When you pay-as-you-go, you will get the final bill at the end of your cruise. However, you usually can't use them when ordering room service to your room. 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. don't-use-real-name 6.1k February 4, 2010 Bloomington MN USA #7 Posted July 4, 2019 There is no. Purchasing alcohol in ships' duty-free shop(s): Any alcohol purchased in the onboard shops will be stored until the cruise's conclusion. Princess Cruises is the only cruise line we know of that doesnt require all passengers sharing a cabin to purchase the drink package. The bolding is mine but there is a limit quoted. A few friends of mine have, and really liked the food and the overall cruise. You guessed it, you have to pay 20% gratuity on the free soda packages as well. No votes so far! The package is not available for Australia-based itineraries shorter than seven nights or voyages shorter than two nights in all other regions. Also, all guests in the same cabin over 18 must purchase this package. The package also brings a 25% discount on wine bottle purchases. The Norwegian Cruise Line Premium Drink Package is good almost everywhere. There is no sharing of the NCL drink package or using your package to order drinks for other cruisers. I have no way of knowing if my normal call brand of gin or bourbon is under $15 onboard, or excluded, or even available. When selecting this free perk, guests will still need to pay gratuity. Then there were days where we only had 2 drinks each for the entire day. What's included in a cruise line drinks package and how do they work? It would seem effortless for two people to drink 2-3 adult beverages between the two of them. Cost per day: $128, not including a 20% gratuity charge (effective Jan. 1, 2023, pricing will rise to $138). Cost per day: $59, not including a 15% gratuity charge. Norwegian assesses a gratuity charge of $19.80 per person per day for its basic Premium Beverage Package. 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. There are five different adult beverage packages available on Norwegian Cruise Line cruises. 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. See what a point or mile is worth with our appraisals of a loyalty programs currency, based on redemption values. The average price for beer is around $7.50, and the average for a glass of wine is $9. Celebrity Cruises. First, guests must be at least 18 years old at the time of sailing to purchase this package. Powered by Invision Community. Your email address will not be published. Also includes unlimited Starbucks coffee and specialty drinks, bottled water, soda, juices and energy drinks. If you plan on drinking lots of pop or alcohol, but your cabinmate is fine with tap water, youll be better off skipping the beverage package and buying drinks at the bar. Earn 5X Membership Rewards Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. 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. Drinks ordered through room service also arent included. Soda packages often are under $10 per person, per day. Note: Final prices will add an 18% service charge to the cost of the package. The maximum beverage price covered by the package is $15. . 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. 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. Share. I usually upgrade my package on Celebrity because I want all the free sparkling water and Celebrity has a great coffee bar. $200 Airline Fee Credit: Get up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year in baggage fees and more at one select qualifying airline. There is no limit to how much alcohol you can drink on the road, which is one of the strictest in the world. I love to travel, see new places, and meet new people. Remember that once you are on board, the price tends to be pretty expensive. And if you are traveling with a group, dont even consider using your beverage package on friends in other cabins. This website uses cookies. What it includes: Drinks by the glass including draught, craft and bottled beer; a selection of wine and Champagne by the glass; premium-brand spirits, liqueurs and cordials; a variety of frozen and classic cocktails; soda; juices; nonalcoholic cocktails; energy drinks; hot chocolate drinks; specialty coffees; teas and bottled water. Take your tastebuds on a trip with free meals at our Speciality Dining venues. There is no hard limit, but they can and may refuse to serve you if they feel you are excessively inebriated, regardless of number of drinks purchased. As part of Celebritys Always Included fare, passengers receive the Classic Package with the standard cruise fare. Norwegian recently updated its beverage package selection and added a new package option. Plus you can order unlimited fountain soda and juices at all bars, lounges, restaurants and Great Stirrup Cay. Guests under 21 will receive the soda package, normally $5.95-$7.95 per day. 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. By proceeding, you agree to Cruise Critics. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Ultimate Beverage Package - limits? I hope you order your liver transplant before you leave!! Other packages: The slightly less expensive Signature Beverage Package only includes drinks costing up to $11. 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. When calculating, dont forget to factor in port days, where you wont be on the cruise ship for the whole day. Related Post: Best Cruise Lines for Families. Still, whether or not you should purchase one of these beverage packages is an individual choice that depends on several factors. Other brands, such as Norwegian Cruise Line, charge as much as $138 per person, per day for a top-tier package. You'll notice it doesn't mention a daily limit. At several of the biggest cruise brands, including Carnival Cruise Line and Holland America, the main drinks packages that include all types of drinks cost about $60 per person, per day. 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. If you plan to spend the day in port, you wont be consuming as many beverages as you would on sea days. 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. Premier Beverage Package - $59.99 The Premier Beverage Package on Princess includes unlimited premium beverages and snacks throughout the cruise. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. The package covers nearly every beverage on the ship up to $13 per drink. In total, five drink packages are available for purchase. And that would have to be 7 drinks actually consumed on the ship itself. 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. There is no limit to the number of bottles passengers can bring onboard. Breeze through security with CLEAR lanes available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your membership when you use your Card. Soft drink is served by the glass (16 ounces); juice is served by the glass (10 ounces). Remember that bartenders and servers will only serve you one drink at a time. 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. How Much Do Drinks Cost on a Cruise Ship? Youll just have to pay the gratuities. It is a good idea to keep track of your spending because all those drinks can and will add up. Norwegian offers guests the option pre-order water and have it delivered to their cabin. Required fields are marked *. Cost per day: $64.95 when purchased on board, not including an 18% automatic gratuity charge; $59.95 plus the gratuity charge when purchased in advance of sailing. Most drinks packages have a unit cost upper limit of $12-$15 per drink, depending on the cruise line's policy. However, drink packages do not work at Harvest Caye, Belize. This is to prevent two or more people in a cabin from sharing a single drinks package. Home / Cruise Tips / Is the Drink Package Worth it on a Cruise? Carnival has a 15-drink limit on alcoholic beverages purchased between 6 am, and 6 am. If you prefer to order a bottle of wine at dinner or want to choose from a selection of high-end wine, they arent included in your drink package. You don't need a drinks package to be able to drink alcoholic beverages or any other type of beverage on a ship. Of course, staff do have the right to refuse you bar service if you are intoxicated. If the drink package costs more than the amount youd spend on individual drink purchases, then the drink package may cost you more. 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. You can choose from three different beverage options; Champagne & Bubbly, Premium Wine Selection, and Signature Cocktails. Although annoying, it still seemed like we could make good value out of the packages even with the required fee. In addition to that, it consists of non-alcoholic beer, juice, and fountain soda and juice. In some cases, there will be more than one tier of such all-encompassing plans. 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. Variety of spirits and cocktails, wines. 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. Other packages: Norwegian has two less-inclusive, less expensive alcoholic beverage packages. Obviously, you should be safe and drink responsibly! I found that it wasnt worth it because I didnt drink that much. Although convenient, cruise line beverage packages are a significant investment for your vacation. Note: Final prices will add a 15% gratuity to the cost of the package. 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. The cost of a cruise ship drink package does not include gratuities. All NCL drink packages are priced as per person, per day. So you pay the gratuities upfront. 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). Limitations related to drink cost: Cannot be used for drinks priced over $13. Package, which covers nearly every beverage -- alcoholic or non-alcoholic -- on the ship, up to $20 per drink. CC Help Jenn These are: Premium Beverage Package (AKA Open Bar) - $99 per day Premium Plus Beverage Package - $128 per day Corks & Caps Wine and Beer Package - $65 per day Adult & Teen Soda Program - $7.95 per day Hawaii Beverage Packag e - $99 per day Soda, bottled water and specialty coffees already are included in the fare on Oceania sailings. It costs $54.95 per day. But, youll still be paying full price for the beverage package. If your favorite tipple is a more expensive premium single malt Scotch, you will have to pay the difference in price. Q: The included beverage package is the House Select. BIGGER & BETTER NEW HUGE 40oz BEAST has arrived! At first, glance, purchasing a drink package seems like a no-brainer. This gratuity is added to the total cruise fare at the time of booking. People who want to drink without breaking the bank and enjoy a variety of drinks without . What it includes: Beer, wine by the glass, spirits and cocktails. The cruise was 14 days and the package was called their Silver Spirts package. Limitations related to drink cost: Cannot be used for drinks priced over $15. Followers 10. 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. Virgin Voyages will top up the amount when guests pre-purchase the Bar Tab before sailing. The Free Open Bar is likely the top pick for many from Norwegians Free at Sea promotion. A wine bottle package also is available. Carnival also has a time limit between drinks. 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. Do you think the Norwegian Cruise Line Drink Package is a good value? If you pay outright for the, The gratuities for the free premium package are $13.80 per day. That is, of course, an enormous number more than most people will ever want to order. While there is indeed a version of an NCL drink package for purchase thats an. anytime you want with Bottomless Bubbles. No, you cannot share the drink package on a cruise. Once youve done the calculation, its time to decide whether or not the drink package is worth the investment. For the above reasons, we dont think drink package purchases make sense for most cruisers. We'll run a soft credit check to find special offers, but it wont affect your credit score. Even if you receive a drink package with the cruise lines Free at Sea promotion, you are still responsible to pay this 20% gratuity. In addition, you'll enjoy specialty coffee, sparkling water, bottled water and energy drinks. The Premium beverage package does not include room service, ship specific promotions or beer buckets, designated Super Premium brands, bottled wine or liquor, or mini bar purchases. Cruise ship drink packages are not all-inclusive. Note that the package is valid on Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, MSC Cruises private island in the Bahamas. The package also brings a 20% discount on wine bottle purchases. Please explain how that works when one receives the UDP as a Freestyle Choice perk. Norwegian's Unlimited Starbucks Package has a few restrictions. So as long as you don't share and behave yourself you can drink as much as you want. Wine and Champagne are permitted, but you'll have to pay a corkage fee for any that is consumed onboard in staterooms, bars or restaurants. The beverage package includes a selection of hot drinks such as Vergnano coffee, cappuccino, herbal teas, and hot chocolate. If you would spend more money purchasing individual drinks than the cost of the package, then the drink package is worth it for you. Visit our, The drink package promotion applies to the first two guests in the cabin. Learn More Free Wi-Fi Ginnie6, January 1, 2016 in Norwegian Cruise Line. Yes that happens and then the bar staff gets questioned about if the guest is sharing drinks or drinking to much. 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. In this post, we complete an analysis to answer the question, Is the Norwegian Cruise Line Drink Package Worth It?. Yes. Other packages: Princess also offers a less pricey Plus Beverage package that can be used for drinks priced up to $12. Theres a 40% discount on other bottles of wine as well. LauraS Note: Final prices will add an 18% gratuity to the cost of the package. There's no daily limit to the number of drinks you can order on Norwegian Cruise Line. Other packages: The less expensive Easy Plus package only includes drinks costing up to $9. Thats because most cruise ship ports are independent of the cruise line. That's not entirely true. (Enrollment required for select benefits.). Based on this cost, if you and your cabin mate will drink on average at least 2 alcoholic drinks/day, then the Norwegian Cruise Line Drink Package is worth getting as a free perk. This card comes with a long list of benefits, including access to Centurion Lounges, complimentary elite status with Hilton and Marriott, at least $500 in assorted annual statement credits and so much more. The cruiseline has partnered with JUST Goods Water, replacing single-use plastic bottles with a plant-based carton. Typical drinks are much less than that. All major cruise lines will let you buy drinks on an a la carte basis when cruising. Any items over $15 will receive a $15 discount; you will then need to pay only the difference. Fees are $15 for 750ml bottles and $30 for 1,500ml. Here are some of the risks. 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. 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. All you are paying for each time is 18% of the cost the drink. Happy cruisingCheers! *Terms & Conditions Package not available on sailings less than 5 days or charter sailings. There's never been a better time to book your dream cruise. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers. Below is a list of included beverages. What it includes: Beer, wine by the glass, mixed drinks, specialty cocktails, soda, juices, nonalcoholic cocktails, energy drinks, specialty coffees, teas and bottled water. Thus, purchasing a case of water at $44.95 ($6.42 broken down per day) and 2 specialty beverages at $9-10 total, we would not reach the $29 per person, per day fee associated with upgrading. Card Rating is based on the opinion of TPGs editors and is not influenced by the card issuer. When you order drinks from a US port, you will be charged an additional tax. If anyone on our team wouldnt recommend it to a friend or a family member, we wouldnt recommend it on The Points Guy either. Is the Norwegian Cruise Line Drink Package Worth It? Check your cruise itinerary to see if you are visiting any private islands or resorts. You cant use the drink package in most ports. She is a self-confessed thrill seeker, obsessive planner, and over-packer. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). There's a limit of 15 alcoholic drinks per person in a 24-hour period. Some people love knowing exactly how much they will spend with the package before stepping on board. Although packages and prices vary from cruise line to cruise line, some of these packages can cost more than your actual cruise fare! Limitations related to drink cost: Cannot be used for drinks priced over $18. The Norwegian beverage package is an excellent value for those who want to enjoy a lot of drinks for a low price. If youre looking to save money, its best to purchase the drink package before you set sail. So, comparing $13.80 daily to $9.54 daily, the full-priced Adult Soda Package is $4.26 per day. The 15% service charge is waived when pre-booking the package. Drink Packages Drink Packages F A Q s Drink Packages Bottomless Bubbles Enjoy ice-cold refreshments during meals, during shows, during, well. Cruise line drinks packages let you order as many drinks as you want while on a cruise for one flat fee. To determine if the Norwegian Cruise Line Drink Package is a good value, there are a few scenarios we will consider. The Premium Plus beverage package is currently priced at $128 per person, per day. The cost of alcoholic drinks on cruise vessels particularly cocktails can be pricey. The My Drinks package is included in the All Inclusive Rate and includes soft drinks, Draught Heineken, classic cocktails, soda, liquors, and spirits.