Mrs.C05 Posted March 14, 2016 #1 Share Posted March 14, 2016 We were recently on NCL Spirit, and got the UBP with our room before they started charging the 18%, and then unbeknownst to me, my husband upgraded to a suite which came with the UDP and $200OBC (and were able to keep the UBP too.) I decided to keep a tally of how much we drank and what the bills were although we were not charged. It would show the charge of the food or drink but then say "Cabin Charge: $0.00" but you still had to sign the "bill" each time. Some bartenders had you sign, some did not. All the restaurants though you had to sign. Each day we had 1-5 drinks depending on what was going on. Sea Days we obviously drank the most, but I have now realized (if you like to have some drinks) that the beverage package is the way to go, even if they charge the "service promo charge" at booking. I will copy and paste my list, if anyone is interested. We were only told once that that a certain type of liquor or such-and-such was not part of the UBP, but DH just picked a different rum and eventually it was fine. Everyone just freely poured and my husband didn't have limitation on the type of rum he wanted to drink (except once at a bar we had never been to). I wonder if that guy didn't know, or the others didn't care and poured it anyways. Apparently "Pirate Rum" is on the higher end of the Rum spectrum. We told the bartender we were ordering it all along, and no one had told us it wasn't included. He ended up pouring what DH wanted anyways. I will be doing a thorough review as well once I get my pics up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinkr2 Posted March 14, 2016 #2 Share Posted March 14, 2016 pyrat? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aenglish1609 Posted March 14, 2016 #3 Share Posted March 14, 2016 pyrat? That's what I was thinking too, although there may legitimately be a Pirate rum too, lol. OP, it sounds like you had a good cruise, upgrading to a suite sounds great!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs.C05 Posted March 14, 2016 Author #4 Share Posted March 14, 2016 pyrat? That's what I was thinking too, although there may legitimately be a Pirate rum too, lol. OP, it sounds like you had a good cruise, upgrading to a suite sounds great!. No you're correct. It is Pyrat rum. I had to google it. I saw the short bottle behind the bar, and didn't pay attention to the spelling. Just heard my husband call it that. My bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweetpee_1993 Posted March 14, 2016 #5 Share Posted March 14, 2016 There really needs to be a thread for this! Can't wait to see your final numbers! Husband & I saved our copy of every bar drink receipt during our cruise on Getaway last September. Totaled it up after we got home. Total was $884.36. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4774Papa Posted March 14, 2016 #6 Share Posted March 14, 2016 Sorry, but if you drank 1-5 alcoholic drinks a day, how could the drinks package be a savings? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gershep Posted March 14, 2016 #7 Share Posted March 14, 2016 I tallied what we drank on our last cruise. We definitely drank more than what we paid for gratuities which were much less than what they are charging now. However, we would have lost money had we paid for the UBP and not gotten it as a perk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vince_g Posted March 14, 2016 #8 Share Posted March 14, 2016 Sorry, but if you drank 1-5 alcoholic drinks a day, how could the drinks package be a savings? The package cost her nothing. How could it not be a great savings? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare kjquilts Posted March 14, 2016 #9 Share Posted March 14, 2016 Even though we are not big drinkers we both enjoy both wine and mixed drinks and the occasional beer. We've had the Ultimate Beverage Package on a couple of cruises and love it. Even with 18% gratuity being charged based on the current $79.00 daily charge (which we would NEVER pay) the cost for the UBP promo if not in a suite is $14.22 per day per person. We have no problem getting our moneys worth based on that cost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Msjodeci Posted March 14, 2016 #10 Share Posted March 14, 2016 Following Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vicocala Posted March 14, 2016 #11 Share Posted March 14, 2016 Sorry, but if you drank 1-5 alcoholic drinks a day, how could the drinks package be a savings? Well besides the package being free it would also be a savings against the surcharge that is added to the perk these days. I am concluding the OP was referring to it being a savings even if paying the surcharge. YMMV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vicocala Posted March 14, 2016 #12 Share Posted March 14, 2016 BTW, I don't need to see the list unless others do, but could you share the totals and what you would of had to purchase the beverage package and/or dining package on your own for this cruise? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
npater Posted March 14, 2016 #13 Share Posted March 14, 2016 We have gotten the beverage pkg the last 2 years and got it this yr too without having to pay the extra gratuity and is well worth it. If u figure on having 5-6 or more drinks a day it is worth it. At the end of our cruise our bill each was approx $1200 each. I would try the drink of the day, etc, hey, it's 5 o'clock somewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs.C05 Posted March 15, 2016 Author #14 Share Posted March 15, 2016 (edited) Our UBP was completely free since they hadn't started charging the promo service charge, and then when my husband upgraded to the suite (granted we ultimately "paid" for it upgrading) we also received the UDP and $200 completely free as well (no service charges). This comparison is based on what we would have had to pay if we didn't have the UBP, however I can guarantee we would have drank "this much" if we didn't have the UBP, same goes for the UDP for that matter. Ultimate Beverage Package drink tally & Ultimate Dining tally Saturday, March 5th: Kim: Bud light at lunch $8.65, Bahama Mama at sailaway $12.39 Tommy & Kim: Mango Meltdown, Painkiller and Ethan’s Mango-sicle (free, but gave tip) = $27.77 (had to actually pay taxes since we were still in port which was less than $3.) Dinner @ Cagney’s: Kim =$24.00 Tommy = $32.00 Ethan: estimated $10 Drink Total: $48.81 Sunday, March 6th: Sea Day: Tommy: Cherry Limeade $7.95 (without tax/grat) and Daydreamers Daiquiri $11 (don't have these receipts) Lunch at Cagney’s: Estimated $40??? Kim: Painkiller $12.39 Kim & Tommy: Pre-dinner Bahama Mama $12.39, Mango MD $12.39, Budlight $8.65 & Mango MD $12.39 Kim: Dinner Bahama Mama $12.39 Kim & Tommy post-dinner: Bud light $8.65, Rum Punch $12.39 Dinner @ Teppanaki’s for 3 = $70 total (w/ tip) Drink total: estimated $110.59 Monday, March 7th: Costa Maya: Tommy & Kim: Mango MD & Painkiller $24.77 Drink Total: $24.77 Tuesday, March 8th: Grand Cayman: Tommy & Kim 10am: Mango MD & Painkiller $24.77 Tommy & Kim 10am: Painkillers (3ea.) $148.77 (killed off a bottle of Malibu so I could keep the bottle) Tommy & Kim 5pm: Mango MD & Painkiller $24.77 Tommy: Dinner @ La Trattoria $16.98, Mango MD $12.39 Kim: Dinner @ La Trattoria $12.98, 2 Bud lights $17.30 Drink total: $$228.00 Wednesday, March 9th: Ocho Rios: Tommy & Kim dinner: Mango MD & Bud Light $21.04 Drink Total: $21.04 Thursday, March 10th: Sea Day Kim: Bud light $8.40 Tommy & Kim Ethan’s show: Pirate Rum & OJ, and Painkiller $27.77 Tommy & Kim pre-dinner: Pirate Rum & OJ, and Painkiller $27.77 Tommy & Kim dinner drinks: Painkiller & Mango MD $24.77 Tommy, Kim & Ethan, Dinner at Teppanyaki’s $70 Drink Total: $88.71 Friday, March 11th: Great Stirrup Cay Countless Pina Coladas & 1 Bahama Mama & Rum Punch, estimated $100+ Dinner @ Cagney’s: Kim $32 Tommy $36 Ethan $10 Kim Bud light at dinner, $8.65 – Tommy’s Rum & OJ at dinner $12.38 One last drink at 11pm: painkiller & Pirate Rum & OJ $24.77 Drink Total: $121.04 Edited March 15, 2016 by Mrs.C05 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs.C05 Posted March 15, 2016 Author #15 Share Posted March 15, 2016 (edited) BTW, I don't need to see the list unless others do, but could you share the totals and what you would of had to purchase the beverage package and/or dining package on your own for this cruise? Thanks! I am looking it up now to see what the promo service charges would be, since you can choose it as part of your cruise package (1 of 4 options--Free wifi, free beverage package, free dining package, or free excursions)......and right now I am not seeing where it's itemized as "promo service charges" like I had seen before. Well besides the package being free it would also be a savings against the surcharge that is added to the perk these days. I am concluding the OP was referring to it being a savings even if paying the surcharge. YMMV When I did a dummy booking for a friend to see how much it'd be, about 3 months ago, it was charging something like $180 total for promo service charge. Edited March 15, 2016 by Mrs.C05 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruz4life15 Posted March 15, 2016 #16 Share Posted March 15, 2016 Wait? A bud light is $8 ? Are u kiddin? Anybody have recent pics on bar menus? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruzinbabe06 Posted March 15, 2016 #17 Share Posted March 15, 2016 (edited) Thank you for sharing. I just booked the Escape with those 2 promos. May 28th sailing.:) We paid $2,250 for a Balcony Guarantee ($899 p/p). That includes the (promo tips), the NCL agent called it. Also, port charges and taxes. I could have chosen the Interline Rate, which I'm eligible for, that was $1,450 total for hubby and I, also Balcony Guarantee. However, our tab is always over a $1.000, so this promo was a no brainer for us.:D Thanks again for taking the time to post your tally. Edited March 15, 2016 by Cruzinbabe06 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruzinbabe06 Posted March 15, 2016 #18 Share Posted March 15, 2016 Wait? A bud light is $8 ? Are u kiddin? Anybody have recent pics on bar menus? You think that's crazy. You should take a peek at RCCL alcohol prices.:eek: These cruise lines have to make their money someway.:rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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