Beverage Package no longer free

[crystalaziza]

There are a lot of different ways you could look at this. On my upcoming Getaway cruise this August, My son & I both have the UBP which for him is soda. Both are 100% free, N/C, no additional fees, paid gratuities included. Now for our Alaskan cruise for August of 2016, there is a gratuities charge for my son's soda for $8.19 which means he can drink all week long all he wants and it only cost me $8.19. It saves me the time and trouble of packing up (3) 12 packs of soda for $11.00 bought at home, taking up space in our luggage, being heavy, and being consumed before the cruise is even over. As for my beverage package, well now that's a different story, but even though I take advantage of the free drinks, casino rum punch opening day, latitudes parties etc. I can have a frozen Mud Slide for lunch with my chicken wings in O'Sheehans...........LOL.............. all week long for a mere $68.04

For me, there are far worse things to complain about. 100% free is a great deal...............but, $8.19 & $68.04 is a great deal too. I'm on a cruise!!!!!

[bhorv67]

It's not free. The gratuities are now something you have to pay for. My reasoning for saying this is not free, is just a few month ago, we sailed on the Epic, had the UBP and there was no service charge. Now there is. I get it, they changed the offer. I guess my problem with this is, you have a 'forced gratuity' that everyone has to pay in your cabin. If I book now and want the UBP, I have to pay an additional gratuity. That's insane! Have you seen the service at these bars? It's terrible. You stand there for 15 minutes and are not looked at or asked if you want anything.

If they're saying it's free - it should be free. This current incarnation of the UBP is not free.

[LrgPizza]

Then don't take the promo. Problem solved.

[Captain Noodles]

Could someone please post the link from the NCL website ? I've looked but couldn't find anything that made it ciear to me. New to cruising so it might just be my lack of experience. We have booked a suite in the Haven on Epic. Only booked a few days ago.and got all four promotions as part of the deal. Thanks.

[watchdiva]

Can we please move on bhorb67? Don't like it, don't take it.

[cml4958]

Could someone please post the link from the NCL website ? I've looked but couldn't find anything that made it ciear to me. New to cruising so it might just be my lack of experience. We have booked a suite in the Haven on Epic. Only booked a few days ago.and got all four promotions as part of the deal. Thanks.

Here is the link to the terms and conditions for the unlimited beverage package - http://www.ncl.com/terms/ultimate-beverage-package

 

Hope this helps!

 

Carrie

[Demonyte]

Could someone please post the link from the NCL website ? I've looked but couldn't find anything that made it ciear to me.

 

 

Here is the actual promo: http://www.ncl.com/promo/wave15

 

Promo's current terms and conditions mentioning the gratuities for drink/dining packages: http://www.ncl.com/termsandconditions/wavejune15

 

Contents of these links can change as the offer is updated, best to print/save these for your records if you need to know what you actually have booked.

[jeffregpuck]

I agree....that's why they call this a promo. We have a cruise booked in July that has the totally "free" UBP, and another in February that we paid the gratuities. We figured it was still a great deal, and it's not like they tried to hide it from us.

 

I'm sure that they figured out that the waitstaff was getting stiffed, so they made this change. I really don't think it's a huge deal

[Out to sea!]

It's not free. The gratuities are now something you have to pay for. My reasoning for saying this is not free, is just a few month ago, we sailed on the Epic, had the UBP and there was no service charge. Now there is. I get it, they changed the offer. I guess my problem with this is, you have a 'forced gratuity' that everyone has to pay in your cabin. If I book now and want the UBP, I have to pay an additional gratuity. That's insane! Have you seen the service at these bars? It's terrible. You stand there for 15 minutes and are not looked at or asked if you want anything.

If they're saying it's free - it should be free. This current incarnation of the UBP is not free.

 

There is no "forced gratuity". Just came off my Alaska cruise and there was no gratuities in the specialty restaurants when I booked last year. Take the cruise and now they have the 18% gratuity in the specialty restaurants. Simply went to Guest Services and removed the gratuities paid in the specialty restaurants from my DSC and everything was a wash.

Edited July 12, 2015 by Out to sea!

[JAMESCC]

Its still an insanely great deal, well worth it. I'd be happy with just free soda and water for the cruise. This goes way over and beyond I think but its a great deal.

[JAMESCC]

By the way gratuities are gratuities. People work hard on these ship and deserve every penny they get for them and their families. I NEVER sweat over gratuities, I don't even think about. It just needs to be paid for the staff.

Edited July 12, 2015 by JAMESCC

[hpecorari]

There is no "forced gratuity". Just came off my Alaska cruise and there was no gratuities in the specialty restaurants when I booked last year. Take the cruise and now they have the 18% gratuity in the specialty restaurants. Simply went to Guest Services and removed the gratuities paid in the specialty restaurants from my DSC and everything was a wash.

 

Servers do not get a part of the DSC when working in Specialty Restaurants.

 

Harriet

[Out to sea!]

Servers do not get a part of the DSC when working in Specialty Restaurants.

 

Harriet

 

Anymore. They used to be part of the DSC before the 18% specialty restaurant gratuity started about 3 months ago.

[hpecorari]

Anymore. They used to be part of the DSC before the 18% specialty restaurant gratuity started about 3 months ago.

 

Correct. However, as you just got off a cruise to Alaska my comment remains since you said you removed the 18% gratuity.

 

Harriet

Edited July 12, 2015 by hpecorari

[Out to sea!]

Correct. However, as you just got off a cruise to Alaska my comment remains since you said you removed the 18% gratuity.

 

Harriet

 

Yes. I was just ensuring people understand that is the NEW policy, not the old policy that many people booked their cruises under. Also, to be correct, I did not remove the gratuity at the restaurant as there seemed no way to do so so therefore I removed the equivalent from the DSC (which, IMO, should be lower anyway to compensate for specialty servers being removed from the DSC pool).

Edited July 12, 2015 by Out to sea!

[mitsugirly]

We paid for the UBP soon after it was introduced, over $800 for two of us. I'd be thrilled to just pay the gratuities!

 

So I have always wondered how much it was to purchase the UBP when cruising. Are you saying that it's $400 per person for a 7 day cruise? :confused:

 

Have you seen the service at these bars? It's terrible. You stand there for 15 minutes and are not looked at or asked if you want anything.

If they're saying it's free - it should be free. This current incarnation of the UBP is not free.

 

I couldn't agree more. We just got off the Dawn a few weeks ago and you were lucky if you could get a drink in a matter of 1/2 hour. It was crazy. You could tell this was all due to the UBP. You were lucky to find a place to stand at when you were at the bars and once you made it up there, you would remain there for A LONG TIME before they would even recognize you and there was no way for them to keep track of who was next in line because there was ONLY 1 EMPLOYEE working the bar itself. Then they would have the 2nd employee making drinks for the bar runners. It was CRAZY! :eek:

[Demonyte]

So I have always wondered how much it was to purchase the UBP when cruising. Are you saying that it's $400 per person for a 7 day cruise? :confused:

 

 

When prepurchased, it's $54/person/day and onboard $59/person/day. Both prices are added gratuity of 18% when purchasing the package.

[mitsugirly]

When prepurchased, it's $54/person/day and onboard $59/person/day. Both prices are added gratuity of 18% when purchasing the package.

 

 

Oh wow. I had no clue it was that much. I guess the $68.04 extra that I paid for it is still a good deal for the week. :)

[wichitastatecruiser]

I couldn't agree more. We just got off the Dawn a few weeks ago and you were lucky if you could get a drink in a matter of 1/2 hour. It was crazy. You could tell this was all due to the UBP. You were lucky to find a place to stand at when you were at the bars and once you made it up there, you would remain there for A LONG TIME before they would even recognize you and there was no way for them to keep track of who was next in line because there was ONLY 1 EMPLOYEE working the bar itself. Then they would have the 2nd employee making drinks for the bar runners. It was CRAZY! :eek:

 

It also has to do about when and where you get a drink. Carnival and NCL don't have that many bars so on sea days and deck parties the bars get especially busy. It's usually quicker to just go to a bar beside the pool bar during those times and come back. RCCL has more and better spread out bars than the other lines so its usually not bad there.

[mitsugirly]

It also has to do about when and where you get a drink. Carnival and NCL don't have that many bars so on sea days and deck parties the bars get especially busy. It's usually quicker to just go to a bar beside the pool bar during those times and come back. RCCL has more and better spread out bars than the other lines so its usually not bad there.

 

 

It was like this no matter when we went, where we went or what time we went...pool area, bar at the bimimi on the top deck, in the atrium, in the casino. They were all slammed on our last cruise. Referring to what Carnival or RCCL has and their layout is a mute point when we are discussing NCL and the UBP. Just saying...:)

[wichitastatecruiser]

It was like this no matter when we went, where we went or what time we went...pool area, bar at the bimimi on the top deck, in the atrium, in the casino. They were all slammed on our last cruise. Referring to what Carnival or RCCL has and their layout is a mute point when we are discussing NCL and the UBP. Just saying...:)

 

You mentioned the 4 busiest parts of the ship. Next time go to a bar that's not in a heavy traffic area. On the Getaway I usually grabbed a drink at Sunset, the bar by Grammy Experience or by Taste and Savor before I went to the pool deck. O'Sheehan's is directly above the atrium on the Breakaway class so I usually went to the bar there to get a drink. Of course I'm a ship roamer so by day 2 I usually know my way around a ship, the least busy bars and the quickest ways to get to point A to B!

[Beachcampin]

It was like this no matter when we went, where we went or what time we went...pool area, bar at the bimimi on the top deck, in the atrium, in the casino. They were all slammed on our last cruise. Referring to what Carnival or RCCL has and their layout is a mute point when we are discussing NCL and the UBP. Just saying...:)

 

Not to bicker, but I did find the comment interesting due to the fact that NCL has lured me away from RCCL for a few bookings, in part, because of this promotion. If NCL cannot deliver a service that is similar and provide adequate bar serivce, then that will factor into my decision whether to keep my bookings. I do not think I am the only one who will be giving NCL a try from RCCL and Carnival. NCL has sold a bunch of cruises with free UBP, if they fall down on the job and do not increase staff to meet the new demand from their customers, then I will view this as a failure of NCL. Failure to plan, failure to provide promised services, or intentionally creating a bottle neck to reduce costs, it doesn't matter to me the reason, all will be a viewed by me as a failure and a detriment of my experience. It will be interesting to find out how NCL manages this going forward, but it seems as they may not be ready yet.

[newmexicoNita]

So I have always wondered how much it was to purchase the UBP when cruising. Are you saying that it's $400 per person for a 7 day cruise? :confused:

 

 

 

I couldn't agree more. We just got off the Dawn a few weeks ago and you were lucky if you could get a drink in a matter of 1/2 hour. It was crazy. You could tell this was all due to the UBP. You were lucky to find a place to stand at when you were at the bars and once you made it up there, you would remain there for A LONG TIME before they would even recognize you and there was no way for them to keep track of who was next in line because there was ONLY 1 EMPLOYEE working the bar itself. Then they would have the 2nd employee making drinks for the bar runners. It was CRAZY! :eek:

 

This certainly wasn't our experience in April. Possibly the problem right now has more to do with the season than the UBP> Remember the ships are going out full and there are families everywhere. I will be anxious to see how the service is on the Jewel in Oct.

[newmexicoNita]

It's not free. The gratuities are now something you have to pay for. My reasoning for saying this is not free, is just a few month ago, we sailed on the Epic, had the UBP and there was no service charge. Now there is. I get it, they changed the offer. I guess my problem with this is, you have a 'forced gratuity' that everyone has to pay in your cabin. If I book now and want the UBP, I have to pay an additional gratuity. That's insane! Have you seen the service at these bars? It's terrible. You stand there for 15 minutes and are not looked at or asked if you want anything.

If they're saying it's free - it should be free. This current incarnation of the UBP is not free.

 

We are all aware of the changes, but it is still basically free. You are not paying for the booze. If I get a coupon for a free pedicure and there is a required gratuity, it is still free. the service is not but the product is. As for the service we had no problems on the Jewel in April and our daughter had no problems in May. She was on the Dawn. I did have to wait about 5 minutes at the atruim bar. Even the casino servers were around every couple of minutes and the casino bar was very quick.

[LrgPizza]

Not to bicker, but I did find the comment interesting due to the fact that NCL has lured me away from RCCL for a few bookings, in part, because of this promotion. If NCL cannot deliver a service that is similar and provide adequate bar serivce, then that will factor into my decision whether to keep my bookings. I do not think I am the only one who will be giving NCL a try from RCCL and Carnival. NCL has sold a bunch of cruises with free UBP, if they fall down on the job and do not increase staff to meet the new demand from their customers, then I will view this as a failure of NCL. Failure to plan, failure to provide promised services, or intentionally creating a bottle neck to reduce costs, it doesn't matter to me the reason, all will be a viewed by me as a failure and a detriment of my experience. It will be interesting to find out how NCL manages this going forward, but it seems as they may not be ready yet.

I wouldn't base your opinion on that one single account. There have been numerous reports from people saying the complete opposite. That's the only time I've ever heard of someone having trouble getting a drink.