Received UDP and UBP before service charges included

[TAYLORCPA]

I received both the UDP and UBP before they included the service charges. Will I be charged for those at checkin or will tips be at my discretion?

 

Thanks!

[pieshops]

you will not be charged for anything, it will show on the bill but will be reversed out.

 

We had the same situation a few weeks ago and that is what they did

[bobstheboy]

I am in the same situation. The service charge was paid by NCL so you do not have to add gratuities unless you want to.

[hawkeyetlse]

I received both the UDP and UBP before they included the service charges.

Do you mean you booked in early 2015? In that case, the service charge was included in your UBP perk. If you kept a copy of your promotional terms and conditions, they should include a statement like "Ultimate beverage package option includes 18% gratuity on the package". Or it may still have been 15% when you booked. In either case, NCL is paying the gratuity/service charge for you. You do not need to tip any more on top of that.

 

In early 2015, there was no service charge on specialty dining. If you feel that you should benefit from the terms and conditions that you agreed to when you booked (which is fair enough), you also have nothing more to pay when you use your UDP. If you want to leave a tip, you can either write it in when they bring you the check, or leave cash.

 

Have you also pre-paid your DSC at $12pppd? In that case, NCL will not charge you anything more, at check-in or during the cruise. Your tips for the entire cruise (including bar service and specialty dining) are taken care of as far as they are concerned. Anything extra is at your discretion.

Edited November 4, 2015 by hawkeyetlse

[RobinKY]

We are looking at NCL and we have never sailed on NCL before. We did a dry run on the booking and I chose the promotional UBP for both wife and me.

 

This seems like a great deal - almost too good to be true. That would save us close to a $1,000. Any catches to this deal?

 

On the dry run booking, there were promotional services charges at $80-something per adult. So is this refundable or wont be charged based on the discussion above?

[hawkeyetlse]

On the dry run booking, there were promotional services charges at $80-something per adult. So is this refundable or wont be charged based on the discussion above?

The discussion above only applies to people who booked several months ago. If you book now, you have to pay the service charges. They will be added to your final payment balance, you must pay them, they are not refundable.

 

That is the "catch" to choosing the UBP perk. If $80 per person for 7 days of unlimited drinks still sounds like a good deal to you (it sounds pretty good to me…), go for it! :)

Edited November 4, 2015 by hawkeyetlse

[LMaxwell]

We are looking at NCL and we have never sailed on NCL before. We did a dry run on the booking and I chose the promotional UBP for both wife and me.

 

This seems like a great deal - almost too good to be true. That would save us close to a $1,000. Any catches to this deal?

 

On the dry run booking, there were promotional services charges at $80-something per adult. So is this refundable or wont be charged based on the discussion above?

 

With the current promotion you are charged 18% of the package price as a gratuity. So you would pay the $8x.xx per person as a gratuity before getting on the ship and that is all that you will be charged. Earlier promotions did not charge an 18% service charge.

[Cauzneffct]

We are looking at NCL and we have never sailed on NCL before. We did a dry run on the booking and I chose the promotional UBP for both wife and me.

 

This seems like a great deal - almost too good to be true. That would save us close to a $1,000. Any catches to this deal?

 

On the dry run booking, there were promotional services charges at $80-something per adult. So is this refundable or wont be charged based on the discussion above?

 

Since you'd be booking now, you'd be charged the 18% per day for the UBP.

[smelstrom]

Maybe I'm slow...I get the 18% on the package cost but then we don't pay an additional 18% on the drinks we order as well do we? So if we ordered $100 worth of drinks for the trip we would pay $8x.xx service charge on the package and an additional $18?

[TAYLORCPA]

Do you mean you booked in early 2015? In that case, the service charge was included in your UBP perk. If you kept a copy of your promotional terms and conditions, they should include a statement like "Ultimate beverage package option includes 18% gratuity on the package". Or it may still have been 15% when you booked. In either case, NCL is paying the gratuity/service charge for you. You do not need to tip any more on top of that.

 

In early 2015, there was no service charge on specialty dining. If you feel that you should benefit from the terms and conditions that you agreed to when you booked (which is fair enough), you also have nothing more to pay when you use your UDP. If you want to leave a tip, you can either write it in when they bring you the check, or leave cash.

 

Have you also pre-paid your DSC at $12pppd? In that case, NCL will not charge you anything more, at check-in or during the cruise. Your tips for the entire cruise (including bar service and specialty dining) are taken care of as far as they are concerned. Anything extra is at your discretion.

 

Yes, I booked early this year. I have prepaid my DSC as well. I do feel like I should tip at the specialty restaurants because it was not included at the time and I would have tipped anyway. I just didn't want to be charged automatically and tip on top of that.

 

Thanks so much for your clear response!

[hawkeyetlse]

Maybe I'm slow...I get the 18% on the package cost but then we don't pay an additional 18% on the drinks we order as well do we? So if we ordered $100 worth of drinks for the trip we would pay $8x.xx service charge on the package and an additional $18?

No additional charge.

 

As pieshops said, they still have this dumb system where you sign for the full price of the drink, plus 18% tip, but no charges should actually ever appear on your account.

[RobinKY]

Thanks! That is what I thought and it is still a deal. Alcohol packages for me and wife would be over $1,000 and close to that on other cruise lines. Makes NCL almost a no brainer.

[smelstrom]

No additional charge.

 

As pieshops said, they still have this dumb system where you sign for the full price of the drink, plus 18% tip, but no charges should actually ever appear on your account.

 

Thanks!

[Moby0215]

No additional charge.

 

As pieshops said, they still have this dumb system where you sign for the full price of the drink, plus 18% tip, but no charges should actually ever appear on your account.

 

 

Why is it a dumb system? It's how they know how much they sold and how much goes to the service charge etc. Plus some people like to keep the receipts and total them up to see what they would have spent?

 

 

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[gpb11]

Thanks! That is what I thought and it is still a deal. Alcohol packages for me and wife would be over $1,000 and close to that on other cruise lines. Makes NCL almost a no brainer.

 

Well yes, except you actually have to be able to GET a drink once in a while for it to be worthwhile... :cool:

 

I exaggerate, but look to the recent Star reviews for what happens when you mix an understaffed ship with new crewmembers and thirsty Americans with UBP. Hopefully they'll get this sorted out.

[Moby0215]

To state it in another way: you never pay service charges on drinks once onboard if you have the UBP. It is either included in the perk of you booked a long time ago or it is included in the Total amount paid at time of booking/final payment.

 

 

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[Moby0215]

Well yes, except you actually have to be able to GET a drink once in a while for it to be worthwhile... :cool:

 

 

 

I exaggerate, but look to the recent Star reviews for what happens when you mix an understaffed ship with new crewmembers and thirsty Americans with UBP. Hopefully they'll get this sorted out.

 

 

I've never been on the star, but many other ships and always with UBP and I have never waited more than a couple minutes to get a drink.

 

 

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[gpb11]

I've never been on the star, but many other ships and always with UBP and I have never waited more than a couple minutes to get a drink.

 

So I've heard; I'm really hoping my experience two weeks ago was an anomoly, though based on reports from last week's sailing it sounded like they hadn't made much progress. First Sea Day was really bad, other days better.

 

With as much as they've promoted UBP as a freebie, they're clearly increasing bar demand. If they don't adjust bar staffing and setups there's a risk of continued poor service. Just something to set expectations.

[hawkeyetlse]

Why is it a dumb system? It's how they know how much they sold and how much goes to the service charge etc. Plus some people like to keep the receipts and total them up to see what they would have spent?

I have no problem with them keeping track of their sales, or people wanting to know the normal price of their drinks. They could print all of that on the receipt and then recredit that amount so that you sign a check for $0. That is how they do things in the specialty restaurants for people who have a dining package.

 

The way the UBP is set up, by signing the ticket each time, you are agreeing for them to charge you the amount it says, and they should not require you to do that if the expected charge is in fact $0.

[RobinKY]

Well yes, except you actually have to be able to GET a drink once in a while for it to be worthwhile... :cool:

 

I exaggerate, but look to the recent Star reviews for what happens when you mix an understaffed ship with new crewmembers and thirsty Americans with UBP. Hopefully they'll get this sorted out.

 

I just read some of the reviews and the drink service seemed very poor.

 

We are looking at NCL Dawn out of NOLA as well. We have been on CCL & RC before and drink service is usually very good. Sometimes a long wait at the pool bars on sea days but I would expect that.

 

So can someone convince me to pull the trigger on Star or Dawn? Prices seem very good. We do have two kids (13 & 11) so has to be stuff for them to do.

[Moby0215]

I have no problem with them keeping track of their sales, or people wanting to know the normal price of their drinks. They could print all of that on the receipt and then recredit that amount so that you sign a check for $0. That is how they do things in the specialty restaurants for people who have a dining package.

 

The way the UBP is set up, by signing the ticket each time, you are agreeing for them to charge you the amount it says, and they should not require you to do that if the expected charge is in fact $0.

 

 

But in essence they are charging you. It then just gets zeroed out for people whose accounts are associated with the beverage package. I don't see what the issue is? Are you indicating that you think it is possible people are actually being charged when they shouldn't? Why is this a problem? Sure they could reprogram their POSes (could be a lot of effort) but what's the point if it works currently?

 

 

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[emcelh]

Well yes, except you actually have to be able to GET a drink once in a while for it to be worthwhile... :cool:

 

I exaggerate, but look to the recent Star reviews for what happens when you mix an understaffed ship with new crewmembers and thirsty Americans with UBP. Hopefully they'll get this sorted out.

 

No problems on the Gem last month. No different than it was prior to the UBP.

[hawkeyetlse]

But in essence they are charging you. It then just gets zeroed out for people whose accounts are associated with the beverage package. I don't see what the issue is? Are you indicating that you think it is possible people are actually being charged when they shouldn't? Why is this a problem? Sure they could reprogram their POSes (could be a lot of effort) but what's the point if it works currently?

Personally I have not had a problem being charged incorrectly, but it would be more transparent if it were zeroed out immediately. They manage to do it somehow in the specialty restaurants, so I don't believe it is a lot of effort to implement.

 

And there is an issue when there are multiple drinks on one ticket, some of which are to be zeroed out under the UBP, some of which are to be charged normally because they are for people who don't have the UBP. There is nothing on the ticket currently that indicates that the order was entered correctly or what the final charge will be. When you get your statement, all you see is a number and you have to calculate for yourself if it's right or not, and if it's not right, that's going to be a headache at the front desk…

[Moby0215]

Personally I have not had a problem being charged incorrectly, but it would be more transparent if it were zeroed out immediately. They manage to do it somehow in the specialty restaurants, so I don't believe it is a lot of effort to implement.

 

And there is an issue when there are multiple drinks on one ticket, some of which are to be zeroed out under the UBP, some of which are to be charged normally because they are for people who don't have the UBP. There is nothing on the ticket currently that indicates that the order was entered correctly or what the final charge will be. When you get your statement, all you see is a number and you have to calculate for yourself if it's right or not, and if it's not right, that's going to be a headache at the front desk…

 

 

There should not be any drink charges to your card that would not be covered under the UBP. The people who those drinks are for should be providing their own card. If they are for people who are in your stateroom for example if you have 4 people on your room then it might be better to have them have a separate onboard account.

 

 

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[hawkeyetlse]

There should not be any drink charges to your card that would not be covered under the UBP.

Why not? If I want to buy a drink for someone, that is nothing out of the ordinary.

 

Anyway, this is really off-topic and it's not a huge issue, as you suggested. In fact several people have reported that when they have had the UBP and tried to buy drinks for other people, they ended up getting everything for free, so if anything I guess it is NCL's problem, not ours.