NCL's false advertising (-40/50%)

[ontheweb]

8 hours ago, cruiser2015 said:

Sure did.

Thanks again.

Glad you enjoyed it.

 

I was thinking about your question about Luke Bryan playing in what you thought was a small venue. And I came up with a more relevant question. Why did Luke Bryan take 3rd billing on Willie Nelson's 2002 Texas Outlaws tour? It was obvious from the amount of people who left with the top 2 billed groups still to play that many came for Bryan. My best answer is out of respect for Willie Nelson and what he meant historically for country music.

[DCGuy64]

1 hour ago, RocketMan275 said:

My wife was born in Germany.  We were in a shop and the sales people were unaware she is fluent in German.  She overheard one sales person tell the other to jack up the prices for us Americans.  

I'm also fluent in German and I love to play dumb just to see what they say about me. I get a kick out of the look on their faces when I expose them. I'll never forget the time I was on vacation with my family in Germany and on a subway, one of the riders mumbled something about "diese blöden Amis" (basically "these silly Americans."). As we got off the train, I said "einige blöden Amis können auch Deutsch sprechen" ("some silly Americans can also speak German.") You should have seen the look on the guy's face! 🤣

[cruiser2015]

10 minutes ago, ontheweb said:

Glad you enjoyed it.

 

I was thinking about your question about Luke Bryan playing in what you thought was a small venue. And I came up with a more relevant question. Why did Luke Bryan take 3rd billing on Willie Nelson's 2002 Texas Outlaws tour? It was obvious from the amount of people who left with the top 2 billed groups still to play that many came for Bryan. My best answer is out of respect for Willie Nelson and what he meant historically for country music.

Agreed

I was going to say hero worship.

 

[ontheweb]

Just now, cruiser2015 said:

Agreed

I was going to say hero worship.

 

It was the 3rd time I saw Willie Nelson there.

 

The first time Ray Price was on first and then Merle Haggard before Willie.

 

The second time Marcia Lambert (before she was a star) opened followed by Allison Krause before Willie.

[RocketMan275]

15 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

I'm also fluent in German and I love to play dumb just to see what they say about me. I get a kick out of the look on their faces when I expose them. I'll never forget the time I was on vacation with my family in Germany and on a subway, one of the riders mumbled something about "diese blöden Amis" (basically "these silly Americans."). As we got off the train, I said "einige blöden Amis können auch Deutsch sprechen" ("some silly Americans can also speak German.") You should have seen the look on the guy's face! 🤣

The sales people were shocked when my wife spoke  up in German.

Huntsville has a significant percentage of German descent due to the space program. We were picking  up some bread from a German bakery when my wife overheard a table laughing about how much bread we were getting.  They too were shocked when she told them in German that our order was none of their business.

[DCGuy64]

1 minute ago, RocketMan275 said:

The sales people were shocked when my wife spoke  up in German.

Huntsville has a significant percentage of German descent due to the space program. We were picking  up some bread from a German bakery when my wife overheard a table laughing about how much bread we were getting.  They too were shocked when she told them in German that our order was none of their business.

She's right, and good for her!

[Vagabond Knight]

Yes, whoever said that "Free at Sea" was extremely misleading was absolutely correct.  They could call it "Freedom at Sea" since you're free from deciding if you think a particular cocktail is worth the price to you, you're generally free from signing charge slips if you get something that falls within your plan's price range, etc., but the name of the program implies no cost when the cost is actually quite substantial. 

 

Would like to see NCL and other lines be up front about what you're getting for what price, but I guess that will never happen.  In my dreams they'd only be allowed to advertise the starting price of the cruise by using a number that included all non-optional service charges, port charges, taxes and "gratuities."

[UKstages]

3 minutes ago, Vagabond Knight said:

They could call it "Freedom at Sea"...

 

i refer to it as "for a small fee at sea."

 

as for EU regulations... much stricter on this sort of stuff and, yes, they are likely in violation. the reason it continues is that nobody has likely sued. somebody should.

Edited November 30, 2023 by UKstages

[DCGuy64]

22 minutes ago, Vagabond Knight said:

Yes, whoever said that "Free at Sea" was extremely misleading was absolutely correct. 

On one of these boards some months ago, someone claimed that NCL actually told him that "free at sea" referred to the convenience/freedom factor, not the absence of cost. So it may depend on one's definition of "free," since it has several meanings. 😄

[ontheweb]

13 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

On one of these boards some months ago, someone claimed that NCL actually told him that "free at sea" referred to the convenience/freedom factor, not the absence of cost. So it may depend on one's definition of "free," since it has several meanings. 😄

How do they use the "convenience/freedom factor" to define $50 off the first passenger's excursion as "free"? I know on our Prima cruise this past August from London (Southampton) to Reykjavik there was not a single NCL excursion that was $50 or less.

 

I can at least understand the free in the other parts as you are only paying the gratuities on it, but to claim excursions are free is just totally unjustifiable. 

[cruiser2015]

53 minutes ago, Vagabond Knight said:

Yes, whoever said that "Free at Sea" was extremely misleading was absolutely correct.  They could call it "Freedom at Sea" since you're free from deciding if you think a particular cocktail is worth the price to you, you're generally free from signing charge slips if you get something that falls within your plan's price range, etc., but the name of the program implies no cost when the cost is actually quite substantial. 

 

Would like to see NCL and other lines be up front about what you're getting for what price, but I guess that will never happen.  In my dreams they'd only be allowed to advertise the starting price of the cruise by using a number that included all non-optional service charges, port charges, taxes and "gratuities."

I agree with these complaints about the phrasing of their advertising. But there is one context in which it does make some sense.

Compared to most mass market cruise lines, excluding the premier ones, the FAS items are "extras" that the other lines do not provide. Of course, the cost of these could be buried in the base prices for the cruises. The customers would need to evaluate the expected total out of pocket costs, including the "freebies", to decide whether it is a good deal. 

For example, RCL does not give away a drink package or any discount on the shore excursions.

So, while not forgiving the loose usage of terminology, it does have some basis in fact as a perk, though certainly not always "free".

[DCGuy64]

1 minute ago, cruiser2015 said:

Of course, the cost of these could be buried in the base prices for the cruises. The customers would need to evaluate the expected total out of pocket costs, including the "freebies", to decide whether it is a good deal. 

Exactly. And as sure as the sun rises and sets, the minute NCL decides to bundle everything (and charge more in the process), people who complain about the "nickel and diming" will be the ones howling from the rooftops about not being to opt out of things they don't want. I guarantee this would happen. (I'm not an NCL cheerleader, BTW, just an increasingly curmudgeonly skeptic.)

[julig22]

30 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

Exactly. And as sure as the sun rises and sets, the minute NCL decides to bundle everything (and charge more in the process), people who complain about the "nickel and diming" will be the ones howling from the rooftops about not being to opt out of things they don't want. I guarantee this would happen. (I'm not an NCL cheerleader, BTW, just an increasingly curmudgeonly skeptic.)

I don't complain about "nickel and diming" but I sure as heck would complain if NCL becomes all inclusive. Not everyone drinks, not everyone needs/wants specialty dining, not everyone needs unlimited wifi and so on. I have no issues with a pay for what you use model.

 

I simply don't understand the gritching about having a fare price, then itemizing additional costs, some optional, some mandatory. Presumably done for tax/accounting purposes. And remember if you have to cancel, those additional costs are refundable... And yes, I have taken a number of free excursions over the years.

 

When was the last time anyone bought a car for the "advertised" price? You pay taxes, license fees, dealer prep fees, etc. - if they even have the one car still available at the advertised price.

Then of course there are shipping and handling charges when you buy stuff online - why do I have to pay someone to handle my purchase??

[DCGuy64]

2 minutes ago, julig22 said:

I don't complain about "nickel and diming" but I sure as heck would complain if NCL becomes all inclusive. Not everyone drinks, not everyone needs/wants specialty dining, not everyone needs unlimited wifi and so on. I have no issues with a pay for what you use model.

Same here. I like having options, especially when it means I can choose NOT to pay for something I don't want. I just know from the many threads on Cruise Critic that there will always be some segment of the cruising public that will say "forget all the add-on's, I just want to have it all rolled into one," but as soon as that were to happen, another segment would cry foul and demand the opposite. 🤷‍♂️ Not sure there's ever going to be a marketing strategy that pleases everyone.

[UKstages]

if NCL had truly intended "free" to refer to the "freedom" that they believe NCL cruising represents, they would have called it "freestyle at sea." but that doesn't rhyme and is a lousy marketing slogan.one of the most powerful words in the english language is "free." and the tag is clearly meant to imply that you get free stuff while cruising with them (even though many of these allegedly free things come with fees, taxes and gratuities), not that you are free to do what you like, when you want.

 

anybody at NCL who suggests that the meaning of the tag is "freestyle cruising" is monday morning quarterbacking and trying to weasel out of legitimate criticism about fees for the allegedly free items. the EU has it exactly right. there should be no hidden fees.

 

NCL knew exactly what it was doing by calling it "free at sea." it's a great slogan/tag line. much better than their original line: "want a good time? give us a nickel, give us a dime!" 

[cruiser2015]

3 hours ago, DCGuy64 said:

Exactly. And as sure as the sun rises and sets, the minute NCL decides to bundle everything (and charge more in the process), people who complain about the "nickel and diming" will be the ones howling from the rooftops about not being to opt out of things they don't want. I guarantee this would happen. (I'm not an NCL cheerleader, BTW, just an increasingly curmudgeonly skeptic.)

How well you know your fellow man.

[RocketMan275]

3 hours ago, DCGuy64 said:

Exactly. And as sure as the sun rises and sets, the minute NCL decides to bundle everything (and charge more in the process), people who complain about the "nickel and diming" will be the ones howling from the rooftops about not being to opt out of things they don't want. I guarantee this would happen. (I'm not an NCL cheerleader, BTW, just an increasingly curmudgeonly skeptic.)

Those demanding NCL bundle everything are not expecting NCL to charge more.  They want all the extras for no extra cost.

[insidecabin]

4 hours ago, Vagabond Knight said:

Yes, whoever said that "Free at Sea" was extremely misleading was absolutely correct.  They could call it "Freedom at Sea" since you're free from deciding if you think a particular cocktail is worth the price to you, you're generally free from signing charge slips if you get something that falls within your plan's price range, etc., but the name of the program implies no cost when the cost is actually quite substantial. 

 

Would like to see NCL and other lines be up front about what you're getting for what price, but I guess that will never happen.  In my dreams they'd only be allowed to advertise the starting price of the cruise by using a number that included all non-optional service charges, port charges, taxes and "gratuities."

 

Europe/UK are nearly there.

 

Until they include daily service they remain discretionary and many will not pay them.

 

The only cruise line that makes them compulsory and not included is Costa.

 

As not enough complain to the relevant enforcement agencies they get away with it.

 

Quite a few selling in UK now just include any daily service.

[sitinurbaya]

On 11/25/2023 at 8:49 PM, MiniJeffrey said:

I'm getting a bit frustrated at NCL's marketing policies, which are with no doubt infractions to several false advertising laws in EU. Their -40, -50% promotions that are always "ending soon" have actually never ever ended.

 

They are also just faking their "normal" prices by adding "discounts" to bring the new price to what were normal prices before they started doing this trick precovid. -40% off on a falsely inflated price briging the real discount to more or less -0% comparing to precovid prices (adjusted for inflation in the sector).

 

Shameful practices.

P&O also did a dodgy practice. Pressuring us to pay because "SALE END" today, only to go down even further the next day. Then if we posted on social media asking if this is Fair Trading and ACCC issues, all cruise sales/customer service entourage putting bitter laughing faces reaction. I have seen an ex-workmate that went psycho after working in customer service needing a psychiatrist. So.. I had been taking pity on these workers stalking on the customers on social media.  All we can do is, complain to ACCC and Fair Trading. Enough people's complaints would ring the alarm about these dodgy practices.

[david_sobe]

I was watching a video on youtube yesterday and someone was doing a mock booking of the RCCL Icon of the Seas to show how expensive it was.  He was comparing it to other similar RCCL ships and looking at pricing.   RCCL does not have a "Free at Sea" program but they have that funny and clever "savings" part.  After a ridiculous $7500 for a balcony on Icon, it said in red "you saved $1700 today."

Yeah ok.  I think RCCL copied NCL's marketing approach.  I think grocery stores should start doing this.  Imagine leaving your local grocery store with a cart of groceries for $150.  The receipt should say, you saved "$100 today."

Booking a cruise today is like buying a used car.  They sock it to you yet tell you that you are saving thousands 😆

[mjkacmom]

1 hour ago, david_sobe said:

I was watching a video on youtube yesterday and someone was doing a mock booking of the RCCL Icon of the Seas to show how expensive it was.  He was comparing it to other similar RCCL ships and looking at pricing.   RCCL does not have a "Free at Sea" program but they have that funny and clever "savings" part.  After a ridiculous $7500 for a balcony on Icon, it said in red "you saved $1700 today."

Yeah ok.  I think RCCL copied NCL's marketing approach.  I think grocery stores should start doing this.  Imagine leaving your local grocery store with a cart of groceries for $150.  The receipt should say, you saved "$100 today."

Booking a cruise today is like buying a used car.  They sock it to you yet tell you that you are saving thousands 😆

That literally happens to me with every Old Navy and a kohl’s order.

[Liljo22]

4 hours ago, david_sobe said:

I was watching a video on youtube yesterday and someone was doing a mock booking of the RCCL Icon of the Seas to show how expensive it was.  He was comparing it to other similar RCCL ships and looking at pricing.   RCCL does not have a "Free at Sea" program but they have that funny and clever "savings" part.  After a ridiculous $7500 for a balcony on Icon, it said in red "you saved $1700 today."

Yeah ok.  I think RCCL copied NCL's marketing approach.  I think grocery stores should start doing this.  Imagine leaving your local grocery store with a cart of groceries for $150.  The receipt should say, you saved "$100 today."

Booking a cruise today is like buying a used car.  They sock it to you yet tell you that you are saving thousands 😆

My grocery stores do that already.  

[ontheweb]

40 minutes ago, Liljo22 said:

My grocery stores do that already.  

So does mine, Shoprite. In fact often the cashier will take the receipt and read to you "how much you saved". Though they are now going to self checkout which does stop it being read to you, but it is still on the receipt.

[zqvol]

5 hours ago, david_sobe said:

I was watching a video on youtube yesterday and someone was doing a mock booking of the RCCL Icon of the Seas to show how expensive it was.  He was comparing it to other similar RCCL ships and looking at pricing.   RCCL does not have a "Free at Sea" program but they have that funny and clever "savings" part.  After a ridiculous $7500 for a balcony on Icon, it said in red "you saved $1700 today."

Yeah ok.  I think RCCL copied NCL's marketing approach.  I think grocery stores should start doing this.  Imagine leaving your local grocery store with a cart of groceries for $150.  The receipt should say, you saved "$100 today."

Booking a cruise today is like buying a used car.  They sock it to you yet tell you that you are saving thousands 😆

Grocery stores do that

[Two Wheels Only]

5 hours ago, david_sobe said:

Imagine leaving your local grocery store with a cart of groceries for $150.  The receipt should say, you saved "$100 today."

 

Publix and Winn-Dixie already do that.