Price of water packages on NCL is EXHORBITANT!

[evandbob]

I'm sailing on NCL for the 3rd time, but just looked into pre-ordering a 12 pack of water for my cabin. NCL wants $47 and change. On Carnival, the same item is $3.99. Why the ripoff?

 

I think a daily soda package might be cheaper, but I don't usually drink soda. If I drank alcohol, I would have gotten the free or discounted booze pkg but I don't, so I opted for the dining pkg. instead.

 

Why is water so expensive on NCL?

[ColinIllinois]

 

Why is water so expensive on NCL?

 

 

It's imported from the mountains of Tibet.

[KeithJenner]

Why is water so expensive on NCL?

 

Actually, water is free on NCL. It is just expensive if you want it in bottles.

 

You can get water for free at any bar, in the buffet or from the tap in your room.

 

I assume that they charge what they do for the bottles because people pay it.

Edited March 3, 2016 by KeithJenner

[Mistizoom]

Carnival lowered their prices on water when they stopped allowing people to bring on board their own beverages. NCL still allows unlimited carry-on of soda, bottled water, juices, etc. (anything non-alcoholic) and unlimited wine in bottles with a $15 corkage fee. If you don't want to carry-on your own or use the tap water, NCL is charging you for the convenience of providing it, your choice to pay it or not.

Edited March 3, 2016 by Mistizoom

[MICHLEV1974]

Carry on is much cheaper :) I like having bottled water to take on the excursions so I understand the 'want' for the bottles. Thankfully NCL allows you to bring your case of water bottles without charge. I also use the big plastic 'fill 'er up' mugs for use on the ship for the free water.

[OneParticularHarbour 71]

Do you have to carry it on with you or can you give a case of water to the porters?

 

Also, what time are the staterooms normally ready? I don't remember from our last NCL cruise. Thanks.

[Loonbeam]

You can tag and check a SEALED case of water (please don't be like the passenger I saw once who pulled one bottle out - rest of his landed IN the water when the case collapsed)

[Vee & Elvis]

Do you have to carry it on with you or can you give a case of water to the porters?

 

(from Boston, other ports may vary) I leave mine with the porter. Before I leave home, I use packing tape (dollar store) and attach a bag tag... and then give the water packaging a quick go-round to keep the bottles from popping out the sides of the cheap plastic.

[ryarger]

I'm sailing on NCL for the 3rd time, but just looked into pre-ordering a 12 pack of water for my cabin. NCL wants $47 and change. On Carnival, the same item is $3.99. Why the ripoff?

 

I don't know what you get for that $3.99 but NCL's package provides 1L Aquafina bottles. On land those typically run around $1.50 in cases and $2-$2.50 in singles.

 

At a Wal-Mart or Costco you can get the 12pack for around $18.

 

So the NCL price is a 200% markup. Very high for water, but not the craziest markup you'll find on a cruise ship.

 

As others have pointed out, water is free on the ship. Ask your steward to bring you a pitcher of ice water to put in your mini-fridge, That's free!

[pathubia]

(from Boston, other ports may vary) I leave mine with the porter. Before I leave home, I use packing tape (dollar store) and attach a bag tag... and then give the water packaging a quick go-round to keep the bottles from popping out the sides of the cheap plastic.

 

This works in New Orleans too.

[hawkeyetlse]

I'm sailing on NCL for the 3rd time, but just looked into pre-ordering a 12 pack of water for my cabin. NCL wants $47 and change. On Carnival, the same item is $3.99. Why the ripoff?

Water prices on Carnival are cheaper, but you are not making a fair comparison here. You are comparing 12 small bottles (500ml) on Carnival to 12 large bottles (1 liter) on NCL. It's not the "same item". You're getting twice as much water from NCL.

 

However, your point still stands. On Carnival, you can order 8 extra-large bottles (1.5 liters) for $30. So NCL is indeed more expensive for the same total amount of water (12 liters).

 

But it's also important to remember why Carnival lowered some of their bottled water prices last year. They finally got fed up with people smuggling alcohol on board in water bottles, so they decided to prohibit carry-on bottled water. So the cheapest option for bottled water (bringing your own) is only available on NCL, not on Carnival. To appease their customers, Carnival lowered the price of the 12-pack of small bottles to $2.99 (as you can see, the price has gone up since then).

[NLH Arizona]

I'm sailing on NCL for the 3rd time, but just looked into pre-ordering a 12 pack of water for my cabin. NCL wants $47 and change. On Carnival, the same item is $3.99. Why the ripoff?

 

I think a daily soda package might be cheaper, but I don't usually drink soda. If I drank alcohol, I would have gotten the free or discounted booze pkg but I don't, so I opted for the dining pkg. instead.

 

Why is water so expensive on NCL?

Doesn't Carnival ban bringing on bottled water, where on NCL you can bring it on the ship?

[Mistizoom]

Doesn't Carnival ban bringing on bottled water, where on NCL you can bring it on the ship?

 

Yes.

[j603]

Last 2 cruises, we brought on bottled water for the boy, diet soda for myself and dear hubs precious Amps (that are harder to find than a Yeti). I just slapped extra luggage tags on them, tipped the porter handsomely (to ensure the safe travels of said precious Amps) and scurried off for the golden gates of the contraband detectors.

[Bitterman]

What we did on our last cruise to Bermuda was bring an extra suitcase that has a case of water, a case of iced tea, and some soda in it. Don't have to worry about the cases falling apart and then at the end of cruise you have an empty suitcase for all the souvenirs and other junk you bought! :-)

 

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

[buddy1755]

What we done on our Med cruise on the Spirit was to bring a couple Brita bottles and filtered the ship water, no prob, kept in fridge and we had our room water, u get water any where's on ship free, for our excursions we bought water when we disembarked, there was always water around way cheaper than on the ship...

[evandbob]

I cruise with just a carry piece of luggage, and the idea of carrying a case of water is inconceivable to me. I've watched many cruisers struggle to carry on a case of water, sometimes dropping it or watching bottles slip out and then the whole package implodes.

 

Thanks to the posters who pointed out the size difference between the 12 oz Carnival pkgs and the 1 Liter NCL bottles, that is helpful info!

 

I may just wind up bringing an insulated cold drink container/bottle and keep filling it up as needed.

[LMaxwell]

$47 for bottled water is incredibly high. I don't care if it's blessed by the Pope.

[ryarger]

$47 for bottled water is incredibly high. I don't care if it's blessed by the Pope.

 

Don't be so sure!

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/bottle-of-HOLY-WATER-blessed-by-POPE-FRANCIS-IN-ROME-ITALY-proof-of-blessing-/261233177075?hash=item3cd2b5f1f3:g:06kAAOxyqOxRweDQ

 

That's $11 for 0.33oz or $13,390.34 for a 12-pack of 1L bottles.

 

NCL's offer seems like a bargain in comparison!

[LMaxwell]

Don't be so sure!

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/bottle-of-HOLY-WATER-blessed-by-POPE-FRANCIS-IN-ROME-ITALY-proof-of-blessing-/261233177075?hash=item3cd2b5f1f3:g:06kAAOxyqOxRweDQ

 

That's $11 for 0.33oz or $13,390.34 for a 12-pack of 1L bottles.

 

NCL's offer seems like a bargain in comparison!

Bang for the buck I will stick with unblessed

[VideoTech]

Actually, water is free on NCL. It is just expensive if you want it in bottles.

 

You can get water for free at any bar, in the buffet or from the tap in your room.

 

I assume that they charge what they do for the bottles because people pay it.

 

Thank you. Absolutely correct. And the ship's water is excellent too. If you need water in a bottle just bring on any one of the many kinds of empty water bottles available.

[EyeSeaEwe]

I'm sailing on NCL for the 3rd time, but just looked into pre-ordering a 12 pack of water for my cabin. NCL wants $47 and change. On Carnival, the same item is $3.99. Why the ripoff?

 

I think a daily soda package might be cheaper, but I don't usually drink soda. If I drank alcohol, I would have gotten the free or discounted booze pkg but I don't, so I opted for the dining pkg. instead.

 

Why is water so expensive on NCL?

 

If anything is not worth the price it is being offered at then simply DO NOT BUY IT!

[CP3o]

I would bring water and any soda or LaCroix in a rolling piece of luggage i could maybe put in another luggage leaving. I think I've always rolled liquids on with RCCL and Disney. Is it ok to check it with NCL?

 

I assume a two liter is ok? (One kid only likes an occasional creme soda which I don't think is available with soda card. Two liter might be just as easy.)

[wilmingtech]

I'm sailing on NCL for the 3rd time, but just looked into pre-ordering a 12 pack of water for my cabin. NCL wants $47 and change. On Carnival, the same item is $3.99. Why the ripoff?

 

I think a daily soda package might be cheaper, but I don't usually drink soda. If I drank alcohol, I would have gotten the free or discounted booze pkg but I don't, so I opted for the dining pkg. instead.

 

Why is water so expensive on NCL?

Bring your own. You can bring whatever flavor you want and it doesn't cost you anything to bring it on the ship.

 

We usually bring refillable water bottles. Our last cruise we brought a case of water as well and it was nice to have.

 

We brought the case of water in an empty suitcase and used the suitcase to haul all our shopping purchases back home with us.

 

-Sean

[Sawdec]

I always bring a case of water onboard with me. I like to have bottles when we are in port to drink