The Price of "Free"

I just booked with NCL. If you are new to cruising, or even if you aren't, you might want to know that all the "Free at Sea" options are not actually free. On a one week cruise we were asked to pay $155 per person in service charges if we chose the beverage package. This, they said, was to cover "tips", but was in addition to the traditional service charge that is added every day. We sailed with Norwegian a couple of years ago and got the beverage package,which was at that time actually free. I do not like their deceptive marketing and very nearly walked out on the travel agent when I heard about it. :mad:

Guess what....you have to purchase the package on other lines (for full price) and pay for the gratuity.

So...the package is free. Before they gave you the package and paid your gratuities.

Gee, who knew... It was well worth it to us, we actually paid for the UBP AND the gratuity on our previous cruise. Old news.

It's up to consumers to be aware of what they are getting with their cruises and promotions. Always click on promotions on the web site and read the Terms and Conditions (link is usually at the bottom of the page).

In all kind of businesses there is fine print that goes along with specials and discounts.

I wonder why it's only $124.60 pp on our cruise for the UBP? Our bar tab was always much higher than $249.20 for a one week cruise. For us, it's a bargain! :D

This, they said, was to cover "tips", but was in addition to the traditional service charge that is added every day.

Tips on beverages are not, nor never have been, included in the daily service charge, on NCL or any other line.

I just booked with NCL. If you are new to cruising, or even if you aren't, you might want to know that all the "Free at Sea" options are not actually free. On a one week cruise we were asked to pay $155 per person in service charges if we chose the beverage package. This, they said, was to cover "tips", but was in addition to the traditional service charge that is added every day. We sailed with Norwegian a couple of years ago and got the beverage package,which was at that time actually free. I do not like their deceptive marketing and very nearly walked out on the travel agent when I heard about it. :mad:

You can decline the offer and you pay zero.

Or go to another cruise line and pay for the package and the service charge.

FYI, Bartenders were never part of the DSC pool.

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Don’t take the UBP...pay as you go...it keeps my Visa from going up in smoke when I disembark....I like it myself..

I just booked with NCL. If you are new to cruising, or even if you aren't, you might want to know that all the "Free at Sea" options are not actually free. On a one week cruise we were asked to pay $155 per person in service charges if we chose the beverage package. This, they said, was to cover "tips", but was in addition to the traditional service charge that is added every day. We sailed with Norwegian a couple of years ago and got the beverage package,which was at that time actually free. I do not like their deceptive marketing and very nearly walked out on the travel agent when I heard about it. :mad:

It's not deceptive marketing at all....it's plainly stated in black and white and you know exactly what you are paying for when you elect these "free" promos.

without the package, each drink you get at the bar automatically includes a 20% gratuity

Choice A - have the UBP and the service charges rolled into your fare.

Choice B - have NCL include the UBP in your cruise fare and the guest pays the service charge.

Choice C - don't take the UBP and pay for drinks/service charge a la carte.

Which would you prefer? (Drinks aren't "free" no matter what you choose)

This thread is like telling us water is wet. I sailed NCL in 2016, Carnival last year, and NCL again for 2019. Go see if Carnival gives you a drink package or any discount at all. We paid almost $900 for our Cheers package on the Vista for our 8 day in 2017. I'm paying $450 for the service charge only for our drink packages for 15 days on our NCL Panama Canal cruise next year. That alone was a huge perk and reason we booked the Panama Canal cruise. It would be $1700 for Cheers on Carnival or any other line like Royal Caribbean for the same 15 day cruise. NCL's deal is way better than the other line's no deal at twice the price. I'll gladly pay the service charge over the full price of Cheers on Carnival or Royal ...... I can buy plenty of water with the hundreds or thousand I save by going the NCL promo route. I paid no service charge in 2016 on the Escape but it's still the best deal around.

Merriam-Webster says "free: not costing or charging anything".

That's not: "free: not costing or charging anything, except on cruise ships where the exact meaning can be found by deciphering the lines terms and conditions."

Merriam-Webster says "free: not costing or charging anything".

 

That's not: "free: not costing or charging anything, except on cruise ships where the exact meaning can be found by deciphering the lines terms and conditions."

The drink package is free: not costing or charging anything. The tips are not free and the bar tips have never been included in the daily service charge. Pretty easy concept and nothing to decipher that I can tell.

The drink package is free: not costing or charging anything. The tips are not free and the bar tips have never been included in the daily service charge. Pretty easy concept and nothing to decipher that I can tell.

Thank you for feeling the need to explain how bar tips are mandatory on ships, which totally negates the meaning of the word "tip", and a little lesson on the history of DSC. Thereby showing that it is, in fact, NOT an easy concept.

"Free" is an easy concept. It means "no charge". Not "no charge, but we all know that our waiters have families too, so here's the bill for your free package."

I used a free meal voucher at a restaurant last week that I received for a prior service delay. I was still responsible for the tip.

So....my meal was free anyway you look at it.

I have also won a free cruise in the past. I still paid taxes and port fees.

My cruise was still free.

Thank you for feeling the need to explain how bar tips are mandatory on ships, which totally negates the meaning of the word "tip", and a little lesson on the history of DSC. Thereby showing that it is, in fact, NOT an easy concept.

 

"Free" is an easy concept. It means "no charge". Not "no charge, but we all know that our waiters have families too, so here's the bill for your free package."

If NCL called it something else then you would be fine with the service charge?

Thank you for feeling the need to explain how bar tips are mandatory on ships, which totally negates the meaning of the word "tip", and a little lesson on the history of DSC. Thereby showing that it is, in fact, NOT an easy concept.

 

"Free" is an easy concept. It means "no charge". Not "no charge, but we all know that our waiters have families too, so here's the bill for your free package."

All the main stream cruise lines charge a mandatory tip on drinks, spa services, specialty coffees... you can’t remove them. If you don’t like it, sail the luxury lines where everything is AI.

If you read the fine print terms and conditions of the Free at Sea promotion, there this:

Guest is responsible for 20% gratuities on the retail value of the Ultimate Beverage Package ($17.80 USD per person per day) and/or Soda Package ($1.50 USD per person per day) prior to cruise.

Retail value of Ultimate Beverage Package is $89.00 USD per person per day. Package price is subject to change.

you are basically saving 89 dollars per person per day using this perk

If NCL called it something else then you would be fine with the service charge?

I'm totally fine with DSC, tips attached to drink packages, in the Casino I tipped a dollar chip for each Heineken (which added up), and I tip extra for room stewards, MDR waiter, sommelier. I tipped the busboy last cruise. When on an American ship, I try to do as the Americans do.

But IMHO, when someone is selling something "for free", it's supposed to be just that. No "administration costs", no "tips", no nothing. It's false advertising if you need to check your bank account to see if you can afford something that is "free".

I'm totally fine with DSC, tips attached to drink packages, in the Casino I tipped a dollar chip for each Heineken (which added up), and I tip extra for room stewards, MDR waiter, sommelier. I tipped the busboy last cruise. When on an American ship, I try to do as the Americans do.

 

But IMHO, when someone is selling something "for free", it's supposed to be just that. No "administration costs", no "tips", no nothing. It's false advertising if you need to check your bank account to see if you can afford something that is "free".

If you book with an overseas site, you aren’t charged the extra.

I used a free meal voucher at a restaurant last week that I received for a prior service delay. I was still responsible for the tip.

 

So....my meal was free anyway you look at it.

 

I have also won a free cruise in the past. I still paid taxes and port fees.

 

My cruise was still free.

You didn't have to tip in the restaurant. The cruise was not free. You don't book a hotel and get an extra bill for tourism tax, that is supposed to be in the bill. The same for port fees, why should a customer even know they exists? That's like a cabdriver charging extra because he parked in an expensive parking lot. You are all experienced cruisers, but most people I know are not. To them, all these extra bills would certainly be a surprise.

OP: Welcome to Cruise Critic. The topic of your post has been discussed 100s of times. If you wish to discover all of the various opinions on it, find the search function. For me, the various NCL fees and service charges are fine because I like the value and quality of their product. If it bothers you, choose another cruise line. That is your prerogative as a consumer.

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you didn't have to tip in the restaurant. The cruise was not free. You don't book a hotel and get an extra bill for tourism tax, that is supposed to be in the bill. The same for port fees, why should a customer even know they exists? That's like a cabdriver charging extra because he parked in an expensive parking lot. You are all experienced cruisers, but most people i know are not. To them, all these extra bills would certainly be a surprise.

lol.....:rolleyes:

They didn't send a car to pick me up either. Why should I have to bear the expense of driving to the restaurant. I had to fly to the cruise....I guess they got me there also.

I just booked with NCL. If you are new to cruising, or even if you aren't, you might want to know that all the "Free at Sea" options are not actually free. On a one week cruise we were asked to pay $155 per person in service charges if we chose the beverage package. This, they said, was to cover "tips", but was in addition to the traditional service charge that is added every day. We sailed with Norwegian a couple of years ago and got the beverage package,which was at that time actually free. I do not like their deceptive marketing and very nearly walked out on the travel agent when I heard about it. :mad:

Nothing deceptive at all. You should always fully understand the cost of what you are booking. I think that your TA did an excellent job at advising you of the cost. The way the promotion works is clearly documented on the NCL web site.

When you booked your cruise, you also are agreeing to pay the Daily Service Charge on top of the cruise price. Again, you need to understand what is involved with your purchase.

When you book an airline ticket, you will be charged for checked luggage (most of the time). Again, you need to understand what is involved with your purchase.