Bottled Water Ripoff

[Curtw]

I don't think your argument ... wait for it ... holds water.

 

At the new prices for buying pre-cruise it's "only" about 1.5 times the cost of the same 1 liter bottle of Aquafina in my local supermarket. That's a smaller margin than on beer, wine or mixed drinks. Would you then say that NCL Corporate doesn't like beer, wine or mixed drinks and therefore they don't want you to drink them?

 

The Aquafina 1 liter bottle is priced very high everywhere, for some unexplained reason. Maybe they intend that size to be for resorts, cruises, etc. where higher prices are in demand. It's a "rip off" in terms of the rest of the Aquafina line because that particular package, for some reason, is about twice the price per ml of the other sizes they sell.

I agree NCL is not losing money on anything they sell. What I don't get is why everyone wants to compare a NCL 24-pack price divided by 24 to a supermarket or convenient store price for a single bottle.

 

A 24-pack of half liter bottles in my market is under $4.00. Compared to an NCL 12 pack (12 liters compared to 12 liters), NCL is about 7 times higher.

 

Single liter bottles are $1.99 locally which makes NCL more than triple. (NCL charged $6.49 per bottle on my invoice.)

 

I get where some of you are okay with NCL pricing, but I argue my assertion that NCL water is a ripoff is a fair assessment based on real pricing, and definitely "holds water".

[don't-use-real-name]

Aquafina bottled by PEPSI so another plug or push to use Pepsi products.

At sea "Water water everywhere but nary a drop to drink" !

So you are a captive audience on board NCL still yet you are not on a

prison diet.

 

Your choices:

 

Tank up before boarding the ship - how long will that last ?

No water thru Security

Buy bottled water on board

Drink tap water in cabin

Alternate have CS bring you pitchers of water with/out ice

Go to Buffet and drink dispensed water

At Buffet have a suitable container and follow health rules to refill a container

In MDR drink water served by NCL

At Bar buy bottled water or drink dispensed water

At Port calls drink local water or buy off-brand bottled water (can't bring it on board)

 

You are not at the Space Station so other options are not available (recycle)

You are not at a bad "B" Movie - "Don't Drink the Water!"

 

So what are you going to do - dehydrate your health for the cruise ?

 

These are the choices - at least you are not downstream of a major river where

everyone has used the water before you (Ugh just the thought!)

 

So seriously what other options do you have with finicky tastes* (so many parts per million) ?

At least you don't have to live with it for the rest of your life and what about the NCL crew

drinking ships water for so many cruises while under contract

It can't be all that bad - a sip is not going mess with your cruise

 

But it is irksome to pay outrageous prices for the elixir of life when other options are NCL no-no's

 

My flooded soapbox is now being directed to the gutter - folks keep posting about NCL Water 101 !

[richstowe]

I agree NCL is not losing money on anything they sell. What I don't get is why everyone wants to compare a NCL 24-pack price divided by 24 to a supermarket or convenient store price for a single bottle.

 

A 24-pack of half liter bottles in my market is under $4.00. Compared to an NCL 12 pack (12 liters compared to 12 liters), NCL is about 7 times higher.

 

Single liter bottles are $1.99 locally which makes NCL more than triple. (NCL charged $6.49 per bottle on my invoice.)

 

I get where some of you are okay with NCL pricing, but I argue my assertion that NCL water is a ripoff is a fair assessment based on real pricing, and definitely "holds water".

Why? Why? Because they want to prove .that Norwegian is not ripping off its customers . That's why ! :mad:

[overone45]

I don't understand the issue with the water. I drink the tap water & I think it tastes fine. Am I missing something?

 

 

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[DanMullin]

yes

 

 

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[BirdTravels]

I don't understand the issue with the water. I drink the tap water & I think it tastes fine. Am I missing something?

 

 

Yes. You don't understand.

 

Yes. You are missing something.

[overone45]

Can you explain?

 

 

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[fshagan]

Single liter bottles are $1.99 locally which makes NCL more than triple. (NCL charged $6.49 per bottle on my invoice.)

 

 

Yes, that's what I see locally. I don't recall the exact price of .5 liter Aquafina, but I remember the price being much, much less per ounce than the same water in the 1 liter bottles. If you buy a 12 pack of Aquafina prior to the cruise you can get it for less than twice the single bottle price on shore with the new, lower pricing which is less a markup than beer, etc. I can at least accept that. But the main problem is that except for the Pride of America you are limited to the 1 liter bottles and the built in higher "rip off" prices. (I consider it a rip off even at $1.99 a bottle).

[goldenrod]

Simple solution bring four empty water bottles in your luggage and refill the at the buffet as needed the water in the buffet is more highly filtered. We have never paid for water.

 

 

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[grandmarnnurse]

Simple solution bring four empty water bottles in your luggage and refill the at the buffet as needed the water in the buffet is more highly filtered. We have never paid for water.

 

 

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I recently told my adult daughters that when we cruise this next January, to purchase the water from cruise line ahead to have it in cabin, as the cost is cheaper per bottle than paying $6 each time for a 2 liter bottle. Now, we ALWAYS just drink tap water on the ship, but buy the bottles when we go ashore to a beach day, and we were shocked at the $6 price, but paid it. My oldest daughter (a single mom of 4)---an experienced cruiser with her family---said "mom, I have all the kids carry their own back pack with snacks, towels, and refillable water bottle that they fill before we leave the ship. They are all responsible for making sure they have water, etc. I am not their camel, and I will not pay for water". So, I guess buying a refillable water bottle is the way to go!

[newmexicoNita]

Most bottled water IS tap water.

 

 

excellant point. Too many do not realize this.

[Curtw]

Originally posted by Luke I Am Your Father Most bottled water IS tap water.

 

 

Originally posted by newmexicoNita excellant point. Too many do not realize this.

 

 

Maybe most starts as tap water, but a good fact checker would call this claim "misleading" since most bottled water is also filtered, and some is distilled.