New bar menu

[ncldawn]

That's not confusion, that is pulling nonsense out of thin air just to shut you up and get rid of you. Shame on them. :mad:

 

 

Just an FYI... I do not blame the wait staff or any of the bartenders. They were very confused, and expressed embarrassment when you had to ask them to return to the bar mgr to verify the change from $10 to $11.

[hawkeyetlse]

I meant the part where they told you that the UBP has one set of rules for shorter cruises (7 days or shorter), and a different, less advantageous set of rules for longer cruises (10 days). That has never been true, and it doesn't even make any sense. Being confused and embarrassed is one thing, and I feel bad for the staff that NCL put them in this situation on your cruise, but people at the front desk are not supposed to just make stuff up with no accountability. That is what NCL phone reps are supposed to do. :D

Edited March 9, 2015 by hawkeyetlse

[ncldawn]

I meant the part where they told you that the UBP has one set of rules for shorter cruises (7 days or shorter), and a different, less advantageous set of rules for longer cruises (10 days). That has never been true, and it doesn't even make any sense.

 

I totally agree with you there, but I only had a photo on my phone from the original post to back it up. They had the UBP contract showing $10.

 

Until told differently, that person was just doing their job. It was very clear that they were uncomfortable reading what I had, and saying what they had to say.

[LrgPizza]

The way the UBP works, it doesn't matter whether or not the bartender knows if it's $10 vs $11. They sell you the drink, you run your card, you sign the ticket. If it's under $11, it gets zeroed off your account. The bartender has nothing to do with that portion of it.

[MsJ]

I don't see a single Margarita on this menu... :(

 

Hi we just got off the Breakaway Sunday. The new menu was everywhere. I don't remember if frozen margaritas were listed but I was able to get one every day.

[hawkeyetlse]

The way the UBP works, it doesn't matter whether or not the bartender knows if it's $10 vs $11. They sell you the drink, you run your card, you sign the ticket. If it's under $11, it gets zeroed off your account. The bartender has nothing to do with that portion of it.

I think you're right, they don't seem to ring up the drinks any differently for UBP holders, except that you're not supposed to get specials (reduced price DoD, beer bucket, etc.)

 

But do you know why they write "UB" on the ticket? It seems like they must do something with that information — otherwise why would they bother — but what?

[LrgPizza]

I think you're right, they don't seem to ring up the drinks any differently for UBP holders, except that you're not supposed to get specials (reduced price DoD, beer bucket, etc.)

 

But do you know why they write "UB" on the ticket? It seems like they must do something with that information — otherwise why would they bother — but what?

 

 

I have no clue, but out of close to 1 billion UBP tickets I signed on my past 2 cruises :D , they only wrote that on a few of them. I wish I'd asked.

[GUEST080219]

As we are arriving in Funchal 6 hours earlier at 2:30am due to a medical emergency I now have data connection again. While waiting to get cleared and being allowed to go on shore just two quick notices from the spirit. The bartenders can bill anything you order regardless if t was on the old

menu or not. Second a senior officer confirmed that the limited menu is there because of the price increase, bar specific menus will come back soon.

[sparkinator]

As we are arriving in Funchal 6 hours earlier at 2:30am due to a medical emergency I now have data connection again. While waiting to get cleared and being allowed to go on shore just two quick notices from the spirit. The bartenders can bill anything you order regardless if t was on the old menu or not. Second a senior officer confirmed that the limited menu is there because of the price increase, bar specific menus will come back soon.

 

Now that makes sense. It doesn't excuse all of the confusion, but the explanation makes sense. Sounds like they will reprint the menus with the new prices and all will be well with the world. :D

 

I've got almost a year before I need for them to have all this sorted out. :(

[Single Cruiser]

Now that makes sense. It doesn't excuse all of the confusion, but the explanation makes sense. Sounds like they will reprint the menus with the new prices and all will be well with the world. :D

 

I've got almost a year before I need for them to have all this sorted out. :(

 

With the increased drinks prices the UBP costs in cheaper now with just a few drinks!

[GUEST080219]

With the increased drinks prices the UBP costs in cheaper now with just a few drinks!

 

 

Why are you still awake and not outside? It is such a great night and we could try and get on the Aida ship.

[cflaquatics]

FYI...only liquor over $11 is jw blue label. If u want it, u only pay the extra which is about $7. Well worth it since at most restaurants your paying $40+

[JonnyCT81]

Hello All,

 

First time NCL cruiser here going on the Breakaway next month and I am confused as heck about the UBP we were given. My only point of reference is Celebrity Cruises which I normally do but the rules don't seem to be the same..

 

Here are my questions:

 

1. Is the amount covered $10 or $11 per drink?

 

2. Is that amount an umbrella covering all types of drinks (beer, wine & cocktails) I heard that there were different max prices for each type of drink.

 

3. If you do go over whatever amount it is, are you charged the difference, or the whole amount? (With Celebrity, you just paid the difference)

 

Many thanks in advance, looking forward to the Breakaway!

[cflaquatics]

It covers $11 and tax/ gratuity are not part of the $11 figure. So if a drink is more u pay the difference, which is rare.

 

That should answer all 3 questions

[conandrob240]

NCLDawn, thank you for clarifying last week's posts. I hope all of the jerks who made such rude comments feel terrible.

 

Even for a short term, why would you create a more limited offering menu for your biggest money maker? Whomever had the brilliant idea should be fired. Cruises make a huge amount of their profits off of booze. By not having menus advertising all different kinds of interesting drinks, they are losing money. An inexperienced drinker sits down, sees all the interesting drinks and tries a $10 or $11 drink because of advertising rather than the $6 beer they always order at home. How could they take that advertising away even for a few weeks?

[conandrob240]

The way the UBP works, it doesn't matter whether or not the bartender knows if it's $10 vs $11. They sell you the drink, you run your card, you sign the ticket. If it's under $11, it gets zeroed off your account. The bartender has nothing to do with that portion of it.

 

On our cruise, the bartenders made an effort to make sure the drink was under $10. Not only advising us which liquor we could have but ringing it as something included even if we wanted to try an $11 martini.

[Single Cruiser]

The other thing some of the bar tenders have mentioned is that the powers that be at NCL were trying to speed up bar service and hence why some more time consuming cocktails might not appear on the menus.

[ncldawn]

The other thing some of the bar tenders have mentioned is that the powers that be at NCL were trying to speed up bar service and hence why some more time consuming cocktails might not appear on the menus.

 

 

If that's the case, this was counterproductive. More people were asking if 'this, or that' was included in the UBP (drinks not listed on the limited menu). When told yes.. drink ordered. When told no, like many people were, they were spending more time asking questions of how to make it included, for example, what if I order a shot of this, and a side of that... By a few days in people started to figure out how to better ask, but the popular bars were bottle necked at the busiest times for a couple of days.

 

Keep in mind, on the first few days of the cruise, the $ cap was $10, and not $11. Almost all of the 'I'll make my own combo' (Greygoose + OJ for example) drinks that included higher-end liquor (not super premium) resulted in a $10.50 charge going over the UBP limit. Also, at that point, the package did not allow a 'pay the difference' option. That changed later in the cruise, and I do not know if that is a permanent change or not. I only heard about that on the final night.

[ncldawn]

I have no clue, but out of close to 1 billion UBP tickets I signed on my past 2 cruises :D , they only wrote that on a few of them. I wish I'd asked.

 

Same here. Maybe 3 out of every 5 had the scribbled UB, but none resulted in a charge. The only charge was an extra tip... I tip a $1.00 extra per drink, so I still had a decent sized bill at the end of the cruise, but it was all my doing.

[ncldawn]

NCLDawn, thank you for clarifying last week's posts. I hope all of the jerks who made such rude comments feel terrible.

 

No worries here. But thanks for your concern. I could have addressed many of their concerns had my data plan not run dry. I can understand their frustrations based on my lack of response after the original post, but I wasn't going to purchase a $100 internet package to continue on :D

 

Happy cruising, everyone. Looking forward to my next NCL trip in 6 months.

[hawkeyetlse]

Keep in mind, on the first few days of the cruise, the $ cap was $10, and not $11. Almost all of the 'I'll make my own combo' (Greygoose + OJ for example) drinks that included higher-end liquor (not super premium) resulted in a $10.50 charge going over the UBP limit.

So stinky of them to introduce the new menu with the higher prices from the beginning of your cruise, but to continue applying the old UBP rules. And from the way you describe it, it sounds like they were originally planning to keep you all on the old UBP ($10 limit) for the whole cruise, and they only changed plans midway through because of the inevitable, legitimate complaints that they somehow did not see coming…

 

I'm glad you kept a good attitude about this. I assume you had the free UBP and didn't have to purchase it yourself?

[ncldawn]

I cannot say for sure that the uprising resulted in the $11 change, but was specifically told by the service desk that the $11 was for cruises of 7 days or less. I'm not one to get upset, and never at the hard-working cruise staff. It's not their fault, and I'm not that person. However, many people were making rude comments to some of the bar staff, which could have been avoided had management recognized / fixed it earlier. I felt very bad for some of the staff...

 

I did have the UBP that was included in the cost of the ticket, yes.

[Single Cruiser]

If that's the case, this was counterproductive. More people were asking if 'this, or that' was included in the UBP (drinks not listed on the limited menu). When told yes.. drink ordered. When told no, like many people were, they were spending more time asking questions of how to make it included, for example, what if I order a shot of this, and a side of that... By a few days in people started to figure out how to better ask, but the popular bars were bottle necked at the busiest times for a couple of days.

 

Keep in mind, on the first few days of the cruise, the $ cap was $10, and not $11. Almost all of the 'I'll make my own combo' (Greygoose + OJ for example) drinks that included higher-end liquor (not super premium) resulted in a $10.50 charge going over the UBP limit. Also, at that point, the package did not allow a 'pay the difference' option. That changed later in the cruise, and I do not know if that is a permanent change or not. I only heard about that on the final night.

 

That would have made me mad! Last night I had 6 grey goose and mixer so $63 worth which alone beat the $54 I paid per day

[LrgPizza]

On our cruise, the bartenders made an effort to make sure the drink was under $10. Not only advising us which liquor we could have but ringing it as something included even if we wanted to try an $11 martini.

Yes, on mine too-- like maybe once out of a couple hundred drinks ordered, since that was the only time I needed my hand held. It would take them a fraction of a second to list the liquors not included, and several minutes to list the ones that are, so I hope people aren't seriously bothering them with this too much. If you have people trying to complicate a simple system, it slows down service for everyone. My point was that if I KNOW that the plan covers up to $11, it doesn't matter if the bartender thinks it only covers up to $8. I'm going to order my $10.50 drink (if I can find one on the menu, which would be hard.) The magic of the drinks being removed from your account doesn't take place at the bartender level. Just let the person serve the drink and be done with it. It's not that hard.

Edited March 10, 2015 by LrgPizza

[beachseasand]

Thank you this is a great help.;)