Free at Sea Beverage Perk (Soda)

I booked a mini suite on the Jewel with the free at sea promotion. We are getting two perks. One is the free 3rd and 4th in the cabin. We asked our travel agent if we could have the soda package as part of the unlimited beverage package. She said we could do that but would have to pay the gratuities of $99.54 per person like we were drinking alcohol. The computer does not give the option for someone 21 or older to have the soda package and pay the lesser gratuities. Has anyone else had this problem. Thank you.

I would think that the soda package isn't a promo and you won't be able to do this. I'm curious to see how this works. :)

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<snip> She said we could do that but would have to pay the gratuities of $99.54 per person like we were drinking alcohol. T<snip> u.

I purchased the soda package for 10 days for $88.50. That was with gratuities. The $99 seems a little high to me. Can you turn it down and just purchase the soda package?

The only way the Soda Package is substituted for the UBP Alcohol Package as a Free At Sea promo for the 2nd passenger is if the 2nd passenger is under 21. In that case the soda package is $9.45 for a 7 day cruise.

You have a 3rd and maybe a 4th. If any of them is over 21 you will have to have 2 Adult packages.

We asked our travel agent if we could have the soda package as part of the unlimited beverage package. She said we could do that but would have to pay the gratuities of $99.54 per person like we were drinking alcohol. The computer does not give the option for someone 21 or older to have the soda package and pay the lesser gratuities.

If that doesn't work for you, pick a different perk.

I booked a mini suite on the Jewel with the free at sea promotion. We are getting two perks. One is the free 3rd and 4th in the cabin. We asked our travel agent if we could have the soda package as part of the unlimited beverage package. She said we could do that but would have to pay the gratuities of $99.54 per person like we were drinking alcohol. The computer does not give the option for someone 21 or older to have the soda package and pay the lesser gratuities. Has anyone else had this problem. Thank you.

That is correct. If you take the UBP, you could also order virgin drinks at the bars along with sodas (frozen drinks (less alcohol) around the pool).

Thank you for the replies. I will choose a different perk and get a soda package on my own. Rules are rules.

Do you have a child traveling with you? I believe that if the child is listed as passenger 2, they would automatically get the soda package instead of the alcohol package. That might reduce the gratuities owed at booking.

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The UBP includes soda though- :)

Do you have a child traveling with you? I believe that if the child is listed as passenger 2, they would automatically get the soda package instead of the alcohol package. That might reduce the gratuities owed at booking.

It sounds to me like no one in the OP's cabin actually wants the UBP. If that's the case, it doesn't make sense to choose the UBP perk.

That will reduce the service charge for one person, but the other person still has to take the UBP and pay the UBP service charge (which is $14.22 per day, whereas they could buy the adult soda package outright for only $8.85/day).

 

It sounds to me like no one in the OP's cabin actually wants the UBP. If that's the case, it doesn't make sense to choose the UBP perk.

Where did you make your booking hawkeyetlse?

I queried the 18% gratuity and IVA for Spanish and Italian waters directly with NCL a couple of days ago. The answer was that with the UBP coming as part of the Free at Sea deal, if you have booked your cruise with NCL Europe, both the gratuity and IVA are included in the perk. Only people who book their cruise outside Europe have to pay the gratuities on their perk.

You appear to be in France so it made me wonder why you were being asked to pay gratuities.

Where did you make your booking hawkeyetlse?

Glad to hear you also contacted NCL about the VAT/IVA. They haven't answered me yet…

I wasn't talking about my booking. The OP is evidently booked in the US, so I was answering based on that.

 

Glad to hear you also contacted NCL about the VAT/IVA. They haven't answered me yet…

My apologies to you and the OP. I must remember to put my glasses on next time I'm reading the posts!

I emailed my travel agent but didn't get a reply so called NCL direct and they were very helpful.