Inconsistent drink prices?

[bangzoom6877]

I've been hearing reports about drink prices being inconsistent on recent cruises. Even when someone orders the same exact drink from the same exact bar on the same day, or in the same sitting in some cases, the price is different each time the drink is ordered. On our July Breakaway cruise, we don't have the UBP so I am concerned about this since we will be paying for drinks as we go.

 

How many of you have experienced inconsistent drink pricing, with or without the UBP? Is this something NCL is aware of, and do you think they will fix this and have consistent drink pricing soon? This will be a big problem for me if I am charged a dollar more for the same drink...not because of the $1 (I understand prices go up every now and then) but because no one should have to pay more than the set price for something.

Edited March 8, 2015 by bangzoom6877

[hawkeyetlse]

There has always been the potential for inconsistency, since a lot of drinks can be rung up in several different ways (for example, by the name of the drink or by entering it as a shot of liquor + a mixer, etc.) and these can result in different prices for you. There are more reports of this happening at the moment, but I don't know if it's because there is more confusion now with the new menus, or because people are just paying more attention right now. Probably both.

 

I feel pretty confident that things will be back to normal by July, so I wouldn't worry too much about it…

[bangzoom6877]

There has always been the potential for inconsistency, since a lot of drinks can be rung up in several different ways (for example, by the name of the drink or by entering it as a shot of liquor + a mixer, etc.) and these can result in different prices for you. There are more reports of this happening at the moment, but I don't know if it's because there is more confusion now with the new menus, or because people are just paying more attention right now. Probably both.

 

I feel pretty confident that things will be back to normal by July, so I wouldn't worry too much about it…

 

Thank you! I was thinking that if there is a glitch in the system it will most likely be worked out in the next few weeks, but I wasn't sure exactly what was going on with this. Ringing it up separately as a shot and mixer vs. ringing it up as say, a screwdriver, makes sense with an inconsistency in price. We tend to go more for the specialty mixed drinks like the martinis and frozen drinks, tropical drinks, etc. so I don't think those would normally have a price discrepancy. Nor should glasses of wine which we sometimes order with dinner. I was wondering if NCL was starting to do this to get more people to purchase the UBP. That's just probably the paranoid New Yorker in me lol!

[JohnIreland]

Taxes can very while stopped in some ports.

 

eg. You will pay Vat while docked in Barcelona for your embarkation drink , but not at dinner that night for the same drink (on a cruise that leaves the EU).

[LrgPizza]

In our situation, it was the drink of the day ordered. It was rung in once as "Cherry Limeaid" at the DOD price. Then it was rung in as "Cherry Limeaid" (same spelling) but at the regular price. The 3rd time it was rung in as "Chery Limaid" and a price that was in between the first 2. We had UBP, so we didn't care, but I did post about it in my review so others could keep an eye on their own.

Edited March 8, 2015 by LrgPizza

[hawkeyetlse]

In our situation, it was the drink of the day ordered. It was rung in once as "Cherry Limeaid" at the DOD price. Then it was rung in as "Cherry Limeaid" (same spelling) but at the regular price. The 3rd time it was rung in as "Chery Limaid" and a price that was in between the first 2.

:D If you have the UBP they are supposed to ring up the regular price. Not that it matters (since all the DODs are, or used to be, under the price limit), except maybe for their tips. "Chery Limaid" sounds like an erroneous or outdated entry that they neglected to remove from the system.

 

What bothers me most is that the Cherry Limeaid contains no cherry (other than the garnish)… :(

[bangzoom6877]

In our situation, it was the drink of the day ordered. It was rung in once as "Cherry Limeaid" at the DOD price. Then it was rung in as "Cherry Limeaid" (same spelling) but at the regular price. The 3rd time it was rung in as "Chery Limaid" and a price that was in between the first 2. We had UBP, so we didn't care, but I did post about it in my review so others could keep an eye on their own.

 

This is an example that is concerning me. Sometimes we do order a type of mixed drink like this one, and sometimes it ends up being the drink of the day. And since we won't have the UBP, it's a concern.

[SissasMomE]

This is an example that is concerning me. Sometimes we do order a type of mixed drink like this one, and sometimes it ends up being the drink of the day. And since we won't have the UBP, it's a concern.

 

If you're concerned over a matter of cents, then .... :confused:

 

How would you even know? Do you memorize the prices? I'm not picking on you, I just think you're worrying over nothing.

Edited March 8, 2015 by SissasMomE

[Demonyte]

As said in the other thread (why this discussion needed a new thread?!?), this happens and has happened already before UBP or the recent change in prices.

 

Of course if one knows about a lower price and asks the staff to void the receipt and generate a new one, they'll do it - personally I haven't been bothered about occassional extra cents if that has happened.

[bangzoom6877]

If you're concerned over a matter of cents, then .... :confused:

 

How would you even know? Do you memorize the prices? I'm not picking on you, I just think you're worrying over nothing.

 

I said in my original post that it's not a matter of cents, it's the principle of it all. I also said in another post above that I'm wondering if NCL is playing games to get more people to buy the UBP, but that it's probably just the paranoid New Yorker in me. Either way, it's wrong for the price to change just like that, no matter what the difference is.

 

No, I don't memorize prices but I know if I ordered a second drink in the same sitting and the price was different, I would definitely notice it. I think most people would notice it.

Edited March 8, 2015 by bangzoom6877

[hawkeyetlse]

I also said in another post above that I'm wondering if NCL is playing games to get more people to buy the UBP, but that it's probably just the paranoid New Yorker in me.

I do think that they conveniently planned for these changes to happen during a period when a lot of people are cruising with the free promotional UBP, so they are less inclined to complain about reduced menus, confused bar staff, increased prices, etc. I feel bad for people who are purchasing the UBP, or paying drink by drink, during this transition, but hopefully it won't last long.

[SissasMomE]

I said in my original post that it's not a matter of cents, it's the principle of it all. I also said in another post above that I'm wondering if NCL is playing games to get more people to buy the UBP, but that it's probably just the paranoid New Yorker in me. Either way, it's wrong for the price to change just like that, no matter what the difference is.

 

No, I don't memorize prices but I know if I ordered a second drink in the same sitting and the price was different, I would definitely notice it. I think most people would notice it.

 

I wouldn't. I would have no clue if the price were different. I guess if we were talking a few dollars I would notice. But $4.58 to $4.93? I would have no clue. I don't think NCL is playing games. I think it's what the other posters said - it's just a matter of how it was rung up.

[SissasMomE]

I do think that they conveniently planned for these changes to happen during a period when a lot of people are cruising with the free promotional UBP, so they are less inclined to complain about reduced menus, confused bar staff, increased prices, etc. I feel bad for people who are purchasing the UBP, or paying drink by drink, during this transition, but hopefully it won't last long.

 

What reduced menus? I must've missed something.

[hawkeyetlse]

What reduced menus? I must've missed something.

There have been a couple of reports from people who have cruised since March 1 that they are using a one page (front and back) menu at all bars, instead of the many different menus that you normally see around the ship. E.g. one would expect the martini bar to have a different list of drinks from the poolside bars, but apparently right now on some ships this is not the case.

 

New bar menu

[SissasMomE]

There have been a couple of reports from people who have cruised since March 1 that they are using a one page (front and back) menu at all bars, instead of the many different menus that you normally see around the ship. E.g. one would expect the martini bar to have a different list of drinks from the poolside bars, but apparently right now on some ships this is not the case.

 

New bar menu

 

Oh wow. I missed that thread. Thank you.

[hpecorari]

There have been a couple of reports from people who have cruised since March 1 that they are using a one page (front and back) menu at all bars, instead of the many different menus that you normally see around the ship. E.g. one would expect the martini bar to have a different list of drinks from the poolside bars, but apparently right now on some ships this is not the case.

 

New bar menu

 

Looking at that menu I see no frozen drinks, mudslides, etc. I can't believe that they're not serving any of those type of drinks. I would *hope* that if one requests a Strawberry Daiquiri or a Pina Colada, etc. they'd be served one. I simply can't imagine that the *only* drinks they're serving is on that menu.

 

Harriet

[orangejeepgirl]

Looking at that menu I see no frozen drinks, mudslides, etc. I can't believe that they're not serving any of those type of drinks. I would *hope* that if one requests a Strawberry Daiquiri or a Pina Colada, etc. they'd be served one. I simply can't imagine that the *only* drinks they're serving is on that menu.

 

Harriet

 

I was on the Breakaway last week. Although they are using that new menu, you can still order whatever drink you would like. (Including frozen drinks). We had the UBP and everything we ordered was covered in the package (including a strawberry daiquiri).

[hpecorari]

I was on the Breakaway last week. Although they are using that new menu, you can still order whatever drink you would like. (Including frozen drinks). We had the UBP and everything we ordered was covered in the package (including a strawberry daiquiri).

 

That's what I thought but it's nice to now you've confirmed it.

 

Thanks!

 

Harriet

[jkneern]

Order any drink you want, you just won't find it on a menu. Lots of frozen drinks were served .

[Partyatsea]

I would *hope* that if one requests a Strawberry Daiquiri or a Pina Colada, etc. they'd be served one.

 

Harriet

 

When you look around the pool deck and see how many PCs and SDs are being served why would NCL not want to sell them? I remember in the behind the scenes tour seeing pallets and pallets of Colada and Daiquiri gallon mix containers.