Just back from first NCL cruise...some questions

[rpmljm]

OK...We just returned from our first NCL cruise on Sky and I have a few questions that I was wondering if anyone knows the answers to:

 

1. Why do they swipe your card every time you go to the diningroom and then tell the waiter where to seat you? I am talking about the regular non-specialty diningroom.

 

2. Why are there no deck chairs on deck 6 which is the only open deck besides the pool deck? I was very disappointed since I always enjoy sitting there on other ships and reading or just watching the water. It is very peaceful, unlike the pool deck. They call it a jogging deck, but I never saw anyone jogging on it. The pool deck was the only deck to sit on :( .

[JohnIreland]

I guess it's for their accounting, but I am sure James will be along with the real answer....

[ute_fan]

Good questions!

 

I'm not sure about the card-swiping thing. We've had them do it on some ships (Jewel & Pearl) but not on our most recent cruise on the Dawn. I'm wondering if they are just gathering statistics of some sort.

 

As far as deck chairs on deck 6, I assume it's the promenade deck (I haven't been on the Sky yet). From what I've been told before when I asked, it's due to safety reasons. Something to do with the width of the deck and the lifeboats, but I don't remember the details. Not all the ships are like that, however. The Jewel had chairs, the Pearl had loungers, and the Dawn (where that deck seemed just as wide) had neither. We loved sitting there on both the Jewel and the Pearl, so we were quite disappointed when the Dawn didn't have them, too.

[ohioNCLcruiser]

UTE is right about the deck chairs on 6. The deck isn't wide enough for chairs to be placed there.

 

As far as swiping your card in the main dining room they do this for several different reasons but the main one is for statistics. Just like the grocery stores that often require a special shoppers card to get the sale prices.

[newmexicoNita]

OK...We just returned from our first NCL cruise on Sky and I have a few questions that I was wondering if anyone knows the answers to:

 

1. Why do they swipe your card every time you go to the diningroom and then tell the waiter where to seat you? I am talking about the regular non-specialty diningroom.

 

2. Why are there no deck chairs on deck 6 which is the only open deck besides the pool deck? I was very disappointed since I always enjoy sitting there on other ships and reading or just watching the water. It is very peaceful, unlike the pool deck. They call it a jogging deck, but I never saw anyone jogging on it. The pool deck was the only deck to sit on :( .

 

1-this lets them know who is eating in the dining room and when. It is a statistical thing so they can better understand dining preferances: 2- I have no idea..

 

Nita

[*Wink*]

One would think Sky would have enough room on the Promenade deck for chairs since Majesty does. We really enjoyed the peacefulness offered there.

[BellaBaci4]

Welcome Home! How did you like your cruise on the Sky?

Bella

[Travel Nymph]

We traveled with 2 other singles that had inside cabins.

We had a balcony cabin.

 

It SEEMED to us, when we used our room card, we were seated at better places in the dining rooms than when our friends handed over their cards when we were seated. Just an observation.

[rpmljm]

We traveled with 2 other singles that had inside cabins.

We had a balcony cabin.

 

It SEEMED to us, when we used our room card, we were seated at better places in the dining rooms than when our friends handed over their cards when we were seated. Just an observation.

 

Yes...it seemed like the host was looking at the screen to see something (like what kind of room we had) after swiping the card, then telling the waiter where to seat us. We had an inside cabin.:cool:

[ute_fan]

That's an interesting comment. The only times we ever had to show our cards, we were in an inside or outside view, and didn't notice that we were being seated in a "worse" location. On the Dawn a few weeks ago, they weren't swiping cards, but I suppose it could be another "feature" of freestyle 2.0 that hasn't been publicized.

[Travel Nymph]

Ute Fan,

We were on the Gem just a few weeks ago.

In Le Bistro as well as Magenta and Grand Pacific. Everyone had to show their room cards.

 

We noticed 3 instances where we were seated in a corner (one couple had to face a wall) or in the middle of the dining room in Grand Pacific when the inside cabin folks handed their room card to the girl before we could get ours out.

 

After a few days, we caught on and used our card the rest of the cruise and had good seating.

 

Like I said, could be coincidence..

[Luv4dacruise]

One would think Sky would have enough room on the Promenade deck for chairs since Majesty does. We really enjoyed the peacefulness offered there.

 

I was thinking the same thing. The Majesty is half the size of the Sky and has lounge chairs on its promenade deck. :confused:

[Luv4dacruise]

We traveled with 2 other singles that had inside cabins.

We had a balcony cabin.

 

It SEEMED to us, when we used our room card, we were seated at better places in the dining rooms than when our friends handed over their cards when we were seated. Just an observation.

 

You could very well be onto something there Travel Nymph.

 

Although if this is something that NCL is actually practicing, i do have to say that crosses the line (that they are already hugging) of going too far with the whole "class system".

 

Would be interested to here from other folks who have sailed recently or are going to sail in the near future about this. Maybe do a little bit of spy work.....:p

 

Im not sure if they would be sitting everyone in the same location by cabin category or if it would be judged by what is available for seating at the given time someone walks in the door.

 

Might be hard to find this information out.....

 

I swear i was Sherlock Holmes in another life....:p

[leeanninfla]

OK...We just returned from our first NCL cruise on Sky and I have a few questions that I was wondering if anyone knows the answers to:

 

1. Why do they swipe your card every time you go to the diningroom and then tell the waiter where to seat you? I am talking about the regular non-specialty diningroom.

 

When they swipe your card, they are able to connect you with a table server, and then they know who to actually give that portion of your gratuities to. :p

[ute_fan]

Ute Fan,

We were on the Gem just a few weeks ago.

In Le Bistro as well as Magenta and Grand Pacific. Everyone had to show their room cards.

 

We noticed 3 instances where we were seated in a corner (one couple had to face a wall) or in the middle of the dining room in Grand Pacific when the inside cabin folks handed their room card to the girl before we could get ours out.

 

After a few days, we caught on and used our card the rest of the cruise and had good seating.

 

Like I said, could be coincidence..

 

It looks like we sailed the week after you did (9/21). However, the Venetian on the Dawn was SO crowded, with waits every night, that they were just trying to get people in and out as quickly as possible.

 

It will be interesting to see if future cruisers are reporting the same thing... :eek:

[terrymtex01]

We have been on the Star and the Sun and they never swipped our cards for the dining room that I remember. I do have to say that I believe it was just luck of the draw as to where you were being seated, however, even though we only cruise in a suite, I have to say it would be very wrong, IMHO, to seat people in the dining room based on their cabin type. But I honestly believe and hope they are not doing that.

 

It would be cool if it did pop up those people that had been having their Daily Service Charge removed and they got seated in the horrible seats.. LOL.. I would love that.

[crew mom]

Interesting about the card swiping. Not sure why they do it tho. Will be interesting to find out why.

 

The Coast Guard decides if the deck is wide enough for deck chairs. They are looking after your safety in the event of an emergency. Not knowing the actual width of the Majesty deck in comparison to the Sky deck I can only guess at a couple of possibilities. It could be that the Majesty's deck is an inch or 2 wider and therefore falls into an acceptable range. Or maybe because of the Majesty's age she has been "Grandfathered In" because of past SOLAS rules.

 

I agree that it is a nice place to have chairs. I noticed on the Star last year that they only had a few chairs available on the Promenade deck.

[newmexicoNita]

I have heard the reason before about swiping cards to see what cabin you are in, but am not sure if there is any truth to this. I will try and pay close attention on our next cruise.

 

Nita

[jjb415]

One would think Sky would have enough room on the Promenade deck for chairs since Majesty does. We really enjoyed the peacefulness offered there.

 

The Norwegian Sun does not have deck chairs (or even benches) on the Promenade deck, something that, to me, is unfortunate. There certainly is room for them, the deck is very wide. Aa a matter of fact, there are recessed areas that would be perfect for seating. Many of the ships today don't have the wonderful wrap-around decks that offer a quiet place to relax, as well as a walking/jogging track. Many of us on the Sun ended up sitting directly on the deck to enjoy the fantastic Alaska scenery.

[ohioNCLcruiser]

There certainly is room for them, the deck is very wide.

 

To our eyes it looks like plenty of room but to US Coast Guard eyes it doesn't unfortunately. :(

 

Looking at the deck plans it looks like the Majesty has deck chairs between sectioned off areas. This must not count as being on the main walk area and is why they are allowed. Clearly the Maj's deck isn't wider then the Sun/Sky/America's deck so this is the only thing I can think of.

 

[*Wink*]

Thanks for posting those, James. The thought that other ships just don't want to spend the money on more chairs seeps in my mind. Call me a pessimist, but we'll never know "why" ships do what they do, and they can tell us whatever they want.

[Vyhanek]

About the card swiping thing regarding where you are seated in the dining room. There HAS to be something to do with how much you PAY for your cruise not necessarily the category of room.

 

I say this because on our last cruise on the Jewel we had enough compass reward points to book 2 mini-suites for our family. We paid nothing more than turning in our reward points. Well, every time we went to the dining room, after they swiped our cards we were always placed in less desirable tables. Even if I asked "Oh, can we sit up there by the window" the hostess would then have to ask her Manager and he would look at the screen and then together they would reluctantly put us where I asked.

 

I'm sure a regular paying mini suite passenger would have enough status (according to the theory here for seating) to sit pretty much in the most desirable seats.

 

Somehow they know from their screen who's using reward points and basically there for free. I only noticed this on the last cruise in April. On previous cruises like about 1 year ago I didn't notice this. NCL is on to us compass reward customers and somehow feel they should devalue our status.

 

Fine with me, with the rewards program deteriorating it just gives us even more freedom to go cruise elsewhere. Those compass reward certificates were nice but like golden handcuffs.

[ute_fan]

The Norwegian Sun does not have deck chairs (or even benches) on the Promenade deck, something that, to me, is unfortunate. There certainly is room for them, the deck is very wide. Aa a matter of fact, there are recessed areas that would be perfect for seating. Many of the ships today don't have the wonderful wrap-around decks that offer a quiet place to relax, as well as a walking/jogging track. Many of us on the Sun ended up sitting directly on the deck to enjoy the fantastic Alaska scenery.

 

I totally agree with you! I was thinking that the Sun had metal benches built in on the promenade deck -- but now that you mention it didn't have any, I think it was probably the old Sea. They were used to storage of extra life jackets, etc., but they were at least a place to sit and watch the sunset....

 

It's interesting, because when we sailed to Alaska in 2007 on the Pearl, in an inside cabin, I asked the question of whether or not there would be chairs. I pretty well got the answer of "no", but somehow, during the PC transit, they started putting out lounge chairs on the promenade deck, and they were still there when we sailed to Alaska.

 

When we sailed the Dawn this year, I asked again. It didn't matter as much as we were in a balcony, but someone showed me a link to a picture with chairs on the deck. When we boarded the ship, they were no where to be found.

 

So, I while I understand that it's for safety purposes, there is also someone making the decision (on at least some of the ships) as to whether or not they'll be available.

[ohioNCLcruiser]

Thanks for posting those, James. The thought that other ships just don't want to spend the money on more chairs seeps in my mind. Call me a pessimist, but we'll never know "why" ships do what they do, and they can tell us whatever they want.

 

Well I know on the America they didn't have the chairs on the deck but had PLENTY of chairs in storage so I'm sure they could of pulled them out if they were allowed.

[VoyageVirgin]

I really don't think there is some big conspiracy to sit passengers in an area denoting their cabin choice or how they paid. It would have to do with the amount of diners the main restaurant servers had and their timing (just started to almost finished)

 

As for deck chairs on the promenade deck - I've seen them on the Sun & the Jade but not the Spirit. One might assume it is for safety reasons, whether for people jogging, playing shuffle board or to have less to worry about "shutting down" at night or during heavy seas.