tarps14 Posted December 31, 2013 #1 Share Posted December 31, 2013 I sent off our requests to the pre-cruise concierge this morning and received an email reply this afternoon. I included our three bottles of alcohol choices; Disaronno amaretto, Bailey's and Grey Goose L'orange. In the reply it stated that the "liquor upsell charges (which totalled $80!!) would be added to our onboard acct". Since when do they have "upsell" charges for the supposedly complimentary alcohol?!? We ordered the amaretto the last time we had an owner's suite and their was no additional charge. What am I missing here? For those interested, the charges were $40 for the amaretto, $40 for the Grey Goose and $20 for the Bailey's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishbait17 Posted December 31, 2013 #2 Share Posted December 31, 2013 I sent off our requests to the pre-cruise concierge this morning and received an email reply this afternoon. I included our three bottles of alcohol choices; Disaronno amaretto, Bailey's and Grey Goose L'orange. In the reply it stated that the "liquor upsell charges (which totalled $80!!) would be added to our onboard acct". Since when do they have "upsell" charges for the supposedly complimentary alcohol?!? We ordered the amaretto the last time we had an owner's suite and their was no additional charge. What am I missing here? For those interested, the charges were $40 for the amaretto, $40 for the Grey Goose and $20 for the Bailey's. They have always had a specific menu of bottles to choose from in Owner's Suites, and your brands were not included (although I think I remember seeing Bailey's on there a few years ago). In the past, the Concierge was often willing to provide a "free upgrade" or two without issue. It seems that lately, though, they have been sticking hard to the list and upgrading only at a fee, especially when pre-ordered - even the Garden Villa occupants have been charged extra for more premium brands. Robin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puddles99 Posted December 31, 2013 #3 Share Posted December 31, 2013 As was said, there's a very specific menu you can choose from. I don't have it easily accessible, but I can tell you that no top shelf brands (such as Gray Goose) are included. It's only well brands and a relatively short list of those. We were happy to make the most of it - free booze is, after all, free booze! ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparkygirl Posted December 31, 2013 #4 Share Posted December 31, 2013 (edited) The part missing is the pre cruise concierge menu of options. It clearly lists everything that is included in the complimentary alcohol selection. None of your requests were included on that list thus the charges. "Below are some of the complimentary amenities that will be made available to you, our valued suite guest. Please select your preferences from the menu below. Please choose 3 bottles from the list below." Liquor Beefeater Gin Grant's Blended Scotch Whiskey Smirnoff Vodka Jim Beam Burboun Seagram's 7 Crown Bacardi Superior Run Sauza Tequila Dry White Vermouth Sweet Red Vermouth Harvey's Bristol Cream Sherry Sandeman Reserve Port Jameson Irish Whisky Kahlua Alice White Chardonnay Kira Private Reserve Merlot Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Edited December 31, 2013 by Sparkygirl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tarps14 Posted January 1, 2014 Author #5 Share Posted January 1, 2014 The part missing is the pre cruise concierge menu of options. It clearly lists everything that is included in the complimentary alcohol selection. None of your requests were included on that list thus the charges. "Below are some of the complimentary amenities that will be made available to you, our valued suite guest. Please select your preferences from the menu below. Please choose 3 bottles from the list below." Liquor Beefeater Gin Grant's Blended Scotch Whiskey Smirnoff Vodka Jim Beam Burboun Seagram's 7 Crown Bacardi Superior Run Sauza Tequila Dry White Vermouth Sweet Red Vermouth Harvey's Bristol Cream Sherry Sandeman Reserve Port Jameson Irish Whisky Kahlua Alice White Chardonnay Kira Private Reserve Merlot Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Thanks for the info Fishbait and Puddles. Sparkygirl, we have been in suites twice before and never shown a list. Had I known of the existence of it, "clearly" I would have known better and would have known what was "missing from my post" (maybe next time the wording could be a little less "naughty child" and more "in the spirit of helpfulness"?).:o Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparkygirl Posted January 1, 2014 #6 Share Posted January 1, 2014 Thanks for the info Fishbait and Puddles. Sparkygirl, we have been in suites twice before and never shown a list. Had I known of the existence of it, "clearly" I would have known better and would have known what was "missing from my post" (maybe next time the wording could be a little less "naughty child" and more "in the spirit of helpfulness"?).:o I'm sorry, didn't mean it as such...your opening question was what you were missing. I meant it more as a missing puzzle piece or decoder ring not as a naughty child. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tarps14 Posted January 1, 2014 Author #7 Share Posted January 1, 2014 Thanks for clarifying, Sparkygirl (that little bit of snarkiness from me came to you courtesy of my landing on the wrong side of the bed this morning.....very much need this upcoming vacation!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparkygirl Posted January 1, 2014 #8 Share Posted January 1, 2014 Thanks for clarifying, Sparkygirl (that little bit of snarkiness from me came to you courtesy of my landing on the wrong side of the bed this morning.....very much need this upcoming vacation!). Enjoy your vacation! It probably doesn't help I've been sick and finally resorted to taking cough medicine. What I thought was a coherent response may well have been a disjointed gobbly gook of nonsense. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
galliegirlie Posted January 1, 2014 #9 Share Posted January 1, 2014 We sailed in a Deluxe Owner's Suite on the Dawn earlier this summer. About a month before sailing I started coordinating with the concierge service to make the bottle selections we wanted. I was emailed the alcohol list posted above, but I was also given a wine list with many other selections. I picked two wines off the wine list, and asked if I could substitute Malibu Rum for my 3rd bottle. After some checking, they responded back that this would be acceptable with no upcharge. When we got aboard the ship we had some difficulties. The butler insisted that the Malibu would be an upcharge, and he said that the other 2 wines chosen were not available. He brought us a different wine list to choose from, so we picked 2 others. Lucikly I had my email printouts where the online concierge said the Malibu would be no upcharge, so he finally relented and brought us the bottles late afternoon of Day 2 :eek: My mother and sister said that both wines were lousy, and they actually preferred the house wines offered in the MDR. I drank my Malibu in peace, and for once I didn't have to bring on bottles of 7-up to mix-in. I think we all enjoyed the unlimited water and soda perk of the Owner's suite more so than the free alcohol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Love my butler Posted January 1, 2014 #10 Share Posted January 1, 2014 The term you are looking for is 'nickel and diming the customer'. All cruise lines do it, and NCL is no exception. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksimpso3 Posted January 1, 2014 #11 Share Posted January 1, 2014 We sailed in a Deluxe Owner's Suite on the Dawn earlier this summer. About a month before sailing I started coordinating with the concierge service to make the bottle selections we wanted. I was emailed the alcohol list posted above, but I was also given a wine list with many other selections. I picked two wines off the wine list, and asked if I could substitute Malibu Rum for my 3rd bottle. After some checking, they responded back that this would be acceptable with no upcharge. When we got aboard the ship we had some difficulties. The butler insisted that the Malibu would be an upcharge, and he said that the other 2 wines chosen were not available. He brought us a different wine list to choose from, so we picked 2 others. Lucikly I had my email printouts where the online concierge said the Malibu would be no upcharge, so he finally relented and brought us the bottles late afternoon of Day 2 :eek: My mother and sister said that both wines were lousy, and they actually preferred the house wines offered in the MDR. I drank my Malibu in peace, and for once I didn't have to bring on bottles of 7-up to mix-in. I think we all enjoyed the unlimited water and soda perk of the Owner's suite more so than the free alcohol. I also thought the unlimited soda, water, juices, mixers were the best perk of the garden villa...I always had something to mix my alcohol with and had plenty of N/A drinks too :D. We had our butler bring us margarita mix from one of the bars along with a blender and kept a cooler full of ice at all times! Yummy!!:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dexddd Posted January 1, 2014 #12 Share Posted January 1, 2014 I sent off our requests to the pre-cruise concierge this morning and received an email reply this afternoon. I included our three bottles of alcohol choices; Disaronno amaretto, Bailey's and Grey Goose L'orange. In the reply it stated that the "liquor upsell charges (which totalled $80!!) would be added to our onboard acct". Since when do they have "upsell" charges for the supposedly complimentary alcohol?!? We ordered the amaretto the last time we had an owner's suite and their was no additional charge. What am I missing here? For those interested, the charges were $40 for the amaretto, $40 for the Grey Goose and $20 for the Bailey's. Bailey's was on the list at one time but they have cheapened up the offerings over the last couple years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puddles99 Posted January 1, 2014 #13 Share Posted January 1, 2014 I also thought the unlimited soda, water, juices, mixers were the best perk of the garden villa...I always had something to mix my alcohol with and had plenty of N/A drinks too :D. We had our butler bring us margarita mix from one of the bars along with a blender and kept a cooler full of ice at all times! Yummy!!:) I completely agree! We had grapefruit, orange, pineapple, and cranberry juices, sour, margarita, and piña colada mixes, a variety of sodas and full ice buckets at all times - fantastic perk even for the non-drinkers in our party! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldmom Posted January 1, 2014 #14 Share Posted January 1, 2014 I think there was a point a few years back where NCL had taken away all free booze in the upper level suites. It was only for a very short time if I remember correctly as they got tons of complaints. It's possible that instead of doing away with the perk completely, they decided to keep it but just downgrade the choices. I think I'd rather get something than nothing!:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garycarla Posted January 2, 2014 #15 Share Posted January 2, 2014 The term you are looking for is 'nickel and diming the customer'. All cruise lines do it, and NCL is no exception. A few years back, NCL removed the free booze option. Caused quite a bit off uproar. Totally accounting driven decision. After all, if they charged $5,000 for that cabin, what and wanted to save $200 on booze, they could just charged $5,200 for the cabin with no problem. Bad logic on their part. They reversed that decision in short order. Having a list does make reasonable sense. Saving themselves $10-$30 a bottle via upcharges is again short sighted. Anyone willing to pay $5,000 for the OS would just as easily pay $5,100 and be excited to have a longer list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Love my butler Posted January 2, 2014 #16 Share Posted January 2, 2014 A few years back, NCL removed the free booze option. Caused quite a bit off uproar. Totally accounting driven decision. After all, if they charged $5,000 for that cabin, what and wanted to save $200 on booze, they could just charged $5,200 for the cabin with no problem. Bad logic on their part. They reversed that decision in short order. Having a list does make reasonable sense. Saving themselves $10-$30 a bottle via upcharges is again short sighted. Anyone willing to pay $5,000 for the OS would just as easily pay $5,100 and be excited to have a longer list. Agreed. Bean counters gone wild. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angeljt Posted January 2, 2014 #17 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Boy, I hated reading this. :( We haven't cruised in over 4 years, but we were always able to get just about any liquor we wanted in the OS. We asked for Kettle One, and there it was, no extra charge. Sorry to hear things have changed. Not crazy about all the giant new ships either, but they seem to be doing fine without us. :eek: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now