Perks?!?!?

[hammermw]

The first cruise that my wife and I took was on Pride of America where they don't offer drink packages. We had strictly done All-inclusive resorts prior to that cruise. Our bill at the end was over $1,200, 90% of which was for drinks. At the time it was quite a shock to the system at a stage in our lives when coming up with that kind of money was more difficult than now.

Anyways, at that point we decided only cruises with drink packages from that point forward. Much easier to budget in advance as it's easy to get carried away once you're on vacation. Also, I like knowing what the drink packages cost on all of the lines so we can factor that into our purchase decision. Oh, and I don't mind if anyone judges me :).

[Nola26]

Anytime you can bring a passenger for free, just taxes it's at least $300 savings on a week long cruise. That perk doesn't get mentioned a lot but if I had to pay for my nephew some vacations may not have been on NCL.

 

For me the shoreX is my second most valuable worth $200-300 as I primarily book excursions with NCL. 

 

For our upcoming cruise the airfare was the clincher at $399pp on a major US carrier for international flights.

 

We don't need the beverage package but on this all adult trip to Europe we decided to try it, I won't take it again. 

[RedwingHockeyFan]

1 minute ago, Nola26 said:

Anytime you can bring a passenger for free, just taxes it's at least $300 savings on a week long cruise. That perk doesn't get mentioned a lot but if I had to pay for my nephew some vacations may not have been on NCL.

 

For me the shoreX is my second most valuable worth $200-300 as I primarily book excursions with NCL. 

 

For our upcoming cruise the airfare was the clincher at $399pp on a major US carrier for international flights.

 

We don't need the beverage package but on this all adult trip to Europe we decided to try it, I won't take it again. 

 

Yes! the 3/4 guest sail for free perk is a huge savings for my family.

[Mikiejag]

Same thing for the Tax free.  I think the last port and taxes free saved almost $1000

 

I am still holding out for no port taxes, free air and shore excursions....  One can hope

[SullytheBFG]

2 hours ago, KeithJenner said:

But there is often very little difference in cost. I have seen situations where the sailaway category is more expensive than other options in the UK.

That doesn’t surprise me! We look at the price, is that what we are happy to pay? Does it include drinks, yep all good then. 😀

 

you can spin pricing, deals and terminology any way you want and NCL are a big company. I just want a good holiday!

[PelicanBill]

2 hours ago, KeithJenner said:

But there is often very little difference in cost. I have seen situations where the sailaway category is more expensive than other options in the UK.

 

That would be weird and probably a fluke.  It may be yield management... pricing fluctuates based on demand and desire to sell certain inventory.  One thing I have seen is after final payment categories for choose your own disappear leaving only sailaways.  I am guessing that is an effect of bidding in progress and they do not yet know how many rooms of each category are left until they finish a round of bidding awards.

 

Another thing you will see is in the last 4 months before sailing the secondary market is selling "discounted" cabins... actually for NCL these are priced exactly the same as sailaways.  But the price has often dropped and can be found to book on NCL's site as well.  One such reseller actually makes it clear for the NCL cruises no perks included, but can be obtained for an extra charge (which means booking into a category where you choose your cabin of course.) 

[KeithJenner]

4 minutes ago, PelicanBill said:

 

That would be weird and probably a fluke. 

Remember, in the UK our sailaways qualify for the perks, so the only difference is the cabin selection. The price difference is often very little, and I have seen multiple instances where they are more expensive than other categories.

 

Certainly, there can be odd pricing everywhere, I assume due to yield management. We booked the Escape for next year in the Baltics. As the weather is cooler I was looking at an oceanview, but we ended up booking an angled balcony because it was cheaper.

[BirdTravels]

5 hours ago, shanet60 said:

I understand that I just don’t see how you can call it free when it is that much of a price difference is all!!

A lot of the price difference is in the ability to select a cabin. For us, cabin placement is important. And we're not going to get "stuck" in a "bad cabin" for 7 or more days to save a few bucks. The vast majority of cruisers pay to select their own cabin. There are [a few] others where cabin placement does not matter. And that's great for them. 

[WickedRed]

50 minutes ago, RedwingHockeyFan said:

If that were the case I don't think they would be listed as Sold Out, maybe Not Available.  I check all the time, never have I seen them pop up.

IDK.  I just grabbed a half a dozen cruises in Feb. 2021 and all of them had SailAways as "sold out" and then did the same for 2020 and all had SailAways available.  Just seemed to be something I had noticed.  I don't plan that far ahead, so I have little experience with future cruise planning.  Seems whenever I do look far ahead when I'm bored and dreaming, SailAways aren't available which lead me to believe they don't release SailAways till closer to 16 months out.  Looking last minute, SailAways are always available (unless the cruise is actually sold out because it leaves in a week) regardless of destination.  I could very well be looking at the wrong ones.  Just something I noticed and thought I'd throw it out there. 

[graphicguy]

I've tried GTY cabins and "full perks" cabins.  GTY cabins usually carry 1 or 2 free perks, but you're at the mercy of NCL to choose your cabin.  While I've only done a GTY sailing once, and it turned out "OK", there was some anxiousness about cabin choice and location.

 

I find the pricing delta between a cabin with the free perks and a cabin without free perks to be a couple hundred dollars, it's worth it to me to choose my cabin and my perks.  

 

While not on NCL, I did have a shock on a Royal cruise for the "end of cruise" bill that totaled 5 figures.....90% of the bill was alcohol (and I didn't even think we drank that much).

 

The way NCL does it works for me.  Some, who don't drink, or don't care where their cabin is or what type it is, don't care about any of the specialty restaurants, etc will be happy with the "Sailaway" rate.  That's why they exist.  

 

So, just because those rates don't work for me, they do work for some.

 

Have to say, I do find value in the "choose all the perks" rates.  I will usually pick an excursion that doesn't exceed $75, so the $50 credit offsets those.  They're usually shorter, too.  I can take advantage of them and maybe find another excursion that's independent of NCL that I will take.  I enjoy the drinks and dining packages and take full advantage of both.  Internet is something I'll use, too.  

 

I have not been able to use "free or reduced fare flights" yet, however.  I have a TON of frequent flyer miles that works better for me.

 

Use whatever perk(s) you want.  If you want none of them, book sailaway or GTY.

[RedwingHockeyFan]

11 minutes ago, WickedRed said:

IDK.  I just grabbed a half a dozen cruises in Feb. 2021 and all of them had SailAways as "sold out" and then did the same for 2020 and all had SailAways available.  Just seemed to be something I had noticed.  I don't plan that far ahead, so I have little experience with future cruise planning.  Seems whenever I do look far ahead when I'm bored and dreaming, SailAways aren't available which lead me to believe they don't release SailAways till closer to 16 months out.  Looking last minute, SailAways are always available (unless the cruise is actually sold out because it leaves in a week) regardless of destination.  I could very well be looking at the wrong ones.  Just something I noticed and thought I'd throw it out there. 

Yeah, I don't know.  I usually start looking about 14-12 months out.  I try to book at the CruiseNext desk to get the free stateroom upgrade.  I have had no luck ever finding a Sail Away balcony.  I wish there actually was a way to select that as a category when you search so I could get an idea of what the price difference is.

[GA Dave]

McDonald's offers a free toy in their Happy Meals.  Think you are not actually paying for that toy??

[TonyB17]

1 hour ago, GA Dave said:

McDonald's offers a free toy in their Happy Meals.  Think you are not actually paying for that toy??

 

The movie studio probably paid for the toy as part of their marketing.  Not really a great comparison.

[reeinaz]

5 hours ago, RedwingHockeyFan said:

I couldn't tell you about my Sail Away savings because every cruise I have ever price has been sold out of Sail Away balconies.  I'm looking at cruises 18 months out that are already sold out.

There are tons of sailaway balconies on the Encore NYC to Bermuda.

[emcelh]

You have to do the math and decided if the price difference is worth it.  Nothing is free and when corporations (and politicians) say it is, don't believe it.

[Birdie And Sue]

16 hours ago, shanet60 said:

I find it funny they offer these 5 free perks , but you have to first choose a cabin thats not sail away and then pay all the gratuity for them as well!! The difference in my sail a way balcony and one with the perks was $1034. How is that a perk? I mean even if you drink like a fish it would be hard to reach that even with 3 free meals and $50 off of shore excursions!! None of the cabins on the breakaway have obstructed views so I’m not worried about that , I moved mine back down to a sail a way and will just pay as I go because I don’t see myself spending over $1000 , I never have before!! I’m just curious what others think about this ?

 

 

Wow Really?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

[Birdie And Sue]

7 hours ago, emcelh said:

You have to do the math and decided if the price difference is worth it.  Nothing is free and when corporations (and politicians) say it is, don't believe it.

 

The biggest problem with free is that it is so darn expensive!

[Birdie And Sue]

10 hours ago, RedwingHockeyFan said:

Yeah, I don't know.  I usually start looking about 14-12 months out.  I try to book at the CruiseNext desk to get the free stateroom upgrade.  I have had no luck ever finding a Sail Away balcony.  I wish there actually was a way to select that as a category when you search so I could get an idea of what the price difference is.

 

 

Just pick the cabin type and it will list the prices for all levels in that type form SailAway to the most expensive.  Easy to do.

[SpainAlien]

I just booked a sail away rate inside cabin with the option of paying 99 extra for two free at sea perks plus because I'm in Europe I don't have to pay gratuities on the perks they are included. For me it was a win win

[shanet60]

So what’s the reasoning for Europeans not having to pay for the extras?

[KeithJenner]

21 minutes ago, shanet60 said:

So what’s the reasoning for Europeans not having to pay for the extras?

Basically, it’s the law.

 

Companies aren’t allowed to offer something for free and then make a charge for it, so they would be on dodgy ground if they charged the gratuity.

 

There are ways around it though. I was expecting them to change the wording to say it is a discount, rather than being free. Instead, they have gone for making a charge in order to be able to qualify. It is a flat charge though, so someone who takes the dining and beverage packages pays the same as someone who takes the internet and excursion credit.

[newmexicoNita]

21 hours ago, shanet60 said:

I find it funny they offer these 5 free perks , but you have to first choose a cabin thats not sail away and then pay all the gratuity for them as well!! The difference in my sail a way balcony and one with the perks was $1034. How is that a perk? I mean even if you drink like a fish it would be hard to reach that even with 3 free meals and $50 off of shore excursions!! None of the cabins on the breakaway have obstructed views so I’m not worried about that , I moved mine back down to a sail a way and will just pay as I go because I don’t see myself spending over $1000 , I never have before!! I’m just curious what others think about this ?

Oh for heavens sake, there are threads going right here, right now discussing which is better. OK, for you sale away might be the way to go, for others they like the perks. It is a personal  thing. AS for the gratuities they only one you pay with the perk is the drink tip, which if you are drinking and do not have the perk, you would still be paying a tip or I hope you would. 

[newmexicoNita]

19 hours ago, saltsandknit said:

It may not be free but we will use every offer. My husband needs internet to to payroll and billing. We drink, we use the shore excursion credits, we prefer specialty dining, we use the free or reduced air since every port is fly to for us. We save about 1500 $ with these offers and I prefer to choose my room. We are not all the same but I vacation in a way that works for me.  

We feel as you do: not the internet so much but all the rest. I am always surprised at people who do not realize it is a personal decision which way they want to go. i know, for us we are saving a bunch by choosing "free at Sea" and reduced air. 

[dexddd]

21 hours ago, shanet60 said:

I find it funny they offer these 5 free perks , but you have to first choose a cabin thats not sail away and then pay all the gratuity for them as well!! The difference in my sail a way balcony and one with the perks was $1034. How is that a perk? I mean even if you drink like a fish it would be hard to reach that even with 3 free meals and $50 off of shore excursions!! None of the cabins on the breakaway have obstructed views so I’m not worried about that , I moved mine back down to a sail a way and will just pay as I go because I don’t see myself spending over $1000 , I never have before!! I’m just curious what others think about this ?

What do others think about this?  Well, when it first came out about three plus years ago, people thought it was crazy and lots of backlash.  Fast forward, the marketing gimmick has most people in love with the "free" promos.

[RedwingHockeyFan]

5 hours ago, Birdie And Sue said:

 

 

Just pick the cabin type and it will list the prices for all levels in that type form SailAway to the most expensive.  Easy to do.

 

That doesn't separate the cruises that have Sail Away left and ones that are Sold Out.  All cruises will list a Sail Away but they don't show prices if they are sold out.  My point is that you cannot just search for a Sail Away, you have to pick a cruise, then a cabin type and then see if a Sail Away is available or not.