Beverage Package Gratuities not included

[hallux]

1 minute ago, Liljo22 said:

My point is that people like claim that the sailaway rate is the price with cost of the perks backed out.  If that’s true then what are RCL and CCL reason for having the same rates?  Are they just flat out overcharging everyone?

One of the things the other lines do, which is rolled into the FAS rate, is if you want to select your room you can't pick the guarantee or sail-away rate.  On Royal Caribbean, it's the "we pick your room" rate or the "you pick your room".  Looking at an Eastern Caribbean 8 night cruise on the Wonder, they want $980pp for an inside if you let them pick your room, $1173pp if you want to pick your own - and those are just the lowest rates, for the worst rooms.

 

By comparison - NCL's cruise out of the same port on the same weekend, 7 nights, Eastern Caribbean (though some ports differ) on the Escape is $899pp for inside sail-away (limited perks, no room selection) or $979pp with the FAS perks and you pick your room.

 

I'll let YOU decide which is 'inflated', but in this case the NCL price is at least competitive and you get more for that price.  Yes, this price on Royal is on their newest ship so the price may be inflated.  This, of course, was just one cruise and one stateroom type, I picked the itinerary because I'm on the Escape the week before so it was the first that came to mind.  Picking a balcony on Wonder becomes complex so I chose to make the easiest 'apples-to-apples' comparison.

[Liljo22]

12 minutes ago, hallux said:

One of the things the other lines do, which is rolled into the FAS rate, is if you want to select your room you can't pick the guarantee or sail-away rate.  On Royal Caribbean, it's the "we pick your room" rate or the "you pick your room".  Looking at an Eastern Caribbean 8 night cruise on the Wonder, they want $980pp for an inside if you let them pick your room, $1173pp if you want to pick your own - and those are just the lowest rates, for the worst rooms.

 

By comparison - NCL's cruise out of the same port on the same weekend, 7 nights, Eastern Caribbean (though some ports differ) on the Escape is $899pp for inside sail-away (limited perks, no room selection) or $979pp with the FAS perks and you pick your room.

 

I'll let YOU decide which is 'inflated', but in this case the NCL price is at least competitive and you get more for that price.  Yes, this price on Royal is on their newest ship so the price may be inflated.  This, of course, was just one cruise and one stateroom type, I picked the itinerary because I'm on the Escape the week before so it was the first that came to mind.  Picking a balcony on Wonder becomes complex so I chose to make the easiest 'apples-to-apples' comparison.

Throw in that if you want the drink package on the RCL cruise, you are adding around $1200 for two plus another $240 of you want to do two specialty dining to match NCL.

[CruizinSusan70]

4 hours ago, RocketMan275 said:

One would think that could work except one doesn't know what other games the cruise lines are playing with pricing.  For example, NCL might be inflating the price of the sale away to encourage passengers to take the "Free" perks.

But let me ask you this quesions:

-  does anyone truly believe the second guest sails "free"?

- or do you believe the cruise line has inflated the first guest price to pay for the second guest's "free" cruise?

The answer is obvious to anyone that knows the games that the cruise lines play in order to generate bookings and try to obtain new customers.  But, does everyone also realize that if you pick the sailaway rate, you also are just guaranteed a cabin in a certain category and NCL chooses it for you.

[RocketMan275]

8 minutes ago, CruizinSusan70 said:

The answer is obvious to anyone that knows the games that the cruise lines play in order to generate bookings and try to obtain new customers.  But, does everyone also realize that if you pick the sailaway rate, you also are just guaranteed a cabin in a certain category and NCL chooses it for you.

A marketing professional will tell  you the quickest way to make a sale is to convince the mark he/she is getting something for nothing, ie, "free".  We have a lot of posters here that don't want to recognize that they are the mark.  They choose to ignore the fact that these 'Free At Sea" perks are not "free".  They are "included", but they are not "free".

 

In every situation/game there is a 'mark', a person who everyone else will exploit.  If you cannot determine who is the 'mark', then you are the 'mark'.

[hallux]

23 minutes ago, CruizinSusan70 said:

But, does everyone also realize that if you pick the sailaway rate, you also are just guaranteed a cabin in a certain category and NCL chooses it for you.

I mentioned that in previous posts in this thread...

[CruizinSusan70]

6 minutes ago, hallux said:

I mentioned that in previous posts in this thread...

As is usual on CC, you need to constantly remind some readers.  The reading comprehension of those standing on the other side of the line in the sand can sometimes be a little weak.

[Liljo22]

1 hour ago, RocketMan275 said:

A marketing professional will tell  you the quickest way to make a sale is to convince the mark he/she is getting something for nothing, ie, "free".  We have a lot of posters here that don't want to recognize that they are the mark.  They choose to ignore the fact that these 'Free At Sea" perks are not "free".  They are "included", but they are not "free".

 

In every situation/game there is a 'mark', a person who everyone else will exploit.  If you cannot determine who is the 'mark', then you are the 'mark'.

NCL’s fare “include” the perks plus the gratuity.  There is no way for US passengers at least to pull those costs out if we don’t want those perks.  These are NCL’s rates.  If they are inline with RCI and CCL for similar itineraries and include drink, a couple of dining and some Wi-Fi, what is the problem with people feeling like they got a deal?  They are marks because they don’t look at the world the same as you and want to know what the cost of every item is?

[RocketMan275]

17 minutes ago, Liljo22 said:

NCL’s fare “include” the perks plus the gratuity.  There is no way for US passengers at least to pull those costs out if we don’t want those perks.  These are NCL’s rates.  If they are inline with RCI and CCL for similar itineraries and include drink, a couple of dining and some Wi-Fi, what is the problem with people feeling like they got a deal?  They are marks because they don’t look at the world the same as you and want to know what the cost of every item is?

There is a difference between thinking one got a deal and thinking one got something for free.

BTW,  do you believe the second guest sails "free"?

 

[Liljo22]

17 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

There is a difference between thinking one got a deal and thinking one got something for free.

BTW,  do you believe the second guest sails "free"?

 

Of course not.  They are reworking the non discounted rate but there usually is a discount involved. My last NCL cruise they added 3rd and 4th passenger free and it dropped the cruise by $500.  It wasn’t 1 to 1 but it was a significant discount.

[Yesimapirate]

19 hours ago, CILCIANRQTS said:

No.

Because if I have used my 2 vouchers already, my next visit to a specialty restaurant is NOT free.

But thanks for the somewhat complex analysis.

It says free speciality dining.   It does not say free unlimited speciality dining.   When you start the booking process, it clearly tells you the number of included speciality meals.

 

I'm not a fan of what they do but you're intentionally being obtuse about it. 

[RocketMan275]

1 hour ago, Liljo22 said:

Of course not.  They are reworking the non discounted rate but there usually is a discount involved. My last NCL cruise they added 3rd and 4th passenger free and it dropped the cruise by $500.  It wasn’t 1 to 1 but it was a significant discount.

If one does not believe the cruise line when they say that the "second guest sails free", why should one believe the cruise line when they say that beverages are "free"?

[CILCIANRQTS]

5 hours ago, Yesimapirate said:

It says free speciality dining.   It does not say free unlimited speciality dining.  

 

I'm not a fan of what they do but you're intentionally being obtuse about it. 

Yeah, that makes sense.

How could I be so foolish as to believe free specialty dining means free unlimited specialty dining.

I’m so obtuse…🙄

Edited December 27, 2022 by CILCIANRQTS

[MsOne]

On 12/25/2022 at 7:35 AM, hallux said:

When you take a 'free financing for a year' deal to buy an appliance or furniture, do you assume you don't need to make a payment for that year and then can pay it off in full at the end of the term or do you read the terms of the promotion to find out you need to make equal payments over the term of the deal?

I don't make purchase furniture or appliances if I can't afford to pay cash for them. Same for cruises.

[MsOne]

On 12/25/2022 at 12:04 PM, CruizinSusan70 said:

You are obviously a NCL virgin and don't know how their marketing strategy works.  A smart consumer always looks at the fine print and should never make assumptions.  If you just look at the surface and assume that your getting unlimited wifi or specialty dining each night or a totally free drinks package then you'll be sadly mistaken when you find out the truth.

 

NCL is an entry level cruise line along with RCI, Carnival and MSC.  Each of them has their own distinctive way of trying to lure new customers and it's obvious that you don't like the way that they promote their product.  Only you can decide if a NCL cruise is right for you or not.  It's obvious that you don't like their marketing strategy, but at the same time you would have to be extremely foolish or just downright naive to think that an entry level cruise line was going to give you free unlimited specialty dining for each of your cruising nights as well as a totally free alcoholic drinks package with the gratuities already factored in.  This is not the first thread on the NCL forums from someone that doesn't like the marketing strategy of NCL, mistakenly assume that they get a drink package with included tips or free specialty dining every night of their cruise.  And there will be push back from the loyalists because NCL is their cruise line of choice.  The same things happen on other boards on CC as well, no matter the line.

 

The free drinks package that adds on hundreds is 20 bucks pppd to cover gratuities.  Nobody is forcing you to pay it, you have the option to opt out as many teetotalers do.  You also have the option to sail on MSC, where they have a free drinks promotion on occasion. Carnival and RCI don't have all inclusive pricing, but if you move a step up the chain, there are all in pricing packages on Celebrity, Princess or HAL.

Wow, so many assumptions and explicitly rude (and wrong) statements. Before going into keyboard warrior mode, give thought about what you plan to say and how you say it. Do you pray? If so, try that about the way you talk to people. If not, at least step away before selecting the Submit Reply button, then return and read over what you wrote and think about how you can get your point across where people will remember the point and not be bogged down by all of the insults in your attempt to "win." Because whether right or wrong, in the end the prize you actually won is a virtual ribbon that says something along the line of "Biggest _________." So, probably not the kind of person you want to be known as.

[MsOne]

On 12/25/2022 at 6:42 AM, CILCIANRQTS said:

Thank you for posting.

At least one person understood my original message.

Oh absolutely! I think a lot of people could have understood it if they weren't in defense mode. For some reason they are taking it as a personal attack that someone believed the deal they were booking actually included what it said it did 😄

[CruizinSusan70]

10 hours ago, MsOne said:

Wow, so many assumptions and explicitly rude (and wrong) statements. Before going into keyboard warrior mode, give thought about what you plan to say and how you say it. Do you pray? If so, try that about the way you talk to people. If not, at least step away before selecting the Submit Reply button, then return and read over what you wrote and think about how you can get your point across where people will remember the point and not be bogged down by all of the insults in your attempt to "win." Because whether right or wrong, in the end the prize you actually won is a virtual ribbon that says something along the line of "Biggest _________." So, probably not the kind of person you want to be known as.

In over 5 years you have 148 posts, so you are obviously just as experienced on the CC boards as you are with the marketing strategy of  NCL.  Nothing wrong with my statement whatsoever, not looking to win as well, just trying to educate someone that is obviously close minded regarding the nuances of the marketing policies that NCL engages in.  If you feel that NCL is deceiving you in some way, there are of plethora of other cruise lines that you can take a cruise on.

[MsOne]

9 hours ago, CruizinSusan70 said:

In over 5 years you have 148 posts, so you are obviously just as experienced on the CC boards as you are with the marketing strategy of  NCL.  Nothing wrong with my statement whatsoever, not looking to win as well, just trying to educate someone that is obviously close minded regarding the nuances of the marketing policies that NCL engages in.  If you feel that NCL is deceiving you in some way, there are of plethora of other cruise lines that you can take a cruise on.

Still at it. No surprise there.

[CruizinSusan70]

1 hour ago, MsOne said:

Still at it. No surprise there.

Sometimes dead horses can comprehend, other times they can't.

[MsOne]

15 hours ago, CruizinSusan70 said:

Sometimes dead horses can comprehend, other times they can't.

That's not true.

[zqvol]

On 12/21/2022 at 4:07 PM, darstamp said:

I've been reading up on the "free at sea" Beverage Package that I have (and for which I was charged over $200 CAD.  The list says that a 20% gratuity and beverage service charge will be added at checkout.  Does this mean every time I order a drink for $15  or less I am going to get billed extra? I understand if I order something over $15 I will have to pay the difference but in all my years of cruising, I have never been charged extra for the tip, it has always been included.  Please say it isn't so.  I am beginning to regret my decision to sail with NCL.  

Check out was when you got the package, over $200 CAD is the 20% it’s mentioning. The only time you will pay anything for a drink if the cost of the drink itself is >$15. 

[zqvol]

On 12/21/2022 at 5:45 PM, Coffeeluvr05 said:

We paid our beverage package gratuities at the time we booked our cruise.  So much for "free"-at-sea! lol

 

I was a little shocked since having had the Princess version I've never been charged like that.  Not saying that it's not built into the cost somewhere, but that was a little surprising.  This will be my first NCL cruise and I have to say, I'm seeing a lot of nickel and diming so far and we haven't sailed yet.  I paid more for the beverage package gratuities than I did for the daily services charges that I prepaid.  About $200 more.  This might be my only NCL cruise.  We will see!

When you look at costs don’t look at the components, look at the bottom line. Every line includes gratuities somewhere either as a line item or rolled into the fare. With NCL is you don’t want the drink package you don’t pay a gratuity, on a line that rolls it into the fare you pay it whether you want the package or not 

[zqvol]

On 12/25/2022 at 7:34 AM, MsOne said:

Thank you for pointing that out. I was actually just looking at a Norwegian Cruise and I knew from a few years ago that all of the "free" stuff added on a huge amount, but I certainly didn't realize free specialty restaurants would mean 1-2 meals. This is the first thread that I clicked on and I'm still on page one, but wow, the comments look like they're from employees of a scammy business. A lot of blaming going on towards the few people surprised free specialty dining doesn't mean unlimited; or that free drinks added on hundreds of dollars (lol, laughable). Comes across as the one making noise is the one that got hit (translation, they are taking the surprise as a personal attack and striking back)!

 

I was under the impression the free specialty restaurants inclusion = just that, because when I've cruised other lines and been on those boards, occasionally someone will bring up how they love how they were on NCL and didn't have to pay all the extras for the drink package and specialty dining. Now again, I knew the price difference and other extras so I didn't buy into it as an apples-to-apples comparison, but I certainly didn't expect 1-2 meals as the "free specialty dining" advertised. I was thinking more along the lines of Virgin or some of the luxury lines that are still all-inclusive.

 

EDIT:

oh my gosh! I just read the comment about 150 minutes for internet in the "free wifi"

Yes, at this point it's just comical. Especially the berating for not being aware of the restrictions or to even ask about them. Sad, but comical -- and only comical because I know BEFORE paying/going.

Clearly a different cruise line is where you need to be sailing.  BTW all the details are spelled out as you book and in the brochures. 

[MsOne]

2 hours ago, zqvol said:

Clearly a different cruise line is where you need to be sailing.  BTW all the details are spelled out as you book and in the brochures. 

LOL