Raise in beverage prices. Shouldn't we be grandfathered in?

[HowardK]

It is starting to appear then the you pick 2 promo from end of last year then was designed behind the scenes with the intent that the prices would then rise on certain popular drinks and thus generate more profit. So essentially, it is no longer really a UBP with some of the restrictions. I like Dark and Stormys, but is this really a "premium" $17 drink? I think I'll just do a ginger ale with rum then lol

[Hopes4]

Yes, I drink those products. I regularly drink mojitios and margarittas and on the Bermuda cruises Dark and Stormy. Paying $17 for a Patron margaritta (which is how I ask for it at restaurants) is just crazy, even in New York, where I live. How some would order a beer, I would order a margaritta or mojitio. Is Jose Cuirveo included in UBP?

 

 

 

Yes it is, but would you enjoy a Margarita made with it?

I don't drink a lot but if I drank that I'd be feeling like crap in the morning. [emoji37]

 

 

 

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[NHL Philly Fan]

I see the recent raise in drink prices. When I booked, I was happy to take the UBP as it came with some of my favorite premium liquors. Now it appears they are above the price limit.

Why are we not grandfathered in? If I purchase an excursion now and the price goes up later, I get the old deal. Why not with this. On a past cruise, I got only 1 of 5 items from the promo, they changed it and I would have gotten 2 of 5. ( It was after final payment) so I lost out. In this case I booked and paid so the old package is what I should get. I am already paying over $1100 in tips for the UBP as it is for two people. ( yes that is for the UBP and not the service charge)

 

Steve

 

You got the package. The particular drinks you want are a different matter.

[kathybelcher2433]

Try actually reading the whole post and then have another go.

 

 

Love that Keith Jenner! Even while cruising he hits the nail on the head!

[cruizinwithkids]

I like Dark and Stormys, but is this really a "premium" $17 drink? I think I'll just do a ginger ale with rum then lol

 

My husband's next cruise is without me, the cheap accountant. When at home he only drinks beer. When he cruises he drinks beer and Dark and Stormys, but it's not like he's a Dark and Stormy connoisseur. I THINK the menu said a Gosling Rum and Gosling Ginger beer is $17. Could he ask for a Dark and Stormy made with Myers Dark rum? I have to tell him what to do or he'll miss me. LOL

[bjlaac]

You can't argue with these idiots, if NCL served dog crap on toast for every meal they would justify it as within NCL's rights and question your sanity for pointing out to them they are eating dog crap.

 

NCL is a joke of a cruise line that does not honor their clients. They think of them as sheep to be fleeced and then slaughtered when they become too old.

 

As soon as my two next cruise certificates are used I'm done with NCL. If I paid for something that included a particular item then I'm entitlled to receive that item, even if its removed from future offers. That's a no brainer which every person in the world knows except for NCL cheer leadeers.

Edited August 7, 2016 by bjlaac

[Hopes4]

My husband's next cruise is without me, the cheap accountant. When at home he only drinks beer. When he cruises he drinks beer and Dark and Stormys, but it's not like he's a Dark and Stormy connoisseur. I THINK the menu said a Gosling Rum and Gosling Ginger beer is $17. Could he ask for a Dark and Stormy made with Myers Dark rum? I have to tell him what to do or he'll miss me. LOL

 

 

 

Of course! They'll make you anything you ask for.

 

 

 

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[js]

Yes it is, but would you enjoy a Margarita made with it?

I don't drink a lot but if I drank that I'd be feeling like crap in the morning. [emoji37]

 

 

 

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I know but it jist kills me to spend extra. I LOVE salad. How some people like ice cream, I love a great salad. I will sometimes pay a premium for a good salad but it just gets me crazy paying $20 for a salad when I know it should cost less than $5. Gggrrr first world problems but my dh would just tell just pay the extra but I dont want to get myself annoyed lol

[js]

My husband's next cruise is without me, the cheap accountant. When at home he only drinks beer. When he cruises he drinks beer and Dark and Stormys, but it's not like he's a Dark and Stormy connoisseur. I THINK the menu said a Gosling Rum and Gosling Ginger beer is $17. Could he ask for a Dark and Stormy made with Myers Dark rum? I have to tell him what to do or he'll miss me. LOL

 

 

I am going to ask for this with Myers and see what happens. Im disconnecting from my phone for the week and can report back next week.

[Hopes4]

I know but it jist kills me to spend extra. I LOVE salad. How some people like ice cream, I love a great salad. I will sometimes pay a premium for a good salad but it just gets me crazy paying $20 for a salad when I know it should cost less than $5. Gggrrr first world problems but my dh would just tell just pay the extra but I dont want to get myself annoyed lol

 

 

 

I completely understand. It's the principle!

I'll suck up the extra cost because I want to enjoy the few drinks I have. The $25 it might cost me in the 10 days will be worth it even if I feel like NCL isn't being very honorable.

 

 

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[Computer Nerd]

You can't argue with these idiots, if NCL served dog crap on toast for every meal they would justify it as within NCL's rights and question your sanity for pointing out to them they are eating dog crap.

 

NCL is a joke of a cruise line that does not honor their clients. They think of them as sheep to be fleeced and then slaughtered when they become too old.

 

As soon as my two next cruise certificates are used I'm done with NCL. If I paid for something that included a particular item then I'm entitlled to receive that item, even if its removed from future offers. That's a no brainer which every person in the world knows except for NCL cheer leadeers.

 

exactly. :)

[ozscot01]

We've been looking at NCL as a potential next cruise and this thread has me thinking twice.

It seems to me irrelevant whether the OP bought or was gifted his UBP. Either way it was part of the price he paid and whatever was included at that time is what he should receive. They may not have specified what brands were included but a Google search would tell him that and may have influenced his decision to buy. For that reason alone, it should be grandfathered in, otherwise they are not providing the product the OP bought.

[kathybelcher2433]

You can't argue with these idiots, if NCL served dog crap on toast for every meal they would justify it as within NCL's rights and question your sanity for pointing out to them they are eating dog crap.

 

NCL is a joke of a cruise line that does not honor their clients. They think of them as sheep to be fleeced and then slaughtered when they become too old.

 

As soon as my two next cruise certificates are used I'm done with NCL. If I paid for something that included a particular item then I'm entitlled to receive that item, even if its removed from future offers. That's a no brainer which every person in the world knows except for NCL cheer leadeers.

 

 

Wow. Do you kiss your mother with that mouth? Nice. Why don't you really show them and not use those 2 cruise next certificates? I think that would make a lot stronger statement than your insults.

[Annmeat]

We had the UBP for cruises in June and Oct-nov 2015. the max was 11or 12 bucks back then, and the pear martinis I like were 14.95 or 15.95 .

 

The good tequilas were also over the limit as was glenfidditch and a few other things that the hubs likes.

 

It doesn't seem like the increases this year of price of drinks is out of line with what the prices were last year with a lower limit on the UBP.

 

The prices, however, are very Los Angeles/Manhattan/DC right now. I wouldn't pay 18 bucks for a drink if I did not have the UBP unless it was a glass of Vueve.

 

I just compared individual drink,prices on NCl with RCL, or at least tried. Couldn't find the top shelf or über shelf or whatever they are calling it and couldn't find martinis. The Bahamas mamas and that type of drink are less on NCL,,which I found surprising

 

OPs cruise is waaaaaay off. Maybe things will change. When we booked one of our cruises the limit on UBP was 2 dollars less than when we sailed. And yet my favorite pear martini was STILL not covered!

 

Sorry for the rambling. I think the higher end drinks are insanely priced. While those with UBP won't feel too much of a pinch ,I cannot imagine that they'll be selling many 18 dollar drinks to not UBP holders.

 

I'm pretty sure there isn't a liquor shortage anywhere, so I don't understand the ridiculous drink prices.( yes, profit rules, losses drool yadayada yeah , I get it)

A pear martini is $2.99 extra worth it, but not worth $18.00 to me.

 

Maybe, as it was with the iConcierge app and its up and down pricing, they are trying to see what the market will bear.

 

 

Ann

I paid more for a bottle of water at my movie theater today than I did at Disney in June..made me think about our upcoming cruise!

[Computer Nerd]

Wow. Do you kiss your mother with that mouth? Nice. Why don't you really show them and not use those 2 cruise next certificates? I think that would make a lot stronger statement than your insults.

 

ha. yes, throwing away two cruise certificates which ncl was paid 300 dollars for would really show ncl. nothing like free money to a company to show them that you're pissed off. :rolleyes:

Edited August 7, 2016 by Computer Nerd

[mscdivina2016]

how many hotels, resorts, theaters, sport venues or anything else do you prepay for your drinks 6 months out. :rolleyes:

 

I booked all inclusive which included unlimited water sports and drinks 15 months out. When I got there, there was an up charge now for drinks in your mini bar and an up charge now for scuba diving now. I saved screen shots and when I got there I tried to argue with them to no avail. I did take it up with my credit card company and they made it right.:D

 

I booked a train excursion in a mid west state 8 months out and took the Superior package which a special car and included unlimited drinks such as Wiskey's, Vodka's, Rums, Gin's, Tequila's. ect.

When we started this excursion on a Sunday morning, they only had Bloody Mary's and Mimosa's :mad: I hate both and to top it off, the wonderful lunch was now a brunch ( so much for a rib eye, now sliced ham). Again I saved the screen shots and I was given a full refund as the Sunday brunch railway trip was something they introduced after I purchased yet was never notified.

 

My point, is here are 2 other things which were paid for in advance and was not what I purchased. Had I known either I would have cancelled. I will not cancel the cruise as I lose a fortune on the travel insurance already paid for and it is mostly principle.

[mscdivina2016]

Well, yeah...

 

When you sign a contract you agree to a price, and the other party agrees to give you something in return. That something needs to be (and is) spelled out in the contract. You should have easily seen that. If not, what are you getting for your money?

 

Again, I looked. Can you copy and paste what you are referring to specific to my post. Keep in mind I am paid in full. The right to make changes and alterations and the like is a vague statement to cover something major like re routing due to storms, mechanical issues, or political unrest at a port.

 

Altering something for additional revenue generating would not fit in this case. I can see them eliminating something or canceling it all together, but they did not. They still have the item.

[swedish weave]

Wow. Do you kiss your mother with that mouth? Nice. Why don't you really show them and not use those 2 cruise next certificates? I think that would make a lot stronger statement than your insults.

 

Why don't you try to dispute the post with facts (which you can't do) rather than try to belittle the person who posted.

 

It is rather inane to suggest throwing away the value of the certs, isn't it ???

 

We should all receive what we pay for, and if we had valid consumer protection laws in the USA, the cruise lines would be taken to task for doing business in this manner.

 

The final payment date should lock in the terms of purchase and that is what you should receive.

Edited August 7, 2016 by swedish weave

[KeithJenner]

how many hotels, resorts, theaters, sport venues or anything else do you prepay for your drinks 6 months out. :rolleyes:

 

 

 

For some reason the exchange that followed this was deleted yesterday, but this was allowed to stand.

 

I will just say that, when you read the whole of my original post including the edit, you will see that the question is irrelevant. Once I realised that I had misread the OP I clarified that their situation is different.

[SeaShark]

Again, I looked. Can you copy and paste what you are referring to specific to my post. Keep in mind I am paid in full. The right to make changes and alterations and the like is a vague statement to cover something major like re routing due to storms, mechanical issues, or political unrest at a port.

 

Altering something for additional revenue generating would not fit in this case. I can see them eliminating something or canceling it all together, but they did not. They still have the item.

So you claim that you looked. How about you cut and paste what you found that outlines what the cruise line is obligated to give you for your money. If you looked, as you've claimed, then you would know that paid in full doesn't matter...terms apply at the time of boarding....even if you haven't made any payment at all.

[Seanote]

 

Yet nobody cares because everyone has the drink package.

 

 

For now.

 

 

 

Not true, really. Our October cruise booked 18 months ago does not have UBP or any perks. Of course our booking was really, really cheap, compared to today's prices (it's the only reason why we haven't cancelled this trip).

 

Now however, if the airline booked for this trip wanted to bump me from my business class seat to coach, they couldn't do it without compensation--because I paid much more than the price of a coach seat. If they oversold coach and needed to move someone to business class, they couldn't suddenly charge that pax more. Why? Consumer protection laws. If business advertise a product for a price and they can no longer, or will no longer provide a product at a price, they must provide something of equal or GREATER value. The one limitation to the law is if it is noted that the product is of limited quantity. NCL's contract does not do this.

[mscdivina2016]

So you claim that you looked. How about you cut and paste what you found that outlines what the cruise line is obligated to give you for your money. If you looked, as you've claimed, then you would know that paid in full doesn't matter...terms apply at the time of boarding....even if you haven't made any payment at all.

 

There is nothing that is really comparable.

 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>Once we have received your deposit or full payment, the cruise rate is secure except in the event of substantial increases in operating costs, tariffs or taxes prior to the sailing date. In such cases, we reserve the right to add a surcharge. If you select an Air/Sea package, additional governmental taxes and customs fees may apply. All assessed government or quasi-government fees and taxes are subject to change without notice at any time, and we reserve the right to add a surcharge for these fees and taxes whether you have a confirmed booking under deposit or have made final payment. All rates and information in this brochure were in effect at time of printing and are subject to change. <<<<<<<<<<<<<<

 

and

>>>>>>>>>>>> Items Included in Fare:

The fare paid by the Guest for this ticket includes transportation on the

vessel named herein, full board, and ordinary vessel food,

but does not include beer, wine, spirits, sodas

or mineral waters, nor expenses incurred for other in

cidental or personal services/purchases. Fares do

not include certain taxes, fees, port expenses

and charges imposed by governmental or quasi-

governmental authorities, including po

rt authorities, service charges or

the cost of the fuel supplement,

nor any security surcharges or sim

ilar incidental surcharges, for wh

ich passengers will be charged. If

governmental or quasi-governmental action results in

any element of such taxes and fees exceeding the

estimates used by Carrier for purposes of computin

g the quoted amount, Carrier reserves the right to

pass through the extra amount.<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

 

As far as being paid in full versus just a deposit there are different things that apply to that. One is if you are paid in full you cannot transfer your booking to a TA. If you only deposit, then you have 60 days.

Edited August 7, 2016 by mscdivina2016

[SeaShark]

There is nothing that is really comparable.

 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>Once we have received your deposit or full payment, the cruise rate is secure except in the event of substantial increases in operating costs, tariffs or taxes prior to the sailing date. In such cases, we reserve the right to add a surcharge. If you select an Air/Sea package, additional governmental taxes and customs fees may apply. All assessed government or quasi-government fees and taxes are subject to change without notice at any time, and we reserve the right to add a surcharge for these fees and taxes whether you have a confirmed booking under deposit or have made final payment. All rates and information in this brochure were in effect at time of printing and are subject to change. <<<<<<<<<<<<<<

 

and

>>>>>>>>>>>> Items Included in Fare:

The fare paid by the Guest for this ticket includes transportation on the

vessel named herein, full board, and ordinary vessel food,

but does not include beer, wine, spirits, sodas

or mineral waters, nor expenses incurred for other in

cidental or personal services/purchases. Fares do

not include certain taxes, fees, port expenses

and charges imposed by governmental or quasi-

governmental authorities, including po

rt authorities, service charges or

the cost of the fuel supplement,

nor any security surcharges or sim

ilar incidental surcharges, for wh

ich passengers will be charged. If

governmental or quasi-governmental action results in

any element of such taxes and fees exceeding the

estimates used by Carrier for purposes of computin

g the quoted amount, Carrier reserves the right to

pass through the extra amount.<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

 

As far as being paid in full versus just a deposit there are different things that apply to that. One is if you are paid in full you cannot transfer your booking to a TA. If you only deposit, then you have 60 days.

 

 

Nothing comparable? I would suggest that you reread the contract. I have no way to spoon feed understanding to you.

 

If you think you are promised something, then simply find the portion of the contract to support it. Transportation, full board, ordinary vessel food...I'm not seeing where they promise that the price of incidentals won't change prior to boarding.

 

What creates a binding contract? Is it making a deposit? Is it paying in full? Is it something else entirely? (Not a difficult question...it's spelled out right in the agreement).

 

 

At the end of the day, things change. That's life. Some changes we like...some we don't. Point is: it doesn't help to get upset over broken promises when no such promise was made in the first place.

 

I have 2 cruise rewards that I purchased in 2014...needless to say, there have been a LOT of changes since. However, all I was promised was that each certificate was worth $250 toward a future cruise. Nobody ever promised that every little thing would remain exactly the same and nothing would change. All they owe me is $250 off of each cruise where a certificate is used.

[SeaShark]

Not true, really. Our October cruise booked 18 months ago does not have UBP or any perks. Of course our booking was really, really cheap, compared to today's prices (it's the only reason why we haven't cancelled this trip).

 

Now however, if the airline booked for this trip wanted to bump me from my business class seat to coach, they couldn't do it without compensation--because I paid much more than the price of a coach seat. If they oversold coach and needed to move someone to business class, they couldn't suddenly charge that pax more. Why? Consumer protection laws. If business advertise a product for a price and they can no longer, or will no longer provide a product at a price, they must provide something of equal or GREATER value. The one limitation to the law is if it is noted that the product is of limited quantity. NCL's contract does not do this.

You do realize that nobody and everybody are general terms and not absolutes, right?

 

That aside, you should also read the contract to determine what you were promised and when. You incorrectly assume that you are being promised today's prices tomorrow when it comes to incidentals.

[Seanote]

Nothing comparable? I would suggest that you reread the contract. I have no way to spoon feed understanding to you.

 

If you think you are promised something, then simply find the portion of the contract to support it. Transportation, full board, ordinary vessel food...I'm not seeing where they promise that the price of incidentals won't change prior to boarding.

 

What creates a binding contract? Is it making a deposit? Is it paying in full? Is it something else entirely? (Not a difficult question...it's spelled out right in the agreement).

 

 

At the end of the day, things change. That's life. Some changes we like...some we don't. Point is: it doesn't help to get upset over broken promises when no such promise was made in the first place.

 

I have 2 cruise rewards that I purchased in 2014...needless to say, there have been a LOT of changes since. However, all I was promised was that each certificate was worth $250 toward a future cruise. Nobody ever promised that every little thing would remain exactly the same and nothing would change. All they owe me is $250 off of each cruise where a certificate is used.

 

At this point I think you need to provide to all of us the point in the contract that says NCL has the right to thwart an implicit contract and that those who purchased UBP waive the right to consumer protection laws.

 

If you bought UBP package A that included X,Y and Z and then NCL switches it to package B that includes only X and Y, they have violated an implicit contact. Now they have the right to change things, but again, must provide the consumer with a product of EQUAL OR GREATER VALUE. Or the law states they could refund the difference in value.

 

Reminder, I don't have the UBP, I just hosed with some of the drinks costing 50% more than when I booked.