Tips not included in UBP?? NCL says otherwise

[MacGuffin]

In anticipation of our upcoming Getaway cruise I've been reading some recent CC reviews. I was surprised to read a few that said passengers who had the Ultimate Beverage Package still had the tips remaining on their onboard account after the drink purchase was removed. NCL's promotion clearly states, "When choosing this offer, we’ll also take care of the 18% gratuity that’s normally added to this package!" I'm confused, does NCL pay for the gratuity or do passengers?

:confused:

[cliffd64]

If you have the UBP, whether you paid for it or received it as a promotion, there are NO additional charges that you are expected to pay for any of your drinks that are covered under the package... No gratuity... no 18%... nothing.

[Guindalf]

Oh gosh, not again.

 

The gratuities ARE included, so you pay nothing unless you want to add an extra tip.

 

However, you WILL have to pay any taxes due (State tax in port or state-owned waters like the Mississippi River, and VAT in Europe).

[sixesandeights]

In anticipation of our upcoming Getaway cruise I've been reading some recent CC reviews. I was surprised to read a few that said passengers who had the Ultimate Beverage Package still had the tips remaining on their onboard account after the drink purchase was removed. NCL's promotion clearly states, "When choosing this offer, we’ll also take care of the 18% gratuity that’s normally added to this package!" I'm confused, does NCL pay for the gratuity or do passengers?

:confused:

 

If you have UBP there is NO GRATUITY. This is asked about 3 times a day. You total per drink will be $0.00. 18% on $0.00 is $0.00. The total cost including gratuity for any drink priced $11 and under is $0.00.

 

6&8

[lbrandon]

We were on Epic a couple weeks ago. The 18% gratuity is included and you will not see it on your bill. I think people are getting confused because they are charged tax while they are in US waters. You do need to pay that as it is not covered by the UBP. Once you are outside of the US there is no tax on drinks. Also if you add an extra tip you will see just that extra amount on your room bill. I also saw someone's bill where they thought they were being charged for a drink but it was actually a specialty coffee they bought one morning.

[insanemagnet]

Oh gosh, not again.

...

However, you WILL have to pay any taxes due (State tax in port or state-owned waters like the Mississippi River, and VAT in Europe).

 

You should* not have to pay any VAT in Europe if you received the UBP as a promo, because VAT is calculated as a percentage of the amount you have paid.

 

10% of €0 is €0.

 

If you paid for the UBP, then you should* pay VAT on the cost of the UBP, so if $54 then 10% of $54 is $5.40.

 

The cost of the individual drinks is irrelevant for the VAT calculation when you have the UBP.

 

*This is not to say that NCL does do it this way, but should do it this way. If they add VAT to a theoretical price of a drink, then you are being overcharged.

Edited April 15, 2015 by insanemagnet

[cruisencrazy]

We were on the Epic last month. Miami taxed us on drinks until we were far enough away, which for us, was about 6pm. Those drinks had a small tax on them that we did have to pay. We are doing Epic again (loved the ship and crew) in Europe and will probably get hit with tax in and near port there as well. It's a tiny amount and not worth worrying about.

[insanemagnet]

We are doing Epic again (loved the ship and crew) in Europe and will probably get hit with tax in and near port there as well.

 

For cruises from Spain, with no non-EU stops like the Epic, then Spanish VAT applies for the whole trip, not just while in Spanish waters.

 

It's a tiny amount and not worth worrying about.

 

Sure it may not be much, but if NCL are charging people when they shouldn't be...

[abbyar]

Anyone know if NCL collects NYS tax on sailings while in port?

[Froggitt]

You should* not have to pay any VAT in Europe if you received the UBP as a promo, because VAT is calculated as a percentage of the amount you have paid.

 

10% of €0 is €0.

 

If you paid for the UBP, then you should* pay VAT on the cost of the UBP, so if $54 then 10% of $54 is $5.40.

 

The cost of the individual drinks is irrelevant for the VAT calculation when you have the UBP.

 

*This is not to say that NCL does do it this way, but should do it this way. If they add VAT to a theoretical price of a drink, then you are being overcharged.

............all depending on where/when you purchased the UBP e.g. buy it in advance from NCL Miami and there *should* be no VAT. Buy it in Barcelona and you *should* pay.

[cruisebie]

In anticipation of our upcoming Getaway cruise I've been reading some recent CC reviews. I was surprised to read a few that said passengers who had the Ultimate Beverage Package still had the tips remaining on their onboard account after the drink purchase was removed. NCL's promotion clearly states, "When choosing this offer, we’ll also take care of the 18% gratuity that’s normally added to this package!" I'm confused, does NCL pay for the gratuity or do passengers?

:confused:

 

I saw those reviews also and in both cases they mentioned they had received the UDP as a booking perk. It sounded like they were pretty clear about being charged the gratuity for every drink. More info is needed to confirm, but it could be possible that NCL has decided to recoup the gratuities from those who haven't paid for the UDP.

 

I have the UDP on my next cruise and if this is the case, I won't be too upset as I planned on tipping the servers anyway. However, it's not what NCL originally said in their promo material.

[Guindalf]

You should* not have to pay any VAT in Europe if you received the UBP as a promo, because VAT is calculated as a percentage of the amount you have paid.

 

10% of €0 is €0.

 

If you paid for the UBP, then you should* pay VAT on the cost of the UBP, so if $54 then 10% of $54 is $5.40.

 

The cost of the individual drinks is irrelevant for the VAT calculation when you have the UBP.

 

*This is not to say that NCL does do it this way, but should do it this way. If they add VAT to a theoretical price of a drink, then you are being overcharged.

 

I repeat...

 

Oh gosh, not again!

 

I saw those reviews also and in both cases they mentioned they had received the UDP as a booking perk. It sounded like they were pretty clear about being charged the gratuity for every drink. More info is needed to confirm, but it could be possible that NCL has decided to recoup the gratuities from those who haven't paid for the UDP.

 

I have the UDP on my next cruise and if this is the case, I won't be too upset as I planned on tipping the servers anyway. However, it's not what NCL originally said in their promo material.

 

I think you mean UBP. UDP is the dining package.

 

This has been thrashed out many times and the end result is that gratuities ARE included. It's tax that is added in some cases.

[insanemagnet]

............all depending on where/when you purchased the UBP e.g. buy it in advance from NCL Miami and there *should* be no VAT. Buy it in Barcelona and you *should* pay.

 

That is not correct.

 

The place of supply for VAT purposes is where the drinks are consumed, not where the money changes hands.

 

Drinks consumed on a cruise starting in Barcelona (with no non-EU stops) means Spanish VAT should* be charged on the whole amount paid for the UBP, even if paid to NCL Miami whilst the passenger had their feet on American soil, paying in US Dollars with a US credit card.

 

*This is not to say that NCL does do it this way, but should do it this way.

 

I think you mean UBP. UDP is the dining package.

 

And Spanish VAT should* be charged for people paying for UDP as well as UBP, and Spanish VAT should* also be charged on the additional fees for people using the speciality restaurants on a PAYG basis as well.

 

*This is not to say that NCL does do it this way, but should do it this way.

Edited April 15, 2015 by insanemagnet

[cruisebie]

I repeat...

 

 

 

Oh gosh, not again!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think you mean UBP. UDP is the dining package.

 

 

 

This has been thrashed out many times and the end result is that gratuities ARE included. It's tax that is added in some cases.

 

 

Yes, I did mean the UBP. I was typing on my phone and must have made a typo. Thanks for the clarification. :)

 

In any case, I am not sure the reviewers *have* confused this with the Miami tax. Both of them indicated that it was for the entire cruise (not just for a few drinks on embarkation day). They also cited charges of $1 - $1.50, while all the past information I've seen on the Miami tax says people were charged in the range of .70 - .80 per drink. One of the reviewers said that the drink charge + gratuity were initially charged to the account and then the following day, the drink charge was removed, leaving only the charge for the gratuity. Neither of the reviews were the doom & gloom sky is falling type of reviews, which lends some credibility, at least in my eyes.

 

In the past I would have agreed with you that it probably wasn't a gratuity charge. However, the recent changes NCL has been putting into place have been done swiftly & mostly without prior notification. I guess that time will tell what is going on in this case. As I said earlier, if that is the new policy, I won't be that upset, since i was planning to tip anyway.

[cruisebie]

Here is a link to the reviews I was referencing, if anyone is interested in reading them.

 

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=501267

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=501105

[msboo18]

On my last NCL cruise I was charged $1.39 for each drink. Apparently if it comes to over $11 when the tip is added, you pay the difference. The wine I was drinking was $10.50 per glass + 18%tip = $12.39. $1.39 over the allowed $11 per drink limit. I went to guest services to find out about the charges on my account and that's what I was told.

[rochelle_s]

On my last NCL cruise I was charged $1.39 for each drink. Apparently if it comes to over $11 when the tip is added, you pay the difference. The wine I was drinking was $10.50 per glass + 18%tip = $12.39. $1.39 over the allowed $11 per drink limit. I went to guest services to find out about the charges on my account and that's what I was told.

 

Curious, what ship was that?

 

 

Rochelle

[msboo18]

Curious, what ship was that?

 

 

Rochelle

 

The Sun in December

[rochelle_s]

The Sun in December

 

Thanks I am on the Jade next but based on these reports of folks being charged gratuities I am going to take a screen shot of this;

 

Use this offer and the first two guests will receive the Ultimate Beverage Package, normally priced at $59 per person, per day. All guests 3-20 years old or staying as the 3rd – 4th guests in the stateroom will receive a free soda package.

 

The Ultimate Beverage Package gives guests free glasses of wine, draft beer, cocktails, juices, and soda normally priced at $11 or less. It also gives guests a 20% discount on bottles of wine. For all drinks over $11, guests just pay the difference. When choosing this offer, we’ll also take care of the 18% gratuity that’s normally added to this package!

 

This is from the current promotion page, under the Learn More section of the UBP.

 

I also think I should give a call to my PCC and ask her to send me an email stating that the gratuities are included. Then if they show up on my account I can show Guest Services on board why they should not be there.

 

Thanks to everyone for the heads up.

 

 

Rochelle

[Beaver1975]

On my last NCL cruise I was charged $1.39 for each drink. Apparently if it comes to over $11 when the tip is added, you pay the difference. The wine I was drinking was $10.50 per glass + 18%tip = $12.39. $1.39 over the allowed $11 per drink limit. I went to guest services to find out about the charges on my account and that's what I was told.

 

The Sun in December

 

I call troll BS. The drink limit for the UDP was $10 in December!

[texansandy]

Dang! I had this all straight in my head until there was talk of "tax" here. We have the UBP when we booked our cruise to Alaska. So, since Alaska is US, will we be taxed on all our drinks the entire cruise? What is the tax rate?

[rochelle_s]

Dang! I had this all straight in my head until there was talk of "tax" here. We have the UBP when we booked our cruise to Alaska. So, since Alaska is US, will we be taxed on all our drinks the entire cruise? What is the tax rate?

 

Unless it is very new there is no taxes added when cruising in Alaska.

 

 

Rochelle

[texansandy]

Thanks Rochelle! Whew........I'll relax again. :p

[lbrandon]

The Sun in December

 

In December the UBP only covered drinks up to $10. It was raised to $11 in March. So a $10.50 drink would not have been covered by UBP at that time. By the old policy they should have actually charge you the full price of the drink but you got lucky and they only charged you the difference.

[DebbieCruises]

We returned yesterday from a week on the Jewel. We had the UBP and the UDP and paid the 18% tip/gratuity for each and every drink and meal. This was our experience...

 

When you pay for a drink, they put the charge on the bill along with the 18% tip. Then when it goes through accounting, they ring it up as zero charge for the drink PLUS the 18% tip, which of course is left in place. (It is all very confusing.)

 

On the last night of the cruise they charged us full price for the drinks and Mike had to go down and get it removed early on the day of disembarkation. If we hadn’t looked at our final bill, we never would have seen the mistake... at least not until we got home and it was too late to do anything about it.

 

The bottom line is... there is an 18% tip/gratuity added and we had to pay it... for every drink and for each meal.