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. This is the drinks package that many travelers get comped as part of Norwegian's Free at Sea promotion (though you still have to pay 20% of the package price for gratuities). Norwegian Non-Alcoholic Drinks and their specialty coffees. For a line-by-line guide to drinks package costs, inclusions, limitations and fine print, scroll to the second half of the guide. Of course, the price may become more justifiable if you plan on drinking soda, juice, and bottled water throughout the day. Of course, convenience is one of the perks we like about having a beverage package. Other packages: Princess also offers a less pricey Plus Beverage package that can be used for drinks priced up to $12. At least it IS better than Holland America, where any drink over $11 is excluded, and you get zero discount from the drink package. The 24-hour period runs from 6 am-6 am. 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. Learn More Free Excursions Save $50 per Shore Excursion, Per Stateroom with Shore Excursion Credits. The premium package covers nearly every drink served by the glass for up to $15 per drink. Norwegian offers guests the option pre-order water and have it delivered to their cabin. You cant use the drink package in most ports. 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. 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. It's actually kind of easy. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. First, guests must be at least 18 years old at the time of sailing to purchase this package. Infectious disease COVID and norovirus outbreaks are common on cruise ships. Notably, wine lists onboard were developed in partnership with the Michael Mondavi Family. The 20% service charge for a 7-day cruise will cost each guest $138.60 for the Premium Beverage package. 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. You Want More than Just Water, Coffee, and Tea. Ultimately, you need to know your own drinking habits (and your cabin mates). This card is also incredibly rewarding for travel purchases, helping you rack up a ton of Membership Rewards points for your next award trip. By Ginnie6, January 1, 2016 in Norwegian Cruise Line. Powered by Invision Community. Yes. CHEERS! Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. Amazing, Funny & Totally Awesome Cruise Photos, Click here to reload the page in order to enable certain features, Policy regarding COVID related Discussions, C858B0A9-6769-424D-B129-59363EDAC023.jpeg, B5073042-BF8A-4EEC-BD19-0938D8732763.jpeg. American Express has expanded The Centurion Network to include 40+ Centurion Lounge and Studio locations worldwide. Norwegian has a few other drink package options including. If the cost of the drink is more than the allowed value ($15 I think) it is a little more complicated. On port intensive cruises, like the Mediterranean, you might find yourself spending long days ashore. Check your cruise itinerary to see if you are visiting any private islands or resorts. Drinks over $15 (you'll pay the difference) I have no way of knowing if my normal call brand of gin or bourbon is under $15 onboard, or excluded, or even available. This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. Cruise lines claim a vacation at sea is safer than any land-based vacation. Weve even seen discounts of up to 40% off! Another upgrade to this plan is the availability of select bottles of wine at dinner. Although annoying, it still seemed like we could make good value out of the packages even with the required fee. You could purchase the drink package through your travel agent, by calling the cruise line directly, or through your online account if you booked through the cruise lines website. So, for a 7 day cruise, you will be assessed a charge of $124.60 for each adult beverage package. And, the, Couldnt that person just get some type of soda package? So as long as you don't share and behave yourself you can drink as much as you want. The bar tab functions as a pre-paid onboard credit, which guests can use to purchase drinks on the ship or at the cruise lines private island Beach Club at Bimini. *Based on a 7-night cruise, balcony & above. 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. 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. 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. Started October 12, 2018, Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. 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. How Much Do Drinks Cost on a Cruise Ship? Ultimate Beverage Package - limits? Generally speaking, we each drink about 2 non-alcoholic specialty drinks a day plus bottled water. Now hold even more of your favorite beverage at the perfect temperature for longer. There's never been a better time to book your dream cruise. That said Norwegian Drink Lists are very good, and they offer a great variety of drinks for everyone to experience. Thats because while youre shopping or taking part in an exciting shore excursion, you wont be using the beverage package. Soft drink is served by the glass (16 ounces); juice is served by the glass (10 ounces). If you plan to spend the day in port, you wont be consuming as many beverages as you would on sea days. (Enrollment required for select benefits.). Does it include everything that was in the previous package? If the drink package costs more than the amount youd spend on individual drink purchases, then the drink package may cost you more. Obviously, you should be safe and drink responsibly! 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? Click here for information on drink packages. The Norwegian Cruise Line Premium Drink Package was formerly known as the Ultimate Beverage Package. Get up to $300 back per calendar year on the Equinox+ digital fitness app, or eligible Equinox club memberships when you pay with your Platinum Card. I can assume an 18 year old single malt scotch is well over $15but by how much? Most cruise lines require every adult in a cabin to purchase the same drink package. You'll notice it doesn't mention a daily limit. 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. Limitations related to drink cost: None. Essentially, you will need to decide if you will drink at least $29 a day per person of the additional inclusions. BTW, if you are on Breakaway class ship, the outdoor venues are a lot of fun. Thats because most cruise ship ports are independent of the cruise line. 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 don't need a drinks package to be able to drink alcoholic beverages or any other type of beverage on a ship. Yes! We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. 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. Our opinions are our own, and have not been reviewed, approved, or endorsed by our advertising partners. It seems by the article that the free at sea drink package would be good enough with no need to upgrade on NCL? 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. 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. And, perhaps more to the point, how much do cruise line drinks packages cost? We save on the average of $800 when we choose a regular balcony over the free at sea balcony. I think they were on one of the newer ships, but not sure which. Related: How to plan a cruise with points and miles. Heres Your Answer! 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. 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. Once on board, you will often purchase the drink package during the first two days of sailing. Unlike theCarnival Cheers Programwhich limits you to 15 alcoholic drinks a day, NCLs drink packages are truly unlimited. Enrollment required. Bring the whole family and pay only taxes for 3rd and 4th guests on select cruises. This equates to $831.60 per person for a 7-day cruise (including 20% service charge). Only one beverage serving, per sticker, will be served at a time. Princess Cruises is the only cruise line we know of that doesnt require all passengers sharing a cabin to purchase the drink package. Remember that bartenders and servers will only serve you one drink at a time. Cost per day: $59.99, including an 18% gratuity charge. 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. For the above reasons, we dont think drink package purchases make sense for most cruisers. I got the drink package as a perk, for me it will be worth it as I do like to drink well on vacation. As with the other cruise lines on the list, you will usually get a better deal if you purchase the drink package before you set sail rather than on the ship. Fees are $15 for 750ml bottles and $30 for 1,500ml.. We took our first cruise vacation together 13 years ago and have been hooked ever since. Limitations related to drink cost: Cannot be used for drinks priced over $20. The Corks and Caps Wine and Beer Package, priced at $65 per day, includes beer . This is a significant consideration for whether the beverage package is worth it. Planning a cruise? 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. When requesting sparkling water, I was offered tonic water or club soda. Note: Final prices will add a 15% gratuity to the cost of the package. It's easy to run up a monster bill ordering wine, beer and mixed drinks by the glass on a cruise ship. 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. This beverage package is available as an upgrade to the Free at Sea Premium beverage package option. This is also the package that guests receive as part of the Free at Sea promotion. Heidi is a physical therapist by profession, cruise enthusiast at heart, and Princess all the time! Soda Package. Fine print: If one adult in a cabin purchases a package, all adults in the same cabin also must purchase it. All NCL drink packages are priced as per person, per day. That is a question that only you can answer based on your own drinking habits. The cost of alcoholic drinks on cruise vessels particularly cocktails can be pricey. Category Bottled Water (1 liter) Price $5.00 Total 0 Costs $0.00. In exchange for the annual fee, you'll unlock access to the Amex Membership Rewards program that let you access airline and hotel transfer partners, along with new lifestyle and travel credits. The cruise was 14 days and the package was called their Silver Spirts package. Guest must be at least 21 years of age at time of sailing to qualify for the Ultimate Beverage Package. The entire cruise must be purchased. Theres a 40% discount on other bottles of wine as well. 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. Cruise ship drink packages cover sodas, juice, and non-alcoholic beverages. The latter offers a wider range of covered drinks but is not available as a free perk. Although most cruise lines dont have a specified drink limit, bartenders will cut you off from ordering more drinks if youre intoxicated. When you pay-as-you-go, you will get the final bill at the end of your cruise. When Should You Get The Drink Package On a Cruise? 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. For these passengers, the uncertainty of the running bar tab creates too much stress when you should be relaxing. When calculating, dont forget to factor in port days, where you wont be on the cruise ship for the whole day. $12 for a drink made with leftover banana peels? 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 bolding is mine but there is a limit quoted. All qualifying individuals in the stateroom or additional staterooms under the same method of payment must purchase one.