15 Day Getaway Free at Sea Costs and Gratuities

[Lasallebabe]

Sorry if this is a duplicate but I can't find clear confirmation on this question....(Ive searched the Terms and Conditions and I find it unclear also). I hope it's ok to post $$$ here because I feel it helps me explain better. (Note the amounts may differ from yours because I'm in Canadian dollars). Booked a 15 Day Caribbean on Getaway through a travel agent. Took the Free at Sea package (numbers posted do not reflect the air portion). I'm trying to figure out if these quotes are correct:

 

$3823.67 pp (balcony room with Free at Sea perks)

$3345.74 pp (same balcony room NO perks)

$477.93 pp is the difference....so this is what we are paying for all the Free at Sea perks except air 

 

My travel agent has just emailed me to say she was speaking with NCL today and they indicated that on top of the Sea for Free cost, the $477.93, we additionally  have to pay a 20% gratuity on the drinks and dining part of the Sea at Free package. She advised it looks like this:

 

$445.50 pp gratuities on the drink portion of Free at Sea

$32.43 pp gratuities for 2(per person) specialty dining portion of Free at Sea

$477.93 pp total gratuities.

 

Making our Free at Sea cost an additional $955.86 per person. Does this seem correct to you? I find it very odd that the gratuity cost is the same amount as the whole Free at Sea package costs. My travel agent is very experienced...been in the business a long time. I spoke to her about it and she seems to think that it is correct, although she did say she spoke to several NCL agents this week and many didn't seem to truly know what she was asking them....I'm going to phone NCL myself tomorrow but thought I'd reach out to you fine folks.....appreciate your feedback.

 

***Has anyone ever seen a breakdown of the Free at Sea items?

 

 

 

 

 

[KeithJenner]

It sounds like someone has got confused, which is fairly common when NCL phone staff become involved. Be careful if you do decide to call them yourself.

 

I will just say that it isn’t just the amounts that are different depending on the country, but the whole basis of the charges can vary. However I think that Canada is the same as the US in that the charge for free at sea is the 20% gratuities on the beverage and dining package (I’m ignoring the fact that you may be paying extra for a room

that qualities for the deal as I assume that the numbers you quote are both for the same room).

 

Those gratuities are paid with booking and there is no further charge for those gratuities.

 

I wonder whether someone is thinking of the service charge that is charged to your account each day (totally unrelated to free at sea). This is currently between $16 and $20 per person per day (US dollars). It isn’t the amount that you were quoted but perhaps it is confusion surrounding this that makes your TA think there is a further free at sea charge to come.

[julig22]

So I looked it up on the US site and sailaway (no free at sea perks) isn't available so I'm assuming that what your TA is considering "no perks" is the removal of the optional free at sea drink and dining plans.

Which is why the numbers are the same - room is the same, you either get the drink and/or meal package or you don't.  You pay 20% gratuity if you choose to take the packages.

 

[PATRLR]

I agree with julig22 that your travel agent is booking a balcony stateroom and has given you the cost if you accept all the perks and another cost if you do no accept the dining and beverage perks.  The 477.93 only gets added one time. 

 

So allow me to correct what you wrote:

 

5 hours ago, Lasallebabe said:

$3823.67 pp (balcony room with all Free at Sea perks)

$3345.74 pp (same balcony room NO Alcohol or Dining perks, but I still get the Internet and Excursion perks)

$477.93 pp is the difference....so this is what we are paying for the Drink and Dining perks

For a bit of background, there is also what's called the "Sail Away" rate.  That is the rate that truly comes with NO perks (no drinks, no dining, no internet, no excursion credit).  As was stated (and I checked myself) that rate is not available for your cruise in November 2023.

 

I went through this exercise myself trying to decide if I would accept the drink package.  The gratuities on the drink package are roughly equal to about 2 drinks per person, per day.  So, if you think you will not drink 2 drinks per person, per day over the 15 day cruise (or 4 drinks per person if one of you does not drink alcohol), then don't take the drink package. 

 

Lastly, you might want to look around on these boards for experiences with NCL air.  NCL is going to put you on the cheapest routing they can find which isn't always the nicest.  At the very least I recommend you request to come to NY a day early.  

By the way, that sounds like a great itinerary on a great ship.  I'm seriously thinking about that myself, now that I've seen it.  Enjoy!

[terry&mike]

1 hour ago, PATRLR said:

I agree with julig22 that your travel agent is booking a balcony stateroom and has given you the cost if you accept all the perks and another cost if you do no accept the dining and beverage perks.  The 477.93 only gets added one time. 

 

So allow me to correct what you wrote:

 

For a bit of background, there is also what's called the "Sail Away" rate.  That is the rate that truly comes with NO perks (no drinks, no dining, no internet, no excursion credit).  As was stated (and I checked myself) that rate is not available for your cruise in November 2023.

 

I went through this exercise myself trying to decide if I would accept the drink package.  The gratuities on the drink package are roughly equal to about 2 drinks per person, per day.  So, if you think you will not drink 2 drinks per person, per day over the 15 day cruise (or 4 drinks per person if one of you does not drink alcohol), then don't take the drink package. 

This. Agree. 

And to the poster's earlier question of has anyone ever seen a breakdown of the FAS charges, you should have a very clear breakdown on your confirmation invoice that you receive from NCL via your travel agent.