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No more "Free Beverage Package" for us

Mikkar

By Mikkar,
in Norwegian Cruise Line

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kathybelcher2433

kathybelcher2433

Posted
Posted

I am probably in the minority (imagine that!) but I never looked at the beverage perk in terms of how many drinks I was ordering and if that "covered" the service fee. I thought it was a huge relief and convenience not to worry about it and instead enjoy whatever I liked. (Within the $15 cap or paid the difference.). I still brought bottles of wine on board and paid the corkage fee because, yes, I am one of those wine people. I loved trying different cocktails that I would never normally ordered. Other than the wine I brought on board for pairing with dinner, I ordered 2 other drinks each day on average. And I was perfectly happy with that and felt I got a tremendous amount of value from the experience. That's just my view.

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luddite

luddite

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Posted
All you need to do is cruise on the Escape since they have 24 beers on tap as well as a good selection in bottles, 50 of which are covered under the UBP ;)

 

I have no interest in sailing the Escape, beer list notwithstanding.

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SNJCruisers

SNJCruisers

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Posted
I have no interest in sailing the Escape, beer list notwithstanding.
If you prefer to sail on smaller, older ships in the fleet that have lesser offerings, that is totally your choice. I just inferred from your last posting on this thread that you liked a broader offering of beer choices since you said that you would not consume Bud, Miller, Blue Moon or Heineken. The offerings on the Escape with 24 on tap were the most I have seen on any ship I have sailed and the 50+ in bottles were comparable to a few Celebrity ships I have sailed.
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luddite

luddite

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Posted
If you prefer to sail on smaller, older ships in the fleet that have lesser offerings, that is totally your choice. I just inferred from your last posting on this thread that you liked a broader offering of beer choices since you said that you would not consume Bud, Miller, Blue Moon or Heineken. The offerings on the Escape with 24 on tap were the most I have seen on any ship I have sailed and the 50+ in bottles were comparable to a few Celebrity ships I have sailed.

 

Bring me the Spirit. I'll suffer through the beer.

The crummy beer list isn't a deal-breaker any more than bringing bottled water or having Diet Coke would be a deal-breaker.

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hawkeyetlse

hawkeyetlse

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Posted (edited)
Are Irish coffees included in the UBP?
This seems to vary a lot from ship to ship, even from bar to bar. On the Epic we had no problem getting Irish coffees made with espresso from the Atrium bar and Waves pool bar, also in all restaurants.

 

Last week on the Star, very different story. First I was told at the Atrium coffee bar that they had no alcohol, try O'Sheehan's. Later, up at the Biergarten, where they have an espresso machine, they told me that Irish coffee is not included, except at O'Sheehan's.

 

So I go to O'Sheehan's, where they tell me that Irish coffee is not included. :mad: I tell them that everyone keeps sending me here, and they suddenly say "Oh, do you mean Buena Vista Irish Coffee? Why didn't you say so, that is completely different from what you said, you have to order the right thing, otherwise how are we supposed to know what you want?" Um, OK. So Buena Vista Irish Coffee is apparently made with (lukewarm) filter coffee and it is included in the UBP. Except…

 

Cut forward to dinner in the MDR. When they bring the dessert menu, it lists "Buena Vista Style Irish Coffee (Jameson Irish Whiskey, Piping Hot Coffee, Dash of Sugar, Heavy Cream: $9.95)", but every time we tried to order it the first couple of days, we were told it was not included. Only once, a manager happened to be passing by, and he told our server we could have it for no charge.

 

So my advice is, ask around on day 1 and find out how they are doing things on your ship. If you get the run-around, it's really not worth the trouble. You can just order regular coffee and something on the side, it's easier for everyone.

Edited by hawkeyetlse
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tinkr2

tinkr2

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This seems to vary a lot from ship to ship, even from bar to bar. On the Epic we had no problem getting Irish coffees made with espresso from the Atrium bar and Waves pool bar, also in all restaurants.

 

Last week on the Star, very different story. First I was told at the Atrium coffee bar that they had no alcohol, try O'Sheehan's. Later, up at the Biergarten, where they have an espresso machine, they told me that Irish coffee is not included, except at O'Sheehan's.

 

So I go to O'Sheehan's, where they tell me that Irish coffee is not included. :mad: I tell them that everyone keeps sending me here, and they suddenly say "Oh, do you mean Buena Vista Irish Coffee? Why didn't you say so, that is completely different from what you said, you have to order the right thing, otherwise how are we supposed to know what you want?" Um, OK. So Buena Vista Irish Coffee is apparently made with (lukewarm) filter coffee and it is included in the UBP. Except…

 

Cut forward to dinner in the MDR. When they bring the dessert menu, it lists "Buena Vista Style Irish Coffee (Jameson Irish Whiskey, Piping Hot Coffee, Dash of Sugar, Heavy Cream: $9.95)", but every time we tried to order it the first couple of days, we were told it was not included. Only once, a manager happened to be passing by, and he told our server we could have it for no charge.

 

So my advice is, ask around on day 1 and find out how they are doing things on your ship. If you get the run-around, it's really not worth the trouble. You can just order regular coffee and something on the side, it's easier for everyone.

 

As a lifelong bartender, I can assure you that a traditional Irish Coffee has never been made with espresso. It is exactly the recipe that was listed and as such, should 100 percent be covered under the beverage package. i would argue that one all day. But I did have a number of liquor brewed coffee drinks. My favorite is keoke coffee. kailua , brandy and dark de cocoa with coffee and whipped...yummmmm.

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hawkeyetlse

hawkeyetlse

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Posted
As a lifelong bartender, I can assure you that a traditional Irish Coffee has never been made with espresso. It is exactly the recipe that was listed and as such, should 100 percent be covered under the beverage package. i would argue that one all day.
I have better things to do all day when cruising… I am aware of the traditional recipe for Irish coffee, but (1) if they want to make it with espresso and give it to me for no extra charge (as they did on the Epic), that's fine with me, and (2) what's this "Buena Vista Style" business all about, if it is exactly the traditional recipe?
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tinkr2

tinkr2

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I have better things to do all day when cruising… I am aware of the traditional recipe for Irish coffee, but (1) if they want to make it with espresso and give it to me for no extra charge (as they did on the Epic), that's fine with me, and (2) what's this "Buena Vista Style" business all about, if it is exactly the traditional recipe?

 

LOL I probably would not actually argue all day . The Buena Vista is the original restaurant where Irish coffee was invented , 50 years ago. I believe it is located in San Fran. Bartenders do not feel like making coffee drinks often because it is a pain to locate coffee. I suspect that is why they would say it is not included:roll eyes:

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navybankerteacher

navybankerteacher

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Posted

Why not choose the "free beverage package"? If it is really "free", it does not cost you anything, so even if you decide not to have anything to drink you have not lost anything because you have not paid anything.

 

The real question is: why do so many refer to it as a "free beverage package"- the answer is that they have been brainwashed by NCL into thinking they have gotten a good deal because they have gotten something "free" --- when it is really built into the fare they pay.

 

Few other industries have such unthinking customer bases: I do not hear car buyers talking about getting free spare tires from General Motors - simply because they come with the car being bought.

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Sizzlechest

Sizzlechest

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Why not choose the "free beverage package"? If it is really "free", it does not cost you anything, so even if you decide not to have anything to drink you have not lost anything because you have not paid anything.

 

Because if you aren't going to use it very much, you still have to pay the gratuity for the package. That's why I skipped it on my last cruise.

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fshagan

fshagan

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Posted
Why not choose the "free beverage package"? If it is really "free", it does not cost you anything, so even if you decide not to have anything to drink you have not lost anything because you have not paid anything.

 

The real question is: why do so many refer to it as a "free beverage package"- the answer is that they have been brainwashed by NCL into thinking they have gotten a good deal because they have gotten something "free" --- when it is really built into the fare they pay.

 

Few other industries have such unthinking customer bases: I do not hear car buyers talking about getting free spare tires from General Motors - simply because they come with the car being bought.

 

This is done in car marketing all the time, usually with "free" extended warranties or "no interest loans". The point is that, in the consumer's mind, something is being included that increases the value of the item to that consumer. All other things being equal, getting the beverage package for "free" when other passengers are paying for it seems like a good deal.

 

The reason many of us put quotes around "free" with NCL's beverage plan is that in the US you pay gratuity on the value of the item they are including free. The beverage plan is "valued" at about $75 per day, and you pay 18% of the value, or about $13.50 per day for about $95 per week. So "free" equals $95.

 

That's a good deal for people who drink a few drinks every day. For those of us who don't drink on board the "free" beverage plan costs us more than if we refuse to take it. Our total cost drops by the $95 a week.

 

So refusing something "free" can save you money in this case.

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hawkeyetlse

hawkeyetlse

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Posted
The Buena Vista is the original restaurant where Irish coffee was invented , 50 years ago. I believe it is located in San Fran. Bartenders do not feel like making coffee drinks often because it is a pain to locate coffee. I suspect that is why they would say it is not included:roll eyes:
Thanks for the info about the Buena Vista. I actually looked it up after posting my last message (should have done those two things in the reverse order :o)

 

I fully understand about the availability of coffee at bars, but that doesn't explain why they wouldn't give us Buena Vista Style Irish Coffee in the MDR, where they definitely have coffee, and where the drink is listed right there on the dessert menu that they give to everyone.

 

Next cruise is with my mother, who has Irish Coffee running in her veins, so we better not run into this same nonsense on that ship…

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Computer Nerd

Computer Nerd

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Posted
Are people so cheap that they would order a drunk, even if it's water or tea and not tip? ***.

 

To ask a server to serve you without the graciousness of a tip is so Honey Boo Boo trailer trash.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

sounds like you have a bone to pick with trailer trash that like to cruise. :D

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