Beverage Package no longer free

[bhorv67]

I'm sure everyone has seen this, but as of a few months ago, when the beverage package was reintroduced, there is now a service charge added to the booking for the beverage package. As the advertisements say it is free, IT IS NOT!!

It works out to about 80.00 per person. I was told this is for gratuities. Interesting, since the last incarnation of this offer, the gratuities were included.

 

I guess it's still a decent deal, but now that the cruise fares have gone up over 30%, and the forced gratuities went up to 13.00 day/pp, and now there's a service charge for the beverage package, it kind of makes you think I could spend the same money on a better cruise line for better service.

[StolidCruiser]

Old news with tons of moaning and groaning about how deceptive it is to be advertised as "free" when it's not really "free".

 

Thanks for bringing it up again in case newbies haven't heard about it yet.

[ColinIllinois]

I'm sure everyone has seen this, but as of a few months ago, when the beverage package was reintroduced, there is now a service charge added to the booking for the beverage package. As the advertisements say it is free, IT IS NOT!!

It works out to about 80.00 per person. I was told this is for gratuities. Interesting, since the last incarnation of this offer, the gratuities were included.

 

I guess it's still a decent deal, but now that the cruise fares have gone up over 30%, and the forced gratuities went up to 13.00 day/pp, and now there's a service charge for the beverage package, it kind of makes you think I could spend the same money on a better cruise line for better service.

 

Welcome to six weeks ago. :D

[dacunhja213]

Sorry, I didn't read the posts from a few weeks back. I booked in April and got the package for free (sailing August 2nd). Now I have to pay $80?

Edited July 10, 2015 by dacunhja213

[ColinIllinois]

Sorry, I didn't read the posts from a few weeks back. I booked in April and got the package for free (sailing August 2nd). Now I have to pay $80?

 

 

No. That is for the promo that started in June. $68 pp for a seven day cruise.

[bhorv67]

Old news with tons of moaning and groaning about how deceptive it is to be advertised as "free" when it's not really "free".

 

Thanks for bringing it up again in case newbies haven't heard about it yet.

 

Yes, i'm sure I'm not the first to bring this up. Haven't been on this site for a while. I just sailed this past March and there was no service charge at the time.

[khaide612]

It is very clear on the Freestyle Choice offer page that service charges for the current promo are not included and that you are required to pay them if you choose UBP or UDP. There's an easy fix...don't take those packages. If you don't want to pay the service charge, pick a different offer. Easy peasy.

[Leavethekidswithmom]

Sorry, I didn't read the posts from a few weeks back. I booked in April and got the package for free (sailing August 2nd). Now I have to pay $80?

 

 

Is NCL telling you to pay now? If you booked in April there should be no associated charges, I believe. Something smell fishy here.

[SissasMomE]

I think the best deals on the "free" packages were months ago when they were first introduced. They have only gone up in price, one way or another, since then.

[ExArkie]

In my reading of the terms, I gather that the service charges do not apply if you book a suite. Quote from the footnote on UDP and UBP: "Service Charge added at time of booking (Excluding Suites & The Haven)...."

[LrgPizza]

Sorry, I didn't read the posts from a few weeks back. I booked in April and got the package for free (sailing August 2nd). Now I have to pay $80?

If you booked in April, then you shouldn't have to pay the gratuities, because they were included with the package at that time. Who is telling you that you must?

[mjkacmom]

We paid for the UBP soon after it was introduced, over $800 for two of us. I'd be thrilled to just pay the gratuities!

[Leavethekidswithmom]

If you booked in April, then you shouldn't have to pay the gratuities, because they were included with the package at that time. Who is telling you that you must?

 

 

Someone posted yesterday that when they booked in January they chose the UDP and now their kids aren't showing the UDP. It appears that NCL is having problems tracking all these tweaks in the promos they were offering.

[dacunhja213]

If you booked in April, then you shouldn't have to pay the gratuities, because they were included with the package at that time. Who is telling you that you must?

 

No one is telling me. I thought I would have to pay based on the post. Glad to see I don't have to.

[Mistizoom]

No one is telling me. I thought I would have to pay based on the post. Glad to see I don't have to.

 

I booked in April as well and UBP included gratuities at that time. So you shouldn't have to pay a dime. I actual chose free gratuities (daily service charge) and it hasn't shown up correctly on MyNCL since the promo changed in May, but I'm not sweating it yet.

[LrgPizza]

No one is telling me. I thought I would have to pay based on the post. Glad to see I don't have to.

No, you don't have to. I have one cruise booked under old promo with free gratuities, and it still shows free. I have another booked under new promo, and the gratuities are added right there to my outstanding account balance.

[rigs32]

Someone posted yesterday that when they booked in January they chose the UDP and now their kids aren't showing the UDP. It appears that NCL is having problems tracking all these tweaks in the promos they were offering.

 

Did their promo offer the perk to all people in a cabin? Sometimes it's limited to only two passengers.

[my_crib_too]

and the forced gratuities

 

This comment made me smile. :) I think this is a reference to the fixed Service Charge.

[sfaaa]

Feel free to decline the deal or cancel the cruise. NCL is not forcing you to pay for something you don't like.

[JuneauMe]

Sorry, I didn't read the posts from a few weeks back. I booked in April and got the package for free (sailing August 2nd). Now I have to pay $80?

And it is still free for you:) The people who booked with the June promo will pay the 18% gratuity.

[spacewoman]

the deals are always changing

 

We booked 10 day Gem on Black Friday. Got a great deal. No UBP offered at the time. Several months later I call NCL about something else regarding the cruise and I ask to have the amenties confirmation sent to me. I see that our TA had us down for the UDP ( or maybe an NCL error, who knows). Call the TA who returns a call to me saying if we rebook we can pick up the UBP for free. She tells me about $450 more for the booking. I say BOOK IT! She says "you are paying more" I explain that the UBP would cost us $1,200, the $450 is a bargain. So they book us at the new rate.

 

A few weeks back my SIL wants to go. So we start discussing adding her to my Mom and Aunts cabin. Mom and Aunt were booked at the time we did so no UBP. (Aunt did not want to spring extra). After all was said and done we created a new booking (changed their cabin but they are just one floor directly above us and since we can no longer open the divider on the balconies doesn't really matter) where Mom and Aunt got UPB , added the SIL for the port charges and the DH paid the UPB for his sister $662 and change. AND Mom and Aunt did have to pay a gratuity on the free UPB. All said and done Mom says the fare dropped from the original price it was booked at

 

You just have to ALWAYS keep checking. Even your TA cannot keep up with all these deals that come and go.

 

Kathy

Edited July 11, 2015 by spacewoman

[scanditaly]

Does anyone have any experience with using their UBP as an adult aged 21 to 25?

 

We have DD booked in OV cabin with two friends, and our invoice says that the first two get the UBP and the third gets the soda package. Then there is some fine print that it is only for 25+.

 

TIA, LIsa

[Demonyte]

Does anyone have any experience with using their UBP as an adult aged 21 to 25?

 

 

 

We have DD booked in OV cabin with two friends, and our invoice says that the first two get the UBP and the third gets the soda package. Then there is some fine print that it is only for 25+.

 

 

Earlier during spring break season (cruises that have any of following dates during them: March 1st to April 15th) the age limit for UBP was 25 years, however it doesn't state that anymore on the revised UBP T&C, so not sure about the current situation.

[newmexicoNita]

I'm sure everyone has seen this, but as of a few months ago, when the beverage package was reintroduced, there is now a service charge added to the booking for the beverage package. As the advertisements say it is free, IT IS NOT!!

It works out to about 80.00 per person. I was told this is for gratuities. Interesting, since the last incarnation of this offer, the gratuities were included.

 

I guess it's still a decent deal, but now that the cruise fares have gone up over 30%, and the forced gratuities went up to 13.00 day/pp, and now there's a service charge for the beverage package, it kind of makes you think I could spend the same money on a better cruise line for better service.

 

Here we go again, can we start another debate and wrinkle feathers? Yes, most of us are very much aware of this and yes, it is still freel. The service charge is 18% just like if you were purchasing your drinks one at a time. The drinks themselves are free. If this bothers you, try another line for heavens sake, see what new charges they have added. As for the $13.00 a day, big deal; have you checked the DSC on other lines? Do you sail NCL just because you think it is less expensive and the other lines are better? My, what a reason to sail a line!!!!

[newmexicoNita]

Sorry, I didn't read the posts from a few weeks back. I booked in April and got the package for free (sailing August 2nd). Now I have to pay $80?

 

nope, you are just fine. We did the same, booked in April and sailing in Oct.