Beverage program and specialty dining confusion

[Sersee]

I’m booking under the Free at Sea. I see when I add the open bar, I pay the gratuities. This is fine because I would be tipping anyway buying single drinks. We found in Carnival the Cheers was worth it for us. I have seen people complain that it isn’t really free which I don’t understand. It is free... the package. I just lay tip and taxes correct?
 

How much is the Drink package on NCL ? I’m having trouble finding an answer.  

specialty Dining... I don’t know much about it. Are the restaurants good? The specialty dining covers two of us but not my third person. So I just pay out of pocket for him correct? I’m only paying gratuities with the free at sea correct? I’m just wondering if I should skip that one?

 

i will be on the Breakaway. Are there a lot of places to eat? I have friends who told me I have to reserve everything so I may not like NCL and that it is a party atmosphere with a lot of college age kids? We are a family so I’m not into that even to much. We like fun and on carnival there  were lots and lots of families.  Is the Breakaway similar?

 

Is the entertainment to “old “ for teenagers? 

[LaCal]

Yes on both the Free drink package perk and specialty restaurants package perk you are just paying the gratuities up front.  Well worth it for sure 😜🍹🍹

 

For the 3rd person you can just have them Pre purchase the 2 specialty dining pkg which I believe is slightly Cheaper than buying onboard 

 

Also with the drink pkg there’s No limit like Carnivals 15 a day and you can even order two drinks at a time per person 

 

We love the specialty restaurants especially Cagneys, Teppanyaki, Le Bistro, Ocean Blue and La Cucina 

[dporter]

Depending on when you are cruising will determine the demographics of your fellow cruisers.  Traveling during spring break does increase the college aged crowds.  Trips that are 7 days or shorter tend to have younger crowds while trips 10 days and longer have older crowds; this would be the same on most cruise lines.

 

If you found Carnival's Cheers program worth it then you will definitely find NCL's beverage package worth it.  NCL has main dining rooms and a buffet just like Carnival, the difference in the main dining room is that it is set up like Your Time Dining.  You can choose to make a reservation or just show up when they are open, if you just show up it will be just like going to a restaurant near your home where depending on volume you may have a little wait. 

 

The NCL beverage package costs can be found here: https://www.ncl.com/onboard-packages/beverage-packages The one that is a perk is now called the Premium Beverage Package and is $99 per person, per day.  The beverage perk and specialty dining perk, if you choose them, you are only paying the gratuity on the package value and tax.

 

You can purchase additional specialty dining packages for your 3rd person, if this is a child they can eat for free off the kids meal, even in the specialty restaurants.  You can find dining package information here: https://www.ncl.com/onboard-packages/dining-packages

 

Here is a link about Breakaway you can also look at the deck plans to see the various restaurants: https://www.ncl.com/cruise-ship/breakaway

 

The entertainment on board will be similar to Carnival, depending on the ship and sailing the entertainers may change.  They will typically have at least 2 big productions shows on a 7 day cruise.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[poohdreaming]

2 hours ago, Sersee said:

I’m booking under the Free at Sea. I see when I add the open bar, I pay the gratuities. This is fine because I would be tipping anyway buying single drinks. We found in Carnival the Cheers was worth it for us. I have seen people complain that it isn’t really free which I don’t understand. It is free... the package. I just lay tip and taxes correct?
 

If you are booked under the Free at Sea - it depends on which cabin you booked. If you booked at a balcony or higher - the number of perks is more than the studio or an inside cabin. Anyway, for the drinking package as well as the dining package - you paid the 20% gratuities included in the final payment.

 

How much is the Drink package on NCL ? I’m having trouble finding an answer.  

Here's are some links:

https://www.ncl.com/onboard-packages/beverage-packages?cid=PS_TSI_GENERIC_GEN_GOO-g_LEN_SRH___aud-414297768870:dsa-45429486299&kwid=9017506&anchor=NA&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIiLS9pJKl5wIVh5OzCh0BLAE3EAAYASAAEgJFlfD_BwE

 

https://www.ncl.com/onboard-packages/dining-packages

 

3 meal specialty restaurant plan - cost $99.00 - buy ahead of time, not on board.

2 hours ago, Sersee said:

specialty Dining... I don’t know much about it. Are the restaurants good? The specialty dining covers two of us but not my third person. So I just pay out of pocket for him correct? I’m only paying gratuities with the free at sea correct? I’m just wondering if I should skip that one? 

Yes - specialty restaurants are good. Try different ones throughout the cruise. If you have the dining package, reserve ahead of time when you are allowed to do so. If not, then on the first day - head next to the guest service where they help with reservations/cancellations for these restaurants or go straight to that specific restaurant / or go to the touch screen (usually near the stairs) or use the tv to reserve.

 

2 hours ago, Sersee said:

 

i will be on the Breakaway. Are there a lot of places to eat? I have friends who told me I have to reserve everything so I may not like NCL and that it is a party atmosphere with a lot of college age kids? We are a family so I’m not into that even to much. We like fun and on carnival there  were lots and lots of families.  Is the Breakaway similar?

Yes, there are plenty of places to eat. You just need to reserve ahead of time for specialty restaurants and for shows that you are interested in. For MDR/Savor/Taste - the wait for dinner shouldnt be that bad if you did not reserve. Say if Taste have a waiting line, then you or anyone in your family can go to Savor. Menu are the same.

 

 

2 hours ago, Sersee said:

Is the entertainment to “old “ for teenagers? 

No, the entertainment on the Breakaway is not too old for teenagers. Check out:

https://www.ncl.com/cruise-ship/breakaway/whats-on-board/Entertainment

 

I liked Burn the Floor as well as the Howl at the Moon.

[Sauer-kraut]

You will need to prebook your specialty restaurants.  You will also have to book the main shows, which I have no clue what they are.  Some ships have SIX, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Jersey Boys, and other Broadway shows.  Book everything you can 120 days prior to sailing, since you have an odd number for dining book a table for six people.

[poohdreaming]

11 minutes ago, dporter said:

Depending on when you are cruising will determine the demographics of your fellow cruisers.  Traveling during spring break does increase the college aged crowds.  Trips that are 7 days or shorter tend to have younger crowds while trips 10 days and longer have older crowds; this would be the same on most cruise lines.

 

If you found Carnival's Cheers program worth it then you will definitely find NCL's beverage package worth it.  NCL has main dining rooms and a buffet just like Carnival, the difference in the main dining room is that it is set up like Your Time Dining.  You can choose to make a reservation or just show up when they are open, if you just show up it will be just like going to a restaurant near your home where depending on volume you may have a little wait. 

 

The NCL beverage package costs can be found here: https://www.ncl.com/onboard-packages/beverage-packages The one that is a perk is now called the Premium Beverage Package and is $99 per person, per day.  The beverage perk and specialty dining perk, if you choose them, you are only paying the gratuity on the package value and tax.

 

You can purchase additional specialty dining packages for your 3rd person, if this is a child they can eat for free off the kids meal, even in the specialty restaurants.  You can find dining package information here: https://www.ncl.com/onboard-packages/dining-packages

 

Here is a link about Breakaway you can also look at the deck plans to see the various restaurants: https://www.ncl.com/cruise-ship/breakaway

 

The entertainment on board will be similar to Carnival, depending on the ship and sailing the entertainers may change.  They will typically have at least 2 big productions shows on a 7 day cruise.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

 

 

I'm not so sure about the child eating for free anymore.

[Sersee]

8 minutes ago, dporter said:

Depending on when you are cruising will determine the demographics of your fellow cruisers.  Traveling during spring break does increase the college aged crowds.  Trips that are 7 days or shorter tend to have younger crowds while trips 10 days and longer have older crowds; this would be the same on most cruise lines.

 

If you found Carnival's Cheers program worth it then you will definitely find NCL's beverage package worth it.  NCL has main dining rooms and a buffet just like Carnival, the difference in the main dining room is that it is set up like Your Time Dining.  You can choose to make a reservation or just show up when they are open, if you just show up it will be just like going to a restaurant near your home where depending on volume you may have a little wait. 

 

The NCL beverage package costs can be found here: https://www.ncl.com/onboard-packages/beverage-packages The one that is a perk is now called the Premium Beverage Package and is $99 per person, per day.  The beverage perk and specialty dining perk, if you choose them, you are only paying the gratuity on the package value and tax.

 

You can purchase additional specialty dining packages for your 3rd person, if this is a child they can eat for free off the kids meal, even in the specialty restaurants.  You can find dining package information here: https://www.ncl.com/onboard-packages/dining-packages

 

Here is a link about Breakaway you can also look at the deck plans to see the various restaurants: https://www.ncl.com/cruise-ship/breakaway

 

The entertainment on board will be similar to Carnival, depending on the ship and sailing the entertainers may change.  They will typically have at least 2 big productions shows on a 7 day cruise.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

 

Thank you so much for the wonderful info. I think the specialty dining is 3  nights. So that is perfect.  I’m going during the summer for 7 day Caribbean . So hoping that means family!

[Sersee]

4 minutes ago, poohdreaming said:

 

https://www.ncl.com/onboard-packages/dining-packages

 

3 meal specialty restaurant plan - cost $99.00 - buy ahead of time, not on board.

Yes - specialty restaurants are good. Try different ones throughout the cruise. If you have the dining package, reserve ahead of time when you are allowed to do so. If not, then on the first day - head next to the guest service where they help with reservations/cancellations for these restaurants or go straight to that specific restaurant / or go to the touch screen (usually near the stairs) or use the tv to reserve.

 

Yes, there are plenty of places to eat. You just need to reserve ahead of time for specialty restaurants and for shows that you are interested in. For MDR/Savor/Taste - the wait for dinner shouldnt be that bad if you did not reserve. Say if Taste have a waiting line, then you or anyone in your family can go to Savor. Menu are the same.

 

 

No, the entertainment on the Breakaway is not too old for teenagers. Check out:

https://www.ncl.com/cruise-ship/breakaway/whats-on-board/Entertainment

 

I liked Burn the Floor as well as the Howl at the Moon.

Thank you!! So the Savoy and Taste are the main dining rooms. You need a reservation for Howl at the Moon as well? What about the Ice bar?

[Sersee]

5 minutes ago, Sauer-kraut said:

You will need to prebook your specialty restaurants.  You will also have to book the main shows, which I have no clue what they are.  Some ships have SIX, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Jersey Boys, and other Broadway shows.  Book everything you can 120 days prior to sailing, since you have an odd number for dining book a table for six people.

I actually have six because my daughter boyfriend goes!!

[Sauer-kraut]

Howl at the Moon is just find a seat and stay as long as you want.  Things get raunchy after 10 pm. 

The Ice Bar is pre-booked but do that on board its never really busy. 

[dporter]

46 minutes ago, Sersee said:

Thank you so much for the wonderful info. I think the specialty dining is 3  nights. So that is perfect.  I’m going during the summer for 7 day Caribbean . So hoping that means family!

 

You are welcome, yes there will be lots of families during the summer time.

[dporter]

58 minutes ago, poohdreaming said:

 

I'm not so sure about the child eating for free anymore.

 

Per NCL website:

https://www.ncl.com/why-cruise-norwegian/family-cruises/cruise-dining-and-entertainment

Kids 12 and under eat free from the complimentary kids' menu at all specialty restaurants.

[Sersee]

23 hours ago, dporter said:

 

Per NCL website:

https://www.ncl.com/why-cruise-norwegian/family-cruises/cruise-dining-and-entertainment

Kids 12 and under eat free from the complimentary kids' menu at all specialty restaurants.

It’s ok on my end since my son is 15 lol