Jump to content

Free at Sea...really Free on NCL?


Lunchlady
 Share

Recommended Posts

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....

The UBP (beverage package) is free, it is the gratuities/service charge on that package that is not free.

 

If you don't think you would drink $249 worth during your cruise, then I wouldn't take the perk and just pay by the drink.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We keep seeing you this "issue" pop up regularly, but it does baffle me. It seems NCL is pretty transparent about gratuity charges applying to their perks. Personally I always use their website to model the cruise I'm interested in and to see approximate charges, and then I talk with my TA to see how they come out. Those gratuity fees are pretty clear.

 

Of course everyone has to estimate their own anticipated intake and costs to see if they come out ahead or not. We enjoy our cocktails, so for us, the UBP is a great deal!

 

Sent from my ZTE A2017U using Forums mobile app

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When 3rd/4th are free, taxes, port fees, and DSC are still applicable.

 

When the UBP is free, a 20% (based on the UBP's price) service charge is automatically added.

When the SDP is free, a 20% (based on the SDP's online price) service charge is automatically added.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you read the fine print aka the terms and conditions of the free at sea, it is clearly written in plan text:

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.

Guest is responsible for 20% gratuities on the retail value of the Specialty Dining Package prior to cruise.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you purchased the package, you would pay $623.00 per person for a 7 night cruise, plus $124.60 per person for the 20% gratuity on the package. So the package price is free ($623.00), and you just pay the gratuity.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's up to you if you think it's worth paying the gratuity. It pays for itself after a few drinks, depending on what you get.

 

On my upcoming cruise, it works out to $17.77/day. Drinks are at least $5, IIRC, and a number of them are $10 or so. Of course, that cruise is port intensive and won't involve a lot of drinking, like some Caribbean ones would, but a beer or two during the day, wine at dinner, a cocktail or two in the evening...maybe more if you're partying, heh...I think it's worth it.

 

It also means you don't have to worry about it as you go along (which could also be bad!), like, "I'd like another drink, but eh...I'm going to have such a huge bill at the end of this...maybe I shouldn't."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For legal reasons, free should be completely free. If McDonalds offered you free fries with your burger, you get them free, you don't pay taxes or gratuity on them.

 

Instead of pre-paying gratuity which the NCL waiters NEVER see, just make drink packages completely free with the expectation that you must offer cash tip to the waiters for every single drink. That is more than fair.

 

NCL is just pocketing the pre-paid gratuity for extra profit like a typical corporation. Your drink package isn't free. It's paying for the Johnny Walker Black Label and coke you ordered.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

For legal reasons, free should be completely free. If McDonalds offered you free fries with your burger, you get them free, you don't pay taxes or gratuity on them.

 

Instead of pre-paying gratuity which the NCL waiters NEVER see, just make drink packages completely free with the expectation that you must offer cash tip to the waiters for every single drink. That is more than fair.

 

NCL is just pocketing the pre-paid gratuity for extra profit like a typical corporation. Your drink package isn't free. It's paying for the Johnny Walker Black Label and coke you ordered.

 

 

And not one single person bats an eye or whines on a message forum when gratuities or service charges and port fees are charged on free passengers. Why? Because people can just be grateful, use their brains, and spot a bargain when given one. Well, most people.

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For legal reasons, free should be completely free. If McDonalds offered you free fries with your burger, you get them free, you don't pay taxes or gratuity on them.

 

Instead of pre-paying gratuity which the NCL waiters NEVER see, just make drink packages completely free with the expectation that you must offer cash tip to the waiters for every single drink. That is more than fair.

 

NCL is just pocketing the pre-paid gratuity for extra profit like a typical corporation. Your drink package isn't free. It's paying for the Johnny Walker Black Label and coke you ordered.

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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

 

Agreed, nice not having to pay the service charges in Australia. Not sure about paying more for the cruise these days, its just currency conversion. And when you look at the average salary in Australia versus the US, we do ok.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For legal reasons, free should be completely free. If McDonalds offered you free fries with your burger, you get them free, you don't pay taxes or gratuity on them.

 

Instead of pre-paying gratuity which the NCL waiters NEVER see, just make drink packages completely free with the expectation that you must offer cash tip to the waiters for every single drink. That is more than fair.

 

NCL is just pocketing the pre-paid gratuity for extra profit like a typical corporation. Your drink package isn't free. It's paying for the Johnny Walker Black Label and coke you ordered.

For legal reasons, some expenses are business expenses and some are write offs. And no public ally traded company wants write offs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For legal reasons, free should be completely free. If McDonalds offered you free fries with your burger, you get them free, you don't pay taxes or gratuity on them.

If you get a coupon for a free meal at a restaurant, one usually leaves a tip.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For what it's worth, if you were dining at a land-based establishment and had a coupon for a "free" anything, common sense dictates that your gratuity is still calculated on what you would have paid without the coupon/offer.

 

Way back in the day, Dear Abby (and others) would say "if you cannot afford the tip, stay home."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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

 

so get the package now if you intend on getting it before they increase the prices once again(if they do). At least you'll be grandfathered in.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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

 

so get the package now if you intend on getting it before they increase the prices once again(if they do). At least you'll be grandfathered in.

 

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!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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!!

 

I agree, their drink package SUCKS. No water, no coffees, no powerades,

 

But it seems that it doesn't stop people myself included from choosing the beverage package as their "freebie" . I rather pay just my service charges for gratuities upfront with this "freebie" than to have a bar bill with service charges at the end of my cruise.

I'm on vacation, ill splurge a little. I don't mind paying the extra $$ service charge for unlimited booze. It is what it is. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree, their drink package SUCKS. No water, no coffees, no powerades,

 

But it seems that it doesn't stop people myself included from choosing the beverage package as their "freebie" . I rather pay just my service charges for gratuities upfront with this "freebie" than to have a bar bill with service charges at the end of my cruise.

I'm on vacation, ill splurge a little. I don't mind paying the extra $$ service charge for unlimited booze. It is what it is. :)

 

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

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For legal reasons, free should be completely free. If McDonalds offered you free fries with your burger, you get them free, you don't pay taxes or gratuity on them.

 

Instead of pre-paying gratuity which the NCL waiters NEVER see, just make drink packages completely free with the expectation that you must offer cash tip to the waiters for every single drink. That is more than fair.

 

NCL is just pocketing the pre-paid gratuity for extra profit like a typical corporation. Your drink package isn't free. It's paying for the Johnny Walker Black Label and coke you ordered.

 

 

 

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

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share

  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...