Anyway to opt out of Promos to get a cheaper price?

[Longstockingpippi1]

Carnival is not always cheaper!! Our vista cruise is per day more expensive then our escape cruised and escape cruise includes beverage and specialty dining. We also have a large balcony on escape. We will have to purchase beverage package and dinning on carnival!

 

The OP wants NO beverage or dining, no internet or free 3rd guest. We all know that these perks are built into the cost of the cruise. Nothing in this world is ever Free. So I stand by my tongue in cheek assertion, for bare bones cruising Carnival beats NCL. The prices to embark out of Florida in an inside cabin, NCL can't even come close.

[POKRPLYR]

-----------so anyway to decline the promos for a cheaper price AND pick your room?

 

 

I just booked a cruise (British Isles) in mini-Suite and my choice was C$10,325 with the Free at Sea or C$7,872 with Canadian Dollar at Par offer.

 

I took the Canadian at Par because we don't drink enough to make up the $2,453 difference. I don't know if the Canadian Dollar at Par option is available to non-Canadians (it appears as "EXCHANGE" promo if you have an agent book through their system).

[POA1]

-----------so anyway to decline the promos for a cheaper price AND pick your room?

 

 

I just booked a cruise (British Isles) in mini-Suite and my choice was C$10,325 with the Free at Sea or C$7,872 with Canadian Dollar at Par offer.

 

I took the Canadian at Par because we don't drink enough to make up the $2,453 difference. I don't know if the Canadian Dollar at Par option is available to non-Canadians (it appears as "EXCHANGE" promo if you have an agent book through their system).

 

How long was your cruise, and for how many people? I know the difference is $2,453CAD or ~$1,966USD, but it'll be easier to see how much the "free" stuff costs once we know the length of the cruise and the number of passengers in the cabin. Thank you.

[POKRPLYR]

"How long was your cruise, and for how many people? I know the difference is $2,453CAD or ~$1,966USD, but it'll be easier to see how much the "free" stuff costs once we know the length of the cruise and the number of passengers in the cabin. Thank you."

 

 

2 people 12 days. So we gave up a choice of two of : Beverage, 3 specialty dining, wi-fi and $50 per port shore excursion credit

 

 

We get wi-fi already (and most of the days are in port so will use our mobiles), we don't usually do the ship shore excursions. so for us we decided paying a la carte for beverages and dining will be less than $2k

[POA1]

"How long was your cruise, and for how many people? I know the difference is $2,453CAD or ~$1,966USD, but it'll be easier to see how much the "free" stuff costs once we know the length of the cruise and the number of passengers in the cabin. Thank you."

 

 

2 people 12 days. So we gave up a choice of two of : Beverage, 3 specialty dining, wi-fi and $50 per port shore excursion credit

 

 

We get wi-fi already (and most of the days are in port so will use our mobiles), we don't usually do the ship shore excursions. so for us we decided paying a la carte for beverages and dining will be less than $2k

 

Thanks! A quick, back-of-the-envelope calculation yields a per person, per diem difference of $102.21CAD or $81.92USD. Obviously, this probably varies based on market and cruise duration.

[NMLady]

AND still pick your room?

 

i know GTY room categories (IX, OX, BX & MX) are cheaper because it doesnt include promos.

but you cant pick your room.

 

if i get an OV or balcony, i get 2 promos but the only one that i'm going to use is Specialty Dining.

i dont drink much plus the mandatory ~$100 tips. :mad:

250 internet minutes is also not worth it, and i use 3rd party for excursions.

 

wished i could double up on the Specialty Dining.

 

so anyway to decline the promos for a cheaper price AND pick your room?

 

Ask for the Sailaway Rate, and then buy your own SDP.

[newmexicoNita]

I think some travel agencies are getting some kind of "Sail away rates" that are cheaper than the NCL site's "Norwegian rate".

and sometimes they offer different perks. Regardless unless there is a lower rate, you will have to go along with the crowd. remember these specials are set up to attract the most guests and most love the perks. Let me say this, which has been our experience, since the UBP has been offered we have had so much fun. We are not huge drinkers, especially when we are paying but we have enjoyed just trying different drinks. No, we do not get drunk, but it is fun to experiment. Another thing we love about the UBP is ordering a glass of wine when gambling. Again we do not spend much time in the casino, but it is nice to order a drink or when you are at a show. So just go and enjoy or call a reputable travel agent for advise. We were lucky on our cruise coming up which we booked in late April, we are getting our gratuities paid and the UBP: What more could we ask for?

 

I do see this thread is really old; I am sure Op has made a her reservation and maybe even sailed by now.

Edited August 27, 2017 by newmexicoNita

[newmexicoNita]

Isn't one of the promos Gratuities? Do that with the dining.

It depends. We booked our next cruise when gratuities were a promo. Our friends, traveling with us booked a couple of weeks later, they were no longer offering the gratuities. It changes weekly it seems

[lamom]

If you want no promos all you do is choose the Norwegian rate.

[IrieBajan54]

I am Platinum and always pick the Sail Away Rate. The promos are of no value to me. Drinking is not a priority so the UBP would be a waste. I may have one drink today and none the next. On my next cruise, I got a balcony on the 9th deck AFT as a guarantee. Plus I saved $200 by selecting Sail Away Rate and don't have all those FREE extra tips.

Edited August 27, 2017 by IrieBajan54
correct terms and grammar

[daniTS]

Like a pp we did Canada at Par vs a promo. We don't drink, are on a TA so no shore ex to speak of, and figured we can go to a few speciality dinners for less than the price difference (200$ each--3 adults--in a mini suite). Also, when I called to rebook at Canada at Par and the person on the phone said we would lose the promos she also said we would lose the OBC, but we didn't, it went down slightly but I think we got 100US vs 125US for the cabin.

Edited August 28, 2017 by daniTS
added more detail

[newmexicoNita]

We had the beverage package on the Sun last year for Alaska when no gratuities were charged for it. Still, the red wine choices were poor. There were no robust red cabernets offered. On our next Dawn cruise, we declined the drinks package with the ridiculous gratuities that no other cruise line charges and accepted the internet package and credit on excursions instead. I would love for NCL to just go back to the basic prices. We don't drink 8 drinks a day, but when we do, we like more wine choices.

 

NCL is still competitive, since the other cruise lines are doing the same bundling.

bundling is the thing more people want and that makes a difference. I can think of a lot of things I liked better back when, but that was then. I agree the wine choice isn't great but still being able to drink pretty much want ever we want is fun and does save up money. If nothing else it is paid before sailing no no sticker shock at the end of the cruise. You don't have to drink 8 drinks a day for it to be a good deal. For some a flat rate is the way to go, for others the promos work better. Everyone has to decide for themselves.

[4774Papa]

If you want no promos all you do is choose the Norwegian rate.

Every time that I try that or the senior rate, it does absolutely nothing for me.

 

I wonder how many people prior to the drinks packages ever kept a total of all their alcoholic drinks. I have done that on every cruise and DW and I never spend more than $400 total for a 14 day cruise on booze and wine.

 

We still drink more on a cruise than we drink at home, but we are still moderate drinkers. I had a friend a couple of years ago that drank like he was on a cruise all the time and he died at 65 of liver failure.

[mskaufman]

It might be as simple as talking to a TA. For a May cruise my TA was able to offer a fare that was $200 less expensive if I did not take the promo (7 nights FL and Bahamas). Did the math and took the lower fare.

[littlelulu01]

We booked a MS sail away rate with zero perks at a cost of $300 pp less than the same room type with perk options.

 

Then Purchased a dining package for just one of us. I hate being stuffed after dinners and so wouldn't benefit from a sdp- I'll order a $3 Caesar salad or bowl of soup and take a couple bites of husband's steak or whatever. Ending up Not much more than grats cost on the free package this way. You can't share a dining package as in giving entire meal credits to someone else but I can certainly take a bite of his dinner or dessert. That's the way we eat on land and it saves husband a few calories if he doesn't eat the entire steak or entree, dessert....

 

Only one soda drinker so purchase of a couple sodas per day was way less than the grats on the free beverage package x's 2 and I can drink cans out of mini bar or get a can of soda from bar this way whereas the UBP allows neither option. Also purchased a water package bringing cost of water bottles to within a reasonable cost as water bottles are also not included in the UBP.

 

The nice thing is that if not taking as a perk you can purchase components for just one. The benefits of taking a sail away rate should be weighed based on savings. if you have even one drinker and one non drinker, paying grats on perk UBP x 2 can still be a savings. Some say they benefit as a non drinker from UBP for the non alcoholic virgin drinks. For me, those drinks taste super sugary and gross. The UBP drinks choice is way too limiting for a non drinker imo.