Gratuity on Free Ultimate Beverage Package

[biguntx]

I had the opportunity, upon booking, to receive the Ultimate Beverage Package free. I goes without saying that I accepted the offer.

 

However, since I did not pay for the package, how do I tip?

 

As I understand the process, upon purchase of the package a 15% gratuity is tacked on....

 

I want the recognize the hard working bar staff but I'm not sure of the protocol in this circumstance.

 

I am very familiar the gratuity process but not very familiar with the for free process as it relates to booking a cruise.

 

Help.

 

Thanks in advance

[njhorseman]

If you read the promotion's terms and conditions you'll see it says "Ultimate beverage package option includes 15% gratuity on the package", so you shouldn't have to tip. In theory NCL will roll money into the tip pool as if you had purchased the UBP. Of course you can always tip the server or bartender an additional amount if you wish.

[cliffd64]

Your UBP promotion is completely paid for, including any gratuity... Enjoy it!

 

There are bartenders and bar servers who will definitely earn an extra tip given the opportunity. It never hurts to spread a little around especially to your favorite poolside server... They will take extra good care of you :) A little scratch can go a long way :)

[pathubia]

When we had the UBP in October, we would give the server a little extra once and a while.....

[biguntx]

If you read the promotion's terms and conditions you'll see it says "Ultimate beverage package option includes 15% gratuity on the package", so you shouldn't have to tip. In theory NCL will roll money into the tip pool as if you had purchased the UBP. Of course you can always tip the server or bartender an additional amount if you wish.

 

I didn't read the promotion. I was no aware of the promotion. It was offered on the phone while booking.

 

But you're probably right if I had read the promotion I would have seen that.

 

Sorry for your trouble.

[biguntx]

Your UBP promotion is completely paid for, including any gratuity... Enjoy it!

 

There are bartenders and bar servers who will definitely earn an extra tip given the opportunity. It never hurts to spread a little around especially to your favorite poolside server... They will take extra good care of you :) A little scratch can go a long way :)

 

 

Thanks,

[biguntx]

When we had the UBP in October, we would give the server a little extra once and a while.....

 

 

Thanks...I am a legendary over tipper.

[pathubia]

Thanks...I am a legendary over tipper.

 

I am the same, I kept telling my boyfriend, you know we dont have to tip, but then we both did anyways....

[Sparkygirl]

Thanks...I am a legendary over tipper.

 

Glad to know we are not alone in that custom! :)

[PlanoDebbie]

We've never sailed on NCL, and are considering a Spring Break cruise. We have sailed on Carnival, Princess and HAL, so we're not new to cruising.

 

One of the packages we are considering comes with this Ultimate Beverage option. I haven't been able to find any sort of list of what type of beverages would be included. I know soft drinks are included. Mostly we drink Miller Lite, an occasional mixed drink and wine. Would we be able to get our Miller Lite? What sort of mixed drinks would be included? Bloody Mary type drinks?

Thanks,

[LrgPizza]

We've never sailed on NCL, and are considering a Spring Break cruise. We have sailed on Carnival, Princess and HAL, so we're not new to cruising.

 

 

 

One of the packages we are considering comes with this Ultimate Beverage option. I haven't been able to find any sort of list of what type of beverages would be included. I know soft drinks are included. Mostly we drink Miller Lite, an occasional mixed drink and wine. Would we be able to get our Miller Lite? What sort of mixed drinks would be included? Bloody Mary type drinks?

 

Thanks,

http://www.ncl.com/promo/ultimate-beverage-package/terms

Any alcoholic beverages $10 and under, which is nearly everything.

Edited January 8, 2015 by LrgPizza

[njhorseman]

We've never sailed on NCL, and are considering a Spring Break cruise. We have sailed on Carnival, Princess and HAL, so we're not new to cruising.

 

One of the packages we are considering comes with this Ultimate Beverage option. I haven't been able to find any sort of list of what type of beverages would be included. I know soft drinks are included. Mostly we drink Miller Lite, an occasional mixed drink and wine. Would we be able to get our Miller Lite? What sort of mixed drinks would be included? Bloody Mary type drinks?

Thanks,

 

Here's the description of what's included, from (dare I say it at the risk of offending yet another person ;)) the Terms and Conditions. Essentially it is beer, wine, spirits and cocktails that would cost up to $10 per drink, plus fountain sodas and juices...plus a few odds and ends and discounts:

 

Ultimate Beverage Package:

Variety of spirits and cocktails, wines by the glass and bottled or draft beer up to $10.

Includes fountain soda and juice, Non-alcoholic beer is included.

Ultimate beverage package option includes 15% gratuity on the package.

Ultimate beverage option is only available for guests 25 and older on any sailing from 3/1 - 4/15.

A 20% discount will be given on bottles of wine (champagne and sparkling included) purchased on board, Applicable taxes, US and VAT may apply based on certain destinations.

Does not apply to the Ice Bars. Variety of spirits, cocktails, wines by the glass and bottled or draft beer over $10.

Does not include room service, package sales ,bottled water, ship specific promotions or beer buckets, designated Super Premium brands (subject to change), bottled wine, mini bar purchases, fresh squeezed juices, Lavazza Coffee beverages, wine dispenser, energy drinks or vending machines.

All 3-8 guests will receive a soda package.

[bobg529]

As everyone here has pretty much noted, no further gratuity is required. But I always try to give a few dollars here and there to the bar staff that give me special service. The ones that get to know my name, and how I like my drink, and remember to bring me a jar of those nice cocktail snacks that NCL has. And let me not forget that waitress that remembered that I don't care for hot sauce in my morning Bloody Mary!:eek: Have a great time! :D

[Froggitt]

We've never sailed on NCL, and are considering a Spring Break cruise. We have sailed on Carnival, Princess and HAL, so we're not new to cruising.

 

One of the packages we are considering comes with this Ultimate Beverage option.

Is the UBP available over Spring Break?

[Demonyte]

Is the UBP available over Spring Break?

 

Yes, they removed the blackout and added higher agelimit for UBP for that period (25 years old minimum).

Edited January 8, 2015 by Demonyte

[Sandy1975]

Here's the description of what's included, from (dare I say it at the risk of offending yet another person ;)) the Terms and Conditions. Essentially it is beer, wine, spirits and cocktails that would cost up to $10 per drink, plus fountain sodas and juices...plus a few odds and ends and discounts:

 

Ultimate Beverage Package:

Variety of spirits and cocktails, wines by the glass and bottled or draft beer up to $10.

Includes fountain soda and juice, Non-alcoholic beer is included.

Ultimate beverage package option includes 15% gratuity on the package.

Ultimate beverage option is only available for guests 25 and older on any sailing from 3/1 - 4/15.

A 20% discount will be given on bottles of wine (champagne and sparkling included) purchased on board, Applicable taxes, US and VAT may apply based on certain destinations.

Does not apply to the Ice Bars. Variety of spirits, cocktails, wines by the glass and bottled or draft beer over $10.

Does not include room service, package sales ,bottled water, ship specific promotions or beer buckets, designated Super Premium brands (subject to change), bottled wine, mini bar purchases, fresh squeezed juices, Lavazza Coffee beverages, wine dispenser, energy drinks or vending machines.

All 3-8 guests will receive a soda package.

 

Thanks for this. Would drinks with Grey Goose, Ketel One and Pyrat Rum put you over the $10 limit? Also, if bottled water is not included, can you bring your own? Finally, absolutely no coffee drinks are included (similar to Starbucks or Al Bacio from Celebrity) ?

[Demonyte]

Thanks for this. Would drinks with Grey Goose, Ketel One and Pyrat Rum put you over the $10 limit? Also, if bottled water is not included, can you bring your own? Finally, absolutely no coffee drinks are included (similar to Starbucks or Al Bacio from Celebrity) ?

 

Can't help with the "ultra premium" brands, yes you can bring as much water as you like (in some ports you need to carry them in your carryon, in most you can check cases of water/soda with your luggage. No speciality coffees at all, regular coffee drinks like Irish Coffee are included.

[pathubia]

Thanks for this. Would drinks with Grey Goose, Ketel One and Pyrat Rum put you over the $10 limit? Also, if bottled water is not included, can you bring your own? Finally, absolutely no coffee drinks are included (similar to Starbucks or Al Bacio from Celebrity) ?

 

Grey Goose was included, didnt order any of the others.....I always bring my own water and cans of soda. Never ordered coffee drinks, so I cant help you there....

[Sandy1975]

Grey Goose was included, didnt order any of the others.....I always bring my own water and cans of soda. Never ordered coffee drinks, so I cant help you there....

 

Thanks, if Grey Goose is included then the other ones might also be in the package limits.

[ftelah]

For those that have had the package before do you know if it frozen drinks is within the $10 or below price range making them included in the offer?

[Demonyte]

For those that have had the package before do you know if it frozen drinks is within the $10 or below price range making them included in the offer?

 

One doesn't need to have had the package, price lists will do just fine. ;)

 

 

 

 

 

(Photos by CC member Gambee, pics of UBP paperwork have old $$$ limits: http://www.cruisewithgambee.com/norwegian-drink-lists/)

Edited January 8, 2015 by Demonyte

[ftelah]

One doesn't need to have had the package, price lists will do just fine. ;)

 

 

 

 

 

(Photos by CC member Gambee, pics of UBP paperwork have old $$$ limits: http://www.cruisewithgambee.com/norwegian-drink-lists/)

 

Thank you I hadn't seen this. I was inquiring because I was pretty sure to start with that it was stating that the gratuities were included with the promotion that NCL has right now that you can get the drink pkg for free but was asking a travel agent last night then also was asking her about frozen drinks( as I wasn't sure if they were specialty) but that I was pretty sure they were under $10 as long as they weren't in the souvenir glass she was trying to tell me I was wrong that we would have to pay the gratuities yet and that no frozen drinks would be because they were priced over $10. I had a hard time believing any of it. I recently had informed them that the free OBC could not be used toward gratuities but they didn't believe me, so they called NCL themselves only to find out I knew what I was talking about. Unfortunately the travel agent from this company that I have used in the past that is more knowledgeable about these things isn't in the office until tomorrow and I wouldn't even use the company if it weren't a requirement for the discount through Discover. Thank you again for you help it is much appreciated. We are not really drinkers and don't order much of anything onboard so we aren't even sure if this is a good choice for us or if we should just take the OBC instead but thought it would be the time to try it if we ever were going to then we could just try different things to even see if we like them : )

[welove2cruise2014]

We had pre-purchased the UBP on our last cruise, and while the gratuity was included on each drink purchase, we found ourselves leaving an extra $1 or $2 on each drink order at certain bars. Needless to say, that adds up, as seen on our multi-page statement at the end of the cruise :eek:

 

As an aside... I drank plenty of frozen mudslides and frozen daiquiris. They were most certainly included in the UBP :D

[cliffd64]

We had pre-purchased the UBP on our last cruise, and while the gratuity was included on each drink purchase, we found ourselves leaving an extra $1 or $2 on each drink order at certain bars. Needless to say, that adds up, as seen on our multi-page statement at the end of the cruise :eek:

 

As an aside... I drank plenty of frozen mudslides and frozen daiquiris. They were most certainly included in the UBP :D

 

We preferred using cash for our extra tips which did not result in a surprise at the end. Most of our "tips" were actually like "retainer fees" that we gave to our favorite bar server...

[Landl cruiser]

We preferred using cash for our extra tips which did not result in a surprise at the end. Most of our "tips" were actually like "retainer fees" that we gave to our favorite bar server...

 

Cash is always better. That way you know that your tip goes to the person who gave you the great service.

 

You can get the extra $$ by either going to your bank pre cruise, or going to the casino or guest relations and asking them to break down a larger bill.

 

We usually lighten our wallets by a buck or so every day and by the time the cruise comes around we have lots of singles to take with us.