The current welcome offer on this card is quite lucrative. Hi All - I just booked my first cruise with NCL and am getting the UBP. Using our numbers, we saved $700.80 total on alcoholic beverages during our 7-day cruise by timing the booking of our cruise with the frequently run Free at Sea promotion. Also includes unlimited Starbucks coffee and specialty drinks, bottled water, soda, juices and energy drinks. Guests will receive a 20% discount to all bottles of wine purchased onboard with the Premium beverage package. Bringing alcohol onboard at embarkation: Beer and liquor is not allowed -- items will be secured until disembarkation day. This is the standard alcohol package offered by Norwegian Cruise Line. Several of the biggest cruise lines, including Carnival, Holland America and MSC Cruises, have a rule that if one adult in a cabin orders a drinks package, all adults in the cabin must order the package. 19 Secret Codes on Cruise Ships That You Need to Know, Virgin Voyages Partners with Sustainable Marine Fuel Providers, D23: Disney Treasure, Lighthouse Point, and Australia, Carnival Celebration Begins First Set of Sea Trials, Oceania Cruises New 180-Day World Cruise And Grand Voyages, Easy Package $38 per person per day with select drinks, Easy Plus $49 per person per day with a $9 per drink limit, Premium Extra $69 per person per day with a $15 per drink limit. Note that the beverage packages can be used not just on Norwegian ships but at Norwegian's private island in the Bahamas, Great Stirrup Cay. Starbucks does not have an active drink package. I know Carnival has the Party reputation and I have never gone on Carnival, but I surely would. If youre still not convinced. Thats because the package price is $3 cheaper per person per day if purchased before embarkation day. The package also brings a 20% discount to wine-pairing dinners on Oceanias Marina and Riviera. While it is excellent for most people, wine connoisseurs wont be satisfied by the limited selection and beverages by the glass. The Free Open Bar is likely the top pick for many from Norwegians Free at Sea promotion. If you like a glass of fresh juice with your breakfast or a can of pop at lunchtime, you may benefit from buying the beverage packages. The package also brings a 20% discount on wine bottle purchases. The exclusions list will vary among cruise lines but typically doesnt include mini bar purchases, room service, bottles of wine or liquor, pitchers, buckets, sharable drinks, or drinks served in a souvenir cup. Norwegian Cruise Line do feature a lot of 'speciality dining' options onboard their ships but these have an extra cost. Most cruise lines allow guests to bring alcohol on the cruise ship one or two bottles of wine or champagne. Q: The included beverage package is the House Select. Cost per day: $79.99, not including an 18% gratuity charge. Yes! 3-5 Day Cruises upgrade for 99 per person 6-8 Day Cruises upgrade for 149 per person9-11 Day Cruises upgrade for 199 per person 12-14 Day Cruises upgrade for 249 per person 15-17 Day Cruises upgrade for 299 per person 18+ Day Cruises upgrade for 349 per person. The package is not valid on Holland Americas private island, Half Moon Cay. Plus Ups are excluded. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Learn more. Cruisers can upgrade by paying the difference in the retail package price ($29) in addition to associated service charges ($34.80 total per person, per day). Cruise line drinks packages let you order as many drinks as you want while on a cruise for one flat fee. Bring the whole family and pay only taxes for 3rd and 4th guests on select cruises. This gratuity is added to the total cruise fare at the time of booking. Does Norwegian have a drink limit? Then again, we may have been having fun but never were out of control. If you would spend more money purchasing individual drinks than the cost of the package, then the drink package is worth it for you. Plus, Feel Free to Take All with Premium Beverages, Free Speciality Dining & much more! Home / Cruise Tips / Is the Drink Package Worth it on a Cruise? The Plus package is included when passengers book suite accommodations. Ultimately, you need to know your own drinking habits (and your cabin mates). That is the only reason I would think they would do that. The package also brings a 25% discount on wine bottle purchases. $155 Walmart+ Credit: Cover the cost of a $12.95 monthly Walmart+ membership with a statement credit after you pay for Walmart+ each month with your Platinum Card. Boxed wine is not allowed. Then, we took the average prices for each drink category to determine how much we would have spent on drinks if we paid a la carte for each item. Below is a line-by-line look at available drinks packages at the major lines that offer them. 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. The My Drinks package is included in the All Inclusive Rate and includes soft drinks, Draught Heineken, classic cocktails, soda, liquors, and spirits. After looking at this page you should have a good idea if the Norwegian Drink Package is good for you or not. Some people love knowing exactly how much they will spend with the package before stepping on board. Fine print: If one adult of legal drinking age in a cabin or traveling under the same booking number purchases a package, all adults of legal drinking age in the same cabin also must purchase it. we have been very satisfied with the regular package on most of our cruises. 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. Infectious disease COVID and norovirus outbreaks are common on cruise ships. Related: $12 for a drink made with leftover banana peels? Essentially, you will need to decide if you will drink at least $29 a day per person of the additional inclusions. Fine print: Theres a limit of 15 alcoholic drinks per day. That's not entirely true. Fine print: Packages do not include drinks from in-room minibars or shipboard wine-dispensing machines. After all, at $109 a day plus a 20 percent gratuity, the Norwegian Ultimate Beverage Package only covers drinks which come in at under $15 (as opposed to the $50 cap on Carnival), and does. Seldom travelers may not get enough value to warrant the cost. When you pay-as-you-go, you will get the final bill at the end of your cruise. American Express has expanded The Centurion Network to include 40+ Centurion Lounge and Studio locations worldwide. The total cost of all those drinks with service charge was $978.00 for the two of us. In that case you don't buy it so do you double benefit by getting the free UDP and not have to pay the 18% like everyone else? There's never been a better time to book your dream cruise. By Be the first to rate this post. 2-IN-1 LID; Our unique 2-in-1 lid allows you to sip your drinks with the flip up Sip lid, and drink your cold drinks with the Integrated Straw lid, We took your two favorite ways of drinking, and built them into one awesome lid. Weve even seen discounts of up to 40% off! Further, most drink packages have a price limit for drinks. Through the promotion, guests can receive a free beverage package. The package also brings a 25% discount on wine and Champagne bottle purchases. Cost per day: $63 to $89, not including an 18% gratuity charge (pricing varies by ship and itinerary). Read on for the answers in this ultimate guide to cruise line drinks packages. This card is also incredibly rewarding for travel purchases, helping you rack up a ton of Membership Rewards points for your next award trip. Soda, bottled water and specialty coffees already are included in the fare on Oceania sailings. Happy cruisingCheers! A 20% service charge is added to your purchase at checkout. Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. It depends. 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. No sharing is permitted and is non-transferable. A meager time, for sure, but regardless, NCL doesn't have a stated policy. Complimentary drinks are available at the Latitudes (past passenger) cocktail party. Limitations related to drink cost: None. But, that turned out not to be the case. The package also features a 25% discount on wine bottle purchases. Our opinions are our own, and have not been reviewed, approved, or endorsed by our advertising partners. That is a question that only you can answer based on your own drinking habits. Yes. There is a 5 minute wait between ordering drinks. Depending on the cost of the package, you and your cabinmates will need to drink between 5-10 beverages per day each. Also for a limited time only, get up to 300 per person Airfare Credit on select Cruises. When selecting this free perk, guests will still need to pay gratuity. CC Help Jenn Fine print: If one person in a cabin purchases a package, all people in the same cabin or traveling group also must purchase a package (children in cabins will be charged for a less-expensive, nonalcoholic package). Further, this package includes unlimited fountain soda and juices at all bars, lounges, restaurants, and Great Stirrup Cay. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Cheers! 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. When you choose the UDP, the 18 percent of the cost of the package is added to the cost of the cruise. Although packages and prices vary from cruise line to cruise line, some of these packages can cost more than your actual cruise fare! Read More Starting at $6.95 / Child Per Day $9.50 / Adult Per Day Add to cart More Details Drink Packages CHEERS! There is no limit to how much alcohol you can drink on the road, which is one of the strictest in the world. 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. That said, many cruise lines will allow you to use the drink package on their private islands. It's easy to run up a monster bill ordering wine, beer and mixed drinks by the glass on a cruise ship. Drop us an anchor below with your analysis of this beverage program. The high annual fee is only worth it if youre taking full advantage of the cards benefits. If so, you may be able to use your beverage package off of the ship. Generally speaking, we each drink about 2 non-alcoholic specialty drinks a day plus bottled water. This unlimited soda program le. The price limit of $20 per drink is the highest among cruise lines. The entire cruise must be purchased. It is simple for many cruise . Heres Your Answer! Those are not free a the rate is higher for the promo. Of course, the price may become more justifiable if you plan on drinking soda, juice, and bottled water throughout the day. That is, of course, an enormous number more than most people will ever want to order. The Premium Beverage Package covers nearly every onboard drink up to $15 per drink, while the Premium Plus Beverage Package covers all drinks served by the glass, with no limit on the drink price. Drink packages are entirely optional and usually not needed for most cruisers. 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. For non-select bottles of wine (champagne and sparkling included), Wine and Spirit Experiences, tastings, and flights, guests will receive a 40% discount. Note: Final prices will add a 15% gratuity to the cost of the package. If each stateroom has the same package, the package must be . anytime you want with Bottomless Bubbles. Exclusive: Norwegian Cruise Line Free at Sea Deals. These Are The Cruise Accessories Youll Absolutely Love! The Norwegian Cruise Line Premium Drink Package is good almost everywhere. 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. Hes sailed on more than 150 ships. The majority of town beer shops are open before 8 p.m. or 6 p.m. on weekends. (Enrollment required for select benefits.). Get expert advice, insider tips and more. You can purchase a Norwegian Cruise Line drink package online pre-cruise or once onboard the ship. To determine if the Norwegian Cruise Line Drink Package is a good value, there are a few scenarios we will consider. 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. This is to prevent two or more people in a cabin from sharing a single drinks package. Youre on vacation, after all, and whats not to like about an all-inclusive beverage package? Does it include everything that was in the previous package? The Norwegian Cruise Line Premium Drink Package includes a variety of spirits, cocktails, and wines by the glass and bottled or draft beer up to $15. You Want More than Just Water, Coffee, and Tea. Followers 10. A few friends of mine have, and really liked the food and the overall cruise. We usually find the package priced between $65 per person per day and $99 per person per day on most sailings. There are many factors to consider when deciding whether or not the drink package is worth it on your cruise. 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. Prices 6 litre Just Water Package $16.95 12-litre Just Water Package $29.95 24 litre Just Water Package $44.95 Norwegian offers guests the option pre-order water and have it delivered to their cabin. You don't need a drinks package to be able to drink alcoholic beverages or any other type of beverage on a ship. Related Post: Beginners Guide to Cruise Planning. Non-Refundable. What it includes: Beer, wine by the glass, mixed drinks, specialty cocktails, soda, juices, nonalcoholic cocktails, energy drinks, specialty coffees, teas and most bottled water. The only limit is your own personal weakness and self doubt about having just one more beverage. Carnival has a 15-drink limit on alcoholic beverages purchased between 6 am, and 6 am. This happens for every drink you have on the package. And again, thats if you are drinking the more expensive drinks and cocktails. Notably, wine lists onboard were developed in partnership with the Michael Mondavi Family. If you wait until youre on the ship to purchase the package, be prepared to pay full price. In total, five drink packages are available for purchase. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. CC Help Jenn It also does not include Wine and Spirit Experiences, tastings or flights, Starbucks, or Ice Bars. Ultimate Beverage Package - limits? Can a guest upgrade to the unlimited package? Of course, staff do have the right to refuse you bar service if you are intoxicated. 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. For example,Royal Caribbeans CocoCay islandand MSCs Ocean Cay allow you to use your beverage package for drinks on land. BIGGER & BETTER NEW HUGE 40oz BEAST has arrived! Started June 21, 2021, By Variety of spirits and cocktails, wines. 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. The cruise line offers the Unlimited. Follow along as we share our travel tips, cruise reviews, information on ports of call, and the latest cruise news to help you plan the ultimate cruise vacation. All NCL drink packages are priced as per person, per day. Bartenders and bar servers receive a portion of your tips, so they want to make sure you're having a good time. Learn More Free Wi-Fi Do you usually purchase beverage packages when you cruise? Note: Final prices will add a gratuity to the cost of the package. Theres a 40% discount on other bottles of wine as well. With NCL Premium Beverage Packages, you can get a wide range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages for as little as $15.00. You wont be charged an additional gratuity when you use the beverage package at the bar or dining room because it is already paid for when you purchase your package. Enrollment required. An upgrade beverage package is rarely needed if you sail with any of these cruise lines. The limit only applies to alcoholic beverages, so feel free to order unlimited soda, juice, and specialty coffee. Some factors to consider are the price of the drink plan, your drinking habits, your cabinmates drinking habits, the cost of individual drinks, and what drinks the cruise fare includes. You would only start to see a price break once you consumed your 7th max-price drink of the day. Norwegian's Ultimate Beverage Package is currently available as a FREE offer through its Free at Sea Promotion but it is not completely free as it comes with a gratuity charge of 20% which equals $19.80 per person per day, for a week it equals $138.60. Some cruise lines, such as Carnival, limit the number of alcoholic drinks that any one person can order using a drinks package to 15 in a day. The cost of cruise line drinks packages varies widely by line. I enjoy an cocktail before dinner and good wine with, but withotu knowing what the extra cost might be, I have no way of knowing if the $40/day service charge would be worth it for one. Related Post: Guide to Norwegian Cruise Lines Specialty Dining Package. Note that some cruise lines discount drinks packages if you buy them online in advance of sailing, and some lines offer periodic sales on their drinks packages online. Thats because most cruise ship ports are independent of the cruise line. Guest must be at least 21 years of age at time of sailing to qualify for the Ultimate Beverage Package. 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. 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. Celebrity Cruises offers its Classic and Premium Package. Related: How to plan a cruise with points and miles. The package does NOT work at Harvest Caye. Limitations related to drink cost: Cannot be used for drinks priced over $18. So, comparing $13.80 daily to $9.54 daily, the full-priced Adult Soda Package is $4.26 per day. Other packages: Norwegian has two less-inclusive, less expensive alcoholic beverage packages. Only one beverage serving, per sticker, will be served at a time. You'll notice it doesn't mention a daily limit. In some cases, there will be more than one tier of such all-encompassing plans. Premium Beverage Package - Starting at the hefty price of $99 per day (plus 20% service charge), Norwegian 's Premium Beverage Package includes any wines, beers or cocktails priced at $15 or less per glass. The package includes spirits and cocktails along with a selection of soft drinks, juice, draft and bottled beer, and wine-by-the-glass. This brings us back to the original question, is the Norwegian Cruise Line Drink Package a good value? 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. How Do I Purchase A Drink Package For My Cruise? Even if you receive a drink package with the cruise lines Free at Sea promotion, you are still responsible to pay this 20% gratuity. The main dining room and buffet are free on all ships in the fleet and there is usually another free option such as a bar/pub. Cost per day: $128, not including a 20% gratuity charge (effective Jan. 1, 2023, pricing will rise to $138). Your analysis is not very useful without the list of brands excluded (or included), which seems to be permanently unavailable. A Norwegian law requires you to be at least 18 years old to purchase wine or beer. Fine print: If one passenger in a cabin purchases a package, everyone in the same cabin as well as other cabins tied to the same method of payment must purchase the package, too. As part of Celebritys Always Included fare, passengers receive the Classic Package with the standard cruise fare. Other brands, such as Norwegian Cruise Line, charge as much as $138 per person, per day for a top-tier package. The maximum beverage price covered by the package is $15. So six max-priced drinks would be $90, which is still less than the daily price of the premium package. The average price for beer is around $7.50, and the average for a glass of wine is $9. Just kidding around, but that would be a hard thing to accomplish. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); I bought a drink package on RCCL, three years ago for around $400.. Dubbed the Unlimited Open Bar Beverage Package, this less-pricey package currently costs $99 per person per day. Guests can purchase the Premier Beverage Package for $59.99 per person per day. She is always looking for the latest and greatest adventures onboard and ashore, enjoys researching top things to do in ports of call, and loves dressing up for formal nights. is one of the lowest-priced drink packages of the mainstream cruise lines. But, youll still be paying full price for the beverage package. Book today and enjoy 50% Off all cruises! If the drink package costs more than the amount youd spend on individual drink purchases, then the drink package may cost you more. Available on: All ships except those in the Galapagos (where drinks are included in the fare). 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. Our points-obsessed staff uses a plethora of credit cards on a daily basis. At least it IS better than Holland America, where any drink over $11 is excluded, and you get zero discount from the drink package. This equates to $831.60 per person for a 7-day cruise (including 20% service charge).Analysis of the Norwegian Cruise Line Drink Package. Category Bottled Water (1 liter) Price $5.00 Total 0 Costs $0.00. Now hold even more of your favorite beverage at the perfect temperature for longer. Subscribe to receive travel tips delivered straight to your inbox. Do You Have to Purchase the Drink Package for the Entire Cruise? Powered by Invision Community. $200 Airline Fee Credit: Get up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year in baggage fees and more at one select qualifying airline. I suspect if the system shows 30-35 drinks per person per day (for example) they may also take a closer look Ginnie, Did you ever max out the limit on your Carnival cruise? October 19, 2021: Log In Issues. I got the drink package as a perk, for me it will be worth it as I do like to drink well on vacation. This drink package includes everything in the Premium beverage package, along with other higher end offerings. 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. The Norwegian Cruise Line Premium Drink Package includes a variety of spirits, cocktails, and wines by the glass and bottled or draft beer up to $15. I am passionate about sharing my experience with readers. 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. Be sure to check the fine print in your particular line's drinks package before placing an order for a drink to your room. These have bubbles, but theyre not sparkling water.