YVR Cockroach

I suspect the average cruise pax loos as price first, much as (most) coach pax look at lowest fare first. Maybe cruise pax will revolt against NCL, or NCL counts that new cruisers will just sail with them.

Anyway, I posted a link to this over a year ago and it'd seem it is all part of the strategy.

GRALISTAIR

I am actively looking for next year for my wife and I to cruise the Caribbean and NCL was my 1st choice because we have only done 2 cruises and both were NCL. This may not make me stop cruising NCL - but it sure as hell means I will look at alternatives (not Disney though!)

LadyPhoenix

Agreed, but we gotta do what we gotta do. Also, if it had not been for my constantly monitoring NCL's website in addition to Cruise Critic, we would not have known of the change. According to Cruise Critic self-reports, many people who have not yet reached Final Payment status haven't been notified by NCL yet of the change. And even more disturbing, not everyone who are cruising soon (i.e. past Final Payment status) were notified by NCL either

Clipper801

Thanks for sharing the interesting article.

At least one poster in this thread claimed no issue at all with NCL charging US$53 (when you include the obligatory 18% gratuity and service charge) for a case of 24 500ml non-premium brand bottled water. Maybe NCL truly knows its customers.

My first cruise was in 1997 with Princess. I noticed the difference in the past 19 years, both in terms of those cruising, and what cruise companies offer then and now.

I have booked NCL on its around the Hawaiian islands cruise that starts and finishes in Honolulu. It's the only cruise company doing it. So I have no choice. I have never cruise with NCL before mainly because of its reputation. My first and most probably my last.

Btw anyone checking NCL's Facebook page, NCL has unceremoniously deleted all posts complaining about the new policy and the high price that it is charging for bottled water.

lkar

We've done several NCL cruises, but we're thinking of a change. The water policy doesn't affect us, but overall I think there has been a general deterioration over the last couple of years and I do feel more nickle and dimed. Maybe they are all the same, but the prices for Caribbean are pretty competitive and there are so many great, new ships that we're ready for something else. We just booked MSC -- their status match certainly helped. Give them a look. They seem to really be working hard to make inroads.

Letitride3c

We cruise several mass lines over the last 20+ years and are Platinum on NCL - new CEO came on board, called passengers "captive audience" & hence one more straw on the camel's back. Carnival sell a case of bottled water for under $5 and that's very reasonable, unlike NCL. No medical waivers issued but infant formula that require distilled water should be ok, for now. NCL prices are for filtered municipal water by Aquafina only, sorry - no Poland Springs even at those prices (gouging, some calling it)

Other lines allow canned soda and canned (sealed) bottled water. Service charges at 18% on top of DSC are okay, except that it's not clear whether crew members shared a major portion, if any at all, of the extra revenue collected. Of course, tipping by cash or otherwise directly to the crew on top is still encouraged and expected - as a matter of tradition for many - go figures. NCL is now the price leader from the bottom up, cheaper than Carnival's pricing, even for the busy summer season out of Miami - as they run fire sale last minute to fill the ships up, then nickel & dime you until ... actually, more than tens, twenties & fifties these days.

Unlimited/Ultimate Beverage Program as a free promotion carries a 18% service charge - and it exclude bottled water, juice, soda and premium coffee - NCL stated it is pleased to offer those packages as well, priced accordingly + 18%. Like legacy airlines, perks are being dialed back further - corporate vision is pure & simple, maximize stockholder's return and profit, customer services are next to none and the smallest cabins in the industry - taking 3 months to reimburse cruise passengers after a delayed sailing for promised hotel & meal expenses incurred.

The crews are still great & we loved them, but the company we've given our business and dollars to, not so much anywhere & got us doing fly-n-stay and other vacation options, especially with lowered fuel prices. Lastly, CEO's 2015 total compensation of 32 million USD is well above industry average of those of his larger competitors at RCI and CCI.

The joke of the month is that ban on water & soda is for safety & security, faster embarkation and then hinting it's from a small # of alcohol runners trying to sneak them thru - all for our convenience.

To each his/her own, taking away more choices and adding upscale, a la carte dining - against freestyle cruising, the motto for NCL earlier - is translating to cruising less with NCL and looking at other lines who we can trust and listen for customer goodwill & satisfaction.

cruisr

You couldn't pay me to go on NCL. It's crap. Give me an all inclusive cruise line every time and you don't worry about this stuff.

Badenoch

Having had the "cruise" experience a couple of times it mystifies me why otherwise sensible adults would pay massive amounts of money to be abused in this fashion. Luggage searched, passports held, metal detectors, being reduced to sneaking booze on-board like it was a high-school sock hop.

prspad

I have been on 9 NCL cruises, the latest on the EPIC early this month out of Barcelona. I have never had a problem buying a 6 or 12 pack of mineral water at each port and taking it onboard without problems. This last trip in Naples I bought a 6 pack of 2 liter bottles of delicious Santa Vittoria brand sparkling mineral water. I ALWAYS have the Room Steward empty the mini-bar refrigerator on my first day of cruise and I stock it with my own waters. No problem! Usually, if my cruise is out of Los Angeles or Seattle, I have a 24 pack case of Arrowhead water checked as baggage with a Stateroom luggage tag taped to the case... It's always been delivered to my Stateroom, no problem on NCL. If anyone has an issue, just tell them that you "have allergies," and this is the only water you can drink!

sonofzeus

New money grab just went into effect.

NB You can't predict where a bear is going from his tracks.

Randyk47

As posted new policy was announced on or about 1 July. Effective date was supposedly immediate but was changed to this past Friday, 15 July for cruises starting after that date. Your cruise would not have been impacted.

MSPeconomist

Isn't NCL the cruise line that was the subject of the documentary/reality TV show where they showed the captain and other staff calculating how much alcohol the bar needed to sell the last night to become profitable?

Randyk47

Honestly don't know. The profit margin on liquor and wine is significant and a major source of revenue. I would think the staff would recognize well before the last night that they were behind their projected sales and would try to find a way to boost sales well before the last night. I suppose they could get a large special interest group of non-drinkers on board that would kill bar revenues.

hedoman

Thanks for your contribution to this thread. We are so happy to know that you travel with the upper 20%.

YVR Cockroach

or 1%

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articl...ry-cruise-ship