When ‘Free at Sea’ is not Free at At Sea

[RocketMan275]

15 minutes ago, Phoenixon said:

 

Do you think there's anything that NCL could improve upon to better communicate these changes to passengers or is letting them find out on their first bill the best they can do? 

Of course there are ways to communicate but that isn't the issue I was addressing.

The claim was that passengers would be surprised by hundreds of dollars in VAT charges.  Since passengers were given an bill itemizing the charges including the VAT, at that point there is no reason to claim they weren't aware of the VAT, well before hundreds of dollars were incurred.  It would take a lot of drinks to acrue hundreds of dollars in VAT.

Edited October 7, 2023 by RocketMan275

[Girr]

Let's break this down.

 

First, it's been posted a letter was in the cabins on 2 Oct clearly stating VAT was being applied, and provided the rates being charged.  So, no passenger should have been "surprised" (PO'd maybe, but not surprised) when charges were made.  Additionally, my experience was there were signs at the bars and also stated in the dailies.

 

Secondly, I don't know about you but while cruising I do check the TV channel for guest services (or whatever it's called) at least once a day to check my charges.  During my July cruise I clearly saw the daily VAT charges being applied to my account.  

 

Thirdly, yes, I agree NCL should be notifying upcoming passengers of these charges (I sure get enough e-mails from them about watching muster drills).  If they can send out multiple e-mails on muster they should be able to keep us informed about VAT.

Edited October 7, 2023 by Girr
Adding info.

[SoloAlaska]

14 minutes ago, Girr said:

Let's break this down.

 

First, it's been posted a letter was in the cabins on 2 Oct clearly stating VAT was being applied, and provided the rates being charged.  So, no passenger should have been "surprised" (PO'd maybe, but not surprised) when charges were made.  Additionally, my experience was there were signs at the bars and also stated in the dailies.

Didn’t you know… people don’t read, also people don’t listen. Maybe the only way that would satisfy some would have been telepathic communication but then they would complain about that being an invasion of privacy. But seriously you could have shoved the sign in their face and people would still say they never knew.

[MoCruiseFan]

Paying a silly VAT does not change the fact that you got the package for free.  If it would make you feel better, simply go to customer service and pay for the package.  Talk about a 1st world problem...  LOL

[di T]

10 hours ago, MoCruiseFan said:

Paying a silly VAT does not change the fact that you got the package for free.  If it would make you feel better, simply go to customer service and pay for the package.  Talk about a 1st world problem...  LOL

Not free in the Uk $199 per person I believe for our next cruise

[insidecabin]

14 minutes ago, di T said:

Not free in the Uk $199 per person I believe for our next cruise

£199pp for 9-11 night cruises.

Sometimes they do it for £99.50

 

After the last price structure change it works out similar to the US service charge.

 

Nothing is free the cost is baked into the fare and price structure of the add-on.

[di T]

2 hours ago, insidecabin said:

£199pp for 9-11 night cruises.

Sometimes they do it for £99.50

 

After the last price structure change it works out similar to the US service charge.

 

Nothing is free the cost is baked into the fare and price structure of the add-on.

Yea missed the half price offer! Do they do that often?

[Asawi]

10 minutes ago, di T said:

Yea missed the half price offer! Do they do that often?

A few days now and then. There was one recently. Remember one back in May and also during the summer.

[MoCruiseFan]

8 hours ago, di T said:

Not free in the Uk $199 per person I believe for our next cruise

The package IS free,  You are paying is tips (the barkeep needs to fix yoru drink no matter if you pay or if it is free).  As I said earlier, if it would make you feel better to turn down the free package and pat full price then by all means do so.

[insidecabin]

6 hours ago, di T said:

Yea missed the half price offer! Do they do that often?

As said it's been quite often,  3-4 days at a time, I keep an eye on the sale refresh dates.

 

Next one is Tuesday morning

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

 

Sometimes I think they adjust the price on some cruises

[insidecabin]

3 minutes ago, MoCruiseFan said:

The package IS free,  You are paying is tips (the barkeep needs to fix yoru drink no matter if you pay or if it is free).  As I said earlier, if it would make you feel better to turn down the free package and pat full price then by all means do so.

 

That's not how it works in the UK.

 

You can't turn down the drinks.

 

you pay the fee and get all options (Including sailaway categories) or you don't and don't get anything.

(Note I cluded in suites and haven with nothing to pay)

 

UK - FREE AT SEA UPGRADE

 

Booking Window: October 4th, 2022 - October 9th, 2023

 

Applicable Sailings: Fleetwide - 3+ night sailings

 

 

Free at Sea upcharge amounts are per person based on sail lengths:

 

Sail Length FAS Upcharge GBP Per Person

3-5 Nights £99

6-8 Nights £149

9-11 Nights £199

12-14 Nights £249

15-17 Nights £299

18+ Nights £349

 

Free at Sea upgrade is applicable to 1st and 2nd guest booked in Studio through Club Balcony Suite categories only.

Studio*, Inside, Oceanview, Balcony, Club Balcony Suite, Suite & Haven

Suite & Haven: Automatically receive all Free at Sea Offers.

 

[di T]

14 minutes ago, insidecabin said:

 

That's not how it works in the UK.

 

You can't turn down the drinks.

 

you pay the fee and get all options (Including sailaway categories) or you don't and don't get anything.

(Note I cluded in suites and haven with nothing to pay)

 

UK - FREE AT SEA UPGRADE

 

Booking Window: October 4th, 2022 - October 9th, 2023

 

Applicable Sailings: Fleetwide - 3+ night sailings

 

 

Free at Sea upcharge amounts are per person based on sail lengths:

 

Sail Length FAS Upcharge GBP Per Person

3-5 Nights £99

6-8 Nights £149

9-11 Nights £199

12-14 Nights £249

15-17 Nights £299

18+ Nights £349

 

Free at Sea upgrade is applicable to 1st and 2nd guest booked in Studio through Club Balcony Suite categories only.

Studio*, Inside, Oceanview, Balcony, Club Balcony Suite, Suite & Haven

Suite & Haven: Automatically receive all Free at Sea Offers.

 

Yes this is how it is! On NCL I will go with the free at sea but this year on Oceania we paid as we went so drank less and paid for the ones on the ship😂Also on Celebrity where we have high status we just  added any extra drinks to our bill! 

[insidecabin]

49 minutes ago, di T said:

Yes this is how it is! On NCL I will go with the free at sea but this year on Oceania we paid as we went so drank less and paid for the ones on the ship😂Also on Celebrity where we have high status we just  added any extra drinks to our bill! 

Not every line have a sensible package.

It's not a auto buy for us we do some PAYG.

[KeithJenner]

2 hours ago, MoCruiseFan said:

The package IS free,  You are paying is tips (the barkeep needs to fix yoru drink no matter if you pay or if it is free).  As I said earlier, if it would make you feel better to turn down the free package and pat full price then by all means do so.

That is now it works in. the USA. Other countries exist.

[Lisa353]

On 10/7/2023 at 3:22 AM, Capitan Obvious said:

 

 

 

 

 

Can I ask where on NCL's website these terms and conditions are please?  When I look at the Terms and Conditions on NCL's UK website, I can't see any line about the VAT or taxes for certain ports.  I have looked at the Free At Sea terms and conditions and also the main terms and conditions.  I can see that with what you have posted above is from the NCL's US website.

[KeithJenner]

25 minutes ago, Lisa353 said:

Can I ask where on NCL's website these terms and conditions are please?  When I look at the Terms and Conditions on NCL's UK website, I can't see any line about the VAT or taxes for certain ports.  I have looked at the Free At Sea terms and conditions and also the main terms and conditions.  I can see that with what you have posted above is from the NCL's US website.

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

 

 

[Lisa353]

18 minutes ago, KeithJenner said:

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

 

 

Thanks for that. I have found it now. I can see why I missed it before.

 

As this seems to be annoying a lot of people, maybe NCL should make it a bit clearer when you are booking the Free at Sea package or in the terms and conditions that there will be these VAT or tax charges for some ports.

 

I think especially for people living in the UK, we are used to buying something and the VAT has already been included in the price. So to pay for something that tells you that you are getting free drinks up to the value of $15, you can see why someone might be annoyed to then have to pay VAT on it. So it's not really free then.

[IAcruising]

3 hours ago, Lisa353 said:

maybe NCL should make it a bit clearer when you are booking the Free at Sea package or in the terms and conditions that there will be these VAT or tax charges for some ports.

 

 

How much clearer does it need to be than to have its own line item in the Terms and Conditions?  Bolded? Underlined? What about the limit of 2 drinks per transaction? That torqued me off the first time because I drink double shots. Why wasn't that clearer?!

 

[Lisa353]

12 minutes ago, IAcruising said:

 

How much clearer does it need to be than to have its own line item in the Terms and Conditions?  Bolded? Underlined? What about the limit of 2 drinks per transaction? That torqued me off the first time because I drink double shots. Why wasn't that clearer?!

 

If you look at the terms and conditions for the UK website and then the US website, they are clearer on the US website because you have the bullet points. When I first read the UK terms and conditions because they are all grouped together I missed the final line where it mentioned the VAT and taxes.

 

Also when you are making a booking on the UK website, when you get to the bit to add the Free at Sea package, there isn't even a bit to click on to see the terms and conditions. 

 

I imagine the 2 drinks limit is so you don't get drinks for someone who doesn't have the package.

[SoloAlaska]

18 minutes ago, IAcruising said:

 

How much clearer does it need to be than to have its own line item in the Terms and Conditions?  Bolded? Underlined? What about the limit of 2 drinks per transaction? That torqued me off the first time because I drink double shots. Why wasn't that clearer?!

 

Does the double count as 2 drinks? If it counts as 2 drinks then they better bill it as 2 drinks.

[Lisa353]

19 minutes ago, SoloAlaska said:

Does the double count as 2 drinks? If it counts as 2 drinks then they better bill it as 2 drinks.

I have no idea what NCL would class it as. Here in the UK, if you order a double vodka, etc, then it would be classed as 1 drink.

[insidecabin]

53 minutes ago, IAcruising said:

 

How much clearer does it need to be than to have its own line item in the Terms and Conditions?  Bolded? Underlined? What about the limit of 2 drinks per transaction? That torqued me off the first time because I drink double shots. Why wasn't that clearer?!

 

The problem is VAT is a time of purchase tax not a time of consumption tax.

 

You buy free at sea, that's what should be taxed.

 

From then it is all inclusive, drinks included no charge, no tax.

 

That's how VAT should work.

[IAcruising]

35 minutes ago, SoloAlaska said:

Does the double count as 2 drinks? If it counts as 2 drinks then they better bill it as 2 drinks.

 

Royal most certainly billed it as 2 when I didn't have a drink package. On NCL, I know it's counted as 2 because I couldn't grab another drink for my wife, as I do when I just order a Manhattan or similar.

 

[SoloAlaska]

1 minute ago, IAcruising said:

 

Royal most certainly billed it as 2 when I didn't have a drink package. On NCL, I know it's counted as 2 because I couldn't grab another drink for my wife, as I do when I just order a Manhattan or similar.

 

Well at-least if it’s 15$ per then the double won’t make me pay any more, other than the potential VAT of course.

[IAcruising]

2 minutes ago, SoloAlaska said:

Well at-least if it’s 15$ per then the double won’t make me pay any more, other than the potential VAT of course.

 

Interesting point. Yes, it's counted as 2 regarding the $15 limit, but I have never looked to see if they charge double tax in ports that it applies. I assume they do.