UBP freebie charges

[CP3o]

So, don't think about it in terms of what is included and not.

 

If your drink costs more than $15, you are charged the difference in price. They add 18% ito the price diff. So if your drink costs $20, you get charged $5 +$0.90 gratuity. = $5.90

 

That's how RCCL handles things but I thought I'd read it was different on NCL. Good to know, thanks. You've done this recently?

[Suze10860]

Yes, all those plus iced tea, coffee, flavored waters.

 

What does this mean? Like a pitcher of still water with lemon in it? I'm just curious. I'm a big seltzer/club soda drinker. I especially love it flavored. I've read lots of different things as far as if I can get seltzer or club today free of charge.

[jaja]

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What does this mean? Like a pitcher of still water with lemon in it? I'm just curious. I'm a big seltzer/club soda drinker. I especially love it flavored. I've read lots of different things as far as if I can get seltzer or club today free of charge.

 

Last time we sailed...there was flavored water in the dispensers in the buffet...I believe flavors changed daily or every other day...

[sender_name]

Thanks for this post... I'd imagine the wine bar but do the specialty restaurants also have good wine priced just below 15?

 

 

 

 

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I think the by the glass wine list was the same in all dining rooms and specialty restaurants..there were also some wines only available in The Cellars Wine bar...you can walk right up to the Cellars wine bar, sit at a table and scroll the Ipad wine list..Select anything under $15 and bring it with you to your dinner or what not...

In the included dining rooms the wine list featured I believe 10 wines by the glass available...and probably another 10+ that were more than $15 a glass...and then a huge list of bottles.

You get a discount if you buy a bottle but the 10+ included wines feature 1 from each style...Ruffino Lumina Pino Griggio (best white available), A Pinot Noir i think Estancia, Monterey County, Colores Del Sol Malbec (my fav), SANGIOVESE Castello di Gabbiano Chianti (Decent, weaker than the malbec), Cabernet Sauvignon Chateau St. Jean (Ok but not my fav)...There were also some at the Cellars bar I can't remember...I think a Spanish Garnacha that was pretty good...I mostly go for reds for drinking unless I am having a white specific meal...

 

Just have fun and explore the available wines...it's included so even if you take 2 sips and hate it...who cares! At the dinners all the wines are brought out to you and poured from the perfect glass size mini carafes...so a glass is a glass every time. You can perfectly pace yourself!

 

And you can always blame the ships rocking...

[Kidtechno]

All of you complaining about tipping the hard working bartenders and servers working nonstop to serve you the free drinks that NCL is giving you ought to settle down. Glad I tip extra to make up for you all.

[thatjoeguy]

Thanks for this post, I've never considered drink package before, math never added up, female and get off at ports and mainly drink wine with meals and go on ships that allow a couple bottles. But, fun to try when just pay gratuity, hopefully I don't overdo and feel bad, 3 glasses of wine is usually one too many but think I pour big! Anyway, I notice very high end beer and pretty nice cocktails allowed on the program but I was a little concerned good wine might be tough to find (i.e. If they price it just above 15 and don't allow paying differnce). Where did you find good wine on escape? I'd imagine the wine bar but do the specialty restaurants also have good wine priced just below 15?

 

The Cellars on the Escape (where we met every night before dinner) had over 200 different wines available, and over 100 different available by the glass. Of those 100+, I only remember 3 that were above $15. For those, as stated below, you only pay the difference. We'd often order wine there to take to dinner.

[thatjoeguy]

I have been on 12 NCL cruises in the last 2 years and the majority of the time bar service has been very slow. Either I am unlucky or you are lucky. Maybe both.

 

What bars are you used to off of the ship? I usually have much shorter waits at the bars on the ship than I do at a busy bar or club back home.

[goldesq]

All of you complaining about tipping the hard working bartenders and servers working nonstop to serve you the free drinks that NCL is giving you ought to settle down. Glad I tip extra to make up for you all.

 

Seriously, I have to say it ... get off your high horse. No one is complaining about the tips. The OP just asked a question. Second, NCL isnt giving us anything for free. We are paying for it some way or another. YOU need to settle down.

[SuiteCruiser]

All of you complaining about tipping the hard working bartenders and servers working nonstop to serve you the free drinks that NCL is giving you ought to settle down. Glad I tip extra to make up for you all.

 

The 18% is not going to the bartenders and servers. Their pay has changed to a flat salary. Is some of the 18% going towards paying that flat salary? Perhaps. I think it's good that you tip extra, they actually get to keep that cash. I do the same.

 

The 18% is called a service charge for a reason and my guess is that it is offsetting their actual costs of the drinks.

[Cruz4life15]

So, don't think about it in terms of what is included and not.

 

If your drink costs more than $15, you are charged the difference in price. They add 18% ito the price diff. So if your drink costs $20, you get charged $5 +$0.90 gratuity. = $5.90

 

Right but what I'm saying is with the ubp u pay the service charge already for the tips.. So say the drink is an even 15 before tip.. I shouldn't have to come out of pocket anything because the drink is right at 15 and have already payed the tips.... Correct? So the tips that I already payed for the package includes the gratuity of drinks 15 and under?

[LrgPizza]

Right but what I'm saying is with the ubp u pay the service charge already for the tips.. So say the drink is an even 15 before tip.. I shouldn't have to come out of pocket anything because the drink is right at 15 and have already payed the tips.... Correct? So the tips that I already payed for the package includes the gratuity of drinks 15 and under?

As long as the base price of the drink is $15 or below, you pay nothing. Gratuities are already covered, even though those would send the total over $15. I think that is what you are asking. :cool:

[LAnn]

I would note, though, that there's an opportunity cost here if you would use one of the other free choices you're foregoing. For example, if you book excursions through NCL and forego the shore excursion credit, you're giving up $200 for free beverages, or if you sometimes use the Internet on board, you're giving up whatever you might use (for example, even you would only use 75 minutes on the cruise to check e-mail, not taking the free internet package is an opportunity cost of $50 or so).

 

Thanks for pointing out the "opportunity" cost! Even though most of the beverages we drink are not even included in the UBP (specialty coffee, smoothies, water, milk, diet coke) I thought we could still get some use out of it. But since we actually are signed up for NCL shore excursions at two ports, the actual cost to us would be nearly $300. I've just called and switched over from the UBP to the Shore Excursion credit.

[KarimaJ]

Suite cruiser is that correct? I assumed that the 18% was for tips.

 

 

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[QuiGonJohn]

Thanks for pointing out the "opportunity" cost! Even though most of the beverages we drink are not even included in the UBP (specialty coffee, smoothies, water, milk, diet coke) I thought we could still get some use out of it. But since we actually are signed up for NCL shore excursions at two ports, the actual cost to us would be nearly $300. I've just called and switched over from the UBP to the Shore Excursion credit.

 

Just keep in mind, (at least how I read it when I just booked this Free At Sea promo), if you chose the Shore Excursion Promo, it is only a $50 credit per cabin, in each port. So, if a couple chooses an excursion that is $250 pp, you will pay $450 for the total excursion, with them covering the last $50.

Edited February 29, 2016 by QuiGonJohn

[QuiGonJohn]

Right but what I'm saying is with the ubp u pay the service charge already for the tips.. So say the drink is an even 15 before tip.. I shouldn't have to come out of pocket anything because the drink is right at 15 and have already payed the tips.... Correct? So the tips that I already payed for the package includes the gratuity of drinks 15 and under?

 

What is their price for an Irish Coffee?

[KeithJenner]

What is their price for an Irish Coffee?

 

 

It is certainly less than the $15.

[LrgPizza]

Suite cruiser is that correct? I assumed that the 18% was for tips.

 

 

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Yes, the 18% is for gratuities. If you have the UBP, your gratuities on each drink is covered prior to sailing.

[SuiteCruiser]

Suite cruiser is that correct? I assumed that the 18% was for tips.

 

 

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It is correct, they are now on a flat salary basis, so are not receiving the 18%. Their flat salary is higher than they used to make, so most are okay with the change, but their salary no longer changes from month to month depending on drink sales. The 18% is stated to be a gratuity and service charge, so likely part of that pot of money goes to pay the difference in salary, and the rest goes to offset the cost of the drinks.

 

Edited to add: Because of the new pay structure, they're still being paid, so once you've paid your 18%, you have fulfilled your obligation.if I get good service, I tip a little extra in cash, but there's no requirement to give anything else.

Edited February 29, 2016 by SuiteCruiser

[Cruz4life15]

As long as the base price of the drink is $15 or below, you pay nothing. Gratuities are already covered, even though those would send the total over $15. I think that is what you are asking. :cool:

 

Yes thank you!

[BirdTravels]

I call Bull****tery, just another way to grab more money.

 

You have the option of not accepting any of the free offers and just book a cruise.

[KarimaJ]

How much are drinks like domestic beer and regular vodka tonics?

 

 

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[arestep]

Depends on what your getting. I just get a mid range Vodka and a Vodka tonic in the past has been about $9. Not sure about beers, but I think it's about the same.

[altarr]

Yup. Just to be clear, though, it's not $173 for everyone -- the cost of the "free" UBP choice depends on the number of days. You must be looking at 7-day cruise. To calculate how much the UBP will cost if you choose it for any given cruise, take the cost of the UBP if purchased (currently $69 per day), and multiply it by 2, and by the number of days on your cruise. That's the retail price of the UBP. Then multiply by .18 to get the cost. So, in your case, it's 69x2x7x.18=$173.88. For a 14-day cruise, the supplement you have to pay is $347.76.

 

When you understand that's how they do it, it really puts the lie to the whole "18 percent" for all but the heaviest of drinkers. If you're not planning to drink $69 worth of drinks every single day of your cruise, you're actually paying a service charge much more than 18 percent. For example, if you take a 7-day cruise and you both have 3 drinks a day at $10 per drink, the $173 you were charged really turns out to be a 41.4% "gratuity" and "service charge" on what you actually drank. It turns out to be a true 18 percent service charge on what you actually consume if you drink nearly $1,000 in booze in 7 days.

 

you shouldnt look at it ithis way, you should look at it as purchasing the package for $12.42 per day instead of 81.42 per day. So if you select this package and have a couple of sodas and an adult beverage or two each day, then you are ahead.

[LrgPizza]

you shouldnt look at it ithis way, you should look at it as purchasing the package for $12.42 per day instead of 81.42 per day. So if you select this package and have a couple of sodas and an adult beverage or two each day, then you are ahead.

 

That's a great summary. It's more like 1 adult beverage and 1 soda.

[akers123]

Not to sound like a lush but first time on NCL. Is there a limit per day of how many drinks you can have? I heard that Carnival offers a beverage package now but you can only have 15 drinks a day?

 

Thanks