Samstress Posted November 24, 2016 #26 Share Posted November 24, 2016 If you got it as a perk when they started charging this, it would have been on your invoice when you made final payment. For those that purchased the package, it would have been added on to the purchase price of the package. Aha moment! It was built in somewhere along the line prior to the cruise. Thank you for clarifying that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moby0215 Posted November 24, 2016 #27 Share Posted November 24, 2016 If you received the UBP by way of a FREE promo then there should be NO gratuity or 18% service charge. NOTHING TIMES NOTHING IS OF COURSE NOTHING and 18% of NOTHING is still nothing ! Now if you purchased the UBP then you would be charged the cost of the UBP package and an additional 18% of the program cost. Thanks NCL for making that Oh so clear. If you go to a bar restaurant etc. and order a drink costing more than $15 (FREE) you could expect to be charged the difference plus the 18% of that difference. So you order an high end premium drink that costs $20 - $15 is covered under the UBP and the remaining $5 is charged the gratuity of $0.90 for a charge of $5.90 for that premium drink. It is fawty (intentionally misspelled) math to charge 18% on the total drink of $20 when $15 was under a FREE program or had already been charged 18% ! Something is rotten in the state of Norway - or put another way what part of FREE do you not understand NCL ? You are looking at it all wrong. For example, if you had a coupon for a free meal at a restaurant, even though your bill can say $0.00, you still tip on the full price. Caveat is that I am speaking for us Americans. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sanger727 Posted November 25, 2016 #28 Share Posted November 25, 2016 (edited) It seems clear that the gratuity is charged on the "value" of the package, and not per drink - which means the more you drink, the lower the per-drink gratuity will be. To me, the only question is why do people who pay for a drink package insist upon calling their drinks "free"? Correct, the drink package isn't free. It's a promo. Just like my $699 cruise (as advertised) isn't $699, it's $893 with taxes, port fees, and dsc. it's a fee that is presented upfront so you have the choice (and yes, a completely extra free, no promo option is offered too). But for me, the drink promo fee was a good enough deal that it was worthwhile. It's the 'free drinks promo' not because it's free. You can get a guarantee cabin at a lower rate with no promos anyway, but because once you book with that option, your drinks on the cruise are free Sent from my iPhone using Forums Edited November 25, 2016 by sanger727 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kathybelcher2433 Posted November 25, 2016 #29 Share Posted November 25, 2016 It wouldn't be thanksgiving without an argument about the drinks package and service charge. I love holiday traditions! Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maggieq Posted November 25, 2016 #30 Share Posted November 25, 2016 MM That was a speedy reply :) Thank you - great for us then, but still seems a con for the rest. It does when you get the drink package for free on celebrity gratuities are included This is not a good idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sanger727 Posted November 25, 2016 #31 Share Posted November 25, 2016 It does when you get the drink package for free on celebrity gratuities are included This is not a good idea. True, but when, for the same itinerary, ncl charges $699 with free drinks and free grats plus $200in the package free and celebrity charges $1199 for free drinks only with no package fee, which would you rather pay? In my pricing celebrity was generally much more pricey than ncl, so it's all relative. Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hannibal54 Posted November 25, 2016 #32 Share Posted November 25, 2016 Since our bar tab always exceeded $200 on a 7 day cruise, it's ideal for us! I agree, paying just under $200 for a 7 day cruise is nothing compared to what the bar bill would have been. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjrpar Posted November 25, 2016 #33 Share Posted November 25, 2016 It seems clear that the gratuity is charged on the "value" of the package, and not per drink - which means the more you drink, the lower the per-drink gratuity will be. To me, the only question is why do people who pay for a drink package insist upon calling their drinks "free"? Not hard to understand Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fshagan Posted November 25, 2016 #34 Share Posted November 25, 2016 NCL are a corporation so they do not pay income tax. They would pay corporation tax on profits, not income. In the US, corporations do pay "income tax", but it is on net income (profit). All of our income tax is structured that way ... income minus expenses for businesses, and income minus exemptions and deductions for individuals. So it is similar to your tax on profits in the UK. Some states do have a "gross receipts tax" for some corporations (CA imposes a gross receipts tax on limited liability companies, so you pay that tax even if your business fails and you lose money). My guess is that NCL pays more corporate tax to the UK than they do to the US. The cruise lines pay no US corporate tax on ship based revenue. World-wide, the cruise industry pays about 1.3% tax on profits. I'm not certain, but I think that they incorporate each individual ship "off shore" and use the loophole under section 883 of the IRC (our "Internal Revenue Code" of tax law). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruiser Who Knows Nothing Posted November 25, 2016 #35 Share Posted November 25, 2016 You are looking at it all wrong. For example, if you had a coupon for a free meal at a restaurant, even though your bill can say $0.00, you still tip on the full price. Caveat is that I am speaking for us Americans. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk The problem with this is that you assume people tip on a free meal. [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]. Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moby0215 Posted November 25, 2016 #36 Share Posted November 25, 2016 The problem with this is that you assume people tip on a free meal. [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]. Sent from my iPhone using Forums Wow. That just amazes me. I do not assume that. It is the accepted protocol (for us Americans). And it is how the servers make a living. If you can't afford to tip them you shouldn't go out to eat. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruiser Who Knows Nothing Posted November 25, 2016 #37 Share Posted November 25, 2016 Wow. That just amazes me. I do not assume that. It is the accepted protocol (for us Americans). And it is how the servers make a living. If you can't afford to tip them you shouldn't go out to eat. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk I have to hope you're not yelling at me? If so, take a chill. Relax. I'm in your side. Whoa! Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moby0215 Posted November 25, 2016 #38 Share Posted November 25, 2016 I have to hope you're not yelling at me? If so, take a chill. Relax. I'm in your side. Whoa! Sent from my iPhone using Forums All good. I definitely misunderstood you. But I would never yell. Always try my best to be civil. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruiser Who Knows Nothing Posted November 25, 2016 #39 Share Posted November 25, 2016 All good. I definitely misunderstood you. But I would never yell. Always try my best to be civil. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk [emoji16][emoji16] Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pattymo Posted November 25, 2016 #40 Share Posted November 25, 2016 It's 18 % on the package price of $79 pp per day about $14 pp each day, and we still leave cash dollar bill,per drink.. Always good service ...So worth it if you have 2 or more drinks a day.. We love it and we aren't big drinkers but do drink a bit more with the package ..w Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
another_journey Posted November 25, 2016 #41 Share Posted November 25, 2016 I had the same experience when I booked through NCL. Had to pay service charge for each of us using the unlimited drink package special. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beerman2 Posted November 25, 2016 #42 Share Posted November 25, 2016 Since our bar tab always exceeded $200 on a 7 day cruise, it's ideal for us! Jeez someone who actually understands thr program! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Envelope21 Posted November 26, 2016 #43 Share Posted November 26, 2016 Jeez someone who actually understands thr program! I think most people understand it perfectly well. The perk is " Purchase an unlimited drink package for only $100 per person" No one disputes that that is a pretty good deal. Telling me it's FREE is misleading. Adding the 'gratuity' to the original package price is a stretch. We all also understand that it's not really a gratuity, but a revenue stream. NCL is allowed to seek revenue streams wherever they can and good for them in finding one that seems to be working. We understand that. IT IS NOT FREE though. These threads will continue because people don't like being told something is free when it isn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mugtech Posted November 26, 2016 #44 Share Posted November 26, 2016 I think most people understand it perfectly well. The perk is " Purchase an unlimited drink package for only $100 per person" No one disputes that that is a pretty good deal. Telling me it's FREE is misleading. Adding the 'gratuity' to the original package price is a stretch. We all also understand that it's not really a gratuity, but a revenue stream. NCL is allowed to seek revenue streams wherever they can and good for them in finding one that seems to be working. We understand that. IT IS NOT FREE though. These threads will continue because people don't like being told something is free when it isn't. Anyone who lives in the USA knows "Free" is used in advertising in almost every industry while requiring other purchases to receive the "free" item. This is not news:eek: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beerman2 Posted November 26, 2016 #45 Share Posted November 26, 2016 I think most people understand it perfectly well. The perk is " Purchase an unlimited drink package for only $100 per person" No one disputes that that is a pretty good deal. Telling me it's FREE is misleading. Adding the 'gratuity' to the original package price is a stretch. We all also understand that it's not really a gratuity, but a revenue stream. NCL is allowed to seek revenue streams wherever they can and good for them in finding one that seems to be working. We understand that. IT IS NOT FREE though. These threads will continue because people don't like being told something is free when it isn't. And we all know "nothing" is ever free. It's semantics and I'm sure NCL management and or lawyers are quite certain using that term has no legal ramnifactions. If everyone could just get passed the word "free" and realize that paying 200.00 per couple to drink for 7 days and be Happy about would be better than complaining. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moby0215 Posted November 26, 2016 #46 Share Posted November 26, 2016 I think most people understand it perfectly well. The perk is " Purchase an unlimited drink package for only $100 per person" No one disputes that that is a pretty good deal. Telling me it's FREE is misleading. Adding the 'gratuity' to the original package price is a stretch. We all also understand that it's not really a gratuity, but a revenue stream. NCL is allowed to seek revenue streams wherever they can and good for them in finding one that seems to be working. We understand that. IT IS NOT FREE though. These threads will continue because people don't like being told something is free when it isn't. If one were to purchase the UBP then they would be charged 2 line items. One for the package and one for the service charge. So it is absolutely valid to say that the Package is free while one still has to pay the service charge. Similar to how it would be at a restaurant where you had a coupon for a free meal. Your bill would come and that one item would be $0.00 but you would still be obligated to pay gratuities.would it be nice if they didn't charge the service charge as part of the perk? Absolutely! But it is still a great deal and I see. I reason they shouldn't call it free. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveL00 Posted November 26, 2016 #47 Share Posted November 26, 2016 (edited) It wouldn't be thanksgiving without an argument about the drinks package and service charge. I love holiday traditions! That made me :). Now someone please give me the link to the post about the new policy banning bringing your own soda or water onboard. The price of their bottled water is more obscene than the UBP service charge. Edited November 26, 2016 by DaveL00 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveH2508 Posted November 26, 2016 #48 Share Posted November 26, 2016 Can someone answer me this: Why does every other cruise line who offers a free drinks package, not charge gratuities on it? Could it possibly be because their packages have a significantly lower per day price and include more things? While people happily gobble up NCL's rather shady marketing hype and gouging price structure, then this state of affairs will continue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinIllinois Posted November 26, 2016 #49 Share Posted November 26, 2016 That made me :). Now someone please give me the link to the post about the new policy banning bringing your own soda or water onboard. The price of their bottled water is more obscene than the UBP service charge. That info is in the NCL Frequently Asked Questions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moby0215 Posted November 26, 2016 #50 Share Posted November 26, 2016 Can someone answer me this: Why does every other cruise line who offers a free drinks package, not charge gratuities on it? Could it possibly be because their packages have a significantly lower per day price and include more things? While people happily gobble up NCL's rather shady marketing hype and gouging price structure, then this state of affairs will continue. I do not believe this is an accurate statement. I am pretty sure Carnival charges a service charge on their beverage package plus their package is limited to 15 drinks a day. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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