Never again

[CigarsAndWhiskey]

Looping back, Tax on drinks in all ports or just when docked in the USA?

[Vick Vega]

I actually don't mind these posts. I prefer crabby people that are just looking for excuses to whine and are not happy no matter what, don't go on vacations or cruises that I end up on.

[CruisingUS]

I actually don't mind these posts. I prefer crabby people that are just looking for excuses to whine and are not happy no matter what, don't go on vacations or cruises that I end up on.

ugh....they are the WORST when they are on your cruise...even when they are justified in complaining, it just makes a bad situation worst. I leave so fast when I hear them yap.

 

so much truth in what u said.

[Vick Vega]

I'll Stay On Land, OP, thanks for your review. We have been on a number of cruises and our upcoming is our first on NCL and I thank you for your experiences.

What you experienced will be something we can be aware of if encountered. I was especially surprised to hear that you need to pay $7.95 for room service. I am also disappointing in the "Ultimate" drink package that excludes as much as it includes (maybe even excludes more?).

It is unfortunate that your experiences were not good but don't let that stop you from trying another cruise. Perhaps try another cruise line. We are partial to Celebrity and Oceania but they also charge extra for some things.

 

First time out and you were not aware and caught off guard but understand, even all inclusive resorts are really not "all inclusive" either. We are going on a river cruise next year and understand that that is the only real "put your wallet away" type of cruise.

I've now been on 3 NCL cruises and have had the ultimate beverage package each time. There are only a couple Liquors that I can recall not being on their list. The last cruise I was on one of their ships was a 14-day transatlantic so it's six straight days at Seaat one point

 

I had plenty of time to try things out and I tried almost every single Liquor on the boat that was included. I only recall a couple that were not included. Lots of high-end stuff was included

[Doug R.]

I am pretty sure the OP is one and done with this board and CC just like he is with cruising. I do remember those spa people putting me in a chicken wing and applying pressure until I signed DW and me up for thousands of dollars of spa treatments. :evilsmile: Simple polite "no thank you" works. :cool:

[CruisingUS]

I am pretty sure the OP is one and done with this board and CC just like he is with cruising. I do remember those spa people putting me in a chicken wing and applying pressure until I signed DW and me up for thousands of dollars of spa treatments. :evilsmile: Simple polite "no thank you" works. :cool:

it's so easy to avoid and ignore them. how they apply pressure to u?

 

Can't tell you how many times i bye Felicia all sorts of people trying to upsell me stuff.

[emdia43]

The original poster sounds like a salesman’s dream customer.

 

OP: I’d like to purchase a cabin on a cruise to Alaska.

NCL: No you’ll be better off going to Bermuda first.

OP: OK.

 

NCL: You should buy the Spa Package, it’s only $500.

OP: OK.

 

NCL: Even though you have the UBP you should try the Martini Tasting for $19.95.

OP: OK.

 

NCL: Bingo is fun. You can play three games for $50.

OP: OK

 

NCL: Deal or No Deal is fun. You can play for $25 a card.

OP: OK

 

NCL: As mentioned in your Freestyle Daily, room service only costs $7.95. You should try it.

OP: OK

 

I think the OP and his wife need to learn how to say NO.

 

 

Brilliant!

 

On my first cruise I asked the price of a massage at the Spa and was told $168. So, I laughed and said No thanks and left.

Simple..

[BenDover]

I read the OP's post and nothing that is described is unusual, or unexpected. It may be a shock for a new comer, but what is described is what happens on the mass market cruise lines. Cruising may not be for the OP.

Most of us who are experienced cruisers will tell you that most of the things the OP stated is pretty much what we have come to expect from a cruise ship. Cruising is not always idyllic - but you learn to mitigate the negatives and focus on the positives. Sometimes that is hard with the constant, unrelenting, high-pressure sales pitches but most of us still enjoy cruising.

[suometar]

Maybe the OP took "cruise critic" literally? :rolleyes:

[Flatbush Flyer]

OP: the old saying is "you get what you paid for."

If you don't want to be "nickel/dimed" to death, try an upscale cruise line in the premium/luxury category.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[LrgPizza]

I've been on several cruises now.

I've never used the spa.

I've never ordered room service.

I've never played the pay-to-play games.

I've never mistakenly thought I can't drink something just because it isn't in my beverage package. You can drink whatever you want.

 

Maybe that is why my cruises are much happier than the OP's. It sucks that the decisions they made led them to a crappy experience. I'd hope they try again some day with better research and better decision-making.

[Zenica]

I love cruising and have cruised on many lines over 30 times, I can assure you, the pancakes on all the ships I have tried, Princess, NCL, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity are rubbish and the syrup is also awful. Pancakes are my weakness, I love them, but although I try them on the first breakfast of every cruise, they are always awful and never do I get another.

So please should you want pancakes, take your own syrup, at least that will be nice

 

Thanks for this, it is the post I needed. My expectations will be set accordingly.

Thus far, the best pancakes I have EVER had are all but gone. The Rio in Las Vegas had a restaurant inside called

 

São Paulo, they had the best darn pancakes but then The Rio closed it and allowed Hash House a Go-Go in. They are a semi chain pancake house but oddly, their pancakes aren't nearly as good as the recipe São Paulo used.

 

 

My fall back pancake in Vegas is in the Mirage at the Pantry although I fully expect that to change, just this year they switched from real maple to HFCS so I fully expect the next area to suffer will be the flour in the pancake. Some bean counter will realize cornmeal is cheaper.

 

 

Sorry for rant and off topic post but the OP seems MIA....

[April42749]

Most of us who are experienced cruisers will tell you that most of the things the OP stated is pretty much what we have come to expect from a cruise ship. Cruising is not always idyllic - but you learn to mitigate the negatives and focus on the positives. Sometimes that is hard with the constant, unrelenting, high-pressure sales pitches but most of us still enjoy cruising.

 

First of all, the rep suggesting Bermuda over Alaska probably had nothing to do with sea-sick, but with price or time frame. From what I understand, Alaskan cruises aren't rocky; from my personal experience Bermuda cruises are. And there's the airfare involved......

 

OP was definitely unaware that a cruise is NOT an all inclusive and you are NOT treated like a king. The spa thing....definitely buyers remorse. The bingo thing....it's like complaining that the slot machines ate your money. The food thing....they are feeding thousands of people. It's not like going into your local restaurant and the food being prepared for you. The drink package....well, there are assumptions that an ultimate drink plan would be just that.

 

 

Their knowledge of what really happens on a cruise was limited and their expectations were high.

[Mr Owl]

I've been on several cruises now.

I've never used the spa.

I've never ordered room service.

I've never played the pay-to-play games.

I've never mistakenly thought I can't drink something just because it isn't in my beverage package. You can drink whatever you want.

 

Maybe that is why my cruises are much happier than the OP's. It sucks that the decisions they made led them to a crappy experience. I'd hope they try again some day with better research and better decision-making.

 

Yup. That whole "I work hard for my money and blah blah blah" attitude prettymuch assures tons of disappointment in many situations, not just cruising. Most of us think we work hard for our money (and a few of us actually do ;) )

 

As most of you know, successful cruising is largely a matter of your mindset. Even with taxes/gratuities/etc, cruising is easily the best bargain out there. Yes, you learn a few things: don't expect too much from the buffet, the free dining rooms are a little slow, etc. My wife and I go all specialty, all the time, and even paying the cover every night and leaving an additional small cash tip, it's still an awesome bargain compared to any other vacation. For our cruise this week, we have the UBP and UDP for the first time, and two additional specialty meals for Platinum. Will be a cheap cruise - think I'll spring for a massage this time!

[Seminole1975]

I don't get them either. these are mistakes that you made. no one forced you to start shelling out money.

 

I am a millennial, but I think personal responsibility/accountability is important.

 

Thank You! I am a baby boomer and I totally agree! There seems to be theme in many of these threads lately and that is "I did not research or study up on my cruise, I am unhappy with the results. I will then get angry and blame NCL and threaten to take my money elsewhere!" Fine.

 

I am a big planner down to the details. I could not live like that.

 

I have learned a lot since I first joined CC about cruising. Certainly not all things are going to go your way but whose responsibility is it really? Sometimes it is the cruise line, sometimes it is your lack of research or planning. Or sometimes it is unrealistic expectations or perceptions.

 

I have had to restrain myself from making comments. Just sayin....:rolleyes:

[Vick Vega]

Our cruise is November 2nd. I will try and make a point of coming back here and posting exactly what alcohols are not included. I'm not going to mess around with wines and things like that just the Liquors

[emdia43]

Our cruise is November 2nd. I will try and make a point of coming back here and posting exactly what alcohols are not included. I'm not going to mess around with wines and things like that just the Liquors

 

 

This is a pretty comprehensive list - http://www.cruisewithgambee.com/norwegian-drink-lists/

[roger001]

Looping back, Tax on drinks in all ports or just when docked in the USA?

 

Just when docked at most US ports. I've never seen it otherwise, although I guess some European ports might have that also.

[kitkat343]

I'm so sorry the rep pushed you into sailing to Bermuda. Honestly, people who hate cruising have loved cruising in Alaska, so it might be worth considering sailing there since it isn't easy logistically to travel throughout Alaska on a land tour independently (it's possible but not the easiest trip to do independently).

 

We found the food and service in the regular dining room on NCL to be below the standard we expected and other lines (we also loved the specialty restaurants) and would not choose NCL without factoring in the cost of a dining package into the base cost of our cruise. We also waited a really long time for waiters to take our order with dinner, and my husband didn't have any silverware with dinner (which didn't matter since his entree was inedible). In my experience, the non-surcharge food and dining room service has been stronger on Princess, Cunard, HAL, and surprisingly even Carnival cruises.

 

However, we have been on many cruises so we learned how to: smile and keep walking whenever they try to sell you anything (which is how you should handle the spa unless your really love the spa and research ahead of time to make sure you know you are getting a good deal). It sucks that people keep trying to sell you things on vacation, but honestly if you walk away from them politely, I've found they don't chase you (and this does happen on all cruise lines so that is something to consider if you are considering another cruise). I'm from NY, so I dodge these people like street vendors trying to sell me things.

 

Alaska is amazing, and I hope you are able to get there via a cruise or a land tour.

[hawkeyetlse]

So I want to know which bourbons he drinks that ate higher than $12-$15 a drink. I drink Jack and Burtons to my hearts content.

You can check out the current liquor list, and prices, in this thread:

UBP Changes August 2017 - Premium Spirits

 

(People need to quit linking to Gambee's site, or at least to that page on his site, because the information given there is totally outdated now.)

 

The only bourbons that are under the $15 limit are Jim Beam and Bulleit (and Jack Daniels if you extend the category to Tennessee whiskey), and probably some generic well brand. They have several other brands available, not all listed on the menu, but as far as I know, they are all over the limit. Like Woodford Reserve, Maker's Mark, Wild Turkey, and some I never heard of. I am not familiar with "Burtons".

[KarimaJ]

Very important to do research before trying a different vacation experience, this is for sure. With the exception of the dining room issues, this would have alleviated some of your other issues. We took an Alaska cruise and it was smooth as glass, much better then my Caribbean cruises. And yes, you could have saved a lot by taking a cab to the beach and not doing the overpriced NCL excursions. All cruise lines charge extra for the games. The drink package is clear as to what it covers, many posts on here that show what brands/types of liquor are covered in that $15.00 or less category. I would suggest trying another cruise knowing what you now know.

[Into Cruising]

Oh, about bringing on Maple Syrup......Just make sure the bottle is new and still sealed.

 

This is from the NCL FAQ on What can I not bring on board. "Unsealed food items will not be allowed onboard."

[Peachypooh]

Sailing to Bermuda is much riskier in the seasick department than Alaska. I was so seasick on my first Bermuda cruise that I couldn't even make it to the medical center they had to come to me!!