lixogab Posted July 1, 2016 #1 Share Posted July 1, 2016 Bad news for all lovers of sparking water and caffeine free diet coke: https://www.ncl.com/faq/liquor-beverage-policy Effective July 1, 2016, for sailings July 15, 2016 and beyond, guests are prohibited from bringing any beverages -- including liquor, beer and non-alcoholic drinks such as water, soda and juices -- on board either as carry-on or checked luggage, with the exception of purified or distilled water in factory-sealed containers for use in conjunction with medical devices or for the reconstitution of infant formula; and fully sealed and/or corked wine bottles for personal consumption onboard that is subject to screening and a corkage fee (for guests 21 years of age or older). Open beverages of any kind must be consumed or discarded at the security check-point, on embarkation day and at any port of call. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victorious8 Posted July 1, 2016 #2 Share Posted July 1, 2016 Daaaaaaaaaaang people are going to be PISSED! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annmeat Posted July 1, 2016 #3 Share Posted July 1, 2016 (edited) This will make the great "fee for room service" collective fit seem like nothing. This was not a great decision PR - wise. Wow, NCL - bad move. " Edited July 1, 2016 by Annmeat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two Wheels Only Posted July 1, 2016 #4 Share Posted July 1, 2016 (edited) So...I have to buy baby formula at the same time that I buy bottled water before I bring a case on-board? Edited July 1, 2016 by Two Wheels Only Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Love my butler Posted July 1, 2016 #5 Share Posted July 1, 2016 FDR just squeezed another nickel and another dime from his 'valued' customers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jobry Posted July 1, 2016 #6 Share Posted July 1, 2016 So...I have to buy baby formula at the same time that I buy bottled water before I bring a case on-board? Either that, or a handful of urinary catheters that require water to activate the slippery coating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demonyte Posted July 1, 2016 #7 Share Posted July 1, 2016 I believe it is safe to say that the "foreseeable future" mentioned in my signature is at least as long as this policy and/or current limitations of UBP regarding bottled water are in effect. Well, it's about time to start planning 2018 anyway... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare mking8288 Posted July 1, 2016 #8 Share Posted July 1, 2016 And, will NCL further raise the prices of bottled water/packages (and soda) sold onboard & online for their cruises. Hmmm, DW to PCP - I need a medical certificate for ... While we don't bring bottled water onboard with us, we typically bring 3 or 4 liters of soda with us. :mad: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonvoyagie Posted July 1, 2016 #9 Share Posted July 1, 2016 It will be interesting to see if other lines follow. Perhaps NCL needs to also re-think the "free" UBP as a booking gimmick. I would like to see cheaper room rates and fewer booking gimmicks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two Wheels Only Posted July 1, 2016 #10 Share Posted July 1, 2016 I'm calling it now. My prediction.... August promos will include the free (+18%) Bottled Water Package (WBP). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeeandNatalie Posted July 1, 2016 #11 Share Posted July 1, 2016 (edited) This annoys me. Even when we have the UBP, we still bring soda on board. We like to have some cans in the room, and my wife drinks carbonated water at night. NCL, way to go. One more thing to irritate loyal customers! Edited July 1, 2016 by DeeandNatalie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
logan25 Posted July 1, 2016 #12 Share Posted July 1, 2016 My Coke-aholic husband is going to be veerrrry unhappy. Let's just say it will temper his excitement for any Norwegian booking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pokerpro5 Posted July 1, 2016 #13 Share Posted July 1, 2016 (edited) This absolutely infuriates me for several reasons. The no bottled water thing is even worse than the no soda thing. I like to have bottled water in the room for two purposes. First, it's great to have around the room or for walking around the ship. Second, and more importantly, I bring it on my self-planned shore excursions. I typically buy a case of water, bring it onboard, and take a few bottles out at each shore excursion. Now I can't do this anymore, unless I buy the ripoff bottled water from NCL (which is obviously the point of this). The soda thing also sucks. I enjoy having soda in the room so I can fill a glass with ice, pour myself some soda, and sit on the balcony and relax. Now I can't do that anymore. If I want soda, I need to go all the way to wherever they sell it, and bring it back to the room. Awful. I'm cruising in 5 months. I'm hoping there is a major backlash to this (similar to what was experienced with the "no bringing food back to your room" thing), and NCL changes its policy. If not, I might decide to take my business elsewhere in 2017 and beyond. Enough is enough. BTW, I wonder if one could claim a "medical reason" and get an exception made for the bottled water, or if you're only allowed to take gallons of purified water onboard for that reason. Probably the latter. Also, LOL @ not being able to take open drinks you bought at the port back on board. Terrible. Edited July 1, 2016 by pokerpro5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Single Cruiser Posted July 1, 2016 #14 Share Posted July 1, 2016 Wow. So it will be like airport security every time you board, drink your water or dump it... :mad: If they are doing that then we need to lobby Norwegian to include bottled water in the package like they do on Royal Caribbean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pokerpro5 Posted July 1, 2016 #15 Share Posted July 1, 2016 (edited) Just thought of something. Maybe this is Del Rio's way of softly pushing out the "value" cruisers which NCL hates. Remember, aside from suites, the base fare is typically a loss leader for NCL. If everyone just paid their base fare and didn't buy any onboard goods or services, NCL would not profit. They may have come to the conclusion that those willing to lug bottled water and soda onboard are the same price-conscious cruisers who will do their own shore excursions, not gamble in the casino, and not buy anything onboard. This might be a "soft" method of pushing out such undesirable cruisers. This might follow the "pathological customer" business theory, which states that businesses would be best off by simply getting rid of their 20% most high-maintenance customers, even if those high-maintenance customers have legitimate complaints about things. Basically the goal is to acquire a customer base that pays its money, doesn't value-shop, and shuts up. Not sure if that's what NCL is doing here, but it might be the start of it. Edited July 1, 2016 by pokerpro5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janpo Posted July 1, 2016 #16 Share Posted July 1, 2016 Waiting to see how the same few will spin this. 1. If you don't like it, sail a different line. 2. Love all the changes FDR is doing to make this a higher class fleet. Personally, this stinks and how much more can they squeeze peaple.?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caseykees Posted July 1, 2016 #17 Share Posted July 1, 2016 well, i'm disappointed. I dislike pepsi products. that's the only reason I wanted to bring diet coke on board. if they had diet coke products on the ship I wouldn't have bothered. I guess now at least I won't have to figure out how I was going to buy diet coke between our flight landing and boarding the ship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Single Cruiser Posted July 1, 2016 #18 Share Posted July 1, 2016 I'd imagine they'd spin this by saying "as part of security measures and inline with airport security procedures" - in ports like Barcelona they have a shop after security that sells bottled water! Sent from my iPad using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nautica34 Posted July 1, 2016 #19 Share Posted July 1, 2016 Hope they don't enforce this. I'm sailing end of this month to Bermuda. Everything is very expensive there and I'm sure water is no exception. I'll be doing my own thing and may not be able to find water along the way. I always bring at least 6 bottles of water when I cruise. The open bottle returning from Port is frustrating too. Another reason why ncl is my least favorite cruise line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NCteacherlovescruising Posted July 1, 2016 #20 Share Posted July 1, 2016 We are going on our first NCL cruise this Sunday. We have the UBP, but I don't like Pepsi (or coffee, tea, etc) and won't drink it so we are bringing 2 -12 packs of Diet Coke onboard for me to drink. Again, it's not a money thing, just the only way for me to get my Diet Coke on the ship. Looks like this will be our first and last cruise with them unless they start serving Coke products. Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare sparks1093 Posted July 1, 2016 #21 Share Posted July 1, 2016 I cannot say that I am really surprised. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Merrill Posted July 1, 2016 #22 Share Posted July 1, 2016 (edited) This sudden change is disappointing. While I'm ok with Pepsi products I am not ok with the pricing of bottled water packages onboard. Water is necessary, no? My BF drinks loads of bottled water as he is not a coffee/tea drinker or a huge fan of soft drinks. It's kind of like NCL saying "Folks .. no oxygen is allowed onboard and you'll have to buy a package." Of course there's water available onboard but it's not the same thing when served in a cup. My hope is that the pricing for the bottled water packages drops. Of course that's like saying horses will fly too. Very pissed NCL... ): Edited July 1, 2016 by The Merrill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casino Comp Chick Posted July 1, 2016 #23 Share Posted July 1, 2016 Another reason to love CAS, bottled water comes with your drink card and I get canned soda from my casino tier. I will just have to order extras when playing. Though I am a Pepsi fan it does suck for people who love coke products. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pe4all Posted July 1, 2016 #24 Share Posted July 1, 2016 (edited) Carnival did the same thing last year with stopping the carrying on of water, etc. However, they at least lowered the price of bottled water to $3.99 for a 12 pack! Not even in the same ballpark as NCL's bottled water price. It is actually very convenient ordering the water before we sail and having it waiting in the cabin, instead of shlepping it onboard! Maybe NCL will lower their crazy price of $39.95 for a 12 pack of water. Edited July 1, 2016 by pe4all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NCteacherlovescruising Posted July 1, 2016 #25 Share Posted July 1, 2016 Maybe NCL will lower their crazy price of $39.95 for a 12 pack of water. This is a joke right!!?? Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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