So Far Carnival is Winning vs NCL

[LatinaInTexas]

1 minute ago, BlerkOne said:

It's nice that NCL works for you. It is clear that it doesn't work for everyone, or they would be number 1 instead of number 4 (MSC, Carnival, Royal, NCL...)

 

Telling the truth is not bashing NCL, and Free At Sea is still a marketing gimmick and always has been.

That's my whole point, NCL does and can work for people, just how many neither you or I know that answer.

A marketing gimmick to you a savings tool to me. My bank account appreciates it lol.

 

[LatinaInTexas]

6 minutes ago, Linsuesue said:

 

Absolutely, I considered that as other comparisons but the post was already long so just wanted to focus on the claim that was repeated numerous times that the free at sea is baked into the fare. It didn't ring true to me so I had to find out for myself....twice

[jimbo5544]

Just now, LatinaInTexas said:

Absolutely, I considered that as other comparisons but the post was already long so just wanted to focus on the claim that was repeated numerous times that the free at sea is baked into the fare. It didn't ring true to me so I had to find out for myself....twice

But now you know.

[elcuchio24]

6 hours ago, Saint Greg said:

I’m not going to say someone can’t cherry pick a cruise that’s cheaper than NCL. Like I said it’s not apples to apples either. We’re comparing the largest ship in the NCL fleet with a Sat-Sat itinerary to a spirit class ship with a Thur-Thur itinerary. It’s also about a $30 Uber ride out to the Carnvial port where NCL is right downtown. Cheap train ride from the airport to westlake center and you can walk to the port. But I think leaving on a weekend and on the better ship makes a big difference in this case.

 

I just got off of spirit a couple weeks ago. You aren’t going to find an observation lounge like this there. The buffet is the closest you’ll get.

 

Huge fan of those times of observation lounges, we spend alot of time there. The only one I prefer more is on the largest RCL ships which are similar, but with small pools, hottubs etc. 

[jimbo5544]

13 minutes ago, elcuchio24 said:

 

Huge fan of those times of observation lounges, we spend alot of time there. The only one I prefer more is on the largest RCL ships which are similar, but with small pools, hottubs etc. 

The one we enjoyed on the Bliss was pretty cool.

[elcuchio24]

56 minutes ago, jimbo5544 said:

The one we enjoyed on the Bliss was pretty cool.

 

We did Joy last year to Bermuda, nothing like those long sea days in the observation lounge....

[jimbo5544]

2 minutes ago, elcuchio24 said:

 

We did Joy last year to Bermuda, nothing like those long sea days in the observation lounge....

Alaska would be another great one

 

[aborgman]

On 3/8/2024 at 4:54 PM, jimbo5544 said:

I am not sure I get your point.  

 

Whether a package is a "good deal" is highly dependent on usage model(and individual valuation)and while no one is cruising free - some people are cruising at below cost due to others subsidizing them.

[aborgman]

On 3/10/2024 at 4:10 PM, BlerkOne said:

 

 

 

What about gratuities?

 

Unlike most other ships in the cruise industry, there is no required or recommended tipping on our ships for service that is generally rendered to all Guests. While you should not feel obligated to offer a gratuity, all of our staff are encouraged to "go the extra mile," so they are permitted to accept cash gratuities for exceptional or outstanding service if you care to offer them. Also, certain staff positions (e.g., concierge, butler, youth program staff and beverage service) provide service on an individual basis to only some guests and do not benefit from the overall service charge. We encourage those Guests to acknowledge good service from these staff members with appropriate gratuities. Additionally, there is an 20% gratuity and spa service charge added for all spa and salon services, as well as an 20% gratuity and beverage service charge added for all beverage purchases and an 20% gratuity and specialty service charge added to all specialty restaurant dining and entertainment based dining.

 

 

Instead NCL has their Service Charge.

What is the onboard service charge?

 

Why is there a service charge?
The reason there's a fixed service charge is an important one: Our Crew (as are the crew from other lines) is encouraged to work together as a team. Staff members including complimentary restaurant staff, stateroom stewards and behind-the-scenes support staff are compensated by a combination of salary and incentive programs that your service charge supports.

 

How much are the service charges?

For bookings made on or after January 1, 2023:

• $25.00 USD per person per day for The Haven and Suites;
• $20.00 USD per person per day for Club Balcony Suite and below;

 

 

 

All of it is baloney sandwich marketing

 

 

They ARE a service charge.

They are NOT gratuities.

 

They're just calling them what they actually are, unlike Carnival.

[Theosprey247]

Some people like oysters while some like snails. Is one better (or in this case a better deal) in the end of the day does it matter?  If you enjoyed your cruise is what counts and matters the most. 

[carohs]

6 hours ago, LatinaInTexas said:

Grand total on the Jade remains $3024.

Grand total on the Legend adding the value of the free at sea perks to make it comparable now totals $3221

That's only a $200 difference, yes NCL can be cheaper and it's a great value for some. I'm not in any way bashing NCL as I like their product too. But with only a $200 difference (maybe it's having one port less?) how do you argue that the cost of FAS is not baked in? 

[BlerkOne]

3 hours ago, aborgman said:

 

 

They ARE a service charge.

They are NOT gratuities.

 

They're just calling them what they actually are, unlike Carnival.

Cheap people pull them just the same, as if they were the same.

[BlerkOne]

2 hours ago, Theosprey247 said:

Some people like oysters while some like snails. Is one better (or in this case a better deal) in the end of the day does it matter?  If you enjoyed your cruise is what counts and matters the most. 

I like both.

[Roscoe13]

7 hours ago, LatinaInTexas said:

Since I had the day off and am bored I decided to crunch some numbers to see if indeed booking NCL with the free at sea would have the price baked into the fare. Last time I did this comparison it did not add up to the price being baked into the fare but things might have changed since then. Will use Carnival for the comparison.

My cruise is on the NCL Jade in August. The most similar cruise I could find on Carnival for the same time frame was on the Legend. The one thing that I could not match on any Carnival ship was that the Jade had 4 port stops compared to the Legend only having 3. I won't even bother trying to estimate the cost savings of having an extra port. Both are 7 nights. Both are based on 2 people.

 

Legend base fare $689pp

Jade base fare $979pp

Right off the bat seeing this might stop someone from even considering booking NCL. But moving on...

 

All in fare for the Jade including the free at sea perks and gratuities, the port taxes and fees, and the regular daily gratuities comes to $3024. This includes a drink package, a specialty dining choice such as the steakhouse, $50 off one excursion per cabin not per person but not limited to just one excursion per port. Also 150 wifi minutes per person. 

 

All in for the Legend is $1863. This includes port taxes and fees and daily gratuities. Once again at this point someone might be turned off booking NCL. But if you look you will see there are some things missing from the Legend booking making it not comparable at all. Let's correct that.

 

To have a drink package on the Legend you will have to pay $993.

To eat at the steakhouse on the Legend you will have to pay $115.

If you take an excursion at each port on the Legend you will pay the 3x$50=$150 that is included on the Jade.

Also I didn't know how to value the free 150 minutes wifi pp on the Jade so I just went with a $50 pp value.

 

Once you add in the cost of perks of the free at sea to the Legend it is now comparable. So onto the grand totals.

Grand total on the Jade remains $3024.

Grand total on the Legend adding the value of the free at sea perks to make it comparable now totals $3221.

Yes arguments can be made that not everyone wants these perks so these numbers mean nothing to them. But this discussion for the last 2 days has been that the free at sea doesn't save you money, is not of value, is smoke and mirrors, is an advertising gimmick and is baked into NCL fares. Yes there were sub discussions but these were repeated and focused on the most.

 

Like Saint Greg posted early on it's no big deal if you aren't a fan of NCL or won't ever sail them but why try to deliberately paint them in a bad light and turn people off? I personally don't like RC but I never bash them. I just say I liked my RC cruises but I didn't love them. 

 

Oh one more point. For the pricing on the Jade I didn't add the $250 free money from using a cruise first certificate or the $195 off for using the veterans benefit bringing the total down to $2579.

Oh and best of all I used a My Vegas reward and also got another $1500 off taking my total way down to $1079😁🤑

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Food for thought...by using Carnival Gift Cards available to purchase at AARP good for 10% discount I can get that Legend total down to $2898.90

[LatinaInTexas]

1 hour ago, carohs said:

That's only a $200 difference, yes NCL can be cheaper and it's a great value for some. I'm not in any way bashing NCL as I like their product too. But with only a $200 difference (maybe it's having one port less?) how do you argue that the cost of FAS is not baked in? 

I'm not arguing anything. I think everyone has had their say on the subject. Some feel free at sea is not of value some feel it is. All I did was show my final thought on the subject by providing some data that shows I feel it was of value.

I'm here mostly to learn and to be entertained so this discussion was both, nothing more, nothing less😁

[LatinaInTexas]

4 minutes ago, Roscoe13 said:

Food for thought...by using Carnival Gift Cards available to purchase at AARP good for 10% discount I can get that Legend total down to $2898.90

But you are a person who carries no debt, not everyone can do that😁

[BlerkOne]

31 minutes ago, LatinaInTexas said:

I'm not arguing anything. I think everyone has had their say on the subject. Some feel free at sea is not of value some feel it is. All I did was show my final thought on the subject by providing some data that shows I feel it was of value.

I'm here mostly to learn and to be entertained so this discussion was both, nothing more, nothing less😁

I don't know who said FREE at sea is of no value. But is isn't FREE.

[BlerkOne]

29 minutes ago, LatinaInTexas said:

But you are a person who carries no debt, not everyone can do that😁

Not everyone gets casino offers, which could be better.

[aborgman]

10 hours ago, BlerkOne said:

Cheap people pull them just the same, as if they were the same.

 

Which has absolutely nothing to do with whether or not they are gratuities or service charges.

[aborgman]

8 hours ago, BlerkOne said:

I don't know who said FREE at sea is of no value. But is isn't FREE.

 

Of course it isn't free.

 

Neither are all the things every other cruise line, all inclusive land resort, hotel, airline, etc. call "free".

 

It's marketing short hand for "included", and used by basically every marketing department in every industry.

 

I mean... when Carnival says "Free cabin service for breakfast" they mean included. When Holiday Inn says "Free Continental Breakfast" they mean included.

 

[jimbo5544]

1 minute ago, aborgman said:

 

Of course it isn't free.

 

Neither are all the things every other cruise line, all inclusive land resort, hotel, airline, etc. call "free".

 

It's marketing short hand for "included", and used by basically every marketing department in every industry.

 

I mean... when Carnival says "Free cabin service for breakfast" they mean included. When Holiday Inn says "Free Continental Breakfast" they mean included.

 

People really think they are free.  They are not,  NCL advertises it as free.  Carnival does not advertise breakfast cabin service, apples and oranges.  

[crazycatlady82]

It really depends on the ship and cruise. For instance, when we were pricing out a Christmas 2024 cruise, the 7 day inside room with drink package on NCL Escape rolled into the fare was cheaper than the 5 day carnival freedom cruise with no drink package. My transatlantic on the Epic next month was $699 for 12 days in a solo cabin. However, I’ve gotten some good carnival deals but at this point, they’re hard to find due to the popularity of cruising.

[aborgman]

38 minutes ago, jimbo5544 said:

People really think they are free.  They are not,  NCL advertises it as free.  Carnival does not advertise breakfast cabin service, apples and oranges.  

 

Some people really think they are free - and they are not.

 

NCL, CCL, Holiday Inn, Delta, etc., etc. ALL advertise it as free.

 

 Carnival does advertise breakfast cabin service - right on their webpage it says "Free cabin service for breakfast".

[KKB]

On 3/7/2024 at 9:53 AM, Daruma said:

Hiya, Folks. 

 

First off, my last cruise, which was my second cruise only, was on Disney about 15 years ago, and 10 years prior to that my first cruise on an unrememered cruise line... but we went to St. Marteen and St. Thomas. 

 

I'm definitely a cruising neophyte, lol. 

 

I had originally booked a 7 day cruise in mid April 2025 with NCL on the Escape... but for what I was paying there, (solo balcony... a new category for them), I've been able to instead, (canceled NCL), book a 7 day cruise to the EXACT same itinerary on Carnival Legend in early March 2025, (about 6 weeks earlier and also a balcony), AND a 4 day in September 2024 on Carnival Paradise, albeit an interior room, and with soda package on both, (I don't drink alcohol), AND excursions included on both... and I'm still saving about $800 😲😲

 

So, yes, of course, apples to oranges with regard to the ships, (the Escape is a much larger ship with more to do, maybe more shows, definitely more options for free and paid dining, etc), and NCL has its "Free at Sea" package... but it's NOT actually free, it's obviously built into the cruise fare. Additionally part of what is FAS but actually built into the price is their alcohol package... I don't drink, so to get soda, juice, etc I had to upgrade that package for sbout $34/day... less than $10/day gets me soda and juice on Carnival which is all I need... so no "base" alcohol package with an additional upgrade cost to get soda & juice. 

 

"Free" 150 minutes of WiFi? No thanks, I'll never use it... the whole point of a vacation for me is to disconnect. 

 

Two "free" Specialty Dining options... I'd use them ONLY because I did essentially pay for them... but it's something, that were it separate, I would not get... I'm not a "Foodie" by any stretch of the imagination. 

 

So, all of that adds into the cost difference, most/all of which I don't care about... and as I said, I get TWO cruises and still SAVE money, lol. 

 

Assuming that I take to cruising like a duck to water, I'm not sure I'd ever go on NCL 🤷

 

This isn't a fair comparison.

New ships typically cost more to sail.

Balconies cost more to sail--even  solo balconies.

You can uncheck the specialty dining & not pay for the tips for that Free at Sea--but honestly it is a great value.

You are wrong about the NCL drink package--it covers everything except specialty coffee & "boxed" water. I find the specialty coffee package too high for me--$5/day to buy my Starbucks is fine.

 

If you compared an older NCL ship sailing an interior room, you will likely prices to be more comparable.

 

Having sailed 40+ cruises in 20 years on most mainstream lines, I compare prices A LOT.

We find difference between various ships more than various lines (overall).

It IS important to consider all the things you would (or would not) pay for on a cruise.

 

Have you looked at MSC? 

I wasn't a big fan, but their prices tend be VERY competative.

 

 

 

[jimbo5544]

1 minute ago, aborgman said:

 

Some people really think they are free - and they are not.

 

NCL, CCL, Holiday Inn, Delta, etc., etc. ALL advertise it as free.

 

 Carnival does advertise breakfast cabin service - right on their webpage it says "Free cabin service for breakfast".

I will move on after this post. Nobody buys a trip on Carnival because they say you can get a continental breakfast.  Many (as in the majority) buy NCL cruises because they say 3 for free (which we all agree is not the case).  I really do not care if people do that, if they think they are getting 10 for free and that is the reason they cruise with NCL, then good for them.  As previously stated, the past CEO of NCL has changed the industry (we can debate good or bad, but really not the point) and this market scheme has worked, but he admitted it is what it is.  Just stating facts, not attacking (or defending) any line.