Hey NCL, Carnival just raised the bar on the beverage package.

[mizLORInj]

Thanks for posting this info.

We're on Carnival Sunshine out of NYC this summer so it's good to know about the drink pkgs. Haven't been on Carnival in 1.5 years so I'm out of the loop on what's going on with them.

[ready2cruzagain]

We just cruised Carnival in January. I just read that announcement and it still wouldn't make me buy their beverage package. Yes, they still have the limitation of 15 drinks a day, and how others have said 15 does not go as far as you think. In fact, now that it includes water, coffee and energy drinks, those 15 will go much faster than before.

I as others, like to try new drinks when on vacation. I may get up and have a mimosa with a nice breakfast, a few by the pool, a few after or with lunch, or maybe before dinner drinks. Add my morning speciality coffee and an energy drink in the afternoon to that? My 15 max will be met before we get out of dinner...

It's nice that they are offering the other drinks, but then they also need to take away the cap on the program. Also what the heck is with this $50 drink thing? Nothing on carnival I have ever seen is going to cost me $50. I couldn't even find a decent bourbon one night...

 

I agree with you. We just got off of Carnival and did not buy the drink package, never have and never will. 15 limit and $60 a day. No thanks.

 

One of the reasons we are switching to NCL is for the UBP as a perk.

 

OP I don't think NCL has anything to worry about. Carnival still has a 15 drink limit and they do not include it as a perk.

[fritolayNY]

We just cruised Carnival in January. I just read that announcement and it still wouldn't make me buy their beverage package. Yes, they still have the limitation of 15 drinks a day, and how others have said 15 does not go as far as you think. In fact, now that it includes water, coffee and energy drinks, those 15 will go much faster than before.

 

I as others, like to try new drinks when on vacation. I may get up and have a mimosa with a nice breakfast, a few by the pool, a few after or with lunch, or maybe before dinner drinks. Add my morning speciality coffee and an energy drink in the afternoon to that? My 15 max will be met before we get out of dinner...

 

It's nice that they are offering the other drinks, but then they also need to take away the cap on the program. Also what the heck is with this $50 drink thing? Nothing on carnival I have ever seen is going to cost me $50. I couldn't even find a decent bourbon one night...

 

 

Non alcoholic drinks are not included in the count.

[Automation]

Removed my post.

I guess I posted the old one, sorry.

Edited February 25, 2016 by Automation

[fritolayNY]

What’s included?

 

 

 

All spirits (including cocktails), as well as beer and wine by the glass with a $10.00 or lower menu price

 

Soda and non-alcoholic frozen cocktails

 

25% off menu price of bottle water

 

25% off the menu price for spirits above $10.00 per drink

 

25% off the menu price for wine and champagne by the bottle

 

What’s NOT included?

 

 

 

Non-alcoholic beverages other than soda and non-alcoholic frozen cocktails

 

Beverages promoted and sold in souvenir glasses

 

Bottles of liquor

 

Beverages offered at gangway while debarking

 

Beverages offered through room service

 

Beverages offered in mini-bars

 

The sharing of cocktails and floaters

 

 

 

Buckets of beer, pitchers of beer, and beer tubes

 

Beverages offered through wine machines

 

Coffee beverages and food items

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hope this helps.

 

 

This is the old one. The new one include drinks up to $50 and specialty coffee.

 

 

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[fritolayNY]

https://help.carnival.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1106/~/cheers!-beverage-program

 

Updated version

 

 

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[Theodorable]

Please correct me if I'm wrong...but don't you actually have to pay for the Carnival beverage package and NCL's is included....no one seems to have mentioned this in the thread so far!

 

My next cruise on NCL includes the ultimate beverage package and the specialty dinner package (perk for an ocean view cabin). I do have to pay the 18% gratuity on both but even adding these together it is still less than one day's beverage package on Carnival. Also, I am travelling solo and only paid 150% of the cruise fare rather than 200%!

 

All in all, I have to admit that NCL seems to be coming out ahead!

[AtlantaCruiser72]

This now makes the NCL bev package one of the most expensive on the market AND the least inclusive. They are now the only line where some sort of bottled water, specialty coffee, tea, etc are not included at any price level, whether paid of or given as a promo.

[fritolayNY]

I agree with you on that one NCL's solo package is better and their promos are better. We booked last Feb 2015 and received the UBP for us and ultimate soda for the kiddos and got in before they required you to pay the gratuities.

 

 

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[cclarke12]

Please correct me if I'm wrong...but don't you actually have to pay for the Carnival beverage package and NCL's is included....no one seems to have mentioned this in the thread so far!

 

My next cruise on NCL includes the ultimate beverage package and the specialty dinner package (perk for an ocean view cabin). I do have to pay the 18% gratuity on both but even adding these together it is still less than one day's beverage package on Carnival. Also, I am travelling solo and only paid 150% of the cruise fare rather than 200%!

 

All in all, I have to admit that NCL seems to be coming out ahead!

 

Yes, i also thought strange that no one has mentioned NCL UBP seems to be on offer constantly as a freebie, so blows the Carnival offer out the water for me. If we hadn't got such an good early deal and free upgrade on Carnival Vista this summer, I'd be swapping to Epic or Jade for the free UBP - especially with the terrible £/$ exchange rate.

[bruadhin]

This now makes the NCL bev package one of the most expensive on the market AND the least inclusive. They are now the only line where some sort of bottled water, specialty coffee, tea, etc are not included at any price level, whether paid of or given as a promo.

 

Considering most people aren't paying for UBP above and beyond the cruise fare, and that quite frequently NCL has lower fares than Carnival, that is a pretty fair trade in my opinion.

 

I am sure there are times that Carnival is cheaper, but when I look for comparable cruises at times that I can cruise, NCL has been the price leader, plus I get UBP for free on top of it.

 

I don't know how anyone could objectively compare the two and say one is better as a whole. You could certainly pick certain measures, but I don't see how you could as a whole.

[NYcruzzer]

This now makes the NCL bev package one of the most expensive on the market AND the least inclusive. They are now the only line where some sort of bottled water, specialty coffee, tea, etc are not included at any price level, whether paid of or given as a promo.

 

Problem is majority of cruisers on NCL get the drink package as part of a promotion and only pay 18% service charge. If they added specialty coffees NCL wouldn't want to add additional staff to keep up with demand. Could you imagine the Java Cafe with dozens of impatient passangers wanting a Cappuccino, espresso or Caramel whatever all at the same time ? Poor Barista/Bartender !

In the future don't be surprised if NCL doesn't take a play out of Celebrity's book and have two levels of drink packages. Classic which would be similar to what we have now and premium with higher limits that also include bottled water and specialty coffees. They would give the Classic as part of their promotion and charge additional if someone wanted to "upgrade" to the premium.

Edited February 25, 2016 by NYcruzzer

[janpo]

Please correct me if I'm wrong...but don't you actually have to pay for the Carnival beverage package and NCL's is included....no one seems to have mentioned this in the thread so far!

 

My next cruise on NCL includes the ultimate beverage package and the specialty dinner package (perk for an ocean view cabin). I do have to pay the 18% gratuity on both but even adding these together it is still less than one day's beverage package on Carnival. Also, I am travelling solo and only paid 150% of the cruise fare rather than 200%!

 

All in all, I have to admit that NCL seems to be coming out ahead!

 

 

Do you really think that NCl drink package is free? Its included in the higher fares they have now.

Edited February 25, 2016 by janpo

[fritolayNY]

Nothing is ever "free". I am paying more for for my husband and I to cruise for my kids to be "free" and yes I bet some of higher payment is going towards the alcohol package.

 

I just went back and rechecked my fare with the new pick two option and I'd have to pay $60 more per person to add that second package. And guess what the second package I'd add is about $60 per person, but I'd have to rebook and pay gratuities on both the UBP and the UDP so it would be a getter loss to rebook.

 

However with the kids sail free deal our average price is only $370 per person (or about $1200 for my husband and I and the kids are fee) and the UBP and the Ultimate soda package for five is roughly $800. So I am getting a great deal.

 

I picked the promos by what the greatest cost saving it would be for me and my sail date by the lowest price offered. So my saving are more than if someone picked another lower cost promo and sailed at a premium week.

 

 

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Edited February 25, 2016 by fritolayNY

[bruadhin]

Nothing is ever "free". I am paying more for for my husband and I to cruise for my kids to be "free" and yes I bet some of higher payment is going towards the alcohol package.

 

I just went back and rechecked my fare with the new pick two option and I'd have to pay $60 more per person to add that second package. And guess what the second package I'd add is about $60 per person, but I'd have to rebook and pay gratuities on both the UBP and the UDP so it would be a getter loss to rebook.

 

However with the kids sail free deal our average price is only $370 per person (or about $1200 for my husband and I and the kids are fee) and the UBP and the Ultimate soda package for five is roughly $800. So I am getting a great deal.

 

I picked the promos by what the greatest cost saving it would be for me and my sail date by the lowest price offered. So my saving are more than if someone picked another lower cost promo and sailed at a premium week.

 

 

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Exactly, the promo isn't "free", but if you can find a lower fare than a competitor for a comparable cruise, then it certainly feels that way.

 

Even though fares have done nothing but go up since I booked, every time I look at Carnival and try to find something similar, it is just as much if not more.

[fritolayNY]

I love my specialty coffee and it would be great if they added it in. I missed the changes and would have love them on my last Carnival cruise. My first NCL cruise will be this October. I have been searching between Carnival, NCL and Royal and so far NCL is better if you consider Carnivals pricing and then add it's Cheers program to the cost. Once my October cruise is all paid, I'll book again. I am hoping NCLs promos are still going. Becoming a NCL fan with the new ships, promos, and pricing and I haven't sailed yet.

 

 

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[ready2cruzagain]

I love my specialty coffee and it would be great if they added it in. I missed the changes and would have love them on my last Carnival cruise. My first NCL cruise will be this October. I have been searching between Carnival, NCL and Royal and so far NCL is better if you consider Carnivals pricing and then add it's Cheers program to the cost. Once my October cruise is all paid, I'll book again. I am hoping NCLs promos are still going. Becoming a NCL fan with the new ships, promos, and pricing and I haven't sailed yet.

 

 

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We haven't sailed NCL in over 10 years but with NCL's UBP in the promo's we booked 2 NCL cruises. They beat Carnival's prices, hands down.

[beerman2]

What time do you get your gym workout in? ;)

 

On vacation gym workout is the farthest thing from my mind! LOL

[fritolayNY]

On vacation gym workout is the farthest thing from my mind! LOL

 

 

With a name like beerman2 I'd think you'd have enough exercise lifting 16 ounces.

 

 

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[Theodorable]

Do you really think that NCl drink package is free? Its included in the higher fares they have now.

 

I went back and re-read my post and nowhere did I say that it was free. I said it was included...big difference. As I mentioned, my next cruise I am going solo, but I am also on a trans Atlantic in October with my husband from Barcelona with a great aft mini suite and UBP and SDP included. No other cruise line came close to being comparable to what we are paying for what we are getting.

 

I think you might just need to go back and check your pricing again

[janpo]

I went back and re-read my post and nowhere did I say that it was free. I said it was included...big difference. As I mentioned, my next cruise I am going solo, but I am also on a trans Atlantic in October with my husband from Barcelona with a great aft mini suite and UBP and SDP included. No other cruise line came close to being comparable to what we are paying for what we are getting.

 

I think you might just need to go back and check your pricing again

 

Yes....that must be it. I need to go back and check my pricing. :rolleyes:

[disfan13]

CCL's beats NCL's hands down for those who wish to buy the plan. ( it's NOT included for everyone, all the time) To include bottled water / specialty coffee's etc is a big plus. The 15 max is no big deal for us.

And I promise you all - the UBP for NCL is certainly not free - the prices keep going up.

[ready2cruzagain]

CCL's beats NCL's hands down for those who wish to buy the plan. ( it's NOT included for everyone, all the time) To include bottled water / specialty coffee's etc is a big plus. The 15 max is no big deal for us.

And I promise you all - the UBP for NCL is certainly not free - the prices keep going up.

I just paid $499pp for a 7 night cruise on the Epic, twice...doing a b2b...with the UBP and a $175obc. The next week I paid $549pp with no drink package and no obc on Carnival. So it is free to me.

[beerman2]

With a name like beerman2 I'd think you'd have enough exercise lifting 16 ounces.

 

 

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16 oz. curls!

[Marine Mom]

15 drinks goes so quick

 

Mimosa for breakfast

 

Move to the pool....a 2 or 3 fruity drinks....

 

Take a dip.....

 

Lounge around......2 or 3 more fruity drinks....

 

Dinner....couple glasses of wine

 

Night out....3 or 4 beers

 

And thats not including the drinks I get and I may not like...because who wouldn't try everything.

 

 

Now that is funny!!!!