luv2kroooz

Southampton is currently out, but the complete bar menu was offered in all of our 4 Spanish ports in April. But there is an additional 10% tax on each drink while docked or while sailing with 12 nautical miles of Spanish waters. Tito's tonic +1.50 Shot of crown +1.50. Beer +.70 Mudslide +1.20 Adds up very quickly. I think we ran up an additional $80 in taxes during our 4 port calls. Unexpected, but at least we got some value out of our package Sadly, we met people that had bought premium plus but were not using it or trying to wait until we were in intl waters due to the high taxes. A high end bottle of wine or champagne came with a whopping $20.00 tax. Woodford Reserve +2.30, Chambord +2.00. NCLs listed menu prices are astronomical and way overinflated. During our lengthy sailing, I think we saw 3 people sign a receipt for drinks. Everyone had the promo. Effectively no one pays menu price, but when you combine a high tax rate with ridiculously high base prices, you can get a nasty result even with the promo package. Truth be told, the NCL beverage package promo in exotic, port intensive destinations is not looking real attractive to us. Additionally, offerings are always changing and continuing to erode and degrade. We would probably consider it in the Caribbean or on an itinerary with a lot of sea days. Otherwise we would probably opt out and forego liquor for a week or two.

Also being discussed on P&O Boards here on Cruise Critic. No issues with alcohol being served in UK ports on P&O. Continues to be solely and exclusively an NCL issue.

This is not how it played out in Livorno a few weeks ago. No hard alcohol/spirits were served to anyone onboard while docked or for the remainder of the evening. It didn't matter if you did or didn't have the package. Beer and wine were available. Also, doesn't reconcile with the behavior of the other cruise lines that have been able to serve alcohol. I can't imagine the entire industry is breaking the rules, except for NCL.

Of course they are advised in advance. Most fair minded people realize all that is lined up well in advance with the port agents and local authorities....bunkering, dockage fees, port charges, berth assignments. The notion that the ship pulls up to the dock and is faced with haphazard, unannounced, surprise charges is hilarious, and just serves as a distraction from the fact that NCL continues to collect money for a service that it is not able to provide.

I was on a recent April cruise on NCL that called in Livorno. We were limited to beer and wine. No biggie for me. However, there were unhappy customers complaining to the bartenders. The bar staff knew there were more restrictions coming in Greece and UK as I personally overheard them saying things like, they should be thankful we are in Livorno and not Southampton. Based on this, I don't believe this was any type of last minute issue. However, you can continue to push whatever narrative that justifies the outcome you want.

I figured that would be your answer, but thank you for confirming.

That is unfortunate, but people will do what they need to do to compensate themselves for a service they paid for and did not receive. Aside from a few on here who recommend tipping at hundreds of dollars per day, many of NCLs customers are middle income, hard working people. The execs are in Miami hiding under their desks counting the nickles and dimes, while their hard working crew are being financially harmed. Predictable result here.

Don't you think everyone might be a wee bit more understanding if NCL refunded service charges and premium plus upgrade fees for the days they were unable to deliver the beverage package? Or is it your position that NCL is allowed to keep people's money in the scenario where they are unable to provide the service for whatever reason?

Thank you for sharing your wife's response. I find it laughable and very sad.

What is your point? Is it ok to lie and be deceptive when no money is at stake? Tell the people that upgrade to the plus package that they didn't pay for their drink package and see how that works out for you.

Bankruptcy.

Candidly, it is a pretty weak case as evidenced by the comments in this thread. Good lawyers must always weigh hazards of litigation and likelihood of success when deciding whether or not accept or decline new work. You might start stockpiling multiple water bottles.

Yeah, you are confused, but no need to apologize. No one that I know is upset because they can't drink on board in Southampton. They are upset because they paid money and/or service charges in advance to NCL in exchange for the ability to drink alcohol on the ship in Southampton. However, when the ship arrived in Southampton (and in multiple other ports on multiple days), the OP has been unable to obtain the alcohol that was paid for. NCL has cited port rules and regulations and to date has not offered a pro rated refund of beverage package charges and/or service charges. They've effectively marketed and charged passengers for alcohol (unlimited open bar) but failed to take the necessary steps with the local port to ensure they can actually serve said alcohol (unlimited open bar). I hope that clarifies your confusion.

Not a lawyer and don't play one on TV. No need to get a lawyer involved on my behalf. I just don't care that much. Cheers. Have a good life!!

Predictable answer from you. You go fill up your Flow bottle with vodka and Gin or whatever it is. Then tomorrow you go reverse the process. You do you, mate. I'll just cruise Princess or Celebrity. Enjoy your cruise!!

Here we go. The intent of the law is to require cruise ships to evidently pay a fee. NCL has apparently decided to not pay the fee or claim they don't know about a fee. So, the workaround by passengers is to load up on alcohol in the prior port and consume it in the port where NCL didn't pay for the right for passengers to consume the alcohol. The intent of the law is "pay to drink". In your example, that is not happening because you loaded up in a prior port.

Yes, the premium plus clientele is literally getting toasted on this, pun intended. That upgrade package costs some money.

Love it!! Very creative!! Notwithstanding, I think it would be better to do business with an ethical company rather than contributing to the problem by attempting to skirt the law and consuming alcohol in a port where alcohol is not supposed to be served.

Yes, they need cash very, very badly to service staggering amounts of debts from Corona. Look at their recent financials and recent stock price. No, they couldn't care less about their customers. They've proven that over and again throughout the years on a myriad of issue. Less than 10% of the general population has taken a cruise. NCL can continue to deceptively market to unsuspecting customers by charging them for a service that they can not provide and then not offering a refund. It is the equivalent of theft and stealing, but there are lots of unsuspecting newbies that are prime targets. This is why we only do business with NCL at very last minute, bargain basement rates. This way we don't have to worry (for the most part) about itinerary changes, shortened port calls, changes to beverage offerings, etc. Plus, when they pull recurring, unethical stunts, we don't have a ton of money tied up with them and have the protection of our credit card company should a dispute arise. Often times, we have taken the cruise vacation before the payment to the card company is due.

This is so sad to read. What a dishonest, disreputable company. They will eventually anger enough customers. All they would have to do is add another sentence at the bottom of their sign stating they were issuing a pro rata refund of service charge and beverage package for the missed days. Why would they think they are entitled to charge customers and then keep customers money for a service they don't provide? I really feel for those that paid decent money to upgrade to the premium plus and now can't even enjoy the offerings. How unethical can a company be? Wow. I own a business and operate it for profit. However, I operate it in an ethical, prudent manner. I would never think to rip people off like this. Well, this stuff tends to catch up and work itself out. At the end of day, NCL will be accountable for it's unethical behavior.

Here is how this seemingly simple process can go astray....NCL shortens port calls in the name of unforeseen circumstances, which compresses the time for the shore excursions. As a result, every excursion has to leave as soon as the ship arrives and every excursion returns at all aboard time, creating huge bottlenecks to disembark and embark. NCL sells shore excursions to thousands of people and then asks everyone to meet at the same time in a lounge that holds 900 people. Total chaos. You can't get down to the stage area to get your assigned tour bus and everyone is crowding in the theater waiting to be called ashore by bus. People who can't get into the theater can't get a bus number or hear instructions about which tours are being called. Unsafe, unhealthy, and unprofessional. All the tours end up leaving late and returning late or having excursion time shortened to get back to port on time. This creates huge lines at the shorex guests from unhappy people requesting refunds. Why they can't figure out a better process is amazing. My opinion is that if NCL can't call in a port for at least seven or eight hours, they should cancel the port. We had a shortened 5 hour and a 6 hour port call and it was total chaos. Not the way we want to spend our vacation.

You got it. I know. I can't figure out why they can't keep a beverage package offering for at least 6 months. Talk about about micro management. Truth be told, I made good friends with one of the bartenders on a recent cruise. I tried some of the good boy vodka neat on a recent cruise. I had never heard of it, but it was pretty smooth. Good boy is from Poland.

Yes, the list posted above is outdated. You need the April revision from NCL.com. Belvedere discontinued. Grey Goose has moved to premium. To answer half of your question, Tito's fully included and widely available on our recent cruise.

Sail on a ship that calls in Livorno, Southampton, Dover. Then let us know how that worked out for you.

You suppose??? It has nothing to do with the size of the company. You'd feel differently if they were a small, privately held company? I wouldn't. Yes, if they are holding themselves out to be a cruise line offering cruises to world class destinations, it is not unreasonable to expect them to be fully aware of the local laws in the ports in which they choose to conduct business in advance of arriving at the port especially as it relates to offering for which they intend to charge passengers. They know or should know what the rules are. Yes, it is absolutely a reasonable expectation to have this all ironed out and buttoned down prior to docking at the port, as opposed to printing up nebulous, cryptic announcements about port rules and regulations after arriving in a port. No other cruise line does this, by the way. They are a cruise line operating cruises across the world. It is their business. It it is what they do.