Wondering why NCL can advertise the drink package as "Free" when it's not

[agrimm01]

Automobile for $25,000.

😀

 

 

 

 

Well, it's really $26,000 but we hope you don't look down here in this small type to notice.

[rtkenmore]

4 hours ago, mdwcruises said:

Welcome to corporate America marketing, where lying is legal and standard practice.  

 

If you think this is bad, wait till you check out RCI's non-stopping "sales".   Lmao!

 

 

Yet it isn’t lying...  it’s all in the terms and conditions of the offer. 

[fshagan]

4 hours ago, mdwcruises said:

Welcome to corporate America marketing, where lying is legal and standard practice.  

 

If you think this is bad, wait till you check out RCI's non-stopping "sales".   Lmao!

 

 

 

We all have those things that irritate us. For me, having perpetual "sales" with the product never at the regular price irritates me. NCL is doing that now with the constant free promos, and it sounds like RCCL is doing it too (I don't follow them so I don't really know). 

"Free" that isn't "free" isn't that big a deal to me if the asterik is there. But I can understand if it irritates someone as much as perpetual sales irritate me. 

[lkj1301]

When you click on terms and conditions at the bottom of the page, the terms of all the freebies comes up. It also, states terms for specialty dining pkg, internet, etc.

 

 Ultimate Beverage Package
Applicable to guests 1-2 on the reservation.
Guest must be at least 21 years of age at time of sailing to qualify for the Ultimate Beverage Package. Guests under 21 will receive the soda package. 
Eligible guests are entitled to one beverage per person per transaction. 
Variety of spirits and cocktails, wines by the glass and bottled or draft beer up to $15 USD. Includes fountain soda and juice, and non-alcoholic beer. 
A 20% discount will be given on bottles of wine (champagne and sparkling included) purchased on board.
Offer is not applicable at Harvest Caye bars, restaurants, or venues.
Does not include Starbucks, Ice Bars, room service, package sales, bottled water, ship specific promotions or beer buckets, designated super premium brands (subject to change), bottled wine, mini bar purchases, fresh squeezed juices, Lavazza coffee beverages, wine dispenser, energy drinks or vending machines.
Guest who receive the Soda Package may obtain fountain soda at any bar, lounge or restaurant throughout the duration of the cruise, excluding Harvest Caye bars, restaurants, or venues.
Guest's check may reflect applicable VAT and/or taxes for certain ports or itineraries.
Guest is responsible for 20% gratuities on the retail value of the Ultimate Beverage Package ($19.80 USD per person per day) and/or Soda Package ($1.59 USD per person per day) prior to cruise.
Retail value of Ultimate Beverage Package is $99.00 USD per person per day. Package price is subject to change.
Retail value of the Adult Soda Package is $7.95 USD per person per day. Package price is subject to change.
20% gratuities on the retail value of the Ultimate Beverage Package and/or Soda Package are included when booking through the Australia office. 

[agrimm01]

I think I would feel better about it if they would just stop calling it a "gratuity" and start calling it a "fee".  Gratuity after all is:

 

: something given voluntarily or beyond obligation usually for some service

 

But, I guess it depends on what the definition of "is" is.

[sfaaa]

10 hours ago, mdwcruises said:

Welcome to corporate America marketing, where lying is legal and standard practice.  

 

If you think this is bad, wait till you check out RCI's non-stopping "sales".   Lmao!

 

 

But if you continue to buy after knowing the facts, who's the willing sucker?

[quickrate]

On 10/29/2018 at 9:57 AM, schildiams said:

I see that NCL is currently advertising "Free Unlimited Open Bar" on it's landing page. There is no mention anywhere, even when you click "learn more" of any charges on this "free" benefit. It is only when you get through booking and see the final fare, does NCL assess a service charge on the "free" benefit. I know that this topic has been beaten to death, but I am still left to wonder how this is to considered to be misleading or false advertising? How can a benefit be considered "free" if it actually costs $300 per room? And if an open bar is truly "free" then a 20% fee on zero is zero. I get that NCL wants to make money on this, and I'm not opposed to paying a service charge. But, my point is, if it costs $300 per cabin, it should be advertised as such and not as "free." Anyone think that if this practice were legally challenged that the working would change?

 

You are only prepaying grat. in advance so not tip will be added to any check you sign on the ship. It's a great deal. Last year we did the TA on the Star from Miami, 15 days, per day per person worked out to $12.50 a person-this included drinks and 4 specialty dining. 

Pat

[fridaythe13th]

Didn't it used to be totally FREE??

[memoak]

Isn't this horse dead yet ????

[rtkenmore]

1 hour ago, memoak said:

Isn't this horse dead yet ????

 

Give it a few days and there will be two new threads about it...

[Two Wheels Only]

9 minutes ago, rtkenmore said:

 

Give it a few days and there will be two new threads about it...

 

Before or after the next DSC thread?

[rtkenmore]

3 minutes ago, Two Wheels Only said:

 

Before or after the next DSC thread?

 

I've also now scene someone complaining about the Platinum dinners...  Two Platinums in one room and they think it isn't fair that BOTH of them get two dinners each.  😕

 

That'll be a never ending thread soon with a ton of people who don't even qualify chiming in... I'm sure someone will threaten to report them to the FTC as well about that...

[sfaaa]

6 minutes ago, Two Wheels Only said:

 

Before or after the next DSC thread?

To be followed by More Cut Back and Bait & Switch threads. 

[Two Wheels Only]

8 minutes ago, rtkenmore said:

 

Two Platinums in one room and they think it isn't fair that BOTH of them get two dinners each.  😕

 

It isn't made with or served on actual platinum....false advertising.

[mdwcruises]

9 hours ago, rtkenmore said:

Yet it isn’t lying...  it’s all in the terms and conditions of the offer. 

 

It is lying, corporate America style, legally protected by terms and conditions.  

 

2 hours ago, sfaaa said:

But if you continue to buy after knowing the facts, who's the willing sucker?

 

The real suckers are those who are cheerleading without questioning. 

[GUT2407]

22 minutes ago, mdwcruises said:

 

It is lying, corporate America style, legally protected by terms and conditions.  

 

 

The real suckers are those who are cheerleading without questioning. 

No the real suckers are those who knoe this type of stuff happens but then don’t read ts&cs

[mdwcruises]

7 minutes ago, GUT2407 said:

No the real suckers are those who knoe this type of stuff happens but then don’t read ts&cs

 

The real suckers know this stuff happens and cheer for it.  

[mdwcruises]

3 minutes ago, NurseJEB said:

 

 

You mean describing EXACTLY what it is you get and at what cost is now considered telling a lie!  WOW

 

You mean calling something free when they are not is not lying??  WOWOWOW!

 

 

[SeaShark]

4 hours ago, fridaythe13th said:

Didn't it used to be totally FREE??

 

No, never. You have always had to buy a cruise to get it. Hardly "free", right?

 

2 hours ago, mdwcruises said:

The real suckers are those who are cheerleading without questioning. 

 

Interesting that what some some see as "cheerleading without questioning" can actually be "cheerleading because the questions have already been asked and answered". Questioning isn't required when you already understand what it going on.

 

Now, as for suckers, the real suckers are the haters that despise the cruise line yet continue to spend their time reading their forums and joining in discussions about the cruise line. Can't seem to let it go...

 

[eddeb]

Wow, this is a really interesting post.

 

I miss Freestyle> Now its all Feestyle... 

[tallyho8]

How can Norwegian advertise the drink package as Free when it is not free?

Easy answer: Because they do not give the drink package when you book sail-away prices and also do not let you pick your cabin when you book sail-away prices so they say that the extra cost of booking without sail-away prices is because you get to pick your cabin.

 

Actually, this is complete BS because you are better off when you don't book your cabin because you always get an equal cabin  or get upgraded to a better cabin when you have a guarantee.

 

I booked with one of my friends. We both booked outside views. He booked regular price so he could pick his cabin and had a choice of 9 of the cheapest outside cabins with obstructed views so that he could get the "free" beverage package. I booked a sail-away guarantee cabin with no beverage package and saved about $800 from what he paid.

 

He had a very obstructed view and I was upgraded to a balcony and we drank all we wanted, which was more than he drank, and our drink bill was only $600 so we got a better cabin and all the drinks for $200 less than he paid.

[mianmike]

3 hours ago, NurseJEB said:

 

 

So when you go out to eat with a group of 8 and they have a policy of adding an automatic 15% to groups of 6 or more it is not a tip any more? How about this?  If you do not want to pay the 20% gratuity then simply do not select the UBP as your free items.  Entire issue resolved.

 

If you want to compare a restaurant's gratuity policy to the NCL's "Free" drinks "gratuity" then it would go something like this:  An NCL run restaurant would charge a group of 8 the automatic 15% for groups of 6 or more, but the "gratuity" would NOT be based on the exact $ amount of food and drink purchased, the gratuity  would be based on some theoretical inflated value NCL conjured up for an 8 person meal. 

    

[Sweetnspicy]

On 10/30/2018 at 12:03 PM, schildiams said:

Wow you make that sound like one click. But, in reality, it takes 11 steps for that "next" page to load with the fees:

 

1. Choose a destination that you want to visit

2. Choose a ship

3. Click Details

4.  Click "Date/Pricing"

5. Choose date

6. Click "Balcony" (or other choice)

7. Click "Stateroom options"

8. Click "aft balcony" (or other)

9. click "decline upgrade" offered

10. Click to add promos

11. click continue

 

But yes, after all of that, as you stated: 

... you don't even have to click "View Details" under the new total price.

 

All of this is shown before even selecting a stateroom.

 

Easy as pie! 

But wouldn't it be just a tiny bit easier if NCL just linked to it right there on the home page under the big letters "FREE"?

🙂

I just clicked on "Learn More" and scrolled down to terms and conditions.

 

I can see both sides. We are cruising in January and our couple friend said something similar. He has never cruised before so after I explained the gratuities charge he understood. I work in retail for a very large corporation and I know to look for that fine print. We routinely have to fight with people over a suggested price on a sign. It may say "Jersey Blouse, $9.99" but it will be one of many jersey blouses in a range of prices. How we deal with it is putting in tiny fine print "Select Styles Only. All Prices in USD." I can see being frustrated but I do think you may just be a little stubborn and are refusing to acknowledge that its not a trick or a gimmick. The terms and conditions are easy to find and even a quick google search has exactly what you or anyone else would need. 

On 10/30/2018 at 12:03 PM, schildiams said:

 

 

[mianmike]

37 minutes ago, NurseJEB said:

 

 

The gratuity IS based on the actual price of the package when it is purchased rather than FREE like you are getting it with the FAS offer.  So thanks for agreeing with us FINALLY! 

 

If I go to a restaurant and order a $7.75 appetizer, my auto-gratuity is based on 15% of $7.75.  Not 15% of some inflated theoretical dinner package price that is so ridiculously priced that no one buys it.     

 

For our upcoming cruise the "free" drinks and choice of cabin would cost us $75 a day.  If we each average 1 beer a day our  portion would be $37.50 per beer.  With my $37.50 "tip", I would have tipped 20% of the beer price, I would have paid for the beer, paid for the bar tender's salary for an hour and helped pay for a portion of Frank Del Rio's yacht.  That's NCL Free drinks gratuity math. 

 

On our upcoming MSC cruise, we have the "Drinks on us" package.  It's free.  You rightly only pay a gratuity for the drinks you order.   

[mdwcruises]

3 hours ago, SeaShark said:

 

No, never. You have always had to buy a cruise to get it. Hardly "free", right?

 

 

Interesting that what some some see as "cheerleading without questioning" can actually be "cheerleading because the questions have already been asked and answered". Questioning isn't required when you already understand what it going on.

 

Now, as for suckers, the real suckers are the haters that despise the cruise line yet continue to spend their time reading their forums and joining in discussions about the cruise line. Can't seem to let it go...

 

 

Some people can't grasp the fact not everyone spends all their time on a message board and legal lies like Free at Sea should rightfully to be brought up frequently and loudly to remind people who have questions!

 

Suckers are the cheerleaders who resent people questioning their cheered subjects but cannot seem to stay away from such threads!  

 

Cant seem to to let it go indeed!   

 

1 hour ago, NurseJEB said:

 

Seeing as you pay $0 for the FAS item it is free, they call it what it is.

 

If it were the gratuities would be ZERO!