This website uses cookies. I figured Carnival might put the limit so you don't buy a ton of drinks for friends who are not on the package. You will be able to leave a comment after signing in, By Only one beverage serving, per sticker, will be served at a time. 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. We took our first cruise vacation together 13 years ago and have been hooked ever since. To determine if the Norwegian Cruise Line Drink Package is a good value, there are a few scenarios we will consider. I found that it wasnt worth it because I didnt drink that much. Here are some reasons why a beverage package might be a good idea: If you are new to cruising, you may think that the cruise ships food and drinks are all-inclusive. Explore more of the shore with $50 USD Discount Per Port Shore Excursions. See what a point or mile is worth with our appraisals of a loyalty programs currency, based on redemption values. Discover 9 Top Cruise Accessories Youll Absolutely Love + 5 More For Kids! Unlike drink packages on many other cruise lines, Norwegian's Free Open Bar doesn't include specialty coffees or bottled water. If your favorite tipple is a more expensive premium single malt Scotch, you will have to pay the difference in price. The beverage package also covers bottled water, so you can grab a bottle on your way off the ship and not worry about finding a local convenience store. Please view our advertising policy page for more information. Other packages: The less costly Topmast Discoveries Beer and Wine Package, at $49 per day, includes a choice of beers and premium wines but not spirits and cocktails. The Norwegian Cruise Line Premium Drink Package was formerly known as the Ultimate Beverage Package. I think they were on one of the newer ships, but not sure which. Other packages: Celebrity also offers a less inclusive classic drinks package that now is included in the fare for its sailings as part of its new Always Included fare structure. Yes! I love to travel, see new places, and meet new people. Note: Final prices will add a 20% gratuity to the cost of the package. There are five different adult beverage packages available on Norwegian Cruise Line cruises. As a simple rule, if you plan on having 6-8 drinks per day throughout your cruise, the package is worth considering. You can not purchase just select days. The only limit is your own personal weakness and self doubt about having just one more beverage. By proceeding, you agree to Cruise Critics. 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). The premium package covers nearly every drink served by the glass for up to $15 per drink. Soda, bottled water and specialty coffees already are included in the fare on Oceania sailings. In addition to its inclusivity, CHEERS! Note that the pricing listed is per person, per day. Prepaid @ $7.95 USD per person per day x Cruise Days plus 20% gratuity and beverage service charge. The average price for beer is around $7.50, and the average for a glass of wine is $9. A meager time, for sure, but regardless, NCL doesn't have a stated policy. TPG values it at $1,600. You cant use the drink package in most ports. While the $99 per person per day base charge will be waved, you'll still be paying the 20% gratuity and beverage service charge on the full retail price of the package. This Is What You Need To Plan The Best Cruise With A Baby, How To Plan Awesome Family Cruise Shore Excursions Youll Love. When electing to purchase a package, you have to pay for the entire length of the cruise. Are You Confused by the Cruise Lines' Beverage Packages? It costs $49 per day when sailing in North America (pricing will rise to $51 per day in October). However, you usually can't use them when ordering room service to your room. So you would have to drink more than 10 of that price level drink, 30oz Blue Tumbler Stainless Steel Double Wall Vacuum Insulated Mug with Straw and Lid, Cleaning Brush for Cold and Hot Beverages, Hydrapeak Roadster 40oz Tumbler with Handle and 2-in-1 Straw Lid, Insulated Leak Proof Double Walled Stainless Steel Coffee Travel Mug - Keeps Cold for 34 Hours or Hot for 10 Hours (Ice), Beast 40 oz Tumbler Stainless Steel Vacuum Insulated Coffee Ice Cup Double Wall Travel Flask (Matte Black). This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. If youre looking to save money, its best to purchase the drink package before you set sail. You would only start to see a price break once you consumed your 7th max-price drink of the day. Cruise line drinks packages generally are honored anywhere you can order a drink on a ship think bars, lounges and eateries. Actually, the value "up to $1888" is (and I am assuming) what NCL estimates the package to be worth but the actual cost (at least in CDN on a 7 day cruise is $612.xx per person + 18% grats). CC Help Jenn The drink value can be up to and including $15 USD. Home / Cruise Tips / Is the Drink Package Worth it on a Cruise? Children are charged for a less expensive, nonalcoholic package. The line's new Premium-Plus package is the "top beverage offering" of Norwegian and is designed for passengers who love top-shelf liquors. We save on the average of $800 when we choose a regular balcony over the free at sea balcony. Enrollment required. Celebrity Cruises. Bottles or cans of any non-alcoholic beverage. Related: How to get free or cheap drinks on a cruise. For the above reasons, we dont think drink package purchases make sense for most cruisers. We are Don and Heidi, the husband and wife travel team behind EatSleepCruise.com. In fact, we would have actually lost $685.20 compared to just paying out of pocket for all our alcoholic beverages. 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. Cruise ship drinks packages: A line-by-line guide - The Points Guy Rules vary among cruise lines, but generally, if one adult purchases the drink package, all adults sharing the cabin must also purchase the same beverage plan. 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. Book today and enjoy 50% Off all cruises! Now hold even more of your favorite beverage at the perfect temperature for longer. Includes: Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Sierra Mist, Mt. Get expert advice, insider tips and more. While it is excellent for most people, wine connoisseurs wont be satisfied by the limited selection and beverages by the glass. 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. What it includes: Beer, wine by the glass, spirits and cocktails. 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. These additional inclusions are freshly squeezed juice, bottled water (flat and sparkling), energy drinks, non-alcoholic beer, wine dispensers, and specialty coffee. Boxed wine is not allowed. 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. October 19, 2021: Log In Issues. That's not entirely true. This drink package includes everything in the Premium beverage package, along with other higher end offerings. And some also offer wine-specific packages. That is the only reason I would think they would do that. Knowing the total cost of the cruise vacation before you set sail is a smart budgeting trick so that you wont be surprised when you receive the bill at the end of your sailing. In total, five drink packages are available for purchase. 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. In 2021, MSC Cruises updated its drink package offerings, giving passengers a choice between 3 new packages. Guest must be at least 21 years of age at time of sailing to qualify for the Ultimate Beverage Package. Norwegian Cruise Line Alcohol Policy :D. You might take a minute to review the terms of the UBP before you sail. Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the authors alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. The cost per day was over $57, which in my opinion isnt a great deal. But, that turned out not to be the case. Still, whether or not you should purchase one of these beverage packages is an individual choice that depends on several factors. Drink packages are entirely optional and usually not needed for most cruisers. With NCL Premium Beverage Packages, you can get a wide range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages for as little as $15.00. 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. If you decide to purchase a drink package on your cruise, you will have to purchase it for every day of the vacation. Credit ranges are a variation of FICO Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application. Princess Cruises Premier Beverage Package is their top beverage package which covers a wide variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Opinions expressed here are the authors alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. All qualifying individuals in the stateroom or additional staterooms under the same method of payment must purchase one. Depending on your ports of call and number of sea days, as well as your hours ashore, you may receive better savings (or less) on your voyage. Category Bottled Water (1 liter) Price $5.00 Total 0 Costs $0.00. Visit our, The drink package promotion applies to the first two guests in the cabin. Most cruise lines require all guests sharing a cabin to purchase the same beverage plan to prevent sharing between friends and family. Note: Final prices will add a gratuity to the cost of the package. In some cases, there will be more than one tier of such all-encompassing plans. 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. 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. I know Carnival has the Party reputation and I have never gone on Carnival, but I surely would. Available on: All ships except Pride of America. But for those who regularly order several alcoholic drinks a day when cruising, there's a way to save: a flat-fee drinks package. Soda, specialty coffees and other nonalcoholic beverages already are included in the fare on Windstar sailings. This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. One of the most hotly debated cruise topics are drink packages. It costs $38 per day. Although packages and prices vary from cruise line to cruise line, some of these packages can cost more than your actual cruise fare! The package does not contain any specialty coffees or . However, passengers who are 18 to 20 years of age can purchase and consume beer or wine on other itineraries, too, when the ship is in international waters (does not apply to Alaska or Hawaii sailings). Package name: Captains Exclusive Beverage Package. And that would have to be 7 drinks actually consumed on the ship itself. The even less pricey Easy package only includes a limited number of drinks and is not valid in extra-charge specialty restaurants. While marketed as a limited-time promotion, we often find the promotion available more often than not. Further vending machine purchases and wine stations are not included. Why Do Cruise Ships Have Helipads? There, no need to be a cheap drunk to make it worthwhile. Related Post: Everything You Should Book Before Your Cruise. $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. The Corks and Caps Wine and Beer Package, priced at $65 per day, includes beer . NCL Drink Packages Complete Guide (2023) - EatSleepCruise.com That's exactly the case with the Amex Platinum card. Planning a cruise? Note: Final prices will add a 15% gratuity to the cost of the package. Carnivals CHEERS! However, drink packages do not work at Harvest Caye, Belize. has written about cruising for more than 25 years and for many years oversaw USA Todays award-winning cruise site. All Norwegian Cruise Line beverage packages are priced per person, per day. The total cost of all those drinks with service charge was $978.00 for the two of us. You aren't charged for any gratuities when you actually get the drinks. Limitations related to drink cost: Cannot be used for drinks priced over $20. My strange night out at Norwegian's new 'zero waste' cruise ship bar. Required fields are marked *. Dont make the mistake of thinking beverage packages are only for alcoholic drinks. 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. The Premium beverage package is currently priced at $99 per person, per day. Coffee shops are available onboard as well, and the drink package includes a variety of them. 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. The Ultimate Guide to Cruise Drink Packages. Learn more. That said, many cruise lines will allow you to use the drink package on their private islands. Costa Cruises offers two drink packages, My Drinks, and My Drinks Plus. Your analysis is not very useful without the list of brands excluded (or included), which seems to be permanently unavailable. Breakfast lunch and dinner are all included on cruises with Norwegian Cruise Line. What it includes: All beverages by the glass (top-shelf spirits, cocktails, beer and wine) and select premium bottles of Champagne and wine. Celebrity Cruises offers its Classic and Premium Package. 2023 Guide to Norwegian Cruise Line Drink Packages Your email address will not be published. Drink packages that don't include alcoholic drinks, such as soda packages, typically cost far less. Cruise Beverage Packages | Bon Voyage Gifts | Norwegian Cruise Line Find the right card for you. These Are The Cruise Accessories Youll Absolutely Love! NCL's Hawaii Beverage Package: A Complete Guide - Prof. Cruise Enrollment required. For most cruisers, the drink package is simply not worth the price. Related: The 8 best drinks to order with a cruise ship beverage package. Norwegian recently updated its beverage package selection and added a new package option. This card is also incredibly rewarding for travel purchases, helping you rack up a ton of Membership Rewards points for your next award trip. Cost per day: $59.95, including gratuities. You can not purchase just select days. Subscribe to receive travel tips delivered straight to your inbox. Cost per day: $63 to $89, not including an 18% gratuity charge (pricing varies by ship and itinerary). This gratuity is added to the total cruise fare at the time of booking. We dont think the limit will be a problem for most cruise passengers. But once you are on board, the luxury of ordering drinks and restaurants without worrying about the final bar bill can be worth the price of the package. Cruise line drinks packages let you order as many drinks as you want while on a cruise for one flat fee. 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. 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. I hope you order your liver transplant before you leave!! Many first-time cruisers are shocked to find that nearly every other beverage must be paid at an extra cost besides basic tea, coffee, and tap water. - Norwegian Cruise Line - Cruise Critic Community. 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? We've purchased the UBP on each NCL cruise we've been on, and we have never experienced an issue with limits. is one of the lowest-priced drink packages of the mainstream cruise lines. Take your tastebuds on a trip with free meals at our Speciality Dining venues. Further, there is no sharing of the package or using your package to order drinks for other cruisers. Do Norwegian Cruise Line Cruises Include Meals? - Included Food Guide PDF OLife Choice - Things to Know - Oceania Cruises Technically, you are not supposed to use your package to buy drinks for other people. An upgrade beverage package is rarely needed if you sail with any of these cruise lines. If you decide to purchase the beverage package, booking online ahead of time is better. Read on for the answers in this ultimate guide to cruise line drinks packages. Yes. The cost of a cruise ship drink package does not include gratuities. Although most cruise lines dont have a specified drink limit, bartenders will cut you off from ordering more drinks if youre intoxicated. If we had purchased the Norwegian Cruise Line Premium Drink Package out of pocket, it would have cost us $1663.20 total. Which Cruise Lines Offer Free Drink Packages If so, you may be able to use your beverage package off of the ship. 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. Further, this package includes unlimited fountain soda and juices at all bars, lounges, restaurants, and Great Stirrup Cay. Guests who are 21 or over will receive a, Adult alcoholic beverages generally incur charges in the $8 to $10 arrange. Additionally, package holders receive a 40% discount on wines priced up to $100 and a 20% discount on wines priced above $100. Unlimited Starbucks for $12.95/day + 20% gratuity. There is a 5 minute wait between ordering drinks. 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. The package also brings a 15% discount on wine bottles and premium beverages costing more than $15 that arent included in the package. 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. Carnival Cruise Line Australia Alcohol Policy, 10 Cruise Alcohol Hacks for Better Drinking on the Cheap. Norwegian Cruise Line Beverage Packages: What's Included and is it Note that both prices will have an 18% gratuity tacked on. $200 Airline Fee Credit: Get up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year in baggage fees and more at one select qualifying airline.