Not the "Unlimited Beverage" Package anymore

[Two Wheels Only]

...there are price ranges and cabins that should suit everyone without complaint.

This is Cruise Critic. There is NOTHING related to cruising that is "without complaint". ;p

[BNBR]

As far as I am concerned, if I was never going to consider Carnival or RCCL *anyway*, (in keeping with your example), then nobody "took an extra $140 out" of our pockets. It's all relative. Personally, I do not perceive value from either of those 2 so I choose not to cruise with them, regardless if they are "cheaper".

 

I see nothing sneaky about any of it. They are a for profit company. We all presumably operate in a free market economy. If WE see something WE want, and agree to purchase it at a price that is agreeable to US, then there's no harm done, nobody is being taken advantage of, the rest (free/included/ultimate/unlimited) is all semantics.

 

Sent from my SM-G930T using Forums mobile app

 

They literally got in trouble for their sneaky behavior and false advertising, did you not read this thread? We know NCL does sneaky stuff, and the way overpriced UOB "retail" value as a way to jack up gratuities is by it's very definition, sneaky. The value of beverage packages per industry norms is around $50 per day. Pricing is a whopping 80% higher as a "retail" value when they know that nobody pays retail for it, is CLEARLY a way to increase the service charge and is sneaky. This is, of course, a way to separate passengers from their money without them catching on to it. How is that not sneaky? lol. Is this even a debatable fact? Their entire pricing model is all about misleading and sneaky behavior. Royal does this a lot too with many of their fake sales. Carnival seems to be the only one that just pricing things pretty straight forward.

[Maniacal Cruiser]

They literally got in trouble for their sneaky behavior and false advertising, did you not read this thread? We know NCL does sneaky stuff, and the way overpriced UOB "retail" value as a way to jack up gratuities is by it's very definition, sneaky. The value of beverage packages per industry norms is around $50 per day. Pricing is a whopping 80% higher as a "retail" value when they know that nobody pays retail for it, is CLEARLY a way to increase the service charge and is sneaky. This is, of course, a way to separate passengers from their money without them catching on to it. How is that not sneaky? lol. Is this even a debatable fact? Their entire pricing model is all about misleading and sneaky behavior. Royal does this a lot too with many of their fake sales. Carnival seems to be the only one that just pricing things pretty straight forward.

 

 

Pray tell what does NCL do that is even slightly sneaky let alone misleading? If you do not read details of what you are buying that is NOT the seller being sneaky in any sense of the word.

[BNBR]

Pray tell what does NCL do that is even slightly sneaky let alone misleading? If you do not read details of what you are buying that is NOT the seller being sneaky in any sense of the word.

 

I don't think you understand what "sneaky" and "misleading" mean. Again, this thread is literally about NCL having issues with surveys showing customers would be reasonably confused and getting less than they would expect after reviewing ncls marketing. It's as if there wasn't actual proof of it... In the same thread... That is the actual topic of the thread... :rolleyes:

[Maya1234]

I don't think you understand what "sneaky" and "misleading" mean. Again, this thread is literally about NCL having issues with surveys showing customers would be reasonably confused and getting less than they would expect after reviewing ncls marketing. It's as if there wasn't actual proof of it... In the same thread... That is the actual topic of the thread... :rolleyes:

 

Some states have “caveat emptor” rules. It’s your duty to read all the details or you are SOL. Other states have very “ consumer friendly “ laws. If they lure you with ads that are confusing to a good number of consumers based on survey evidence the company may face substantial liability. “The customer should have read the details” is no defense in those states. The company will face liability based on a consumer fraud and deceptive practices act.

 

Sometimes when you see a change in the way a company presents a product, service or amenity it’s because they have been threatened with a lawsuit. Survey evidence that shows a good chunk of consumers would be confused may especially spur these changes.

 

So if survey evidence showed that “Free Ultimate Beverage Package” would confuse people into thinking they are getting something they are not...that could have been the reason for the change ( which is what I was told.)

[Arzeena]

Yes the UBP is a marketing gimmick, but a hugely successful gimmick. Del Rio is the master of deception. He inflated the price of the cruise to pay for the UBP, but the unintended consequence was NCL wasn't competitively priced commensurate with the class of cruise line.

 

When prospective cruisers compared prices amongst cruise lines NCL wasn't as competitive as they were pre-UBP. The fix was the introduction of the "Sail-away" rate which once again made NCL appear competitive when price shopping across cruise lines.

 

The genius of Del Rio is he knew the public and knew people would ignore the inflated price of the cruise and only focus on the UBP gratuity. Thus all the "The UBP is only $18 a day" posts which completely ignore the inflated cost of the cruise.

 

I agree with you.

 

No matter what the fanboys/gals say:D They can shout themselves hoarse or intimidate people of different opinions. I for one, agree with your reasoning on the beverage packages, Mianmike!

I never buy the bev package, I book sailaway, usually at the last minute or when the sailaway rate is cheap and available and I enjoy my cruises with NCL.

Edited August 2, 2018 by Arzeena

[BNBR]

Some states have “caveat emptor” rules. It’s your duty to read all the details or you are SOL. Other states have very “ consumer friendly “ laws. If they lure you with ads that are confusing to a good number of consumers based on survey evidence the company may face substantial liability. “The customer should have read the details” is no defense in those states. The company will face liability based on a consumer fraud and deceptive practices act.

 

Sometimes when you see a change in the way a company presents a product, service or amenity it’s because they have been threatened with a lawsuit. Survey evidence that shows a good chunk of consumers would be confused may especially spur these changes.

 

So if survey evidence showed that “Free Ultimate Beverage Package” would confuse people into thinking they are getting something they are not...that could have been the reason for the change ( which is what I was told.)

 

I appreciate your posts and insight. It's interesting stuff. If things have to be hidden in the details, that is the very definition of misleading. People don't look for answers to questions they don't have, and if they don't suspect deception, then they won't be looking for answers. Hence why threads like this are important.

 

I definitely prefer the more "consumer friendly" approach. As we know, companies love hiding the details. Car companies are infamous for this. Just watch any car commercial and notice all the fine print. As a car salesman myself, years ago, I know it well. I see so many similarities with NCL's marketing.

 

I agree with you.

 

No matter what the fanboys/gals say:D They can shout themselves hoarse or intimidate people of different opinions. I for one, agree with your reasoning, Mianmike!

 

It's the truth! There is no doubt these are marketing gimmicks. Anyone remotely familiar with marketing and sales sees it right away. Unfortunately, it works very well on the general public who may not be savvy. That said, it doesn't mean they offer a bad product or have an unfair price.

[Maniacal Cruiser]

It never was the UNLIMITED beverage package. It was the ULTIMATE beverage package. If you have trouble reading the name, I can easily see how you had difficulty with the terms and conditions. Perhaps you should get a lawyer to read it for you, oh wait!

[jimd909]

Is there a link to the new Unlimited Open Bar on NCL's website? I can't find it. I would like to know what exactly it includes. Or is it the same as the Ultimate Beverage Package just renamed?

 

EDIT...This is the only thing I can find...

 

Wine with dinner, umbrella drinks poolside, evening cocktails, morning mimosas. With Free Unlimited Open Bar, Guests 1 and 2 enjoy all the spirits and cocktails, wines by the glass, draft beer, and juice and soda they want. Choose from up to 22 bars and lounges shipwide. You save up to $178 per day.

[BNBR]

It never was the UNLIMITED beverage package. It was the ULTIMATE beverage package. If you have trouble reading the name, I can easily see how you had difficulty with the terms and conditions. Perhaps you should get a lawyer to read it for you, oh wait!

 

Right over your head. You aren't making the clever point that you think you are. Kind of the opposite.

[BNBR]

Is there a link to the new Unlimited Open Bar on NCL's website? I can't find it. I would like to know what exactly it includes. Or is it the same as the Ultimate Beverage Package just renamed?

 

Same, just renamed. That was the point. Ultimate Beverage Package implied something it was not. Unlimited Open Bar is much more clear. They seem to be slowly converting their marketing. Just visit their site and go through a booking to see the new name in action... They may also use a mixture of the two.

 

It's nice to see NCL cleaning up their act. They did it with the dining package, too.

[Maniacal Cruiser]

I appreciate your posts and insight. It's interesting stuff. If things have to be hidden in the details, that is the very definition of misleading. People don't look for answers to questions they don't have, and if they don't suspect deception, then they won't be looking for answers. Hence why threads like this are important.

 

I definitely prefer the more "consumer friendly" approach. As we know, companies love hiding the details. Car companies are infamous for this. Just watch any car commercial and notice all the fine print. As a car salesman myself, years ago, I know it well. I see so many similarities with NCL's marketing.

 

 

 

It's the truth! There is no doubt these are marketing gimmicks. Anyone remotely familiar with marketing and sales sees it right away. Unfortunately, it works very well on the general public who may not be savvy. That said, it doesn't mean they offer a bad product or have an unfair price.

 

 

Except NOTHING is even slightly hidden.

[BNBR]

Except NOTHING is even slightly hidden.

 

Lol. :rolleyes:

[Two Wheels Only]

Is there a link to the new Unlimited Open Bar on NCL's website? I can't find it. I would like to know what exactly it includes. Or is it the same as the Ultimate Beverage Package just renamed?

 

It's basically just a name change. NCL still uses both names depending on what part of the website is being viewed. The "1 per transaction" vs. "2 per transaction" has gone back and forth for so long that nobody knows what it is from week to week. In reality, the bartenders don't mind giving 2 especially if they know that both guests have the UBP/UOB.

 

It's nice to see NCL cleaning up their act. They did it with the dining package, too.

What do you mean?

[BNBR]

 

What do you mean?

 

Not the name, sorry. But they cleaned up the wording to specify its 3 meals. It used to say simply "enjoy specialty dining on your cruise" and now "enjoy 3 meals" (paraphrasing).

 

I'm not sure if these things are survey based or why wording has been changing, but they clearly seem to be updating wording across their marketing to be less confusing or misleading.

[Two Wheels Only]

Not the name, sorry. But they cleaned up the wording to specify its 3 meals. It used to say simply "enjoy specialty dining on your cruise" and now "enjoy 3 meals" (paraphrasing).

That was probably NCL being slower with changing the website than with changing the number of meals. It used to be an unlimited number of meals (UDP) before it became SDP (4 meals then 3 meals for a seven night cruise). The website still uses the letters "UDP" (3UDP, 4UDP) when buying but it is actually 3SDP, 4SDP, etc.

[Maniacal Cruiser]

Same, just renamed. That was the point. Ultimate Beverage Package implied something it was not. Unlimited Open Bar is much more clear. They seem to be slowly converting their marketing. Just visit their site and go through a booking to see the new name in action... They may also use a mixture of the two.

 

It's nice to see NCL cleaning up their act. They did it with the dining package, too.

 

Not the name, sorry. But they cleaned up the wording to specify its 3 meals. It used to say simply "enjoy specialty dining on your cruise" and now "enjoy 3 meals" (paraphrasing).

 

I'm not sure if these things are survey based or why wording has been changing, but they clearly seem to be updating wording across their marketing to be less confusing or misleading.

 

The dining package is NOT a set number of meals. It depends on the length of the cruise.

[BNBR]

That was probably NCL being slower with changing the website than with changing the number of meals. It used to be an unlimited number of meals (UDP) before it became SDP (4 meals then 3 meals for a seven night cruise). The website still uses the letters "UDP" (3UDP, 4UDP) when buying but it is actually 3SDP, 4SDP, etc.

 

They got me with it!

 

I didn't realize until after I purchased that it was limited to just 3 meals. Getting 3 meals certainly isn't "ultimate" in my mind and it didn't occur to me that limiting to 3 meals is a "thing" at the time. I was familiar with Royal's Ultimate Dining Package which includes every night plus sea day lunches, too. Who would think NCL's "ultimate" package would be so meager? Again, we don't look for answers to questions we don't have. It didn't click in my mind that NCL would be intentionally trying to misrepresent what I was getting. I guess I should have found the terms and conditions at the bottom of the page and thoroughly reviewed everything. ;p

 

I've been in marketing long enough, heck, I even did some web work for NCL years ago. The wording on these pages isn't an accident. It's very intentional.

[CruisingNole]

I've said it once and I'll say it again. If NCL's shady beverage package didn't exist, this forum would be on life support as there'd be nothing to converse over. There's no fun live reviews from ships (probably because NCL's internet is like AOL in the '90s) and pretty much no fun whatsoever. Gee, no wonder I haven't booked another NCL cruise.

[fshagan]

Water included? Since when?

 

Spannymammy is from the UK (Scotland) where NCL has the "all inclusive" rate that bundles the daily service charge, the gratuity on the promos, etc., into the fare cost. They also include 1 liter bottle of water per guest per day and deliver it all on the first day of the cruise ... so you get 14 bottles included (and all piled up in your cabin) if there are two of you on a 7 day cruise.

 

The all inclusive rate stopped a lot of the complaining about the daily service charge and gratuity on free promos from the subjects of the UK. They pay more, but that's because all the fees are rolled into the price.

 

In this thread we learned that NCL is changing the name of the UBP because it confuses their customers and therefore exposes them to litigation risk. Perhaps some day they will roll all the costs into the fare like they did in the UK with the "all inclusive" rate.

 

It doesn't matter to me, personally, but it seems to be a hot button issue for some people.

[LrgPizza]

They got me with it!

 

I didn't realize until after I purchased that it was limited to just 3 meals. Getting 3 meals certainly isn't "ultimate" in my mind and it didn't occur to me that limiting to 3 meals is a "thing" at the time. I was familiar with Royal's Ultimate Dining Package which includes every night plus sea day lunches, too. Who would think NCL's "ultimate" package would be so meager? Again, we don't look for answers to questions we don't have. It didn't click in my mind that NCL would be intentionally trying to misrepresent what I was getting. I guess I should have found the terms and conditions at the bottom of the page and thoroughly reviewed everything. ;p

 

I've been in marketing long enough, heck, I even did some web work for NCL years ago. The wording on these pages isn't an accident. It's very intentional.

When NCL's was called the Ultimate Dining Package, it was unlimited, and you could eat in as many specialty restaurants as you wanted during your cruise. At the exact same time they limited it, it changed to the SDP. This way, people can pay less for the specific amount of meals they want. Regardless of what the booking codes show, they changed the name when they changed it to meal limits.

[graphicguy]

This is Cruise Critic. There is NOTHING related to cruising that is "without complaint". ;p

There’s a significant difference between “critic” and Cruise Incessant Whining.....where some do nothing but whine about a cruise, a ship, a cruise line, etc. Their are just a few of them. We’ve all seen them here, though. They provide no help, but constantly whine.

[Jana60]

There’s a significant difference between “critic” and Cruise Incessant Whining.....where some do nothing but whine about a cruise, a ship, a cruise line, etc. Their are just a few of them. We’ve all seen them here, though. They provide no help, but constantly whine.

 

 

LOL! It’s sort of makes you wonder why some folks are even still cruising when they seem to hate everything about their cruises! I love watching the ocean, hearing it, smelling the salt water breeze, and being rocked to sleep. Even if there are occasionally events on some cruises that are less than optimal, I love being on the ocean!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[csopi]

Even though NCL says over and over they're gratuities, let's use your analogy. The drink package costs $18/day, for the alcohol package, and call it UBP. Well...well worth it!

 

 

 

This is exactly the way to look at it.

If you have more than 2 drinks a day it is worth it.

 

For me it is a no brainer , it is the first thing I pick.

 

It is always best to work with total cost of your cruise when comparing cruise lines.

Some give “free perks” and have a high basic cruise price, others don’t give any but have a much lower cruise price.

It is all about marketing on their end and understanding what you want out of your cruise on yours and then comparing total costs.

[davy jones]

It never was.....

 

DW's favorite drink is a chocolate martini. She may have 1 per day. Each one is $2.95 plus the additional tip. It's not like the drink is some vintage wine or Johnny Blue. It's standard booze and classic nickel and diming.