UBP price increase?

[lmm1967]

Am I crazy or did the UBP price jump very recently?

 

I could have sworn it was $79 per person per day just a week or 2 ago - logged in just now and it's up to $89.00 per person per day for a 7 day Western Carribean on Getaway.

 

DOH! - and I finally found a thread where this is being discussed. I looked - couldn't find it. Sorry for starting a duplicate. Would delete if I could.

Edited October 9, 2017 by lmm1967
To prove I'm stupid and can't search successfully.

[NLH Arizona]

No, you are not crazy.

[casofilia]

Use the blue triangle (top right) to ask the mods to delete the thread.

[Moby0215]

The price of the UBP doesn’t matter if they keep it as a perk. It just increases the amount of the auto 18% gratuity.

 

 

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[SeaShark]

The price of the UBP doesn’t matter if they keep it as a perk. It just increases the amount of the auto 18% gratuity.

 

 

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Disagree. If the price didn't matter, then they wouldn't raise it. If they just wanted to increase the gratuity, it would have been easier to increase it to 20% instead. (Remember when the added gratuity in restaurants and bars was 15%????)

[Moby0215]

Disagree. If the price didn't matter, then they wouldn't raise it. If they just wanted to increase the gratuity, it would have been easier to increase it to 20% instead. (Remember when the added gratuity in restaurants and bars was 15%????)

 

 

 

You missed my point. The price doesn’t matter because if someone wants the UBP they can just pick it as a perk and won’t be paying the crazy $89 pppd. I’m sure it’s very few and far between the number of people who actually pay for the package. Now if they were to stop offering the UBP as a perk then we would have a problem cause $1470 for a 7 day cruise for 2 people to have all you can drink is just insanity. I would try and limit most of my drinking to the casino and pay as I go elsewhere.

 

 

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[SeaShark]

You missed my point. The price doesn’t matter because if someone wants the UBP they can just pick it as a perk and won’t be paying the crazy $89 pppd. I’m sure it’s very few and far between the number of people who actually pay for the package. Now if they were to stop offering the UBP as a perk then we would have a problem cause $1470 for a 7 day cruise for 2 people to have all you can drink is just insanity. I would try and limit most of my drinking to the casino and pay as I go elsewhere.

 

 

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But the price does matter. The number of people without the package is larger than you think. The package price also drives individual drink prices. (The $15 drink was unheard of prior to the UBP). Look at the annual reports...onboard spending is increasing for NCL. If "everyone" has the packages, (and drinks, food, and gambling are the top 3 onboard revenue sources), what is driving all of that additional spending?

[uneamie]

Hmm....our cruise is already bought and paid for, including the free bonus UBP gratuities, which we had to pay when we picked it. So I do hope we will not have to pay more due to the increase since we already paid.

[NLH Arizona]

Hmm....our cruise is already bought and paid for, including the free bonus UBP gratuities, which we had to pay when we picked it. So I do hope we will not have to pay more due to the increase since we already paid.

No, you won't have to pay more.

[Moby0215]

But the price does matter. The number of people without the package is larger than you think. The package price also drives individual drink prices. (The $15 drink was unheard of prior to the UBP). Look at the annual reports...onboard spending is increasing for NCL. If "everyone" has the packages, (and drinks, food, and gambling are the top 3 onboard revenue sources), what is driving all of that additional spending?

 

 

 

I’m talking about the price of the package if you were to buy the package. No reason not to pick it as a perk. Because as I said earlier I wouldn’t pay $1470 for it, but I surely will pay $224.

 

 

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[SeaShark]

I’m talking about the price of the package if you were to buy the package. No reason not to pick it as a perk. Because as I said earlier I wouldn’t pay $1470 for it, but I surely will pay $224.

 

 

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No reason? What if your typical bar bill was less than the $224? Would you book it then? And if you say "no", how do you feel knowing that the price is still calculated in the fare...whether you get the package or not?

 

 

NCL is making more money with these "free" plans...that isn't because the guest is getting a better deal....that additional revenue comes from somewhere.

[Moby0215]

No reason? What if your typical bar bill was less than the $224? Would you book it then? And if you say "no", how do you feel knowing that the price is still calculated in the fare...whether you get the package or not?

 

 

NCL is making more money with these "free" plans...that isn't because the guest is getting a better deal....that additional revenue comes from somewhere.

 

 

 

Yes, no reason. You need to read my post more clearly. I am talking about people who are considering buying the package vs picking it as a perk. If your typical bar bill is less than $224 then you wouldn’t be considering buying the UBP. As far as your comment about it being still calculated in the fare... this type of argument always makes me chuckle a little... tons of stuff are built into the fare that a majority of people may not use. For example I don’t use the splash academy. And lastly about NCL making more money... well shame on them. It’s not like they aren’t running a business. If you feel as if the price is too high, it’s not like you don’t have other options.

 

 

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[lmm1967]

Pricing does matter - Especially when you utilize 3/4 passegers free - and 1 out of the 3 of your party doesn't have UBP because perks - even in Haven - only apply to passengers 1/2.

 

Bottom line - they are at the point of encouraging passengers 1/2 to use UBP to get drinks for passengers 3/4. Luckily NCL has not instituted a daily drink limit - yet.

 

Also - I would be more forgiving if they grandfathered the price to what it was when you booked your cruise. I was expecting to pay $79 + 18% per day for 1 person in our party and was going to do so on ship since I can't purchase it online for just 1 person (even though the first 2 already have it as a perk). I don't care if it's 2% or 30% - it's an increase we weren't planning on and it annoys me that they won't honor the price as it was when we booked in June.

[Two Wheels Only]

Bottom line - they are at the point of encouraging passengers 1/2 to use UBP to get drinks for passengers 3/4.

I disagree. Raising the UBP by $10 per day doesn't justify violating the terms. That would be like claiming that increasing Haven prices encourages Haven guests to sneak non-Haven guests into the Haven.

 

 

Also - I would be more forgiving if they grandfathered the price to what it was when you booked your cruise.

That would be difficult to pull off on-board. Different people booked on different days so there would be a possibility of you being charged $79pppd and the person in the line behind you being charged $89pppd.

 

 

I was expecting to pay $79 + 18% per day for 1 person in our party and was going to do so on ship since I can't purchase it online for just 1 person (even though the first 2 already have it as a perk).

I've never purchased the UBP but can it be added to passenger #3 over the phone?

[lmm1967]

I disagree. Raising the UBP by $10 per day doesn't justify violating the terms. That would be like claiming that increasing Haven prices encourages Haven guests to sneak non-Haven guests into the Haven.

 

 

 

That would be difficult to pull off on-board. Different people booked on different days so there would be a possibility of you being charged $79pppd and the person in the line behind you being charged $89pppd.

 

 

 

I've never purchased the UBP but can it be added to passenger #3 over the phone?

 

You're right - it doesn't justify it. But don't doubt it happens.

 

Every employee on board is able to quickly pull up your information - zing my card and they know exactly when I booked, how much I paid, perks available / perks chosen etc. I booked a product at an agreed upon rate with agreed upon terms - NCL doesn't see that UBP prices are terms when booked obviously. That's their choice - doesn't mean I agree with it or that it doesn't annoy me.

 

Might be able to have done so over the phone - I use the web to book, don't want to talk to people and shouldn't be forced to in this day and age.

[Two Wheels Only]

I was thinking about those booked through a travel agent. NCL would have a difficult time knowing when those people booked.

[lmm1967]

I was thinking about those booked through a travel agent. NCL would have a difficult time knowing when those people booked.

 

Perhaps true - however, then I would be talking about the prices my TA charged me - I choose to book directly with NCL. I miss out on some random perks here and there (free onboard credit some TAs give customers for instance) however I'm also not subject to additional terms and conditions that can be put in place by TAs. Come to think of it - I could probably convince a TA to sell the UBP at the previous price if I was a good customer providing them as much business as we have provided NCL over the past 5 years.

[Moby0215]

Pricing does matter - Especially when you utilize 3/4 passegers free - and 1 out of the 3 of your party doesn't have UBP because perks - even in Haven - only apply to passengers 1/2.

 

Bottom line - they are at the point of encouraging passengers 1/2 to use UBP to get drinks for passengers 3/4. Luckily NCL has not instituted a daily drink limit - yet.

 

Also - I would be more forgiving if they grandfathered the price to what it was when you booked your cruise. I was expecting to pay $79 + 18% per day for 1 person in our party and was going to do so on ship since I can't purchase it online for just 1 person (even though the first 2 already have it as a perk). I don't care if it's 2% or 30% - it's an increase we weren't planning on and it annoys me that they won't honor the price as it was when we booked in June.

 

 

 

I can see where it matters here. And I see where you are coming from saying that you don’t care if it’s 2% or 30% etc. it sucks, I know. You just need to decide if an extra $82.60 is going to ruin your good time.

 

 

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[OrlandoSingleCruiser]

You missed my point. The price doesn’t matter because if someone wants the UBP they can just pick it as a perk and won’t be paying the crazy $89 pppd. I’m sure it’s very few and far between the number of people who actually pay for the package. Now if they were to stop offering the UBP as a perk then we would have a problem cause $1470 for a 7 day cruise for 2 people to have all you can drink is just insanity. I would try and limit most of my drinking to the casino and pay as I go elsewhere.

 

 

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But you see the reality is that you're the one missing the point. You are actually paying for the perk, it's not free. That's why Sail Away rates without perks are several hundred dollars cheaper. So you are paying for the UBP (indirectly) and now you get to pay NCL a a few extra bucks per day for a service fee that mostly goes into their pockets and not the staff.

 

Increasing the UBP from $79 to $89 comes out to a little over $10 million extra for NCL per year based on the increase from service fees alone. Not counting those people that actually buy the package.

[Moby0215]

But you see the reality is that you're the one missing the point. You are actually paying for the perk, it's not free. That's why Sail Away rates without perks are several hundred dollars cheaper. So you are paying for the UBP (indirectly) and now you get to pay NCL a a few extra bucks per day for a service fee that mostly goes into their pockets and not the staff.

 

 

 

Increasing the UBP from $79 to $89 comes out to a little over $10 million extra for NCL per year based on the increase from service fees alone. Not counting those people that actually buy the package.

 

 

 

I can assure you I am not missing the point. When I book a vacation I look at the total cost that I am going to spend and determine if that is acceptable to me. Booking a room with the UBP perk included is still cheaper than picking a sail away rate and then buying the package separately. This is the route that I go because it works for me.

 

 

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[OrlandoSingleCruiser]

I can assure you I am not missing the point. When I book a vacation I look at the total cost that I am going to spend and determine if that is acceptable to me. Booking a room with the UBP perk included is still cheaper than picking a sail away rate and then buying the package separately. This is the route that I go because it works for me.

 

 

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Well of course it is, spending over $600 on a beverage package is plain stupid. The average drink is about $10 so you'd have to consume 62 drinks on a 7 day cruise to make it worth the money which most people don't do.

 

Realistically you're going to consume an average of about 8 drinks on sea days and maybe 6 on port days. Add it up. With 4 ports and 2 sea days (plus sail away day) that puts you at 48 drinks if you consume the full 8 on the first day even tho you're probably not boarding the ship until 12pm-2pm. So 48 drinks (might even be high to be honest) and NCL charges you $112 for that. About $2.33 per drink is what you pay if you consume 48 alcoholic drinks on your cruise. I'm a moderate drinker and last cruise with the UBP I averaged 3 drinks on port days and 6 drinks on sea days so that's only 30 drinks...almost $4 per drinks just from the service charge.

 

The difference between a sail away rate and a rate with perks averages out to about $250-350 per person. So add that difference in the price and you'll see you're still paying $7-8 per drink but NCLs marketing has got you fooled into thinking it's free.

[Moby0215]

Well of course it is, spending over $600 on a beverage package is plain stupid. The average drink is about $10 so you'd have to consume 62 drinks on a 7 day cruise to make it worth the money which most people don't do.

 

 

 

Realistically you're going to consume an average of about 8 drinks on sea days and maybe 6 on port days. Add it up. With 4 ports and 2 sea days (plus sail away day) that puts you at 48 drinks if you consume the full 8 on the first day even tho you're probably not boarding the ship until 12pm-2pm. So 48 drinks (might even be high to be honest) and NCL charges you $112 for that. About $2.33 per drink is what you pay if you consume 48 alcoholic drinks on your cruise. I'm a moderate drinker and last cruise with the UBP I averaged 3 drinks on port days and 6 drinks on sea days so that's only 30 drinks...almost $4 per drinks just from the service charge.

 

 

 

The difference between a sail away rate and a rate with perks averages out to about $250-350 per person. So add that difference in the price and you'll see you're still paying $7-8 per drink but NCLs marketing has got you fooled into thinking it's free.

 

 

 

I can assure you that I am not fooled. I’m a mathematician and always crunch the numbers. If it is better for you to go the route of the sail away rate then go for it. For me it is better the other way.

 

 

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