Haven Free at Sea Promotion Extra Charges

[rjmols]

I understand it's against the law there to charge it. It's all baked into your cruise prices.

 

I was getting really confused with this post and all the extra charges as we haven't got them - we book in the UK so from reading your 2 post I presume it is different in the UK than in the USA? We have booked all inclusive and everything appears to be included with no extra tax or service charges. Is this right??

[DMH15]

MSC does offer another Suite Experience for those that don't want or need the "Ship within a Ship" experience.

 

 

 

On the New Builds...Seaside...Meravigila...Bellissima... They offer some beautiful Aurea Suites. Many larger than the Y/C suites. Some two bedroom suites. Some two deck suites, and many with private hot tubs on the balcony.

 

 

 

The Aurea Experience still comes with a drink package and anytime dining. So if you can live without the Ship within a ship, or are used to Princess or Carnival Suites (Few to No Suites perks). An Aurea Suite may fill in well when the Yacht Club is Sold out.

 

 

 

Thank you. Good to know.

 

 

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[uneamie]

While the MSC cruise line sounds tempting, we live in NJ and I hate to fly and not into the 15-hour drive to Florida. So we opt only for ships that sail out of NYC or Baltimore.

[stoneman56]

Well we just got our. Status match back, Platinum to Black.

 

MSC have played a blinder with this. The one thing that usually stops us from trying new hotels/airlines/cruises is building up to the highest level then having to start at the bottom.

Problem solved with this.

 

I was always peeved that suite guests had to pay a higher DSC (I think MSC is 9 euros across the board in Europe) and now that we are having to pay the fees for the food and beverage packages we will be sailing our last cruise with NCL in a couple of weeks

 

I love the look of the duplex suites on MSC , but it doesn't come within the Yacht Club and Aurea class is quite a step down from YF from what I can see.

[lgdesign]

Well we just got our. Status match back, Platinum to Black.

 

MSC have played a blinder with this. The one thing that usually stops us from trying new hotels/airlines/cruises is building up to the highest level then having to start at the bottom.

Problem solved with this.

 

I was always peeved that suite guests had to pay a higher DSC (I think MSC is 9 euros across the board in Europe) and now that we are having to pay the fees for the food and beverage packages we will be sailing our last cruise with NCL in a couple of weeks

 

I love the look of the duplex suites on MSC , but it doesn't come within the Yacht Club and Aurea class is quite a step down from YF from what I can see.

 

Still waiting to hear back for us... we are Platinum as well, so hoping for Black status... the current suite pricing on some MSC sailings is very attractive. I think we'll be giving them a whirl!

[sjbdtz]

In July 2016 I started a thread titled: "Is there still any Value in a NCL Cruise?"

 

That thread can be found here: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2376227

 

I wonder if any of the cheerleaders from that thread are still on NCL bandwagon.

 

We like many other Platinum Plus Suite cruisers have abandoned NCL for MSC and other cruise lines.

 

In my eyes NCL has removed all additional "value" they had in their Suites. Now they are just plain price gouging with the inflated Suite pricing and now additional "gratuities"

 

Do they think the butlers won't suffer from this added cost? I've seen too many "upsells" stiff butlers to think otherwise.

 

Goodbye NCL

 

Yup. Still here, still booking. CAS keeps me hooked. Plus relationships with many crew & management. Willing to pay a premium for an enjoyable vacation - where I feel like family - not like a customer.

 

 

Stephen

 

.

[NLH Arizona]

Yup. Still here, still booking. CAS keeps me hooked. Plus relationships with many crew & management. Willing to pay a premium for an enjoyable vacation - where I feel like family - not like a customer.

 

 

Stephen

 

.

Same with me. In addition to CAS, the crew is awesome and I've always had a great experience.

[NH Cruisers]

NCL gives me exactly what I paid for. If I want more I pay more, less I pay less. When I book a suite I am booking for the space and get extra services that come with it. I do not expect to have gratuities paid on the same things non suite passengers have to pay for. I am thrilled that I do not need to pay for them on my Sept. cruise, but I would have paid them without fuss none the less. A cruise is an expensive vacation. If it is going to break the bank to pay gratuities, just maybe some other type of vacation may be what you need. Camping or a 4 day all inclusive perhaps.

Couple years back we took a week long vacation in Fl. Jetted down, rented a car, stayed with relatives for a couple nights, Hotel a couple nights, visited Daytona speedway, Kennedy Space Center, Big Cat Sanctuary in Tampa. We ate at fast food joints and a couple chain brand steakhouse. That vacation cost us as much as the cruise on RCCL Explorer of the Seas 7 night in a balcony including air fare, we took the year prior. That opened my eyes to the true value a cruise CAN be. Gratuities? I will gladly pay 'em.

[jinteso]

Glad to hear that not everyone is abandoning ship. We are just starting again. I have not been given a CAS offer yet since we haven't been on a cruise in 20 years. But NCL has a partnership with Caesars that gave me a nice discount. So we booked 2 cruises in 3 days. I wanted to wait and see after they added the service charge in for drinks and dining. I got overruled by DW. So we have a DOS in January on the Dawn and a Haven Aft Penthouse on the Breakaway for next June. Now waiting to see if NCL stays in Australia next December.

[KeithJenner]

In July 2016 I started a thread titled: "Is there still any Value in a NCL Cruise?"

 

That thread can be found here: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2376227

 

I wonder if any of the cheerleaders from that thread are still on NCL bandwagon.

 

We like many other Platinum Plus Suite cruisers have abandoned NCL for MSC and other cruise lines.

 

In my eyes NCL has removed all additional "value" they had in their Suites. Now they are just plain price gouging with the inflated Suite pricing and now additional "gratuities"

 

Do they think the butlers won't suffer from this added cost? I've seen too many "upsells" stiff butlers to think otherwise.

 

Goodbye NCL

 

I contributed to that thread, not because I am a "cheerleader" (a term that I always believe says far more about the person using it than those who it is directed at), but because my opinion was different to yours and it was an interesting discussion.

 

Yes, we are still with NCL. As of a couple of months ago, the points that I made then still applied. I am seeing extremely little difference in the onboard experience, and the price is still very similar to what we were paying five years or so ago.

 

The introduction of all inclusive may make a difference to us, as it does seem to have resulted in an increase in fares (which was predictable). Having said that, the exchange rate changes in the last year made me expect increases anyway, so I will have to see what difference it really makes when we start looking at 2018 cruises later this year. My gut feeling is that we will finally get hit for a price increase on our cruises, which I've been expecting for a few years. Whether it is enough to make a difference to what we book I don't know.

 

We don't book suites though. If we did then I'm sure we would have dropped NCL a couple of years ago when suite prices seemed to go through the roof. I can understand why people who do book suites are looking elsewhere.

[dexddd]

Well we just got our. Status match back, Platinum to Black.

 

MSC have played a blinder with this. The one thing that usually stops us from trying new hotels/airlines/cruises is building up to the highest level then having to start at the bottom.

Problem solved with this.

 

I was always peeved that suite guests had to pay a higher DSC (I think MSC is 9 euros across the board in Europe) and now that we are having to pay the fees for the food and beverage packages we will be sailing our last cruise with NCL in a couple of weeks

 

I love the look of the duplex suites on MSC , but it doesn't come within the Yacht Club and Aurea class is quite a step down from YF from what I can see.

 

The DSC wasn't always higher for suites on NCL. That has changed in the last couple years.

[sverigecruiser]

NCL gives me exactly what I paid for. If I want more I pay more, less I pay less.

 

I might agree with this, it depends on what I will get on my MSC cruise which cost much less than a cruise on the Epic.

 

If I get the same thing for much less on MSC I won't agree.

 

I really can't say before our MSC cruise.

[CruisinSam129]

The DSC wasn't always higher for suites on NCL. That has changed in the last couple years.

 

I don't mind the DSC being higher as the cabins are larger.

[DMH15]

I don't mind the DSC being higher as the cabins are larger.

 

 

 

I don't either.

 

 

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[stoneman56]

I don't mind the DSC being higher as the cabins are larger.

 

You get a cabin steward that you tip accordingly. I'm sure he wouldn't be happy if you tipped him the same as if you were in an inside cabin sighting that you pay more DSC, that I'm suspicious he doesn't see.

 

BTW have you stayed in an aft Haven P/H on the Epic. No bigger than most mini suites.

[NLH Arizona]

I don't mind the DSC being higher as the cabins are larger.

I don't either.

[cantthinkofanythingfun]

I did a mock booking this morning and it seems like they got rid of adding the gratuities for the promos for suite guests again. Maybe they saw this thread.

[lgdesign]

Not giving up on NCL permanently... have tried Royal and Princess (due to itinerary), and while they were fine, NCL was my "go to" for best overall experience. That said, with the changes over the last few years, I'm now going to look around. I'll still consider NCL going forward, but their recent changes have left a bad taste in my mouth and as a dedicated suite traveler with them for 15 years, I'm just not "feeling the love" these days.

[Desert_ Dweller]

I did a mock booking this morning and it seems like they got rid of adding the gratuities for the promos for suite guests again. Maybe they saw this thread.

 

 

It's still there as of 5 minutes ago.

[kismet618]

I did a mock booking this morning and it seems like they got rid of adding the gratuities for the promos for suite guests again. Maybe they saw this thread.

 

 

 

Just did a mock booking for our Dawn 1/7/18 cruise out of San Juan

 

 

 

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[Desert_ Dweller]

Keep looking, it's still there. Look at the final price and then click on VIEW DETAILS.

It shows Keep looking it is still there. Look at the final price and then click on VIEW DETAILS.

It shows "CHOICE PROMO SRVC CHRG"

[phissy]

The price for the cruise on the right side will not change when you first select the Free and Sea promotion you would like.

It is when you select MODIFY button at bottom, the price changes. Select DETAILS at right next to new price, and additional gratuities will be displayed.

Been checking a suite price all week for possible price drop. ;p

[jinteso]

Just did a mock booking for our Dawn 1/7/18 cruise out of San Juan

 

 

 

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You got me excited. I am on the same cruise but the gratuities are still there.

However, something is wrong with the website. If you try to book a DOS it shows them available. But when you click on it, it comes up unavailable.

[lgdesign]

Just got loyalty matched to Black on MSC and booked my first cruise with them for Thanksgiving 2018 (great price) in their Yacht Club on the Seaside. All cruise lines have some kind of issues and it will be interesting to see what MSC's are when we sail with them...

 

Not giving up on NCL completely... am hoping for a reversal of some of their latest crappy changes so I can justify returning next time.

 

Happy sailing all!

[Maraprince]

Unless there is a really, really big backlash, expect those added gratituties charges to remain for the Haven. Main News section of CC discusses the NCL Jewel and its good and bad points. You can probably guess where the extra Haven gratituities fall!:D

 

MARAPRINCE