"Complimentary" alcohol in Owner's Suites

[tarps14]

I sent off our requests to the pre-cruise concierge this morning and received an email reply this afternoon. I included our three bottles of alcohol choices; Disaronno amaretto, Bailey's and Grey Goose L'orange. In the reply it stated that the "liquor upsell charges (which totalled $80!!) would be added to our onboard acct". Since when do they have "upsell" charges for the supposedly complimentary alcohol?!? We ordered the amaretto the last time we had an owner's suite and their was no additional charge. What am I missing here?

 

For those interested, the charges were $40 for the amaretto, $40 for the Grey Goose and $20 for the Bailey's.

[Fishbait17]

I sent off our requests to the pre-cruise concierge this morning and received an email reply this afternoon. I included our three bottles of alcohol choices; Disaronno amaretto, Bailey's and Grey Goose L'orange. In the reply it stated that the "liquor upsell charges (which totalled $80!!) would be added to our onboard acct". Since when do they have "upsell" charges for the supposedly complimentary alcohol?!? We ordered the amaretto the last time we had an owner's suite and their was no additional charge. What am I missing here?

 

For those interested, the charges were $40 for the amaretto, $40 for the Grey Goose and $20 for the Bailey's.

 

They have always had a specific menu of bottles to choose from in Owner's Suites, and your brands were not included (although I think I remember seeing Bailey's on there a few years ago). In the past, the Concierge was often willing to provide a "free upgrade" or two without issue. It seems that lately, though, they have been sticking hard to the list and upgrading only at a fee, especially when pre-ordered - even the Garden Villa occupants have been charged extra for more premium brands.

 

Robin

[puddles99]

As was said, there's a very specific menu you can choose from. I don't have it easily accessible, but I can tell you that no top shelf brands (such as Gray Goose) are included. It's only well brands and a relatively short list of those. We were happy to make the most of it - free booze is, after all, free booze! ;)

[Sparkygirl]

The part missing is the pre cruise concierge menu of options. It clearly lists everything that is included in the complimentary alcohol selection. None of your requests were included on that list thus the charges.

 

"Below are some of the complimentary amenities that will be made available to you, our valued suite guest. Please select your preferences from the menu below.

 

Please choose 3 bottles from the list below."

Liquor

Beefeater Gin

Grant's Blended Scotch Whiskey

Smirnoff Vodka

Jim Beam Burboun

Seagram's 7 Crown

Bacardi Superior Run

Sauza Tequila

Dry White Vermouth

Sweet Red Vermouth

Harvey's Bristol Cream Sherry

Sandeman Reserve Port

Jameson Irish Whisky

Kahlua

Alice White Chardonnay

Kira Private Reserve Merlot

 

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Edited December 31, 2013 by Sparkygirl

[tarps14]

The part missing is the pre cruise concierge menu of options. It clearly lists everything that is included in the complimentary alcohol selection. None of your requests were included on that list thus the charges.

 

"Below are some of the complimentary amenities that will be made available to you, our valued suite guest. Please select your preferences from the menu below.

 

Please choose 3 bottles from the list below."

Liquor

Beefeater Gin

Grant's Blended Scotch Whiskey

Smirnoff Vodka

Jim Beam Burboun

Seagram's 7 Crown

Bacardi Superior Run

Sauza Tequila

Dry White Vermouth

Sweet Red Vermouth

Harvey's Bristol Cream Sherry

Sandeman Reserve Port

Jameson Irish Whisky

Kahlua

Alice White Chardonnay

Kira Private Reserve Merlot

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

Thanks for the info Fishbait and Puddles.

 

Sparkygirl, we have been in suites twice before and never shown a list. Had I known of the existence of it, "clearly" I would have known better and would have known what was "missing from my post" (maybe next time the wording could be a little less "naughty child" and more "in the spirit of helpfulness"?).:o

[Sparkygirl]

Thanks for the info Fishbait and Puddles.

 

Sparkygirl, we have been in suites twice before and never shown a list. Had I known of the existence of it, "clearly" I would have known better and would have known what was "missing from my post" (maybe next time the wording could be a little less "naughty child" and more "in the spirit of helpfulness"?).:o

 

 

I'm sorry, didn't mean it as such...your opening question was what you were missing. I meant it more as a missing puzzle piece or decoder ring not as a naughty child.

 

 

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[tarps14]

Thanks for clarifying, Sparkygirl (that little bit of snarkiness from me came to you courtesy of my landing on the wrong side of the bed this morning.....very much need this upcoming vacation!).

[Sparkygirl]

Thanks for clarifying, Sparkygirl (that little bit of snarkiness from me came to you courtesy of my landing on the wrong side of the bed this morning.....very much need this upcoming vacation!).

 

 

Enjoy your vacation! It probably doesn't help I've been sick and finally resorted to taking cough medicine. What I thought was a coherent response may well have been a disjointed gobbly gook of nonsense.

 

 

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[galliegirlie]

We sailed in a Deluxe Owner's Suite on the Dawn earlier this summer. About a month before sailing I started coordinating with the concierge service to make the bottle selections we wanted. I was emailed the alcohol list posted above, but I was also given a wine list with many other selections. I picked two wines off the wine list, and asked if I could substitute Malibu Rum for my 3rd bottle. After some checking, they responded back that this would be acceptable with no upcharge.

 

When we got aboard the ship we had some difficulties. The butler insisted that the Malibu would be an upcharge, and he said that the other 2 wines chosen were not available. He brought us a different wine list to choose from, so we picked 2 others. Lucikly I had my email printouts where the online concierge said the Malibu would be no upcharge, so he finally relented and brought us the bottles late afternoon of Day 2 :eek: My mother and sister said that both wines were lousy, and they actually preferred the house wines offered in the MDR. I drank my Malibu in peace, and for once I didn't have to bring on bottles of 7-up to mix-in. I think we all enjoyed the unlimited water and soda perk of the Owner's suite more so than the free alcohol.

[Love my butler]

The term you are looking for is 'nickel and diming the customer'. All cruise lines do it, and NCL is no exception.

[ksimpso3]

We sailed in a Deluxe Owner's Suite on the Dawn earlier this summer. About a month before sailing I started coordinating with the concierge service to make the bottle selections we wanted. I was emailed the alcohol list posted above, but I was also given a wine list with many other selections. I picked two wines off the wine list, and asked if I could substitute Malibu Rum for my 3rd bottle. After some checking, they responded back that this would be acceptable with no upcharge.

 

When we got aboard the ship we had some difficulties. The butler insisted that the Malibu would be an upcharge, and he said that the other 2 wines chosen were not available. He brought us a different wine list to choose from, so we picked 2 others. Lucikly I had my email printouts where the online concierge said the Malibu would be no upcharge, so he finally relented and brought us the bottles late afternoon of Day 2 :eek: My mother and sister said that both wines were lousy, and they actually preferred the house wines offered in the MDR. I drank my Malibu in peace, and for once I didn't have to bring on bottles of 7-up to mix-in. I think we all enjoyed the unlimited water and soda perk of the Owner's suite more so than the free alcohol.

 

I also thought the unlimited soda, water, juices, mixers were the best perk of the garden villa...I always had something to mix my alcohol with and had plenty of N/A drinks too :D. We had our butler bring us margarita mix from one of the bars along with a blender and kept a cooler full of ice at all times! Yummy!!:)

[dexddd]

I sent off our requests to the pre-cruise concierge this morning and received an email reply this afternoon. I included our three bottles of alcohol choices; Disaronno amaretto, Bailey's and Grey Goose L'orange. In the reply it stated that the "liquor upsell charges (which totalled $80!!) would be added to our onboard acct". Since when do they have "upsell" charges for the supposedly complimentary alcohol?!? We ordered the amaretto the last time we had an owner's suite and their was no additional charge. What am I missing here?

 

For those interested, the charges were $40 for the amaretto, $40 for the Grey Goose and $20 for the Bailey's.

 

Bailey's was on the list at one time but they have cheapened up the offerings over the last couple years.

[puddles99]

I also thought the unlimited soda, water, juices, mixers were the best perk of the garden villa...I always had something to mix my alcohol with and had plenty of N/A drinks too :D. We had our butler bring us margarita mix from one of the bars along with a blender and kept a cooler full of ice at all times! Yummy!!:)

 

I completely agree! We had grapefruit, orange, pineapple, and cranberry juices, sour, margarita, and piña colada mixes, a variety of sodas and full ice buckets at all times - fantastic perk even for the non-drinkers in our party!

[goldmom]

I think there was a point a few years back where NCL had taken away all free booze in the upper level suites. It was only for a very short time if I remember correctly as they got tons of complaints.

 

It's possible that instead of doing away with the perk completely, they decided to keep it but just downgrade the choices. I think I'd rather get something than nothing!:)

[garycarla]

The term you are looking for is 'nickel and diming the customer'. All cruise lines do it, and NCL is no exception.

 

A few years back, NCL removed the free booze option. Caused quite a bit off uproar. Totally accounting driven decision. After all, if they charged $5,000 for that cabin, what and wanted to save $200 on booze, they could just charged $5,200 for the cabin with no problem. Bad logic on their part.

 

They reversed that decision in short order. Having a list does make reasonable sense. Saving themselves $10-$30 a bottle via upcharges is again short sighted. Anyone willing to pay $5,000 for the OS would just as easily pay $5,100 and be excited to have a longer list.

[Love my butler]

A few years back, NCL removed the free booze option. Caused quite a bit off uproar. Totally accounting driven decision. After all, if they charged $5,000 for that cabin, what and wanted to save $200 on booze, they could just charged $5,200 for the cabin with no problem. Bad logic on their part.

 

They reversed that decision in short order. Having a list does make reasonable sense. Saving themselves $10-$30 a bottle via upcharges is again short sighted. Anyone willing to pay $5,000 for the OS would just as easily pay $5,100 and be excited to have a longer list.

 

Agreed. Bean counters gone wild.

[angeljt]

Boy, I hated reading this. :( We haven't cruised in over 4 years, but we were always able to get just about any liquor we wanted in the OS. We asked for Kettle One, and there it was, no extra charge. Sorry to hear things have changed. Not crazy about all the giant new ships either, but they seem to be doing fine without us. :eek: