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. We took our first cruise vacation together 13 years ago and have been hooked ever since. By If we had purchased the Norwegian Cruise Line Premium Drink Package out of pocket, it would have cost us $1663.20 total. Every time you book a cruise you have one very important decision to make: "Should I get the cruise drinks package or not?". On port intensive cruises, like the Mediterranean, you might find yourself spending long days ashore. Dubbed the Unlimited Open Bar Beverage Package, this less-pricey package currently costs $99 per person per day. Some cruise lines have private islands or resorts owned and/or operated by the cruise line. 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. Carnival has a 15-drink limit on alcoholic beverages purchased between 6 am, and 6 am. Be sure to check the fine print in your particular line's drinks package before placing an order for a drink to your room. You must order at least two drinks in order to be served. That would be a total of $27.60 per day for both people. Although annoying, it still seemed like we could make good value out of the packages even with the required fee. Drinks over $15 (you'll pay the difference) 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. The only limit is your own personal weakness and self doubt about having just one more beverage. All lattes and cappuccinos incurred a charge. Compare the cost in points or miles to cash, and see which option is best. Seldom travelers may not get enough value to warrant the cost. Any items over $15 will receive a $15 discount; you will then need to pay only the difference. 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. The package does NOT work at Harvest Caye. No sharing is permitted and is non-transferable. You would only start to see a price break once you consumed your 7th max-price drink of the day. Food & Drink Norwegian Cruise Line Drinks Packages Norwegian Joy NCL Drinks. So keep this in mind when you make your decision. I think they were on one of the newer ships, but not sure which. That is, of course, an enormous number more than most people will ever want to order. They haven't updated it to say value up to $2048. The package also brings a 20% discount to wine-pairing dinners on Oceanias Marina and Riviera. Guests who are 21 or over will receive a, Adult alcoholic beverages generally incur charges in the $8 to $10 arrange. Note: Final prices will add an 18% gratuity to the cost of the package. 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. 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. How Do I Purchase A Drink Package For My Cruise? My strange night out at Norwegian's new 'zero waste' cruise ship bar. 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. This card is also incredibly rewarding for travel purchases, helping you rack up a ton of Membership Rewards points for your next award trip. Ginnie6, January 1, 2016 in Norwegian Cruise Line. Note: Final prices will add a gratuity to the cost of the package. For more cruise guides, news and tips, sign up for TPGs cruise newsletter. So if you feel like purchasing drinks off of the ship, you will have to pay for them. Best card for premium perks while traveling, Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, The Business Platinum Card from American Express, Credit card showdown: Alaska Airlines Visa vs. Alaska Airlines Business Visa, Disney Cruise Lines Castaway Club loyalty program: Everything you need to know, 21 new Hyatt hotels where you can get 500 extra points per night. This is a significant consideration for whether the beverage package is worth it. Yes. The package also brings a 25% discount on wine and Champagne bottle purchases. Unfortunately, Norwegians Harvest Caye, Carnivals Half Moon Cay, and Princess Cays dont allow the use of your drink package in port. Remember that once you are on board, the price tends to be pretty expensive. In addition to that, it consists of non-alcoholic beer, juice, and fountain soda and juice. 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. For a line-by-line guide to drinks package costs, inclusions, limitations and fine print, scroll to the second half of the guide. Find the right card for you. Your Cabin Mate Has Different Drinking Habits Than You. Related: These 15 cruise ship bars are not to be missed when cruising. 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. In fact, we would have actually lost $685.20 compared to just paying out of pocket for all our alcoholic beverages. Cost per day: $79.99, not including an 18% gratuity charge. Other packages: The slightly less expensive Signature Beverage Package only includes drinks costing up to $11. Welcome Aboard! Note: Final prices will add a 15% gratuity to the cost of the package. Improve earnings, maximize rewards and track progress toward dream trips. Started August 27, 2021, By DOUBLE WALL VACUUM INSULATED TECHNOLOGY: This tumbler can keep beverages cold for up to 24 hours and keep hot for at least 6 hours. 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. The Norwegian Cruise Line Premium Drink Package is good almost everywhere. When you choose the UDP, the 18 percent of the cost of the package is added to the cost of the cruise. You can not purchase just select days. Cost per day: $69, not including a 15% service charge when booked on board. And if you are traveling with a group, dont even consider using your beverage package on friends in other cabins. Cost per day: $84, not including a 20% automatic gratuity charge, for passengers who have purchased a cruise-only rate. Although most cruise lines dont have a specified drink limit, bartenders will cut you off from ordering more drinks if youre intoxicated. $200 Airline Fee Credit: Get up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year in baggage fees and more at one select qualifying airline. Bringing alcohol onboard at embarkation: Beer and liquor is not allowed -- items will be secured until disembarkation day. But, that turned out not to be the case. Is the drink package worth it on a cruise? is one of the most common questions we receive. While marketed as a limited-time promotion, we often find the promotion available more often than not. A relatively newer offering, the Premium Plus beverage package is the most all-inclusive option of the NCL drink packages. There's no daily limit to the number of drinks you can order on Norwegian Cruise Line. Norwegian's Unlimited Starbucks Package has a few restrictions. 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. Although convenient, cruise line beverage packages are a significant investment for your vacation. Of course, if you plan to drink more non-alcoholic specialty drinks or like bottles of wine, then this upgrade might be worth it for you. 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. No actually it is what the UBP would cost for 16 days for two people (at the previous rate of $59/day). Read on for the answers in this ultimate guide to cruise line drinks packages. When you pay-as-you-go, you will get the final bill at the end of your cruise. 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. Bottles or cans of any non-alcoholic beverage. It's easy to run up a monster bill ordering wine, beer and mixed drinks by the glass on a cruise ship. The cost per day was over $57, which in my opinion isnt a great deal. The package also brings a 15% discount on wine bottles and premium beverages costing more than $15 that arent included in the package. Further, this package includes unlimited fountain soda and juices at all bars, lounges, restaurants, and Great Stirrup Cay. The stated prices do not include the additional 20% service charge which is added when purchasing the package. American Express has expanded The Centurion Network to include 40+ Centurion Lounge and Studio locations worldwide. A meager time, for sure, but regardless, NCL doesn't have a stated policy. Drop us an anchor below with your analysis of this beverage program. Hi All - I just booked my first cruise with NCL and am getting the UBP. Of course, convenience is one of the perks we like about having a beverage package. First, guests must be at least 18 years old at the time of sailing to purchase this package. There is no limit to how much alcohol you can drink on the road, which is one of the strictest in the world. See what a point or mile is worth with our appraisals of a loyalty programs currency, based on redemption values. So, given that it does not include many non-alcoholic items, the Premium beverage package is priced well above its competitors. has written about cruising for more than 25 years and for many years oversaw USA Todays award-winning cruise site. 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. What's Not Included in the Unlimited Open Bar Package? Is the Norwegian Cruise Line Drink Package Worth It? *Terms & Conditions Package not available on sailings less than 5 days or charter sailings. 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 drink package includes everything in the Premium beverage package, along with other higher end offerings. 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. The limit only applies to alcoholic beverages, so feel free to order unlimited soda, juice, and specialty coffee. 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. It costs $38 per day. And, perhaps more to the point, how much do cruise line drinks packages cost? The Premium beverage package is currently priced at $99 per person, per day. The Norwegian Cruise Line Premium Drink Package was formerly known as the Ultimate Beverage Package. - Norwegian Cruise Line - Cruise Critic Community. The alternate package is the "Premium Plus Beverage Package." Priced at $138 per day, this is Norwegian's most expensive and highest-end package. 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. 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. In total, five drink packages are available for purchase. We usually find the package priced between $65 per person per day and $99 per person per day on most sailings. If your favorite tipple is a more expensive premium single malt Scotch, you will have to pay the difference in price. Guest must be at least 21 years of age at time of sailing to qualify for the Ultimate Beverage Package. For the above reasons, we dont think drink package purchases make sense for most cruisers. 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. What it includes: Beer, wine by the glass, mixed drinks, specialty cocktails, soda, juices, nonalcoholic cocktails, energy drinks, specialty coffees, teas and bottled water. 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. Followers 10. No, you cannot share the drink package on a cruise. Cruise line drinks packages generally are honored anywhere you can order a drink on a ship think bars, lounges and eateries. Cheers! 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. :D. You might take a minute to review the terms of the UBP before you sail. Between your cruise fare, shore excursions, flights, hotel, and the drink package, it can be painful to spend thousands of dollars before stepping on the cruise ship. The main dining room and buffet are free on all ships in the fleet and there is usually another free option such as a bar/pub. 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. I have a 14 day cruise booked and Iam sure I will get my monies worth. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum Card, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu. 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.