Anyone notice you now have to "REMOVE" Free at Sea?

[EllieinNJ]

Was doing some dummy bookings on the NCL website for balcony cabins.  When the Free at Sea screen came up it included all 5 and you had to REMOVE the ones you didn't want.  Is this new?  I remember you usually had to ADD what you wanted.

[RedwingHockeyFan]

The ones I have been mock booking shows the Wi-Fi and Shore Excursion credit pre-selected(included) but you need to select the dining package and drink package.

[Diver2014]

Why would you want to remove the perks?  We're sailing in November because of the perks. Just askin'.

[ColeThornton]

9 minutes ago, Diver2014 said:

Why would you want to remove the perks?  We're sailing in November because of the perks. Just askin'.

 

 

People who don't want to eat at the specialty restaurants or don't drink alcohol would remove them so they don't have to pay the mandatory gratuities on the "free" perks.

[Diver2014]

1 minute ago, ColeThornton said:

 

 

People who don't want to eat at the specialty restaurants or don't drink alcohol would remove them so they don't have to pay the mandatory gratuities on the "free" perks.

 

Ah, okay, that makes sense. We don't usually buy the drink packages and we don't eat in the specialty restaurants but we'll take advantage of those perks (even with having to pay the grats). 

[spanishguy1970]

35 minutes ago, Diver2014 said:

Why would you want to remove the perks?  We're sailing in November because of the perks. Just askin'.

because some of us don't care to pay for the bogus FREE perks. We don't care to pay for the service charges and we don't drink that much

[RedwingHockeyFan]

Regardless if NCL itemizes everything and makes you pay a service charge for a Free perk, it is still cheaper than if you had to pay full price for it.  On NCL or another Cruise Line.  Doesn't make it Bogus.

[julig22]

2 hours ago, RedwingHockeyFan said:

The ones I have been mock booking shows the Wi-Fi and Shore Excursion credit pre-selected(included) but you need to select the dining package and drink package.

Mine does that as well sometimes, as that's what I usually choose.  I think it probably has to do with cookies that remember previous choices if you've done a mock booking for that same cruise.

[musicgal]

It's just going to cause some chagrin to folks (couples) who have a daily cocktail together, thinking it's free... and then finding out it cost them about 40 bucks a day in gratuities at the end of the cruise. As the old saying goes- caveat emptor.  Pays to read the fine print, and the good old parental saying, "Honey, there ain't nuthin' for free."

[Diver2014]

It's certainly not BOGUS.  I just didn't catch why someone would want the perks removed but I didn't think about people not wanting to pay the grats and service charges.  So yes, the perks are FREE since we aren't paying for them but we are paying the crew for their services.  I consider that two difference things.

 

[PTC DAWG]

33 minutes ago, musicgal said:

It's just going to cause some chagrin to folks (couples) who have a daily cocktail together, thinking it's free... and then finding out it cost them about 40 bucks a day in gratuities at the end of the cruise. As the old saying goes- caveat emptor.  Pays to read the fine print, and the good old parental saying, "Honey, there ain't nuthin' for free."

It’s actually paid before you sail...

[musicgal]

So you can opt out then, at that point if you didn't realize what it cost before?

[tef43]

41 minutes ago, musicgal said:

It's just going to cause some chagrin to folks (couples) who have a daily cocktail together, thinking it's free... and then finding out it cost them about 40 bucks a day in gratuities at the end of the cruise. As the old saying goes- caveat emptor.  Pays to read the fine print, and the good old parental saying, "Honey, there ain't nuthin' for free."

 

When you select the beverage package, the gratuities are added to your cruise cost and due at final payment.  So there's no "finding out" at the end of the cruise.  So, yes, it pays to read the fine print.

[Zippeedee]

I noticed the new process when I was checking prices last night. I declined the drinks package on my next cruise because the cost for 21 days was more than the cost of what I will drink. They have priced me out of the decent champagne, so I'll just buy lower cost drinks when I want one.  For my nine day in November I'll probably upgrade to the Premium package if the Veuve is still available. Birthday cruise!

[RedwingHockeyFan]

5 minutes ago, musicgal said:

So you can opt out then, at that point if you didn't realize what it cost before?

 

The price it shows you on the right side will be the total to that point.  When you remove the free at sea, the total will go down by the gratuity cost x the number of passengers.

 

Mine is the opposite.  It shows me the cost minus the gratuities, then it increases when I select the PDP and SDP.

[PTC DAWG]

17 minutes ago, musicgal said:

So you can opt out then, at that point if you didn't realize what it cost before?

I suppose you could go to guest services and tell them you had no idea the Cruise had any cost at all...See how that works.  🙂

[musicgal]

3 hours ago, Zippeedee said:

I noticed the new process when I was checking prices last night. I declined the drinks package on my next cruise because the cost for 21 days was more than the cost of what I will drink. They have priced me out of the decent champagne, so I'll just buy lower cost drinks when I want one.  For my nine day in November I'll probably upgrade to the Premium package if the Veuve is still available. Birthday cruise!

Nothing like a little Veuve Cliquot on the balcony- Yellow label or Grande Dame:)

[musicgal]

Well, dawg- since you seem to know it all, I guess you'll never be in that position.😊

Edited January 21, 2020 by musicgal

[LaCal]

Also now if you have 3 or more adults in the cabin and pick the free drink package...the 3rd or 4th Guest gets the drink package as well ands charged the gratuities 

 

Before only guests 1 and 2 would be charged

[Greenpea2]

I don't see a problem. I just deselect what I don't want.

 

[PTC DAWG]

1 hour ago, musicgal said:

Well, dawg- since you seem to know it all, I guess you'll never be in that position.😊

I could see the room grats possibly catching someone who is new to cruising by surprise, they show up after embarkation, but not a prepaid drink gratuity...