"Free" Cruise courtesy of the Evil Empire

So I got a mailer for a free cruise 7 day cruise for myself and 1 guest from Harrah's Rincon in San Diego. I make the trip down there to pick up the info today. They gave me a lei and a nice shirt that says "I got lei'd at Harrahs Souther California!". So I go home and call the Norwegian cruise representative and she informs me (after being somewhat evasive at first) that the total price of the cruise would still be around 450 bucks a person. How could I have been so foolish as to forget about the 'government fees, port fees, and mandatory 13 dollar-a-day gratuity per person per day". I figured there would be some fees, but not 450 dollars of fees on a free cruise. Is this not the equivalent of the casino saying they will comp you airfare, and then only comping half of it due to TSA fees?

Despite this I will probably still go as the only other cruise I went on was 500 bucks for 3 days and was one of the best times of my life. 450 is probably still great value for a seven day cruise, I am just slightly annoyed that they say free, when they should say half price because at the end of our conversation she said regular tickets for the same cruise (in case any of my friends want to go) would be in the 900 or 1000 dollar range (depending on which port and which cruise etc).

So should I hold a grudge against CZR for deceiving me or graciously accept the offer and be thankful of their infinite benevolence?

I'm sure beside "FREE" in the mailer there was a little asterisk, and in small print at the bottom it discussed the types of fees you would be responsible for. Although that seems like a heck of a lot of fees.

Those thousand dollar tickets also have $450 in fees, don't they? So paying $450 total is like paying 1/3 price?

Quote: rdw4potus

Those thousand dollar tickets also have $450 in fees, don't they? So paying $450 total is like paying 1/3 price?

I'm pretty sure the 900-1000 figure is with the fees included. But now that I think about it the lady I was talking to may have elected to leave out the fees in the quoted figure.

There are 3 fees on free cruises. There is the NCF (non commissionable fee), port fees, and taxes. Every person pays the port fee and taxes whether it is a free cruise or a full fair. The NCF is their way to get a little out of you. Basically it is what you cost the cruise line to be on the cruise. For the cruise we are taking in 13 days our total per person was $278. I think 158 were port and taxes and the other 120 was the Ncf.

If you book it right, it is still an assume Deal. We booked it during the unlimited alcohol promo so we got a 7 day cruise including alcohol for $556.

Oh and to answer your question at the end. I would gracially except it. If you can tell me how to have a 7 days all inclusive vacation for under 1k for 2 people then please share. Excluding time shares.

Oh, one other thing. On Norwegian you can remove the daily service charge if you go to the customer service desk on the first day. You can just tell them that you would rather tip as you see fit and they will remove it.

Quote: OzzyOsbourne

I'm pretty sure the 900-1000 figure is with the fees included. But now that I think about it the lady I was talking to may have elected to leave out the fees in the quoted figure.

Usually, they're pretty clever with quoting only the base ticket price since the fees "don't go to the operator."

Quote: rdw4potus

Usually, they're pretty clever with quoting only the base ticket price since the fees "don't go to the operator."

The quoted price will not have the port fees or the taxes. Since they are paying for the cruise there won't be a NCF So the total in fees will be less than a free cruise but there will still be some.

Quote: OzzyOsbourne

So I got a mailer for a free cruise 7 day cruise for myself and 1 guest from Harrah's Rincon in San Diego. I make the trip down there to pick up the info today. They gave me a lei and a nice shirt that says "I got lei'd at Harrahs Souther California!". So I go home and call the Norwegian cruise representative and she informs me (after being somewhat evasive at first) that the total price of the cruise would still be around 450 bucks a person. How could I have been so foolish as to forget about the 'government fees, port fees, and mandatory 13 dollar-a-day gratuity per person per day". I figured there would be some fees, but not 450 dollars of fees on a free cruise. Is this not the equivalent of the casino saying they will comp you airfare, and then only comping half of it due to TSA fees?

Despite this I will probably still go as the only other cruise I went on was 500 bucks for 3 days and was one of the best times of my life. 450 is probably still great value for a seven day cruise, I am just slightly annoyed that they say free, when they should say half price because at the end of our conversation she said regular tickets for the same cruise (in case any of my friends want to go) would be in the 900 or 1000 dollar range (depending on which port and which cruise etc).

So should I hold a grudge against CZR for deceiving me or graciously accept the offer and be thankful of their infinite benevolence?

Well the question you ask is should you be disgruntled

I am on such free cruise about once a month. It depends on how keen you are on cruising.
For me on Star cruises here in Asia I love cruising and I am paying about 20% of the normal fare plus another 10% on other things.
It used to be 10% of the normal fare so this 20% maybe the limit of what I would pay. Or I would cruise less often.
However the set-up in the US may be different as the add-on is always a substantial part of the payment.

Quote: OzzyOsbourne

So I got a mailer for a free cruise 7 day cruise for myself and 1 guest from Harrah's Rincon in San Diego. I make the trip down there to pick up the info today. They gave me a lei and a nice shirt that says "I got lei'd at Harrahs Souther California!". So I go home and call the Norwegian cruise representative and she informs me (after being somewhat evasive at first) that the total price of the cruise would still be around 450 bucks a person. How could I have been so foolish as to forget about the 'government fees, port fees, and mandatory 13 dollar-a-day gratuity per person per day". I figured there would be some fees, but not 450 dollars of fees on a free cruise. Is this not the equivalent of the casino saying they will comp you airfare, and then only comping half of it due to TSA fees?

Despite this I will probably still go as the only other cruise I went on was 500 bucks for 3 days and was one of the best times of my life. 450 is probably still great value for a seven day cruise, I am just slightly annoyed that they say free, when they should say half price because at the end of our conversation she said regular tickets for the same cruise (in case any of my friends want to go) would be in the 900 or 1000 dollar range (depending on which port and which cruise etc).

So should I hold a grudge against CZR for deceiving me or graciously accept the offer and be thankful of their infinite benevolence?

been on a free cruise thx to a non-Caesar's casino.

port taxes + tips I don't mind as much.
it's the ncf fees that bugs the hell out of me.

ncf fees are arbitrarily set by the cruise line. originally they were used to screw the travel agent out of some commission by coming up w/this bs fee.
so about $200 of every price listed is a ncf fee.

Breakdown of a $900 price tag for a cruise:
~$200 ncf
$700 actual cruise fare (that's being paid by Caesars)

then you have about $150 in port taxes.
plus ~$100 in auto-tips for a 7day cruise

so the final price of that $900 cruise is $1150.
caesars picks up $700.
you pay $450.

and you get a drink card for the bar casino (valid when the casino is open).

From what I've seen online, you can peg an estimate for the NCF at 25$ a day, and an additional 13$/day for the gratuity thing. Taxes and port fees vary a lot, but start at about 10$/day. (With NCL, per person.)

So all in all, you should plan for about 50$/person/day, plus activities on your "free" cruise. (Mine actually weighed in at just a little over that. -_-)

(And if you're curious about the gaming action-- I just tossed a post up about the ship I was just on in Other Casinos - The Americas describing the situation.)

Edit: The free drink card is kind of a joke; the dealers even were suggesting that we go back to wherever we got our offers from and complain about how lousy the ship-side casinos were to put pressure on them to improve.

Quote: GWAE

Oh and to answer your question at the end. I would gracially except it. If you can tell me how to have a 7 days all inclusive vacation for under 1k for 2 people then please share. Excluding time shares.

Oh, one other thing. On Norwegian you can remove the daily service charge if you go to the customer service desk on the first day. You can just tell them that you would rather tip as you see fit and they will remove it.

Although even an admittedly cheap and miserable bastard like me couldn't bring himself to take the tips off after seeing how hard they work. Look at the guy making hamburgers at the buffet on any Carnival cruise; likely the closest anyone of us will ever come to seeing chattel slavery.

Quote: bobsims

Although even an admittedly cheap and miserable bastard like me couldn't bring himself to take the tips off after seeing how hard they work. Look at the guy making hamburgers at the buffet on any Carnival cruise; likely the closest anyone of us will ever come to seeing chattel slavery.

Next week is our first cruise ever. I have been planning on removing the charge but after the first day my service is that good then I will leave it be. On cruise critic there are a lot of people angry right now because NCL is now charging a fee for room service. Again, if this is the case then I may remove the service charge to make up for it. We planned on coffee delivered in the AM.

Quote: GWAE

Next week is our first cruise ever. I have been planning on removing the charge but after the first day my service is that good then I will leave it be. On cruise critic there are a lot of people angry right now because NCL is now charging a fee for room service. Again, if this is the case then I may remove the service charge to make up for it. We planned on coffee delivered in the AM.

As of last week, on the Star, room service was free EXCEPT between midnight and 5AM, or for pizzas. (5$, 5$)

You could schedule breakfast to be auto-delivered between 6-10AM, or thereabouts, by hanging a card with whatever you want outside your door. (I recommend the plain croissants. They're the best croissants I've had in years... though the competition is between Costco and little Mexican bakeries who don't seem to get that it's more than just the shape.)

I can post a scan of the menu when I get around to digging through my bags if anybody cares.

Edit: Huh. Off the NCL page: "Is Norwegian Cruise Line now charging for room service? ... Norwegian Cruise Line has introduced a new enhanced room service menu that is debuting on board Norwegian Getaway and Norwegian Breakaway... Individual items on the menu remain available on a complimentary basis and a convenience charge will be added to each order placed." (Emphasis mine.)

Quote: GWAE

Next week is our first cruise ever.

Three weeks from now, my wife and I will be aboard our 16th cruise. I have not paid any sort of fee for room service since years ago when they did not have any "automated" gratuity charges and we tipped cash to our regular servers the last full day of the cruise -- room steward, dining room waiter & assistant, maitre d', wine steward, etc. Back then, I tipped the room service waiter whatever amount I felt like when he delivered the goods. Now, his tips are covered by the dining service gratuities.

Caesars doesn't value me enough to offer "free" cruises, and we have never sailed on NCL.

Quote: bobsims

Although even an admittedly cheap and miserable bastard like me couldn't bring himself to take the tips off after seeing how hard they work. Look at the guy making hamburgers at the buffet on any Carnival cruise; likely the closest anyone of us will ever come to seeing chattel slavery.

Oh! this is "chattel slavery" alright. This is the dirty little secret of the cruise industry.
That is why it is cheaper for you to go on the cruise than some sea-side or theme park resort.
They hire workers from the third world countries like Vietnam or Indonesia and the workers are paid according to the GDP of their home country.
So their average pay is about US$300 per month.
For that they work 70 to 80 hours week. I believe only Disney pay overtime if they work more than 75 hours per week.
They work 7 days a week no days off.
Done be fooled by their term "daily service charge". The workers don't see any of that money.
It goes straight to the company as income in the top and bottom line of their P&L statement.
They make it very difficult to take off this service charge. They make you jump through a few loops or attend a long interview with their senior managers.

If you feel kindly and want to give an extra tip to the worker that make your trip memorable just remember this. If it is a large outlet like the dining outlet with more than 50 workers all the tips would be pooled together. In some other smaller outlet like an obscure bar the worker get to keep the extra tip for himself.

Quote: Deck007

Oh! this is "chattel slavery" alright. This is the dirty little secret of the cruise industry.
That is why it is cheaper for you to go on the cruise than some sea-side or theme park resort.
They hire workers from the third world countries like Vietnam or Indonesia and the workers are paid according to the GDP of their home country.
So their average pay is about US$300 per month.
For that they work 70 to 80 hours week. I believe only Disney pay overtime if they work more than 75 hours per week.
They work 7 days a week no days off.
Done be fooled by their term "daily service charge". The workers don't see any of that money.
It goes straight to the company as income in the top and bottom line of their P&L statement.
They make it very difficult to take off this service charge. They make you jump through a few loops or attend a long interview with their senior managers.

If you feel kindly and want to give an extra tip to the worker that make your trip memorable just remember this. If it is a large outlet like the dining outlet with more than 50 workers all the tips would be pooled together. In some other smaller outlet like an obscure bar the worker get to keep the extra tip for himself.

ncl pays overtime

The cruise line has to pay the port fees per head and taxes to whatever entity, so they pass that charge along. The rooms themselves are virtually free to both the cruise line and the casino, because the boat sails with lots of empty inside cabins every cruise (except maybe Christmas and Easter). You notice the dates, for the most part, are specific weeks or months. The food is nearly free to them as well; they have so much extra of most things on a ship it costs them almost nothing to feed you.

You have to pay what I consider an inflated upgrade fee if you want better than an inside cabin. The last 2 cruises I took, paying the upgrade fee was only about a 10% discount off what the same (better) cabin would cost during an internet booking sale, which is how I book most of my cruises. So their point is to give you something wonderful that really doesn't cost them much of anything.

The 3 biggest revenue earners on a ship are the bars, the casino, and the shopping (usually in that order). So it's to their advantage to get a known player (since the cruise offers tend to go to the higher tier players) in a captive situation and offer gaming; only about 1 in 10 people on a cruise ship play in the casino, and most of them are people who don't normally gamble.

I can't remember whether the $13/day fee is per person, or per cabin. I thought it was per cabin, but I could be wrong.

Cruise ships have to comply with the labor laws of their flag, which is why most ships that work US ports are registered elsewhere (Bahamas or Panama are popular; very lax labor laws. NCL is better than most, registering in Norway, so contracts for laborers pay better; Disney and all Carnival lines {Princess, Holland America, Costa, etc} are among the others. US labor laws are the most expensive so cruise lines tend to avoid being American-registered if possible).

The classes within the ships tend to be paid according to their demographics and home economies, which is where they're recruited. Casinos are usually staffed with English or Eastern Europeans; Flag Officers usually Northern Europe; kitchen Phillipino; wait staff Southern Europe; room attendants SE Asia, mostly Indonesian; Cruise Directors/entertainment staff American; not sure where they get their basic sailors but not usually American. Salaries and accommodations reflect home country customs as well as ship's rank. For example, Americans need the most room to be comfortable, so they tend to be no more than 2 to a room. However, the same size room will berth 6-8 Phillipinos or Indonesians. There's a very strict but mostly unwritten code for living on ship, and demographic and job groups tend to stick together on and off the ships. Many of the staff can't disembark in American ports, either.

The rules are somewhat different for the vendors, a bit easier and separate from ship's company, but still pretty strict. All FWIW and based on dating a guy on the ships for a year.

Quote: beachbumbabs

Cruise ships have to comply with the labor laws of their flag, which is why most ships that work US ports are registered elsewhere (Bahamas or Panama are popular; very lax labor laws. NCL is better than most, registering in Norway, so contracts for laborers pay better; Disney and all Carnival lines {Princess, Holland America, Costa, etc} are among the others. US labor laws are the most expensive so cruise lines tend to avoid being American-registered if possible).

Minor quibble: Not one of the NCL cruise ships is actually registered in Norway. They are all registered in the Bahamas, except for the Pride of America, which is registered in the U.S.A. My friend worked on the Pride of America for a year.

I'm thinking of a cruise but really don't want to pay anything out of pocket, with CET sending me NCL offers for being 7 Star. Also I was considering AP opportunities on a ship that has a casino in it. Am I being too ambitious in purusing both or is there something that I'd be interested in?

also are there lots of lonely milfs on board

Djatc you are always going to have to pay the taxes.

I got a similar offer from Caesars but I had to spend 2 nights in Vegas to pick it up. I also expected the taxes but was dismayed to learn about the "Non-commissionable fare". It does seem like a bait and switch to offer something for free and then charge money for it, and if I think about it it will burn me up. So I booked the cruise for $396 and 7 nights and decided to just enjoy it and not consider the negatives. In my mind the NCF is the same thing as offering comp rooms and then charging a resort fee.

Quote: djatc

I'm thinking of a cruise but really don't want to pay anything out of pocket, with CET sending me NCL offers for being 7 Star. Also I was considering AP opportunities on a ship that has a casino in it. Am I being too ambitious in purusing both or is there something that I'd be interested in?

also are there lots of lonely milfs on board

Cross post of the action on a ship I left elsewhere: https://wizardofvegas.com/forum/gambling-outside-vegas/americas/21533-cruise-ship-ncl-norwegian-star/#post444846 Long story short: Good luck with AP. Most of my benefits came from plentiful (but unpredictable) dealer errors.

You're not escaping a lot of fees-- estimate about 30$ a day per person. (First two people. If you have extras, you can probably get them in for 10$/day in charges. Same room.) You do get food included in the bargain though.

Not many MILFs that I saw.

I believe 7stars can get a free cruise with no fees at all. Cwt picks them up. However they only give out a few of them so I am not sure how they are given out.