Did anyone notice? That when the UBP packages came along...

they have a prosecco that is quite good (dont know the name) that is under the limit.

I see they have various Champagnes by the bottle for around $60+, and as there are six glasses per 750ml bottle, all Champagnes under $90 per bottle "should" included in the UBP.

Life is so unfair!

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You are right. Prices increased once they introduced the UBP as a promo. I stand corrected.

that the quality of drinks went off a cliff?

We have never had an issue with the quality of the drinks. We drink only top shelf, and never had a weak drink yet.

The price of the UBP has skyrocketed since it was introduced. It was about $49 pppd (maybe even a bit less) - it is now $79 pppd - an increase of about 60%. The drinks prices have risen by a large amount as well.

This I agree with.

This I agree with.

I know it. We used to pay for it. We wouldn't any more. It's cray-cray expensive now.

NO!!!!! A pina colada from a MIX???? And I bet that UBP made the cruise line money, too. Nothing has changed.

We got off the Epic this past weekend. The drinks were all very well made. With mixed drinks, we almost always got top shelf spirits without asking, and all drinks were well-poured. No watered down drinks. The thing that we did notice is that the cash price for some drinks has gone up to $16.95 with an entire category of spirits listed as "ask your server for price". Also, my favorite scotch, which was included in the package in years past has now been classified as too expensive for the UBP. No big deal, we were very happy to have the UBP as a perk and were able to easily change our drink choices.

We really didn't like the pre mixed drinks on the Epic, they just tasted different and poor. Also at Spice H2O the mixers that are usually refrigerated or on ice, were just out on the counter in the blazing sun and heat. Stomach felt very off after drinking one, then we realized why when we ordered and refused the next drink. Every other bar had the mixers on ice or refrigerated. DH has a food handler license and this is a big NO-NO. So be careful and look at where your mixers are coming from.

Safe sailing

 

If I didn't have the UBP, my bar tab might be around $250 +/- (and that would still be alot of drinking for me)....

 

 

You do realize that 4 drinks a day would be around $250 or more even a beer comes out to almost $8 after tip. A mixed drink after tip is around $12.

Now if you drink most folks will have a bill around $1200 for 2 people and that is on average of maybe 7 or 8 drinks a day per person which is easy to do on vacation. A bucket of beer is $40.

The good old days of no drink package was not that great that is why you see folks on here cruising 2 to 4 times a year back in the day they were lucky to cruise every other year or once a year.

What I noticed is that there has been a huge price increase in cruises ever since they introduced the UBP.

I totally agree! I've keep all my cruise information in a folder and was comparing prices from the first time I book a Haven room & prices have increased!

Example, my Pearl cruise to the Carribean in a couple of weeks is actually more then the Epic cruise I took in Europe in 2014!

 

The very first time we got the UBP (when it first rolled out) there was no 'extra charge' for the gratuities.....but now...$99?? really?? You would have to have about a $500 bar tab to justify $100 in gratuities....If I drank approx $75 in drinks everyday, I wouldn't even remember the cruise....let alone my name or cabin number...lol

Ok ok...$100 is still a good deal for unlimited drinks....but I certainly don't think of it as free....If I didn't have the UBP, my bar tab might be around $250 +/- (and that would still be alot of drinking for me)....

 

And yes, I agree.....fares have skyrockted lately....not seeing the deals like we used to get...

 

ps....I did notice that it has gotten increasingly difficult to get a drink with all the ubp now....

 

AND FOR GOSH SAKES PEOPLE.....TOSS YOUR BARTENDER A FEW EXTRA BUCKS....NOT LIKE THEY SPECIFICALLY ARE SEEING ANY OF THAT $99

Not true in all cases, cruises purchased in the UK with the drinks and dining promotions are not subject to gratuities and are therefore genuinely free! That said, our cruise pricing tends to be higher than the equivalent USA pricing.

I totally agree! I've keep all my cruise information in a folder and was comparing prices from the first time I book a Haven room & prices have increased!

 

Example, my Pearl cruise to the Carribean in a couple of weeks is actually more then the Epic cruise I took in Europe in 2014!

The UBP existed in 2014. It existed in 2013. Was it here in 2012? Someone else would probably know.

Just to summarize...

The idea that cruise prices increased because UBP was introduced is false.

The idea that cruise prices increased when the UBP was offered as a promo is true.

The idea that the price of the UBP itself has increased drastically since being introduced is true.

The UBP existed in 2014. It existed in 2013. Was it here in 2012? Someone else would probably know.

I can't say the dates for sure, but when I went on the Breakaway TA in April 2013 the UBP was fairly new at the time. My guess is that it was introduced in early 2013.

I made some bookings in January 2015 which were my first ones that included the UBP as a promo. From memory, this was not too long after they started offering it as a promo, so my guess is that this started in late 2014.

I can't say the dates for sure, but when I went on the Breakaway TA in April 2013 the UBP was fairly new at the time. My guess is that it was introduced in early 2013.

 

I made some bookings in January 2015 which were my first ones that included the UBP as a promo. From memory, this was not too long after they started offering it as a promo, so my guess is that this started in late 2014.

That sounds about right. We purchased it on our May 2014 and Nov. 2014 cruises, so it wasn't offered as a promo for either of those. We booked the Escape TA with promo UBP, and I think we booked that in early 2015.

any word on good red wines available?

 

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There's a Malbec on board that wasn't on every wine list available by the glass that wasn't bad. That became our go to.

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There's a Malbec on board that wasn't on every wine list available by the glass that wasn't bad. That became our go to.

 

 

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thanks. my husband hates malbec, hopefully we can find a decent cab. i'm assuming they will have ample bourbon for him.

That and there are far less bar runners then there used to be when I first started cruising.

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I have noticed that drink prices have gone up dramatically in the past several years.

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The only cab they offer is a Reserve Speciale Gerard Bertrand from France. IMO it isn't drinkable. It tastes like a weak, "acidy" merlot to me.

A few a few months ago, there was a Chateau St Jean and even a cheap Beringer Founders Estate that was drinkable. About a year and a half ago, they had a very nice selection of cabs.

The only one drinkable (for me) is their North South red blend. I can't say it's even good:( Had I known about the latest downgrade for my cruise last month, I would have carried on some bottles.

Bourbons? Those have skyrocketed, but at least they're available! Maker's Mark is now an up charge. :mad:

thanks. my husband hates malbec, hopefully we can find a decent cab. i'm assuming they will have ample bourbon for him.

It's my biggest disappointment with NCL changes/downgrades. I expected changes when the UBP promo started, but never anticipated how bad it would become. Basically, it's evolving into the Open Bar concept that's on the Sky; at least they don't charge a service fee!

From reading the comments here regarding the changes, I get the impression that the majority do not care. They seem to be happy with unlimited drinks for either "free" or for the approx. $90.00 service fee. If I was primarily a beer, pre-made cocktail, and/or well brand liquor drinker, I'd probably feel the same.

that the quality of drinks went off a cliff?

From reading the comments here regarding the changes, I get the impression that the majority do not care. They seem to be happy with unlimited drinks for either "free" or for the approx. $90.00 service fee. If I was primarily a beer, pre-made cocktail, and/or well brand liquor drinker, I'd probably feel the same.

I'm one that doesn't care too much.

For me, I have never expected to be able to get my usual favourite drinks when I'm on holiday. As long as I can get a reasonable drink then I'm fine. I've got plenty of opportunity to drink my favourites at home.

The beer selection isn't great, but there are a couple that are OK. I end up drinking Sam Adams when I'm onboard. Far from my favourite, but quite drinkable. I like an occasional Angry Orchard. The red wines are certainly not a great selection by the glass, but I've always found one or two that aren't too bad.

Add in maybe a cocktail a day and the occasional Black Label in the evening and I'm quite happy. It's a lot different to what I would drink at home, but that's always the case whether I'm away in Europe or the States. It's part of being away from home for me.

NONE.

In recent years (Epic, Pearl and Escape) I have seen

Veuve Clicquot by the glass....range $20-29 glass + grats. $22 average w/o grat. Yes, you can credit your $15 towards the price.

They offer one prosecco now: Extra Dry Terre Di Rai DOC

What sparkling wines and Champagnes are available by the glass for less than fifteen bucks?

 

If a Champagne is $18 can you pay the $3 difference?

 

 

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this is all kind of crappy. we're not snobs, but my husband drinks Sierra Nevada and knob creek. we like deep red wines. i'm not sure why one wouldn't expect good things to drink when on vacation. i might have to swallow that crazy corkage fee on a couple bottles of good wine. boo.

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i'm not sure why one wouldn't expect good things to drink when on vacation.

I think what NCL will do before long is what other lines are already doing: offering a basic package and a premium package. The promotional perk would obviously only be the basic package, which would only include call brands and the cheapest wine, etc. (in other words, less than what the UBP currently includes). The premium package would have a higher dollar limit than the current UBP, and maybe include coffee and precious precious bottled water :cool: I suspect that a lot of people would be happy to pay to upgrade to a premium package (of course depending on the price and the specific inclusions/exclusions).

If they had just done this from the beginning, they could maybe have avoided all the crazy price hikes, which make them look really bad compared to other cruise lines. At the same time, very few people are actually paying those prices (except for the 18%), so it's kind of lose-lose for NCL.

that the quality of drinks went off a cliff?

My gin martini tastes just as good as it always does.