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Will Not complain about Carnival's Beverage Policy again

VolzCruiser

By VolzCruiser,
in Carnival Cruise Lines

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mistycruiser

mistycruiser

Posted
Posted

I agree. NCL really has taken things to a new level. The least they could do is either include bottled water with the UBP or reduce the cost to pre-order delivery to the room. I book with CAS and I can get the water for free for me but I realize we're the exception not the rule.

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flyersfan1129

flyersfan1129

Posted
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I was a bit upset at the no bottled water, but at least Carnival does not charge an arm and a leg for the bottled water that they sell. Another line we have cruised, well, let's just say I am lucky to have any limbs left at all.

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sparks1093 Great Review Rare

sparks1093

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Posted
Not defending NCL, as I've never cruised them, but with the UBP that is offered on nearly every cruise, and booze included on the SKY, does it matter that they restricted bringing beverages on board?:confused:

 

It matters if you don't like Pepsi products and if you have a particular brand of bottled water you are accustomed to (and water is not included in the UBP).

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splash_in_the_water Great Review Rare

splash_in_the_water

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Posted
My local TV station (Ft. Myers, Fl) just reported this but they said it was

 

Carnival.!

 

Complete with a photo of a Carnival ship.:confused:

 

ooooof! i wonder what the comments section was like? Heck, they're usually more entertaining than the OP.....

 

I guess I didn't know NCL got bought out or whatever, but honestly I don't follow other lines besides rccl occasionally....

 

Seems they're all the playing, and ever increasingly ramping up the 'ol lets see how much we can cut back before people realize the diminished value!!"

 

It'll work for a good while more, but where does it end? I get it...They're in biz to make $$, investors, etc.....

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sparks1093 Great Review Rare

sparks1093

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ooooof! i wonder what the comments section was like? Heck, they're usually more entertaining than the OP.....

 

I guess I didn't know NCL got bought out or whatever, but honestly I don't follow other lines besides rccl occasionally....

 

Seems they're all the playing, and ever increasingly ramping up the 'ol lets see how much we can cut back before people realize the diminished value!!"

 

It'll work for a good while more, but where does it end? I get it...They're in biz to make $$, investors, etc.....

 

Yes, but other cruise line CEO's don't make public statements like "can I get $5 to $10 more per day from you and your wife" and "we raised the cost of soda because the passengers are a captive audience and they will pay it anyway". We used to love NCL because we felt like we were valued passengers, now NCL gives the feeling we're just sheep to be shorn. I will still look at NCL as an option but in order to get me onboard they will have to do it with price alone, they've lost all of the good will they had built up with me.

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bigwally

bigwally

Posted
Posted
Jeez, charging a corkage fee at embarkation for carrying on a bottle of wine? That's a little too far

 

 

That's the way it's always been. I think (and I'd have to look back to be certain) that this new policy is actually better for wine drinkers, because I don't think (3 years ago) we were allowed to carry on ANY wine for which we hadn't paid the corkage fee.

 

Now at least you can get 2 bottles per cabin on for free and pay the corkage fee for anything extra you'd care to bring on. We brought on a case of our favorite wine for our 2013 TA. I think I'd rather do that on Carnival to be honest, to be certain of drinking wines I really liked in the MDR (or any place else on the ship).

 

In addition (and I don't know if this holds true with the new policy or not) you could buy wines on port visits, pay the corkage fee on reboarding, and take those wines to dinner with you the same evening.

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winddawn

winddawn

Posted
Posted (edited)
Not defending NCL, as I've never cruised them, but with the UBP that is offered on nearly every cruise, and booze included on the SKY, does it matter that they restricted bringing beverages on board?:confused:

This is exactly what I was thinking. With unlimited beverages included in most NCL sailings, why is this even an issue? I'll be the first to admit I'm not an NCL expert. I sailed on them once to Alaska in a so-called Junior Suite, and their cabins are so tiny, I never even considered them again. But I have read the last couple years about their beverage package promotion that provides beverages when you book and the Sky that includes drinks, so I just don't understand the big deal with this.

Edited by winddawn
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bigwally

bigwally

Posted
Posted (edited)
That's the way it's always been. I think (and I'd have to look back to be certain) that this new policy is actually better for wine drinkers, because I don't think (3 years ago) we were allowed to carry on ANY wine for which we hadn't paid the corkage fee.

 

Now at least you can get 2 bottles per cabin on for free and pay the corkage fee for anything extra you'd care to bring on.

 

 

Yes, took a look back and NCL used to charge $15 corkage on each and every bottle brought on board. So two free and then corkage after that is definitely better for wine drinkers:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1702396&page=3

Edited by bigwally
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sparks1093 Great Review Rare

sparks1093

Posted
Posted
This is exactly what I was thinking. With unlimited beverages included in most NCL sailings, why is this even an issue? I'll be the first to admit I'm not an NCL expert. I sailed on them once to Alaska in a so-called Junior Suite, and their cabins are so tiny, I never even considered them again. But I have read the last couple years about their beverage package promotion that provides beverages when you book and the Sky that includes drinks, so I just don't understand the big deal with this.

 

They don't include water in the UBP and as stated above they carry Pepsi products. Here's what someone posted on the NCL board regarding the price they charge for water if you order it ahead of time:

 

Aquafina 6 pack - $27.08 (price will be 30% higher on board)

Aquafina 12 pack - $47.14 (price will be 39% higher on board)

Aquafina 18 pack - $58.94 (price will be 50% higher on board)

Aquafina 24 pack - $70.74 (price will be 55% higher on board)

 

I'm not 100% sure but I believe you'll also pay an 18% gratuity with your purchase. (I am also not sure but I think those are for 1 liter bottles.)

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NoName

NoName

Posted
Posted

Up until the last few years, NCL has been my favorite cruiseline....however, I can honestly say that Carnival is now my favorite. Unfortunately, we have booked an 11 day Alaska/West coast cruise with NCL...and it is paid for...and we are excited for the trip...so we are going, but it will probably be the last trip we book with NCL.

 

The no carry on beverage seems like a small thing on the surface, however when combined with all the other "changes", it is the proverbial straw for us. We do have an all inclusive beverage package on this sailing, BUT....it doesn't include bottled water, nor does it include cans of soda. I like to wake up and have a cold can of soda to start my day. I don't want to have to find a bar that is open at 0600 to get my morning soda. I certainly am not going to pay $40 for bottled water. The beverage package has very little value for my husband and I as we are not drinkers. We usually have 7 or 8 drinks TOTAL over the course of a cruise. We want bottled water and cans of soda and we can't get them with the all inclusive drink package. And we can't carry them on.....

 

Goodbye NCL..........Goodluck!

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winddawn

winddawn

Posted
Posted
Up until the last few years, NCL has been my favorite cruiseline....however, I can honestly say that Carnival is now my favorite. Unfortunately, we have booked an 11 day Alaska/West coast cruise with NCL...and it is paid for...and we are excited for the trip...so we are going, but it will probably be the last trip we book with NCL.

 

The no carry on beverage seems like a small thing on the surface, however when combined with all the other "changes", it is the proverbial straw for us. We do have an all inclusive beverage package on this sailing, BUT....it doesn't include bottled water, nor does it include cans of soda. I like to wake up and have a cold can of soda to start my day. I don't want to have to find a bar that is open at 0600 to get my morning soda. I certainly am not going to pay $40 for bottled water. The beverage package has very little value for my husband and I as we are not drinkers. We usually have 7 or 8 drinks TOTAL over the course of a cruise. We want bottled water and cans of soda and we can't get them with the all inclusive drink package. And we can't carry them on.....

 

Goodbye NCL..........Goodluck!

So for those other than big bottled water drinkers and big soda drinkers, then this is not really a big deal, from a beverage perspective?

 

In all fairness, I think it is a given that NCL already has more for-a-fee food options and NCL's cabins are overall smaller, right? So a potential customer just needs to evaluate where they fall into those circumstances based on personal preference?

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LMaxwell Great Review Rare

LMaxwell

Posted
Posted

Carnivals beverage policy for carry on is among the most guest friendly of all the mass market lines. NCL is a company that seems to hate its guests. They've taken most of the sheen off my upcoming Escape cruise with all their hatchet job cutbacks.

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Warm Breezes

Warm Breezes

Posted
Posted
Not defending NCL, as I've never cruised them, but with the UBP that is offered on nearly every cruise, and booze included on the SKY, does it matter that they restricted bringing beverages on board?:confused:

 

My feelings exactly. We have the UBP promotion for our Escape cruise next year and had already decided before this policy came out that we weren't going to carry anything on because of having the package. We considered that a plus so this new policy didn't make any difference to us.

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Love2Cruz2015

Love2Cruz2015

Posted
Posted

I agree about Carnival's water policy. I also think MSC and Carnival will be taking a lot of business away from NCL. I had a booking about a year ago, that I cancelled after seeing all the nickel and diming DelRio implemented. After they announced an 8 dollar charge for room service, I cancelled. There was also so much discontent on the NCL board here and as already stated the comments DelRio made, I just didn't think NCL would be a good fit for me. So I booked another Carnival cruise instead. :D

 

I also think it's ludicrous that the UDP promo doesn't include water and canned soda....deceitful if you ask me.

 

 

I'm happy with Carnival and MSC and an occasional DCL for DD.

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