Can't bring soda on board anymore

[luvtheships]

I really don't see what all the fuss is about. Most people now have the UBP, and for free, which includes your sodas. Granted that doesn't cover water, but still ... we carried water onboard once. It was a hassle, and I personally would rather just buy it onboard. :confused:

 

 

I took the wifi package when I saw that Verizon screwed up their cruise ship phone deals

 

Btw the ubp would have been anything but free for us and the tips alone on that for us would amount to more than we ever would have paid for drinks

[navybankerteacher]

This is getting interesting: what new money-making approach will NCL adopt after this one? How about luggage charges similar to those applied by airlines: say $25 per carry-on, $50 for each larger piece (with surcharge if over 40 lbs.); hourly rentals for loungers; pay elevators? The opportunities are virtually endless.

[Sissaaaaaa]

No, but at least they are the huge Aquafina bottles

 

Aquafina isn't even spring water. It's purified water. The ship's water is purified water. I'm confused.

[Le Cruisester]

I would usually never comment on these kinds of things because every line makes changes here and there but this one really got to me. We personally don't bring anything on board with us as far as bottles or cans of water/soda but the fact that NCL has decided that these are now banned items is a downer.

 

I would say limit the size or number of bottles/cans allowed at least and make it a little more fair. I choose not to lug the additional cases with me on vacation for convenience and don't mind buying it on board but at least that my choice, I do not think it is very cool of them to say NO YOU CAN'T...

 

I do not want to say that this is going to push us to another cruise line because it won't, the thing that is pushing us to other cruise lines is the constant changes (for the worse IMO). Now I may get to RC or DCL or Princess and say oh man these guys are doing it too but we will see I guess.

[navybankerteacher]

I really don't see what all the fuss is about. Most people now have the UBP, and for free, which includes your sodas. Granted that doesn't cover water, but still ... we carried water onboard once. It was a hassle, and I personally would rather just buy it onboard. :confused:

 

So you are happy about the prospect of paying 18% on whatever value NCL puts on your "free" water and soda?

 

Of course, NCL's concept of free might be followed by Ford, Chrysler, GM, etc. --I can just see them advertising the "free" wheels and windshields they GIVE you when you buy one of their cars.

 

What are NCL fans drinking?

[AlexandNessa]

Carnival did the same thing last year with stopping the carrying on of water, etc. However, they at least lowered the price of bottled water to $3.99 for a 12 pack! Not even in the same ballpark as NCL's bottled water price. It is actually very convenient ordering the water before we sail and having it waiting in the cabin, instead of shlepping it onboard! Maybe NCL will lower their crazy price of $39.95 for a 12 pack of water.

 

 

Exactly. Congratulations, NCL. You just became worse than Carnival. At least Carnival lowered their bottle water prices AND allowed any drinks in cans to be brought onboard.

 

I am more ticked that I can't bring my own Bloody Mary mix. NCL uses Mrs. T's predominantly. Disgusting. We sometimes sail in the Owner's Suite where wet get vodka as a perk. Lovely to be able to mix my own without using NCL's swill.

[DevCruise]

It will be interesting to see if other lines follow.

 

Perhaps NCL needs to also re-think the "free" UBP as a booking gimmick.

 

I would like to see cheaper room rates and fewer booking gimmicks.

 

Carnival did this last year. Although, in their defence, you can now order water at more "reasonable" prices....

[hawkeyetlse]

Btw the ubp would have been anything but free for us and the tips alone on that for us would amount to more than we ever would have paid for drinks

Some people will have to redo their calculations now that they can no longer count on free soda in their cabin. If they have to start ordering soda from the bar, the UBP perk may become a viable option. They charge $2.95 + 18% for a soda on board :eek: so if you have 4 sodas a day ($13.92), that's almost as much as the service charge on the promotional UBP ($14.22/day). If you drink more than that, you should take the UBP. (Or take a different cruise line…) Edited July 1, 2016 by hawkeyetlse

[riddle]

I do not drink soda but my DH drinks quite a lot. He always brings a case and we put it in a small suitcase.

 

DH is quite frankly no where near the cruise fanatic that I am. Now I probably won't get him to go at all. We don't get the UBP because he does not drink and I only drink the free drinks in the casino.

 

He likes to keep soda in the room - starting to wonder what the refrigerators are for now. The small glasses they give you with ice go nowhere at all.

[Barb Nahoumi]

NCL will have to stock coke products as well as pepsi, to appease those of us who prefer it. I, for one, hate pepsi but I can get along without soda for the time aboard.

 

I'll just get iced-tea and water from the buffet, filling my own sports bottles. While off ship, we generally stop in a local store for water. Many times water is provided by the excursions we take.

[janpo]

So you are happy about the prospect of paying 18% on whatever value NCL puts on your "free" water and soda?

 

Of course, NCL's concept of free might be followed by Ford, Chrysler, GM, etc. --I can just see them advertising the "free" wheels and windshields they GIVE you when you buy one of their cars.

 

What are NCL fans drinking?

 

 

This exactly!

[mitsugirly]

Well this sucks since we always bring our own soda. But, their business doesn't hurt from me doing so because we still always buy the soda package as well. I'm a pop-a-holic and like to have one in my room instead of having to run out and up to a deck to find a bar with watered down, ice packed soda to bring back to the room. We also use the cans to take to shore with us when we are out. I'm not a water drinker and still will not purchase that nor drink it. :(

[Demonyte]

He likes to keep soda in the room - starting to wonder what the refrigerators are for now.

 

Well that's very simple: they act as mini bars - just as they always have been meant to when placing them there.

[luvtheships]

No, but at least they are the huge Aquafina bottles

 

 

At least it's not Dasani!!!

 

Poland Spring would be ideal of course

[hawkeyetlse]

NCL will have to stock coke products as well as pepsi, to appease those of us who prefer it.

Now you are really dreaming. NCL can do whatever they want to their customers, but Pepsi is not going to roll over just like that.

[Sizzlechest]

Now you are really dreaming. NCL can do whatever they want to their customers, but Pepsi is not going to roll over just like that.

 

Yeah really. If you want to go to Coca-Cola heaven, take a RCCL cruise with a Coke Freestyle machine. Now that's a beverage package I would happily purchase.

[LrgPizza]

Yeah really. If you want to go to Coca-Cola heaven, take a RCCL cruise with a Coke Freestyle machine. Now that's a beverage package I would happily purchase.

 

OMG, I HATE those machines!! They are so filthy, sticky, and disgusting. They keep popping up more and more places all the time, and they make me want to vomit. I won't even buy a beverage anywhere that uses them. I can't imagine a more germ-infested roach magnet way of dispensing soda. I definitely wouldn't have a soda on RCL if it had to come from one of those. I assume they still have other ways of giving you pop.

 

Gross!

[luvtheships]

Some people will have to redo their calculations now that they can no longer count on free soda in their cabin. If they have to start ordering soda from the bar, the UBP perk may become a viable option. They charge $2.95 + 18% for a soda on board :eek: so if you have 4 sodas a day ($13.92), that's almost as much as the service charge on the promotional UBP ($14.22/day). If you drink more than that, you should take the UBP. (Or take a different cruise line…)

 

 

You are correct the free ubp may well become cost efficient for moderate water and soda drinkers now

 

In the past we would

 

1. Mix ice tea with lemonade at the buffet several times a day

 

2. Bring several glasses of ice from the buffet back to the cabin before bedtime that would still be cold by morning and throughout the night and/or just fill up the ice bucket with the steward

 

3. Order an occasional drink here and there plus a bottle or 2 of wine over the week at dinner

 

4. Bring some water back from port

 

Now I guess I will go for the $39 package and use my obc to pay for it

 

I don't like it but got a rock bottom cruise no frills inside on a great itin that I'm happy about and since dh and I WANT access to water I will order it plus dh requires it for medical purposes and I'm not lugging gallons with me

 

Of course after reading the list of all the Ncl changes...

 

I'm using my 2 certificates ASAP and looking elsewhere

 

Just a thought after my next cruise I'll still have a cruise next left....and since I bought it before this change...I am technically not getting what I thought I was....hmmm...

 

A refund of the cruise next cert perhaps?

 

Small change I know...but just another method by which we the pax can flex OUR muscle

 

If Every pax holding cruise next certs...asked for a refund....I bet we would be grandfathered in to the water thing...

 

It's just a thought but it gives us a voice as it seems loads of pax buy the certs.

 

 

Also I wonder if Ncl will allow pax sailing after mid July to cancel their cruises?

 

Heck if the water issue is such a big deal that Ncl wants to ban it.....then it is also a big deal to pax....and if a pax wants to cancel at the last minute...Ncl must let them and refund them...

 

 

If Ncl can strong arm us....we can strong arm them

 

 

Problem is so many pax are newbies and giddy about their cruises that they let Ncl get away with anything

 

I do what works for me....ill buy the water package but you can bet I'll spend $39 less elsewhere on the ship

 

So I win and get my water...Ncl isn't getting anything more from me than normal....

 

I can survive without a photo or a cappuccino here and there. Lol

Edited July 1, 2016 by luvtheships

[Sissaaaaaa]

So you are happy about the prospect of paying 18% on whatever value NCL puts on your "free" water and soda?

 

Of course, NCL's concept of free might be followed by Ford, Chrysler, GM, etc. --I can just see them advertising the "free" wheels and windshields they GIVE you when you buy one of their cars.

 

What are NCL fans drinking?

 

For the past several years, we have had the promo UBP, both before and after the 18% was added. Once they started adding the 18%, it amounted to ... I don't even know. Less than $200 for two people. Big whoop. We would never walk away with a bar bill that low for an entire week. We are sailing over New Year's this year. Two balcony cabins are costing us $5,038, with the UBP and $100 obc for each cabin, plus an additional $50 shore excursion credit for each cabin. The cheapest by far of any cruise line sailing over NYE. We normally sail over spring break and usually spend half of that on two balcony cabins. We go to Disney world every few months and easily spend more there in a few days than we do on just one cabin fare alone for a cruise with NCL. I personally think the value with NCL is there. The NCL crew are the best at sea. We have no complaints about the food, in fact, the quality has increased. I could truly care less about the $1 gratuity they want to add to my $6 bottle of water. I would have left that on the bar for the bartender anyway. That's my take. We are all entitled to spend our $ as we wish. There are plenty of other lines if NCL if no longer for you. NCL made a lot of changes in a short period of time. Some good, some not so good; however, when you add it all up, it still is a better value (to me) than a different line. That's what it boils down to.

Edited July 1, 2016 by Sissaaaaaa

[SeaShark]

Interesting...

 

Lots of people here were happy when Kevin Sheehan was shown the door last year. Hope they are still happy with the "new" NCL.

 

Can't wait to see what changes next.

[Sizzlechest]

OMG, I HATE those machines!! They are so filthy, sticky, and disgusting. They keep popping up more and more places all the time, and they make me want to vomit. I won't even buy a beverage anywhere that uses them. I can't imagine a more germ-infested roach magnet way of dispensing soda. I definitely wouldn't have a soda on RCL if it had to come from one of those. I assume they still have other ways of giving you pop.

 

Gross!

 

I don't know what third world country you live in, but I've never seen what you're describing at any Five Guys or Wendy's that has them.

[insidecabin]

I would have been unhappy as a Carnival customer last year when they explained the rationale for the change. They basically said that a lot of their customers were smugglers, so they were going to punish all their customers. Which is not nice, but at least it's honest, and I think a lot of people prefer that to NCL's explanation, which is… you don't get an explanation. But since they give away unlimited alcohol to anyone who wants it (over 21), and they have not lowered the price of bottled water or added it to the UBP, it's pretty clear that smuggling is not the issue, they simply want more money from the cheapos who carry on their soda/water (or as pokerpro5 said, they want that type of customer to stop cruising NCL).

 

They then introduce the new lower no frills fares, so back to the super cheapos that don't drink(or want to pay for it) back on board with the bottled water.

[NLH Arizona]

Another reason to love CAS, bottled water comes with your drink card and I get canned soda from my casino tier. I will just have to order extras when playing.

 

Though I am a Pepsi fan it does suck for people who love coke products.

Agree, thanks to CAS for the drink card.

 

Even though I don't bring anything on board, I hope they have a system set up to notify all their customers, otherwise many will bring their water and soda on like they normally do and that will be a lot of wasted money spent on something they can no longer bring on board. I guess the porters at the airport will get a lot of free water and soda.

Edited July 1, 2016 by NLH Arizona

[littlelulu01]

Perhaps they'll use this as an opportunity to restructure their ubp program To something like what celebrity has. I've always thought it really bad business that they offer an ultimate beverage package that doesn't even include canned soda, water bottles, speciality coffees...

 

If you sail in a suite the perks on offer are meant to be a way for people not to feel nickel and dimed but if a person has the ubp and doesn't drink alcohol the ubp gift has the exact opposite effect. It ends up being more nickel and dime to be, "given" a, "free" package worth $100pp pd and still need to purchase an extremely overpriced bottle of water, can of soda or speciality coffee. I personally would not care if they raised the cost of the UBP and started including speciality coffee, canned soda and bottles of water to justify it.

Edited July 1, 2016 by littlelulu01

[SeaShark]

I don't know what third world country you live in, but I've never seen what you're describing at any Five Guys or Wendy's that has them.

What? If you've never seen it then it can't possibly be true?