moviegal

20 hours ago, tallnthensome said:

I suppose the biggest question I and others may have is what did you drink and how much in order to cover the $500 above the cost (service charge) of the typical drink package that it didn't cover? Your mileage may vary but If I paid $50 to add a large case of bottled water to the standard package I don't know what else there would be to cover it. 

I'm not a big liquor drinker but I found it worth the expense simply for the entertainment. I had lots of fresh juices, water, and more Starbucks teas and coffees than I've consumed in my life, ha ha. I also almost exclusively drank the champagne, and it was worth it for me. I really enjoyed having the shaken green iced teas, I drank at least 4 of those a day. My husband got his money's worth with high-end bourbon. It was fun to go to any bar and just try something.

20 hours ago, Dawnya00 said:

Can I upgrade at check-in at the pier?

I'm not sure, but there were plenty of places to upgrade once you boarded the ship. Look for the drink package tables, or you can head to Guest Services.

20 hours ago, purpleally said:

Experience with Veuve. Bottle?  Glass?

did you find any restrictions 

did you upgrade on board, if so, where

thank you!

I drank my weight in Vueve Clicquot. No issues whatsoever getting it by the glass or bottles at dinner (in the specialty restaurants and dining rooms). Most bartenders started to know me since not many had the Premium Plus package, and would automatically start pouring Vueve when I walked up. They'd even give me two glasses at a time, which saved me a trip back up to the bar, LOL!

The only thing I was not allowed to order was one night in the Taste dining room: I wanted a glass of Silverado Vineyards Cabernet and they flat-out refused. Several people said it should've been included, but I asked for the Beverage manager and he wouldn't do it. It was listed at $31 / glass on the menu, but nowhere could anyone point to where there was a $35 limit. Everything else was fine to get.

I did not upgrade onboard (did it beforehand online), but you could do it at the Guest Services desk, or they had a couple of tables set around where you could buy the upgrade.

Just got off the NCL Joy an upgraded to the Premium Plus Beverage Package. I can report that:

- every drink on the Starbucks menu WAS included. That includes frappuccinos, nitro cold brew coffee, specialty cappuccinos, lattes, everything.

- Vueve Cliquot WAS included, by the glass at bars and by the bottle at dinner. I would often ask for two glasses at a time when I went up to the bar!

- Whistle Pig Rye and Chimay beer WERE included, with zero issues.

- Bottled water brands varied, but the first couple of days it was easy to get Aqua Panna liters. After that, I was mostly given NCL's private brand water in both small and large bottles.

- Soda was only served from the fountain, NOT in cans. Cans of soda were NOT included.

The only time I was refused a drink was when I wanted a GLASS of Sterling Cabernet in the Taste dining room. They argued with me that it was not included, although the "by the glass" price was $30. I even asked for the food & beverage manager, and they simply refused to pour me a glass of that wine. I have no idea why. There is no mention of a price limit. Anything not included, like the Louis Cognac, is clearly marked as such.

Also, to make the most of your package, make sure when you order a standard cocktail (bloody mary, painkiller, mudslide, margarita, etc.) you ask the bartender to make it with a premium liquor. No problem at all, especially once they saw the Premium Plus Beverage notation on my card.

Hope this helps! I'm happy to answer any questions you may have.

Hello!

I just cruised on the NCL Joy and upgraded to the Premium Plus Beverage Package. I'm happy to answer any questions about what was and wasn't included. Believe me, we tried it all! Overall, we found the cost (we had to pay an additional $250 per person to upgrade from the "included" regular Beverage Package) absolutely worth it for us -- and we aren't even big drinkers.

Thank you so much, CoffeeGoddess (love your screen name). This is so, so helpful. I can't thank you enough. I think we're going to do the upgrade now because heck, why not?

Thank you SO MUCH for this detailed report about the PPBP! This is the best info I've found anywhere.

I do have a question -- at Starbucks, were the Teavana hand-shaken teas / Frappuccinos /  Smoothies included, or was it only coffee / espresso beverages? I'm particularly interested in the hand-shaken teas and would like to know before I upgrade to the PPBP on my cruise.

Thanks so much for all the detail.

Man, that's a bummer about the World Series. You'd think important games like that would've been screened onboard.

I'm a huge hockey fan so I understand. When we sail during hockey season, I just buy the premium internet package that allows streaming and stream the games on my phone or laptop. It's a little slow, but it works!

See, this is what I'm talking about! I keep getting conflicting information! I don't want to pay to upgrade if it doesn't include the specialty teas at Starbucks. But nobody can answer this question definitively. Has anybody out there actually been on NCL recently and knows the answer?

Are you parking a car? We usually arrive around noon-ish.

Most of the little food trucks / food carts around town in Ensenada are delicious. We love eating at them. Fresh seafood, fish tacos, and more. They move around a lot, but my tips are to look for ones that have a huge crowd of locals. That's how you know the food is fresh and delicious. Avoid the more touristy areas or you'll get overpriced, mediocre, Americanized Mexican food. Stick to the little stands around town.

We love the new "blue line" walk to Old Town. Not exactly scenic but a nice stroll. If you get tired, you can grab a taxi back. Have fun!

Ah, I'm on the sailing the week before! Would've loved to meet ya!

I sail that route several times a year so if you have any questions, just shoot me a message! I'm happy to help, answer questions, offer advice, share my best tips and things to do, etc.

The no sugar added strawberry cake is always a favorite of mine, but I'm partial to the (very sugary!) peanut butter cookies! Sometimes in the afternoon I'll ask for a sampler plate of cookies to go with my coffee. Lots of folks don't know they have cookies!

Welcome to the joys of Mexican Riviera cruising! Which sailing will you be on? I might be on the same trip!

And yeah, lots of water. Some days there will be a bit of land, especially when arriving / leaving Cabo, but mostly just water views. You should see plenty of dolphins and flying fish too!

Ah, bummer. I live a couple of hours from the port and take that Ensenada short cruise at least twice a year (usually pay around $129 each for an interior cabin). Cheaper to cruise than stay home for the weekend, lol.

But yeah, you have to lower expectations. The ship is super old, but still clean and comfortable. The flooding shower floor does happen, it's just a flaw in the old design. We've also experienced the super long waits for dinner (sometimes well over 1.5 hours), even at "off" times. But that's usually if we request a table for two. Whenever we've asked to sit at a larger table to share, we've been seated straight away. Plus, they have a Guy's Burgers and those things are so tasty, I usually prefer to eat there instead of fussing with the dining room.

We LOVE Ensenada. There isn't much to do tourist-wise but I never get bored. We just get off the ship, walk around, have some coffee, cheap tequila, and tacos. The street food scene there is legit! Cheap and tasty. If you are in port on a Saturday, Hussong's has 2-for-1 margaritas that are super strong and super inexpensive.

These cruises do have a deserved reputation for being party ships. The worst thing that's ever happened to us on one of those notorious "booze cruises" is that one night we came back to our cabin and somebody had vomited right in front of our door. We had to call guest services and I know they probably thought it was one of us who puked, but it wasn't. Super, super gross. 

Other than that, we just hang out on the upper decks and relax. It's certainly not fancy (we also love cruising Princess out of L.A.), but I don't think you can beat the value. Not negating the original poster's experience, but there are some of us who dig the "crappiness" of these short little Ensenada jaunts.

I know the beverage packages have been discussed to death, but I keep getting conflicting answers to this question, even from NCL reps! Can someone please confirm? I'll be on the NCL Joy and am considering upgrading to the Premium Plus beverage package. Does it include the specialty teas on the menu at Starbucks? Even here on the boards some people say it does / does not include the coffees at Starbucks. I am so confused, and there seems to be no concrete answer to this question. Hoping somebody either on board the Joy or just back from the Joy can help.

I've searched everywhere and can't find a photo of the Starbucks menu on NCL ships. I'll be on the Joy specifically, but would love to see the actual menu and prices. Anybody have one they can share? Thanks so much!

I cruise to Mexico a lot and while touristy places gladly accept dollars, they’ll give you a really bad exchange rate when you pay with them. We simply stop at the nearest ATM and withdraw pesos. You get more bang for your buck, and you don’t have to worry about checking out local food stands, markets, etc. when you have a pocket full of pesos. Enjoy Mexico! It’s a great country to visit.

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I’m a movie lover so of course I love the movies under the stars! Also the fettuccini Alfredo.

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I learned that the deli will happily wrap any sandwich in lettuce instead of bread if you’re doing a low carb eating plan.

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I was able to get a $500 one last week at AARP thanks to this forum! And you don’t even have to be an AARP member to get them!

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I feel like I was born to answer this question because I’m a taco-centric foodie and I literally travel to Ensenada a couple of times a year just to eat them. I prefer the fresh seafood tacos in town but if tasty carne asada is specifically what you’re after, I highly recommend: Las Brisas, La Chispa, and Tacos el Original. Cheap and delicious tacos at each one.

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If you are adventurous, rent a car and see Eleuthera (the island Princess Cays is a part of). It is gorgeous, safe, and uncrowded. There are many stretches of empty public beach. Catch lunch at the Rainbow Inn. Check out some videos people have posted online. It is a special place, and a shame more passengers don't travel outside PC to see it,

Ooh this sounds right up my alley. Are there easy car rental places outside the gate, or do I need to book in advance? It’ll be my first time at the port and any advice re: renting a car would be appreciated.

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Just wanted to say how much I enjoyed this review! Been on this cruise several times (headed back next month) and I’m even more excited. Haven’t sailed the ship since they’ve added Guy’s and the Alchemy Bar, so that’ll be neat. I also think my hubby and I would love hanging out with you two (we’re huge wine lovers and foodies), so maybe we will see you onboard sometime in the future. :-)

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