UBP promotion = no service?

[BendORcruiser]

We were on the Breakaway last June and noticed a significant lack of bar waiters in the dining rooms, pool decks, entertainment venues, etc. Which puzzled us because that is where they get a ton of on-board revenue.

 

Now we are sailing on the Epic in April when much of the ship will have the UBP promotion (including us!) and so there is little incentive for them to come around and take your order. Has anyone that has sailed during a UBP Promo sailing noticed a lack of beverage service?

[LrgPizza]

Why would there be little incentive?! They are performance rated based on how many drinks they ring through. They WANT to make sales. We had great service with UBP on both the Epic and our Getaway cruises. We won't sail without it, free or not.

[BendORcruiser]

I don't mean to seem negative, but I was just wondering if anyone HAD experienced slow service or a lack of available bar waiters in dining rooms, etc. with the UBP.

 

Relatedly, does anyone know if you can order beverages from your regular waiter in the dining rooms? We have always waited for a separate bar waiter, but maybe that's an old fashioned notion.

Edited March 2, 2015 by BendORcruiser

[Single Cruiser]

They still get paid tips on the beverages served, hence why you still sign the receipts and again if someone is on the package they are more likely to order more drinks and a good bar waiter making nice drinka often gets rewarded end if the cruise.

[hawkeyetlse]

Relatedly, does anyone know if you can order beverages from your regular waiter in the dining rooms? We have always waited for a separate bar waiter, but maybe that's an old fashioned notion.

We have always ordered drinks from the regular waiters and assistant waiters. I don't believe NCL has dedicated bar servers in the dining rooms and restaurants, and this does sometimes lead to inefficiency (extra work for the servers and extra wait times for the diners). We left a message about this in the Hotel Director's dropbox on our last cruise, but I'm sure they hear the same complaint again and again, but they are sticking with this system.

[meatball_nyc]

We also had great service on Breakaway last July. Pool decks, Waterfront, Shaker's, Malting's.

I filled out a hero card for Dancho, the best bar server we ever had on a cruise. He was everywhere on the pool deck during the day. At night he was outside at Malting's.

I sure hope he's still there for our next BA cruise. We tipped him very well and he was awesome.

[acmama901]

Actually, I'm sorry to report that we had slow drink service on several occasions on our Getaway cruise last October. It's not stopping us from sailing her again, but it was disappointing nonetheless. The only bar we experienced great service really was at Spice H2O in the evenings when it was not crowded...a perfect little hideaway. But we found when seated at the couches or bar tables on the Waterfront, the servers were incredibly slow. We actually left our seats and went to the bar to get our own drinks at times.

[trish1c]

It varied. We didn't have the UPB but a lot of people did on our MLK week Epic cruise. Certain bar staff hustled: Evelyn at Spice, Ravi a junior server at Spice and Santosh who bounced between Waves, O'Sheehans & Howl at the Moon. There were servers working the Legends in Concert show we saw but the MDR staff was not on the ball at all IMO.

[LrgPizza]

On any ship I've ever sailed, in any MDR, I've always thought drink service in the MDR was slow. It's in no way related to UBP. It's just a giant room with lots going on, and serving drinks always seems to take a back seat to serving food, as it should I suppose. I generally enter with 2 drinks in hand, then I'm set. :D

[FireEater]

UBP or not, I still tip....I seem to get better service.

 

Sure, UBP covers the tip, but come on, give a buck or two once in awhile and see how fast and often the servers check back with you....:cool:

[CasinoCruzGirl]

UBP or not, I still tip....I seem to get better service.

 

Sure, UBP covers the tip, but come on, give a buck or two once in awhile and see how fast and often the servers check back with you....:cool:

 

 

I do the same always tip an extra dollar or two

[dhdelrod]

We had great service on the Getaway in January. Take care of the waiters and they will take care of you.

[ncklhaus]

Service on Breakaway in October was fantastic. We had UBP. Lots of friendly servers, but not hounding anyone to buy drinks. :D

[gtaylor]

In the Main Dining Room on the Epic, I think we ordered bar drinks and glasses of wine with our waiter, but when we wanted a bottle of wine we had to wait for a bar/wine server to take the order.

 

gary

[BendORcruiser]

OK, stupid question. At least in my experience, you don't get a "bar tab" until the end of the meal. So how would I "pre-tip" in order to ensure a more attentive waitstaff?

[hawkeyetlse]

At least in my experience, you don't get a "bar tab" until the end of the meal. So how would I "pre-tip" in order to ensure a more attentive waitstaff?

Cash.

[corey07850]

We haven't had the experience of the UBP on NCL yet but have had it on Celebrity. We actually noticed an increase in service because once they got to know you and that you had the drink package they would make their own drink recipes for you because they knew if you don't like it you didn't have to pay. It was also quicker because your card was swiped but you didn't have to sign anything. Happy to see NCL is offering the UBP as a promo nowadays!

[BendORcruiser]

I think NCL still requires a signature for all bar purchases, even with the UBP. But maybe that has changed now that it seems to be a regular promotion. It would make SO much more sense. Except, I suppose there is less opportunity to add on an extra tip.

[alexspepa]

I think NCL still requires a signature for all bar purchases, even with the UBP. But maybe that has changed now that it seems to be a regular promotion. It would make SO much more sense. Except, I suppose there is less opportunity to add on an extra tip.

 

Hopefully they will follow Celebrity's lead and discontinue the receipt thing.

[acmama901]

I agree, a cash tip should improve service. We are good and consistent tippers, but the service was still painfully slow at the bars on our Getaway cruise last year (with the exception of the empty H20 bar in the evenings). I am really hopeful for a better experience this year.

[aubreyc1988]

we had good service with our "free" UBP

 

However, we got great service when tipping favorite bartenders a little extra.