Limitations related to drink cost: None. 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. This card is also incredibly rewarding for travel purchases, helping you rack up a ton of Membership Rewards points for your next award trip. This gratuity is added to the total cruise fare at the time of booking. Further, there is no sharing of the package or using your package to order drinks for other cruisers. In fact, we would have actually lost $685.20 compared to just paying out of pocket for all our alcoholic beverages. It's easy to run up a monster bill ordering wine, beer and mixed drinks by the glass on a cruise ship. 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. A 20% service charge is added to your purchase at checkout. We dont think the limit will be a problem for most cruise passengers. Be sure to check the fine print in your particular line's drinks package before placing an order for a drink to your room. Just kidding around, but that would be a hard thing to accomplish. A wine bottle package also is available. We've purchased the UBP on each NCL cruise we've been on, and we have never experienced an issue with limits. Most cruise lines will not limit the drinks you can get when you have a drink package. Powered by Invision Community. 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. Please view our advertising policy page for more information. If we had purchased the Norwegian Cruise Line Premium Drink Package out of pocket, it would have cost us $1663.20 total. And again, thats if you are drinking the more expensive drinks and cocktails. Norwegian Cruise Line Drops a Drink Package Norwegian charges the most for its drink packages and those prices have actually recently gone up. It seems by the article that the free at sea drink package would be good enough with no need to upgrade on NCL? Dont make the mistake of thinking beverage packages are only for alcoholic drinks. It costs $49 per day when sailing in North America (pricing will rise to $51 per day in October). If youre looking to save money, its best to purchase the drink package before you set sail. Youre on vacation, after all, and whats not to like about an all-inclusive beverage package? Prepaid @ $7.95 USD per person per day x Cruise Days plus 20% gratuity and beverage service charge. Are You Thinking About Going on a Cruise With Your Family? 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. Our complete analysis will help you answer the question, "Is the Norwegian Cruise Line Drink Package Worth It?". Is the drink package worth it on a cruise? is one of the most common questions we receive. Dubbed the Unlimited Open Bar Beverage Package, this less-pricey package currently costs $99 per person per day. The latter offers a wider range of covered drinks but is not available as a free perk. A Norwegian law requires you to be at least 18 years old to purchase wine or beer. 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. Even as a perk, the service charge for my wife and I require that we consume a minimum of 4-5 drinks per day to break evenand she doesnt drink at all. The cost of alcoholic drinks on cruise vessels particularly cocktails can be pricey. For non-select bottles of wine (champagne and sparkling included), Wine and Spirit Experiences, tastings, and flights, guests will receive a 40% discount. Related: These 15 cruise ship bars are not to be missed when cruising. You would only start to see a price break once you consumed your 7th max-price drink of the day. Most cruise lines allow guests to bring alcohol on the cruise ship one or two bottles of wine or champagne. Although cruise line drink packages are expensive, there are some reasons you should consider purchasing one before your next cruise. Further, this package includes unlimited fountain soda and juices at all bars, lounges, restaurants, and Great Stirrup Cay. If you forgo the beverage package, you can simply pay for each drink. A relatively newer offering, the Premium Plus beverage package is the most all-inclusive option of the NCL drink packages. Required fields are marked *. Note: Final prices will add an 18% gratuity to the cost of the package. Our points-obsessed staff uses a plethora of credit cards on a daily basis. 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. The package is not available for Australia-based itineraries shorter than seven nights or voyages shorter than two nights in all other regions. And, the, Couldnt that person just get some type of soda package? No matter what package you purchase, you can order two beverages per person, per transaction. 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. Carnival Cruise Line Australia Alcohol Policy, 10 Cruise Alcohol Hacks for Better Drinking on the Cheap. Carnival has a 15-drink limit on alcoholic beverages purchased between 6 am, and 6 am. Youll need to consume much more on sea days to compensate for the lack of drink purchases while at the port to break even. But for those who regularly order several alcoholic drinks a day when cruising, there's a way to save: a flat-fee drinks package. As part of Celebritys Always Included fare, passengers receive the Classic Package with the standard cruise fare. Have another, we won't tell.*. 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. 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. You aren't charged for any gratuities when you actually get the drinks. This equates to $831.60 per person for a 7-day cruise (including 20% service charge). 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. You must order at least two drinks in order to be served. This equates to $831.60 per person for a 7-day cruise (including 20% service charge).Analysis of the Norwegian Cruise Line Drink Package. Although annoying, it still seemed like we could make good value out of the packages even with the required fee. The drink package is free but the gratuities on it are not included. Thats because most cruise ship ports are independent of the cruise line. Depending on the cost of the package, you and your cabinmates will need to drink between 5-10 beverages per day each. It also includes fountain soda, juice, and non-alcoholic beer. That is, of course, an enormous number more than most people will ever want to order. Cost per day: $59, not including a 15% gratuity charge. 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. She is a self-confessed thrill seeker, obsessive planner, and over-packer. Is There a Limit to the Number of Drinks You Can Buy? 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. 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. Its easy to go overboard if you are just trying to get your moneys worth from the drink package. Compare the cost in points or miles to cash, and see which option is best. The only limit is your own personal weakness and self doubt about having just one more beverage. When calculating, dont forget to factor in port days, where you wont be on the cruise ship for the whole day. Can I bring my own alcohol onto a cruise ship? Typical drinks are much less than that. When selecting this free perk, guests will still need to pay gratuity. We usually find the package priced between $65 per person per day and $99 per person per day on most sailings. Dew, Ginger Ale, Tonic water, Club Soda. If you are only drinking a few drinks per day, it is probably cheaper for you to not choose the free at sea promos. Royal Caribbeans Deluxe Beverage Package, Princess Cruises Premier Beverage Package, Norwegian Cruise Line offers its Premium and Premium Plus beverage packages, Celebrity Cruises offers its Classic and Premium Package, Cruise Ship Anchors: Everything You Need to Know, Royal Caribbean RoyalUp (Guide to Upgrading Your Cabin). Instead, guests can pre-purchase Virgin Voyages Bar Tab. Plus Ups are excluded. The annual airline fee statement credit can be complicated to take advantage of compared to the broader travel credits offered by competing premium cards. The Norwegian beverage package is an excellent value for those who want to enjoy a lot of drinks for a low price. 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. But, there is one scenario where you may want to purchase a package even if you wont be saving money. Learn More Free Wi-Fi In total, five drink packages are available for purchase. Remember that once you are on board, the price tends to be pretty expensive. I found that it wasnt worth it because I didnt drink that much. The package does not contain any specialty coffees or . Hawaii-based Pride of America has a single drinks package that costs $99 per day (effective Jan. 1, 2023, prices will increase to $109). They also generally don't apply to drinks taken out of cabin minibars. Cheers to all the spirits and cocktails, wines, draft beer, juice, and soft drinks. The 20% service charge for a 7-day cruise will cost each guest $138.60 for the Premium Beverage package. Does the Drink Package Include Gratuities? Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. We may receive compensation when you click on those links at no cost to you. At first, glance, purchasing a drink package seems like a no-brainer. With the drink package, you wont need to track your spending, and you wont be surprised by an unexpected bill at the end of your cruise. 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. For a simple estimation, figure out what drinks you will consume (beer, wine, soda, whiskey) and how many drinks you will consume daily. But, youll still be paying full price for the beverage package. Then there were days where we only had 2 drinks each for the entire day. Card Rating is based on the opinion of TPGs editors and is not influenced by the card issuer. One of the most hotly debated cruise topics are drink packages. Trust us; you dont want to spend all that money on a beverage package to have it taken away. 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. What it includes: All beverages by the glass (top-shelf spirits, cocktails, beer and wine) and select premium bottles of Champagne and wine. Here are some of the risks. This beverage package is available as an upgrade to the Free at Sea Premium beverage package option. It adds up and allows us to cruise more. What it includes: Beer, wine by the glass, spirits, mixed drinks, cocktails, soda, juices, nonalcoholic cocktails, energy drinks, specialty coffees, teas and premium bottled water. The Premium Plus beverage package is currently priced at $128 per person, per day. 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. 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. 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. It costs $38 per day. Ultimate Beverage Package - limits? 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. We'll run a soft credit check to find special offers, but it wont affect your credit score. The package also brings a 20% discount to wine-pairing dinners on Oceanias Marina and Riviera. 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. Followers 10. Limitations related to drink cost: Cannot be used for drinks priced over $18. Package name: Premium Drink Package. It costs $54.95 per day. 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. Other packages: Norwegian has two less-inclusive, less expensive alcoholic beverage packages. With the My Drinks Plus package, guests receive premium cocktails, mini bar purchases, prestigious liquor brands, and bottled Corona and Becks. You can purchase a Norwegian Cruise Line drink package online pre-cruise or once onboard the ship. It would seem effortless for two people to drink 2-3 adult beverages between the two of them. Started August 27, 2021, By Yes. At some lines, there are several tiers of drinks packages. Make sure you consider the reduced consumption during port days to estimate your drink expenses better. So, for a 7 day cruise, you will be assessed a charge of $124.60 for each adult beverage package. Cheers! Essentially, you will need to decide if you will drink at least $29 a day per person of the additional inclusions. Further vending machine purchases and wine stations are not included. 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. Unlike most cruise lines, the price of Royal Caribbeans beverage package varies depending on the individual itinerary. This drink package includes everything in the Premium beverage package, along with other higher end offerings. All you are paying for each time is 18% of the cost the drink. The Plus package is included when passengers book suite accommodations. Princess Cruises Premier Beverage Package is their top beverage package which covers a wide variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. 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. Related: $12 for a drink made with leftover banana peels? Theres a 40% discount on other bottles of wine as well. Package name: Premium Plus Beverage Package. Cost includes $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. There is no limit to the number of bottles passengers can bring onboard. Your beverage package will cover a glass of wine as long as it is below the maximum price per drink. Book today and enjoy 50% Off all cruises! There are also a number of other restrictions to bear in mind before diving in and booking that booze-inclusive package. Available on: All ships except those in the Galapagos (where drinks are included in the fare). We took our first cruise vacation together 13 years ago and have been hooked ever since. So keep this in mind when you make your decision. Elevate your cruise experience with our widest beverage selection onboard, more specialty dining, unlimited Wi-Fi and more shore excursion credits. This website uses cookies. Any items over $15 will receive a $15 discount; you will then need to pay only the difference. You don't need a drinks package to be able to drink alcoholic beverages or any other type of beverage on a ship. Note: Final prices will add a 20% gratuity to the cost of the package. What it includes: Beer, wine by the glass, mixed drinks, specialty cocktails, soda, juices, nonalcoholic cocktails, energy drinks, smoothies, milkshakes, specialty coffees, teas and bottled water. Basic tiers often just include sodas and bottled water. Free At Sea Plus, the ultimate holiday upgrade in one package. 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. 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. Norwegian Cruise Line's Premium Beverage Package (formerly known as the Ultimate Beverage Package) includes a variety of spirits, cocktails, wines by the glass and bottled or draft beer. Celebrity Cruises. Passengers can receive the Premium Beverage Package for free through Norwegians Free at Sea promotion. Do you think the Norwegian Cruise Line Drink Package is a good value? In cases where a line offers more than one drinks package, weve highlighted the most inclusive package in detail while also noting other packages cruisers can consider. That is the only reason I would think they would do that. And if you wait until the second day, you will still be paying for the first two days of sailing, even though you didnt use the package. Yes that happens and then the bar staff gets questioned about if the guest is sharing drinks or drinking to much. 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. A few friends of mine have, and really liked the food and the overall cruise. Of course, the price may become more justifiable if you plan on drinking soda, juice, and bottled water throughout the day. So as long as you don't share and behave yourself you can drink as much as you want. Cruise drinks packages can cost anywhere between 25 and 106 ($30 to $129) per day for all-inclusive alcoholic drinks. Notably, wine lists onboard were developed in partnership with the Michael Mondavi Family. Some cruise lines also let you use your packages when visiting their private islands. Unlike theCarnival Cheers Programwhich limits you to 15 alcoholic drinks a day, NCLs drink packages are truly unlimited. Read More Starting at $6.95 / Child Per Day $9.50 / Adult Per Day Add to cart More Details Drink Packages CHEERS! The cruise line offers the Unlimited. But, that turned out not to be the case. Is the Drink Package Worth it on a Cruise? Happy cruisingCheers! Norwegian's Unlimited Starbucks Package has a few restrictions. The Corks and Caps Wine and Beer Package, priced at $65 per day, includes beer . Do you usually purchase beverage packages when you cruise? The majority of town beer shops are open before 8 p.m. or 6 p.m. on weekends. This includes all bars, lounges, restaurants, and the brands private island ofGreat Stirrup Cay, Bahamas. Ultimately, you need to know your own drinking habits (and your cabin mates). Absolutely not! At least it IS better than Holland America, where any drink over $11 is excluded, and you get zero discount from the drink package. Guests can purchase the Premier Beverage Package for $59.99 per person per day. Note: Final prices will add an 18% service charge to the cost of the package. Cruise line drinks packages let you order as many drinks as you want while on a cruise for one flat fee. Related: Can I bring my own alcohol onto a cruise ship? For a full list of included beverages, seehere. The premium package covers nearly every drink served by the glass for up to $15 per drink. We are sorry that this post was not useful for you! Also, any guests under the age of 21 must purchase a soda package as a substitute. 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. Though, it is not likely worth it to purchase out of pocket unless you plan on consuming a considerable number of alcoholic beverages a day. . Weve even seen discounts of up to 40% off! Drinks ordered through room service also arent included. Once on board, you will often purchase the drink package during the first two days of sailing. Take your tastebuds on a trip with free meals at our Speciality Dining venues. To determine if the Norwegian Cruise Line Drink Package is a good value, there are a few scenarios we will consider. 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. When Should You Get The Drink Package On a Cruise? Weve seen similar promotions offering a $100 top-up. Related Post: Best Cruise Lines for Families. Then again, we may have been having fun but never were out of control. Packages do not include drinks from in-room minibars or ordered through room service. Ginnie6, January 1, 2016 in Norwegian Cruise Line. 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. In some cases, there will be more than one tier of such all-encompassing plans. It is a good idea to keep track of your spending because all those drinks can and will add up. The stated prices do not include the additional 20% service charge which is added when purchasing the package. Subscribe to receive travel tips delivered straight to your inbox. If you wait until youre on the ship to purchase the package, be prepared to pay full price. There is no limit to how much alcohol you can drink on the road, which is one of the strictest in the world. $200 Airline Fee Credit: Get up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year in baggage fees and more at one select qualifying airline. The cost of the beverage package varies depending on the length of your cruise. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). Bringing alcohol onboard at embarkation: Beer and liquor is not allowed -- items will be secured until disembarkation day. Note that the pricing listed is per person, per day. Is Starbucks free on Norwegian? We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. Norwegian assesses a gratuity charge of $19.80 per person per day for its basic Premium Beverage Package. Guests under 21 will receive the soda package, normally $5.95-$7.95 per day. Remember that bartenders and servers will only serve you one drink at a time. You will be able to leave a comment after signing in, By While some companies (such as Norwegian Cruise Line) apply a sticker to your key card at check-in to indicate that you've purchased a drink package, Carnival handles things slightly. If your favorite tipple is a more expensive premium single malt Scotch, you will have to pay the difference in price. Drink packages dont apply when youre running around port or on shore excursions. I hope you order your liver transplant before you leave!! By The package also covers soda and juices at all bars but no other non-alcoholic beverages. The current welcome offer on this card is quite lucrative. This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. The package also features a 25% discount on wine bottle purchases. 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. 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. The package also brings a 20% discount on wine bottle purchases. And some also offer wine-specific packages. Guests under 21 will receive the soda package. 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. There are even more places your Platinum Card can get you complimentary entry and exclusive perks. The package does NOT work at Harvest Caye. Although you need to be aware of the limit, we dont think most passengers will reach it. Some cruise lines offer a classic soda package or non-alcoholic drink package, which we wont cover in this article. A: If a guest wishes to upgrade to the Prestige Select package which includes unlimited premium spirits, champagne, wine and beer, they may do so once on board for an additional charge of $20 per person per day. The even less pricey Easy package only includes a limited number of drinks and is not valid in extra-charge specialty restaurants. Thats because the package price is $3 cheaper per person per day if purchased before embarkation day. Cruise ship drink packages cover sodas, juice, and non-alcoholic beverages. Bottles or cans of any non-alcoholic beverage. 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? I usually upgrade my package on Celebrity because I want all the free sparkling water and Celebrity has a great coffee bar. Before deciding to purchase a drink package, we recommend doing a little math to find out if it will save money or be an unnecessary expense. The limit is on the price of $15/drink, not on how many drinks one can have. Variety of spirits and cocktails, wines. Unlike most other cruise lines drink packages, this alcoholic beverage package also does not include any premium non-alcoholic drinks. 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. Unlike the majority of cruise lines, Virgin Voyages doesnt offer a traditional drink package. Category Bottled Water (1 liter) Price $5.00 Total 0 Costs $0.00.