Shame on you..........ncl

[johns creek cruisers]

Booked an April 3 cruise out of New Orleans. At the time of booking NCL agent told me kids would get ultimate soda package. Confirmation from NCL said "Ultimate Soda Beverage Package." In fact an NCL agent even said to me on the phone it included Virgin Pina Coladas. I looked on NCL website today and there is no ultimate soda beverage package. Called agent and asked her to explain what this package included and she said it included only fountain soda and watered down juice. This is really what they call the "kids soda package." I am very disappointed NCL would pull a "bait and switch" like this. That's just a dirty trick NCL, shame on you. This is my first time on NCL and perhaps my last. Carnival, Royal Caribbean, MSC, Princess, and even Disney have never pull dirty tricks like this.

[GrabMyWrist]

Perfectly listed and explained on NCL's web site.

 

https://www.ncl.com/onboard-packages/beverage-packages

 

If you want your kids to have a virgin drink, order it for them using your UBP, provided you have it.

[chapchap]

I think you spoke to someone who was having a bad day. I would call back and speak to someone else...or your original NCL rep.

[Turtles06]

Perfectly listed and explained on NCL's web site.

 

https://www.ncl.com/onboard-packages/beverage-packages

 

If you want your kids to have a virgin drink, order it for them using your UBP, provided you have it.

 

Um, no, drink packages cannot be shared. :rolleyes:

[TheDougOut]

There was obviously a misunderstanding somewhere... but I can't say on who's part.

 

This wasn't an intentional bait and switch. The Ultimate Beverage Package does indeed include non-alcoholic drinks, including virgin pina coladas. There's never been anything called an "Ultimate Soda Beverage Package", and no soda package has ever included virgin drinks. Hence the name: "soda".

 

Confirmation from NCL said "Ultimate Soda Beverage Package."

 

When did you book? If it was earlier last year, the UBP promo included the soda package for guests 3&4. If you have a confirmation that states the above, which I question, I wonder if it was indicating this past promo.

Edited March 1, 2016 by TheDougOut

[johns creek cruisers]

My confirmation sent to me from NCL says "ultimate soda beverage package" as per the per description of the agent. There is no "ultimate soda beverage package." In fact look at the website you sent me, there is no listing for "ultimate sode beverage package." Therefore "bait and switch"

[NCLfamily]

The person you spoke to got it wrong. It's hardly a case of shame on NCL. The soda package has never contained virgin cocktails.

 

But as someone else has said, you can get them for your child. Like I will and most others on the UBP.

[johns creek cruisers]

my confirmation from NCL says Ultimate Soda Beverage Package as described by agent verbally on phone. There is no such thing. i called NCL today and they offered to send me a new confirmation. The confirmation was generated by NCL, as I made reservation via NCL. Hence "bait and switch"

[GrabMyWrist]

Um, no, drink packages cannot be shared. :rolleyes:

 

 

Yet it happens every single cruise. Right or wrong, in your opinion, I merely offered a potential solution to the problem.

Edited March 1, 2016 by GrabMyWrist

[johns creek cruisers]

my friend i bought "ultimate soda beverage package" for 6 people, i have no intentions of sharing

[NCLfamily]

I'm really not sure what you mean by that. There would be no point sharing if you've all got the same package.

Edited March 1, 2016 by NCLfamily

[triptolemus]

My confirmation sent to me from NCL says "ultimate soda beverage package"

 

OP - can you post up a copy of your confirmation so we can see it? Or a screenshot?

 

Or something?

Edited March 1, 2016 by triptolemus

[TheDougOut]

my confirmation from NCL says Ultimate Soda Beverage Package as described by agent verbally on phone.

 

Are you able to provide a screenshot or photo? I'm trying to make sense of this, and would like to see the context.

 

For the record, promos sometimes appear differently based on where they're displayed. Some confirmations show "CHOB" for Choice Beverage, which actually is the "Ultimate Beverage Package".

[GrabMyWrist]

Are you able to provide a screenshot or photo? I'm trying to make sense of this, and would like to see the context.

 

For the record, promos sometimes appear differently based on where they're displayed. Some confirmations show "CHOB" for Choice Beverage, which actually is the "Ultimate Beverage Package".

 

Exactly.

[NCLfamily]

Right, so there are six of you in 3 cabins. None of you drink alcohol? So you opted for 6 soda packages as your promo? If you knew you wouldn't get virgin cocktails you wouldn't have booked the cruise?

[blackwing]

Oh ok, I see the issue. None of you have the Ultimate Beverage Package, which includes alcoholic drinks. All 6 of you bought what you thought was the Ultimate Soda Package which included virgin drinks.

 

I guess there was a misunderstanding because soda package doesn't include virgin drinks. Virgin drinks would be in the Ultimate Beverage Package, just made without alcohol.

 

I agree that the lady you spoke to got it wrong. You could call and try to cancel your package, but I don't think they are going to amend it to include virgin drinks because that one lady said so. Sorry that you were told the wrong info.

[j603]

Given the number of posts the OP has, more than likely they never thought to use this as a sounding board. Do you remember what offers were being offered at the time of your booking? But as to the whole bait and switch thing, not the case. I can say that for us, the first two people on our reservation have the ultimate beverage package and the second two have the ultimate soda package. Maybe that is the case.

 

If on the off chance, you are trying to start a hot button topic, try smoking or chair hogs. Soda packages and virgin drinks probably won't cut it.

[johns creek cruisers]

At point of purchase NCL said under 21 guest get Ultimate Soda Beverage Package." NCL explained at point of sale it included virgin pina coladas. Confirmation from NCl in their own words said "Ultimate Soda Beverage Package." As you pointed out there is no ultimate soda beverage package. So i called them up today and they said there is no USBP. The person i spoke to put me on hold and checked with her supervisor and agrees there is no USBP. hence the term "bait=ultimate soda beverage package" and "switch= teen soda package." Not sure where there is any confusion on this.

[TheDougOut]

we have 2 people per room, that's the way we roll. so there goes your theory. listen this is classic "bait and switch"

 

One possibility... did you book 1 adult and 1 child per room while selecting the Ultimate Beverage Package as a "perk"? It's entirely possible that you spoke with a cruise consultant that didn't understand the implications on UBP when only 1 adult is in the room.

 

Even I don't know the answer. Under the current terms , does the 2nd person (child) get the soda package, or no package at all? One thing I'm relatively sure about... the child would not get any privilege of the UBP (including virgin drinks).

Edited March 1, 2016 by TheDougOut

[NCLfamily]

I don't understand why you wouldn't take the UBP and the soda package for each room?

[johns creek cruisers]

We took ultimate beverage for every room as well as other packages. the fact that NCL cant adequately describe a beverage package or perhaps "bait and switch" has me very concerned about the cruise. It is too late to cancel as payments made.

 

See you on the cruise, i will the cruiser buying virgin pina coladas for my kids even though i paid for, was explained something else, and confirmed something else.......

[megansdad1]

At point of purchase NCL said under 21 guest get Ultimate Soda Beverage Package." NCL explained at point of sale it included virgin pina coladas. Confirmation from NCl in their own words said "Ultimate Soda Beverage Package." As you pointed out there is no ultimate soda beverage package. So i called them up today and they said there is no USBP. The person i spoke to put me on hold and checked with her supervisor and agrees there is no USBP. hence the term "bait=ultimate soda beverage package" and "switch= teen soda package." Not sure where there is any confusion on this.[/quoteI

 

 

I highly doubt that NCL is trying to bait and switch with virgin drinks. Seems like it was an error with the booking agent. Are the smoothies that important, or is this more of a principle thing?

[kjquilts]

Once upon a time NCL must have called the Soda Package Ultimate Soda Beverage Package. Here is a cut and paste (with names deleted) from Vacation Summary for cruise we booked long time ago for Breakaway this coming October. We knew that guests three and four would not receive alcoholic drinks or their virgin counterparts, just sodas.

 

Included Items (2)

 

 

• 
  Adult Ultimate Beverage Package
   
  Adult Beverage Package - Promo
  
  • QTY:2
    
  • GUESTS: name deleted
     
    name deleted
    

   

   

   

  [*]

  Ultimate Soda Beverage Package

   

  Soda Beverage Package - Promo

  • QTY:2
    
  • GUESTS: name deleted
     
    name deleted
    

   

   

   

   

[GrabMyWrist]

We took ultimate beverage for every room as well as other packages. the fact that NCL cant adequately describe a beverage package or perhaps "bait and switch" has me very concerned about the cruise. It is too late to cancel as payments made.

 

See you on the cruise, i will the cruiser buying virgin pina coladas for my kids even though i paid for, was explained something else, and confirmed something else.......

 

Not sure what you're after here. If you're technical enough to find and post on Cruise Critic, you should have easily been able to read what is clearly in writing on NCL's web site. It's clearly stated there what is and is not included and the names of each package. For the record, you can also book them via NCL, no phone call necessary.

Edited March 1, 2016 by GrabMyWrist

[TheDougOut]

My confirmation sent to me from NCL says "ultimate soda beverage package" as per the per description of the agent.

 

Could you provide a screenshot, as asked by others in this thread?

 

At point of purchase NCL said under 21 guest get Ultimate Soda Beverage Package."

 

Or are you now saying this was "said" to you?

 

If the confirmation was simply verbal, then based on how you've communicated in this thread I'll make an informed judgment call on where to place the blame. :)

 

If you provide a screenshot, I'll kindly reconsider.

 

Good luck on your cruise.

 

Edit: I reconsidered based on the screenshot provided by the above poster. You were misled by what was provided to you, even though nothing I see states what you were promised. As others have suggested, Terms and Conditions are best. Again... good luck on your cruise.

Edited March 1, 2016 by TheDougOut