NCL Soda Cup

[MacGuffin3]

2 minutes ago, Pitzel said:

This is true if you are purchasing the packages outright, but not if you are getting the beverage package through the Free at Sea promo.

Ok thanks, the site is confusing I didn't know there was a difference. If that's the case I have nothing to worry about, they will do perfectly fine with the standard included beverages. They can survive without cans of seltzer for a week.

[mjkacmom]

10 hours ago, Dorhead1230 said:

@MacGuffin3 your kids can also get a splash of juice added to seltzer if they like that. Meaning bar juices like OJ, cranberry, pineapple. Fresh squeezed juice isn’t included. If they do drink juice/lemonade/iced tea, even watered down, they can get that from bars or in any restaurant, too. The buffet will also have machines with water, juices at breakfast, and then lemonade, iced tea, and a couple (not sugar-free) flavored-water type beverages the rest of the day. Obviously they don’t need their cards for those machines. I know that may not make you feel like the soda package is necessarily worth it, but just letting you know there’s stuff other than soda if they’d like non-water drinks sometimes!

I believe those waters are sugar free (I dislike them, I don’t like any drink with sugar substitutes, but love water and unsweetened iced tea).

[MacGuffin3]

2 hours ago, mjkacmom said:

I believe those waters are sugar free (I dislike them, I don’t like any drink with sugar substitutes, but love water and unsweetened iced tea).

Unsweetened ice tea is always the way to go. If they weren't forcing the drink packages on us, this is what us parents would drink all week as well.

[RocketMan275]

8 minutes ago, MacGuffin3 said:

Unsweetened ice tea is always the way to go. If they weren't forcing the drink packages on us, this is what us parents would drink all week as well.

How are drink packages being forced on you? You can decline all packages.

[mjkacmom]

14 minutes ago, MacGuffin3 said:

Unsweetened ice tea is always the way to go. If they weren't forcing the drink packages on us, this is what us parents would drink all week as well.

No one needs to take the packages, just us click them.

[MacGuffin3]

Ask my wife, she booked the stupid thing. It was all included in the price.

[mjkacmom]

10 minutes ago, MacGuffin3 said:

Ask my wife, she booked the stupid thing. It was all included in the price.

Your wife is mistaken, call NCL.

[Dorhead1230]

2 hours ago, mjkacmom said:

I believe those waters are sugar free (I dislike them, I don’t like any drink with sugar substitutes, but love water and unsweetened iced tea).

Oh, they are? I never paid much attention. I drink any juice or anything sweet like a toddler—wayyyy watered down lol. So at most I put a splash of that stuff in a cup of water. I guess that’s good if they’re sugar-free for people who can’t drink the juice/lemonade and don’t like the tea!

[MacGuffin3]

5 minutes ago, mjkacmom said:

Your wife is mistaken, call NCL.

No mistake, at least not in regards to this.  When we tried to cancel it said we would forfeit thousands of dollars, we could opt out of the package but there would be no refund since it was supposedly a "free extra" despite it being baked into the price we paid.

[RocketMan275]

8 minutes ago, MacGuffin3 said:

No mistake, at least not in regards to this.  When we tried to cancel it said we would forfeit thousands of dollars, we could opt out of the package but there would be no refund since it was supposedly a "free extra" despite it being baked into the price we paid.

I suspect the forfeiture of thousands of dollars refers to the 'value' NCL attributes to the package.  If you're not going to use the package, then there is no 'value' to you.  If you cancel, you will save at least the cost of the gratuities associate with the package.  I would get back with NCL and ask some very specifici questions; "what value", how much are the gratuities, etc.

[MacGuffin3]

6 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

 If you're not going to use the package, then there is no 'value' to you. 

We will certainly use it since we got stuck paying for it.  I will challenge myself to see how many martinis I can drink over the course of a week.  I'm just saying for next time, I'm booking the trip, and will check the fine print more carefully.

[RocketMan275]

3 minutes ago, MacGuffin3 said:

We will certainly use it since we got stuck paying for it.  I will challenge myself to see how many martinis I can drink over the course of a week.  I'm just saying for next time, I'm booking the trip, and will check the fine print more carefully.

Wish you well.

[mjkacmom]

8 minutes ago, MacGuffin3 said:

We will certainly use it since we got stuck paying for it.  I will challenge myself to see how many martinis I can drink over the course of a week.  I'm just saying for next time, I'm booking the trip, and will check the fine print more carefully.

Sometimes cabins can be booked cheaper if you don’t get any perks, it looks like your wife didn’t book it this way. For many people, the perks are a great value. Some remove the perks that come with a mandatory gratuity if they don’t plan on using it. I didn’t realize the beverage package covered everyone in the cabin, usually it for the first 2. 

[ggTexasGal]

2 hours ago, MacGuffin3 said:

We will certainly use it since we got stuck paying for it.  I will challenge myself to see how many martinis I can drink over the course of a week.  I'm just saying for next time, I'm booking the trip, and will check the fine print more carefully.

If you plan on only ordering Martinis, you likely need to expect an additional charge (plus 20% added). Martinis on NCL are typically over the $15.00 FAS drink price limit!!!

Most of them are $17.95 (+20%). Therefore each would cost you $3.94!

 

*** It might help you if you read over the T&C's for NCL's packages:

https://www.ncl.com/about/terms-and-conditions/promotions

[RB9643]

2 hours ago, ggTexasGal said:

If you plan on only ordering Martinis, you likely need to expect an additional charge (plus 20% added). Martinis on NCL are typically over the $15.00 FAS drink price limit!!!

 

 

The good wife often orders specialty cocktails and asks the bartender to keep it at $15 or under. She has never been denied.

 

Whether they substitute a cheaper brand, or just let it slide, is unknown. She doesn't care either way.

 

 

[MacGuffin3]

8 hours ago, ggTexasGal said:

If you plan on only ordering Martinis, you likely need to expect an additional charge (plus 20% added). Martinis on NCL are typically over the $15.00 FAS drink price limit!!!

Beefeater and Tanqueray are in the allowed list on their PDF. So what the hell am I supposed to ask for to comply with their BS hoops? Two shots neat with a splash of Dry Vermouth, and then go hunt down olives myself in the buffet?

[RB9643]

9 minutes ago, MacGuffin3 said:

Beefeater and Tanqueray are in the allowed list on their PDF. So what the hell am I supposed to ask for to comply with their BS hoops? Two shots neat with a splash of Dry Vermouth, and then go hunt down olives myself in the buffet?

 

You do what I posted, directly above this unnecessary rant.

 

 

[MacGuffin3]

17 minutes ago, RB9643 said:

 

You do what I posted, directly above this unnecessary rant.

 

It's never unnecessary to rant against scams.
I'm not going to walk up to a bar and say, "Give me a $15 martini."  We aren't talking about some froo-froo Mai-Tai with an umbrella in it where the brand of booze just doesn't matter.  A martini is nearly 90% gin, so you can't make one with crap from the well.

[RB9643]

4 minutes ago, MacGuffin3 said:

It's never unnecessary to rant against scams.
 

 

I'm still trying to fully understand what scam you are ranting about.  Is it the 20% gratuity on the drink package? Is it that you won't drink a classic martini with the gin available on the "free" list? Or are you too proud to ask the bartender for what you want?

 

I don't get the scam. I thought I read the whole thread, but I must have missed something.

 

 

[MacGuffin3]

6 minutes ago, RB9643 said:

I don't get the scam. I thought I read the whole thread, but I must have missed something.

 

The scam is to name Beefeater in your list of choices for the package you payed for, but then charge you additionally if you ask to have it in a martini.

Edited July 6, 2023 by MacGuffin3

[RB9643]

Just now, MacGuffin3 said:

 

The scam is to list Beefeater in your list of choices for the package you payed for, but then charge you additionally if you ask to have it in a martini.

 

When did this happen? What ship? Where did you see the upcharge, on your folio?  This makes no sense to me at all.

 

 

[MacGuffin3]

4 minutes ago, RB9643 said:

When did this happen? 

I'm just going off TexasGal's post above. If she's wrong, great.  I will ask the bartender when I get on the boat what the deal is.

[ggTexasGal]

6 hours ago, MacGuffin3 said:

I'm just going off TexasGal's post above. If she's wrong, great.  I will ask the bartender when I get on the boat what the deal is.

Things could have changed since April, especially from one ship to another, or from bar to bar. But, I did look-up NCL's "current" Promo T&Cs.

Edited July 6, 2023 by ggTexasGal
added note

[mjkacmom]

It’s been a while since I cruised, but I’ve never paid an up charge for a martini on NCL. 

[mjkacmom]

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/617ac6f28abd337ac8fc5f75/t/6453afebebcf2b79d7ea9a78/1683206126142/Updated+5+Unlimited+Open+Bar+%26+Premium+Plus+Beverage+Packages+|+NCL+Norwegian+Cruise+Line.pdf