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Norwegian Cruise Line Raises Prices of Drink Packages


LauraS
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I have to say, even when the drink package was less expensive we never purchased it. Unless you are a heavy drinker it isn't really worth it I have to admit I am thrilled with the UBP as a perk and yes, we drink more than we did when sailing. I imagine there are very few who purchase the package.

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I paid for it at the first value as it was only 4-5 drinks to break even including sodas etc, now it is included for most cruisers in the perks or fares.... probably ncls way to get you to buy a fare with the perk...

 

 

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The beverage package cost/value with gratuity for NCL is ridiculous. We decline it now. On our recent 7 day Dawn NE and Canada cruise, I purchased five bottles of wine in Boston and paid the $15 corkage fees for each. We spent less on alcohol than JUST the GRATUITY charges would have been.

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For our upcoming cruise in 2019, we had the option of Free at Sea or 50%off the second guest. Taking the latter option saved us over $3k and was never going to be drinking that much worth of beverages....

 

 

 

Where are you in the world as far as booking? I’ve never seen NCL free 50% off second guest.

 

 

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This means the "free" drink package is now $20 per person per day. PLUS the free package is not available on the lowest cost cabins in any category, so that is another whammy. Altogether the "free" drinks add several hundred dollars to the price. So even though we are Platinum and have been for a long time we now go on Celebrity where they actually offer a free drinks on many cruises.

Here's a 6 minute video on how tipping works on celebrity. it is used to bring the employee's compensation up to the minimum contract wage.

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Here's a thought. At $20 gratuity per day... every 100 guests generates $2,000. Divide that by a pay rate of $10 per hour that covers 200 hours, or perhaps 20 shifts of bartenders. Per day. 500 guests with plan covers 100 shifts per day. They could be funding the entire bar labor force through the tips this way.

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there is already a long thread on this. Why start another one?

 

NCL has always had a drink package that is twice what other lines charge: NOT, maybe not as good but not always twice: that is an exaggeration.

 

how would you know what they have always had?: According to your post back when you cruised NCL in the spring it was your first cruise on NCL.

 

There have actually be two, this is the third.

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People who intend on drinking more than $831.60 pp per week will buy the package.

People who don't intend on drinking $831.60 pp per week will not buy the package.

 

Many people suspect that NCL is heading towards all-inclusive in all or most markets and every guest 1&2 will get the UOB/UBP as part of the fare whether they want it or not. The only people who will buy the UOB/UBP at retail will be guests 3+ or people who book Sail Away. If/when that day comes, people will choose what works best for them....if they have the option.

 

I hope not. I do not want to subsidize other people's drinking.

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NCL has always had a drink package that costs twice that of their competitors. Their inflated cruise fares plus "gratuity" charges cover the cost of this "perk." It's obvious they raised the price to increase "gratuity" revenue. So I have to wonder...what happens when NCL no longer offers the drink package as a "perk?" Are people really naive enough to pay $120/day and not even get a bottle of water that sells for $.10 at my grocery store?

 

 

 

Water is sold at 10¢ as a loss leader.

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I have sailed NCL a lot the last few years. And, I don’t think I spoke to anyone who bought the drink package. They either went a la carte, or took the UBP perk and paid only the tips.

 

Given NCL is trying to dissuaded people from buying their drink package, I think it’s fair to say they’re trying to either get people to book with the perk, or not buy the drink package and buy them individually.....no in between.

 

And yes, I agree. This is yet another step towards NCL moving to an “all inclusive” cruise package.

 

There are certain advantages (for both the cruiser and NCL) by limiting the amount of options available when it comes to food and drink.

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1. I would like to know what store sells bottles of water for 10 cents? None in my town!

 

 

 

2. I believe the OP is a tad bit upset over a football loss last night too. Sorry! [emoji12]

 

 

 

3. If you don’t like the price, don’t select it as your perk. If the price works, it does for us, enjoy it!

 

 

Every day price for water at my local BJs is 8 cents a bottle. It is frequently on sale for about 10 cents a bottle at CVS. Price of water on the ship is not important to me though, I take a reusable water bottle and fill it up at the buffet (with a clean glass of course!).

 

When I sail with my husband we do the drink package perk. We come out ahead, but probably not by a whole lot (and we do drink more with it than we would without, but that is still 1-2 drinks a day for me and probably 2-3 beers and a coke a day for him). When I sail with my mom we do not get it because we spend less on drinks than the gratuity on the package. I am happy to have these options, but hope it doesn’t become all inclusive so I don’t have to pay for it on trips I don’t want it.

 

 

 

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As most people don't pay for the Package only the gratuities on that package the extra cost that anyone will pay will be minimal at something like $2 per day. They may even put fares up by $10 per day too to compensate for the rise

 

The OP has a real downer on NCL and frequently posts negative comments or joins in negative conversations, he'll probably call me a flag waver or whatever it is that he calls people who quite like NCL. OK so you had a bad cruise, just go back to Royal or whoever. I would have been sorry about your bad cruise if you didn't keep wittering on about how poor NCL are, and so now I don't really give a crap. Love reading your stuff though. It makes me laugh.

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1. I would like to know what store sells bottles of water for 10 cents? None in my town!

 

2. I believe the OP is a tad bit upset over a football loss last night too. Sorry! 😜

 

3. If you don’t like the price, don’t select it as your perk. If the price works, it does for us, enjoy it!

 

The perk still works for me price wise. I’d be more happy if the 20% actually all went to the bartenders.

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I think most of us agree that $100/day for a drink package is absurd, especially compared to the counterpart drink packages offered by competitors. I mean, we're talking about double the base cost (not including gratuities) compared to similar drink packages offered by other mainline companies.

 

The big thing to consider is as of now, as long as free at sea remains in place, this is almost a purely academic discussion. With free at sea, our price goes from $17.80 to $19.80, which is still 1/3rd of the cost of other drink packages.

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Where NCL do have all inclusive, everyone gets the beverage package, so there is no need for guests 3+ to buy it.

That's good to know. It used to be similar with the promos as 1&2 got the UBP and 3+ got the soda program...all without added service charge.

 

If NCL goes that route, the retail price of the UOB/UBP will not matter to most guests.

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Those prices did go up already....

 

Soda Program (13 and older) was $7.50pppd, is now $7.95pppd.

Soda Program (12 and under) was $5.50pppd, is now $5.95pppd.

 

Darn. Thanks for letting me know. Too bad they don't announce it ahead like with the increasing service charges so that we could pre-book.

 

I wonder if onboard individual drink prices are going up too?

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This thread actually helped me pull the trigger and pre-pay our service charges for next November. I started thinking well if the beverage package went up (we only paid $124.60 each for that) then other items will soon increase. And, yes if I sail on NCL again I will get the free beverage package.

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The beverage package cost/value with gratuity for NCL is ridiculous. We decline it now. On our recent 7 day Dawn NE and Canada cruise, I purchased five bottles of wine in Boston and paid the $15 corkage fees for each. We spent less on alcohol than JUST the GRATUITY charges would have been.
Excellent excellent idea. For me a drink package that doesn't include water or premium coffee ain't worth much. I forget. If you pay the corkage fee, can you bring the bottle to the restaurants and is there a 20% service fee on the $15 ?

 

 

 

I have sailed NCL a lot the last few years. And, I don’t think I spoke to anyone who bought the drink package. They either went a la carte, or took the UBP perk and paid only the tips.

 

Given NCL is trying to dissuaded people from buying their drink package, I think it’s fair to say they’re trying to either get people to book with the perk, or not buy the drink package and buy them individually.....no in between.

 

And yes, I agree. This is yet another step towards NCL moving to an “all inclusive” cruise package.

 

There are certain advantages (for both the cruiser and NCL) by limiting the amount of options available when it comes to food and drink.

I see the advantages for NCL. Please tell me what are the advantages for the cruiser for more limited options in food and drink.

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Where are you in the world as far as booking? I’ve never seen NCL free 50% off second guest.

 

 

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This was booked through NCL Australia and only on selected cruises. For mine it was the 14 night on the Pearl next June.

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