Beverage Package - WATER TO BE INCLUDED!

[GeriatricNurse]

At an NCL Cruise Presentation in my hometown yesterday morning, Katie Kania, Regional Manager, Sales & Marketing at NCL, stated that effective January 2, 2023, a 'complimentary' 6-Litre/Quart Package of 'FLOW' Water would be delivered to your Cabin/Stateroom, as currently, the water is NOT included in the 'Beverage Package'!

[vacation44]

Per person or per cabin?

[david_sobe]

1 hour ago, GeriatricNurse said:

At an NCL Cruise Presentation in my hometown yesterday morning, Katie Kania, Regional Manager, Sales & Marketing at NCL, stated that effective January 2, 2023, a 'complimentary' 6-Litre/Quart Package of 'FLOW' Water would be delivered to your Cabin/Stateroom, as currently, the water is NOT included in the 'Beverage Package'!

NCL started an upgraded beverage package that includes water.  Is this for the upcharge beverage package or the original beverage package?  If my memory is correct, for another $50 per day the package included water, Starbucks, specialty coffees and all top shelf liquor. 

Edited September 22, 2022 by david_sobe

[pickle11]

Beverage package goes up to $138 a day in January.  Not including tips.  Way to go NCL.  

[BamaCruiser39]

25 minutes ago, pickle11 said:

Beverage package goes up to $138 a day in January.  Not including tips.  Way to go NCL.  

NCL has lost their damn minds

[LaCal]

37 minutes ago, pickle11 said:

Beverage package goes up to $138 a day in January.  Not including tips.  Way to go NCL.  

yeah but no one buys the drink pkg outright 

 

You get it free as a perk

and only pay the gratuities which is like $136 per person for a 7 day cruise 

 

Then if you want you can upgrade to the Premium Plus 

[Two Wheels Only]

36 minutes ago, pickle11 said:

Beverage package goes up to $138 a day in January.  Not including tips.  Way to go NCL.  

 

PBP goes up to $109

PPBP goes up to $138

 

PBP will include a 6-pack of water. The service charge on the promo goes up by $2 pppd. 

[Turtles06]

15 minutes ago, LaCal said:

You get it free as a perk

and only pay the gratuities which is like $136 per person for a 7 day cruise 

 

Isn't the gratuity 20%?  Doesn't that make it $27.60 per person per day? $193.20 for 7 days?   And lots of folks take much longer cruises.

 

If one person in a couple doesn't drink much alcohol, the gratuity is becoming more and more of a real hit.  

 

And since, as you said, most people don't buy the beverage package outright, NCL can just keep artificially inflating the price, with the consequent increase in gratuities, which is a genuine hit in the wallet. 

Edited September 22, 2022 by Turtles06

[Two Wheels Only]

12 minutes ago, Turtles06 said:

Isn't the gratuity 20%?  Doesn't that make it $27.60 per person per day? $193.20 for 7 days?   And lots of folks take much longer cruises.

 

For the standard/promo package, the service charge is currently $19.80pppd. ($138.60 for 7 days)

 

After the increase, the standard/promo package service charge will be $21.80pppd. ($152.60 for 7 days)

 

$14 increase but you get the 6-pack of water. 

Edited September 22, 2022 by Two Wheels Only

[spanishguy1970]

 

1 hour ago, BamaCruiser39 said:

NCL has lost their damn minds

thankfully we never take the drinking package.

[vacation44]

41 minutes ago, Two Wheels Only said:

 

For the standard/promo package, the service charge is currently $19.80pppd. ($138.60 for 7 days)

 

After the increase, the standard/promo package service charge will be $21.80pppd. ($152.60 for 7 days)

 

$14 increase but you get the 6-pack of water. 

So if you have two in the cabin taking the PBP, the free six pack of water comes out to $28?   Or do you get two six packs?

[SeaShark]

1 hour ago, LaCal said:

yeah but no one buys the drink pkg outright 

 

You get it free as a perk

and only pay the gratuities which is like $136 per person for a 7 day cruise 

 

Then if you want you can upgrade to the Premium Plus 

 

Please tell me that you don't really think that you get the package for free. As the cost is built into the fare structure, you're paying for it whether you take it or not.

[pickle11]

1 hour ago, LaCal said:

yeah but no one buys the drink pkg outright 

 

You get it free as a perk

and only pay the gratuities which is like $136 per person for a 7 day cruise 

 

Then if you want you can upgrade to the Premium Plus 

Oh.  Then everything is OK.  Cheers

[Two Wheels Only]

29 minutes ago, vacation44 said:

So if you have two in the cabin taking the PBP, the free six pack of water comes out to $28?   Or do you get two six packs?

 

On paper, it's a 6-pack for each person who has the PBP (whether through promo or purchase). We'll have to wait until Jan. to see what actually happens. 

[GeriatricNurse]

10 hours ago, vacation44 said:

Per person or per cabin?

Per person, (if each person has the PBP!)

Edited September 22, 2022 by GeriatricNurse

[PATRLR]

54 minutes ago, GeriatricNurse said:

Per person, (if each person has the PBP!)

Really?  In another thread, where I was accused of hyperbole, I calculated that if 75% of the cabins select the beverage package, then that would mean for a ship with 2000 cabins, 9000 cartons of water would be handed out.  If it's every person, then the number becomes 18,000 cartons.  While I am sure many will go unused and remain in cabins from week to week, I still suspect there will be a tremendous amount of waste generated by this change.  

[dbrown84]

8 hours ago, SeaShark said:

 

Please tell me that you don't really think that you get the package for free. As the cost is built into the fare structure, you're paying for it whether you take it or not.

FACTS

[SeaShark]

57 minutes ago, PATRLR said:

Really?  In another thread, where I was accused of hyperbole, I calculated that if 75% of the cabins select the beverage package, then that would mean for a ship with 2000 cabins, 9000 cartons of water would be handed out.  If it's every person, then the number becomes 18,000 cartons.  While I am sure many will go unused and remain in cabins from week to week, I still suspect there will be a tremendous amount of waste generated by this change.  

Since the cost of the water given is built into the (now increased) price of the package, how exactly is unopened and unused water "waste"? Do you really think that the pricing model is going to do anything other than increase NCL's bottom line?

[BermudaBound2014]

1 hour ago, PATRLR said:

Really?  In another thread, where I was accused of hyperbole, I calculated that if 75% of the cabins select the beverage package, then that would mean for a ship with 2000 cabins, 9000 cartons of water would be handed out.  If it's every person, then the number becomes 18,000 cartons.  While I am sure many will go unused and remain in cabins from week to week, I still suspect there will be a tremendous amount of waste generated by this change.  

 

That's a lot of water! Wouldn't it be easier to just include it in the package and have people get it at the bar when they want it  (like Celebrity)? 

[Sea saw 56]

I believe a 6-Pak per person will be way too much for the majority of folks.

We just returned last week from a 10-day on the NCL Spirit.  We probably drink more water than many with the drink package, because we drink it with meds several times a day, and in the morning and late evening.  

The last two cruises we purchased the 6 liter package for $23+change w/ gratuity.  Both cruises we left water cartons behind since we also get 2/each of the 1/2 liter cartons as Lattitude amenities.

6-liter bottles per passenger will lead to a lot of leftover cartons sitting around on debark day, IMO.

 

[vacation44]

Another question:  I know this change goes into effect January 1, 2023, but if you booked a cruise before the price increase but sail after January 1st,  do you still get the water?

[cabincop]

I drink a half gallon a day. I love this. 

[grozzy1]

25 minutes ago, vacation44 said:

Another question:  I know this change goes into effect January 1, 2023, but if you booked a cruise before the price increase but sail after January 1st,  do you still get the water?

I'd like to know too. I'm sailing 15th January and have pre-booked 6 litres of water.

[phillygwm]

15 hours ago, david_sobe said:

NCL started an upgraded beverage package that includes water.  Is this for the upcharge beverage package or the original beverage package?  If my memory is correct, for another $50 per day the package included water, Starbucks, specialty coffees and all top shelf liquor. 

It's an extra $34.80/day (which is going up but still not $50.)  The 6 liters of water is the basic beverage package.  Premium Plus includes an unlimited amount of water/sparkling/Sbux (2 at a time.)  FAS+ is $49/day ($42 for solo travelers) but that also includes Internet, a couple extra premium meals, and an additional $50 excursion credit.

[jbcallender]

On 9/22/2022 at 7:40 AM, LaCal said:

yeah but no one buys the drink pkg outright 

 

You get it free as a perk

and only pay the gratuities which is like $136 per person for a 7 day cruise 

 

Then if you want you can upgrade to the Premium Plus 

A "free" perk that you need to pay - in my case - on a 12 day cruise almost $500 additional dollars to take advantage of.  Kind of a good news/bad news thing.