Would you support a Drink Alternative Perk?

For those of us who do not drink alcohol, the Ultimate Beverage Package (UBP) as a perk is appealing because – even though we would have access to nonalcoholic beverages – the 18% gratuity charge would be more than the full cost of the soda package.

Would you like it if the perk structure had as an alternative – when offered – the UBP or the Soda Package?

If the alternative offered soda, juice, and bottled water.

And coffee...

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And coffee...

 

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And coffee...

AND COFFEE... !!!!!

Second that !

It is about time for a COFFEE drinkers cruise with a CBP (Coffee Beverage Package)

Also would like the ability to mix/match. My partner can't tolerate alcohol (much to his dismay) but is "forced" to get the UBP if I do. Sure, we know some people would cheat and sneak drinks for their cabin-mates, but why "punish" the rest of us.

Also would like the ability to mix/match. My partner can't tolerate alcohol (much to his dismay) but is "forced" to get the UBP if I do. Sure, we know some people would cheat and sneak drinks for their cabin-mates, but why "punish" the rest of us.

I'd be fine with choice of soda or alcohol package even if I still had to pay the gratuity, but I do understand why its all adults or nothing, I have seen the abuse firsthand.

Even at $99.54 for the week, the UBP promo is still a good deal for those who don't drink alcohol. There are enough "virgin" drinks to go around.

I would really be interested in a non alcoholic beverage package. The problem with just swapping out a soda package instead of UBP is that the soda package really doesn't cost much to begin with and it's only fountain soda. The, "grats" on the package probably don't make it worth it to NCL either.

I could see it being mutually beneficial if they sold tiered packages. Some sort of true ultimate beverage package that they collect an upgraded fee for those who wanted; alcoholic beverages, canned soda, water bottles and specialty coffee. Ideally if a person didn't want any alcohol they could have this package minus the alcohol for a lower rate. Ncl would collect a lot more $ and a non alcoholic beverage drinker would be happy. This would be quite possibly a great profit for NCL because they could mandate that if one in the cabin took the upgrade then all had to.

A non alcoholic beverage drinker taking the UBP as is with the fees being higher than a soda from a gun package isn't practical for most.

I would never dream of cruising on one of their AI sailings. Their ai sailings still don't include any beverage I want and it would be a deal breaker to have an UBP in current form rolled into my fare yet still have an immense bar tab because all my drinks aren't included in their UBP.

I have never had a bad NCL cruise and love the line but their beverage package structure is a big thorn in my side.

I would certainly be willing to pay more than the current soda package cost for a non alcoholic beverage package that included water bottles, canned soda and specialty coffee even if it wasn't offered as a free at sea perk.

I could see it being mutually beneficial if they sold tiered packages. Some sort of true ultimate beverage package that they collect an upgraded fee for those who wanted; alcoholic beverages, canned soda, water bottles and specialty coffee. Ideally if a person didn't want any alcohol they could have this package minus the alcohol for a lower rate. Ncl would collect a lot more $ and a non alcoholic beverage drinker would be happy. This would be quite possibly a great profit for NCL because they could mandate that if one in the cabin took the upgrade then all had to.

 

I can just imagine the sharing if they had a tiered program. One person would purchase the top tier and the other the bottom tier and then share the alcohol.

If they mandate everyone in the cabin upgrade they would avoid this and make even more $.

Sharing with a cabin mate who's underage or in a different stateroom would be treated same as it is now.

I get why both adults have to choose the UBP for a perk. I also have seen people buying drinks for others. My hubby doesn't drink alcohol but gets his money's worth with the mock tails, soda and juices. I do drink alcohol and definitely get my money's worth.

And coffee...

 

AND COFFEE... !!!!!

 

Second that !

 

It is about time for a COFFEE drinkers cruise with a CBP (Coffee Beverage Package)

Only if they add about five more coffee bars. It already takes a long time to get a latte or a cappuccino. If they were free the line would never end at the Atrium cafe!

If people under 21 get the soda package instead of the UBP, why can't an adult request that if both in the cabin just want the soda package instead? (I know the obvious answer is that they make more money that way.)

If people under 21 get the soda package instead of the UBP, why can't an adult request that if both in the cabin just want the soda package instead? (I know the obvious answer is that they make more money that way.)

I believe you can downgrade to the soda package. I mean obviously they get less money but a happier customer. And less cost.

Oh. That's good. :)

The funny thing is if you have 3 or more adults and the first two get the perk then the third does not have to perchase. So that is still a way some may still be cheating

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I believe you can downgrade to the soda package. I mean obviously they get less money but a happier customer. And less cost.

Getting two free soda packages would only be worth $15/day ($7.50 per person), so unless you are taking a long cruise, it would be better value to choose a different perk altogether (dining package or internet).

For those of us who do not drink alcohol, the Ultimate Beverage Package (UBP) as a perk is appealing because – even though we would have access to nonalcoholic beverages – the 18% gratuity charge would be more than the full cost of the soda package.

 

 

Would you like it if the perk structure had as an alternative – when offered – the UBP or the Soda Package?

The difference in the service charge on the UBP vs full price soda package is only $75.18 for 2 adults. Doesn't really take that many mock-tails to make up the difference, so in my opinion the UBP as a perk is worthwhile if you'd be purchasing a soda package anyway. If you wouldn't be purchasing even that, then of course the UBP isn't worth it.

It's absurd that alcoholic drinks up to $15 are included, but a bottle of water isn't, but that's a complaint for another thread.

They make exceptions for friends of Bill or legit medical reasons etc. Just let them know.

What I had in mind here was, when the Ultimate Beverage Package was offered as a perk, that perhaps there could be and "OR" included which would allow the cruiser to select the Soda Package, or even better to select what has been proposed here, the Ultimate Non-Alcoholic Beverage Package (UNABP), which would include sodas, juices, coffees, teas, and water, for $14.50 per day when paid for (plus gratuity), or just paying the 18% gratuity when it is a perk.

I'm not trying to figure a way to sneak (or steal) alcohol. I am trying to figure out a way for people who have no interest in the alcohol to get a good beverage plan, without paying for the alcohol.

What I had in mind here was, when the Ultimate Beverage Package was offered as a perk, that perhaps there could be and "OR" included which would allow the cruiser to select the Soda Package, or even better to select what has been proposed here, the Ultimate Non-Alcoholic Beverage Package (UNABP), which would include sodas, juices, coffees, teas, and water, for $14.50 per day when paid for (plus gratuity), or just paying the 18% gratuity when it is a perk.

 

I'm not trying to figure a way to sneak (or steal) alcohol. I am trying to figure out a way for people who have no interest in the alcohol to get a good beverage plan, without paying for the alcohol.

You're not paying for alcohol. You're paying for the gratuity. Which in my own humble opinion is not that huge of a cost. On a 7 day sailing it works out to $99. I'm sure if a non alcoholic UBP was introduced the cost would not be that significantly different from what one pays now. A non alcoholic strawberry daiquiri is approximately $6. If they were to offer that option if pretty sure it would be like $50 per day plus the added gratuity. So again maybe a savings of $40-50. Not a huge difference.

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I'm just saying offer the the soda package as an alternative when the UBP is offered as a perk.

As you say the gratuity on the UBP for a week is $99, rather than pay that a person can pay the full price for the soda package plus gratuity at $62. I'd rather just pay the gratuity on the soda package than have to buy the whole thing. Thant's all.

You're not paying for alcohol. You're paying for the gratuity. Which in my own humble opinion is not that huge of a cost. On a 7 day sailing it works out to $99. I'm sure if a non alcoholic UBP was introduced the cost would not be that significantly different from what one pays now. A non alcoholic strawberry daiquiri is approximately $6. If they were to offer that option if pretty sure it would be like $50 per day plus the added gratuity. So again maybe a savings of $40-50. Not a huge difference.

 

 

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That sounds good IF all you want for the vacation is soda from a gun and the super sugary drinks.

I assume MANY people want bottled water, canned soda AND there's money for NCL to be selling these items/banning passengers from bringing onboard. they even hauled out staff and garbage pails from ship to shore in the scorching heat to confiscate them from passengers standing in tender lines to get back on the ship in Santorini. They go to great lengths to make sure the cans of soda and bottles of water on their ships are purchased from NCL.

The UBP has many options for a drinker. They can pay a corkage fee and supplement the wine choices for not that much extra cost. They can pay an up charge for premium liquor brands. They have several brands of beer, wine, hard alcohol... to choose from and as a perk it's not much cost even for a lite drinker or only one in the cabin drinker.

For a non alcoholic beverage drinker the choices are severely limited. Example on my upcoming cruise I'm in a suite. I get a bottle of sparkling alcoholic wine and another bottle for latitudes perk. I may or may not be able to trade it out but I will plan on not being able per 50/50 odds in the past.

I'm not paying the grats on the UBP because it doesn't cover anything I want. I want soda cans from my mini bar. I want the pelligrino water, water bottles, the specialty coffee in the morning... if I was an anomaly in this regard NCL would not be going to all the trouble they do to ban these items from being brought aboard.

So why in the world would they not offer a non alcoholic premium package of any sort for a non drinker? It only creates animosity. I see the need for them to make as much as possible but this could easily be accomplished by creating some sort of non alcoholic premium inclusive package, additional premium charge on the UBP... there's an arsenal of choices available on other lines NCL could borrow from or improvise on to make more money than the competition. I'd easily pay even the fees that celebrity charges for their premium non alcoholic package.

I think that you are in some ways an anomaly, because I think that most people who were bringing canned sodas on board were doing it because they wanted _free_ sodas, not because they were unhappy with fountain sodas. (Of course everyone wants the stuff in the minibar, that's the whole point of the minibar.) Now that NCL is cracking down on carry-on sodas, I think many of those people are fine with the fountain soda package (or they're just getting the full UBP now).

I have very little understanding of what is happening in the minds of people who regularly drink bottled water.

As for coffee, up to now the prices on NCL have been very reasonable, but with the partnership with Starbucks, maybe they will finally introduce some kind of coffee card or covfefe package.