Experiened cruiser, but first time with NCL on Sky..

[monctonguy]

So I have done a dozen cruises..all with Royal/Celebrity but grabbed a cheap 3day deal with NCL on Sky. I have been reading up on reviews and posts etc but still have a few questions I hope some experienced NCL cruisers can help me with.

 

On board account...I chose a cash account(always do with Royal) bit it appears that with NCL you have to make a deposit on the account to use it?..you cant make purchases and then pay them off?

 

Do they offer self disembark option where you carry off your own luggage? This is our preferred option with Royal.

 

On Sky its drinks included....wondered about things like bottled water or Gatorade if that is included? I know its not a "true" drink package like if you purchased on a different NCL ship....but it seems like there maybe a lot of drinks NOT included in this "free" package on Sky?!

 

Any other tips or information would be greatly appreciated especially if someone has cruised Royal and NCl and knows what to look for or expect differences with.

 

Thanks in Advance!

 

 

[Cruiser_1977]

Your sail & sign account is not credit. You have to put some cash on it or attach to credit card or it is simply a room key. We simply put cash on when we checked in.

 

We used self debarkation in June no issues. 

 

I didn't get bottled water or Gatorade. However, all of my alcohol (beer, liquor, wine, champagne, etc.) and sodas were included. Nothing to sign, never even had to show our cards.

Edited November 28, 2018 by JennyB1977

[BigNance]

Hi!

We were on the Sky in February and again in August (for Cuba😍).

We always give a credit card for our onboard account, so I cannot answer your cash question.

Yes to self disembarkation.  We did it.  

Bottled water and gatorade not included.  All of our bar drinks, poured drinks, etc were included, we were quite fond of the offerings at the Atrium bar, especially the jalapeno mojitos......  Some of the higher end booze has an extra charge (better single malt scotch, for one)

Enjoy!

Nance

[monctonguy]

Thanks for the info...an ideas on the pricing of bottles of water/Gatorade?....Do they have vending machines or just at the bars for those items?

 

Is there a list or link anywhere of what is/not included for drinks. its pretty confusing to have a drink package, but some pretty basic common drinks not to be included.

[cliffd64]

2 hours ago, monctonguy said:

Thanks for the info...an ideas on the pricing of bottles of water/Gatorade?....Do they have vending machines or just at the bars for those items?

 

Is there a list or link anywhere of what is/not included for drinks. its pretty confusing to have a drink package, but some pretty basic common drinks not to be included.

I'm not even sure if Gatorade is even on the ship at all.  In 29 NCL cruises I've never seen any.  

 

Bottled water is available in quantity and can be purchased in advance.  Of course the water and ice in the buffet are free assuming you have a bottle you like to use.

[ggTexasGal]

2 hours ago, monctonguy said:

Thanks for the info...an ideas on the pricing of bottles of water/Gatorade?....Do they have vending machines or just at the bars for those items?

 

Is there a list or link anywhere of what is/not included for drinks. its pretty confusing to have a drink package, but some pretty basic common drinks not to be included.

Easily found on NCL! 

 

https://www.ncl.com/terms/sky-beverages

 

AND: https://www.ncl.com/onboard-packages/bottled-water-packages (a single bottle purchase will be $3.00+)

 

Look around for further info you might need!  Regarding Gatorade; it might be available in arcade vending machine, or possibly in Garden Cafe (has been on some NCL ships), or maybe in Gift/Liquor store on-board.

Edited November 29, 2018 by ggTexasGal
Addition about Gatorade.

[adjensen]

The thing about drinks on the Sun/Sky that you need to bear in mind is if it has a price on the menu, it isn't free. That seems obvious, but people get hung up on the beverage package on the other ships and think that anything that's under $15 is free, it isn't. If it has a price (and that includes wine by the glass from the wine list in the dining rooms,) it is not included in the "open bar" thing, the only exception being the five drinks that are on the first page of the bar menu, like Moscow Mule or Rebellious Fish, but that's because they are listed as being in a souvenir glass that you get to keep -- if you don't want the glass, the drinks are free.

[monctonguy]

yeah...so it says drinks up to $15 are included...but then its lists a bunch of drinks that aren't(and wouldn't be $15)....and it says its the most inclusive at sea......??!

 

I have never had a cruise with a drink package with as many exclusions and up charges.....just have to be very careful when  I order drinks obviously...or I will put no money on my account card so if I do order a drink and there is a charge they cant charge me and will have to make it with the cheap stuff instead....seems like a process....never had a drink package that didn't include bottled water or some OJ or some coffee or some powerade/Gatorade.....any I have had even included redbull which I expected to be an extra charge....

 

For the price I am paying for the cruise I cant complain I guess..but for the normal cost of this cruise I would cruise any other line and add the drink package and would be the same $ or less for ALOT more drinks options it appears....

 

thanks for the info guys.....I guess I need to find the drink menu and study it to see what I can and cant drink.....

 

[Cruiser_1977]

I drank the coffee in the MDR and at the buffet - included. Apple Juice, OJ, etc. are available in the buffet and I had a vodka/OJ one morning by the pool. I had no problem with vodka drinks (Tito's or Belvedere), Bourbon (Maker's, Woodford and Bulleit), Mimosas, Daquiris, and my cruise mate got beers. We had a zero balance on drinks.

[BirdTravels]

4 hours ago, monctonguy said:

I have never had a cruise with a drink package with as many exclusions and up charges....

There you go. It is NOT a "drink package". It is a open bar with a defined set of free drinks. We have gone to the mojito bar and started at the top of the menu and worked our way to the bottom,,,, then start again without putting out a penny. Same for the regular bars. 

 

Edited November 30, 2018 by BirdTravels

[tokidoki]

I assume, since   I booked the Sky thru CAS, that we can get bottled water in the casino  bar?

[monctonguy]

Thanks for the list....great to see!!

[RunBikeCruiseDC]

On 11/29/2018 at 10:22 PM, tokidoki said:

I assume, since   I booked the Sky thru CAS, that we can get bottled water in the casino  bar?

On other ships, bottled water and espresso drinks are included with Casinos at Sea!

[bww11]

On 11/29/2018 at 2:24 PM, monctonguy said:

yeah...so it says drinks up to $15 are included...but then its lists a bunch of drinks that aren't(and wouldn't be $15)....and it says its the most inclusive at sea......??!

 

I have never had a cruise with a drink package with as many exclusions and up charges.....just have to be very careful when  I order drinks obviously...or I will put no money on my account card so if I do order a drink and there is a charge they cant charge me and will have to make it with the cheap stuff instead....seems like a process....never had a drink package that didn't include bottled water or some OJ or some coffee or some powerade/Gatorade.....any I have had even included redbull which I expected to be an extra charge....

  

For the price I am paying for the cruise I cant complain I guess..but for the normal cost of this cruise I would cruise any other line and add the drink package and would be the same $ or less for ALOT more drinks options it appears....

 

thanks for the info guys.....I guess I need to find the drink menu and study it to see what I can and cant drink.....

 

Monctonguy,

When are you cruising? Starting fairly soon on the Sky and Sun there will be a premium beverage package as a perk....

https://www.ncl.com/termsandconditions/promotions

Look on NCL's site to see which specific sailings offer it and it would never be with the sailaway rate... I think it will start in a few months ago...

[haolenate]

was just on the Sky a few months ago... the only time we were asked for our cards is when we bought specialty drinks with souvenir cups.  There really IS a lot to drink!  Our drinks at Great Stirrup were also included.

 

buffet in back has water/juice/coffee for free, 24 hours a day.

[Henryshowbiz]

Was on the Sky during Thanksgiving week 2018 and we did not pay for a single drink EXCEPT bottled water and one cocktail that was $10. It was a coffee cocktail in the Palace restaurant, and apparently it wasn't on the approved list. 

For cocktails, they have  a "drink of the day" and about 5 others that stayed on the menu throughout -- Bahama Mama for example, was always on.  We tried to stick to those...we knew that would be free.  Menu pictured below, along with one of the drinks that was a blackberry something. 

Also pictured is a mudslide we ordered at an evening show in the theater.  Free. 

At Great Stirrup Cay there is a Bacardi Bar and the blended rum drinks (pina colada for example, pictured below -- yummy and not weak) are free. 

I saw no Gatorade on the ship and didn't see any machines at all on the ship.  There are water bottles and red bull available for sale in the gift shops on board though.  

They did offer bottled water for $3 as we exited the ship each day.  They had it in big ice tubs right at the disembark point and you could pay cash there. 

There was also glass bottled water in our cabin, in the fridge, and that was not included.  We were a little peeved that we opened one, and then housekeeping "cleaned it up" before we could finish it.  So be wary of that.    

Other "stuff": 
--the photo situation is about to be digitized, so there are changes coming in January to that system.  We felt a bait and switch when the photo people wouldn't honor the "deal" that was advertised (mistakenly, apparently) on the daily agenda. 
--we did excursions through the ship and those were all great. We didn't book those in advance because we were afraid of weather issues, but we ended up getting all the ones we wanted, with the exception of Swimming with Pigs -- it was fully booked and we had to separate --one of us attending in the morning and the other in the afternoon.  It worked out.   

[JackB60]

Thinking about Norwegian as well and this info is so helpful. Thank you!

[haolenate]

Not to downplay the Sky, but shes a slightly older ship and isn't reflective of the "true" Norwegian Experience.  NCL picked her up just before delivery to Costa and also just prior to Freestyle Cruising was rolled out.  So the balcony cabins were an afterthought and also there are significantly fewer restaurants on board.   The SUN is more in line with NCL's "values" as its the sister ship in this set of 3 same design (Costa apparently took the 1st).

 

This is why a lot of cruise snobs raise their noses at the Sky.  Its still a great ship, and the only 1 in the fleet with spa rooms that have windows.

 

For the weekend booze cruises and Cuba trips, it was a great option since all the other cruise lines threw their older ships on the same routes, although RCI moved the Mariner and all her upgrades into the market, so that may put some pressure on NCL.  But my friends and I have enjoyed the quick trips on the Sky.

[CruiseGal999]

On 11/29/2018 at 9:26 AM, monctonguy said:

Thanks for the info...an ideas on the pricing of bottles of water/Gatorade?....Do they have vending machines or just at the bars for those items?

 

Is there a list or link anywhere of what is/not included for drinks. its pretty confusing to have a drink package, but some pretty basic common drinks not to be included.

But that's the difference.  It is not a drink package that you are getting. It is an open bar on the Sky ... up to a dollar limit.  I think the dollar limit is $15, but I can't remember.  I was on the sky May 2017.  I only drank wine so all of my drinks were within their $ limit.