it's exhausting to be critical of NCL on C.C.

 

If the Captain walked up to you and punched you in the face without any provocation on your next cruise, there is a group here who would scramble to argue that the contract allows it and that you have no legal recourse other than arbitrating in Florida and that you're an idiot for booking a cruise without knowing what the contract says. And then you'd read about how you must be lying and then the dreaded "there are two sides to every story" post would pop up around page 2 or 3 of the thread.

[denatravels]

There is a very nonvocal group that reads cc that agrees entirely that it's both misleading and designed to be so

 

 

Wondering how you know that all of these people agree with this if they're "nonvocal"

 

 

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[ImNotSara]

There is a very nonvocal group that reads cc that agrees entirely that it's both misleading and designed to be so, and pretty consistent with NCL's marketing M.O. over the last few years. But, frankly, it's exhausting to be critical of NCL on C.C.

 

 

Deceptive like putting in the main page this?

 

Free At Sea receive up to 5 free offers*

 

*Restrictions, gratuities, & services charges apply.

 

 

Yeah that is very deceptive. Then on the page with the individual cruise rates is this....

 

 

Rates shown on Insides, Oceanviews, Balconies, and Mini-Suites do not include Free at Sea offer.

 

 

Then finally when you select a GTY cabin of any type there is this on the page...

 

Promotional rates and offers are excluded on this stateroom category (IX).

 

 

 

So yeah how dare they be so sneaky andf hide that all in plain view several times?

[sfaaa]

If the Captain walked up to you and punched you in the face without any provocation on your next cruise, there is a group here who would scramble to argue that the contract allows it and that you have no legal recourse other than arbitrating in Florida and that you're an idiot for booking a cruise without knowing what the contract says. And then you'd read about how you must be lying and then the dreaded "there are two sides to every story" post would pop up around page 2 or 3 of the thread.

 

This is just lame. Why do you have to bring violence into this thread to advance your argument?

[Two Wheels Only]

No asterisk required!

 

One day, maybe NCL will put all of the terms and conditions in one place that explains the terms and conditions for guarantee staterooms, selected staterooms, and suite staterooms. :cool:

 

 

If the Captain walked up to you and punched you in the face without any provocation on your next cruise, there is a group here who would scramble to argue that the contract allows it and that you have no legal recourse other than arbitrating in Florida and that you're an idiot for booking a cruise without knowing what the contract says. And then you'd read about how you must be lying and then the dreaded "there are two sides to every story" post would pop up around page 2 or 3 of the thread.

 

More than likely, someone would walk up to the Captain and punch him in the face. Then the CC member would complain about being dropped off at the next port. After a failure to receive a full refund, the CC member would complain that it was never explained to him that he couldn't punch the captain in the face.

[CruisinHarvey]

I think the web site mistakenly assumes that people who book cruises have the ability to read. Maybe big pictures would help. Probably not. If someone has a problem now, it's NEVER their fault. Someone else is always to blame. Some one else should pay for their problem.

[KeithJenner]

Not sure how anyone would be scamming the system....unless you mean one person would give drinks to the other person. I guess that could happen.

 

 

 

Oh yes, that would happen.

 

A lot.

[triptolemus]

One day, maybe NCL will put all of the terms and conditions in one place that explains the terms and conditions for guarantee staterooms, selected staterooms, and suite staterooms. :cool:

 

 

Holy moly!

 

https://www.ncl.com/termsandconditions/FreeAtSea-Dec2016?hide_hf=true

 

:cool: