"Choice Promotion Service Charge" What is it??

It's the same gratuity as if you were buying drinks. It went up from 15% to 18%. It is paid all at once based on the cost of the UDP. You can give them an additional tip if you feel the service warrants it, but you do not have to since it is already paid for.

Just my opinion butthey lost me I specifically opted for another cruise line because of this idiocy by NCL I don’t mind tipping staff and always do but I was going to book the Encore online and the computer wanted to add $249.20 to my unlimited drinks package there is no way in hell my wife and I are going to drink enough drinks that we would spend $249.00 in tips for drinks alone!

They are being totally unreasonable, assuming I spend $12 per drink which is not the case as soft drinks and house drinks are much cheaper at 18% tip that’s $2.16 tip per drink that means that based on their $249.00 drinks service charge I would have to have 115 drinks.....not gonna happen they should stop with this free at sea crap promotion it’s really not free! FREE DRINKS WOULD BE FREE DRINKS AND THEY PICK UP THE SERVICE CHARGE AS WELL - that’s what free means.

Reminds me of the old commercials where they offer you a free product and say it’s FREE!!! Plus $11.95 shipping and handling lol... and that’s probably what the item is worth to begin with

I know I don’t have to choose the unlimited drinks package if I don’t drink a lot but it’s the way they stick the service charge based on their estimate of what I’ll drink that aggravated me.

So buyer beware - calculate on average what you actuallly drink on vacation it’s probably much cheaper to pay for your drinks as you go.

Also what do they do with the left over tips if you don’t drink as much as they Estimated? do they refund it because they overestimated the tip??? Lol I’m sure they don’t.

NCL and RCL have been jacking up their prices to the point that they are becoming unaffordable for the average middle class family of 3 or 4 especially since I think they don’t have reduced kids and teen rates either.

 

I know I don’t have to choose the unlimited drinks package if I don’t drink a lot but it’s the way they stick the service charge based on their estimate of what I’ll drink that aggravated me.

If they eliminated the promo but sold a "..drink as many $15 drinks that you want for $17.80 per day...", would you buy it?

So buyer beware - calculate on average what you actuallly drink on vacation it’s probably much cheaper to pay for your drinks as you go.

Also what do they do with the left over tips if you don’t drink as much as they Estimated? do they refund it because they overestimated the tip??? Lol I’m sure they don’t.

Just my opinion butthey lost me

blah blah blah blah blah

Thanks for bumping a thread that had been dead 2 years.

If they eliminated the promo but sold a "..drink as many $15 drinks that you want for $17.80 per day...", would you buy it?

 

Unlikely. Anyone who has more than 2 drinks per day is better off with the UBP promo.

 

The service charge is based on the cost of the UBP and not on the number of drinks.

Great way to describe it.

Just my opinion butthey lost me I specifically opted for another cruise line because of this idiocy by NCL I don’t mind tipping staff and always do but I was going to book the Encore online and the computer wanted to add $249.20 to my unlimited drinks package there is no way in hell my wife and I are going to drink enough drinks that we would spend $249.00 in tips for drinks alone!

 

They are being totally unreasonable, assuming I spend $12 per drink which is not the case as soft drinks and house drinks are much cheaper at 18% tip that’s $2.16 tip per drink that means that based on their $249.00 drinks service charge I would have to have 115 drinks.....not gonna happen they should stop with this free at sea crap promotion it’s really not free! FREE DRINKS WOULD BE FREE DRINKS AND THEY PICK UP THE SERVICE CHARGE AS WELL - that’s what free means.

 

Reminds me of the old commercials where they offer you a free product and say it’s FREE!!! Plus $11.95 shipping and handling lol... and that’s probably what the item is worth to begin with

 

I know I don’t have to choose the unlimited drinks package if I don’t drink a lot but it’s the way they stick the service charge based on their estimate of what I’ll drink that aggravated me.

 

So buyer beware - calculate on average what you actuallly drink on vacation it’s probably much cheaper to pay for your drinks as you go.

 

Also what do they do with the left over tips if you don’t drink as much as they Estimated? do they refund it because they overestimated the tip??? Lol I’m sure they don’t.

 

NCL and RCL have been jacking up their prices to the point that they are becoming unaffordable for the average middle class family of 3 or 4 especially since I think they don’t have reduced kids and teen rates either.

Not only did you start your own thread on this dead horse topic, but you bumped up a zombie thread as well? I think someone needs the UBP.

We just returned from the NCL Gem... not only were we charged up front the 18% service charge for the Ultimate Drink Package that was FREE AT SEA... but then we were charged each time we ordered a drink. Wha???:mad::mad::mad:

We just returned from the NCL Gem... not only were we charged up front the 18% service charge for the Ultimate Drink Package that was FREE AT SEA... but then we were charged each time we ordered a drink. Wha???:mad::mad::mad:

Was your keycard stamped with UDP? on your edocs, does it says ultimate drink package under onboard amenity? look at all of your booking confirmations to make sure UDP is there. mostly likely they was a change on your booking that took it off.

We just returned from the NCL Gem... not only were we charged up front the 18% service charge for the Ultimate Drink Package that was FREE AT SEA... but then we were charged each time we ordered a drink. Wha???:mad::mad::mad:

Also, were you charged for every drink or were you just charged for drinks while in port?

Were you ordering drinks over the $15 limit?

BTW, welcome to Cruise Critic.

I'm sure you brought this up while you were on the ship and wondering what their answer was?

Actually, we didn't. Just to clarify... we were charged upon booking ($17.80 USD per person per day) for the UDF as our free at sea choice. Then each time we had a glass of wine (house) with dinner... we'd get charged .91 cents or something like that. In total it was under $20, so we didn't spend time trying to fix it but I'm thinking about calling since it's bothering me. Nothing was over the $15. We just made up our minds not to do any FREE AT SEA anymore because it's way too expensive. ;)

those cents was mostly likely due to the taxes when the ship is docked in certain ports

Actually, we didn't. Just to clarify... we were charged upon booking ($17.80 USD per person per day)for the UDF as our free at sea choice. Then each time we had a glass of wine (house) with dinner... we'd get charged .91 cents or something like that. In total it was under $20, so we didn't spend time trying to fix it but I'm thinking about calling since it's bothering me. Nothing was over the $15. We just made up our minds not to do any FREE AT SEA anymore because it's way too expensive. ;)

Am I interpreting the "service charge" for the UBP correctly ? If the UBP is included as a booking bonus and I decide to have three or four drinks during the cruise, will I be paying more in "service charges" than the price of the three or four drinks ?

Yes-thats why we never take the UBP. We dont drink enough to cover the gratuities!:o

Actually, we didn't. Just to clarify... we were charged upon booking ($17.80 USD per person per day)for the UDF as our free at sea choice. Then each time we had a glass of wine (house) with dinner... we'd get charged .91 cents or something like that. In total it was under $20, so we didn't spend time trying to fix it but I'm thinking about calling since it's bothering me. Nothing was over the $15. We just made up our minds not to do any FREE AT SEA anymore because it's way too expensive. ;)

Something is not right. You should not have been charged that.

We just returned from the NCL Gem... not only were we charged up front the 18% service charge for the Ultimate Drink Package that was FREE AT SEA... but then we were charged each time we ordered a drink. Wha???:mad::mad::mad:

It boggles my mind that they could’ve completely re-programmed their system for you, and then completely re-programmed it again prior to checking out the next person.

Whether it is purchased or received as a promo, no one with the beverage package is ever charged gratuities on individual drinks while on board. If you had a charge appear when you ordered a drink, it was something else. Either it was tax related to the port where you were docked, or else you went over the price of the drink. I can assure you that you were not charged gratuity on the individual drinks.

Even though it is a small amount, I would give them a call and ask what the charge was for. If you do, please come back on here and report what they said.

I would like to know what the charge was for as well. OP - was it on your final bill? If it wasn't, and you only saw this on your bar receipt, then it wasn't really a charge. It's the gratuity on the drink that you ordered. You aren't actually paying that. If it was on your final bill, then of course that's a different story.

Just my opinion butthey lost me I specifically opted for another cruise line because of this idiocy by NCL I don’t mind tipping staff and always do but I was going to book the Encore online and the computer wanted to add $249.20 to my unlimited drinks package there is no way in hell my wife and I are going to drink enough drinks that we would spend $249.00 in tips for drinks alone!

 

 

 

They are being totally unreasonable, assuming I spend $12 per drink which is not the case as soft drinks and house drinks are much cheaper at 18% tip that’s $2.16 tip per drink that means that based on their $249.00 drinks service charge I would have to have 115 drinks.....not gonna happen they should stop with this free at sea crap promotion it’s really not free! FREE DRINKS WOULD BE FREE DRINKS AND THEY PICK UP THE SERVICE CHARGE AS WELL - that’s what free means.

 

 

 

Reminds me of the old commercials where they offer you a free product and say it’s FREE!!! Plus $11.95 shipping and handling lol... and that’s probably what the item is worth to begin with

 

 

 

I know I don’t have to choose the unlimited drinks package if I don’t drink a lot but it’s the way they stick the service charge based on their estimate of what I’ll drink that aggravated me.

 

 

 

So buyer beware - calculate on average what you actuallly drink on vacation it’s probably much cheaper to pay for your drinks as you go.

 

 

 

Also what do they do with the left over tips if you don’t drink as much as they Estimated? do they refund it because they overestimated the tip??? Lol I’m sure they don’t.

 

 

 

NCL and RCL have been jacking up their prices to the point that they are becoming unaffordable for the average middle class family of 3 or 4 especially since I think they don’t have reduced kids and teen rates either.

You’re looking at it the wrong way. The UBP is now $17.80/day in service charges/gratuities. So as long as you drink 2-3 drinks a day, it pays for itself on a seven day cruise. Add in soft drinks and such as well and it definitely pays for itself.

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You’re looking at it the wrong way. The UBP is now $17.80/day in service charges/gratuities. So as long as you drink 2-3 drinks a day, it pays for itself on a seven day cruise. Add in soft drinks and such as well and it definitely pays for itself.

 

 

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I think you forgot about the inflated price paid for a cruise with UBP or any other "free" perk. Nothing is ever free in this life, except perhaps death.

 

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Not really, if you have any desire to pick your cabin location,(which most of us do) the only difference in price is the gratuity. Now if you are willing to risk a room under the disco on a guarantee, you might save some money, but I like to know where my stateroom is.

I think you forgot about the inflated price paid for a cruise with UBP or any other "free" perk. Nothing is ever free in this life, except perhaps death.

 

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I'd rather pick my cabin location and not get stuck with the room over the nightclub or next to the stairwell personally. I'd never book a sail away rate unless it was the only option left as a last resort.

Not really, if you have any desire to pick your cabin location,(which most of us do) the only difference in price is the gratuity. Now if you are willing to risk a room under the disco on a guarantee, you might save some money, but I like to know where my stateroom is.

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I didn't even mention guarantee rooms, or choosing your cabin location, simply pointing out the UBP isn't free by any stretch of the imagination, so break even point is a lot more than the 2 or 3 drinks that equate to the daily gratuities on that package.

 

 

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If you're not going to consider sail-away/gurantee cabins in your analysis, then indeed the UBP is free with the exception of $17.80/day service charge/gratuity. If we're only considering full fare, promo eligible rates, then a cabin that is $1399 WITHOUT the UBP is also $1399 WITH the UBP except you pay the gratuity as well. Free with the fine print.

It's just like the "as seen on tv" products... FREE and all you pay is shipping and handling. Same concept. The product itself is free, the S&H is not.

Well I am surprised that people are truly taken in by NCLs smoke and mirrors, and actually believe any perks including the UBP are "free. Leaving room now shaking head in disbelief...

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Well I am surprised that people are truly taken in by NCLs smoke and mirrors, and actually believe any perks including the UBP are "free. Leaving room now shaking head in disbelief...

 

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I think most people are fully aware of what they are being charged and simply made the choice. My next cruise without the free perks would cost about $300 less but by choosing to accept this expense I received $200 in onboard credit and all five of their “free” perks. I have chosen four tours and two dinner shows which along with my $50 per port discount will be paid for by the $200 OBC. Basically what I’m saying is that $300 is a pretty low price to pay for four tours, two dinner shows, three specialty restaurant dinners, 250 minutes of Wi-Fi, and unlimited drinks for seven days!

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See below:

 

 

Choose From These Offers When You Book

 

Inside or Studio Stateroom

 

 

 

FREE Soda Package

 

The first 2 guests receive free fountain sodas at every bar, restaurant & lounge for the duration of their cruise.*

 

 

FREE Dining Credit

 

The first 2 guests each receive $50 dining credit to spend at any of Norwegian’s specialty dining restaurants.

 

 

FREE WIFI PACKAGE

 

Choose this and the stateroom gets 100 free internet minutes to stay connected (aka brag about your vacation).

 

 

$50 Shore Excursion Credit

 

The stateroom receives $50 per port Shore Excursion credit, up to $200 per stateroom.

 

*Service Charge added at time of booking (Excluding Suites & The Haven). For a 7-day cruise that charge is; Ultimate Dining-$21.42, Ultimate Beverage-$68.04, Soda Package-$8.19

Just curious when did the 50.00 pp limit start for specialty dining. I rarely spend more than 30.00 but

I know there has not been a limit in the past. We use to cruise 2-3 times a year but it has been 18 months since last cruise.

Just curious when did the 50.00 pp limit start for specialty dining. I rarely spend more than 30.00 but

 

I know there has not been a limit in the past. We use to cruise 2-3 times a year but it has been 18 months since last cruise.

I think you mean when did it end. The post you quoted is over 3 years old.