So is the perks at booking time thing unique to NCL?

[WashyWashyHappyHappy95]

I've only sailed NCL, but I'm looking to tryout out the Anthem of the Seas.

 

I was surprised that on the RC website, there were no perks or bundles being pushed. Just the straight up price of the room and that's it.

 

I didn't book, so do they try to hit you with those types of offers (free drinks! free dining!) after you book? I have to admit after only dealing with NCL I was a little surprised to see another line basically just say "Here's the room" without some kind of additional BOOK NOW SALE ENDS TOMORROW type pitch.

[shof515]

so do they try to hit you with those types of offers (free drinks! free dining!) after you book?

they do not offer the free drinks/dinning. instead you will have to purchase the dinning or drinks package online or on board the ship

[WashyWashyHappyHappy95]

they do not offer the free drinks/dinning. instead you will have to purchase the dinning or drinks package online or on board the ship

 

Really? Then why is NCL always getting hit with the "nickeled and dimed" comments?

[SeaShark]

Really? Then why is NCL always getting hit with the "nickeled and dimed" comments?

 

Why would NCL get "nickeled and dimed" comments if another cruise line asks their guests to purchase things onboard the ship that NCL gave their guests as an amenity?

[SeaShark]

And to address the topic of the thread, NO . . . NCL is not the only line to offer amenities to their guests at the time of booking. Something one could easily see just by browsing a few cruise line websites.

[WashyWashyHappyHappy95]

And to address the topic of the thread, NO . . . NCL is not the only line to offer amenities to their guests at the time of booking. Something one could easily see just by browsing a few cruise line websites.

 

Well aren't you just a ray of sunshine.

[Flamencacha]

Well aren't you just a ray of sunshine.

 

 

 

Celebrity also has perks. They don't charge you the service fee on the "free package". IMO you would tip anyway.

 

So yes, some other lines do.

 

 

 

 

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[Still Dreaming]

We go on other lines but tend to come back to ncl! We are on the escape in a couple weeks in a large balcony with UBP and 3 dinning pkg, insurance and gratuities. We booked the Carnival vista regular balcony 8 day for February. Carnival Vista is 580.$ higher. Still owe gratuity and the beverage package is over 900.$. We will not be purchasing that!!! We are excited for both trips:D

 

I think the nickel and dime comment is comical and every line gets accused of it!

[HuliHuli]

Before booking a cruise, I do a mock booking on each of the potential cruises that meet my schedule and destination desires. A small spreadsheet enables you to construct a complete cruise budget taking into account not only the base cruise cost, but also desired dining and drink packages, gratuities, insurance, port costs (travel to/from and parking), and other services, e.g., Wi-Fi, etc. I include the costs for extras (as nearly as possible) so as to have an apples-to-apples comparison of the per night cruise cost, which I see as a good metric to compare between cruise options. Of course, other intangibles such as cruise line experiences, loyalty programs, proximity to ports of departure, and other conditions are factors I apply as well. Bottom line: A well planned cruise, built on best-value principles, should result in a more positive cruise experience and fewer "surprises" as the OP noted.

[AdGuyMG]

Celebrity also has perks. They don't charge you the service fee on the "free package". IMO you would tip anyway.

 

So yes, some other lines do.

F'rinstance Princess. Occasionally they run a Sip and Sail promo on select dates that includes a beverage package and Holland America has an Explore 4 fare on Alaska cruises that include open bar.

[Tiggertastic]

We've booked Royal and got free drinks a couple of times, it depends on the offers at the time of booking.

 

 

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[SeaShark]

Well aren't you just a ray of sunshine.

 

Ah, look at the bright side . . . at least I gave you a direct answer to your question. (This IS what you wanted, right?).

 

There are others here who would not have bothered and instead would have pointed out that since you've only dealt with NCL that it is pretty short-sighted of you to be "surprised" that other cruise lines don't operate the same exact way.

 

I just didn't want to make you look foolish. :whiskey-glass:

[Bostonjetset]

Really? Then why is NCL always getting hit with the "nickeled and dimed" comments?

All lines get some of the "nickeled and dimed" comments but NCL seems to get the most as a result of the way they offer "free" promos yet still find a way to make you pay for them [in addition to a sometimes higher fare].

For example, HAL sometimes gives a beverage package for the booking promo as well. Whilst sometimes the fare is higher with it than without it, if you book with it you don't pay anything extra like tips, etc after the fact. NCL is the only line [AFAIK] that charges 18% grats on the "free" beverage package. We've received free beer/wine/soda package on RCCL in the past and didn't have to pay anything extra. NCL also charges 18% on the "free" dining packages whilst other lines don't charge anything extra if free specialty dining is included in the promo.

 

Another thing that NCL does not allow is for you to use the OBC they give you towards the gratuities. We have $25pp [not much but better than nothing] on our Cuba cruise [from Havana nights promo] and we can't apply that towards the DSC. Every other lines I've sailed lets you use OBC for the daily service charges.

 

Further, NCL charges corkage for every bottle of wine one carries onboard. All of the Carnival Corp brands that I've sailed [HAL, Cunard, Carnival and Princess] all allow each guest to carry one bottle of wine for in-stateroom consumption for free. You only pay corkage for additional bottles or if you want to have them opened in the restaurants.

[50SumthinCruisers]

Well aren't you just a ray of sunshine.

HAHAHAHA! Perfect response HappyHappyWashyWashy! You made me laugh:')

[WashyWashyHappyHappy95]

Ah, look at the bright side . . . at least I gave you a direct answer to your question. (This IS what you wanted, right?).

 

There are others here who would not have bothered and instead would have pointed out that since you've only dealt with NCL that it is pretty short-sighted of you to be "surprised" that other cruise lines don't operate the same exact way.

 

I just didn't want to make you look foolish. :whiskey-glass:

 

I bet you're fun at parties.

[Flamencacha]

All lines get some of the "nickeled and dimed" comments but NCL seems to get the most as a result of the way they offer "free" promos yet still find a way to make you pay for them [in addition to a sometimes higher fare].

 

For example, HAL sometimes gives a beverage package for the booking promo as well. Whilst sometimes the fare is higher with it than without it, if you book with it you don't pay anything extra like tips, etc after the fact. NCL is the only line [AFAIK] that charges 18% grats on the "free" beverage package. We've received free beer/wine/soda package on RCCL in the past and didn't have to pay anything extra. NCL also charges 18% on the "free" dining packages whilst other lines don't charge anything extra if free specialty dining is included in the promo.

 

 

 

Another thing that NCL does not allow is for you to use the OBC they give you towards the gratuities. We have $25pp [not much but better than nothing] on our Cuba cruise [from Havana nights promo] and we can't apply that towards the DSC. Every other lines I've sailed lets you use OBC for the daily service charges.

 

 

 

Further, NCL charges corkage for every bottle of wine one carries onboard. All of the Carnival Corp brands that I've sailed [HAL, Cunard, Carnival and Princess] all allow each guest to carry one bottle of wine for in-stateroom consumption for free. You only pay corkage for additional bottles or if you want to have them opened in the restaurants.

 

 

 

On the beverage packet that you get for free elsewhere, do you not tip your bartenders? At least once and a while, and your wine steward?

 

 

I didn't know about the OBC and the DSC.

 

 

NCL corkage fee is $15 compared to X Which is $25.

 

But price point wise I usually come out ahead.

 

 

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[sanger727]

As far as I can tell, Norwegian and celebrity are the only two that are always offering perks. I believe princess and maybe HAL sometimes offer similar perks. Agree the nickel and diming comments are a bit comical when you realize you can usually drink and eat at specialty restaurants for less than $15 a day.... compared to $50+ on carnival and royal.

 

 

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[newmexicoNita]

As far as I know NCL has been the first in many programs: the first to have a private island, the first to offer specialty dining, clear back in the 1990s they introduced Le Bistro, it was an extra $5. Then came freestyle dining and now free perks. As mentioned other lines do offer a perk here and there from time to time and Celebrity I guess has a similar program as NCL. I think it is the start of IA sailing but with a choice of what is included. That is just my take on it, but whatever I love the perks even if it drives the cost of the cruise up a bit. I would much rather pay a few hundred $$s a person and have my booze paid for, maybe my gratuities or some specialty dining, whatever. I can budget much easier that way. I don't have to worry about whether I am going to have a $500 on board bill at the end of the cruise or a $1500

[deliver42]

I may be wrong, but I believe that the nickle and dimeing comes from adding the 18% to the "free"pkgs. No other line does that. The grats are included in the perk price. Either way, you are paying it.

[POA1]

Holland America has been running a perks-included promo program called Explore 4 for the past few years. They only run it for a few months at a time though.

 

On our last sailing on the Eurodam, we got dinner in each of the three specialty restaurants on the ship, their Signature Package plan, and $300 pp OBC. There's nothing due on the promo items. They were actually free. HAL's 15% service charge is already included on the promo beverage package and they do not charge gratuity on the specialty restaurants.

[Flamencacha]

I may be wrong, but I believe that the nickle and dimeing comes from adding the 18% to the "free"pkgs. No other line does that. The grats are included in the perk price. Either way, you are paying it.

 

 

 

I bet it comes out cheaper than tipping as you go.

 

Or maybe not?

 

 

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[sverigecruiser]

I've only sailed NCL, but I'm looking to tryout out the Anthem of the Seas.

 

I was surprised that on the RC website, there were no perks or bundles being pushed. Just the straight up price of the room and that's it.

 

I didn't book, so do they try to hit you with those types of offers (free drinks! free dining!) after you book? I have to admit after only dealing with NCL I was a little surprised to see another line basically just say "Here's the room" without some kind of additional BOOK NOW SALE ENDS TOMORROW type pitch.

 

I don't like the "perks at booking time" but I'm sure that many lines does it. I also don't like that they might be included if you book in one country but not if you book somewhere else.

 

We tried MSC for the first time this summer and we really like how they handle some of the perks. Everyone in the Yacht Club have their drinks included, it doesn't matter when, where or how the cruise is booked. In the Yacht Club you never have to show your card because everything is included for everyone. (Not really correct since some expensive brands aren't included but if the "normal" things, for example their cheapest Champagne, are ordered no card is needed.)

[Bootman4U]

I don't quite get this "room only" thing UNLESS this person is not booking in a suite class accommodation on RCCL as those come with all levels of "perks" from beverage packages, unlimited wi-fi, the "genie" who gets you into reserved show seats, etc.

 

There's a lot of on-board selling on RCCL ships, believe me.

[BenDover]

I have gotten the free drink package on both RCL and Celebrity. It's not offered often - you just got to keep checking for a deal.

[missdenise]

 

Another thing that NCL does not allow is for you to use the OBC they give you towards the gratuities. We have $25pp [not much but better than nothing] on our Cuba cruise [from Havana nights promo] and we can't apply that towards the DSC. Every other lines I've sailed lets you use OBC for the daily service charges.

/quote]

 

We have always used our OBC toward our daily service charges. Is this something new? Our last sailing was 10/2016.