Gratuity on Free at Sea packages

[beerman2]

45 minutes ago, SNJCruisers said:

There is a very simple way to end this debate once and for all.  Those that like to drink while on vacation see the value in paying 20.00 per day for the grats plus the difference in price from the sailaway rate to the regular rate.  Those who are teetotalers pay the sailaway rate so they don't have to pay the upcharge difference or the 20% service charge.

And the 2 drink per day pax will never understand the difference. Our last cruise was on CCL and the drink package was 900.00 for cheers. Most people are alarmed at that, but had I chose to pay by drink it would have been about 400.00 more.

 

 

BTW we will enjoy the Bliss in Jan. and have no problem paying/understanding the gratuities on our perks.

Edited October 30, 2018 by beerman2

[PTC DAWG]

50 minutes ago, SNJCruisers said:

There is a very simple way to end this debate once and for all.  Those that like to drink while on vacation see the value in paying 20.00 per day for the grats plus the difference in price from the sailaway rate to the regular rate.  Those who are teetotalers pay the sailaway rate so they don't have to pay the upcharge difference or the 20% service charge.

It really is a win win....

[PTC DAWG]

9 minutes ago, beerman2 said:

And the 2 drink per day pax will never understand the difference. Our last cruise was on CCL and the drink package was 900.00 for cheers. Most people are alarmed at that, but had I chose to pay by drink it would have been about 400.00 more.

 

 

BTW we will enjoy the Bliss in Jan. and have no problem paying/understanding the gratuities on our perks.

Good post, drinking on a ship is not free, especially the 3 big mainstream lines, NCL, Carnival and RCL...price your cruise, know what you want, compare total costs.  

 

Usually factoring other lines drink package costs, NCL comes out to the good for me, not all the time though.  I’ll add that I would never sail without a drink package...I know what I want out of a cruise.  No worries about a big bill at disembarkment. 

Edited October 30, 2018 by PTC DAWG

[beerman2]

1 minute ago, PTC DAWG said:

Good post, drinking on a ship is not free, especially the 3 big mainstream lines, NCL, Carnival and RCL...price your cruise, know what you want, compare total costs.  

 

Usually factoring other lines drink package costs, NCL comes out to the good for me, not all the time though.  I’ll add that I would never sail without a drink package...I know what I want out of a cruise.  No worries about a big bill at disembarkment. 

PTC Dawg

Exactly as that cruise cost me about 600.00 more than normally pay on NCL. But it "fit" our wants/needs at the time.

40th Anniversary ( Sailed that day)

Southern Caribbean ( which we hadn't done yet)

 

There are many  factors that go into planning a cruise that some lose sight of.

[PTC DAWG]

15 minutes ago, beerman2 said:

PTC Dawg

Exactly as that cruise cost me about 600.00 more than normally pay on NCL. But it "fit" our wants/needs at the time.

40th Anniversary ( Sailed that day)

Southern Caribbean ( which we hadn't done yet)

 

There are many  factors that go into planning a cruise that some lose sight of.

Good points, I booked a cruise on Celebrity next fall because it leaves exactly on our 30th anniversary and does the Southern Caribbean....

 

congrats on your 40th...sail on..

[niborHS]

You are all making a good point, you do what works for you. I have been on about 20 cruises, so the ports are more irrelevant to me than anything unless I do something like Windstar where I can hit the small islands that I have not been to. However, I am not only thinking about myself here, but my traveling companions. NCL's unlimited beverage package is $99 a day. So obviously if I were going with my husband, who would take the UBP without trying to decide if it was a good deal or not, it would definitely make sense to pay the higher price of the cabin. What also makes a difference is whether you drink soda, or drink during the day. Neither is the case with me.