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Free Promos are Not Free


Djptcp
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We either don't drink or drink very rarely; I've actually never have bought a drink on a ship--have had a couple of free ones. So of course the drink package is a waste for us and we would never get it, especially as it doesn't offer some of the non-alcoholic drinks other lines do.

 

On NCL we do get the specialty restaurant package; the grats are extra on that, but not very high. Our problem is that the other 'free' perks offered aren't worth much to us. We might use some of the internet minutes, but probably not all and the $25 (I think) off on excursions is useless because we haven't taken a ship tour in years.

 

I do like that some cruise lines will give you OBC if, for instance, the drink package is offered as a 'free' perk but is not something we want. We can always use, say, $300 in OBC. NCL does not offer this. It's not a deal breaker for us, but we do take it into consideration.

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Speak for yourself....a good COLD Corona goes down so smooth when I board...our last cruise out of Miami on the Escape, the "system" wasn't up and running, they were just taking a count on a napkin after looking at your card for the UBP notation....I think the Bride and I went through 3-4 each...no charges ever showed up....apparently the "system" came back up when we were out in international waters. :)

I guess it does depend on how much one does drink. No one loves their wine or a few other drinks more than me, but still prior to sailing a couple is about my limit. Oh, believe I make up for that as the week or so goes by.As for your tax experience, good for you. Not that the small amount of taxes is a big thing. I just wanted to point out, so no one would be shocked about the taxes while in port in USA.

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Hence....that's why they offer this "free" drink package....though you have to "upgrade" to the higher level to qualify ....and everyone does that because of their outrageous "drink package" price....all comes out in the wash...you pay more for NCL cruise but get the drink package cheaper ....you pay less for a carnival cruise but pay more for the drink package..HOW DOES IT GO...6 of 1....half dozen of the other...LOL...HAVE TO DO THE MATH AND SEE WHICH LINE IS ACTUALLY CHEAPER FOR THE CRUISE I WANT :)

that is so true, but something some people miss is Carnival has a max number of drinks per day. NCL does not. Celebrity has no limit but the drink choices are limited to drinks under $10 or not to exceed $10. NCL has a $15 limit. It all, probably works out about the same. Let me also add, when you are discussing how much you are paying in gratuities for your promo, you are missing something. You are not charged more than the rest of us. I know our upcoming 10 day cruise does not have charges anywhere near what you are quoting. You need to get your TA to explain it to you. Obviously we are not doing a very good job.

Edited by newmexicoNita
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  • 3 weeks later...
that is so true, but something some people miss is Carnival has a max number of drinks per day. NCL does not. Celebrity has no limit but the drink choices are limited to drinks under $10 or not to exceed $10. NCL has a $15 limit. It all, probably works out about the same. Let me also add, when you are discussing how much you are paying in gratuities for your promo, you are missing something. You are not charged more than the rest of us. I know our upcoming 10 day cruise does not have charges anywhere near what you are quoting. You need to get your TA to explain it to you. Obviously we are not doing a very good job.
NCL charges a 20% gratuity on all drink packages, whether you buy them or they are one of your free perks.

 

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that is so true, but something some people miss is Carnival has a max number of drinks per day. NCL does not. Celebrity has no limit but the drink choices are limited to drinks under $10 or not to exceed $10. NCL has a $15 limit. It all, probably works out about the same. Let me also add, when you are discussing how much you are paying in gratuities for your promo, you are missing something. You are not charged more than the rest of us. I know our upcoming 10 day cruise does not have charges anywhere near what you are quoting. You need to get your TA to explain it to you. Obviously we are not doing a very good job.

 

 

 

Also, with the $15 limit, if you buy a drink on NCL that exceeds the limit, say a frozen cocktail that costs $18, you will get the $15 discounted off the price and only pay $3. I'm not sure how that works on the other lines. Frankly, the drinks package comes out to $17 and change per day for the gratuity and I'll always end up costing them money for that deal. [emoji6] Of course, YMMV.

 

 

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Hmmm...the drink pkg is a great deal at 20% gratuities...it would be even better if they didn't charge a hell of a lot more than Carnival for the CRUISE! SOOO...6 of one ...half dozen of the other....

 

 

 

You get what you pay for, except for the booze perk where you get what you hardly pay for.

 

 

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I still don't understand how people are shocked by this. When you go to a restaurant with a gift card or a coupon for a free meal, do you not tip your waitstaff?

 

I think it’s just a matter of coming from other lines that don’t charge it like Celebrity.

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Glad I'm a Brit...a Free promo here means Free...no grats or taxes can be added on, so it is actually free & well worthwhile. Always book a cruise when theres a promo on, only time we didnt was on a Transatlantic on X Eclipse and the drinks package on board cost more than the actual cruise.

 

I was curious about this as I would love to take a cruise on a Non-US ship. I lived in Europe and the pricing of everything is, well, the price - no tax (VAT already included) or tips (workers are paid a decent wage). I was just curious if they advertise the real price all along. I've seen some prices of Pullmantur that seemed reasonable. Do they take on the port charges after the fact like they do here? I wish we would go to no tipping, tax included in price in the US...

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Hmmm...the drink pkg is a great deal at 20% gratuities...it would be even better if they didn't charge a hell of a lot more than Carnival for the CRUISE! SOOO...6 of one ...half dozen of the other....

 

My NCL Bliss cruise in Jan. 2019 is less expensive than my Carnival Vista cruise was this past May.

 

Bliss -Spa Balcony,Drink Pkg, Specialty Dining (3), trip insurance

 

Vista No Spa, Purchased Drink Package, Purchased 1 Specialty Dining, no trip insurance

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I've heard on NCL a tax is charged to the drink package while at port? Is this true, and how much is it per drink? That seems ridiculous. I've never encountered this on other cruise lines. Was on the Sun in June and no taxes were charged as it was "open bar" for the entire ship, but I understand other sailings are different?

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I've heard on NCL a tax is charged to the drink package while at port? Is this true, and how much is it per drink? That seems ridiculous. I've never encountered this on other cruise lines. Was on the Sun in June and no taxes were charged as it was "open bar" for the entire ship, but I understand other sailings are different?

 

NCL does not tax anything. However, some governments can, and do, impose a tax on alcohol sales when a ship is in their port...and it doesn't matter which cruise line that ship belongs to. The government sets the amount of the tax, and as you can guess, it varies by location.

 

Not ridiculous...perfectly normal. Government imposed taxes are all too real and all too common. Just because you've "never encountered this" doesn't mean that it isn't real or that it doesn't happen.

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NCL does not tax anything. However, some governments can, and do, impose a tax on alcohol sales when a ship is in their port...and it doesn't matter which cruise line that ship belongs to. The government sets the amount of the tax, and as you can guess, it varies by location.

 

Not ridiculous...perfectly normal. Government imposed taxes are all too real and all too common. Just because you've "never encountered this" doesn't mean that it isn't real or that it doesn't happen.

 

Hmmm...what ports do you speak of? As I've said, never encountered on other cruise lines...maybe they are absorbing the cost, but NCL will not?

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Hmmm...what ports do you speak of? As I've said, never encountered on other cruise lines...maybe they are absorbing the cost, but NCL will not?

 

What cruise lines are you referring to? Which ships were you on, what dates were you there, and which ports were you in? I...and many others, have certainly encountered government imposed taxes. Even you admit to having heard about this elsewhere. It is certainly a cost that is charged and collected. A cruise line is a for-profit business, they aren't going to pay taxes for you out of the goodness of their hearts. I've never encountered anyone who wasn't aware that this was done.

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What cruise lines are you referring to? Which ships were you on, what dates were you there, and which ports were you in? I...and many others, have certainly encountered government imposed taxes. Even you admit to having heard about this elsewhere. It is certainly a cost that is charged and collected. A cruise line is a for-profit business, they aren't going to pay taxes for you out of the goodness of their hearts. I've never encountered anyone who wasn't aware that this was done.

 

I simply asked a question...what ports were you charged a tax in addition to what you paid NCL for your drink package? That's all...not sure how my answers affect your experiences, but if it somehow makes you feel better about yourself, here you go:

 

On RCI and CCL I have never paid out of pocket for a tax at the following ports: Nassau, Cozumel, Falmouth, St. Thomas, St. Maarten, San Juan, Roatan, Puerto Costa Maya, Ocho Rios...in other words, everywhere in the Caribbean.

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It’s only US ports, NY, Miami, Port Canaveral, etc have been charged in all three.

 

Port Canaveral? RCI and CCL do not pass on any kind of tax to the customer. If one exists, they absorb it. Same goes with Fort Lauderdale. Can't speak to NY or Miami.

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Also, with the $15 limit, if you buy a drink on NCL that exceeds the limit, say a frozen cocktail that costs $18, you will get the $15 discounted off the price and only pay $3. I'm not sure how that works on the other lines. Frankly, the drinks package comes out to $17 and change per day for the gratuity and I'll always end up costing them money for that deal. [emoji6] Of course, YMMV.

 

 

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What is a price of frozen drink right now? For example frozen margaritas? I hope it’s still under $15

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I love when people get on here, all huffy about something that NCL does and vow they will never cruise again on NCL. Do they think we care?

 

To me it’s just one less whiny, obnoxious , pretentious passenger to have to listen to on the ship.

 

 

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I love when people get on here, all huffy about something that NCL does and vow they will never cruise again on NCL. Do they think we care?

 

To me it’s just one less whiny, obnoxious , pretentious passenger to have to listen to on the ship.

 

 

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Yeah I agree but lets imagine the conversation at the bars on another cruise line.

 

"Well we were going to book on NCL because they had like this free drinks promo and then we got the price and like they'd added a 20% gratuity on the FREE DRINKS package. We could not believe it, could we Norm?, so we cancelled straight away."

 

"Yeah the same thing happened to us and we did the same. I said to Larry, I said. Larry we are not paying gratuities on FREE DRINKS and we quickly booked a cruise with a company were we can pay gratuities on drinks that we've paid for"

 

"We'll never book with NCL again"

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Port Canaveral? RCI and CCL do not pass on any kind of tax to the customer. If one exists, they absorb it. Same goes with Fort Lauderdale. Can't speak to NY or Miami.

The passing the tax on is very little as how man;y drinks is one person going to have prior to actually sailing. I do not have any idea what lines do or do not pass it on, but I really can't imagine anyone complaining about this. Why should the ship pay something that I owe? For us, it only amounts to about to a about a buck 50 a drink if I remember right and only when in an American port. So it is pretty much only prior to sailing and maybe a few minutes out. this policy has only been in effect for about 3 or 4 years I think. It certainly doesn't bother us one way or the other. a

Edited by newmexicoNita
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