Learn More Free Excursions Save $50 per Shore Excursion, Per Stateroom with Shore Excursion Credits. Compare the cost in points or miles to cash, and see which option is best. Happy cruisingCheers! The beverage package includes a selection of hot drinks such as Vergnano coffee, cappuccino, herbal teas, and hot chocolate. Remember that once you are on board, the price tends to be pretty expensive. Limitations related to drink cost: None. Worth It? Everything About Cruise Line Drink Packages - Cruzely.com The drink package is free but the gratuities on it are not included. BIGGER & BETTER NEW HUGE 40oz BEAST has arrived! Is the Norwegian Cruise Line Drink Package Worth It? When you pay-as-you-go, you will get the final bill at the end of your cruise. Celebrity Cruises offers its Classic and Premium Package. 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. 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. Food & Drink Norwegian Cruise Line Drinks Packages Norwegian Joy NCL Drinks. 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. 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). If the Classic Beverage Package isnt enough, passengers can upgrade to the Premium Drinks Package at an additional cost of $12 per person per day. 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. Below is a list of included beverages. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Visit our, The drink package promotion applies to the first two guests in the cabin. The package also brings a 15% discount on wine bottles and premium beverages costing more than $15 that arent included in the package. I have the free at sea promotion for a 10 day cruise in Iceland . We took our first cruise vacation together 13 years ago and have been hooked ever since. Note: Final prices will add an 18% gratuity to the cost of the package. Norwegian Cruise Line Drops a Drink Package Norwegian charges the most for its drink packages and those prices have actually recently gone up. Theres a limit of 15 alcoholic drinks per person in a 24-hour period. But, that turned out not to be the case. So if you feel like purchasing drinks off of the ship, you will have to pay for them. If you purchase a drink that costs more than the limit, most cruise lines will only have you pay the difference and the gratuity on the difference. This card is also incredibly rewarding for travel purchases, helping you rack up a ton of Membership Rewards points for your next award trip. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit. Luckily, the cruise line runs the Free at Sea promotion so frequently that we dont really ever have to worry about this scenario. This beverage package is available as an upgrade to the Free at Sea Premium beverage package option. Norwegian has a few other drink package options including. If the drink package costs more than the amount youd spend on individual drink purchases, then the drink package may cost you more. Required fields are marked *. Free At Sea Plus, the ultimate holiday upgrade in one package. The cost of a cruise ship drink package does not include gratuities. So as long as you don't share and behave yourself you can drink as much as you want. Cheers! As part of Celebritys Always Included fare, passengers receive the Classic Package with the standard cruise fare. Only spending $978 on alcoholic drinks over the course of the week, we were a far cry from reaching the break even point. The Unlimited Open Bar Beverage Package, priced at $99 per day, adds spirits and cocktails priced up to $15 (effective Jan. 1, 2023, pricing will go up to $109). Although cruise line drink packages are expensive, there are some reasons you should consider purchasing one before your next cruise. Is There a Limit to the Number of Drinks You Can Buy? It also includes fountain soda, juice, and non-alcoholic beer. Started October 12, 2018, Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. 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. And again, thats if you are drinking the more expensive drinks and cocktails. Coffee shops are available onboard as well, and the drink package includes a variety of them. The cost of alcoholic drinks on cruise vessels particularly cocktails can be pricey. Our opinions are our own, and have not been reviewed, approved, or endorsed by our advertising partners. You don't need a drinks package to be able to drink alcoholic beverages or any other type of beverage on a ship. The total cost of all those drinks with service charge was $978.00 for the two of us. Drink Packages Drink Packages F A Q s Drink Packages Bottomless Bubbles Enjoy ice-cold refreshments during meals, during shows, during, well. 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. Items like bottled water, fresh squeezed juices, select Lavazza coffee beverages, and energy drinks are not included. The cost of the beverage package varies depending on the length of your cruise. The cruise line offers the Unlimited. What it includes: Beer, wine by the glass, spirits and cocktails. If you are only drinking a few drinks per day, it is probably cheaper for you to not choose the free at sea promos. Norwegian Introduces Unlimited Starbucks Package 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. Ultimate Beverage Package - limits? Cost per day: $59, not including a 15% gratuity charge. - Norwegian Cruise Line - Cruise Critic Community. If you would spend more money purchasing individual drinks than the cost of the package, then the drink package is worth it for you. 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. For the above reasons, we dont think drink package purchases make sense for most cruisers. The drinks package included in Princess Plus is now called Plus Beverage Package. Ultimately, you need to know your own drinking habits (and your cabin mates). Another upgrade to this plan is the availability of select bottles of wine at dinner. 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. Cruise lines will often offer discounts if you buy the drink package before you sail. Especially if you do shots in between beers. Your email address will not be published. By Norwegian Cruise Line offers its Premium and Premium Plus beverage packages for $99 per person per day and $128 per person per day. Infectious disease COVID and norovirus outbreaks are common on cruise ships. Some cruise lines also let you use your packages when visiting their private islands. Enrollment required. Yes. 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. If we had purchased the Norwegian Cruise Line Premium Drink Package out of pocket, it would have cost us $1663.20 total. 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. We save on the average of $800 when we choose a regular balcony over the free at sea balcony. Some people love knowing exactly how much they will spend with the package before stepping on board. $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card on one or more of the following: Audible, Disney+, The Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, Peacock, SiriusXM, and The New York Times. Norwegian Cruise Line do feature a lot of 'speciality dining' options onboard their ships but these have an extra cost. Related Post: Best Cruise Lines for Families. I am passionate about sharing my experience with readers. Packages do not include drinks from in-room minibars or ordered through room service. Your Cabin Mate Has Different Drinking Habits Than You. Those are not free a the rate is higher for the promo. 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. 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. If you forgo the beverage package, you can simply pay for each drink. Hawaii-based Pride of America has a single drinks package that costs $99 per day (effective Jan. 1, 2023, prices will increase to $109). Package name: Premium Drink Package. Do you think the Norwegian Cruise Line Drink Package is a good value? I have been lucky enough to travel on multiple continents, as well as several cruise lines. Unlimited Open Bar?? - Norwegian Cruise Line - Cruise Critic Community I would buy it again if I went again. Plus, Feel Free to Take All with Premium Beverages, Free Speciality Dining & much more! Cheers to all the spirits and cocktails, wines, draft beer, juice, and soft drinks. 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. Sometimes it's worth a large investment to reap the benefits of a great credit card. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Although you need to be aware of the limit, we dont think most passengers will reach it. Costa Cruises offers two drink packages, My Drinks, and My Drinks Plus. I have a 14 day cruise booked and Iam sure I will get my monies worth. The Plus package is included when passengers book suite accommodations. In total, we drank 76 drinks that were included in theNorwegian Cruise Line Premium Drink Package. 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. This drink package includes everything in the Premium beverage package, along with other higher end offerings. My strange night out at Norwegian's new 'zero waste' cruise ship bar. The Legal Drinking Age And Alcohol Laws In Norway Can I bring my own alcohol onto a cruise ship? Worth It? Complete Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) Drink Package Guide There are even more places your Platinum Card can get you complimentary entry and exclusive perks. Note that both prices will have an 18% gratuity tacked on. The Classic Package has a value of $70.80 per person per day, including the service charge. But hurry, this limited-time offer won't last long. While there is indeed a version of an NCL drink package for purchase thats an. 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. 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.). 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. 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. And unless you have premium tastes, your favorite liquors will be included. You cant purchase the drink package for individual days or portions of the cruise. If you pay outright for the, The gratuities for the free premium package are $13.80 per day. How to get free or cheap drinks on a cruise, The 8 best drinks to order with a cruise ship beverage package, These 15 cruise ship bars are not to be missed when cruising, How to plan a cruise with points and miles. To determine if the Norwegian Cruise Line Drink Package is a good value, there are a few scenarios we will consider. What it includes: Beer, wine by the glass, mixed drinks and cocktails. Dont make the mistake of thinking beverage packages are only for alcoholic drinks. Note: Final prices will add a 15% gratuity to the cost of the package. A NCL Premium Plus Beverage Package, which includes 20% gratuities, is available for $138 per person per day. 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. Of course, this number of drinks varies slightly based on your drink preferences. Now hold even more of your favorite beverage at the perfect temperature for longer. Soda packages often are under $10 per person, 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. If you get caught sneaking a drink to a travel companion, you will have your drink package privileges revoked. First, guests must be at least 18 years old at the time of sailing to purchase this package. It costs $38 per day. What You Need To Know About That "Free" NCL Drink Package Learn more. Some cruise lines have private islands or resorts owned and/or operated by the cruise line. You can purchase a Norwegian Cruise Line drink package online pre-cruise or once onboard the ship. NCL Alcohol Policy, Drink Packages, Wine Prices | CruiseMapper The Amex Platinum comes with access to a premium concierge service that can help you with everything from booking hard-to-get reservations to finding destination guides to help you plan out your next getaway. Other packages: Norwegian has two less-inclusive, less expensive alcoholic beverage packages. 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). Note: Final prices will add an 18% service charge to the cost of the package. While it is excellent for most people, wine connoisseurs wont be satisfied by the limited selection and beverages by the glass. They also generally don't apply to drinks taken out of cabin minibars. If your second passenger is under 21 and only receiving a Soda Package, then you'll be charged $11.13 for that package. Soda, specialty coffees and other nonalcoholic beverages already are included in the fare on Windstar sailings. A 20% service charge is added to your purchase at checkout. Specialty bars on Norwegian vary by ship, but include top spots like the 5 O'Clock Somewhere Bar, specializing in margaritas; Shaker's Martini Bar; the Svedka & Inniskillin Ice Bar; Magnum's Champagne & Wine Bar; Maltings Beer and Whisky Bar; and Sugarcane Mojito Bar. Cost includes $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. No sharing is permitted and is non-transferable. Variety of spirits and cocktails, wines. And that would have to be 7 drinks actually consumed on the ship itself. This is to prevent two or more people in a cabin from sharing a single drinks package. By continuing to browse the site you agree to our use of cookies. Related Post: Guide to Norwegian Cruise Lines Specialty Dining Package. I have bought a drink package on Viking River Cruises. Prices 6 litre Just Water Package $16.95 12-litre Just Water Package $29.95 24 litre Just Water Package $44.95 A wine bottle package also is available. 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. NCL Drinks Packages: Worth It or Not? (2022) - Cruise Mummy Other packages: Princess also offers a less pricey Plus Beverage package that can be used for drinks priced up to $12. 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. The stated prices do not include the additional 20% service charge which is added when purchasing the package. If youre still not convinced. Alcohol advertising is prohibited in Norway, as it is in the United States. For more cruise guides, news and tips, sign up for TPGs cruise newsletter. Read More Starting at $6.95 / Child Per Day $9.50 / Adult Per Day Add to cart More Details Drink Packages CHEERS! Passengers can receive the Premium Beverage Package for free through Norwegians Free at Sea promotion. The high annual fee is only worth it if youre taking full advantage of the cards benefits. By Ginnie6, January 1, 2016 in Norwegian Cruise Line. Related: How to plan a cruise with points and miles. Improve earnings, maximize rewards and track progress toward dream trips. Of course, the price may become more justifiable if you plan on drinking soda, juice, and bottled water throughout the day. Absolutely not! At first, glance, purchasing a drink package seems like a no-brainer. Included with the package, guests have access to wines by the glass, beer, spirits, cocktails, bottled water (500 ml only), fresh juices, fountain sodas, specialty coffees and teas, Red Bull energy drinks, and milkshakes up to $12 per drink. Just kidding around, but that would be a hard thing to accomplish. Norwegian assesses a gratuity charge of $19.80 per person per day for its basic Premium Beverage Package. And, the, Couldnt that person just get some type of soda package? Are you ready to embark on your journey to sea the world, one port at a time? At least it IS better than Holland America, where any drink over $11 is excluded, and you get zero discount from the drink package. It also does not include Wine and Spirit Experiences, tastings or flights, Starbucks, or Ice Bars. There is no limit to the number of bottles passengers can bring onboard. Stay connected whilst at sea with an Internet Package you can use throughout the ship. The 24-hour period runs from 6 am-6 am. Here are some of the risks. Includes: Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Sierra Mist, Mt. In addition, you'll enjoy specialty coffee, sparkling water, bottled water and energy drinks. Our complete analysis will help you answer the question, "Is the Norwegian Cruise Line Drink Package Worth It?". 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. This equates to $831.60 per person for a 7-day cruise (including 20% service charge). Available on: All ships including river and expeditions ships. Cost per day: $69, not including a 15% service charge when booked on board. When you choose the UDP, the 18 percent of the cost of the package is added to the cost of the cruise. How Much Do Drinks Cost On Norwegian Cruise Lines This is the standard alcohol package offered by Norwegian Cruise Line. Dew, Ginger Ale, Tonic water, Club Soda. 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. As always, checking with your cruise line to understand what is included and excluded in their drink package is best. Technically, you are not supposed to use your package to buy drinks for other people. So keep this in mind when you make your decision. When selecting this free perk, guests will still need to pay gratuity. 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. You still have to pay the 18% gratuities on the list price of the drink package in advance. *Terms & Conditions Package not available on sailings less than 5 days or charter sailings. Norwegian recently updated its beverage package selection and added a new package option. This gratuity is added to the total cruise fare at the time of booking. drink package is one of the most inclusive packages on our list. I think they were on one of the newer ships, but not sure which. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); I bought a drink package on RCCL, three years ago for around $400.. The package has a daily limit on alcoholic beverages of 15 beverages over a 24-hour period (6 a.m. to 6 a.m.). American Express has expanded The Centurion Network to include 40+ Centurion Lounge and Studio locations worldwide. Bartenders and bar servers receive a portion of your tips, so they want to make sure you're having a good time. Windstar also has begun offering optional All-Inclusive Pricing rates for cruises that include unlimited drinks at no extra charge. The Premium beverage package is currently priced at $99 per person, per day. It depends. 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. Guests under 21 will receive the soda package. Book today and enjoy 50% Off all cruises! If each stateroom has the same package, the package must be .