I wouldn't use NCL again if it was the only cruise line on earth!!!!!
Chuck
Have not been on NCL in years (last trip was on Norway so that tells you how long) but did take two cruises with them this year, both on the Sky, and one as recent as over Xmas. I am booked on another one in Jan with Dawn.
We had problems with RCL (Feel the same way about them as you do NCL) so we went into the two NCL cruises feeling that we were not expecting TOO much so would be surprised if we had a good time. To our surprise, we did! Granted, our cabin was not as spacious as on other lines (we booked both cruises a month or two before we sailed, which is unusual for us, usually booking a cruise 8 to 12 mos before time), but we were only on board from Fri thru Mon and did not spend a lot of time in the cabin. We ate each night in LeBistro and found it to be great! There were no chocolates, bare necessity amenities in the bathroom (no bottles you could take home, everything coming out of dispensers), but we brought our own so who cared? Rugs were replaced since we were last on it--Aug 2010 and the ship was cleaned daily, pleasing in appearance and easy to navigate. Plenty to do (me) or not to do (hubby) as we please. I think that covers the essentials. As I said, we went into it not expecting much but we were pleased and that is why we returned for another cruise over Xmas and booked another one (this one a 5 day) in Jan. We lucked out, I guess! Good luck in your endeavors!:-)
Lets see every time you start your thread it brings up Blue Man Group again...so who wants to see Blue Man Group. I have seen them once and that is more than enough.
There is no way I would pay extra for entertainment or food.
Every ship has these pay extra restaurants and why any one would pay what they receive included in the price of the cruise I do not understand.
But there are suckers born every day as Mr. Fields use to say.
No Blue Man Group for me or any other so call extra show.
I expect seats to be open for all not reserved for only the suite customers.
Let the ships only sail with those that purchase the suites then see how long they stay in business. It is the everyday people that book most of these ships ...people who have saved their money for these cruises.
When we pay up front for everything includede that is what we expect.
Thanks but no thanks to paying extra for entertainment.
Sounds like Paul works for Epic pushing all those shows
Sounds like you work for Epic Paul. You keep pushing the Blue Man Group like it is something great. They have been around so long and once you seen them ,who wants to see them again?
Same with Second City...just not that great
I would never pay for the shows on the cruise lines..just like I will not pay extra to eat in special restaurants on the ship. After paying for everything up front except photos, drinks and shore tours why should anyone pay for food or entertainment.
There are suckers born every minute and will pay for them but no a lot of us.
We are the poeple the cruise lines make their money on..if we quit cruising then they will belly up.
I think most people of getting really tired of the airlines and cruise lines nickle and dimeing us .
You are certainly entitled to say that, and you are correct that there is a group of people who are fed up with cruise lines charging extra for things on ships. Many of those people have migrated to Carnival, who tends to have the fewest extra charges.
I tend to see the "extras" as optional, so I dont see it as nickel & diming. You can still eat free on NCL, and see shows. The lower ticket prices (which are the same as 20 years ago) show that the value in cruising is still there even with extra charges.
Just understand that I sometimes ask questions just to guage what people are thinking. Epic has a seating problem, so I just wondered if anyone would pay a few extra bucks for a prime seat in the main show.
Blue Man Group is a show that usually commands $100 tickets in Vegas and NY City. I had seen them four times before I went on Epic. I'm a huge fan of the show and I think it was genius for NCL to get them.
But I certainly didn't mean paying $100 to see BMG on the ship. Note the thread asks "would you pay a SMALL FEE for NCL shows?" - I was thinking more like a reservation service charge of $5 or so.
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I am the editor, but I also speculate, ask questions and play devil's advocate. I reserve the right to change my mind.
We are taking our first cruise in Apr '12 to the Med. We are booked on the Jade. I voted yes to paying extra for entertainment. I will pay extra for the better seats at live theater, or at a concert. If they added a $20 charge for certain venues, I would have no issues with that. According to my mother many of the show are quite entertaining. But, if the show does not meet my expectations, then.....
I would never consider paying for a show on a cruise. If it comes down to that, I'd just skip attending them altogether. I've been to so many over the years though, so there is just no wow factor anymore anyway. I must say, I do enjoy the theme shows the most, however.
I have walked out of a few shows because I thought they were so bad in years' past, so it would be laughable to think one might have to pay to see them IMO.
Beth
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When the idea of paid entertainment came up, I was against paying anything extra, even a small fee... After my first sailing on Epic i changed my mind. I paid premium for Cirque Dreams show, and my next cruise I went to see it again. As a rule,you still pay so much less for the show than it would cost you on the land!
I voted for the small fee for a good reserved seat. While it is an extra fee, it also levels the playing field with the suite guests who currently get their pick of the best seating by being trotted in a side door by the concierge.
This is, of course, called capitalism. As a suite guest, I pay up front for this amenity. If you want to trot in beside of us, book a suite.
The pay model doesn't level the playing field. It actually screws up the economics of the high end suite. I have money and I am willing to pay for the extra privileges. If you want to book a cheaper cabin then, by 1000 years of economic theory, you get less stuff.
I would not pay extra for entertainment.As far the suite guest getting better seats and more stuff you get what you pay for if you want all the extra little perks then put your money down!
However - I think the way NCL set it up was basically bad. Now, they may have changed it by now I don't know (I tend to doubt it).
NCL keeps the showroom empty until the 100 or so suite guests are gathered up in a room and escorted to the theater to get the best seats first. Meanwhile the thousands of other people waiting to get in have to stand in a line and wait for this process to end.
If NCL just had a ticket system for suite guests holding the best seats - they wouldn't need the queueing system they have. All the need is some tape saying "reserved" and an usher in the theater.
__________________
I am the editor, but I also speculate, ask questions and play devil's advocate. I reserve the right to change my mind.
This is, of course, called capitalism. As a suite guest, I pay up front for this amenity. If you want to trot in beside of us, book a suite.
The pay model doesn't level the playing field. It actually screws up the economics of the high end suite. I have money and I am willing to pay for the extra privileges. If you want to book a cheaper cabin then, by 1000 years of economic theory, you get less stuff.
Again, this is not fair for someone traveling solo. The cruise lines do not want solos in their high end suites, so we would be excluded from any of the extras. Go ahead, make high end or first class solo cabins/suites/staterooms, and your design begins to work, until then, the extra someone pays for the suite gives them the fancy suite, but all the cruise amenities are equally available for everyone. The fee for preferred seating is more fair than your design because who ever is willing to pay extra gets extra, pay more for the room, get a fancy suite, pay more for the show, get prime seats, pay more for the meal, get a better meal.
But to grant privileges to people just on the basis of cabin assignment/choice is limiting to those of us who are not welcomed to buy the better rooms.
I know I'm late to this discussion, but the simple fact is that I won't pay for the entertainment in the main theaters because it isn't that good. The only reason as many people go is because it's free. If they charged everyone some kind of cover, then on a lot of ships the places would have far fewer people at a lot of the shows. I go because it's free, but I only go once or twice on a seven day.
And... as has been pointed out, we are already paying for the shows. Now, if they lowered the cabin prices... say $10 per day, and charged something for the shows then I would like that plan.
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