The cancellation policy for tours allows passengers to modify or cancel excursions up to 48 hours before arrival in port without penalty. Any exceptions are noted in the tour descriptions, and guests can cancel by writing “Cancel” on the tickets. Shore Excursions: Guests that cancel on board more than 48 hours prior to the tour will receive a refund for their purchase in the form of an onboard credit.
The NCL website does not provide the ability to cancel Shore Excursions, Dining Reservations, or any other pre-purchased items like Royal. Shore Excursions are not included in the cruise fare for most typical cruises and are an extra cost. However, some cruise lines do offer specials, such as full refunds to original forms of payment and a coupon for 10% off a future sailing departing through 2022.
Cancelled shore excursions are non-refundable and will go back to the credit card used to book the excursion within 5 to 10 business days. No refunds will be given on any cruise for no-shows, interruptions, or cancellations by any passenger after commencement. $50 Shore Excursion Credit has no monetary value, are non-refundable, non-transferable, and cannot be exchanged for actual currency. Requests for refunds must be submitted.
In the event a port of call or shore excursion is canceled, the guest will be refunded the amount that the guest paid for the excursion.
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Shore excursions are a big part of cruising, but unfortunately there can be some mistakes that cruisers often make (and regret!).
Does Norwegian pay commission on shore excursions?
It is notable that Norwegian cruise lines do not remunerate travel agents with a commission on shore excursions. This is because the cruise lines have increased their commissions by 30% by adding more items to the fare, including a $50 credit on shore excursions. This commission is applied to shore excursions included in the cruise fare, thereby illustrating the value-added marketing strategies that have augmented travel agents’ earnings in recent years.
How do I contact shore excursions on ncl?
It is possible to reserve onboard activities via the internet at ncl. com/myncl. Alternatively, one may contact the following telephone numbers: 866-625-1167 for Shore Excursions and 800-327-7030 for Spa, Dining and Entertainment. Specialty dining can be pre-booked online for parties of up to eight guests. For larger parties, pre-booking can be made by calling 800-327-7030. Specialty dining reservations can be made in advance with the assistance of reservation agents, who can accept multiple forms of payment, including credit cards. It should be noted that customers will be required to utilize a credit card for the purpose of purchasing cruise activities.
Are cruise excursions refundable?
The cancellation and refund policy for shore excursions is subject to change due to bad weather or unexpected circumstances. Some excursions have minimum guest participation requirements and may be cancelled or modified based on the number of participants. Carnival or the Tour Operator will provide advance notice in case of cancellation or modification. Full refunds will be made to guests who purchased cancelled excursions. If the excursion is cancelled before sailing, the refund will be directly credited to the payment used to pay for the order.
If the excursion is cancelled while onboard, the refund will be credited to the shipboard account. If you do not have a cruise booking number, you can browse shore excursions online at carnival. com/shore-excursions. To make a booking, you must first book a cruise and meet deposit requirements for each guest. If you still do not have a booking number, contact your Travel Agent or whoever assisted you with your cruise booking. If you change your cruise booking to a different ship or sailing date, all shore excursion orders for the cancelled cruise booking will automatically cancel and any payments will be refunded.
Are shore excursions worth it?
Shore excursions are a great way to make the most of your time in port, but a mix of guided tours and independent exploration can be the most value. Choose the best option based on your budget and interests, and consider both ship-sponsored and independent tour and activity options. If you want to stay on board while your ship is docked in a port that doesn’t interest you, that’s okay. There are several guides to choosing a cruise line, including the 5 most desirable cabin locations, the 8 worst cabin locations, the ultimate guide to packing, the most popular cruise lines, 21 tips and tricks, top ways cruisers waste money, and the ultimate guide to choosing a cruise ship cabin.
How does ncl shore excursion credit work?
The $50 USD Shore Excursion Credit is an offer for the first guest in the stateroom to receive free shore excursions priced at $50 or less. This credit has no monetary value and is nonrefundable. If a port of call or excursion is missed, no refund or credit will be issued. The credit is applicable for each port, including debarkation ports, and is not transferable to other ports. The first guest may redeem the promotion on more than one shore excursion per port. Overnight stays are counted as individual ports/days for shore excursion Credit.
The credit can be redeemed via ncl. com, calling 0800 0310 21 21, or booking directly onboard. For shore excursions purchased prior to cruise, the promotion will be applied to the first guest at the time of purchase. For shore excursions purchased onboard, the promotion will be applied to the first guest’s onboard account. For shorex costing less than $50, guests will receive a 100 discount, reducing the price to zero.
The promotion and $50 Shore Excursion Credit do not apply to shore excursions tickets purchased for other guests, equipment rentals in Great Stirrup Cay and Harvest Caye, pre-cruise and post-cruise land tours, or pre-cruise and post-cruise land tours. The offer is only valid on select sailings and is subject to change without notice. No deposit is required for qualifying 3 and 4 guests, but guests 5-8 must pay prevailing fares.
Are NCL cruise excursions refundable?
Tour cancellations on NCL. com are typically one day or more before sailing, with exceptions noted in the tour descriptions. If a guest cancels a shore excursion tour reservation within the cut-off window, a full refund will be posted to the credit card used, regardless of whether the individual who made the purchase is sailing. The credit will take 7-10 working days to post to the credit card account.
To cancel a tour outside the cut-off date, guests must request it with the Shore Excursion Manager onboard. Refunds will be made to the onboard folio account of the Shore Excursion order contact person, not the original credit card used to secure the online order. If any onboard credit remains unused at the end of the sailing, it will be refunded via cheque in the name of the Shore Excursion order contact person. Payment of the refund check will be mailed following sailing to the individual listed as the Shore Excursion order contact person.
All tours cancelled less than 48 hours prior to arrival in the port where the tour is scheduled to operate are non-refundable. Certain tours, such as overland tours, customized tours, and tours with theatre performances or special events, may have different cancellation fees. If a flight departure is cancelled due to weather by the flight company in conjunction with the Shore Excursion Manager, a full credit will be provided. To cancel a tour, guests can return the tour ticket to the Shore Excursion Desk and inform the staff of the cancellation.
How does NCL shore excursion credit work?
The $50 USD Shore Excursion Credit is an offer for the first guest in the stateroom to receive free shore excursions priced at $50 or less. This credit has no monetary value and is nonrefundable. If a port of call or excursion is missed, no refund or credit will be issued. The credit is applicable for each port, including debarkation ports, and is not transferable to other ports. The first guest may redeem the promotion on more than one shore excursion per port. Overnight stays are counted as individual ports/days for shore excursion Credit.
The credit can be redeemed via ncl. com, calling 0800 0310 21 21, or booking directly onboard. For shore excursions purchased prior to cruise, the promotion will be applied to the first guest at the time of purchase. For shore excursions purchased onboard, the promotion will be applied to the first guest’s onboard account. For shorex costing less than $50, guests will receive a 100 discount, reducing the price to zero.
The promotion and $50 Shore Excursion Credit do not apply to shore excursions tickets purchased for other guests, equipment rentals in Great Stirrup Cay and Harvest Caye, pre-cruise and post-cruise land tours, or pre-cruise and post-cruise land tours. The offer is only valid on select sailings and is subject to change without notice. No deposit is required for qualifying 3 and 4 guests, but guests 5-8 must pay prevailing fares.
How do I get my money back from NCL?
It should be noted that alterations to the name and/or departure date of a reservation are regarded as a cancellation of the original booking and consequently result in the application of the relevant cancellation fees. Requests for refunds may be submitted via email to mareservations@ncl. com. Please note that processing times for these requests typically range from three to four weeks. It should be noted that group passenger policies may vary.
Can you get off a Norwegian cruise ship without an excursion?
In the event that a passenger has not reserved a shore excursion, which offers convenient pick-up and drop-off at the pier, it may be necessary to utilize local public transportation or a non-complimentary shuttle service to reach the city center.
How to cancel an NCL shore excursion online?
It should be noted that the NCL website does not permit the cancellation of shore excursions, dining reservations, or pre-purchased items such as those offered by Royal Caribbean and other cruise lines. To effect such changes, one must contact the general reservation number. In the event of a cancellation prior to departure, the original payment method will be reimbursed.
Can you refuse to pay gratuities on NCL?
In contrast to the majority of other cruise ships in the industry, our cruise vessels do not mandate or suggest gratuities for the services provided to all guests.
📹 Norwegian Cruise Line Traps People Are Still Falling For
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For a 14 night cruise I paid 149 euros for the “free at sea” package. This includes: – Premium beverage package for all restaurants, specialty restaurants, bars: selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic brands and cocktails, draught and bottled beer, spirits and wine of up to 15 $ per glass. Gratuities and taxes are included – Specialty restaurant package: 3 meals – Internet package per person: 300 minutes – Shore excursion credit Per stateroom: 50 $ per tour Gratuities and taxes are included, a very good deal in my opinion. No trap.
I cruise on Norwegian often since 2001. I feel it’s the best bang for your buck. Traveling is a luxury not a necessity. Im going on a 21 day to Central America leaving Seattle soon. Total price with taxes is $2900 for a studio. Tiny space but enough to shower and sleep. I don’t know anywhere else in the world where you can vacation for 21 days, visit 14 ports, eat and drink for free and pay less than $3,000. Send back the flat soda, make sure you aren’t double or triple tipping and enjoy it. If it’s a trap don’t do it. But I honestly feel it is worth it!
Sorry to disagree but the Free At Sea options can be a great benefit…. For my upcoming cruise the drink package costs $152.60. This charge is for the estimated gratuities for my drinks. Is it actually free? No, but it’s not a rip off either. To break even ( or better) on this I just need to consume 2 drinks a day on my cruise…which is really not that much for some people. I always recommend people do the math, if it doesn’t work out for you don’t get it. I agree the internet is not always great but 150 free minutes is not bad for those that just need a quick check in while cruising.
Wish I could attach a screenshot here of my expenses on Feb cruise on Prima – I would! I’m not sure I follow how Free at Sea is a “trap” in any way. I think that’s a bit disingenous. It only cost us $175 pp plus tax, mixed in with the port fees and taxes you pay anyway. You certainly get quite a bit of “Value” out of the package, and I don’t think many people get hung up on “hey you said it was completely Free – unfair!” I never expected that. The value that you get out of a drink package (just paying tips and some tax) free Wifi 150 mintues (no charge), 2 free dinners (again paying tips and tax like any restaurant), $50 off 1 person excursion coupons, and half off air fare … I just don’t know what there is to complain about. Any cruise has these charges if those are things you want to do. Compare the total cost to RCL, carnival, disney or celebrity, and this is actually a deal. I don’t care what they labeled it. We’ve done F.A.Sea everytime, no regrets. If you plan to not do the fun things on the ship, don’t drink and count every penny on your cruise, more power to you if you drop F.A.Sea.
The Free at Sea is $21.80 per day. I feel you are kind of misleading people, saying this is a trap, two wines at dinner ($15 x 2) easily pays the gratuities on the package. For a 9-night cruise the beverage service charge is $196.20, the dining service charge $11.80 (1 speciality dinner). I don’t see this as a trap and personally feel it’s a good value for me.
If you go on a NCL cruise just be prepared for the ‘nickel and diming’ that they try pulling. If you are prepared and understand the upcharges then you can still fully enjoy your holiday. Those that come on that are completely caught off guard are those that struggle. Your article points out all of those small details where the upcharges are most noticeable….well done. I still consider NCL my cruise line of choice…but I go with my eyes wide open and no rose colored glasses
As experienced cruisers, I’m surprised at some of this “advice”. ALL mainstream cruise lines have drink packages that are only a good value if you run the numbers and decide if it works in your favor. As someone who does imbibe on vacation, the free at sea pkg doesn’t take much (perhaps 2-3 drinks per day if you aren’t just drinking cheap beers or well drinks) to come out in your favor…I do wish it included speciality coffees and sparkling water though. And everyone should know that “giveaways”, be they at the spa or the stores onboard, or act auctions are a waste of your time unless you are truly into such things. I’m just saying, I’m not sure why you are singling out NCL here, they all do these things
Well I’m glad to know I booked my very first NCL and cruise in general like an experienced cruiser. I made sure to opt out of all of that besides one specialty dining package becauee we’re celebrating a bday going to Alaska. I noticed NCL nickle and dimes folks for everything!it helps keep my cost down that i don’t drink alcohol and i tey not to indulge in soda and I noticed according to reviews allot of the apecialty dining dishes are tge quality of the buffett and im Russian Ukrainian aint nobody going to pressure me into doing or tipping anything more that i don’t ewnt to do. Im not the one! 👏🏼
We liked a Moscato on an NCL cruise and I wrote the name down. A bottle was priced at $30. Once home I found it in a grocery store for less than $5. You know in the amounts NCL purchased the it was less than the grocery store paid. I don’t mind a company making a reasonable profit but that was way out there!
Everything you’ve described is present on most mainstream American cruise lines. Royal has the same spa tour and raffle at sailaway and the “prizes” cover half of an inflated spa service cost, but you are charged the gratuity based on the full price, not your discounted cost. Carnival charges to ride their roller coaster. Royal and Carnival have Starbucks for a fee; Princess and Celebrity have their own specialty coffees for a fee. Royal had Ben and Jerry’s for a fee; now they have a no-name ice cream parlor. Princess and Celebrity have gelato for a fee. All mainstream American cruise lines have a line for additional tips, should you wish to provide it. Royal and Disney still leave envelopes in your cabin even though you’ve paid the auto gratuities in advance. ALL cruise lines add automatic gratuities to drinks and specialty dining; the difference is NCL doesn’t make you pay for the drink itself or the meal itself if you select their “free at sea” promotion. I’m surprised you guys don’t know all this! Or if you do, I’m surprised your title suggests that these practices are specific to this one single cruise line.
You easily spent $20/day if you buy every single drink separately. You are nuts if you think the drink package is not worth the $152pp for 7-days. A soda alone is $4 bucks. A glass of wine is minimum of $9. Specialty dining is a fraction of the price of the dinner. You aren’t even paying a 20% gratuity. Agreed that WIFI is not a benefit BUT all ships are, not just NCL.
We always take the drinks on Free at Sea. Yes you pay gratuities, but it’s still a great deal compared to the other lines. For a week cruise, my wife and I paid around $150. That’s like 12 drinks. We’d drank that within the first two days. You pay the gratuities on the dining package as well. Still a great deal. The Free at Sea offers is usually what causes us to book NCL over Royal. If we bought all that on Royal it costs way more.
Appreciate your article. We don’t cruise as a lifestyle so the extra cost for the drink package is a good deal for us. The specialty dining is excellent on NCL. The room we booked the night before the cruise was $400.00 so after that, the drink package is looking pretty good! We just came back from an NCL cruise and I didn’t encounter any issues with getting drinks. Sorry to hear others have had problems with service.
I only cruise on NCL, and I don’t use the specialty dining, so I remove it. If you don’t drink much, don’t check that box. I do use the $50 off shore excursions, but don’t care about the wifi – I unplug! I drink lots of Diet Coke and beer, so the drink package is worth it. You don’t have to tip if you don’t want to (over and above the fees for the cruise). I tip my room steward, an especially good server or bartender, and anyone else that I think deserves it. I budget for extra things. One of the worst things about NCL, or any other cruiseline, is hearing people gripe (frankly, bitching) about anything they think they are entitled to, and not getting, aside from 50% off or 2nd guest free airfare, etc.). I think NCL might not be for you.
Americans have been pushed into a tipping culture because companies would rather have their customers pay their workers. Unfortunately, some restaurants have tried a “no tipping” policy, and raised prices to pay increased wages, and people won’t eat there because the only look at the menu price. Servers at expensive restaurants like getting 20% or more of a large bill, but 20% at a coffee shop doesn’t amount to much. Now, it has spread to fast food places.
I think the specialty restaurants are a scam, too. Think about it, you already paid for your meals as part of the cruise package weather, it’s in the dining room or the buffet, etc.. a lot of the times it’s the same food anyway. Is that really worth an extra 50 to 75 dollars more each?? I don’t think so. And that goes for ALL cruiselines.
Thanks for your honest, unvarnished opinion on these upsells. This is something you rarely hear from many travel vloggers and bloggers, who I suspect are only presenting the sunny side of a cruise line, resort, etc, because they are travelling as invited guests of the cruise lines. When you pay your own way and you’re a customer just like everyone else, you tend to be a little more careful about where your dollars go.
I’m trying NCL solo next year and opted into the free at sea, only because I have a 12 day sailing and figured it would be more advantageous over the long term. I’m still a little sticker shocked and feel like I’m paying more than I would with the more modular payment model cruising I normally do, so thanks for sharing this info. Funny enough, Royal Caribbean does similar things but in different ways, like the sales pitch at the end of your massage or premium food/drinks like starbucks and cupcakes. Each cruise line has their pros and cons and people who would prefer a more all-inclusive experience like Virgin would be a better fit than NCL.
I cruise a lot, mostly on Norwegian (my hands down preference because of the entertainment). I never buy any additional services, so after I pay for the cruise – everything’s included! I NEVER pay anything additional except for the mandatory gratuities. I NEVER buy alcoholic drinks (I am not much of a drinker), however, I do get my champagne by going to the Champagne Art Action (takes place at least once during a seven day cruise). Not only is it free to attend but it is also free. Also, every time I went on any Norwegian cruise all the things like water slides, climbing walls, etc. were free
NCL isn’t charging you extra TAXES on the drink and speciality dining packages (beyond what you already paid when you bought the packages) – those are the GRATUITIES. You just have to remember that they are prepaid when you get the receipt to sign, so you don’t double-tip (unless you really want to). And you absolutely don’t need to do it!! I occasionally do the spa tour/raffle depending upon what time it is. I’ve seen them give away certificates for $150 – 200 per treatment, so it might be a nice discount. Also, you have to complete an entry form to enter the raffle, so you absolutely do “SIGN UP” for that. And once you attend your first, you do realize that the drawing does take some time (though I’ve never attended one that was one hour long). I’m not one to pay for the roller coasters, slides, ropes courses, and go-karts, but Carnival and Royal also charge extra for experiences like this. NCL isn’t the only mainstream cruise line that is not all-inclusive.
I always do the math on the Free at Sea packages, sometimes it makes sense, other times not. About the specialty restaurants, we are Sapphire level with NCL so we get 2 specialties each on every cruise. We’ve seen what the restaurant “values” the meals at when we sign off on the bill and it is around $180 for a table of two. We have the Latitudes perk so we don’t pay it but we wonder do people really pay that for dinner? I love the thermal spa too but the price on that has gone up exponentially, I’ll still do it but have to grit my teeth.
If you didn’t realize the go-karts, laser tag, etc weren’t included, you didn’t do enough research. I knew that well before getting on the ship and sailing. If you can’t understand why private, independent shops on the ship that likely rent space to be there have a separate charge from your cruise fare, I don’t know what to tell you. That is just basic common sense. Starbucks is a private business, you are going to have to pay for it, NCL isn’t going to pay Starbucks for you. If you expect endless Starbucks (plus all things from the other specialty shops, like the ice cream and dessert shops) to be included for every passenger, you better expect at least a $500-$1000 increase in your vacation. You want a fancy dessert or ice cream from a private shop, you pay for it. These are privately owned shops that I can guarantee spend a butt load of money to rent a space on the ships. They aren’t included in your ship fare, nor do we want them to be as it would make sailing significantly more expensive because then all passengers are having to cover all specialty shopping for everyone regardless of if they will frequent those shops or never use them at all. Could you imagine trying to cover the cost of thousands of people with a Starbucks addiction? The cost would be astronomical.
I just got back from Alaska on NCL Encore. I didnt witness the nickle and diming you guys are talking about. We did the normal drink package and it worked great for us. We each drank about 2 drinks a day. So 4 a day total at around $12 per drink if we are on the low end. Some drinks were higher. So $336 for a week if paying out of pocket. Drink package was cheaper. We didn’t hear a lot of “selling” over the intercoms. We also had two specialty dining options included with our room. Neither one was worth writing home about, but they were included. We didnt do the “extras” like go carts or laser tag. Which, i will say, are things that other cruise ships would charge for. So, i dont understand the complaint. You are entitled to your opinion, and that’s ok! You guys do what makes you happy.
My husband and I were recently on a carnival ship where we pre-paid for a couple’s massage. We didn’t think about the obvious. Tip 18% at the time of service. But, we got hit with an 18% tip TIMES 2!! Now, ok it made sense because we had 2 people providing services. But DAMN!! The discounted massages cost $287.20. Won’t be doing that again.
Just came back TODAY on NCL Joy. If you skip the go cart, Starbuck etc. I feel the prices are fair. We had a bottle of 19 Crimes Red wine and its $25 per bottle. Its a decent wine. The crew no matter what position they work at are very hard working. They work in multiple restaurants in one day. Room Stewards work non stop. In my opinion if i am going on a cruise once every one or two years, I dont mind tipping a little extra. The crew members dont get to go home like we do, they are on the ship 3 to 6 months for a contract at a time. I just feel that if I can afford to go on a cruise, then plan to have extra budget to tip because thats their living. I also understand people cruise with kids then there mag not be much choice but to spend the money for extra entertainment because you cant hang out at the pool 10 hours a day. Their thermal spa is good.
Here’s a “pro tip”…bring an empty Yeti or RTIC cup, add water, tea, or lemonade from the buffet, and enjoy free drinks. I usually make an Arnold Palmer or ten. There’s your real “free at sea”! They don’t like you doing it, but they’ll never say anything. BTW, every cruise line I have ever been on has the “additional tip” line. I’ll round up to the nearest dollar on those. I feel like if I can afford to go on a cruise ship vacay, I can afford a few extra bucks for the staff. Like wait staff in the US, they most likely do not make a living wage.
I think the biggest trap is the phone roaming. Make sure your phone is in airplane mode while sailing. Next biggest trap is partially mentioned by you guys which is the attempts to trick you into tipping more than once. This happens a lot with packages where you cover tips for specialty dinning meals while still keeping the gratuities allocated for that same meal under general dinning. People can pay tips out sometimes 2 or 3 times over for specific services without realizing it.
NCL is consistently cheaper for solo travel than other lines. I don’t get the “free” drink package because I don’t drink alcohol. I’m grateful for the shore excursion discount, the few minutes of internet, and the specialty restaurants. It doesn’t feel like a trap because it’s clear what you pay for. It’s a choice, just like all of the other cruise lines.
These people do nothing but complain. For 2 people that spend their time as cruise experts, they are pretty naive on what is and isn’t included on a cruise. All shops charge for these things. Arcades, specialty restaurants, drinks, wifi, etc. As far as the free drink package, 2 drinks a day in a week long cruise pays for itself. I’m paying 150$ for the week in tips. But my drinks run 30$-45$ a day. That’s 2-3 drinks. Not unreasonable on a vacation. At that rate, it’s over 300$ if I did not use the unlimited drink package. So these 2 sound uninformed. Bye Felicia!
I never double tip or add additional. I never take the drink package but I do, like you, take the specialty dining with “free” at sea. Usually the internet minutes are good enough for me but you can’t opt out of that one. I usually don’t do excursions but they “give” me $50 off one I might buy a cheaper excursion. It is so sad how greedy the cruise lines are now. CCl made, what, a billion US dollars in three months last year. Demand is through the roof so earnings will continue. Greed will be their downfall at some point. The pandemic give aways from the government is dwindling. Consumer credit is skyrocketing. IMO it will not continue forever.
Im glad I gave up sodas in 2000, I didnt miss it after about a month. I dont drink alcohol so I save a ton of $$ and you dont miss it, your just gonna piss it away. Just drink water and tea. yes the FUN can be expensive unless you get the pkg, you will save A LOT with the activity pkg. I was on the JOY. I spent 7 days and never had a problem with eating. PPL who expect a lot from the cruise concerning food and drinks, make sure you pick a cruise ship and a time that caters to the crowd you will be mingling with. I went with 2 bags when I flew from ID to Miami. when I went Scuba Diving I met a guy from the ship doing the same thing, we walked 4 miles to the dive shop. He only brought 1 set of clothes for dinners and a pair of shorts and a bathing trunks/ t shirt, he said he has a balcony and he washes his t shirt and trunks each night in the shower and hangs them out side to dry. Thats what I call traveling lite. I thought I was lite with 2 backpacks. Point is … plan NOT to drink or have a need to eat at fancy restaurants. the ship is just a vehicle to get you to the LAND OF FUN, use your $$$ for the tours and excursions (dont forget gifts). If you cant have fun NOT drinking, then your way to young and shouldn’t be traveling anyway, save it for your party’s at college. im not against drinking, I just dont like the taste of 95% of whats out there. Happy Sailing
Have a question, we just did our first cruise this year. We booked the Haven and we loved. We paid gratuities before we left. Yet, we tipped the buttler and the steward, and they made it clear they wanted the tip at the beginning of the trip. Which we did. Whatbis customary and how much to each of them? Thank you. I am sure some seasoned cruisers can help me since we are going again in November 😊
Drink package is not just booze. You get speciality coffee like Starbucks, Pellegrino or Acqua Panna at dinner or at some of the bars on ship, in addition to your cocktails. Also it’s not a tax it is a 20% gratuity charge on the price of the package. That goes for dining too. If you pay a la carte for any beverage on the ship they will add a 20% gratuity. The tax on drinks is when you are in certain ports.
Firstly i do love this article. I do think we have different ideas of the terms alot whem drinking though lol. My 7 day scruise tax comes to $21 pwr person per day. So if you drink more than 2 drinks in 24 hour day every day then you come out even. Probably the best drink package deal in the industry. Id recommend everyone get this unless you absolutely dont drink at all