>Our son and daughter have done everything except pay
>for (they await our choice of date) this cruise, on
>Norwegian Cruise Line, leaving Charleston, SC for
>seven days, to the Bahamas & Florida. My spouse and
>I are thinking November as the time frame.
>
This is not an itinerary that I would pick but that's because I'm
fairly familiar with Florida and the Bahamas, and don't care for
Orlando at least the theme park part of it. It is fine as a first
cruise though and has the advantage that you don't have any currency
exchange or language problems to worry about.
>I've read some things on this group, and from some
>other sources, that describe some dissatisfactions
>with NCL cruises. Enforced tipping by adding extra
>charges, uncooperative or unhelpful staff, things
>costing extra when they shouldn't, and that sort
>of thing.
>
All the mass market lines have some variation of mandatory tipping or
service charge. You might call this enforced tipping. Since the
workers are paid very little and have long hours, they rely on tips to
make up their salaries. In the old days it was less regimented and
easier to stiff the workers. You can still do that if you want to,
but it will take a more concentrated effort.
Adding extra charges is not IMHO connected with the tipping/service
charge thing. Generally one tips extra the room service waiter, and
there are extra 15%% added to alcoholic beverage orders. We usually
also give extra to the cabin steward.
The things that people complain about costing extra are things that
used to be free and now have a charge. But it is the same as the
extra charge on checked baggage and the lack of meals on the airlines.
Rising prices of operation have forced a decision - either raise
prices to cover the additional costs, or charge extra for some things
that used to be free. My gym informs us that they will no longer
supply towels for the showers and to clean off the equipment. They
said they were losing $4K a month in missing towels
NCL is a very basic cruise line which has a very low initial cost, and
they have extra charges for a lot of things. I like this because I
don't want those things, and I don't want to pay in my cabin price for
other people to have those things for free. That is - I don't play
bingo so it makes absolutely no difference to me that the charge more
than Carnival or some other cruise line for bingo cards.
>Now I understand that alcoholic beverages, sodas,
>and things of that nature are extra, but I have the
>general impression that one is supposed to be able
>to saunter into any of the eateries, and be seated,
>when, from what I've read, this simply is not the
>case. Neither I nor my bride are much into art, we
Well it is and it isn't. All of the extra price restaurants require
reservations. You can go and ASK if they have a table, and they may
be able to give you one at the time you ask if it is off hours (very
late for instance) or they aren't busy
At the main restaurant if you want to eat in the very busy time frame
(usually around 7 pm), you may have a wait but you don't need
reservations. We prefer to eat early, so we go early right as the
restaurant opens and are always seated very quickly. The same if you
like to eat late. Just wait until the crowd clears out and then go.
If you do not want to wait during the busy times, you can go to the
buffet, but I have some pain in my back if I have to stand, so I use a
cane, and I prefer not to eat in the buffet for that reason. Only if
we come back onto the ship at an off hour when the restaurant isn't
open, the buffet will be a good option.
>aren't the "spa treatment" type, and pre-planned
>shore excursions don't really appeal to either of
>us. As for going ashore, we would only want to look
>around, peek into a few places, and not really be
>led around, so to speak.
>
I have happily taken some ship excursions and also have done the port
as you indicate - just getting off and walking around. I don't think
you will have any trouble doing that in any of those ports. Some
ports there are excursions that would be difficult to do on your own.
>From much of the slick advertising in the magazine
>they sent us, the TV ads I've seen, and their web
>pages, NCL claim a good story when they advertise
>their "freestyle" cruises, but from some of the items
>I have read on discussion fora, it appears that when
>you actually get on board, everything is extra. This
>is where I feel totally underinformed. They say that
>"you're free to whatever" but in order to do anything
>it costs extra.
>
It is not true that everything costs extra. I was always aware when I
picked something whether it cost extra or not.
>I would prefer to know, in advance, exactly what to
>expect, lest something unexpected happen, or I may
>end up embarrassing myself and my bride by losing my
>temper. I would prefer this to not happen, if possible.
>
I can't tell you that nothing unexpected will happen. So my advice is
to cultivate an island attitude in advance.
>Where exactly does one find the specific list of
>things that "come with" a cruise, and those things
>that cost extra, *before* one gets to the ship?
>Can I bring my own laptop and use it?
Yes I always bring mine. You pay for the internet and it will
probably be a slower connection than you are used to, but I find that
my laptop is faster than the internet cafe computers..
>Neither of us are the best at meeting new people. I
>tend to hang back and always watch things, and she is
>fairly shy and retiring. We aren't anti-social, but
>we just don't walk up and start gladhanding people.
>What's the best way to meet new people to hang out
>with?
>
The CC website review on Majesty says
"Tables for two, four, six and eight are featured. Dining rooms are
assigned by cabin location (but guests can make specific requests of a
restaurant and table size if available)."
I have not found this to be true on NCL in general, but if it is, ask
to sit at a table for 8. If not, I would go to the dining room and
ask to share a table with other people.
The other thing to do is to look at the daily bulletin which will be
given to you when you board and each night. It will have a complete
list of the day 's activities. So you can go and play trivia and team
up with other people (don't be shy about this, it is expected), and
you can go to shows or lectures or do whatever other activities there
are on board - it will be in that bulletin.
>I found answers for most of my other questions on
>the Cruisecritic boards, which I hadn't seen before.
>
>Thanks again folks!
