Value for the Money

One of my fellow cruisers described the Norwegian Prima as a huge marketplace where 'everything is for sale'. This surprised me a bit. With meals and most drinks included (I'd been advised to take advantage of their 'free at sea' drinks, even if I don't drink much, to avoid the high per drink costs), I didn't expect there would be a lot more to buy. I despise casinos and I'm not much of a shopper so I didn't think there would be opportunities or necessities for onboard purchases. However, the cruiser's description of a 'marketplace' was apt. 

I first encountered the 'marketplace' as I was walking the hallways and admiring the artwork. I was soon approached with the offer to 'guess the weight' of a sculpture and win free raffle tickets for the upcoming art auction. This was actually one I didn't mind participating in. As much as the art auctioneer was 100% a salesman at heart, she had a wonderful sense of humor and stage presence so she was fun to watch. I had attended a fantastic art lecture she gave early on in the cruise and I didn't mind listening to her work. In fact, the ship had 3 separate art auctions and I even debated purchasing something (she's that good).  Though I tend to avoid overly 'sales' oriented folks and I quickly saw that the raffles and promos didn't actually offer anything of value, I genuinely had fun watching this incredibly talented auctioneer work. 

In addition to art, there were watches, handbags, jewelry and just about any other discretionary high end purchase you might imagine lining the halls. Like the art auctioneer who promised 'something for every budget' (and sold artwork from $25 to $16K while I watched), the Prima also offered plenty of opportunities to add to your shipboard account in small ways. Excluded food and beverages were an obvious, but popular add on. The Starbucks on Deck 8 was never without a line, despite the free drip coffee available in all the restaurants. Even within the restaurants there was sometimes specialty drinks like the 'fresh squeezed' orange juice that was excluded from the drinks package. Particularly annoying for parents was a beautiful ice cream shop that produced much more enticing looking creations than the standard buffet, but charged 'ala carte'. 

Many activities also had an extra charge- go carts, virtual reality arcade (a near must for every teenage boy), golf simulations, an escape room, spa services, and even some theater shows (Deal or No Deal, Bingo, etc) were additional cost. That's in addition to the extra charges you pay up front including a whopping $340 for 'Premium' internet that won't even upload photos and 20% gratuity for drink and specialty dining 'free' packages. I counted the number of times our Cruise Director mentioned something you could buy in his daily announcement one morning and he managed to squeeze in 12 different mentions from crystals to casino games! 

Is the Norwegian Prima a good value? I suppose it's possible, but you have to know how the system works (and even for an agent who has worked in cruising for over 20 years, this isn't easy to figure out). This starts when knowing when to buy your cruise. I failed at this one, spending twice what I could have if I'd booked last minute. However, last minute you run the very real risk of desirable dates/ itineraries being sold out and airfare costs that are astronomical. This is a huge frustration compared to small ship cruising where you can nearly always count on better deals way in advance, allowing travelers to make advance plans and take advantage of the best airfare options as they come along. 

Further, to make sure you are getting a good value, you have to be prepared for the marketplace culture onboard as well as the subtle implied peer pressure to participate in onboard extra costs. Most food and beverage bills (that need to be signed even for a $0 amount), have a space for 'additional gratuity'. The pressure is certainly there to tip more, especially when you have excellent staff and wonder if they are actually getting the 20% gratuity in addition to living wages. The implied peer pressure also extends to social gathering spaces. One of the most popular spaces to gather inside is right next to the aforementioned Starbucks where tables and comfy chairs are located next to 'floor to ceiling' windows. You don't have to buy a coffee to sit there, but cafe culture certainly reminds you that would be the most appropriate. 

All in all, I'm grateful that I partner with small ships. I feel so much more confidence that I can offer travelers an exceptional experience and that they won't come back to me frustrated by the inherently unfair pricing system, nickel and dime charges, and cruise announcements that offer 12 things to buy, but not one mention of any wildlife spotted at sea. This was a worthwhile experiment. I came home with a lot less savings, but also a true appreciation for the small ship companies I work with daily. They are everything I have come to love about travel and I feel even more confident that I'm offering my travelers not only the best experience, but the best value for that experience.