NCL Ultimate Beverage Package

[LrgPizza]

http://www.cruisewithgambee.com/norwegian-drink-lists/

 

Best link.

 

 

Old, outdated, incorrect info regarding UBP. I hope people disregard.

Edited January 13, 2015 by LrgPizza

[wndmom]

Old, outdated, incorrect info regarding UBP. I hope people disregard.

 

 

Are the drink prices outdated as well?

[triptolemus]

Are the drink prices outdated as well?

 

Yup.

[NJ Mr. E]

My apologies for posting a dated menu link. But the premise still stands.

Edited January 14, 2015 by NJ Mr. E

[wndmom]

Yup.

 

 

 

Stink. I wonder if most of the drinks are still under $10. Because of that list, I was assuming almost all drinks were valid under the UBP.

[Demonyte]

Yup.

 

 

Really? I don't remember seeing (at least significant) changes in drink prices in years.

 

But yes, the UBP info on Gambee's site is from before the change in package price and drink price limits.

[NJ Mr. E]

I remember my beer prices still being the same.

[AEckhardt]

I noticed a significant jump in cocktail prices between spring and fall 2014, but it was also before and after the terms of the package changed, as well. A Blue Moon ( one of my fave "vacation" drinks ) went from around $9.50 after tax and gratuity to $11.25 ( give or take a few cents) Either way, it was still covered under the UBP, the drink itself costing just under $8.50 and $10.

[4774Papa]

We are thinking of booking an Alaskan cruise. Should we pick the Beverage Package or OBC?

 

We usually buy a wine package where you receive paper tickets to cash in. It is usually a great discount. We drink a lot of wine on our cruises, not so much spirits. Also, we don't buy bottled water or soda.

 

A typical 14 day cruise, we will spend about$500 for both of us for the wine package and assorted beer and drinks. No way would the package work for us to purchase, but as a bennie, it might.

 

For a 7 day cruise, if we spent $300 on alcohol, that would be about the same as the OBC.

 

My question, does ordering the package work well when ordering? If I am dining and want another glass of wine, will it take forever to purchase such?

 

What has been your experience?

[EbonySHeart]

I just spoke with NCL to ask if there was any option for a virgin cocktails drink package and was told that there was not however he did say that with the soda package, you can ask bartenders for a frozen virgin cocktail and they will ring it in as a soda. Anyone have this experience? Not trying to cheat the system, just following up on what an NCL employee has said

 

I sailed on the Breakaway when it and the beverage package was new. I got away with just getting the UBP for me with no soda package for her. She was standing there and he didn't charge me. I don't argue when someone is being nice to me. Any who since my then six year old didn't order drinks for herself all her drinks went on my card. Therefore she got all the free daiquiris she could drink.

However even with her virgin drinks I didn't drink enough to cover the amount I paid for the package. It was just me and her so had to mind her. We spent a lot of time in Bermuda, including a night off the ship. But I would defiently get the UBP again, especially since it's free until the end of the month.

 

With the UBP service is exactly the same as without it (I still tip sometimes).

Edited January 14, 2015 by EbonySHeart

[LrgPizza]

Stink. I wonder if most of the drinks are still under $10. Because of that list, I was assuming almost all drinks were valid under the UBP.

Yes, 99.99999% of things that you can think of to order are $10 or less and included with UBP.

[hawkeyetlse]

Yes, 99.99999% of things that you can think of to order are $10 or less and included with UBP.

It's still worth mentioning that espresso drinks, bottled water, fresh fruit juices, and energy drinks cost much less than $10 and yet they are not included. Which is pretty stingy considering that the UBP is one of the most expensive beverage packages of all the mainstream cruise lines.

 

But then they go and give away the UBP for free so it's kind of hard to complain… At least until January 31 ;)

[my_crib_too]

We are thinking of booking an Alaskan cruise. Should we pick the Beverage Package or OBC?

 

We usually buy a wine package where you receive paper tickets to cash in. It is usually a great discount. We drink a lot of wine on our cruises, not so much spirits. Also, we don't buy bottled water or soda.

 

A typical 14 day cruise, we will spend about$500 for both of us for the wine package and assorted beer and drinks. No way would the package work for us to purchase, but as a bennie, it might.

 

For a 7 day cruise, if we spent $300 on alcohol, that would be about the same as the OBC.

 

My question, does ordering the package work well when ordering? If I am dining and want another glass of wine, will it take forever to purchase such?

 

What has been your experience?

 

We are not huge drinkers and normally only drink a few beers each day on a cruise. One of the things that we think about is, we might try some new drinks because if we don't like it, it's not like we wasted $10. If you don't like it, just move on. So if the OBC is about what we spend on beer and soda, might as well take the UBP and try something new. It could be fun.

[hawkeyetlse]

We are thinking of booking an Alaskan cruise. Should we pick the Beverage Package or OBC?

How much OBC would you be getting? You mentioned $300, but that's the amount you get for a suite, and if you're booking a suite, you get all three offers anyway.

 

If they're offering you $200 OBC (oceanview/balcony/minisuite), but you think you might spend $300 on drinks, then you should definitely take the UBP. Since you drink a lot of wine (and occasionally other drinks), this really seems like the obvious choice to me.

[xelem3]

Most folks ask about the beverage package because they want to go penny-for-penny with the cruise line. I'm not suggesting you have money to burn, but if the cost isn't a primary concern, the UBP is a fun way to enjoy yourself, budget the tab, and not have to muck about with "cost" and stuff...

 

I'm from Vegas. That casino... well, you know what's its capable of!

 

Cheers!

 

NCL is now offering a special: free UBP with Oceanview and above bookings. It will definitely worth it, if the package is the same as when you pay for it. You won't have to worry if you get your moneys worth.....just go and enjoy!

Edited January 14, 2015 by xelem3

[xelem3]

We are not huge drinkers and normally only drink a few beers each day on a cruise. One of the things that we think about is, we might try some new drinks because if we don't like it, it's not like we wasted $10. If you don't like it, just move on. So if the OBC is about what we spend on beer and soda, might as well take the UBP and try something new. It could be fun.

 

Unless you are staying in a suite or higher (Haven), you OBC is $200. You can also choose the Ultimate Dining Package to dine in the specialty restaurants, but if you drink much at all, you will save choosing the UBP. This also includes soft drinks and that can add up quickly.

Edited January 14, 2015 by xelem3

[xelem3]

We are not huge drinkers and normally only drink a few beers each day on a cruise. One of the things that we think about is, we might try some new drinks because if we don't like it, it's not like we wasted $10. If you don't like it, just move on. So if the OBC is about what we spend on beer and soda, might as well take the UBP and try something new. It could be fun.

 

We just changed our cruise to Alaska to include the UBP. It is free now if you are staying in an oceanview or higher room. The UBP also includes soft drinks, so you could use it for beer and soda and this is included. You don't need to worry if you are getting your moneys worth, because the price is included. We lost a $100 room credit when we changed the reservation, but figured that would quickly be taken care of in soda and drinks we usually purchase.

[xelem3]

We just changed our cruise to Alaska to include the UBP. It is free now if you are staying in an oceanview or higher room. The UBP also includes soft drinks, so you could use it for beer and soda and this is included. You don't need to worry if you are getting your moneys worth, because the price is included. We lost a $100 room credit when we changed the reservation, but figured that would quickly be taken care of in soda and drinks we usually purchase.

[Dakota10]

We have never had a huge bar tab at the end of the cruise, but since it's a perk they are offering we are going to try it. I don't really like Pepsi (please, ease go back to Coke, NCL), but I don't drink coffee so sometimes after a late night in the piano bar, I need caffeine so with this I can force down part of a DP & not feel guilty about leaving most of it there because it just doesn't taste good to me... Same thing with drinks, if I don't like them, with this, I can order something else. Should make for a fun cruise & we don't even have to think about it!

 

Sent from my SM-N910P using Forums mobile app

[novanoto]

Does anyone have an updated list of the liquor categories NCL has? I.e., what exactly is excluded under the new terms of the UBP? I fear that most brands I drink (according to the old listing) are excluded...Grey Goose; Elijah Craig; Bookers; Zacapa, etc. Any input would be appreciated. Thanks!!

[brookie848]

Three of us in a cabin. We get the free UBP. Person #1 and #2 pay full-price for the cruise, person #3 just pays the 3rd person supplemental cost (we would not be splitting the entire cost of the cruise amongst the three of us).

 

Person #1 (DH) doesn't drink much of anything. Once we reach the ship, can Person #1 and #3 (friend) switch their order in the cabin? That way our friend can use the package instead of DH?

 

We don't want to put her as #1 or #2 on the original booking because if something would happen that we would need to cancel, we want to be able to get our money returned to us via insurance. We would be staying in a suite, so there is a considerable difference between what we would pay versus the supplemental cost she would pick up in order to cruise with us.

 

Hopefully I'm making at least a little bit of sense to one or two people out there! :o Thanks!

[Demonyte]

Three of us in a cabin. We get the free UBP. Person #1 and #2 pay full-price for the cruise, person #3 just pays the 3rd person supplemental cost (we would not be splitting the entire cost of the cruise amongst the three of us).

 

Person #1 (DH) doesn't drink much of anything. Once we reach the ship, can Person #1 and #3 (friend) switch their order in the cabin? That way our friend can use the package instead of DH?

 

We don't want to put her as #1 or #2 on the original booking because if something would happen that we would need to cancel, we want to be able to get our money returned to us via insurance. We would be staying in a suite, so there is a considerable difference between what we would pay versus the supplemental cost she would pick up in order to cruise with us.

 

You would have to switch the order of persons to the reservation which is exactly what you declined to do. When you enter the terminal to check in, the package is already assigned to passengers 1 and 2 as per promo terms.

[hawkeyetlse]

Hopefully I'm making at least a little bit of sense to one or two people out there! :o Thanks!

You are making sense but the only thing you can do (if you don't want to change the order of the guests around in the booking) is ask the bar manager on board to switch the packages around for two people, and they are under no obligation to do so. I have to say that so far, I have not seen any reports of people cruising with this promo and successfully negotiating modifications to what they booked once on board, in particular regarding cabins with more than 2 people in them. But I suppose most people have been booking for cruises later this year and 2016 and not last-minute sailings.

[jackson bernard]

Three of us in a cabin. We get the free UBP. Person #1 and #2 pay full-price for the cruise, person #3 just pays the 3rd person supplemental cost (we would not be splitting the entire cost of the cruise amongst the three of us).

 

Person #1 (DH) doesn't drink much of anything. Once we reach the ship, can Person #1 and #3 (friend) switch their order in the cabin? That way our friend can use the package instead of DH?

 

We don't want to put her as #1 or #2 on the original booking because if something would happen that we would need to cancel, we want to be able to get our money returned to us via insurance. We would be staying in a suite, so there is a considerable difference between what we would pay versus the supplemental cost she would pick up in order to cruise with us.

 

Hopefully I'm making at least a little bit of sense to one or two people out there! :o Thanks!

Why don't you just swap room cards when ordering drinks?

[LrgPizza]

Does anyone have an updated list of the liquor categories NCL has? I.e., what exactly is excluded under the new terms of the UBP? I fear that most brands I drink (according to the old listing) are excluded...Grey Goose; Elijah Craig; Bookers; Zacapa, etc. Any input would be appreciated. Thanks!!

The ONLY things excluded are drinks priced over $10. There are no categories. If it is $10 or under, it is included. That includes 99.999% of all drinks you will find on the ship. I know Grey Goose is certainly included. I don't drink the others, but I am sure they would be included too, if the ship carries them.

 

This is referring to alcohol, since someone is sure to pipe in with the whole "coffee and blah blah blah aren't included". We are talking alcohol here.