Ultimate Beverage Package now $68 service charge

[Single Cruiser]

Whats the 18% service charge, i thought it was 15%

 

 

It was upped from 15% - 18% earlier this year

[Out to sea!]

Who goes on a cruise and only drinks one or two drinks a day?

 

Actually, I drink only 2 to 3 beers all cruise. :)

[Out to sea!]

Whats the 18% service charge, i thought it was 15%

 

Hmmmmmm.......you've got a lot of reading to do. ;)

[sarar]

It was upped from 15% - 18% earlier this year

I'm sure the cruise we just did on Caribbean Princess in May was 15% unless i'm mistaken?

[42CruiseCrazy]

Glad someone can do math. Just figured it at about 1 drink per day each. I know that is a lot of booze, but you are on vacation.

 

 

One drink per day when on vacation is far from being a lot of booze. On a sea day I average about 1 every two hours between noon and midnight (and don't feel the least bit drunk) which amounts to $36 to $66 plus gratuity. I get the Beer & Wine plan and consider it well worth it.

 

 

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[MCAT48]

I'm sure the cruise we just did on Caribbean Princess in May was 15% unless i'm mistaken?

 

 

Isn't that a princess line ship? NCL upped their gratuities.

[NLH Arizona]

I'm sure the cruise we just did on Caribbean Princess in May was 15% unless i'm mistaken?

 

Probably was on Princess, but on NCL and Celebrity, it is now 18 percent.

[wichitastatecruiser]

Just because historically a certain policy has been followed doesn't make it fact going forward.

 

Things can and do change and they can be made retroactive if so desired by the company and that is a true fact.

 

If it is a "true fact" please give a legitimate example of increase of price being implemented retroactively on something that was already bought.

 

It doesn't happen. I still know a few people who have unlimited data plans on ATT because they signed a contract that gave them that and have never upgraded their phone under a new contract.

[wichitastatecruiser]

Me! That's why I couldn't justify even the gratuity with the free UBP. If I have 2 drinks a day, which is what I would average, I would be tipping about $5 a drink based on the gratuities they are charging me. I wouldn't mind tipping up to $2 a drink but on land I never tip more than $2 a drink! That is just getting absurd. IMO.

 

Um if you bought two $6 drinks a day for 6 days of a 7 day cruise your final bill with gratuity would be $87.84. The only thing you have to pay is the gratuity on the price of the package (no per drink gratuity on board) of $64. So using the promo would actually save you $23.84. I have no idea where you came up with your math and how saving $23.84 minimum bases on your "average" drinking would justify you not getting the promo. However I don't think NCL would discourage you from not getting promo that would actually benefit you!

[peg013]

If it is a "true fact" please give a legitimate example of increase of price being implemented retroactively on something that was already bought.

 

It doesn't happen. I still know a few people who have unlimited data plans on ATT because they signed a contract that gave them that and have never upgraded their phone under a new contract.

 

LOL, and some have upgraded their phones and still have unlimited data - my son (on our family plan) is one of them! My sons have been grandfathered several times on our plan. :cool:

[42CruiseCrazy]

I think paying the gratuity is fair. The waitstaff in the bars and restaurants depend on the gratuities and with the promotion they will be working even harder serving lots of "free" drinks. It was something that needed to be corrected.

 

 

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[hawkeyetlse]

I have no idea where you came up with your math and how saving $23.84 minimum bases on your "average" drinking would justify you not getting the promo.

I think the point is that someone who only wants to have one or two drinks a day, one of the other Freestyle Choice offers (UDP, shorex credit, or Internet package) would potentially save them a lot more than $24.

 

Obviously, none of the offers saves you anything if you don't actually take advantage of them.

[erocrobro]

I booked my cruise last week. If I called to try and get the deal after the fact what would be my chances of getting the 'free' UBP added?

 

 

I did this on Monday just a quick 5 minute phone call.

Edited June 3, 2015 by erocrobro

[megann831]

I booked with this promotion several months ago, but I have paid off the cruise yet, am I going to charged this fee?

[salisboss]

I did this on Monday just a quick 5 minute phone call.

 

I just got off the phone. No dice. They told me they would have to cancel my reservation re-book at a higher fare ($300 each) plus $500 ($250 each) in cancellation fees. Can't hurt to ask but I thought I would catch a break since I booked last week. I am not familiar with the cruise industry that much but I know other industries where if a better deal comes out you can often take advantage if you purchased within a certain timeframe.

 

Oh well can't wait regardless for August.

[LrgPizza]

I booked with this promotion several months ago, but I have paid off the cruise yet, am I going to charged this fee?

 

 

This promo didn't exist several months ago. It just started June 1. You booked a different promo with different terms. Nothing changes for you unless you cancel and rebook under the current promo.

[AzStyle]

I'm going to book in the next few days, although I'm bummed I didn't get to before the 68$ charge it is still well worth it. We got it last March when we were on the Epic, I didn't think I'd really use it since I rarely drink but I sure did! I didn't book last month because they weren't offering it.

[Out to sea!]

I'm sure the cruise we just did on Caribbean Princess in May was 15% unless i'm mistaken?

 

Wrong cruise line. :D

[Out to sea!]

If it is a "true fact" please give a legitimate example of increase of price being implemented retroactively on something that was already bought.

 

It doesn't happen. I still know a few people who have unlimited data plans on ATT because they signed a contract that gave them that and have never upgraded their phone under a new contract.

 

Try reading the sentence again. I'm sure the light bulb will pop on. :D

 

"Things can and do change and they can be made retroactive if so desired by the company and that is a true fact."

 

 

But if you want examples, here are some.

 

I purchased a cruise 18 months ago on NCL. Since then....

 

1. Gratuities on alcohol went from 15% to 18% which I must now pay on board.

2. There were no mandatory gratuities in specialty restaurants because those servers were in the DSC and now there is a mandatory 18% gratuity.

3. DSC increased from $12 a day to $12.95 a day.

 

Those are but some of the retroactive pay increases that I must pay that came into effect after I purchased my cruise. This isn't AT&T and NCL is not honoring their word for my upcoming cruise based on what was in effect at the time I purchased my cruise.

Edited June 3, 2015 by Out to sea!

[wichitastatecruiser]

Try reading the sentence again. I'm sure the light bulb will pop on. :D

 

"Things can and do change and they can be made retroactive if so desired by the company and that is a true fact."

 

 

But if you want examples, here are some.

 

I purchased a cruise 18 months ago on NCL. Since then....

 

1. Gratuities on alcohol went from 15% to 18% which I must now pay on board.

2. There were no mandatory gratuities in specialty restaurants because those servers were in the DSC and now there is a mandatory 18% gratuity.

3. DSC increased from $12 a day to $12.95 a day.

 

Those are but some of the retroactive pay increases that I must pay that came into effect after I purchased my cruise. This isn't AT&T and NCL is not honoring their word for my upcoming cruise based on what was in effect at the time I purchased my cruise.

 

Your original comment was that they could go back and decide to make people who did the promo pay gratuity even though they were told that they wouldn't. Also I'm not sure if you know what the term retroactively means. It means to go back and charge more for something that was already bought.

 

1. If you had bought the UBP package before the auto grat increase those people were not charged the extra 3%. Since you have not cruised yet this is not retroactive since you haven't bought any drinks. Buying drinks is optional and was not part of the cruise contract.

 

2. Same thing with UDP, if you had bought the UDP before the auto grat they did not go back and add it in. Again you have not cruised yet and therefore have not ate yet. You can't retroactively eat. Eating at specialties is also optional and not part of the cruise contract.

 

3. People who had pre-paid gratuities before the increase were not charged the extra. Again you have not cruised so have not paid the gratuities so this is again not retro active. Also you are allowed to go to guest services and reduce or totally remove the gratuity.

 

None of those are retroactive pay increases, all are optional. If you had pre-purchased or paid for any of that before the policy change you would have not been required to pay the additional amount. Now if you had pre paid and they said you had to pay the extra, that would be retroactive.

Edited June 3, 2015 by wichitastatecruiser

[Poohsmommi]

If it is a "true fact" please give a legitimate example of increase of price being implemented retroactively on something that was already bought.

 

It doesn't happen. I still know a few people who have unlimited data plans on ATT because they signed a contract that gave them that and have never upgraded their phone under a new contract.

 

My family is grandfathered in to unlimited data on Verizon :)

[maywell]

Try reading the sentence again. I'm sure the light bulb will pop on. :D

 

"Things can and do change and they can be made retroactive if so desired by the company and that is a true fact."

 

 

But if you want examples, here are some.

 

I purchased a cruise 18 months ago on NCL. Since then....

 

1. Gratuities on alcohol went from 15% to 18% which I must now pay on board.

2. There were no mandatory gratuities in specialty restaurants because those servers were in the DSC and now there is a mandatory 18% gratuity.

3. DSC increased from $12 a day to $12.95 a day.

 

Those are but some of the retroactive pay increases that I must pay that came into effect after I purchased my cruise. This isn't AT&T and NCL is not honoring their word for my upcoming cruise based on what was in effect at the time I purchased my cruise.

 

Regarding Point #3 people got grandfathered in if you booked the trip before March 1st AND prepaid it before the date of trip. How do I know? Because my trip this year still has the old rate due being booked last year and if I don't pay before Nov 28 (day before the trip) it goes up to the new rate.

 

And those other 2 changes? Those aren't retroactive, those are going forward since March 1st. Actually some people got grandfathered in for any of the 2 or both since the change happen due to the 1st promo happening or buying any of the 2 at the time.

 

I guess you lucked out on those. Have fun on Royal and Carnival since they're not grandfathering no one especially on the DSC.

[detroitlions]

I have a feeling the change from the free UBP gratuity included promo that was offered earlier this year to the new promo of free UBP plus a service charge has to do with the way the wait staff was getting their tips.

 

Under the old promo, to the best of my knowledge, each drink would be charged then reversed on the passengers bill so that a gratuity would be generated for the wait staff even though the passenger was not paying for the drink. And from what I have read some of the wait staff would charge a higher price for the actual drink (makes for a higher tip) and the passenger wouldn't care because the charge was being reversed.

 

Now I wonder if drinks will be charged a price at all for those with the UBP. NCL could just have the computer programmed to not charge the UBP passenger at all for each of his/her drinks and the prepaid service charge will account for the tips. This would eliminate the reversing of the charges but also eliminate calculating each drink's gratuity for the wait staff.

This totaly makes sence and I was thinking the same. It will make it easier on the bartender and people were complaining about the waiting. And also it will elimiate scamming from the workers. I do not believe NCL was scamming the workers that would come out in the wash and not something they would want to tarnish there brand. I had the UBP end of march early april there was no service charge and the tenders were looking stressed out all over the ship. Now I bet it will ease some of the hassles and also NCL will keep offering this promo I dont mind paying the tips I always give extra anyway now I will just leave it alone and not pay extra.

[Out to sea!]

Your original comment was that they could go back and decide to make people who did the promo pay gratuity even though they were told that they wouldn't. Also I'm not sure if you know what the term retroactively means. It means to go back and charge more for something that was already bought.

 

1. If you had bought the UBP package before the auto grat increase those people were not charged the extra 3%. Since you have not cruised yet this is not retroactive since you haven't bought any drinks. Buying drinks is optional and was not part of the cruise contract.

 

2. Same thing with UDP, if you had bought the UDP before the auto grat they did not go back and add it in. Again you have not cruised yet and therefore have not ate yet. You can't retroactively eat. Eating at specialties is also optional and not part of the cruise contract.

 

3. People who had pre-paid gratuities before the increase were not charged the extra. Again you have not cruised so have not paid the gratuities so this is again not retro active. Also you are allowed to go to guest services and reduce or totally remove the gratuity.

 

None of those are retroactive pay increases, all are optional. If you had pre-purchased or paid for any of that before the policy change you would have not been required to pay the additional amount. Now if you had pre paid and they said you had to pay the extra, that would be retroactive.

 

My post #87 stated absolutely nothing about this or any other promo. You most likely assumed that thought but there is nothing in my wording that gives that assumption.

 

Try rereading the post without bias. As I have stated, and proven, a product was purchased and certain prices were agreed to when that purchase was made. NCL has gone back on their word and increased prices and made those prices applicable to my cruise in violation of that agreement. If I were grandfathered in, I would not have to pre-pay anything to keep the prices that we agreed upon so they have retroactively raised prices on my cruise meaning it will cost me more than what was originally agreed to. When a price has been agreed to between a customer and a business, nothing should have to be prepaid a month or a year in advance to keep the prices agreed to. That is the classic example of "bait and switch".

Edited June 4, 2015 by Out to sea!

[maywell]

My post #87 stated absolutely nothing about this or any other promo. You most likely assumed that thought but there is nothing in my wording that gives that assumption.

 

Try rereading the post without bias. As I have stated, and proven, a product was purchased and certain prices were agreed to when that purchase was made. NCL has gone back on their word and increased prices and made those prices applicable to my cruise in violation of that agreement. If I were grandfathered in, I would not have to pre-pay anything to keep the prices that we agreed upon so they have retroactively raised prices on my cruise meaning it will cost me more than what was originally agreed to. When a price has been agreed to between a customer and a business, nothing should have to be prepaid a month or a year in advance to keep the prices agreed to. That is the classic example of "bait and switch".

 

 

You were grandfathered in if you booked before March 1,2015 - the deadline NCL gave for people if they want trips without the higher DSC charge. It s was technically the unofficial date for booking promos that didn't have autograts included, to just use them without having to pay for the autotips for trips. As they say in business and in life - you snooze, you lose and you lose big by basically booking after the fact. Its now June 2015, its not retroactive anything - this a new promo going forward for however long

 

Now, this new promo where autograts / tips are not included, is still cheaper because the promo is already paid by the fare or in some people's eyes 'free' without having to buy the package separately. No offense - If you're crying over $68 for a week and you plan to drink like 4-6 drinks or more a day, you're lousy in math. Even still, crying over $9 a day for 7 days prepaid over a 'free' / included promo where you don't have to pay out of pocket again on tips to the bartender - me think you need to step back and rethink this situation starting with date you originally book your upcoming trip.