Ultimate Beverage Package now $68 service charge

[Nola26]

For me this makes the soda package unreasonable at $57.40 for a seven night cruise. I will buy one for my teen as "insurance", but not for the two adults in the group.

Edited June 4, 2015 by Nola26

[42CruiseCrazy]

My post #87 stated absolutely nothing about this or any other promo. You most likely assumed that thought but there is nothing in my wording that gives that assumption.

 

Try rereading the post without bias. As I have stated, and proven, a product was purchased and certain prices were agreed to when that purchase was made. NCL has gone back on their word and increased prices and made those prices applicable to my cruise in violation of that agreement. If I were grandfathered in, I would not have to pre-pay anything to keep the prices that we agreed upon so they have retroactively raised prices on my cruise meaning it will cost me more than what was originally agreed to. When a price has been agreed to between a customer and a business, nothing should have to be prepaid a month or a year in advance to keep the prices agreed to. That is the classic example of "bait and switch".

 

 

You are not correct about this being "bait & switch". You paid for a cruise and the base price of that cruise has not been changed for your cruise. Even if the cruise price goes up you will not be charged the difference. The additional expenses associated with the cruise (specialty dining, beverages, photos, excursions, Internet etc.) have not yet been purchased and therefore the prices for these "extras" are subject to change and can go up or down. Unless there is a written agreement stating the price, the price is set when the payment is made.

 

 

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Edited June 4, 2015 by 42CruiseCrazy

[42CruiseCrazy]

Good

Edited June 4, 2015 by 42CruiseCrazy

[Out to sea!]

You are not correct about this being "bait & switch". You paid for a cruise and the base price of that cruise has not been changed for your cruise. Even if the cruise price goes up you will not be charged the difference. The additional expenses associated with the cruise (specialty dining, beverages, photos, excursions, Internet etc.) have not yet been purchased and therefore the prices for these "extras" are subject to change and can go up or down. Unless there is a written agreement stating the price, the price is set when the payment is made.

 

 

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There WAS a written agreement. On their website when I booked it stated the DSC was $12 per day, now it is not. The website stated what the specialty restaurants cost and now they have added 18% to that cost. It was all written in black and white and then it was changed. You're entitled to your opinion but as far as I'm concerned it's nothing but bait and switch and that's my opinion.

[maywell]

There WAS a written agreement. On their website when I booked it stated the DSC was $12 per day, now it is not. The website stated what the specialty restaurants cost and now they have added 18% to that cost. It was all written in black and white and then it was changed. You're entitled to your opinion but as far as I'm concerned it's nothing but bait and switch and that's my opinion.

 

And my opinion is, you booked after the March 1, 2015 deadline and missed out on the free grats promos of the UDP / UBP and $12 DSC. Not a bait & switch, you just have bad luck with timing. Have better luck on Royal and Carnival - I'm sure they will bait & switch just as much as NCL does. :rolleyes:

[42CruiseCrazy]

There WAS a written agreement. On their website when I booked it stated the DSC was $12 per day, now it is not. The website stated what the specialty restaurants cost and now they have added 18% to that cost. It was all written in black and white and then it was changed. You're entitled to your opinion but as far as I'm concerned it's nothing but bait and switch and that's my opinion.

 

 

Did the website state that the DSC will be $12 per day on the date of your cruise?

Did the website also state that the specialty restaurants will never have gratuities added? If that is the case then your opinion is correct.

 

 

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[jenseib]

There WAS a written agreement. On their website when I booked it stated the DSC was $12 per day, now it is not. The website stated what the specialty restaurants cost and now they have added 18% to that cost. It was all written in black and white and then it was changed. You're entitled to your opinion but as far as I'm concerned it's nothing but bait and switch and that's my opinion.

 

Have you read your cruise contract...I am guessing there is something about them being able to change tipping procedures/pricing. Most contracts usually have something like that...that basically says things are subject to change.

[MisterFidgetpants]

Did the website state that the DSC will be $12 per day on the date of your cruise?

Did the website also state that the specialty restaurants will never have gratuities added? If that is the case then your opinion is correct.

 

The website states DSC is at guest discretion, so anyone that felt "wronged" by booking at one rate and being charged a higher one is completely within their rights to ask for it to be modified back to the original amount.

 

I think Out to Sea makes a valid point. You book, you put down a deposit and pay with certain terms and conditions, and it is aggravating when the company keeps changing those terms and conditions. We got UBP as a free promo, no extra service charges were added on and I would not expect them to change those terms. The new terms are for new bookings.

[MisterFidgetpants]

Have you read your cruise contract...I am guessing there is something about them being able to change tipping procedures/pricing. Most contracts usually have something like that...that basically says things are subject to change.

 

I, for one, have read the contract. There's no need to guess. And no, that wording does not exist. The contract is all that matters really. The website is just marketing material.

 

http://www.ncl.com/sites/default/files/Guest_Ticket_Contract_03_2014.pdf

[jenseib]

I, for one, have read the contract. There's no need to guess. And no, that wording does not exist. The contract is all that matters really. The website is just marketing material.

 

http://www.ncl.com/sites/default/files/Guest_Ticket_Contract_03_2014.pdf

 

I guess I am reading it different than you. No where does it say the amount of service charges at the time of booking or that it will stay at that rate, just that it is automatically added. It does say things can be adjusted though by you.

[MisterFidgetpants]

I guess I am reading it different than you. No where does it say the amount of service charges at the time of booking or that it will stay at that rate, just that it is automatically added. It does say things can be adjusted though by you.

And nowhere does it say pricing is subject to change after they take your money except for the land travel portion. The contract is written to protect the company. If it was intended to be a policy that they can change things on a whim it would be in the contract.

 

A lack of wording does not imply ability to change scope. The wording is explicit.

[NLH Arizona]

And nowhere does it say pricing is subject to change after they take your money except for the land travel portion. The contract is written to protect the company. If it was intended to be a policy that they can change things on a whim it would be in the contract.

 

A lack of wording does not imply ability to change scope. The wording is explicit.

But it does say that the only things covered by the contract is your transportation and ordinary vessel food. So, everything else is not covered under the contract, so the DSC, drink prices, prices of UBP and UDP, specialty restaurants charges, automatic gratuities, etc., can all be changed at anytime.

[Crusin33]

If you booked the offer before May the gratuity is still included. If you booked the new June offer you pay gratuity.

[MisterFidgetpants]

But it does say that the only things covered by the contract is your transportation and ordinary vessel food. So, everything else is not covered under the contract, so the DSC, drink prices, prices of UBP and UDP, specialty restaurants charges, automatic gratuities, etc., can all be changed at anytime.

I have an invoice when I paid my deposit stating what packages are included at that price. It would be an absurd statement to make claiming that is not a contract. Yes. Prices are subject to change on something not already purchased or contracted for. But they are not subject to retroactive price increases for items invoiced.

 

I deal extensively with contracts. I'm familiar with how they work. I was posting the contract for the person who had not read it and was guessing. There is no need to guess. The contract is available for all to read.

[MisterFidgetpants]

If you booked the offer before May the gratuity is still included. If you booked the new June offer you pay gratuity.

Exactly. New promotion terms for new bookings. Very simple.

[MCAT48]

I have an invoice when I paid my deposit stating what packages are included at that price. It would be an absurd statement to make claiming that is not a contract. Yes. Prices are subject to change on something not already purchased or contracted for. But they are not subject to retroactive price increases for items invoiced.

 

I deal extensively with contracts. I'm familiar with how they work. I was posting the contract for the person who had not read it and was guessing. There is no need to guess. The contract is available for all to read.

 

 

 

Are you speaking of the beverage package? Did you book when they offered it without the gratuities attached? If so I don't see them going after those who have for the service charge. I don't see a way they could differentiate those cruising who have and not had to pay the gratuities while at a bar on the ship. The server wouldn't know.. They don't charge you when you order a drink at all with the package.

 

I've never received an invoice stating prices of for fee dinning options and their prices or the amount of DSC. If you are unhappy with the service charge you can goto guest services and have it lowered or taken off completely so I don't see the problem there.

[wichitastatecruiser]

There WAS a written agreement. On their website when I booked it stated the DSC was $12 per day, now it is not. The website stated what the specialty restaurants cost and now they have added 18% to that cost. It was all written in black and white and then it was changed. You're entitled to your opinion but as far as I'm concerned it's nothing but bait and switch and that's my opinion.

 

Let me break this down to something more understandable.

 

Lets say you go to a movie theater and buy some gift certificates they give you a choice to buy a $12 free movie pass that includes a small popcorn or $10 gift certificate . The cashier says that movies are $8 so the gift certificate is good for one movie and popcorn is $4, you want to save a little money so you just buy the $10 gift certificate. You go back a year later and movie prices are now $12 and popcorn is $6. The guy tells you if you had bought the movie and popcorn pass they would have honored that, but since you only bought the gift certificate you owe them $2 for the movie and if you want popcorn that would be an extra $6. Did they retroactively raise the price on you? As I mentioned, if you had pre-paid the gratuities and packages you would not have been required to pay the additional amount. Also the purchase of said items are optional and not included in the base price and not included in the contract and have not been purchased.

 

Other posters have already pointed out that the DSC can be lowered or even totally removed at guest services, if the extra 3% on drinks and 18% on diners are to much on you, I'm assuming you can ask guest services to remove a portion or all of that also.

[BigB0882]

Um if you bought two $6 drinks a day for 6 days of a 7 day cruise your final bill with gratuity would be $87.84. The only thing you have to pay is the gratuity on the price of the package (no per drink gratuity on board) of $64. So using the promo would actually save you $23.84. I have no idea where you came up with your math and how saving $23.84 minimum bases on your "average" drinking would justify you not getting the promo. However I don't think NCL would discourage you from not getting promo that would actually benefit you!

 

You make a good point but the 2 drinks a day average is really pushing it. I shouldn't have said average, it really would be 2 max. However, for me the biggest issue is I would be on a Baltic cruise with port after port after port. I could see many days where I didn't have a drink at all because I would be exhausted when getting back to the boat.

 

If I was looking at Caribbean cruises, I would EASILY get the package. I tend to have 2 drinks a day on those cruises with some days seeing a third drink.

[motleyfan]

You make a good point but the 2 drinks a day average is really pushing it. I shouldn't have said average, it really would be 2 max. However, for me the biggest issue is I would be on a Baltic cruise with port after port after port. I could see many days where I didn't have a drink at all because I would be exhausted when getting back to the boat.

 

If I was looking at Caribbean cruises, I would EASILY get the package. I tend to have 2 drinks a day on those cruises with some days seeing a third drink.

 

Possibly 3 huh? You wild 1 you lol jk

[abe3]

The website states DSC is at guest discretion, so anyone that felt "wronged" by booking at one rate and being charged a higher one is completely within their rights to ask for it to be modified back to the original amount.

 

I think Out to Sea makes a valid point. You book, you put down a deposit and pay with certain terms and conditions, and it is aggravating when the company keeps changing those terms and conditions. We got UBP as a free promo, no extra service charges were added on and I would not expect them to change those terms. The new terms are for new bookings.

 

 

So if you book a cruise, which is the contract you booked and then a new promo comes up later and you want to change? So why shouldn't you be bound by your original booking? It's the same with DSC and fuel costs. They have the right to change at anytime. Just like you have the right to change promos to save money get a better deal or cancel up to the final payment date.

[LMaxwell]

So if you book a cruise, which is the contract you booked and then a new promo comes up later and you want to change? So why shouldn't you be bound by your original booking? It's the same with DSC and fuel costs. They have the right to change at anytime. Just like you have the right to change promos to save money get a better deal or cancel up to the final payment date.

Wouldn't the better question be; why isn't the cruise line bound by the original booking?

[42CruiseCrazy]

Wouldn't the better question be; why isn't the cruise line bound by the original booking?

 

 

The Cruise line is bound by the booking in terms of the base price of the booking. The costs of the "extras" is not part of the booking.

 

 

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[motleyfan]

Booked the Escape with this free promo back in March, now there is a $68 service charge ( 7 day cruise) added per person for this "freebie" as of today. Glad I got it when I did. My cruise on Escape has gone up $300+ since booking in March. I know this has been mentioned before but just a heads up for those seeking this promo but missed the change.

 

if you book in the heaven there is no added taxes

[Poohsmommi]

Possibly 3 huh? You wild 1 you lol jk

 

How many do you drink a day?

[Out to sea!]

Did the website state that the DSC will be $12 per day on the date of your cruise?

Did the website also state that the specialty restaurants will never have gratuities added? If that is the case then your opinion is correct.

 

 

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It said you buy this cruise and these are what the costs are. Now that I can;t cancel the cruise they say, no these are now what the costs are.

 

It seems to me that you don't quit understand that my wallet doesn't care what your opinion is, only mine.