Free isn't always free

[raea416]

Since when? Can you show us where this policy is documented? Or are you mistakenly talking about the DSC?

 

 

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Please see link posted above by doughboy.

 

 

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[Moby0215]

Please see link posted above by doughboy.

 

 

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That is the DSC, not the gratuity for the UBP or SDP. As far as I am aware there is no way to get around paying the 18% for the UBP or SDP.

 

 

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[4774Papa]

Faulty logic. No, the price of the drink may not be worth it to me - but it is the only option. So the logic is - would you buy a drink without the package or just drink water or ice tea all the time. If you would buy a couple drinks a day anyway, the package is worth it

Maverick,

I disagree with the last part of your statement:

 

If you would buy a couple drinks a day anyway, the package is worth it

 

Paying 18% on the so called value of the drinks package is something that only NCL does. Also, NCL doesn't allow you to bring on water or cola. Other cruise lines don't have these rules.

 

We had the FREE drinks package before NCL started charging the 18%. It was on the Sun cruise of Alaska. Great cruise, by the way. We could have selected another option giving a positive value, like for shore excursions. We chose this for our next cruise to NE and Canada. That package is worth $200 pp.

 

As I recall, if we had chosen the drinks packages for our NE Canada cruise for 7 days the amount of the 18% would be about $200pp. Add the $200 gained from the shore excursion credit, we have $400 which would amount to saving $57 per day not getting the drinks package

 

Also, since we are Platinum, we have receive two free bottles of wine, which we can drink and not purchase any drinks.

 

For example, one night on the Sun, we dined at LE BISTRO and drank only the bottle of wine that came with the meal. We didn't want any other alcohol.

 

I have kept track of our alcohol expenditures on all our cruises. On a typical 14 day cruise, we will spend from $350 to $450. That is without the drinks packages.

 

The drink packages may make sense for some people, but not for us. Also, the red wine selection on the DP is poor. There are no robust cabernets. We found the chardonnay to be good, but we mostly drink cabernet.

 

NCL needs to change it's policies on what is included in the packages and eliminate the gratuity, in line with other cruise lines.