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. As a comparison, on our cruise, the featured cocktail of the day was $8.95. While marketed as a limited-time promotion, we often find the promotion available more often than not. I would buy it again if I went again. This equates to $831.60 per person for a 7-day cruise (including 20% service charge).Analysis of the Norwegian Cruise Line Drink Package. How Much Does Gray Goose Vodka Cost On An NCL Cruise? In addition, you'll enjoy specialty coffee, sparkling water, bottled water and energy drinks. Once on board, you will often purchase the drink package during the first two days of sailing. Is the Drink Package Worth it on a Cruise? How much is a glass of wine on Norwegian cruise? Norwegian Cruise Line Bahamas Cruise Deals. No sharing is permitted and is non-transferable. This is the standard alcohol package offered by Norwegian Cruise Line. 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. The package has a daily limit on alcoholic beverages of 15 beverages over a 24-hour period (6 a.m. to 6 a.m.). Note: Final prices will add a gratuity to the cost of the package. What You Need To Know About That "Free" NCL Drink Package The Legal Drinking Age And Alcohol Laws In Norway The even less pricey Easy package only includes a limited number of drinks and is not valid in extra-charge specialty restaurants. Exclusive: Norwegian Cruise Line Free at Sea Deals. Although convenient, cruise line beverage packages are a significant investment for your vacation. I hope you order your liver transplant before you leave!! includes nearly all of the beverages onboard Carnival cruise ships. NCL Drink Packages + Prices | 2023 | A Complete Guide! CruiseGear You can not purchase just select days. Cruise lines will often offer discounts if you buy the drink package before you sail. This equates to a full retail price of $1,075.20 for a 7-day cruise (including 20% service charge). Guests can purchase the Premier Beverage Package for $59.99 per person per day. The majority of town beer shops are open before 8 p.m. or 6 p.m. on weekends. For one flat fee, these cruise ship drink packages offer cruisers the ability to make their cruise more inclusive. The latter offers a wider range of covered drinks but is not available as a free perk. Free At Sea Plus, the ultimate holiday upgrade in one package. With the My Drinks Plus package, guests receive premium cocktails, mini bar purchases, prestigious liquor brands, and bottled Corona and Becks. 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. She is a self-confessed thrill seeker, obsessive planner, and over-packer. All qualifying individuals in the stateroom or additional staterooms under the same method of payment must purchase one. Carnival has a 15-drink limit on alcoholic beverages purchased between 6 am, and 6 am. Princess Cruises Drinks Packages Guide - Cruise The Waves Soft drink is served by the glass (16 ounces); juice is served by the glass (10 ounces). 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 package also brings a 20% discount on wine bottle purchases. So, comparing $13.80 daily to $9.54 daily, the full-priced Adult Soda Package is $4.26 per day. Now hold even more of your favorite beverage at the perfect temperature for longer. Most mixed drinks range between $10-$12. Read on for the answers in this ultimate guide to cruise line drinks packages. Sometimes it's worth a large investment to reap the benefits of a great credit card. The package covers nearly every beverage on the ship up to $13 per drink. Another upgrade to this plan is the availability of select bottles of wine at dinner. Elevate your cruise experience with our widest beverage selection onboard, more specialty dining, unlimited Wi-Fi and more shore excursion credits. 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). Other packages: Norwegian has two less-inclusive, less expensive alcoholic beverage packages. Which Cruise Lines Offer Free Drink Packages Subscribe to receive travel tips delivered straight to your inbox. For a simple estimation, figure out what drinks you will consume (beer, wine, soda, whiskey) and how many drinks you will consume daily. Started October 12, 2018, Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. If you purchase the drink package, you will be charged for every day you are on vacation, even when you spend the day in port. Guide to Norwegian Cruise Lines Specialty Dining Package, Everything You Should Book Before Your Cruise, should buy a beverage package on a cruise, easy to go overboard if you are just trying to get your moneys worth, Celebrity Edge Will Be the First Cruise Ship to Sail from the U.S. in June. The Premium Plus Beverage Package costs $128 per person, per day and $138 from January 1, 2023, and it covers all drinks by the glass, with no price cap; still and sparkling bottled water;. 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. Unlike the majority of cruise lines, Virgin Voyages doesnt offer a traditional drink package. As always, checking with your cruise line to understand what is included and excluded in their drink package is best. 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 who are 21 or over will receive a, Adult alcoholic beverages generally incur charges in the $8 to $10 arrange. Cost per day: $63 to $89, not including an 18% gratuity charge (pricing varies by ship and itinerary). But remember, you will have to purchase the package for every adult in the cabin, even if they dont plan on drinking. The Truth About Those Expensive Drink Packages As you can see from the different scenarios provided above, the Norwegian Cruise Line Drink Package is likely worth it if you are receiving it as an included Free at Sea perk. Norwegian Cruise Line Alcohol Policy Is Starbucks free on Norwegian? 2023 Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. 11-Reasons to Cruise to Alaska this Summer | NCL Travel Blog, 14-Day Authentic Alaska - Northbound Cruise Tour | Norwegian Cruise Line, 14-Day Authentic Alaska - Southbound Cruise Tour | Deck Plans | Norwegian Cruise Line, 20-Day Transpacific from Tokyo (Yokohama) & Alaska | Norwegian Cruise Line, 11 Reasons to Cruise to Alaska this Summer | NCL Travel Blog, View Cruises with 50% off and 300 Airfare Credit, Select, premium cocktails & spirits under $15, 2 meals to enjoy at any of our specialty restaurants*. LauraS The stated prices do not include the additional 20% service charge which is added when purchasing the package. NCL has no drink limit per day with the drink package, whether purchased or as a perk. There, no need to be a cheap drunk to make it worthwhile. If the cost of the drink is more than the allowed value ($15 I think) it is a little more complicated. Check your cruise itinerary to see if you are visiting any private islands or resorts. Are You Confused by the Cruise Lines' Beverage Packages? A 20% service charge is added to your purchase at checkout. The Classic Package has a value of $70.80 per person per day, including the service charge. 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. Also, all guests in the same cabin over 18 must purchase this package. Passengers can receive the Premium Beverage Package for free through Norwegians Free at Sea promotion. $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. I have bought a drink package on Viking River Cruises. If so, you may be able to use your beverage package off of the ship. But, that turned out not to be the case. The Norwegian beverage package is an excellent value for those who want to enjoy a lot of drinks for a low price. So keep this in mind when you make your decision. Drink Packages | Sodas, Beers, Spirits and More | Carnival Cruise Line 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. The drink value can be up to and including $15 USD. This includes all bars, lounges, restaurants, and the brands private island ofGreat Stirrup Cay, Bahamas. 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. as long as the regular drink package is offered as the free at sea promotion,i find that this is sufficient for my wife and myself, by nature she is not a big drinker (although neither am I) but we will have a glass of champagne or mimosa at breakast and she will join me in a mojito during the afternoon. Though, given that many non-alcoholic drinks, like bottled water and specialty coffee, are not included in this package, it wouldnt make sense for us to purchase it out of pocket. Norwegian Cruise Line Drink Package: Ultimate Guide On Australia cruises, the package costs 113.99 Australian dollars ($76.03) per day. So as long as you don't share and behave yourself you can drink as much as you want. DOUBLE WALL VACUUM INSULATED TECHNOLOGY: This tumbler can keep beverages cold for up to 24 hours and keep hot for at least 6 hours. We usually find the package priced between $65 per person per day and $99 per person per day on most sailings. See what a point or mile is worth with our appraisals of a loyalty programs currency, based on redemption values. 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. Be sure to check the fine print in your particular line's drinks package before placing an order for a drink to your room. BTW, if you are on Breakaway class ship, the outdoor venues are a lot of fun. The package also brings a 20% discount on wine bottle purchases for bottles priced up to $100. Theres a 40% discount on other bottles of wine as well. 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. Technically, you are not supposed to use your package to buy drinks for other people. Virgin Voyages will top up the amount when guests pre-purchase the Bar Tab before sailing. NCL Drink Packages Complete Guide (2023) - EatSleepCruise.com Obviously, you should be safe and drink responsibly! We are Don and Heidi, the husband and wife travel team behind EatSleepCruise.com. 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. Even if you receive a drink package with the cruise lines Free at Sea promotion, you are still responsible to pay this 20% gratuity. Q: The included beverage package is the House Select. Does the Drink Package Include Gratuities? Norwegian Introduces Unlimited Starbucks Package If youre planning on purchasing the drink package, the Princess Plus fare is an excellent way to save money. The Norwegian Cruise Line Premium Drink Package is good almost everywhere. 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). You cant purchase the drink package for individual days or portions of the cruise. If the drink package costs more than the amount youd spend on individual drink purchases, then the drink package may cost you more. Passengers who purchase the drink package should be aware that there is a limit to the number of drinks you can order in a 24-hour time span. Find the right card for you. $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Category Bottled Water (1 liter) Price $5.00 Total 0 Costs $0.00. Things To Bring On A Cruise: 19 Cheap & Really Useful Cruise Items, 17 Awesome Travel Gift Ideas Your Kids Will Absolutely Love, If you consistently drink more than two alcoholic drinks per day, then you will get a lot of value from the (almost) free, This post may contain affiliate links that could result in payment of a commission to this website (at no additional cost to you). In total, five drink packages are available for purchase. Though, it does come at a higher price point. For example,Royal Caribbeans CocoCay islandand MSCs Ocean Cay allow you to use your beverage package for drinks on land. 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. Norwegian Cruise Line Drink Packages Guide - Cruise Maven Cost per day: $79.99, not including an 18% gratuity charge. Plus, your own feed of TPG content. Bottomless Bubbles Package | Drink Packages | Carnival Cruise Line The package also features a 25% discount on wine bottle purchases. Plus, Feel Free to Take All with Premium Beverages, Free Speciality Dining & much more! Any items over $15 will receive a $15 discount; you will then need to pay only the difference. What's included in a cruise line drinks package and how do they work? Norwegian's Unlimited Open Bar Package includes a variety of spirits and cocktails, wines by the glass, and bottled or draft beer up to $15. The average price for beer is around $7.50, and the average for a glass of wine is $9. Instead, guests can pre-purchase Virgin Voyages Bar Tab. A Guide to Cruise Line Drink Packages - Cruises - Cruise Critic In many cases, no. Breakfast lunch and dinner are all included on cruises with Norwegian Cruise Line. This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. Complete guide to cruise ship drink packages - Cruiseable Passengers staying in the premium Retreat areas on Celebrity ships receive the Premium Drink Package for free. 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. In retrospect, one possible way to address that would be to bring our own, Another option would be to decline the free package altogether (or make a different choice if there were other options available), and pay for the package that makes sense. That would be a total of $27.60 per day for both people. Typical drinks are much less than that. Other brands, such as Norwegian Cruise Line, charge as much as $138 per person, per day for a top-tier package. 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. Do you think the Norwegian Cruise Line Drink Package is a good value? 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. They do have a limit of two drinks per person per order, which is helpful to know when there's a long line at the pool bar. The price is $59.95 per person, per day if bought prior to your cruise or $64.95 per person, per day if bought on the ship. This beverage package is available as an upgrade to the Free at Sea Premium beverage package option. Is the Drink Package Worth it on a Cruise? - High Seas Cruising Cost per day: $59.99, including an 18% gratuity charge. Drink packages are entirely optional and usually not needed for most cruisers. What it includes: Beer, wine by the glass, mixed drinks, specialty cocktails, soda, juices, nonalcoholic cocktails, energy drinks, specialty coffees, teas and bottled water. After looking at this page you should have a good idea if the Norwegian Drink Package is good for you or not. 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. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); I bought a drink package on RCCL, three years ago for around $400.. You aren't charged for any gratuities when you actually get the drinks. If you plan to spend the day in port, you wont be consuming as many beverages as you would on sea days. Unlike some cruise lines, Norwegian doesn't currently have a limit on how many drinks you can have per day with any of their packages. I have no way of knowing if my normal call brand of gin or bourbon is under $15 onboard, or excluded, or even available. Of course, staff do have the right to refuse you bar service if you are intoxicated. Can I bring my own alcohol onto a cruise ship? There is no limit to the number of bottles passengers can bring onboard. All Norwegian Cruise Line beverage packages are priced per person, per day. This means less time on the ship to take advantage of that drink package. The Adult Soda Package is $7.95 per day plus gratuity of $1.59 for a total of $9.54 per day. Celebrity Cruises. So if you feel like purchasing drinks off of the ship, you will have to pay for them. Started June 21, 2021, By By continuing to browse the site you agree to our use of cookies. Related: $12 for a drink made with leftover banana peels? Note: Final prices will add a 15% gratuity to the cost of the package. Guests under 21 will receive the soda package. When requesting sparkling water, I was offered tonic water or club soda. The package does not contain any specialty coffees or . 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. If each stateroom has the same package, the package must be . Dubbed the Unlimited Open Bar Beverage Package, this less-pricey package currently costs $99 per person per day. Hi All - I just booked my first cruise with NCL and am getting the UBP. Below is a line-by-line look at available drinks packages at the major lines that offer them. If you only have a few drinks or just soda each day do they still automatically charge you the full 18 percent gratuity as if you'd maxed out the value of the program? Further vending machine purchases and wine stations are not included. If your second passenger is under 21 and only receiving a Soda Package, then you'll be charged $11.13 for that package. Unfortunately, Norwegians Harvest Caye, Carnivals Half Moon Cay, and Princess Cays dont allow the use of your drink package in port. Celebrity Cruises offers its Classic and Premium Package. This unlimited soda program le. In our experience, the drink package on a cruise ship is not worth it for most passengers. Worth It? Everything About Cruise Line Drink Packages - Cruzely.com You don't need a drinks package to be able to drink alcoholic beverages or any other type of beverage on a ship. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. 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. The cost of cruise line drinks packages varies widely by line. The drinks package included in Princess Plus is now called Plus Beverage Package. has written about cruising for more than 25 years and for many years oversaw USA Todays award-winning cruise site. Click here for information on drink 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). We save on the average of $800 when we choose a regular balcony over the free at sea balcony. The cruiseline has partnered with JUST Goods Water, replacing single-use plastic bottles with a plant-based carton. My husband did max out once on a sea day, but a couple of the drinks he had "bought" for one of the entertainment staff that we had made friends with [a couple beers while he was singing in the bar], and a couple drinks that had gone to waste when you take a couple sips and decide that it just didn't taste good. Norwegian recently updated its beverage package selection and added a new package option. *Based on a 7-night cruise, balcony & above. 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. 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. Do You Have to Purchase the Drink Package for the Entire Cruise? Follow along as we share our travel tips, cruise reviews, information on ports of call, and the latest cruise news to help you plan the ultimate cruise vacation. And, perhaps more to the point, how much do cruise line drinks packages cost? The premium package covers nearly every drink served by the glass for up to $15 per drink. That's not entirely true. A few friends of mine have, and really liked the food and the overall cruise. Premier Beverage Package - $59.99 The Premier Beverage Package on Princess includes unlimited premium beverages and snacks throughout the cruise. New Holland America Line West Coast Cruises Just Released! 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. Share. The package also brings a 25% discount on wine bottle purchases. The Premium beverage package is currently priced at $99 per person, per day. Please view our advertising policy page for more information. A wine bottle package also is available. It also includes fountain soda, juice, and non-alcoholic beer.