UBP raised to $79 per day

[Karysa]

Especially when when I am looking out the window at snow. LOL

 

Ditto :D

[FranknBeans]

Can anyone translate this to English?

 

 

He's a moron and probably he is why we are having this conversation about drunken obnoxious people on board, not every one but enough apples to spoil the cart.

[dazey]

Since we are paying the 18% in addition to the fee for drink and specialty dining, I am not surprised that most guests believe they are "leaving a tip" for the server. If the servers are not getting paid then that it is NCL's fault.

 

When we dine at specialty dining we almost feel like we have to tip additionally-think it is an American thing. We sailed on Celebrity recently and met people from Australia and they never tip and feel quite comfortable with it.

 

We always tip 20% at home but am not sure I want to pay 18% and then tip again.

 

I am still not sure how I will handle additional tipping on our cruise in April - I am taking 11 people so I better know by then.

[LMaxwell]

 

If they closed the restaurants and bars while in port folks could simply stock up before hand ;)

 

Sounds like "cruise preppers".

 

Could you imagine coming back to a ship at 1PM on a port day and wanting lunch and a drink but being told food & beverage services don't reopen until 5PM sailaway? Nobody at any Director, VP, or C Suite level could possibly be stupid enough to try that out.

[LMaxwell]

I am still not sure how I will handle additional tipping on our cruise in April - I am taking 11 people so I better know by then.

 

You already know today: They have decided how much they are going to collect automatically for all services you receive. Nothing more needs to be done. If you choose to leave more cash, that is surely welcome.

[Karysa]

If they wanted you off the ship they could simply close the bars and restaurants:rolleyes:

 

Just highlighting what my response was to. :cool:

[LMaxwell]

Just highlighting what my response was to. :cool:

 

I understand.

 

I don't see why anyone else should care if someones ideal vacation is laying by the pool drinking. They don't stand at the gangway yelling at people for taking an excursion:eek:

[SeaShark]

I was on the Escape at the beginning of February. One day, I ordered a drink from the bar, when it arrived I commented on just how expensive that drink had become over the last 12 months.

 

The person beside me replied: "So what? Practically everyone has a drink package...who CARES what the drinks cost??"

 

 

 

Needless to say, those few without a drink package will care. I'm just wondering how long it will take NCL to get to the point where they identify the price point for the UBP where 18% will be more than enough to cover their costs for "giving it away free"?

 

 

Seems like the new management has everyone right where they want us to be.

We're all so busy with the "free" drinks that we're completely ignoring just how hot the water is getting . . .

 

[LMaxwell]

I'm just wondering how long it will take NCL to get to the point where they identify the price point for the UBP where 18% will be more than enough to cover their costs for "giving it away free"?

 

They have identified it. See today's price point. If they were losing money they'd raise it again.

 

BTW - I agree with the rest of your post

Edited February 27, 2016 by LMaxwell

[dazey]

What I leave extra is what I have to decide.

[LMaxwell]

What I leave extra is what I have to decide.

See how you like the service; that makes it easy to decide.

[SeaShark]

They have identified it. See today's price point. If they were losing money they'd raise it again.

 

BTW - I agree with the rest of your post

 

My point was that if they had actually identified that price point, they wouldn't need to make these frequent price adjustments. The fact that they do is an indicator that they haven't quite yet identified the "profitable" price. Once they do, the price increase will become infrequent.

 

 

The original price per day attached to the UBP was based on how much they need to charge is only the people who want it buy it. Now that they give it away to "practically everyone", the price they need per individual will be much less....I'm guessing about 18% of the "cost" of the UBP. :rolleyes:;)

[4774Papa]

Come on. Just because it's "the only reason" for you, really does not mean it must be "the only reason" for everyone. In my opinion, this is one of the most judgmental posts I've seen.

 

I agree that I don't want others drinking so much that they intrude on MY (or anyone else's) vacation. But please don't think that your reason for cruising is any more valid than a person who wants nothing more than to be on a ship in the middle of the ocean without a care in the world. If that were anything like pitching a tent in my backyard and just staying home, I'd start renting out real estate.

 

Sorry, but even if I don't in any way over-drink when I cruise, I found this a little offensive.

 

I didn't think takeadip's post was judgmental, it was an opinion.

 

It is fine if someone wants to take a cruise and stay drunk and lay around the pool.

 

My Son just took the short Sky cruise to the Bahamas where everyone was on the drinks packages. He said it was awful. So many people were inebriated and showing their a====. People were cussing up and down with the f word and kids all around. Sorry, but these drinks packages are encouraging serious over drinking.

We don't take short cruises and don't find this to be a huge problem on 14 day cruises. Still, the trend is moving toward these very expensive drinks packages that are only cost saving if you drink in excess.

[Rob0519]

So based on information I could find online, all of NCLs ships have a combined Passenger / Maximum Passenger count of between 45,000 and 57,000. If only half of those passengers pay the 18% gratuity on the UBP a $10.00 per day increase over 365 days it would probably put between 12 and 16 million in NCL's profit pocket for "Free drinks". So yes, I think they raise the price to get the additional 18%.

[clivep]

How long before they offer a promotional amenity of a discounted liver transplant?

[triptolemus]

How long before they offer a promotional amenity of a discounted liver transplant?

 

They will be offered along with gastric bypasses for all the fatties.

 

Stop being stupid.

[sparks1093]

NCL is doing some serious market experimentation that could burn them if they're not careful.

 

I have purchased UBP three times. I've had it promo'd twice. Personally, I'm not a buyer @ $93 pp/pd. Perhaps its just a gag to up the "value" of the promo'd UBP to collect more Grat/SC -- which is also kinda crappy.

 

I have used Rum Runners in the past, and I will dust them off if needed.

 

As NCL continues to experiment with higher prices and no significant product improvement (see this Gem PH for an example), once loyal passengers will continue to look to other lines, just as they've been doing since FDR came aboard. An increasing number may decide to leave the ships behind altogether...

 

I suspect that it's a marketing gimmick to increase the perceived value of the "free" promotion.

[Karysa]

So based on information I could find online, all of NCLs ships have a combined Passenger / Maximum Passenger count of between 45,000 and 57,000. If only half of those passengers pay the 18% gratuity on the UBP a $10.00 per day increase over 365 days it would probably put between 12 and 16 million in NCL's profit pocket for "Free drinks". So yes, I think they raise the price to get the additional 18%.

 

Maybe it's to pay for the extra bartenders needed.:D

[HowardK]

Can you take drinks on the water slides?

[FranknBeans]

Can you take drinks on the water slides?

 

 

Really?

[SteveH2508]

Can you take drinks on the water slides?

 

Only internally...

[FranknBeans]

Only internally...

 

 

like

[welove2cruise2014]

This is interesting, in light of what I've read about Carnival's update to their Cheers package. $30 less pppd, and includes virtually EVERYTHING. Granted, Carnival and NCL each offer a different experience from what I understand, but it really makes me wonder what NCL is doing.

[ready2cruzagain]

This is interesting, in light of what I've read about Carnival's update to their Cheers package. $30 less pppd, and includes virtually EVERYTHING. Granted, Carnival and NCL each offer a different experience from what I understand, but it really makes me wonder what NCL is doing.

Don't forget the other difference in NCL and Carnival's drink packages. Carnival has a limit of 15 drinks for a 24 hour period. Ncl 's drink package is unlimited.

[Suze10860]

I didn't think takeadip's post was judgmental, it was an opinion.

 

It is fine if someone wants to take a cruise and stay drunk and lay around the pool.

 

Well, first of all, an opinion can be judgmental. They are not mutually exclusive.

 

And what was said was:

 

Originally Posted by gwsster

If you cruise to drink then the "free" drink perk may be of value, not so much for me or DH.

 

It's presumptuous to assume that the "free" drink perk would only have value for a person who "cruises to drink." I just pointed out that this is absolutely NOT the case.

 

Again, we were talking about the "free" drink package (As you can see right in the quote to which I referred.) I personally wouldn't pay for a drink package because we don't drink enough to warrant it. We wouldn't even break even. We do, however, drink enough to save money when we are just paying only the 18% charge. I guess my point is that you don't need to over-drink by any means when the drink package is a free perk.

 

However, that being said, we do know people who will pay for a drink package, will save money by doing so, will NOT misbehave while onboard, and do NOT solely cruise to drink. I guess I just don't like generalizations.

 

But really, from the sound of your post you seem to be in agreement that people who get the drink package are going to over-drink and misbehave. Seems to be a lot of that opinion here. I don't cruise enough to really know the full story, but I remember seeing multiple overly-drunk, rude individuals on each of the cruises I've taken. I'm going to pay close attention on my up-coming April cruise.