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Free at Sea...really Free on NCL?


Lunchlady
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I hear you and would agree.... For that price..the package should be inclusive of all beverages!!! But its so sneaky. Your thinking your getting something for free(as a sales perk) and then you see this $125/pp charge added onto the overall cruise total and I know I was trying to figure it out the 1st time I saw it.... Now I know...but for 1st timers it can be an unpleasent surprise
It's NOT sneaky when they so clearly disclose it! It's only sneaky for those that don't take the time to read the "terms and conditions!"

 

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Well it wouldn't be so bad if you just had to pay the $249 gratuities to get the beverage package for the two of you for a week but that is not the total cost of the package.

 

I just priced the cruise I am going on and I can get a "sail and sign cabin" $600 cheaper than another oceanview cabin. With the "sail and sign" cabin you don't get any "free" perks like the beverage package and you get a guarantee cabin. With the regular cabin you get the beverage package and get to pick your cabin but you have to pay $600 more plus $249 more for gratuities making it $849 for the beverages and getting to pick your cabin out of only 9 cabins that are unsold in that class and are all pretty much the same.

 

Now we do like to drink and have been on many cruises but there is no way that we are going to drink $849 worth of drinks in a week when we are in port most of the time.

 

Getting to pick your cabin out of only 9 unsold cabins in that class that are close to each other and identical is of absolutely no value and the guarantee cabin is even more valuable because you may get upgraded to a better cabin.

 

With the $849 I save by not getting the beverage package we are then able to get specialty coffee, water, ultra premium liquors, items from the minibar, sports drinks, Irish Coffee and many other drinks and still have hundreds left over.

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No, if you win a free car, or a free vacation, or a free million dollar lottery, or a free meal at ato a restaurant with Service, you pay the taxes, you pay the tip.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

 

 

Yeah. I hear Oprah. You get a car. You get a car. People were shocked to have to pay taxes.

 

If someone doesn't want to pay a small tax or fee. Opt out.

 

 

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Hi I'm new to NCL just booked a cruise with them. I choose the drink package and internet, and i prepaid my regular gratuities and paid in full for my cruise but the lady i booked with didn't say anything about gratuities for the drink package. do they charge this daily? or is it totaled in when i paid? Thanks

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Hi I'm new to NCL just booked a cruise with them. I choose the drink package and internet, and i prepaid my regular gratuities and paid in full for my cruise but the lady i booked with didn't say anything about gratuities for the drink package. do they charge this daily? or is it totaled in when i paid? Thanks
Look at your cruise confirmation and make sure it is the service charges (DSC) that you paid and not the gratuities/service charge for the drink package. The gratuities/service charge for the drink package is charged upfront and you pay at your final payment, while the Daily Service Charge is charged daily unless you pre-pay.
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Hi I'm new to NCL just booked a cruise with them. I choose the drink package and internet, and i prepaid my regular gratuities and paid in full for my cruise but the lady i booked with didn't say anything about gratuities for the drink package. do they charge this daily? or is it totaled in when i paid? Thanks

 

Have you already "Paid" as you stated?

 

If so, you know what they say bout Snoozin :*

 

NCL already billed you for the UBP Grats and you didn't notice.

 

Well if so why worry about it Now. Your balance is Zero, "Paid In Full".....

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I swear, if another person complains about the service charge for the UBP ......... Go on Royal or Carnival and pay $1000 for their week long drink package instead of a couple hundred for NCL's ...... Your complaining should subside.

 

Or Celebrity where it actually is “free” and you aren’t charge additional gratuity/service charges on the perk or pocket change on each drink while in port of Miami.

But, they are a completely different experience and lack any nightlife or real entertainment.

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I hear you and would agree.... For that price..the package should be inclusive of all beverages!!! But its so sneaky. Your thinking your getting something for free(as a sales perk) and then you see this $125/pp charge added onto the overall cruise total and I know I was trying to figure it out the 1st time I saw it.... Now I know...but for 1st timers it can be an unpleasent surprise

 

 

 

Would you not tip if a restaurant manager comped a meal? When one redeems a frequent flyer ticket, one still pays the taxes on the value of a free ticket

 

 

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There are definite issues with NCL’s “free” UBP from any consumer who overanalyzes things. They charge the most of any mass line, don’t include bottled water, and have CLEARLY run the numbers to figure out the point at which the 20% covers/surpasses what the average drink consumption is per person. In case this is news, while yes, many people will benefit from the package, plenty will not. Much like a casino, or any other business, the house will win.

It is up to us to decide if we want to participate and if the larger product is worth the additional cost.

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Can you provide a link to proof of this claim?

 

I could be mistaking it for something else but I think a link was actually posted before that gave the breakdown. Most of the amount was going into things like funds for staff medical care with a much smaller than expected percentage going to “gratuities.” But maybe that was the DSC. I’ll try and find it.

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Booking in Australia we don"t pay the 20%on the drink or specialty dinning package ,but we pay more for the cruise than the USA.

 

I believe booking in the UK is that way too, but the cruise prices have increased more than the addition of the normal extras into the cruise fare according to some (they end up booking with an American TA to reduce their overall cost, even with the 20% on perks and DSC paid at the end of the cruise).

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It's NOT sneaky when they so clearly disclose it! It's only sneaky for those that don't take the time to read the "terms and conditions!"

 

 

It's disclosed all over the place on the NCL site. Here's the first mention of the perks on the home page, with the disclosure:

 

W3fw-0jXFCOvBzFJmTx2TBDZwPhsyCkyQ2N7lnyFIvijXDSHP8jaTrBWRrSB6FJTJd8vAQOG0iPTIQ-kHcXvrC7A6ZPJ4zCtO-iVVjJ8DHr4GAGrhJYySu532_nh7uB1bx46sba-ZSAd2ISQeba2bax05TuPll5sSsDoUC82lGydO0E9XjeuxHKfgagu81ZB0svLjCTxgUO7W0eyzYBnCGNMjZMFTGakrfJOQ_5gS2s0Go4RXa-vc8JjStxVYBT2eiK02w1CkEezOdFaofqjkoD5s_7yFbxfLBJbrMK3YfpD9l6qIRJ1RjF4SkU_ot3onWiami7f0W-JRAedrK8s6AKHbN06Cy9S4WR9_Hx46w3OtFNdRYpUm9ksp-LkPtWhvYaellNS1fK8aVQruJNEO3dQ5LnQHfajvPER2_O2_D4QPOvSRGsvcZVivHhmCcnxEL2AeukI4qc6P_5QqYDuOmvRfYz3YAyK8E5S1oEffvQnfZa64ur-oOnnMePIf6BIu1l8gmEWZeg0p9ZX6NAnHzrrUpFdsEm9OenqDxLHhq3KycsrSicaMrxMyimio16Nk-7coeL_eEBFzGEJrY27MaU6nAXBDG6JkaYLuctHUxyhC2-bmYZi0wU0PcYWasFKy7wndLILkkxwnzCmZ4xCTFrcGQs8-Ebh=w923-h459-no

 

It isn't hidden in the terms and conditions. It's all over the place, including on the running total during the booking process in the right hand column.

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Or Celebrity where it actually is “free” and you aren’t charge additional gratuity/service charges on the perk or pocket change on each drink while in port of Miami.

But, they are a completely different experience and lack any nightlife or real entertainment.

 

If you look, you are paying more for the cruise fare when you choose perks on Celebrity. In this image, the upgrade to get more perks from the "Go Better" fare you can upgrade to the "Go Best" fare and pay $630 more.

 

hUW4Hpc-zlzTujj52BURLBUC5UXEquWdaUd9pdw45XX_GeahmsHUX1vfGUc5g8cqVCjloULjqL7htltx9fqgClRz8F5EGgX6gHZ7w7Ca3jZjFlyNbOkgaZbaKuRTMwMbqMvxC8I5UFf5O_I7QpbsFZzo8OQJeBYCkAxwsRAOZZM4bBGbQQq2YpmMhlCfl3NBs3Vs-uu6twXdjBQj_JaNvXZKw9BlNMBlK-u4ajzM0xAORw5FKSFBrr_ez9BBYM3IPArv97hWv87O9a0Zm5nyAyT1gN-07iCGFLw-PeW6JmZ3PSyRnKKwyEwjPeRvYpIF45_G4RX4xTUny1DgNI1j_xCWo8EPjqa94SgKWGGnN1y8oy7cGkTuBe-0f9KCsv9q0dAc1ZhcYmic9fycvxzqyXxtelBx9dj9jdUfPRwdUx4GNYb0YEKUtdKqB0SGs4iuldo1OQPHYML1I178jJoeqgwJn26wapPvx-bRqblLAGmg8YM4iPQ0k4lP52ZQ1qjDsG61XIC6pm1RKt0dabHoASWnauh6A0fIEUfRYuHbTl86Yy-MeYPuxp-6nNYka-qwfTc2cswX2tP5NhIYg32SkF7nzjCkAgJKn4iWUp6tcl35_XgBFex69tokLwQ8afu1wm-Xt3sLiypOqYRppPFhvSoMO8pE2SJF=w1255-h595-no

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Yup and its overpriced so the service charge/gratuitys are higher.... Sort of a sneaky way to advertise freebies. They price their package atleast $30/pp a day higher than other lines.....and I do not want to hear...there is no drink limits or price limits on drinks. For the majority of people its irrelevant. Just more price gouging even when they give you the package for free!!

NCL does have a price limit on drinks, it's 15.00

 

Anything over that amount you pay the difference plus 18 or 20% gratuity on the difference.

 

Not complaining one bit compared to what I'm paying for drinks on Carnival.

 

I'll gladly pay the Service Charge/gratuity on NCL for the "free" perk.

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This is a new and insightful original post. [/sarcasm]

 

 

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about to say something similar. This topic pops up about once a week I think just like gratuities used to and still do from time to time; years ago it was bringing booze on and how to smuggle it in your luggage.

 

OP, you are getting perks free, all you are being assessed is for gratuities which you pay one way or the other anyway. So what is the real question?

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We are going to Bermuda on the Dawn in June. We did consider the UDP, but with a glass of wine 3 or 4 nights with dinner, and 2-4 drinks other times. we didn't't think that we would consume $250 they charge for the gratuities. So we prepaid our daily service charge, and will use our $200 on board credit for what ever!

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There is a charge of $249.00 for bartenders for the week added to our summary of

charges...plus we added the prepaid $189 grats (which if fine) does that sound right:o

Just saying....

 

ok so I see you live in The USA so you know about tipping, taxes etc. So for example if you win a free car you must pay taxes on it, if you have a 2 for one dinner coupon it is customary to tip on the full amount and not the discounted amount, if you win a free trip you are expected to pay taxes on the amount of the trip, if you win 300,000 dollars at the casino you are taxed right then and there - so its just like your parents told you, nothing in the world is free

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I believe booking in the UK is that way too, but the cruise prices have increased more than the addition of the normal extras into the cruise fare according to some (they end up booking with an American TA to reduce their overall cost, even with the 20% on perks and DSC paid at the end of the cruise).

 

 

In the EU, NCL sales the cruises with "Premium all-inclusive" (all tax/perks/tips are included)

 

But if you calculate the US price +tax +perks+20%tip +gratuities the EU price is stilll 300Euro per person per week more then the US price. :mad:

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NCL does have a price limit on drinks, it's 15.00

 

Anything over that amount you pay the difference plus 18 or 20% gratuity on the difference.

 

Not complaining one bit compared to what I'm paying for drinks on Carnival.

 

I'll gladly pay the Service Charge/gratuity on NCL for the "free" perk.

 

Carnival's drink price limit is $50...Not that many drink prices get anywhere near that amount. Carnival is approx $50/day/pp less than NCL pp cost (when adding on gratuities) and is much more inclusive (energy drinks, specialty coffess, shakes, etc). No comparison in drink packages as a matter of fact the difference between the 2 prices (fully loaded) is almost what the daily pp cost is for the Cheers package on Carnival. So while there is savings through the perk.... the inflated gratuity charge because of the overpriced/inflated drink package cost on NCL.... greatly waters down the actual value

Edited by lcpagejr
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Your choice to either get the package or not.

 

Seems like Norwegian raises the drink package price every year and with it comes more of service charges.

2016 - $69 to $79 per person per day

2017- $79 to $89 per person per day

2018????? who knows

 

Even if the UBP price was $100 pppd, as long as it is taken as a promo, the guest is only paying $20 pppd (20%).

 

I understand that the people who are buying or are forced to buy are upset but those getting the UBP as a promo have no real reason to complain about an unlimited number (if each is $15 or less) of drinks for less than $20 a day. Everyone hates price increases. Sure, there are some things that aren't included and (if needed) must be paid a la carte but the positives far outweigh the negatives.

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