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With Norwegian's Premium Plus Beverage Package, you'll get all the drinks included in the Premium Package, plus premium brand liqueurs and spirits, and wines by the glass. Available on: All ships except those in the Galapagos (where drinks are included in the fare). Free Unlimited Open Bar Save up to $1,400 on all the spirits and cocktails, wines, draft beer, juice and soda Learn More Free Specialty Dining Save up to $180 and savor free meals at our Specialty Dining venues. Your analysis is not very useful without the list of brands excluded (or included), which seems to be permanently unavailable. The beverage package includes a selection of hot drinks such as Vergnano coffee, cappuccino, herbal teas, and hot chocolate. Drink packages dont apply when youre running around port or on shore excursions. I have been lucky enough to travel on multiple continents, as well as several cruise lines. Cruise line drinks packages generally are honored anywhere you can order a drink on a ship think bars, lounges and eateries. Subscribe to receive travel tips delivered straight to your inbox. Most mixed drinks range between $10-$12. Included with the package, guests have access to wines by the glass, beer, spirits, cocktails, bottled water (500 ml only), fresh juices, fountain sodas, specialty coffees and teas, Red Bull energy drinks, and milkshakes up to $12 per drink. BTW, if you are on Breakaway class ship, the outdoor venues are a lot of fun. For the above reasons, we dont think drink package purchases make sense for most cruisers. See what a point or mile is worth with our appraisals of a loyalty programs currency, based on redemption values. It costs $49 per day when sailing in North America (pricing will rise to $51 per day in October). The Adult Soda Package is $7.95 per day plus gratuity of $1.59 for a total of $9.54 per day. Available on: All ships including river and expeditions ships. Unlike most cruise lines, the price of Royal Caribbeans beverage package varies depending on the individual itinerary. Soda, specialty coffees and other nonalcoholic beverages already are included in the fare on Windstar sailings. If we had purchased the Norwegian Cruise Line Premium Drink Package out of pocket, it would have cost us $1663.20 total. BIGGER & BETTER NEW HUGE 40oz BEAST has arrived! If you purchase the drink package, you will be charged for every day you are on vacation, even when you spend the day in port. Carnival also has a time limit between drinks. Heidi is a physical therapist by profession, cruise enthusiast at heart, and Princess all the time! And if you are in a warm climate, such as the Mediterranean, Australia, or the Caribbean, you may want to bring water with you as you explore the ports of call. All lattes and cappuccinos incurred a charge. Make sure you consider the reduced consumption during port days to estimate your drink expenses better. Infectious disease COVID and norovirus outbreaks are common on cruise ships. The Premium beverage package is currently priced at $99 per person, per day. And some also offer wine-specific packages. Plus you can order unlimited fountain soda and juices at all bars, lounges, restaurants and Great Stirrup Cay. Once youve done the calculation, its time to decide whether or not the drink package is worth the investment. Between your cruise fare, shore excursions, flights, hotel, and the drink package, it can be painful to spend thousands of dollars before stepping on the cruise ship. Offering unprecedented capacity. Of course, convenience is one of the perks we like about having a beverage package. Of course, this number of drinks varies slightly based on your drink preferences. Whether you've been daydreaming of hiking to one of Alaska's pristine glaciers, touring ancient ruins in the Greek Isles or exploring one of our other top destinations, get more free when you cruise with NCL. Bring the whole family and pay only taxes for 3rd and 4th guests on select cruises. The Corks and Caps Wine and Beer Package, priced at $65 per day, includes beer . While you might be able to consume enough drinks on sea days to make the package worth the price, youll have to consider the days that you will spend in port. Note that both prices will have an 18% gratuity tacked on. That means you'll pay $19.80 per person per day or $138.60 per person for the 7-day Pride of America sailing. Guest must be at least 21 years of age at time of sailing to qualify for the Ultimate Beverage Package. And, the, Couldnt that person just get some type of soda package? Some lines also offer coffee cards that let you get a fixed number of fancy coffee drinks at a shipboard coffee bar for a discounted price. Fine print: Packages do not include drinks from in-room minibars or shipboard wine-dispensing machines. Cost per day: $79.99, not including an 18% gratuity charge. If youre still not convinced. My strange night out at Norwegian's new 'zero waste' cruise ship bar, The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship, The 8 worst cabin locations on any cruise ship, A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines, 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly, 12 best cruises for people who never want to grow up, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. As part of its drinks package price hike on Jan. 1, Norwegian will also raise the cost of a less-expensive drinks package it offers that has a $15 cap on the price level of drinks that can be ordered. By Ginnie6, January 1, 2016 in Norwegian Cruise Line. For non-select bottles of wine (champagne and sparkling included), Wine and Spirit Experiences, tastings, and flights, guests will receive a 40% discount. Norwegian's Unlimited Starbucks Package has a few restrictions. Additionally, package holders receive a 40% discount on wines priced up to $100 and a 20% discount on wines priced above $100. A selection of spirits and cocktails, wines by the glass, and bottled or draft beer with a value of up to $15 US per drink are included in the complimentary beverage package offered by Norwegian. Also includes unlimited Starbucks coffee and specialty drinks, bottled water, soda, juices and energy drinks. I hope you order your liver transplant before you leave!! So, unless you and your cabin mate can consistently drink 11+ alcoholic beverages a day, then it would not be worth buying the Norwegian Cruise Line drink package. Youre on vacation, after all, and whats not to like about an all-inclusive beverage package? Fine print: If one adult in a cabin purchases a package, all adults in the same cabin also must purchase it. The only limit is your own personal weakness and self doubt about having just one more beverage. The total cost of all those drinks with service charge was $978.00 for the two of us. When Should You Skip The Drink Package On a Cruise? Some cruise lines will provide discounts on bottles of wine when you purchase a beverage package, but it is best to check with your cruise line as not every package provides discounts on bottles of wine. Limitations related to drink cost: None. 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. Carnival Cruise Line Australia Alcohol Policy, 10 Cruise Alcohol Hacks for Better Drinking on the Cheap. When considering this option, it is important to note that NCL offers cruisers the ability to purchase a 24-pack of 1L bottles of water for $44.95 on the online cruise planner. Notably, wine lists onboard were developed in partnership with the Michael Mondavi Family. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); High Seas Cruising was founded by couple Marcello and Victoria to share travel tips and insights from over two decades of cruise vacations. The even less pricey Easy package only includes a limited number of drinks and is not valid in extra-charge specialty restaurants. By proceeding, you agree to Cruise Critics. This is also the package that guests receive as part of the Free at Sea promotion. When calculating, dont forget to factor in port days, where you wont be on the cruise ship for the whole day. In those instances, a parent or legal guardian must be onboard the sailing with the minor and sign a waiver form at the front desk. Our points-obsessed staff uses a plethora of credit cards on a daily basis. The package also covers soda and juices at all bars but no other non-alcoholic beverages. Related Post: Guide to Norwegian Cruise Lines Specialty Dining Package. Related: How to plan a cruise with points and miles. Is There A Limit To How Many Drinks You Can Get Per Day With An Ncl Beverage Package Unlike some cruise lines, Norwegian doesnt currently have a limit on how many drinks you can have per day with any of their packages. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. I know Carnival has the Party reputation and I have never gone on Carnival, but I surely would. Are you ready to embark on your journey to sea the world, one port at a time? Cruise ship drink packages cover sodas, juice, and non-alcoholic beverages. Norwegian Cruise Line Bahamas Cruise Deals. Unlike drink packages on many other cruise lines, Norwegian's Free Open Bar doesn't include specialty coffees or bottled water. I think they were on one of the newer ships, but not sure which. Its easy to go overboard if you are just trying to get your moneys worth from the drink package. Why Do Cruise Ships Have Helipads? Technically, you are not supposed to use your package to buy drinks for other people. You can not purchase just select days. You cant use the drink package in most ports. In total, five drink packages are available for purchase. Available on: All ships except Pride of America. Note: Final prices will add a gratuity to the cost of the package. That's unlimited wine, soda, beer and cocktails priced under $15. Please view our advertising policy page for more information. Cost per day: $19.95, including gratuities. Unlike some cruise lines, Norwegian doesn't currently have a limit on how many drinks you can have per day with any of their packages. Breakfast lunch and dinner are all included on cruises with Norwegian Cruise Line. Start with these stories: The credit card offers that appear on the website are from credit card companies from which ThePointsGuy.com receives compensation. You guessed it, you have to pay 20% gratuity on the free soda packages as well. The package has a daily limit on alcoholic beverages of 15 beverages over a 24-hour period (6 a.m. to 6 a.m.). More elaborate (and expensive) tiers will add alcoholic and nonalcoholic cocktails, wine, beer and specialty coffee drinks. Purchasing alcohol in ships' duty-free shop(s): Any alcohol purchased in the onboard shops will be stored until the cruise's conclusion. Complimentary drinks are available at the Latitudes (past passenger) cocktail party. In this post, we complete an analysis to answer the question, Is the Norwegian Cruise Line Drink Package Worth It?. A Norwegian law requires you to be at least 18 years old to purchase wine or beer. Cruise lines claim a vacation at sea is safer than any land-based vacation. The cost of the beverage package varies depending on the length of your cruise. 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. Passengers who purchase the drink package should be aware that there is a limit to the number of drinks you can order in a 24-hour time span. Note: Final prices will add an 18% service charge to the cost of the package. Norwegian has no daily limit on the amount of alcohol in its drink packages. Earn 5X Membership Rewards Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. Some people love knowing exactly how much they will spend with the package before stepping on board. The limit only applies to alcoholic beverages, so feel free to order unlimited soda, juice, and specialty coffee. I plan on setting a record with most drinks consumed using the UBP! It would seem effortless for two people to drink 2-3 adult beverages between the two of them. Below is a list of included beverages. When you pay-as-you-go, you will get the final bill at the end of your cruise. If you decide to purchase the beverage package, booking online ahead of time is better. Only one beverage serving, per sticker, will be served at a time. Youll need to consume much more on sea days to compensate for the lack of drink purchases while at the port to break even. https://www.ncl.com/terms/ultimate-beverage-package, The Freestyle Choice information has the following:-, The first two guests can enjoy a drink (who are we kidding, drinks) for the whole cruise vacation for free. Outside of the current welcome bonus, youre only earning higher rewards on specific airfare and hotel purchases, so its not a great card for other spending categories. And if you are traveling with a group, dont even consider using your beverage package on friends in other cabins. With the high price of the package and price restrictions on included beverages, youll need to purchase 6-8 alcoholic beverages every day to break even. You will not be limited by the number of drinks you can consume with any of the Norwegian cruise line drink packages because there is no limit. Packages do not include drinks from in-room minibars or those ordered through room service. But, youll still be paying full price for the beverage package. Purchasing alcohol in port: Same rules as above apply for wine and Champagne; all other alcohol will be retained until the end of the cruise. Seldom travelers may not get enough value to warrant the cost. As with the other cruise lines on the list, you will usually get a better deal if you purchase the drink package before you set sail rather than on the ship. Norwegian's Unlimited Open Bar Package includes a variety of spirits and cocktails, wines by the glass, and bottled or draft beer up to $15. But hurry, this limited-time offer won't last long. The cruise line offers the Unlimited. Happy cruisingCheers! Weve even seen discounts of up to 40% off! Do you usually purchase beverage packages when you cruise? The Premium Plus Beverage Package costs $128 per person, per day and $138 from January 1, 2023, and it covers all drinks by the glass, with no price cap; still and sparkling bottled water;. 15 $ limit is nice for a free at sea. Learn More Free Wi-Fi Even if you receive a drink package with the cruise lines Free at Sea promotion, you are still responsible to pay this 20% gratuity. We are sorry that this post was not useful for you! If the Classic Beverage Package isnt enough, passengers can upgrade to the Premium Drinks Package at an additional cost of $12 per person per day. Norwegian recently updated its beverage package selection and added a new package option. By continuing to browse the site you agree to our use of cookies. Learn More Free Excursions Save $50 per Shore Excursion, Per Stateroom with Shore Excursion Credits. Unlike theCarnival Cheers Programwhich limits you to 15 alcoholic drinks a day, NCLs drink packages are truly unlimited. In fact, we would have actually lost $685.20 compared to just paying out of pocket for all our alcoholic beverages. Windstar also has begun offering optional All-Inclusive Pricing rates for cruises that include unlimited drinks at no extra charge. Finally, many cruise lines have a rule that if one person purchases the drink package, everyone sharing the cabin must also buy the drink package. What it includes: Beer, wine by the glass, mixed drinks and cocktails. Home Cruise Norwegian Cruise Line Is the Norwegian Cruise Line Drink Package Worth It? Some cruise lines also let you use your packages when visiting their private islands. The package is not available for Australia-based itineraries shorter than seven nights or voyages shorter than two nights in all other regions. People who want to drink without breaking the bank and enjoy a variety of drinks without . This brings us back to the original question, is the Norwegian Cruise Line Drink Package a good value? This Is What You Need To Plan The Best Cruise With A Baby, How To Plan Awesome Family Cruise Shore Excursions Youll Love. LauraS But, there is one scenario where you may want to purchase a package even if you wont be saving money. This equates to $831.60 per person for a 7-day cruise (including 20% service charge).Analysis of the Norwegian Cruise Line Drink Package. Bartenders and bar servers receive a portion of your tips, so they want to make sure you're having a good time. There are also a number of other restrictions to bear in mind before diving in and booking that booze-inclusive package. Limitations related to drink cost: Cannot be used for drinks priced over $15. The package also brings a 20% discount on wine bottle purchases for bottles priced up to $100. don't-use-real-name 6.1k February 4, 2010 Bloomington MN USA #7 Posted July 4, 2019 There is no. Limitations related to drink cost: Cannot be used for drinks priced over $13. The package also brings a 30% discount on wine bottle purchases for bottles costing up to $100. Started October 12, 2018, Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. Be the first to rate this post. You must purchase a Norwegian drink package for the entire length of the cruise. I have a 14 day cruise booked and Iam sure I will get my monies worth. If one adult in a cabin purchases the package, all adults in the same cabin also must purchase it. Explore more of the shore with $50 USD Discount Per Port Shore Excursions. In retrospect, one possible way to address that would be to bring our own, Another option would be to decline the free package altogether (or make a different choice if there were other options available), and pay for the package that makes sense. Also for a limited time only, get up to 300 per person Airfare Credit on select Cruises. They do have a limit of two drinks per person per order, which is helpful to know when there's a long line at the pool bar. These additional inclusions are freshly squeezed juice, bottled water (flat and sparkling), energy drinks, non-alcoholic beer, wine dispensers, and specialty coffee. And The value of up to $1888 just refers to the price one would have to pay for the package if it were not free. Get $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection bookings, which requires a minimum two-night stay, through American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card. That's not entirely true. Cruise line drinks packages let you order as many drinks as you want while on a cruise for one flat fee. Just kidding around, but that would be a hard thing to accomplish. Ultimate Beverage Package - limits? To find out more, please. Although annoying, it still seemed like we could make good value out of the packages even with the required fee. CC Help Jenn If youre planning on purchasing the drink package, the Princess Plus fare is an excellent way to save money. The package does not contain any specialty coffees or . All major cruise lines will let you buy drinks on an a la carte basis when cruising. So you pay the gratuities upfront. Unlike the majority of cruise lines, Virgin Voyages doesnt offer a traditional drink package. While marketed as a limited-time promotion, we often find the promotion available more often than not. You don't need a drinks package to be able to drink alcoholic beverages or any other type of beverage on a ship. We'll run a soft credit check to find special offers, but it wont affect your credit score. Further, there are several other factors you should keep in mind when determining if you should buy a beverage package on a cruise. Stay connected whilst at sea with an Internet Package you can use throughout the ship. The two major exceptions are Carnival Cruise Line and Princess Cruises. Package name: Captains Exclusive Beverage Package. However, drink packages do not work at Harvest Caye, Belize. Cost per day: $63 to $89, not including an 18% gratuity charge (pricing varies by ship and itinerary). Packages are not available on sailings shorter than three nights with the exception of South America sailings. And unless you have premium tastes, your favorite liquors will be included. When doing the calculations, dont forget to factor in port days. I can assume an 18 year old single malt scotch is well over $15but by how much? If the drink package costs more than the amount youd spend on individual drink purchases, then the drink package may cost you more. Have another, we won't tell.*. The Norwegian Cruise Line Premium Drink Package was formerly known as the Ultimate Beverage Package. Drink packages that don't include alcoholic drinks, such as soda packages, typically cost far less. Further, there is no sharing of the package or using your package to order drinks for other cruisers. Guests under 21 will receive the soda package. For these passengers, the uncertainty of the running bar tab creates too much stress when you should be relaxing. That's exactly the case with the Amex Platinum card. The Free Open Bar is likely the top pick for many from Norwegians Free at Sea promotion. What it includes: A large selection of beers including craft beers, wine by the glass, mixed drinks, specialty cocktails, Coca-Cola products, juices, nonalcoholic cocktails, energy drinks, specialty coffees, teas and premium bottled water. Learn more. How much is a glass of wine on Norwegian cruise? Elevate your cruise experience with our widest beverage selection onboard, more specialty dining, unlimited Wi-Fi and more shore excursion credits. Exclusive: Norwegian Cruise Line Free at Sea Deals. Unlimited Soda / soft drink package for $9.95 per day + 20% gratuity (FYI, NCL now serves COKE branded products) Water Package which ranges from $19.95 to $49.95 for 6 liters to 24 liters of water. Limitations related to drink cost: Cannot be used for drinks priced over $20. As a rough estimate, cocktails and wine cost about $10-12 each, beer costs approximately $6-8 each, and sodas, bottled water, energy drinks, and specialty coffees and teas are between $3-6 each. For a full list of included beverages, seehere. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum Card, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu. Can I bring my own alcohol onto a cruise ship? Share. The Premium Plus beverage package is currently priced at $128 per person, per day. In addition to its inclusivity, CHEERS! The package also brings a 15% discount on wine bottles and premium beverages costing more than $15 that arent included in the package. Is the Norwegian Cruise Line Drink Package Worth It? As a comparison, on our cruise, the featured cocktail of the day was $8.95. Another upgrade to this plan is the availability of select bottles of wine at dinner. Yes! I would buy it again if I went again. Of course, if you plan to drink more non-alcoholic specialty drinks or like bottles of wine, then this upgrade might be worth it for you. You can choose from three different beverage options; Champagne & Bubbly, Premium Wine Selection, and Signature Cocktails. Below is a line-by-line look at available drinks packages at the major lines that offer them. The cost was around $300 and it was a very good deal as it worked out to just over $21 a day. Note: Final prices will add a 20% gratuity to the cost of the package. Drop us an anchor below with your analysis of this beverage program. The alternate package is the "Premium Plus Beverage Package." Priced at $138 per day, this is Norwegian's most expensive and highest-end package. Below, weve listed the cost of drink packages for some of the mainstream cruise lines to give you an idea of what you can expect to pay. The Corks and Caps Wine and Beer Package, priced at $65 per day, includes beer, wines by the glass priced up to $15, soda and juices. It is simple for many cruise . Prepaid @ $7.95 USD per person per day x Cruise Days plus 20% gratuity and beverage service charge.