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xyzxyz
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Posted: Thu Jul 17th, 2008 05:45 pm | 1st Post |
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Would the members of the board care to suggest what NCL can do to encourage passengers to book another cruise?
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ristallnight
Super Cruiser
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Posted: Thu Jul 17th, 2008 05:55 pm | 2nd Post |
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No need from me. NCL is the only lines on which we book. Any suggestions for them to improve we take to the HD.
All is HAPPY on the home front.
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Dave
The mockingbird can change its tune 37 times in 7 minutes. Politicians regard this ability with awe. (copied)
SPIRIT 1 nighter - Oct 2008
JEWEL - New England - Oct 2008
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cruisingfromMN
Frequent Cruiser
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Posted: Thu Jul 17th, 2008 09:15 pm | 3rd Post |
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ristallnight wrote: No need from me. NCL is the only lines on which we book. Any suggestions for them to improve we take to the HD.
All is HAPPY on the home front.
Ditto here. Oh, wait maybe one thing... for the Upsell Fairy to call for my upcoming cruise. Two owners and two AB's are left.
Now that would be cool
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NCL:
Dream: Caribbean 1997
Majesty: Caribbean 1999
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Jewel: Mediterranean 2006
Star: Mexican Riviera 2007
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BAMA X 2
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Posted: Thu Jul 17th, 2008 09:17 pm | 4th Post |
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xyzxyz wrote: Would the members of the board care to suggest what NCL can do to encourage passengers to book another cruise?
They could become RCCL!
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scrappy
Funnel Deck Cruiser
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Posted: Thu Jul 17th, 2008 10:04 pm | 5th Post |
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Maybe banning Bama from singing onboard?
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insidecabin
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Posted: Thu Jul 17th, 2008 10:08 pm | 6th Post |
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| Clone Klaus
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dwrist
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Posted: Thu Jul 17th, 2008 11:53 pm | 7th Post |
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insidecabin wrote: Clone Klaus
Wasn't he on the Jade with you? 
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Sharon
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A ship in port is safe, but that is not why ships are built.
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shoreguy
Charter Member
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Posted: Fri Jul 18th, 2008 12:25 am | 8th Post |
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dwrist wrote: insidecabin wrote: Clone Klaus
Wasn't he on the Jade with you?
You must be kidding. If Klaus were onboard the 
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hstrybuf
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Posted: Fri Jul 18th, 2008 12:29 am | 9th Post |
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| Considering recent reports on the Jade, there must be SOMETHING NCL could do to improve, even if it is ship specific.
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woodie
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Posted: Fri Jul 18th, 2008 06:10 am | 10th Post |
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Sort out the crew on the Jade - I have never seen such unhappy crew members on an NCL ship.
On our recent two day cruise the number of crew who smiled and acknowledged you as you passed them was virtually nil.
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woodie
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Posted: Fri Jul 18th, 2008 06:19 am | 11th Post |
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Is it just us or is Cagney's not as good as it used to be?
On our first two cruises we loved Cagney's - great service and great food.
Recently on the Jewel,Gem & Jade we have have bad experiences - some not so good food but the main problem seems to be the service - in particular getting your entrees - the salads and appetizers are served ok but then there seems to be an excessive wait for entrees - last weekend we waited 45 minutes on the Jade.
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PCD_Barb
Cruiser
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Posted: Fri Jul 18th, 2008 06:33 am | 12th Post |
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We've never sailed the Jade, so no feedback there. Otherwise, no suggestions from this NCL Cheerleader other than to keep doing what they are doing.
Oh yeah, we too would accept more calls from the Upsell Fairy!
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insidecabin
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Posted: Fri Jul 18th, 2008 07:05 am | 13th Post |
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woodie wrote: Is it just us or is Cagney's not as good as it used to be?
On our first two cruises we loved Cagney's - great service and great food.
Recently on the Jewel,Gem & Jade we have have bad experiences - some not so good food but the main problem seems to be the service - in particular getting your entrees - the salads and appetizers are served ok but then there seems to be an excessive wait for entrees - last weekend we waited 45 minutes on the Jade.
I think one of the probems is the weekend 2n cruises are over loaded, I was told that the restauants were open to 12pm to meet demand on the the previous 2n(27thJune).
Bar staff seems to like the two dayers long hours and very busy lots of drinking, cabin staff less so two turnaround days and extra tips even more unlikely.
One problem I have with corporate cruising is the sameness, same product, same menus,same shows,same same same. one cruise a year this would be fine but 3 time it gets boring, Cruise lines need to mix it up a bit give the ships some identity and rotate the product more.
I know some like this sameness and one problem is this produces a positive feed back loop since they will sale NCL more often.
So asking and listening to those that sail NCL a lot or excusively may actual be harming the repeat business a mail shot to all those that have cruises NCL once and not returned in 12months asking why might hilight some issues.
Freestyle 2.0 has made the change so NCL is fresh(ish) again that but if things stay like this for two+ years while they focus on F3 it will become boring again.
Some changes will be personal,
I think ALL ships should drop the ART auctions and hand over the space and time to other things this must be one of the largest events with the fewest active partisipants(buyers).
If they can make it a good profit center across the fleet with so few buying why not have one/two ship in the fleet focus on this and attract all the art lovers with special cruises and expand the art program NCL U-ART.
One big complaint is the nickle and diming, real or not one way to address the issue is to build some items back into the cruise fare, How about pre-paid restaurants based on cabin grade. Get some meals(voucher based) with priority reservations included based on grade.
It would need some tweeking but this is the kind thinking(based on a 7 day cruise)
GV get to eat anywhere, courtyards/suites if eaten in the courtyard or cabin 1/2 price cover and get one meal in each restaurant included along with all the other suites, balconies and Minis get 1/2 included, 1/2 bisto/cagnies/tepenyaki, 1/2 the lower price options, OV 2 meals insides 1.
The short weekend cruise program ex-uk is nice so more of those if they can fit them into the schedule but keep the prices atractive way too high this year. 12n cruises that aloow US people to fly weekends and the 2 dayers to link them up might work.
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xyzxyz
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Posted: Fri Jul 18th, 2008 06:13 pm | 14th Post |
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woodie wrote: Is it just us or is Cagney's not as good as it used to be?
On our first two cruises we loved Cagney's - great service and great food.
Recently on the Jewel,Gem & Jade we have have bad experiences - some not so good food but the main problem seems to be the service - in particular getting your entrees - the salads and appetizers are served ok but then there seems to be an excessive wait for entrees - last weekend we waited 45 minutes on the Jade.
Oh dear, I'm sorry to hear that. Was that Cagney's experience lunch or dinner? There's no way the children will tolerate such long waits; we'll have to resort to using the butler service. Anyway, thanks for the information.
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xyzxyz
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Posted: Fri Jul 18th, 2008 06:14 pm | 15th Post |
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woodie wrote: Sort out the crew on the Jade - I have never seen such unhappy crew members on an NCL ship.
On our recent two day cruise the number of crew who smiled and acknowledged you as you passed them was virtually nil.
Do you think this might have something to do with reports that many passengers were removing the gratuities from their final bill?
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woodie
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Posted: Fri Jul 18th, 2008 07:51 pm | 16th Post |
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On the two day cruises - the gratuities were paid when you booked rather than added to your on-board account. - so it should have been the opposite really.
Whilst it horrifies me that the UK passengers are trying to remove their gratuities - I can appreciate based on what we heard from both crew and passengers last weekend why some people might have resorted to it - both nights in the main dinning rooms passengers left without receiving their main courses and had in many cases waited 30 minutes or longer for a table. Plenty of officers in white suits were being kept busy trying to resolve customer complaints on the last morning!
Don't let me put you off the Jade - I think the crew will get their act together and it will be another great NCL ship - our four previous cruises with NCL have all been great - I just don't think they are offering the same high quality product on the short weekenders even if you book a suite - previously the concierges and in particular our butlers have really added to our cruise experiences. Last weekend we just got the impression they couldn't be bothered - despite indifferent service we had prepared a thank you card and tips for both - but did not see either of them on the final evening or morning so were unable to pass them on!
We will sail with NCL again (we purchased another cruise reward on board), but after last weekend have also decided to try other lines and have booked the Celebrity Solstice for our main holiday next year.
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woodie
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Posted: Fri Jul 18th, 2008 08:18 pm | 17th Post |
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We had no problems with the lunch and breakfast service in Cagneys - that was great .
It is the evening service that seems to be the problem - we were on the Jewel at Xmas and the Gem in March and dined at Cagneys twice both cruises - both times our first meals were very disappointing - with extremely patchy service. The second time the meal and service were exceptional - this may have also been to do with the fact that we had given feedback to the concierge in both cases and were looked after by the maitre-d when we dined there again.
Last weekend I found the whole experience in Cagneys very uncomfortable - all the staff seemed to be running around like headless chickens but not actually achieving anything . Customers on all the tables around us were complaining about the long wait between appetizers and entrees and were even having to pour their own wine. By the time we got our food we were tired and no longer that hungry - which was a good job as my steak was more gristle than meat , the fries were cold and onion rings cremated.
However, we thought the food in the Jasmine Garden restaurant the night before was exceptional and really enjoyed the tapas we had with our drinks at Paniolo.
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tennis
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Posted: Sun Jul 20th, 2008 12:17 am | 18th Post |
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I have to agree with the Cagney's comments. My first experience was on the Spirit in 2006 and it was fabulous-decor, food, service, everything but then this February on the Gem, I was so disappointed with the whole meal and then plus, there was an extra charge for the lobster, which was not that great either.
Also have to agree with the nickel and dimming, include the price of soda and juices etc. and then leave me alone to enjoy my time.
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