UBP, Haven, water ?

[Annmeat]

Now I'm very confused. When we booked a year ago April for this Oct. we received the UDP & Adult Beverage, service charge, & shore excursion credit for first two in the 2 BR suite. Also received soda package & UDP (with child's UDP) for the kids. Do I need to pay the 18% for these items on top of the service charge for the kids (which I have been trying to pre pay without luck)? Trying to get my budget in order I hate to think about the money end of our vacation while on vacation. Like it all paid for except daily spending. That way I can spend away :).

Other item is we later booked the inside across the hall from us for our Aunt in Jan this year. Paid for a solo and she received SDP. Do we need to pay the 18% on her package as well.

All these different terms UDP, SDP, and our drink package is listed as ABP (adult beverage package) never even seen this one before?

Thanks folk's I know somebody out there has an answer. I will ask the TA but she doesn't always get the same answer twice from NCL for us either.

 

 

 

If you have to pay the fee for Auntie , it will be on your booking confirmation . It is itemized and included in your final payment. They don't charge you later, it is included in the total amount due.

 

We are in a suite now but had booked and cancelled a balcony. The fee for our SDP and U D P were clearly delineated on our confirmation .

 

 

Same for the kids. There is no "gotcha" . Your charges are very easy to see, no food or beverage service charge is added later for payment aboard the ship.

Have a great trip!

Edited July 10, 2016 by Annmeat

[Annmeat]

I believe it all depends on when you book as Terms and Conditions is subject to change according to whatever promotion is being offered. At the moment, the Free at Sea promotion is on and one perk you may choose is the UBP ... Here is the following Terms and Conditions of the UBP as it relates the to the promotion (I highlighted several the salient parts including the 18%) ...

 

• 
  Terms & Conditions
   
   
  Booking Window: May 18, 2016 - July 31, 2016 11:59 pm EST
  Applicable Sailings: 5 nights or longer sailings
  Studios & Insides: Pick 1 Offer
  Oceanviews, Balconies & Mini-Suites: Pick 2 Offers
  Suites & Haven: Automatically gets Specialty Dining Package, Ultimate Beverage Package, Shore Excursion Credit, 250 Minutes of Free Internet and *Extra Guests Sail Free (on select sailings).
  Offer is not applicable to categories IX, OX, BX & MX.
   
  ...
   
   
  Unlimited Beverages: (Excluded on Hawaii Cruises) Applicable to guests 1-2 on the reservation.
   
  Guest must be at least 21 years of age at time of sailing to qualify for the Ultimate Beverage Package. Guests under 21 will receive the soda package.
  Variety of spirits and cocktails, wines by the glass and bottled or draft beer up to $15 USD. Includes fountain soda and juice, and non-alcoholic beer.
  A 20% discount will be given on bottles of wine (champagne and sparkling included) purchased on board.
  Does not apply to the Ice Bars.
  Does not include room service, package sales, bottled water, ship specific promotions or beer buckets, designated super premium brands (subject to change), bottled wine, mini bar purchases, fresh squeezed juices, Lavazza coffee beverages, wine dispenser, energy drinks or vending machines.
  Guest who receive the Soda Package may obtain fountain soda at any bar, lounge or restaurant throughout the duration of the cruise.
  Guest's check may reflect applicable VAT and/or taxes for certain ports or itineraries.
  Guest is responsible for 18% gratuities & service charges on the retail value of the Ultimate Beverage Package and/or Soda Package prior to cruise, except when booking a Haven or Suite.
  18% gratuities & service charges on the retail value of the Ultimate Beverage Package and/or Soda Package are included when booking through the Australia office.
  Retail value of Ultimate Beverage Package is $79 USD per person per day. Package price is subject to change.
  Retail value of the Adult Soda Package is $7.50 USD per person per day. Package price is subject to change.
  When booking a Haven or Suite category, gratuities related to beverage and soda packages are included.
   
   
   
  Specialty Dining Package:
   
  Sail Length Number Of Dining Package Meals Retail Value
  5-9 Nights 3 $69 USD per person
  10+ Nights 4 $84 USD per person
   
  Package prices are subject to change.
  Guest is responsible for 18% gratuities & service charges on the retail value of the Specialty Dining Package prior to cruise.
  18% gratuities & service charges on the retail value of the Specialty Dining Package are included when booking through the Australia office.
  Applicable to guests 1-2 on the reservation.
  Food Republic, The Bake Shop, Ice Cream Bar, Gelato, specialty items in the Asian restaurant, Special Occasion/Holiday menus (New Year's, Christmas, etc.), Jazz Brunch, Wine Lovers and Murder Mystery lunches, and beverages are not included as part of the Specialty Dining Packages.
  You may choose to dine in the following venues as part of your Specialty Dining Package for the corresponding upcharges: The Supper Club ($15 USD), For the Record ($15 USD), Ocean Blue ($15 USD), Bayamo ($15 USD), Cirque Dreams and Illusionarium ($10 USD regular seats/$15 USD premium seats/$35 USD VIP seating on Breakaway), Sushi Bar ($7 USD), Pincho Tapas Bar ($7 USD), and Raw Bar ($7 USD).
  Specialty Dining Packages include one main course per person at Cagney's and Le Bistro restaurants. Additional main courses will be charged at the a la carte price listed on the menu.
  There is no minimum or maximum to the number of meals that can be redeemed in a day, however each meal is counted towards the package.
   
   
   
  Internet Package:
   
  250 minutes per stateroom.
  Internet package is per stateroom. One login per stateroom.
  On Breakaway, stateroom receives an internet package of 250 minutes or 1000 MB of data.
  Internet package includes activation fee.
  

 

We booked Haven aboard the Breakaway so get all five offers ... although we won't pay the 18% on the UBP, the 18% is applicable and due prior to sailing. So I will be curious as to what the final payment breakdown is ...

 

 

 

You already have the final payment "breakdown". It is very clear on your booking confirmation.

[littlelulu01]

Bookings made up till around April, 2015? included everyone in stateroom and no 18%. The first two in the stateroom used to get the UBP with no 18% fee and the remaining stateroom guests received the soda package. If you booked the UDP perk, everyone in the stateroom used to get it, not just the first two and the speciality restaurants were not charged 18%. If you booked your rooms before these changes then you will not be assessed them at a later date. the fees associated with packages, like in your aunts room, are assessesed in your total due at final payment. You aren't charged for any perk fees on board.

 

So think of any fees that were or are associated with a perk as being built into a fare. They are always part of what you pay by final payment, never assessed once you board the ship. This is true no matter how long ago you booked and what the perk choices were at the time of booking.

 

The only onboard fees you may need to pay is the DSC, you may have had that added to your fare and if not they can be paid in advance, I think up till a few days prior to sailing, and then whatever you spend onboard for extras that will clearly be outlined when you make the purchase. Examples such as spa treatments, bingo, or a beverage that isn't included in the UBP or soda plan. The servers are good about letting you know that what you are ordering isn't included so it's not like you'll get a bill for $700 worth of water bottles and speciality coffees with no knowledge that they weren't included.

 

Other than that the only thing would be tip for concerige and butler and other staff at your discretion.

[littlelulu01]

Now I'm very confused. When we booked a year ago April for this Oct. we received the UDP & Adult Beverage, service charge, & shore excursion credit for first two in the 2 BR suite. Also received soda package & UDP (with child's UDP) for the kids. Do I need to pay the 18% for these items on top of the service charge for the kids (which I have been trying to pre pay without luck)? Trying to get my budget in order I hate to think about the money end of our vacation while on vacation. Like it all paid for except daily spending. That way I can spend away :).

Other item is we later booked the inside across the hall from us for our Aunt in Jan this year. Paid for a solo and she received SDP. Do we need to pay the 18% on her package as well.

All these different terms UDP, SDP, and our drink package is listed as ABP (adult beverage package) never even seen this one before?

Thanks folk's I know somebody out there has an answer. I will ask the TA but she doesn't always get the same answer twice from NCL for us either.

 

If I'm reading correctly, the service charge you are speaking of is the DSC assessed per person? If it was included for the first two, which depending on booking date, may have been then you are talking about difficulties paying in advance for the kids? This can be done. Your ta should be able to handle this. I would also suggest you have your ta send you an amenities invoice and final payment invoice for both rooms, print and bring with you just in case there's any issues with the kids soda package and UDP. I would also make sure you have a my NCL account online for both you and aunts room. There you can pre check in, add passport numbers, verify amenities, make dining reservations etc. The only thing that won't show up on my NCL is if your ta gave you obc. That will be on the email ta sends you.

[latebloomer56]

Thank you everybody. I just looked closer at our booking confirmations. There is only the port & tax fees for guests 3-6 and us as the first 2 for the suite. Aunties confirmation has the tax & port fees as well as a dining service charge I assume this is for her SDP.

What's weird is we have 138. pp for our taxes & port fees (all 6) and we need to pay higher for her in an inside 176. odd.

This is good I will ask the TA to have everything next week when we go in before final payment. Maybe she can get the auto service charges accessed so we can pay them at the same time as final payment. And we want to set up something for Auntie's 95th. birthday celebration. Has anybody used the casino credit as a gift? she loves the slots and hopefully they are the same with the paper payout slips. Princess will be hard for her next spring everything is on the cabin card and she will need a password etc.

Plus there is always bingo :).

[littlelulu01]

Thank you everybody. I just looked closer at our booking confirmations. There is only the port & tax fees for guests 3-6 and us as the first 2 for the suite. Aunties confirmation has the tax & port fees as well as a dining service charge I assume this is for her SDP.

What's weird is we have 138. pp for our taxes & port fees (all 6) and we need to pay higher for her in an inside 176. odd.

This is good I will ask the TA to have everything next week when we go in before final payment. Maybe she can get the auto service charges accessed so we can pay them at the same time as final payment. And we want to set up something for Auntie's 95th. birthday celebration. Has anybody used the casino credit as a gift? she loves the slots and hopefully they are the same with the paper payout slips. Princess will be hard for her next spring everything is on the cabin card and she will need a password etc.

Plus there is always bingo :).

 

Taxes and port fees do vary. I think it depends on when you book. Perhaps the fees are assessed based on how full the ship is expected to be and of course those expectations go up and down as the ship sells. Where as the port fee presumably remains a constant fixed cost for the ship, the price charged per passenger will presumably vary. That's just my guess though. They can't/don't just pocket those fees for profit sake.

 

Regarding the slots and credit from casino. If she has a difficult time with PIN numbers etc it may just be easier to hand her some cash for gambling when you go to the casino. That she can put into and pull out as she chooses and not have to worry about cash loaded onto a players card with a pin. You could ask the casino staff about it onboard to see what's easiest.