NCL Free Beverage Package

[Lucinarei]

If we wanted those "perks", we would have had to cancel our current reservation and rebook for $1,500 MORE for the exact same room. So those perks aren't free and the cruise line will get their money. Hope that helps.

 

Same for us. We booked our July cruise way back in March '14 to lock in the great price. Seeing this great offer, I did some quick math and it looks like we would pay about $1000 more for the same room in order to take advantage of the offer. If we chose the UBP, we'd come out slightly ahead, but only if we actually ended up drinking more than $50 a day… which is doubtful for us. :rolleyes:

 

What a great deal, though! Hopefully, some people will be able to take advantage of it! ;)

[dalgirl]

As others have stated, the price for the cruise has increased to cover the cost of the "free" packages. But last minute deals may be your bet for a true deal.

 

Sent from my SM-T230NU using Forums mobile app

[4774Papa]

We are looking at an Alaskan cruise and wondering how effective ordering drinks can be under the drinks package.

 

I have read that some people complain that ordering can take a while. If I am dining and want another glass of wine, I don't want to wait that long.

[Fun4Us2013]

We just booked a week on the Sun in April and got the free UBP. I talked to my agent and he said that that package was worth more than my discount for military and over 55 so we went with that one. Don't think we will drink that much but it's nice not to have to worry about checking the bill each day and having to pay alot to get off of the ship.

[vantec]

Does anyone know how gratuities for the servers work if you take the drink package? Are the tips included, or do you need to include a tip each time you get a glass of wine?

[Demonyte]

Does anyone know how gratuities for the servers work if you take the drink package? Are the tips included, or do you need to include a tip each time you get a glass of wine?

 

Asked and answered many times in other several threads about UBP and this promo. Gratuities (15%) are included, you can tip for good service if you like (we often do).

[JohnLocke2012]

Asked and answered many times in other several threads about UBP and this promo. Gratuities (15%) are included, you can tip for good service if you like (we often do).

 

So if we get the UBP as part of our freestyle choice, NCL is not only paying for your drinks, but are shelling out the gratuity for them as well?

[Demonyte]

So if we get the UBP as part of our freestyle choice, NCL is not only paying for your drinks, but are shelling out the gratuity for them as well?

 

Nobody can tell what they do internally. Only fact that we can know for sure is that T&C of this promo clearly states that "Ultimate beverage package option includes 15% gratuity on the package. "

[cliffd64]

So if we get the UBP as part of our freestyle choice, NCL is not only paying for your drinks, but are shelling out the gratuity for them as well?

 

Yes, exactly correct - just as if you had purchased the package yourself, only NCL is picking up the tab.

 

The reason for this is quite simple - the pay structures for bar servers, bartenders, and bar managers rely heavily on that 15% gratuity. When you have the UBP and you get a drink, the server who brings it to you gets a portion of the tip that would have been on that purchase which is why your service does not degrade if you are on the UBP plan. If the UBP gratuity was not made available to the servers, then essentially with large numbers of UBP, they couldn't get paid as much.

Edited January 14, 2015 by cliffd64

[JohnLocke2012]

Yes, exactly correct - just as if you had purchased the package yourself, only NCL is picking up the tab.

 

The reason for this is quite simple - the pay structures for bar servers, bartenders, and bar managers rely heavily on that 15% gratuity. When you have the UBP and you get a drink, the server who brings it to you gets a portion of the tip that would have been on that purchase which is why your service does not degrade if you are on the UBP plan. If the UBP gratuity was not made available to the servers, then essentially with large numbers of UBP, they couldn't get paid as much.

 

Guess that makes sense. Probably why they ring up every drink even though you are not technically paying for them. I'll definitely carry small bills though for those who provide excellent service. I've always been wary of leaving it up to the cruise line to give the gratuity the workers deserve, another reason I'm against the automatic gratuity the cruise lines add now. I personally always tipped more than the recommended amount to my server/assistant server/and room steward, and I knew they got to keep it all as it was cash.

[Demonyte]

I personally always tipped more than the recommended amount to my server/assistant server/and room steward, and I knew they got to keep it all as it was cash.

 

I'm definitely not implying that you'd remove or reduce DSC, but at least that is one case where employees are required to turn in their cash tips. So even if the money changes hands, there is no way for you to know that they could in theory keep it even if they would be able to in practice.

[JohnLocke2012]

I'm definitely not implying that you'd remove or reduce DSC, but at least that is one case where employees are required to turn in their cash tips. So even if the money changes hands, there is no way for you to know that they could in theory keep it even if they would be able to in practice.

 

Wait so if I removed or reduced automatic gratuity, NCL will approach my servers/stewards and have them turn in any cash tip I may have given them? I don't understand this practice at all, really makes me wonder how much of the $12/pppd actually goes to them.

[hawkeyetlse]

I've always been wary of leaving it up to the cruise line to give the gratuity the workers deserve, another reason I'm against the automatic gratuity the cruise lines add now.

The ship's crew have representatives looking out for them and keeping an eye on the books to make sure that they get everything they are supposed to. Not to mention that the crew members pay careful to attention to their paychecks, and news of suspiciously missing amounts will quickly spread throughout the lower decks. Like any money-making operation, I would not necessarily trust the cruise line bosses to automatically do the right thing for their employees if no one is watching. But, people are watching.

[Demonyte]

Wait so if I removed or reduced automatic gratuity, NCL will approach my servers/stewards and have them turn in any cash tip I may have given them? I don't understand this practice at all, really makes me wonder how much of the $12/pppd actually goes to them.

 

If you remove or reduce your service charges, you will be flagged. Rumour is that most people wait until the last night to remove those because of that.

 

Also if you refuse to pay the 15% auto-gratuity in bars, I'm sure that the purchase will be flagged in their POS system too - don't know what happens later because of that.

 

EDIT: Also, nowhere does NCL say that the service charge goes directly to the crew - they state that the money collected is used in their incentive programs etc.

Edited January 14, 2015 by Demonyte

[JohnLocke2012]

If you remove or reduce your service charges, you will be flagged. Rumour is that most people wait until the last night to remove those because of that.

 

Also if you refuse to pay the 15% auto-gratuity in bars, I'm sure that the purchase will be flagged in their POS system too - don't know what happens later because of that.

 

EDIT: Also, nowhere does NCL say that the service charge goes directly to the crew - they state that the money collected is used in their incentive programs etc.

 

Aha! Incentive program? I wonder what that even means, very vague term. Like I said, I don't mind paying gratuity by any means, but I want to KNOW that it's going to the actual person serving me, although I guess on NCL especially that would entail tipping every server cash every y night because of freestyle dining. These men and women work so hard so we can escape life for a week, and lets be real, most are very underpaid and overworked. Guess that is why the only.Americans you see working on ships are in more.important positions.

[Demonyte]

These men and women work so hard so we can escape life for a week, and lets be real, most are very underpaid and overworked. Guess that is why the only.Americans you see working on ships are in more.important positions.

 

They are paid a lot more than in similar positions in their home countries - that is why the job on cruise ships is so popular. You can cruise on Pride of America if you want to see how the service and especially the cruise prices are on US-flagged ship, as pretty much all employees there are American.

[JohnLocke2012]

They are paid a lot more than in similar positions in their home countries - that is why the job on cruise ships is so popular. You can cruise on Pride of America if you want to see how the service and especially the cruise prices are on US-flagged ship, as pretty much all employees there are American.

 

Totally understand that and agree. Plus they are getting room and board, so really anything they make they keep. My point is they deserve to get 100% of the gratuity that we, the consumers, are paying for.

[JohnLocke2012]

I don't know if I could do the Pride of America, as much as I'd love to see Hawaii. The thought of being on a cruise with no casino is scary haha

[Kenlorz]

Does anyone know how long this promotion is running?

[JohnLocke2012]

Does anyone know how long this promotion is running?

 

Until the end of this month.

[Demonyte]

Does anyone know how long this promotion is running?

 

Until Jan 31. (This is probably about 8th time this has been asked here in various threads within a week or so.)

[Rochesterboatingdotcom]

We bought the dining package on Sky last year and the fine print said that tips are not included. We gave our servers $10-$15 each time we dined. Our service and food in Cagneys was very impressive, so much that we ened up eating there 3 nights out of 4.

[Kenlorz]

Until the end of this month.

 

Thank you :)

[Demonyte]

We bought the dining package on Sky last year and the fine print said that tips are not included. We gave our servers $10-$15 each time we dined. Our service and food in Cagneys was very impressive, so much that we ened up eating there 3 nights out of 4.

 

There are no tips required in any restaurant (complimentary or speciality), all restaurant waiting staff is covered by $12pppd service charge - of course you can tip after great service but it is definitely not required or expected. Most people here tip $5 extra for dinner service if the service has been great.

Edited January 14, 2015 by Demonyte