Free UBP promo charging me $29/day service charge?

[fshagan]

Ok. let me address the pennies a pour theory. i buy for a large restaurant chain and our cost, buying in bulk for many locations, for , grey goose vodka , is 1.70 a drink. Hardly pennies.

 

A lot of people make the mistake of thinking that a restaurant or bar can run down to the local Costco and buy booze on sale at the prices they see there. They calculate the per ounce cost and come up with the "pennies per pour" number.

 

But at least in my state a bar or restaurant cannot buy from any other retailer and must buy from a licensed, regulated wholesale distributor. The price is often higher than you find at Costco.

[asctony]

Yes they do, look at Royal and Celebrity

 

So True! Don't even pay a service charge on this either.

[SteveH2508]

Yes they do, look at Royal and Celebrity

 

Princess's recent Sip and Sail promotion also does not require the passenger to pay any gratuities - and - their package includes a lot more than NCL's (water, fresh squeezed OJ, speciality coffees, several single malt scotches).

 

The Princess package is $49 pppd + 15% gratuities to buy as well.

[hawkeyetlse]

Sip and Sail only offers the AIBP for balcony and above. And how long does Sip and Sail last each time it is offered, and how often is it offered?

 

No other cruise line is as generous as NCL with its beverage package perk, either in terms of the duration of the offer (almost non-stop for the past 20+ months now), or in terms of the eligible cruises and stateroom categories (practically no restrictions for the past several months, other than POA).

Edited October 8, 2016 by hawkeyetlse

[ray98]

Yes they do, look at Royal and Celebrity

 

....not on a consistent basis, not on all sailings and normally only on the higher end categories?

 

Right now the best RCCL has is 20% off on some sailings and Celebrity is for balcony and above.

 

I don't think Celebrity is a direct comparison to the other 3 anyway because their fares push them to the next level.

Edited October 8, 2016 by ray98

[gtaylor]

A lot of people make the mistake of thinking that a restaurant or bar can run down to the local Costco and buy booze on sale at the prices they see there. They calculate the per ounce cost and come up with the "pennies per pour" number.

 

But at least in my state a bar or restaurant cannot buy from any other retailer and must buy from a licensed, regulated wholesale distributor. The price is often higher than you find at Costco.

 

So where does Costco buy it so that they can retail it for less than what NCL has to pay for it?

 

I have absolutely no evidence, but why doesn't NCL (and all the other lines) purchase their booze in the duty free havens of St. Thomas, St. Maarten, etc?

 

gary

[cclarke12]

Worth booking through the UK website. We don't get charged the additional gratuity (it's included in the overall price) and with sterling at such a low, your $US has strong purchasing power. The only downside is that we don't get price drops and deposits are non refundable, but if the price was right it's worth the negatives. As an example we're sailing on Jade in a couple of weeks. The price we paid for 4 people with UBP for the two adults is currently the equivalent of $1600. When we booked we also checked pricing on the US site and it was close to $3000. I'll also be pre paying service charges at the fixed sterling rate, which is currently equivalent to less than $11 per day (compared with $13.50 onboard)

[cshellz]

Or book through UK or EU offices.

 

 

 

 

Ive booked in the U.K, but hadn't read the t&c just read CC so presumed I had the 18% to pay on the drinks package. :) you've made my day.

[wdsted]

I, for one, am thrilled with the UDP promo. Gone are the days of paying off a $1000 bill at the end of a cruise. Also, bartenders can serve more guests because they're not hassling with signed receipts. There are so many CC'ers who pounce on these threads with righteous indignation, it makes me wonder why they even opt in to this promo. If this, or any other promo, doesn't sit well with you, don't select it. And bottom lining your thoughts with suspicions that NCL's motivation is to make money is just stating the obvious. Why do you think they do anything other than to make money? For this perk, they can gladly have my $15 every day.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[ray98]

I, for one, am thrilled with the UDP promo. Gone are the days of paying off a $1000 bill at the end of a cruise. Also, bartenders can serve more guests because they're not hassling with signed receipts. There are so many CC'ers who pounce on these threads with righteous indignation, it makes me wonder why they even opt in to this promo. If this, or any other promo, doesn't sit well with you, don't select it. And bottom lining your thoughts with suspicions that NCL's motivation is to make money is just stating the obvious. Why do you think they do anything other than to make money? For this perk, they can gladly have my $15 every day.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

 

It really makes no sense to complain about paying a gratuity when they are giving you the drinks because they probably buy the liquor pretty cheap. Then try to contrast other lines that don't routinely offer a drink package as a perk.

 

It is just math....add it up and if the numbers are favorable there is the answer. I haven't found a situation where the total price could be beat when NCL was an option.

 

I had 3 options last spring for similar cruises the same week. Carnival was the cheapest by $100pp and RCCL and NCL were pretty much even. So, the NCL fare cost me $100 more and I had to pay the $100 gratuity but the drink package was included. That means I saved $200pp over booking the cheaper Carnival cruise and adding Cheers. RCCL was the highest because the fare was the same as NCL and I would have had to add the drink package on top of that. The choice was easy.

Edited October 8, 2016 by ray98

[chisoxfan]

Here's a thought.....

 

You get an email from Chili's (or some nationwide restaurant chain) offering you a free dinner for your birthday month. So you go and eat, order a water with your meal even though a soda is included. Server checks on you a few times during your meal, provides good service. They bring the check, $20. You give them the email birthday voucher and they bring back the tab saying $0. Do you get up and leave or do you tip for the service provided?

 

I think the same principle applies with NCL and charging gratuities.

 

Or maybe think of it this way. You get a voucher for a 'free' birthday meal.

It states you must pay an 18% gratuity up front before you use it and the grat is based on an inflated value steak dinner (we will call it 79 to match up with UDP price).

You pay this grat no matter what you order from the menu. If you order bottled water or specialty coffee you will pay separately for this.

When you ask the server how he will spend your generous 18% tip on the steak dinner (even though you just ordered a hamburger) he says the gratuity does not go to him or service staff but to the restaurant directly.

[wdsted]

Or maybe think of it this way. You get a voucher for a 'free' birthday meal.

It states you must pay an 18% gratuity up front before you use it and the grat is based on an inflated value steak dinner (we will call it 79 to match up with UDP price).

You pay this grat no matter what you order from the menu. If you order bottled water or specialty coffee you will pay separately for this.

When you ask the server how he will spend your generous 18% tip on the steak dinner (even though you just ordered a hamburger) he says the gratuity does not go to him or service staff but to the restaurant directly.

 

Or perhaps look at it this way. You get your gift certificate, enjoy your meal, and neglect to leave a tip because the person giving you that gift certificate should have also given you sufficient cash to pay the tip. Further, the fact that they gave you the gift certificate kind of irritates you because they must have known that a gratuity was expected and would have to come out of your pocket. In fact, the more you think and talk about it, the more you perseverate over it.

[ray98]

Or perhaps look at it this way. You get your gift certificate, enjoy your meal, and neglect to leave a tip because the person giving you that gift certificate should have also given you sufficient cash to pay the tip. Further, the fact that they gave you the gift certificate kind of irritates you because they must have known that a gratuity was expected and would have to come out of your pocket. In fact, the more you think and talk about it, the more you perseverate over it.

 

Yup....many apparently would just refuse the meal because the thought of a paying their own tip is just too much stress.

[chisoxfan]

Or perhaps look at it this way. You get your gift certificate, enjoy your meal, and neglect to leave a tip because the person giving you that gift certificate should have also given you sufficient cash to pay the tip. Further, the fact that they gave you the gift certificate kind of irritates you because they must have known that a gratuity was expected and would have to come out of your pocket. In fact, the more you think and talk about it, the more you perseverate over it.

 

perseverate- nice word. Not impressed with your logic but I am with your vocabulary. I do feel guilty for stepping into this UBP 'quagmire' again but just couldn't resist. NCL policies clearly have inflamed some while others remain supportive. I realize that it is unlikely that the exhaustive CC board postings on UBP will ultimately change any readers point of view. Since we cancelled our NCL cruise I really have no 'skin in the game' except that I would genuinely like to consider NCL in the future and from my perspective hope they do alter their business model. We can 'agree to disagree' on NCL policies and thankfully there remain many options in the cruise world.

Happy cruising.

[SuiteCruiser]

....not on a consistent basis, not on all sailings and normally only on the higher end categories?

 

Right now the best RCCL has is 20% off on some sailings and Celebrity is for balcony and above.

 

I don't think Celebrity is a direct comparison to the other 3 anyway because their fares push them to the next level.

 

My point is that other lines do not charge a service charge on their promo packages, so it's understandable that people are confused when they come to NCL.

 

I don't mind the service charge, it covers NCL's costs on the package and I don't have a huge bill for drinks when I get home.

Edited October 8, 2016 by SuiteCruiser

[electro]

So where does Costco buy it so that they can retail it for less than what NCL has to pay for it?

 

I have absolutely no evidence, but why doesn't NCL (and all the other lines) purchase their booze in the duty free havens of St. Thomas, St. Maarten, etc?

 

gary

 

Cruise lines do buy duty free. Cruises out of US buy from a duty free supplier in the US. One of the companies that sells to the cruise lines is Carisam but there are others as well.

 

Lois

[ukbecky]

Here is a voucher for a free spaghetti dinner. Enjoy! 18% gratuity not included (and I am already annoyed that the gratuity has been decided for me).

 

Bill comes and you have been charged 18% on a $79 spaghetti dinner.

And you are appalled because no one charges $79 for a spaghetti dinner.

 

Just as no one charges $79 pp per day for a drink package. Except NCL.

 

They really hit the jackpot when they decided to call added fees 'gratuities'.

 

It preys on the guilty conscience of a lot of cruisers. Because of this manipulation, NCL gets to collect up to 50% more in 'gratuities' than other lines, and people actually defend the practice. To do otherwise would seem petty and cheap, like you want to take money from the crew.

[ssoceopa]

We just booked a group cruise of 7 cabins and the gratuities are then included in the free ultimate beverage package.

[Sea saw 56]

I read in an earlier post that if you book haven you do not get charged gratuities for UBP. Have never had UBP (it's listed as adult beverage package) before.

I am wondering if past haven cruisers find this to be true.

[NLH Arizona]

I read in an earlier post that if you book haven you do not get charged gratuities for UBP. Have never had UBP (it's listed as adult beverage package) before.

I am wondering if past haven cruisers find this to be true.

Correct, if you are booked in the Haven or a non-Haven suite, you don't pay the gratuities/service charge on the UBP or SDP and you don't pay for room service.

[Sea saw 56]

Thank you NHL. We are consistent Haven cruisers, just never had a beverage package. Used to those 3 bottles in the OS...

[tinkr2]

My point is that other lines do not charge a service charge on their promo packages, so it's understandable that people are confused when they come to NCL.

 

I don't mind the service charge, it covers NCL's costs on the package and I don't have a huge bill for drinks when I get home.

 

The only lines that give a free package are Princess for short periods and only on balcony up and Celebrity which is also on select cabins. I am a loyal RCCL diamond cruiser and have NEVER seen them give it for free, they do the 20 percent off and on. The only reason I tried NCL for cruises was the crazy great value of the promotions.

I am always so astounded by peoples outrage over the service charge. As i keep saying, no matter who gets the service charge, its a great deal. If your family does not drink 29 per day of alcohol on a cruise... CHOOSE A DIFFERENT PROMO. No one is forcing you to accept it, there is bare bones booking available.

[tinkr2]

So 18% is not enough in your opinion for a drink tip so you figure 28% is more in line? Some of the blender drinks seem harder to make so maybe 28% is right. $10-$11 drink cost for normal $1000 bar tab so you tip an additional $100 on top of the just under $200 gratuities you already paid for the package. I'm assuming 100 drinks over the cruise for two so that's about $3 in gratuity for each drink. Does that tip amount include bottled beer too?

 

One of our problems is we use the free 3rd and 4th passenger promo so needed to pay an additional $600 to get a porthole instead of an inside room so we could also get two promos and the drink package for two passengers in the room. That all starts to add up. We figured we paid $800 extra on our last cruise for the drink package for two and a porthole. Then NCL said I would have to pay $2.50 extra (over $15) for each of my favorite drinks. See what I'm saying?

 

No I really do not see what you are saying. What I understand is that you got 2 guests free which is a great value, one that is not offered by the other lines very often, if at all. You wanted the free drinks but you were not in the correct cabin class for MORE free stuff. You opted to get the much nicer window cabin and NCL gave you free drinks. You are now begrudging the staff their gratuity.

You are exactly the person in the other example that was given a 50 gift card for dinner by their Mom and is mad that Mom didny give you tip money also. And the more you think about it, the gift was just a bad deal.:eek:

 

And as far as how I tip, yes I tip more than many, no I will not feel bad about it. We have been in all aspects of the hospitality industry, from dishwasher to owners, the extra money is much appreciated by those hard working crew members. I am in a position to give it, if you're not , don't. The gratuity is included.

[triptolemus]

The "mom gift card" thing is a terrible analogy.

 

The fundamental problem here is NCL bills the promotion as "free" and then charges you a fee based on the retail price of the package. But not before they raised the retail price of the package well above their completion. And to add insult to injury, no water, coffee, or juice for you.

 

The Free Ultimate Beverage Package is neither ultimate or free.

[westcoastman]

No I really do not see what you are saying. What I understand is that you got 2 guests free which is a great value, one that is not offered by the other lines very often, if at all. You wanted the free drinks but you were not in the correct cabin class for MORE free stuff. You opted to get the much nicer window cabin and NCL gave you free drinks. You are now begrudging the staff their gratuity.

You are exactly the person in the other example that was given a 50 gift card for dinner by their Mom and is mad that Mom didny give you tip money also. And the more you think about it, the gift was just a bad deal.:eek:

 

And as far as how I tip, yes I tip more than many, no I will not feel bad about it. We have been in all aspects of the hospitality industry, from dishwasher to owners, the extra money is much appreciated by those hard working crew members. I am in a position to give it, if you're not , don't. The gratuity is included.

I can't ever remember booking a cruise where additional passengers were not free. From Disney's (KSF) Kid's Sail Free to RCL's promotion in 2014. NCL use to offer it automatically under most conditions and you could get an additional promo for free. A window is nowhere worth an extra $800. But for us it was all about getting the UBP for two however it's value is much less now and for it to pencil out we have to maintain a brisk drinking pace throughout the cruise whether we feel like it or not. I was not complaining about the 18% by itself either. It was the extra money that I had to pay in order to get it when I would had been just as happy with an inside room vs a small window with a giant lifeboat in front of it. And unless my calculation is wrong I would think $2.80 might be a bit much for each drink. Why not tip $5 per drink or maybe $10 per drink? I have traveled to many countries where my American style tipping was heavily frowned upon by locals, even to the point of making the locals I was with angry, because it corrupts the system and expectations for the people that live there. I wonder the effect from your 28% tips at the bar.

Edited October 9, 2016 by westcoastman