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UBP and how i used it, getaway 2/7-2/14

hammsz

By hammsz,
in Norwegian Cruise Line

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hammsz

hammsz

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I will be answering questions as well. Its definitely a "culture change" at NCL. I dont think the bartenders are getting the money coming in like they used to from tips. I found a few bartenders that were personable and started telling them to print out my "bill" so i could add a tip to my several rounds of drinks. The only thing on my account review was the actual tip i paid. It changed everything!!! just a few bucks here and there went a very LONG way. My service at Spice H2O was impecable after i helped them out a little bit. I booked the free UBP before they started charging the service fees lol. We came out so far ahead. My friends enjoyed 25+ drinks/shots each day. I drank smoothies all day and fireball all night.

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gofigyawhy

gofigyawhy

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Do you think it would be the same if I brought a bunch of dollar bills to tip? I was thinking about doing that instead of signing a receipt...

 

Dollar bills work great. What I do is fold them up and hold on to them underneath my key card. When the bartender takes my card he/she feels the bills and then indiscreetly slides the bills into their pant pocket. I then will receive back a nod of their head and a smile along with supurb service for the entire cruise.

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detroitlions

detroitlions

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On Getaway last trip I also had UBP I did have to pay the 18% but I still slid the tender dollars here and there just to be nice some of them went out of there way to serve me but I did not do it for that and I tried not to get ahead of anyone. Some folks that act rude at the bar I enjoy the cutoff though :D . What I do enjoy about the UBP it tends to create a much more exciting atmosphere around the bars before that not so much. I also think it helps keep the boorish snobby types in there quiet areas which I am all for that I just feel they are in the way of a good time anyhow.

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beerman2

beerman2

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Posted
Dollar bills work great. What I do is fold them up and hold on to them underneath my key card. When the bartender takes my card he/she feels the bills and then indiscreetly slides the bills into their pant pocket. I then will receive back a nod of their head and a smile along with supurb service for the entire cruise.

 

Where is the LIKE button!

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wbmom1

wbmom1

Posted
Posted
I will be answering questions as well. Its definitely a "culture change" at NCL. I dont think the bartenders are getting the money coming in like they used to from tips. I found a few bartenders that were personable and started telling them to print out my "bill" so i could add a tip to my several rounds of drinks. The only thing on my account review was the actual tip i paid. It changed everything!!! just a few bucks here and there went a very LONG way. My service at Spice H2O was impecable after i helped them out a little bit. I booked the free UBP before they started charging the service fees lol. We came out so far ahead. My friends enjoyed 25+ drinks/shots each day. I drank smoothies all day and fireball all night.

 

Curious, were you using your UBP to buy drinks for your friends, if so, was it pretty easy to do that?

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TifffanyD

TifffanyD

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This worked well for me too. When howl was packed - I had someone at my side every 5 minutes asking if I needed another round. At 5 o clock somewhere my glass never went empty and I was sent with a heavy "to-go" after closing. They really do appreciate it and will give you the best service (not that it is bad service if you don't... you are just in line with all the other non-tippers then).

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LrgPizza

LrgPizza

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Dollar bills work great. What I do is fold them up and hold on to them underneath my key card. When the bartender takes my card he/she feels the bills and then indiscreetly slides the bills into their pant pocket. I then will receive back a nod of their head and a smile along with supurb service for the entire cruise.

 

That's hilarious! I just hand them the cash. There's no need to flaunt it, but also no need to be all top secret about it. It's not like it's disallowed or something. Too funny.

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Kdiamond55

Kdiamond55

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That's hilarious! I just hand them the cash. There's no need to flaunt it, but also no need to be all top secret about it. It's not like it's disallowed or something. Too funny.

 

Maybe this is because they usually put the tips in a communal jar? Can anyone comment if this is the case?

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laurabegorrah

laurabegorrah

Posted
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That's hilarious! I just hand them the cash. There's no need to flaunt it, but also no need to be all top secret about it. It's not like it's disallowed or something. Too funny.

 

I was thinking the same thing - we swapped them the drinks for a few bucs, all out in the open.

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mystic51

mystic51

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Posted (edited)

As far as using your UPB for your friends, I truly hope people aren't going to start doing this... in the end everyone else will end of paying for it. If you want the UPB for your friends, buy them one! Probably not to anxious to do that..

Edited by mystic51
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laurabegorrah

laurabegorrah

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I truly hope people aren't going to start doing this... in the end everyone else will end of paying for it. If you want the UPB for your friends, buy them one! Probably not to anxious to do that..

 

I took the OP to mean that they all had the UBP - friends were doing drinks/shots with their UBP and OP was doing smoothies and fireball with theirs.

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wbmom1

wbmom1

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As far as using your UPB for your friends, I truly hope people aren't going to start doing this... in the end everyone else will end of paying for it. If you want the UPB for your friends, buy them one! Probably not to anxious to do that..

 

Sorry, guess I didn't really think a lot about it, this is the first time with the UBP, but we used to take turns buying drinks/rounds for each other. Guess if we all have the package there is no need for that. Just thought it might be easier for the bartenders/servers using one card instead of 3 or 4. No worries, be happy. thanks!

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zackarykeef

zackarykeef

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Last time I had the UBP (August 2015), they had no issue letting us put multiple drinks at a time on one card...I just had to show my and my friend's card to show that we each had the UBP. I never tried to order more than 2 drinks, but my friend didn't need to be there as long as I had the two cards. Also, at night when we would sit a the same bar for a while, the bartender would just take our card at the first drink and give it back to us when we were finished, however long or however many drinks that was.

 

__________________________________________________

 

June 2006: Carnival Legend, New York-->Eastern Caribbean

March 2007: Carnival Conquest, Galveston-->Western Caribbean

March 2011: Carnival Valor, Miami-->Exotic Western Caribbean

August 2012: Carnival Freedom, Ft. Lauderdale-->Western Caribbean

April 2013: Carnival Valor, San Juan-->Southern Caribbean

August 2015: Norwegian Getaway, Miami-->Eastern Caribbean

March 2016: Norwegian Getaway, Miami-->Western Caribbean

June 2016: Norwegian Pearl, Seattle-->Alaska

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hammsz

hammsz

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I took the OP to mean that they all had the UBP - friends were doing drinks/shots with their UBP and OP was doing smoothies and fireball with theirs.

 

you are correct, i had a group of 14 with me and only 2 didnt have UBP and i got them a few drinks here and there.

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pspercy

pspercy

Posted
Posted (edited)
Dollar bills work great. What I do is fold them up and hold on to them underneath my key card. When the bartender takes my card he/she feels the bills and then indiscreetly slides the bills into their pant pocket. I then will receive back a nod of their head and a smile along with supurb service for the entire cruise.

 

Agree 100% and I'm glad to do it, UBP or not.

 

DW & I had visions of trying all sorts of new stuff but maybe we're too old:eek: and mostly ended up ordering what we normally would tho' we did try a few different martinis we would not have ordered otherwise. UBP was a great perc:) but I know if we'd bought it we would not have got our money's worth.

 

PS We always showed both cards but usually they only swiped one of them.

Edited by pspercy
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Jezo

Jezo

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Maybe this is because they usually put the tips in a communal jar? Can anyone comment if this is the case?

 

This is what we usually see. They go into the jar unless you give it to them a bit out of the way, then you'll see a hand slip into a pocket, especially with a $5 bill.

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jodieh12

jodieh12

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Dollar bills work great. What I do is fold them up and hold on to them underneath my key card. When the bartender takes my card he/she feels the bills and then indiscreetly slides the bills into their pant pocket. I then will receive back a nod of their head and a smile along with supurb service for the entire cruise.

 

 

Thats pretty much my strategy and it's not failed me so far xx

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