Explaining the Hotly Debated Free Drink Package Take One Gazillion-ACTION!

[Cruiseathoning]

I will make this brief.  My Wife and I looked at the Gem.  The sail away rate was $429.  That is called the X rate.  X means no perks.  Put another way, it is the rock bottom cheap price so no perks.  NCL is VERY upfront about this.  The rate that made us eligible for the drink package was $599.  This, plus $270 for gratuities covers the drink package.  The argument is that you have to pay extra for a room to be eligible.  NO.  You can buy a cheap guaranteed room OR upgrade yourself to a higher level of room.  Therefore with a minimum level of room you become eligible for the package.  This is no different than perks that require a "balcony or higher" booking to be eligible, as is frequently seen with "Free gratuity" promotion.

 

Literally if we wanted the drink package yes it would have cost us $600 more than just going with an inside guarantee.  But there is value to picking your room.  And besides, this misses a larger point.  I have myself debated this, however I have concluded that the value is superb IF you want to drink.  Look at it this way-a top line cruise, (Jewel class is so much more relaxed than their mega ships) for $599pp and $270 to drink all week.  Name me any other line that offers that deal.  I'll wait.  Certainly not Royal.  Carnival not close.  Princess?  Nope.

 

I have no problem with paying gratuities because the servers have to be funded.  In business it is best to evaluate value more than semantics.  The bottom line is if drinking is a joy for you, NCL is a fantastic deal.  If it isn't it is really good, because their entry level pricing is the best of all the mass market lines.  And they deliver on food, entertainment, and variety.  So don't get into all that stuff about nickel and diming.  It actually is not accurate.  An NCL ship has every dining option of yore, plus free Asian fusion on some ships, plus an all night sit down restaurant, plus random free lido barbecues-in fact except for free room service, nothing much has been pulled from the passengers.  And all you have to do is walk mid ship any time of day and get a sizable menu in lieu of room service.  Then, order a drink.  See where this is headed?  I could not do a vacation anywhere in the world, all-inclusive, for the price NCL can offer.  Maybe Dreams resort, with a special deal, maybe.  But they won't have Jersey Boys.  Believe that.

 

Sometimes we prefer more sedate, so we don't go NCL.  Sometimes we want Vegas with none of the strip, so we do.  But don't get into your head NCL isn't a great value.  Just know the requirements ahead of time, book, and relax.  

 

Have the will to chill!

 

 

 

[ColeThornton]

You couldn't have just added this in the other thread?  

[Cruiseathoning]

This is a definitive explanation without an ongoing argument.  So, no.  I don't do flame.

[Kmkub]

Just now, Cruiseathoning said:

This is a definitive explanation without an ongoing argument.  So, no.  I don't do flame.

Posting a new thread to respond to another thread is, well, quite odd. 

[JamieLogical]

This topic is new and fresh!

[Pauser]

I like the way you laid this out. And you're right - it is a good deal!

[GUT2407]

Deal for some not for others.

[Cruiseathoning]

Every one of these posts turn into an argument without a thorough examination of the topic.  I explained it in detail.  I showed my numbers.  I walk people through to show them it is not a scam.  Because people had to sift through page after page of pettiness without objective truth, it seemed warranted.  NCL is completely transparent.  NCL is a great deal.  Part of this is my response to the constant titles about nickel and diming against NCL.  They have put out an amazing product at pricing that boggles the mind.  They deserve better than poorly thought out hit and run aspersions (AM NOT directing that at a particular OP.)  That goes for my own past opinions too, which I was wrong about.

 

I'm wrong a lot.  But I don't lie about it.

Edited January 14, 2019 by Cruiseathoning

[ColinIllinois]

Thank you, Mrs Del Rio.     

[PATRLR]

2 hours ago, Cruiseathoning said:

But there is value to picking your room. 

Perhaps to you there is value.  To others there is no value and for those that see no value in picking a room, your arguments fall apart.  

 

I've maintained that if you must pick your cabin, then the perks are OK.  But if you don't have to pick your cabin, the perks aren't usually worth the additional cost to upgrade to.

[Lionkingrichard]

About $45 per person per day TIP included. 4-5 drinks!

[letiha]

We had to pick our Cabin so our kids are in the cabin next to us so can't choose the sail away rate.  To respond to the argument that we could have really had a parent in each room, for the triple share there were no sail away rates, so for us the perk is free other than the gratuities which we would need to pay in any event. Almost like pay 1 drink a day get he rest free.

[KeithJenner]

15 hours ago, Cruiseathoning said:

This is a definitive explanation without an ongoing argument.  So, no.  I don't do flame.

There is certainly an ongoing argument.

 

People on the other side of the argument often state that the price difference between sailaway and a room that qualifies for the perks means that the beverage package actually costs a lot more than just the gratuities (often by many hundreds of dollars).

 

My argument in response to that is that this is too much of a generalisation, as many people are perfectly willing to pay that amount extra for specific rooms etc. Therefore for those people the cost of the beverage package is just the gratuities (if they have to pay them). It all depends on individual circumstances and preferences.

 

Your argument seems to be that the extra cost of the room is justified by the advantages of being able to select the room that they want, rather than being allocated one by NCL.

 

My response to that would be that it is too much of a generalisation as some people don't mind booking guarantees (people used to do just that to save a relatively small amount of money before free at sea). For those people, the extra cost just gives them the free at sea promos which means that the beverage package can end up costing a lot of money. It all depends on individual circumstances and preferences.

 

Basically, no matter now much people argue about this, there is no right answer. For some people one way works, and for other people the other way works. Rather than trying to find the definitive answer it would be much better for people on both sides of the argument to just accept that there is no such thing and it is a personal decision for everyone to make based on their circumstances,

[newmexicoNita]

15 hours ago, Cruiseathoning said:

I will make this brief.  My Wife and I looked at the Gem.  The sail away rate was $429.  That is called the X rate.  X means no perks.  Put another way, it is the rock bottom cheap price so no perks.  NCL is VERY upfront about this.  The rate that made us eligible for the drink package was $599.  This, plus $270 for gratuities covers the drink package.  The argument is that you have to pay extra for a room to be eligible.  NO.  You can buy a cheap guaranteed room OR upgrade yourself to a higher level of room.  Therefore with a minimum level of room you become eligible for the package.  This is no different than perks that require a "balcony or higher" booking to be eligible, as is frequently seen with "Free gratuity" promotion.

 

Literally if we wanted the drink package yes it would have cost us $600 more than just going with an inside guarantee.  But there is value to picking your room.  And besides, this misses a larger point.  I have myself debated this, however I have concluded that the value is superb IF you want to drink.  Look at it this way-a top line cruise, (Jewel class is so much more relaxed than their mega ships) for $599pp and $270 to drink all week.  Name me any other line that offers that deal.  I'll wait.  Certainly not Royal.  Carnival not close.  Princess?  Nope.

 

I have no problem with paying gratuities because the servers have to be funded.  In business it is best to evaluate value more than semantics.  The bottom line is if drinking is a joy for you, NCL is a fantastic deal.  If it isn't it is really good, because their entry level pricing is the best of all the mass market lines.  And they deliver on food, entertainment, and variety.  So don't get into all that stuff about nickel and diming.  It actually is not accurate.  An NCL ship has every dining option of yore, plus free Asian fusion on some ships, plus an all night sit down restaurant, plus random free lido barbecues-in fact except for free room service, nothing much has been pulled from the passengers.  And all you have to do is walk mid ship any time of day and get a sizable menu in lieu of room service.  Then, order a drink.  See where this is headed?  I could not do a vacation anywhere in the world, all-inclusive, for the price NCL can offer.  Maybe Dreams resort, with a special deal, maybe.  But they won't have Jersey Boys.  Believe that.

 

Sometimes we prefer more sedate, so we don't go NCL.  Sometimes we want Vegas with none of the strip, so we do.  But don't get into your head NCL isn't a great value.  Just know the requirements ahead of time, book, and relax.  

 

Have the will to chill!

 

 

 

very well put

[DDG 41]

It's not free.

You paid for the cruise didn't you?