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What should I do?


dposalski
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I booked an upcoming cruise for 9 days on the Pearl. Part of our package was the Ultimate drink package. My son, whom I am travelling with is 19. They instead gave him the soda package. I planned on signing the waiver for him, but they only allow beer and wine for those under 21. That is fine. They have a package for that. They wont let him have that package instead. It is over $600 more if he wants that package.

 

I have called customer no-service and gotten the standard line....."that package isnt part of the promotion".

 

Where to go from here. I like to do things right, but I may just order 2 drinks and give one to him if he wants one. I figure I tried to do things right and Norwegian doesn't want to.

 

My last cruise with NCL missed a port for mechanical issues. No compensation. Will not book with them again.....that I do know.:mad::mad:

Edited by dposalski
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NCL is correct in the information they are telling you. Guests under 21 are not eligible for drink packages. Now, having said that, some people have reported success once they get on board getting the soda package upgraded to the Corks and Caps package by paying the difference. That does not seem to happen too often though but worth a try to ask.

 

 

Don't use your UBP to get him drinks. You stand to lose that if you get caught and, well, you probably realize this, that would be stealing.

 

Try and enjoy your cruise though and don't stay too negative. Life is short, have a good time.

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Stealing? Really? We paid the same for him as I paid and they want only give him sodas for the same price I paid for liquor.

 

That's stealing.

 

I will try once onboard.

 

If you read the Terms and Conditions of the promo it is clearly spelled out. He's 19, not 21. Their ship, their rules.

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Stealing? Really? We paid the same for him as I paid and they want only give him sodas for the same price I paid for liquor.

 

 

 

You didn’t. If he’s eligible for the soda package then he only pays the service charge on the soda package. If you are eligible for the full UBP you pay $100ish extra for it. He didn’t pay that.

 

 

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Where to go from here. I like to do things right, but I may just order 2 drinks and give one to him if he wants one. I figure I tried to do things right and Norwegian doesn't want to.

 

Please be careful with giving someone under 21 alcohol. This is a violation of the NCL passenger contract and if you are found out, you can be told to leave the ship.
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Ok ... confused. You are booked on the NCL PEARL ... but you say you will NEVER sail with NCL again. ???

 

Your son is too young to drink alcoholic drinks. But you want to break/circumvent the rules and 'give'/buy him drinks anyway. I simply don't understand this.

 

 

He is not too young to drink on board an NCL ship. 18 and over young adults can drink beer and wine when accompanied with a parent who can sign a waiver.

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I would be fine if they would allow him to have the corks and caps package, which he can have if I sign the waiver. They are saying he can only have soda package as his free at sea amenity.

 

Just seems like an arbitrary decision when I was given the UBP. And I am allowed to buy him the corks and caps package, which is less value than the UBP.

 

Yes, it is their ship. Yes, they set the rules. That never stopped anyone from being upset about what seems like allowing the corks and caps would be a reasonable accomodation.

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I would be fine if they would allow him to have the corks and caps package, which he can have if I sign the waiver. They are saying he can only have soda package as his free at sea amenity.

 

Just seems like an arbitrary decision when I was given the UBP. And I am allowed to buy him the corks and caps package, which is less value than the UBP.

 

Yes, it is their ship. Yes, they set the rules. That never stopped anyone from being upset about what seems like allowing the corks and caps would be a reasonable accomodation.

 

 

 

While this is the company line. Some people have report that once they are on the ship they are permitted to upgrade their under 21 year old to corks and caps. I wouldn’t get to worked up right now.

 

 

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While this is the company line. Some people have report that once they are on the ship they are permitted to upgrade their under 21 year old to corks and caps. I wouldn’t get to worked up right now.

 

 

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Thanks. That's what I was wondering. Wasn't sure if there was a magic phone number to call.

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I certainly agree on one point. Do NOT get two drinks on your UBP and give one to him. Whatever you call it NCL not only frowns on getting drinks and giving them away to any one but is likely to take further action. As your son is under 21 they are likely to ask you to debark at the next port if you are caught.

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I wouldn’t chance being booted from the shi just for a minor wanting to drink alcohol that is illegal, especially if I want to do the right thing. If it’s not allowed, then it’s not allowed. As others have stated, if they permit you to upgrade once onboard, then do what you will. But what will you do if they don’t?

 

 

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The US drink laws are just so archaic compared with the rest of the world, what's the problem if he is over 18 and having a drink! Most European countries let teens drink at 16 or below with parents and never check ages and they have less problems with alcohol than countries which have restrictive alcohol laws

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My cruise consultant told me that my 20 year old son's soda package WILL be upgraded to corks & caps free of charge at the port once I have signed the waiver. Since we booked in UK the Free at Sea drinks packages already include the tips so no extra fee payable. Having said that since we are only on a 4 night cruise which is port intensive I am thinking of changing his Free at Sea perk to the $100 OBC per person (along with his 21 year old girlfriend in their cabin), after all $25 per night each will more than cover what they will drink.

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in doing what you suggest, you are violating two rules. one,, you cannot buy UBP and share drinks with people. second, while you can sign the waiver, that allows anyone under 21 to have BEER or WINE with parental permission. If you buy him hard alcohol drinks, that is a problem.

 

i would try to upgrade on board to corks and caps if it is that important for your 19 year old son to have alcohol.

 

and you didnt pay the same. you paid 18% gratuity on the value of the UBP. he was most likely charged 18% on teh value of the soda package (a smaller amount).

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I agree with you, my 19 and 20 year olds were in the same situation, 2nd in the room, DH and I got the UBP, they got the soda package, we signed the waivers, they had to buy their beer and wine instead of us being able to pay the gratuity for corks and caps. What added insult to injury was they were booked in a connecting cabin, and NCL changed their policy which used to allow minors in adjacent or adjoining cabins to be booked without an over 21 in that cabin (rule change came about the same time the UBP was offered as a perk).

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I booked an upcoming cruise for 9 days on the Pearl. Part of our package was the Ultimate drink package. My son, whom I am travelling with is 19. They instead gave him the soda package. I planned on signing the waiver for him, but they only allow beer and wine for those under 21. That is fine. They have a package for that. They wont let him have that package instead. It is over $600 more if he wants that package.

 

I have called customer no-service and gotten the standard line....."that package isnt part of the promotion".

 

Where to go from here. I like to do things right, but I may just order 2 drinks and give one to him if he wants one. I figure I tried to do things right and Norwegian doesn't want to.

 

My last cruise with NCL missed a port for mechanical issues. No compensation. Will not book with them again.....that I do know.:mad::mad:

what should you do? I could say a few things but I won't. What you will have to do is except the law as it is written. He can not, if under 21 drink on the ship. I am sorry this isn't what you wanted to hear. As for getting 2, no, first of all you can not do this: The only way you can is if there are 2 of you in the cabin, both with the UBP.

mIssing a port due to mechanical problems: that is a different story, same as your choice not to sail NCL again. neither has anything to do with the UBP. BTW,I a sure you got your port charges back for the port you missed. I am not sure what else you expected.

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The US drink laws are just so archaic compared with the rest of the world, what's the problem if he is over 18 and having a drink! Most European countries let teens drink at 16 or below with parents and never check ages and they have less problems with alcohol than countries which have restrictive alcohol laws

this is not a USA law, this is the law on almost all cruise lines. There is a big difference. so let's not blame our country for what is a company policy.

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what should you do? I could say a few things but I won't. What you will have to do is except the law as it is written. He can not, if under 21 drink on the ship. I am sorry this isn't what you wanted to hear. As for getting 2, no, first of all you can not do this: The only way you can is if there are 2 of you in the cabin, both with the UBP.

 

mIssing a port due to mechanical problems: that is a different story, same as your choice not to sail NCL again. neither has anything to do with the UBP. BTW,I a sure you got your port charges back for the port you missed. I am not sure what else you expected.

 

 

 

Actually, yes- he can drink on the ship. Wine and beer, and he has to pay for it, unless they let him get corks and caps on the ship in which case it’s wine and beer that he doesn’t have to pay for.

 

 

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