UBP? Escape...

[travelin'teach]

We are leaving Sunday with a big group and have elected the UBP as one of our perks. I know the fine print says 20% tax on the UBP... Is that based on the $89 a day if we had purchased it? Is it charged to the room or have I already paid that within the cruise charge?

I have combed my paperwork and the taxes, etc.. are not itemized.

thanks!

[PTC DAWG]

You have paid it....sail on, and enjoy the drinks.

 

IF you have not paid the DSC...daily service charge..."envelope parade for tips" back in the day..that will still show up daily on your On Board Account.

[PelicanBill]

You have paid it....sail on, and enjoy the drinks.

 

IF you have not paid the DSC...daily service charge..."envelope parade for tips" back in the day..that will still show up daily on your On Board Account.

 

It's not tax it's gratuities on the value of the package if you had paid for it separately. Your original booking should have shown this as a line item next to the "fees taxes and port charge" line item if it was direct with NCL. Travel Agent invoices can appear different and could have hidden the line item I suppose.

[KarlChilders]

if you look at your booking you should see a line that says choice promotion charge and would equal 17.80 per day per passengers 1 & 2

[LrgPizza]

We are leaving Sunday with a big group and have elected the UBP as one of our perks. I know the fine print says 20% tax on the UBP... Is that based on the $89 a day if we had purchased it? Is it charged to the room or have I already paid that within the cruise charge?

I have combed my paperwork and the taxes' date=' etc.. are not itemized.

thanks![/quote']

Read again. Nowhere does it say anything about 20% tax. Are you a teacher?

[travelin'teach]

Read again. Nowhere does it say anything about 20% tax. Are you a teacher?

 

 

My apologies LrgPizza. It says 20% gratuity and service charge. If asking if I am a teacher is you being snarky, please move on. All I did was ask a a question. I do appreciate the responses I received and for those of you who understood my question and answered politely.

[cheeseheads4ever]

They sure dont make it clear but am seeing the light on NCL somewhat. The service promo charge are the gratuities on the drink pkg so for example 10 day cruise x $17.80 ( which is 20% of $89 a day) x 2 people = $356 service promo charge.

Im guessing you pay additional gratuties fo room service and dining seperate. Not sure what NCL is a day. Ive never sailed on NCL just trying to figure it all out.

I know this has been beat to death.

Thanks for any input.

[Two Wheels Only]

Im guessing you pay additional gratuties fo room service and dining seperate.

Room service is a bit complicated. ;)

There is no charge for continental breakfast & coffee (non-specialty, of course) but for other items, there is a flat fee of $7.95 unless staying in a suite. That $7.95 isn't per item, it is per order but is not a tip or gratuity. You are not required to tip above that but many people choose to tip

 

Dining will be a 20% service charge whether using a dining plan or paying a la carte. If the dining promo is taken or purchased before sailing, the service charge is paid before boarding. If buying a dining package onboard (using OBC, for ex.), the 20% is added then. If paying a la carte, the 20% service charge is added to the bill. You are not required to tip above that but many people choose to tip.

[Two Wheels Only]

My apologies LrgPizza. It says 20% gratuity and service charge. If asking if I am a teacher is you being snarky' date=' please move on. All I did was ask a a question. I do appreciate the responses I received and for those of you who understood my question and answered politely.[/quote']

 

Your question was easily understood but using the word "tax" can cause problems. In many ports, a state tax is added to drinks while the ship is in port or sailing near the port (a few miles). This tax a separate from the service charge (Miami is 8%,).

 

Here's a picture from another CC member while in port on embarkation day....

 

 

...it shows

 

$11.95 + $11.95 (the cost of the drinks)

$23.90 (the sub-total for the drinks)

$4.78 (the 20% service charge for the drinks)

$1.91 (the 8% food and beverage port tax on $23.90)

 

In this case, the $23.90 was covered by the UBP. The $4.78 was covered by the promo service charge payment that is made when paying for the cruise. The guest was responsible for the $1.91 tax which was deducted from their onboard account.

[travelin'teach]

Thanks! Is it a one or two drink minimum with the UBP when ordering? We did not get our kids the soda pkg because that would be a waste of money for them. But if they are with us and want a soda, given we have the UBP can we get one and order a drink?

[Two Wheels Only]

Thanks! Is it a one or two drink minimum with the UBP when ordering? We did not get our kids the soda pkg because that would be a waste of money for them. But if they are with us and want a soda' date=' given we have the UBP can we get one and order a drink?[/quote']

It isn't supposed to be done. Getting a drink (even a non-alcoholic one) and giving it to someone isn't allowed but the bartender might do it. The better option is to pay for the occasional soda or get a complimentary beverage from the self-serve locations like the ones in the buffet.

[BirdTravels]

Thanks! Is it a one or two drink minimum with the UBP when ordering? We did not get our kids the soda pkg because that would be a waste of money for them. But if they are with us and want a soda' date=' given we have the UBP can we get one and order a drink?[/quote']

That is consider theft and your plan will be cancelled without refund if you are caught.

 

Can you be up front and ask a friendly bartender to do that “pour your kid a soda”,,,, sure.

[kirsty_r]

Your question was easily understood but using the word "tax" can cause problems. In many ports, a state tax is added to drinks while the ship is in port or sailing near the port (a few miles). This tax a separate from the service charge (Miami is 8%,).

 

Here's a picture from another CC member while in port on embarkation day....

 

 

...it shows

 

$11.95 + $11.95 (the cost of the drinks)

$23.90 (the sub-total for the drinks)

$4.78 (the 20% service charge for the drinks)

$1.91 (the 8% food and beverage port tax on $23.90)

 

In this case, the $23.90 was covered by the UBP. The $4.78 was covered by the promo service charge payment that is made when paying for the cruise. The guest was responsible for the $1.91 tax which was deducted from their onboard account.

 

 

 

With the sales tax on drinks in port is this in every port or is there a list of ports that charge it? I’m thinking east coast/Canadian ports primarily... is it just embarkation or does it apply to all calling points? I’m doing a New England cruise if that helps...

 

 

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Edited August 11, 2018 by kirsty_r

[mdsgu]

With the sales tax on drinks in port is this in every port or is there a list of ports that charge it? I’m thinking east coast/Canadian ports primarily... is it just embarkation or does it apply to all calling points? I’m doing a New England cruise if that helps...

 

 

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New York does it. Galveston does it. New Orleans does it -- to the point that, on the Carnival Dream, they were trying to hurry up on our steakhouse bill on the final evening so they could close it before we entered the Mississippi River and LA state tax kicked in.

 

I've never seen an additional tax while in Caribbean ports.

[sanger727]

With the sales tax on drinks in port is this in every port or is there a list of ports that charge it? I’m thinking east coast/Canadian ports primarily... is it just embarkation or does it apply to all calling points? I’m doing a New England cruise if that helps...

 

 

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Tax is applied to drinks when docked at and in waters that belong to a state that has sales tax. So, would venture to say that would apply to most to all ports in New England, including sailing in between. It would not apply to Canada. Our last cruise started in Tampa and the first port stop was in key west. We paid taxes on drinks until dinner on the second day (after we left US waters).

 

 

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[esm54687]

With the sales tax on drinks in port is this in every port or is there a list of ports that charge it? I’m thinking east coast/Canadian ports primarily... is it just embarkation or does it apply to all calling points? I’m doing a New England cruise if that helps...

 

 

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I started this thread a while a go and people were gracious enough to populate it...... hope it helps.

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2426115

[kirsty_r]

That is a great thread... thank you.

 

 

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[travelin'teach]

It isn't supposed to be done. Getting a drink (even a non-alcoholic one) and giving it to someone isn't allowed but the bartender might do it. The better option is to pay for the occasional soda or get a complimentary beverage from the self-serve locations like the ones in the buffet.

 

 

Oh, I am honest and won't do it!! I will pay for the occasional soda unless a bartender is nice enough to fill one for my kids.

[travelin'teach]

That is consider theft and your plan will be cancelled without refund if you are caught.

 

Can you be up front and ask a friendly bartender to do that “pour your kid a soda”,,,, sure.

 

Nope! I am honest and didn't even think of it as theft. I'll pay for the soda! ;p