UBP - time limit per drink and person?

[luvavacation]

I have searched, but did not find the exact answer to my question. Please forgive me if this is obvious, as perhaps I worded my search incorrectly, but I do need clarification on the Unlimited Beverage Package that came with my cruise booking.

 

I have sailed on NCL only once before, years ago, and am not very familiar with how things work for NCL. We have sailed DCL 12 times, so I know that line, but until the grandchildren come someday, we are venturing out of familiar territory and asking questions on the NCL board!

 

I recently booked a cruise for this summer, and will be on the Getaway with my adult daughters. There are 3 of us in a Haven cabin, but my understanding is that we only receive 2 UBPs. I was going to give the UBPs to my daughters, as I am fine with one Mojito a day. I was curious though, is there a time limit for the drinks? If one of my daughters went up to get herself a drink and then ordered one for me, would she tell the bartender that one of the drinks is being paid separately, or is it just charged to the UBP and we pay it at the end of the cruise? I don't mind paying for my one drink a day, but I didn't want her to feel like a criminal if the bartender assumes she is abusing the system.

 

Also, my youngest is turning 21 just before the cruise, so I told her to experiment and see what she likes. If she orders a drink and doesn't like it, can she go back and order something different after a couple minutes? Does she take back the old drink to prove that she didn't drink the previously ordered drink?

 

As I said, abusing the system is not the intention. I just want to make sure that we don't inadvertently do something we shouldn't.

[tommyboyCAN]

I never saw any strict time limit imposed. In my experience in the Haven, both my wife and I had UBP, and my father in law stayed with us as well and didn't.

 

At any meal or at any bar I just led with my card and my father in law never had to present his card and at all and drank for free pretty well the whole trip. He didn't abuse it all, and we were ready to pay for his drinks, just was never asked.

 

I would expect it to work out in similar fashion. And with the promotions being offered in the Haven, if your daughters always did the ordering I doubt it would matter.

[KeithJenner]

There is no time limit.

 

I'm not sure you can transfer the package though. It goes to the first two names passengers.

[LrgPizza]

Like Keith said, the UBP will go to the first 2 named passengers, which will hopefully be you and your older daughter. It can't go to your younger daughter, even if she's the 2nd named passenger, unless she is already 21 at the time of booking. Your best bet is to be sure you and older daughter are named 1 & 2, and then purchase the UBP for other daughter after her birthday, or else just pay for her drinks individually.

Edited May 2, 2016 by LrgPizza

[hawkeyetlse]

The only way you can give the UBPs to your daughter is if you arrange for them to listed as passengers 1 and 2 on the booking, and you end up as passenger #3. If there is some reason you need to be one of the lead passengers (for example, in order to receive some kind of discounted fare, etc.) then you will have the UBP linked to your card and to your account and your daughter will have to use your card, and that will definitely look like you are abusing the system.

 

So I would call NCL (or your TA) and discuss with them the possibility of switching around the order of the passengers. Your younger daughter does not have to be 21 at the time of booking. As long as she is 21 by the time of sailing, she will receive the UBP (if listed as one of the lead passengers).

 

As for ordering two drinks, or one right after another with the same card, most bartenders will assume that the second drink is for someone else in the cabin who also has the UBP. Sometimes they will ask to see the other person's card to verify, often they will not. So it is up to whoever is ordering to make it clear that the second drink is for someone who does not have the UBP, and that the drink should be charged accordingly. They may charge it, they may not (or they may refuse to ring up the extra drink and the non-UBP holder will have to order their own drink with their own card, this has happened to me in the past). As long as you are up front with them about who all the drinks are for, the rest is up to them and you have done nothing wrong.

Edited May 2, 2016 by hawkeyetlse

[luvavacation]

Thanks for the clarification.

 

My daughter will be 21 just before the cruise. On the reservation, she is listed as 21, and she and I are the first two listed as having the package. I guess the package will be wasted on me, but at least I know what to expect. Eh, maybe I will get 2 Mojitos a day!

[zackarykeef]

Thanks for the clarification.

 

My daughter will be 21 just before the cruise. On the reservation, she is listed as 21, and she and I are the first two listed as having the package. I guess the package will be wasted on me, but at least I know what to expect. Eh, maybe I will get 2 Mojitos a day!

 

It doesn't have to be wasted on you...as previously mentioned, just call NCL and have them switch you with your older daughter. My mother just did the same thing for me and my brother...they are happy to do it.

[GeezerCouple]

I never saw any strict time limit imposed. In my experience in the Haven, both my wife and I had UBP, and my father in law stayed with us as well and didn't.

 

At any meal or at any bar I just led with my card and my father in law never had to present his card and at all and drank for free pretty well the whole trip. He didn't abuse it all, and we were ready to pay for his drinks, just was never asked.

 

I would expect it to work out in similar fashion. And with the promotions being offered in the Haven, if your daughters always did the ordering I doubt it would matter.

 

Wait: Your father-in-law did NOT have the beverage package, but nevertheless drank for free the whole trip, and you do NOT think he abused it?

 

If "it" is the beverage package, well... he DID NOT HAVE IT, yet drank for free. That IS abusing the system, as he should have signed for each drink at the time.

 

Just be clear about exactly what was or was not happening.

[LrgPizza]

I never saw any strict time limit imposed. In my experience in the Haven, both my wife and I had UBP, and my father in law stayed with us as well and didn't.

 

At any meal or at any bar I just led with my card and my father in law never had to present his card and at all and drank for free pretty well the whole trip. He didn't abuse it all, and we were ready to pay for his drinks, just was never asked.

 

I would expect it to work out in similar fashion. And with the promotions being offered in the Haven, if your daughters always did the ordering I doubt it would matter.

 

This is exactly the reason that NCL requires all passengers in a cabin to purchase the UBP when buying it. Too bad they can't figure out a way to do the same for cabins where not all parties have the promo.

[Into Cruising]

that just because a bartender or waiter does not ask for the card, and inadvertently runs the drink as a promo drink, that you do not have a responsibility to correct them and legitimately pay for the drink.

 

Ok, I can understand the first time, maybe, but after that, why did you not make it clear up front that one drink had to be paid for separately?

 

Oh, I get it, not your job ! Sucks to be them. Their fault, they blew it!

[OneWord]

I never saw any strict time limit imposed. In my experience in the Haven, both my wife and I had UBP, and my father in law stayed with us as well and didn't.

 

At any meal or at any bar I just led with my card and my father in law never had to present his card and at all and drank for free pretty well the whole trip. He didn't abuse it all, and we were ready to pay for his drinks, just was never asked.

 

I would expect it to work out in similar fashion. And with the promotions being offered in the Haven, if your daughters always did the ordering I doubt it would matter.

 

Deceitful.

[hawkeyetlse]

Deceitful.

Forget it, Jake. It's the Haven.

[ColinIllinois]

Forget it, Jake. It's the Haven.

 

 

TommyboyCAN wrote: At any meal or at any bar I just led with my card and my father in law never had to present his card and at all and drank for free pretty well the whole trip.

It was deceitful and dishonest regardless of being Haven guests. That's irrelevant. Edited May 2, 2016 by ColinIllinois

[hawkeyetlse]

The Haven is not just a place high up on the ship, it's a state of being… And the staff on board do react differently when they see that on your keycard. I'm not saying it's right, but people in lower stateroom categories should not take tommyboyCAN's suggestion and expect to be able to "lead with their card" and never be challenged.

 

On the other hand, the OP is booked in the Haven, so they may very well find tommyboyCAN's advice relevant. I'll leave it up to them.