Beware of UBP parasites

we only befriend boozebags like us so any boozebag worth their salt will have the UBP.

Too funny...I love it ! An honest person... :D:D:D

We sailed on the Star last December and ate three times at à la carte specialty restaurants (twice at Le Bistro and once at Cagney's), each time with a different server. Unless all three servers were lying/misinformed, it's now one appetizer and dessert per person only.

We just sailed on the Bliss, and we ordered multiple appetizers and/or desserts (party of 10) on several occasions. We were never charged. Nobody ordered a second main course, but they did not blink and eye at multiple first courses, salads, desserts, etc.

I have to wonder how NCL can make a profit on their biggest money maker - drinks - when they continue to offer UBP to cruisers as a perk. In addition, its not just the passengers who are to blame. On a recent cruise, bartenders would only take one card to run through the machine despite the fact that 3 or 4 people had just ordered drinks. Just makes you wonder how much padding has been added to the price of the cruise in order to make up for the loss of revenue caused by free drinks.

Oh I am SO looking forward to the first time someone tries this on me...

"I'm sorry, you appear to have mistaken me for someone who gives a sh1t"

On a more serious note there is the UBP Bartender cash scam...

A few years ago as I was talking to bartender he paused to serve a customer who had just gotten two drinks in the last few minutes, he had two ubp cards to show, but was now up again to get two more drinks totally different from the previous two.. I must have had a weird look on my face..bartender said let me explain, they are a group of 4 in two cabins, two with ubp two without, those with, get thedrinks for those without,,, they split the cost of the package and both drink... The bartenders know what is happening, but they need proof for security to deal with this scam.. most people are honest..

I have to wonder how NCL can make a profit on their biggest money maker - drinks - when they continue to offer UBP to cruisers as a perk. In addition, its not just the passengers who are to blame. On a recent cruise, bartenders would only take one card to run through the machine despite the fact that 3 or 4 people had just ordered drinks. Just makes you wonder how much padding has been added to the price of the cruise in order to make up for the loss of revenue caused by free drinks.

On most cruises at least for a

12-14 day cruise about $1000 between sailaway and with perks and on some cruises close to that on a 7 day.. so nothing is free

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The drinks ordered on each package are for individual consumption only.

 

I don't need a wall of word salad to be clear on this.

A "wall of word salad." I absolutely love this and am definitely going to "borrow it." Hopefully with permission but without if necessary.

A few years ago as I was talking to bartender he paused to serve a customer who had just gotten two drinks in the last few minutes, he had two ubp cards to show, but was now up again to get two more drinks totally different from the previous two.. I must have had a weird look on my face..bartender said let me explain, they are a group of 4 in two cabins, two with ubp two without, those with, get thedrinks for those without,,, they split the cost of the package and both drink... The bartenders know what is happening, but they need proof for security to deal with this scam.. most people are honest..

Do you think the bartender is looking the other way because of cash tips? I’m assuming they keep their cash tips?

When I tended bar, I would give drinks to people who tipped me big. It wasn’t 100% free but throughout the night they could get 2-3 drinks free.

Before the lectures start, the owner of the bar was dine with giving free drinks here and there for the usual stool dwellers- so it wasn’t stealing on my part. I just knew how to use the system to maximize my tips.

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we only befriend boozebags like us

so any boozebag worth their salt will have the UBP.

Wonderful response!

I'll drink to that!

It's nothing that a simple no can't handle. How hard is that?

That just moves the person on to annoy someone else; be pro-active on behalf of your fellow guests.

Can I sign up for this to happen to me. I would respond with %#*} NO where the first word changes based on my mood. I would also remember the face so I can say it to them all cruise when I see them. I would make it a game for me to enjoy.

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we only befriend boozebags like us so any boozebag worth their salt will have the UBP.

Cheers!

I didn’t know that, ok

 

 

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Really?

Do you think the bartender is looking the other way because of cash tips? I’m assuming they keep their cash tips?

 

When I tended bar, I would give drinks to people who tipped me big. It wasn’t 100% free but throughout the night they could get 2-3 drinks free.

 

Before the lectures start, the owner of the bar was dine with giving free drinks here and there for the usual stool dwellers- so it wasn’t stealing on my part. I just knew how to use the system to maximize my tips.

 

 

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When I was on a Royal Caribbean cruise the head bartender told one german guy, who was always alternating between two bars to bring drinks on his package to his family/friends at a table out of the line of sight of both bars, he will still get the drinks he just shouldn't act like the bar staff would be so stupid and didn't notice. And the guy wasn't tipping. There are probably tons of reasons why the staff doesn't care.

I normally either keep my bar tab open or leave my card open in front of me and they know if they need to charge anything they can always use my card as long as I don't have to sign. But I try and stay at the fun bars with the relaxed bar staff and I have never noticed anyone getting in trouble for being creative with cards/packages/free drinks.

It's nothing that a simple no can't handle. How hard is that?

That just moves the person on to annoy someone else; be pro-active on behalf of your fellow guests.

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What do you suggest? Whacking them?

 

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Hilarious! There is a crowd here that in third grade would race to remind the teacher if they forgot to assign homework . And NCL thanks you for your service.

Hilarious! There is a crowd here that in third grade would race to remind the teacher if they forgot to assign homework . And NCL thanks you for your service.

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There are probably tons of reasons why the staff doesn't care.

.

Of course there are. Like getting even at the employer they have a beef with or that they hate their jobs.

I have to wonder how NCL can make a profit on their biggest money maker - drinks - when they continue to offer UBP to cruisers as a perk. In addition, its not just the passengers who are to blame. On a recent cruise, bartenders would only take one card to run through the machine despite the fact that 3 or 4 people had just ordered drinks. Just makes you wonder how much padding has been added to the price of the cruise in order to make up for the loss of revenue caused by free drinks.

The least expensive category of room that includes the Free at sea choices is typically $200 pp or more greater than the Sail away category that does not include any perks. When you add to that the promotion service fee for the drink package the passenger is actually paying $300 to $400 for the free drink package! I’m actually not criticizing Norwegian for this because I feel like it is their right to do advertising and pricing as they see fit but I do think the customer should be aware of what they are being charged for.

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Unfortunately a couple of my DH's brothers would do this - not to strangers, just to family members. They are both so cheap moths would fly out of their wallets if they were ever opened.

It's one reason we tell no one we are going on a cruise until it's too late for them to book. ;p

I can only imagine that the OP's experience was an isolated incident. It's very difficult for me to believe that in addition to chair hogs, space hogs, bad table mates, and unattended children, I now have to worry about drink parasites.

we only befriend boozebags like us so any boozebag worth their salt will have the UBP.

I, a fellow booze bag, needs to party with you[emoji485][emoji898]

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Hilarious! There is a crowd here that in third grade would race to remind the teacher if they forgot to assign homework . And NCL thanks you for your service.

I must admit I might inform the teacher if a drink parasite approached me. :o

But if she looked like Jennifer Aniston I might just falter in my civic duty.;)

If did falter, I wouldn't be worrying about being cut off my UBP.

I'd be worring about Mrs. Dawg doing some cutting! :eek:

I must admit I might inform the teacher if a drink parasite approached me. :o

 

But if she looked like Jennifer Aniston I might just falter in my civic duty.;)

 

If did falter, I wouldn't be worrying about being cut off my UBP.

 

I'd be worring about Mrs. Dawg doing some cutting! :eek:

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I must admit I might inform the teacher if a drink parasite approached me. :o

 

But if she looked like Jennifer Aniston I might just falter in my civic duty.;)

 

If did falter, I wouldn't be worrying about being cut off my UBP.

 

I'd be worring about Mrs. Dawg doing some cutting! :eek: