Unlimited Alcohol Package

[sweetride]

That's what made me so upset! She admitted they made the mistake TWICE and was basically like oh well too bad so sad! Ugh. And it wasn't $2k in alcohol I was saying Jamaica would have been $2k cheaper than what this cruise is going to end up being and Jamaica has all inclusive alcohol and all food in the hotel

 

oh ok. i would be impressed and scared if you guys drank that much. if it works out that you spent $200-400 more than expected, would you still have booked? in the end, you'll be happy, it will be a great trip and it will be worth every penny

[BubMunkeyBles]

Not $2000 in drinks I meant I already spent $2500 just to book the cruise, the alcohol package was another $800 on top of that just for clarification. I don't think anyone could drink $2000 of alcohol!

 

I see. I was scratching my head how it could be $2000 cheaper just because of drinks. I agree it's kind of crappy.

 

We're doing a 5 day on Carnival (last minute and not my choice of itinerary) and they don't offer the cruise packages at all on the boat we're sailing. :( I was bummed.

[Cruisegirl6]

We not huge drinkers but on cruise we are on vacation and just like to lets say have some. We not drink in the am or early afternoon, but we like to meet and have a couple of cocktails before dinner, then at dinner may have a couple more and during the night another 4. Considering lets say from 3pm to 2am, which is 11 hours thats 8 drinks certainly a long time to have them.

 

I can easily do that and my other half may have only 6 and my father in law may have 12 lol but we are all fine, its just that we are drinking for many hours, not having one by one non stop.

[jdvmd]

OP, I don't condone the use but have you thought about http://www.rumrunnerflasks.com and bringing some booze from home or back on the ship from the ports of call.

[monibugg]

I will be on the same cruise as you. I e-mailed NCL (the guy we booked with) and asked about drink packages that week and he said that they don't offer it for the month of March. I'm glad I wasn't lied to!

If you drink wine...you can take your own wine on board and just pay the $15.00 corkage fee (per bottle).

Someone else had a good suggestion, to order bottles of alcohol for your room.

Have a good cruise :).

[rvsullivan]

The package they offer is pretty new and not everyone has the details as to how it works. I did read when it officially rolled out that it excluded Spring Break which NCL pretty much says is March and the first week or two of April. Never been a secret that Break was blocked out. I thought the website was pretty clear the other day about the black out dates???

[Burpelson]

I can't find it, but I recently read a thread on CC about college kids on break being drunk and unruly at the muster drill, some so badly they got thrown off the cruise. And being rowdy and throwing up and yelling in the corridors. So yes, NCL will still sell them drinks, but can you imagine how bad things would get if they had the drink package during Spring break? So I think cancelling the package is a wise thing, regardless of the motivation.

[BuffaloLady716]

i understand why you would be upset.. i would be too.

 

but i also can't see how someone could drink 800$ in a week.

Take into consideration port days.

[nikex]

I HAVE NEVER BEEN MORE UPSET IN MY LIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So I just spent 28 mins on the phone with them, where they admit they told me TWICE in the past 2 months that the package was available. They say it is even right in the notes that I called about it and was told the pricing on January 26th. But according to the Supervisor and I quote "Well sorry miss but Norwegian has the right to cancel or modify anything on the ship at any time, so there is nothing we can do". SERIOUSLY?!?! I have never been on a cruise before and it was between this or an amazing 5 star hotel in Jamaica that was ALL INCLUSIVE and Jamaica now basically would have been $2000+ cheaper when you factor in that apparently you can't have the alcohol package. SO FYI for any of you that were planning on getting the package it's not available and it's basically oh well that's too bad. If I wouldn't lose all my money I would cancel in a heartbeat, but of course that isn't an option either unless I want to basically only get back $250 of the $2500 I have already spent......and not including the $1000 on the flights. Talk about horrible customer service

 

This is so crappy, I'm really sorry that this happened to you.

 

You could/should look into rum runners and just smuggling all the booze you want on board. There's a risk they'll find them and confiscate them but rum runners have a pretty good track record. This way you can still drink but not get completely gouged by NCL. The hubby and I are pretty lucky that we snuck in just before March (our cruise leaves Saturday) so we do get the UBP and don't need to worry about smuggling or what have you.

 

I do have to say whenever I read anyone asserting that the number of drinks you need to justify the cost is excessive and would make you fall-down drunk the whole time, is that people have varied alcohol tolerance. My husband and I both have kind of ridiculously high alcohol tolerance and so we don't doubt the UBP will be well worth it.

[jaclynmn2277]

You've obviously never hung out with Navy pilots. :D

I haven't! But I can definitely hold my own I'm 100% Irish so I can keep up with the men usually. :D

[jaclynmn2277]

The package they offer is pretty new and not everyone has the details as to how it works. I did read when it officially rolled out that it excluded Spring Break which NCL pretty much says is March and the first week or two of April. Never been a secret that Break was blocked out. I thought the website was pretty clear the other day about the black out dates???

I haven't ever seen anything on the website about it? I do know though that when I called yesterday they ADMITTED that the last time I called it apparently said in the notes I was told the pricing and details of the Unlimited Beverage Package so that was just 3 weeks ago I was being told it was available that's what is so frustrating!

[jaclynmn2277]

This is so crappy, I'm really sorry that this happened to you.

 

You could/should look into rum runners and just smuggling all the booze you want on board. There's a risk they'll find them and confiscate them but rum runners have a pretty good track record. This way you can still drink but not get completely gouged by NCL. The hubby and I are pretty lucky that we snuck in just before March (our cruise leaves Saturday) so we do get the UBP and don't need to worry about smuggling or what have you.

 

I do have to say whenever I read anyone asserting that the number of drinks you need to justify the cost is excessive and would make you fall-down drunk the whole time, is that people have varied alcohol tolerance. My husband and I both have kind of ridiculously high alcohol tolerance and so we don't doubt the UBP will be well worth it.

Everybody has been talking about these Rum Runners I will have to do some research. I same as you have a very high tolerance with drinking, and love just lounging poolside and having cocktails, but when they are $10 a drink you're already broke mid afternoon, not including my breakfast bloody marys and mimosas! :p

[sweetride]

This is so crappy, I'm really sorry that this happened to you.

 

You could/should look into rum runners and just smuggling all the booze you want on board. There's a risk they'll find them and confiscate them but rum runners have a pretty good track record. This way you can still drink but not get completely gouged by NCL. The hubby and I are pretty lucky that we snuck in just before March (our cruise leaves Saturday) so we do get the UBP and don't need to worry about smuggling or what have you.

 

I do have to say whenever I read anyone asserting that the number of drinks you need to justify the cost is excessive and would make you fall-down drunk the whole time, is that people have varied alcohol tolerance. My husband and I both have kind of ridiculously high alcohol tolerance and so we don't doubt the UBP will be well worth it.

 

smuggling is very easy as long as its done with some common sense. rum runners in shoes never get caught. as to the tolerance, i agree that it varies wildly. i tend to drink anything thats put in front of me just because its there. so i will have a handful or two of drinks during the day and 3-5 martinis with dinner, and i still wouldn't have made it worth it on any trip because my wife drinks half of that and you're not on the ship a good amount of the time. sure on sea days you'd get a free bucket of beers or a couple martinis at the end of the night, but he next day when you're in port you waste almost all of the money you spent on the plan. i know there are people who can and do drink enough to make it worth it, but those people are few and far on your standard non-holiday, spring break cruise

[sweetride]

Everybody has been talking about these Rum Runners I will have to do some research. I same as you have a very high tolerance with drinking, and love just lounging poolside and having cocktails, but when they are $10 a drink you're already broke mid afternoon, not including my breakfast bloody marys and mimosas! :p

 

 

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=rum+runners

[Carnac767]

I haven't! But I can definitely hold my own I'm 100% Irish so I can keep up with the men usually. :D

 

Well put.

[KiwiTraveller1]

The Beverage Package was on the NCL webpage the other day, but there was no link to book them. They offers have now disappeared. I'm not sure if anyone would spend that much a day (average for whole cruise) on alcohol - it was really just a known price for the whole time. Disappointing - if they didn't want it for March, why would they even have it up there?

[sweetride]

The Beverage Package was on the NCL webpage the other day, but there was no link to book them. They offers have now disappeared. I'm not sure if anyone would spend that much a day (average for whole cruise) on alcohol - it was really just a known price for the whole time. Disappointing - if they didn't want it for March, why would they even have it up there?

 

because people are booking cruises for every other month also

[gambee]

If I may also suggest, look into the state room bar setup. That is the route we are taking to save some money, bottles start at $80 and then go up from there. My issue with NCL is that they make their drinks very weak and if you're 100% Irish I am assuming you like them strong like I do.

 

With the stateroom setup you're free to fill your glass and go around the ship.

 

 

I do however understand your frustration, I can't believe the rep told you that. I would definitely look into escalating that to at least get some OBC.

[Cruisegirl6]

Are you saying that NCL has taken off the Ultimate Beverage Package because they not selling great for March sailings?

[sweetride]

Are you saying that NCL has taken off the Ultimate Beverage Package because they not selling great for March sailings?

 

they're not doing it because its spring break. everyone would buy them and drink more than they projected initially when setting up the UBP program, so their margins would be lower than normal. this makes it a poor business decision to offer it during spring break when people will drink a lot if they have the package or not

[gambee]

they're not doing it because its spring break. everyone would buy them and drink more than they projected initially when setting up the UBP program, so their margins would be lower than normal. this makes it a poor business decision to offer it during spring break when people will drink a lot if they have the package or not

 

Celebrity does not pull out during march and their drink package is much much better.

[sweetride]

Celebrity does not pull out during march and their drink package is much much better.

 

good for them. i'm going to go out on a limb here (its actually a huge tree) and say that celebrity doesn't have the same demographic during spring break as NCL.

[gambee]

good for them. i'm going to go out on a limb here (its actually a huge tree) and say that celebrity doesn't have the same demographic during spring break as NCL.

 

You're definitely right on that one, however two things to consider.

 

1. During springbreak their demographics do lower slightly.

 

2. With their 123 promotion they were giving the classic alcohol package for free :eek:, that is a $616 package for two people. That's how I got it, then I upgraded to the premium one. I imagine there are many like me sailing in springbreak with these bonus packages.

 

 

But I do see your point, you also have to realize the NCL is just starting their package, am I right? ( I could be wrong). I believe Celebrity has had it for a while, so they might have more knowledge on it. I wonder if RCCL and Carnival are also pulling out during march as well.

[elizabeth612]

Everybody has been talking about these Rum Runners I will have to do some research. I same as you have a very high tolerance with drinking, and love just lounging poolside and having cocktails, but when they are $10 a drink you're already broke mid afternoon, not including my breakfast bloody marys and mimosas! :p

Beer are abt. $7.25 inc. tax and tip / buckets I forgot the price

Mimosas $8.50

I drink beer and mimosas all day long. See ya on the ship!

-Elizabeth

[sweetride]

You're definitely right on that one, however two things to consider.

 

1. During springbreak their demographics do lower slightly.

 

2. With their 123 promotion they were giving the classic alcohol package for free :eek:, that is a $616 package for two people. That's how I got it, then I upgraded to the premium one. I imagine there are many like me sailing in springbreak with these bonus packages.

 

 

But I do see your point, you also have to realize the NCL is just starting their package, am I right? ( I could be wrong). I believe Celebrity has had it for a while, so they might have more knowledge on it. I wonder if RCCL and Carnival are also pulling out during march as well.

 

NCL is just starting this package. i'm sure they've done the numbers of the past few years to come to the conclusions they have financially with this package and pulling it during this time. i do not know whether RCCL or carnival are also pulling it for this period, but they should. if a package costs $80/day/pp and the average bar bill for a drinking during 10 months of the year is $75/day/pp but for the spring break period it goes to $90/day/pp then there is no reason not to cancel it. if they have an average of 2k drinkers per day for 6 weeks, thats an $840K "loss" (all numbers are hypothetical)