UDP 25% a la carte from June

[punkincc]

See bolded red above. It's there - just not in the exact same place.

 

Thanks! I hadn't had my first cup yet!

 

But still, either very badly worded to mean that the cover charges and auto gratuity are INCLUDED in the package price or they are intending to add the 18% on the ship for those who purchased the package before it was included. I would hope not, but nothing would surprise me at this point.

Edited April 6, 2015 by punkincc

[raymondreddington]

Thanks to the OP for posting this. Now- how many theories, what-ifs and references to quadruple triple dog dipping will I see on this thread?

My money is on 165 before Wednesday at 6am .

[mking8288]

... Does anyone know what they have booked or will get included with their cruse? With different wording in different regions/bookings and communication to the ships you can be sure of a .....

My morning coffee was DIY and still free at the water cooler, no "codes" needed - just stir & enjoying a 12 oz. one.

 

Hated to pronounce it here as I'm reading about the latest amendments a/k/a revised fineprints, again - the infamous NCL website continued to get updated. That's good, it meant that they got a new I.T. head in there running the ops & patching up their "loopholes" - oops, shutting out the grandfathered provisions & CYA, good for the business & bottomline, theirs & not necessary ours. Hence, there is no "bottom line" with NCL

With all these promo codes, they (and, we here on CC) are going to need a new APP to keep track of it all and to apply the "correct" charges & fees so there will be fewer disagreement here on who said what and misunderstood the wording & subsequently misquoted the replies to the words, yada yada.

-

The "audit" App would be free but a convenience fee will apply, of course - and, for those with the Haven package ...

Or, just sign a blank credit card slip pre-authorizing NCL to charge as much as $$$$ per cruise as the upper limits on spending, and then just enjoy the cruise & stop the witching (oops, typo - should be a "b" in front of the itching) :eek: :D Why worry, it's just money - be happy! Right ...

 

send from my Google Nexus 5/7 via Tapatalk

Edited April 6, 2015 by mking8288

[RikkuCat]

A 25% discount on a la carte restaurants with the UDP seems better than a 20% discount, so I think we're coming out ahead...or at least, we will if we have the UDP and take advantage of the discount at a la carte restaurants. The auto-gratuity is still no big deal to me, as I have always tipped at specialty restaurants.

 

Between the noodle bar now being free and a higher discount on a la carte dining, I'm not unhappy.

[swedish weave]

We just returned yesterday from the Star, and the higher priced specialty restaurants were booked nearly solid after the first day. We did not have the UDP but couldn't get a second night at the Le Bistro or Moderno, so settled for La Cuchina.

 

With the size of Cagney's reduced by using a portion for Moderno, I foresee a lot of difficulty getting into both places after the promotion increases the number of people using these restaurants. Moderno now holds 40 people and I am not sure what Cagney's capacity is now.

[jaja]

We just returned yesterday from the Star, and the higher priced specialty restaurants were booked nearly solid after the first day. We did not have the UDP but couldn't get a second night at the Le Bistro or Moderno, so settled for La Cuchina.

 

With the size of Cagney's reduced by using a portion for Moderno, I foresee a lot of difficulty getting into both places after the promotion increases the number of people using these restaurants. Moderno now holds 40 people and I am not sure what Cagney's capacity is now.

 

:( Sorry to hear this.....we are going on the Gem in June...and plan to use our Platinum dinners at LeBistro and stock ownership dinner at Cagneys...we do eat early..so hope that helps....:confused:

[insidecabin]

Could be the choice sale has messed up and overloaded speciality as things move forward.

 

In JAN on the Spirit it was still fairly open all cruise, I got into Tepanyaki last sea day lunch when there were no shows, was going for Sushi/noodles.

 

If people with UK/EU reservations can't get bookings in the specialities maybe they will have to start bumping the US bookings from specialty reservations as their cruise bookings come with lower protections that don't offer protections for these sort of issues.

Edited April 6, 2015 by insidecabin

[mydreamvacation]

We are on the Star this July. As we are in a suite I could book my dining yesterday. Cagney's didn't show up on the list so I called NCL. I was told that they were informed that Cagney's currently is a "stop sell" and that I will have to book it on board. That was my favorite restaurant. I do hope that we will be able to get in. I guess I will check daily to see if it comes back up

[cruisebie]

A 25% discount on a la carte restaurants with the UDP seems better than a 20% discount, so I think we're coming out ahead...or at least, we will if we have the UDP and take advantage of the discount at a la carte restaurants. The auto-gratuity is still no big deal to me, as I have always tipped at specialty restaurants.

 

Between the noodle bar now being free and a higher discount on a la carte dining, I'm not unhappy.

 

 

 

But is the noodle bar, in fact, free? If you look at the OP's post, the noodle bar is listed as one of those restaurants where UDP holders will receive a 25% discount after July 3, 2015.

 

Since the Illusionarium/Cirque show has been removed as free on the first night, the value of the additional 5% discount would have to exceed the benefit removed for me to feel I was coming out ahead or at least even. The additional discount at Ocean Blue would be around $1.95. If I take this as the average additional discount I would get by visiting any of the a la carte or specialities not included in UDP, I would have to eat there 21 times in 7 days to recoup the cost of the removed benefit. So I just don't believe it's possible to come out ahead on this.

[js]

Sorry I know this is a hot topic but Im in the Haven and have the threesome. I booked quite a while ago for August 2016.

 

When I use the UDP in a restaurant, will the 18% automatically be added since Ive already purchased or will I need to add myself. I always tip at specialties with cash but would like to know the answer to my question.

 

Thank you.

[NMLady]

To me it reads as the 18% is a gratuityandservice charge- it's only 18% but is a service charge/ gratuity rolled in to one.

 

That is the way I read it as well.

[NMLady]

Sorry I know this is a hot topic but Im in the Haven and have the threesome. I booked quite a while ago for August 2016.

 

When I use the UDP in a restaurant, will the 18% automatically be added since Ive already purchased or will I need to add myself. I always tip at specialties with cash but would like to know the answer to my question.

 

Thank you.

 

Who knows what the rules will be a year from now? Right now the answer would be No, you would not have the 18% added on.

But who knows what changes will be made in the next 16 months? Maybe NCL will do away with that charge completely, maybe they'll charge it to those who didn't already pay it. Who knows?

[insidecabin]

Thinking about capacity,

 

AIUI north american sailings tended to fill up specialities much more than the EU sailing anyway before the UDP was a free option.

 

Perhaps we need a report from the Spirit or Jade on how things are going as for quite a while you got 2 choices so no ned to chose between UDP and UBP.

[tiffygirl]

Did they reduce the price of the UDP???

 

When i try and book for my January cruise i received this:

 

Dining Order Form

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please select a single recipient.

 

 

 

 

The Ultimate Dining Package has been added for all guests on this reservation. Please check out or continue shopping.

 

 

Add to Cart

 

Total: $ 116.82

 

The Ultimate Dining Package price includes an 18% gratuity and specialty service charge.

 

< Continue Shopping

 

 

 

 

VIEW SHOPPING

_____

next page it gives me the option of payment. I don't see any other charges???

 

not complaining just making an observation as i thought the package went up to $140 including 18% gratuity

[rvsullivan]

Did they reduce the price of the UDP???

 

When i try and book for my January cruise i received this:

 

Dining Order Form

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please select a single recipient.

 

 

 

 

The Ultimate Dining Package has been added for all guests on this reservation. Please check out or continue shopping.

 

 

Add to Cart

 

Total: $ 116.82

 

The Ultimate Dining Package price includes an 18% gratuity and specialty service charge.

 

< Continue Shopping

 

 

 

 

VIEW SHOPPING

_____

next page it gives me the option of payment. I don't see any other charges???

 

not complaining just making an observation as i thought the package went up to $140 including 18% gratuity

 

 

You must be Platinum?? Rate for Platinum is $99. With 18% it becomes $116.82.

[tiffygirl]

You must be Platinum?? Rate for Platinum is $99. With 18% it becomes $116.82.

 

Thank you!!!! Thank you!!! I completely forgot about the platiunum part!!

[Imalismom]

Ultimate Dining Package

 

 

For Sailings on or after July 3rd, 2015

An 18% gratuity and specialty service charge will be added to the package price.

 

 

<snip>

 

The UDP does not include beverages or corresponding gratuity.

 

okay, I'm confused... which one is it? one line says it is included in the price, another line says does not include corresponding gratuity.

 

 

 

We sail July 18th on POA. I paid for our UDP many many moons ago....

[insidecabin]

Allthough that stuff I found is dated to change 2 july

 

I am now seeing a few places where they say 25% and no chang date.

 

PEople will start expecting 25%.

[SteveH2508]

okay, I'm confused... which one is it? one line says it is included in the price, another line says does not include corresponding gratuity.

 

 

 

We sail July 18th on POA. I paid for our UDP many many moons ago....

 

That is referring to the beverage gratuity of 18%.

[LrgPizza]

.

Best. Username. Ever.

[Imalismom]

A side note - We purchased our UDP in Jan - the cost was $119.00 per person.

 

I just looked now, the cost is $140.42 per person.

 

Which just happens to be 18% more than what we paid....

 

Which makes our plan's cost a little better (especially since they gave so many of them away after we paid for ours)...

 

Since I can't try this out - it would be interesting to see if they try to add another 18% charge to the $140.42 cost...

An 18% gratuity and specialty service charge will be added to the package price

 

Also - can NCL come back and try to add 18% to what I have already paid for? Just curious....

Edited April 7, 2015 by Imalismom

[LrgPizza]

 

Also - can NCL come back and try to add 18% to what I have already paid for? Just curious....

Can they? Sure. Are they going to? Of course not. Good grief, people.

[Imalismom]

Can they? Sure. Are they going to? Of course not. Good grief, people.

 

Not a good grief people, I have never sailed NCL before - for me, it was a legitimate question, since I just do not know, and I am in the last stages of budgeting for the cruise. I could call NCL, but it is easier for me to ask here.

 

If NCL was going to add $85 to what I owe, and the cruise payment is due 100% by Thursday, then I would need to know to send them that much more money. Since we are paid 100% now, I would not be anticipating owing any money on Thursday.

 

So, for me, it was a legitimate question. For a seasoned NCL traveler, it might not be.

Edited April 7, 2015 by Imalismom

[LrgPizza]

Not a good grief people, I have never sailed NCL before - for me, it was a legitimate question, since I just do not know, and I am in the last stages of budgeting for the cruise. I could call NCL, but it is easier for me to ask here.

 

If NCL was going to add $85 to what I owe, and the cruise payment is due 100% by Thursday, then I would need to know to send them that much more money. Since we are paid 100% now, I would not be anticipating owing any money on Thursday.

 

So, for me, it was a legitimate question. For a seasoned NCL traveler, it might not be.

Yes, you are right. The good grief was because that question is being asked by 20 people each day, most of whom are freaking out. That was not you, and you wouldn't have known that. :o

[BermudaBound2014]

"You might think that; I couldn't possibly comment." (Francis Urquhart - House of Cards):rolleyes:

 

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