Free Specialty Dining & Shore Excursion Credits

[canadian9981]

I have just booked an Alaska cruise and am a bit confused regarding the Free Specialty Dining and Shore Excursion Credits as this is the 1st time I sail with NCL.  

 

Free Specialty Dining - I was charged $138.60 per person for service fees for the 3 meal package.  However, when I searched the NCL site, I saw that if one wants to purchase a 3 meal package, it’s $89 + 20% gratuity which comes to $106.80.  This is less than the service fees charged on the free perk.  Does this make sense?  Am I misunderstanding something?  

 

Shore Excursion Credits - the agent at NCL was very confusing.  Is it $50 per stateroom per port?  Will it automatically reduce my payment when I book my excursions online?

 

Your help is very much appreciated.

[KeithJenner]

The $128.60 you were charged is the abount I would expect you to be charged for the beverage package ($99 per day x 20%). I assume that you actually have the beverage package booked, not dining. If that isn’t what you wanted then phone them to change it.

 

I’ve never had the excursion credit, but my understanding is that it’s $50 per cabin per port. If you don’t use it in any particular port it is lost (you can’t carry any credit over to another port and have $100 there, for example). If you want to reserve in advance you have to phone in to avoid full payment being taken at the time of booking.

[casofilia]

I agree you seem to have the drinks package not the dining package

 

The Shore excursion package:-  Don't book online but Reserve by phoning the Shore Excursion desk in Miami.  Then your folio will be charged for all shore excursions you have reserved on the first night on board.  When you have done the shorex your folio will have the $50 (remember per cabin) credited to your folio over night.  In that way the perk will be used to actually pay for the shorex.

If you book and pay for your shorex online then the credit will appear on your folio as On Board Credit.

[jackie101]

I am also confused, if you get the free dining package are you charged gratuities up front like the drink package? What happens if you do not use them all?

[JamieLogical]

4 minutes ago, jackie101 said:

I am also confused, if you get the free dining package are you charged gratuities up front like the drink package? What happens if you do not use them all?

 

Yes, you are charged gratuities on the dining package and/or drink package up front. 20% of the total value of the package. It doesn't matter whether you use up all your specialty meals or not. You've already been charged.

[jackie101]

1 minute ago, JamieLogical said:

 

Yes, you are charged gratuities on the dining package and/or drink package up front. 20% of the total value of the package. It doesn't matter whether you use up all your specialty meals or not. You've already been charged.

Thank you. 

[canadian9981]

Thank-you very much for all your answers.  I got to choose all free at sea offers and was quoted $15.80 and $138.60 as service fees for the drink package & specialty dining package respectively.  I think the NCL agent must have switched the 2 around.  It makes more sense if it’s the other way around.

[Nola26]

ShoreX perk is $50 per cabin in each port if you book and take an NCL excursion. It is not a per person credit. Make sure you are prepared to be charged full price for all your precooked excursions once you are onboard. The amount gets reduced over the duration of the cruise as you take the excursions and the credit is applied. For $500 in excursions are charged and after the 4th port a total of $200 has been credited off. You have be able to cover the $500 even though your actual spend will be $300.

 

Specialty Dining 3 meal gratuities is the $15.80.

 

Ultimate Beverage Package gratuities are about $138 on a 7 night cruise.