Premium plus drink package. Thoughts?

[Sthrngary]

10 minutes ago, ljk76 said:

New NCL cruiser with a question...included perk  premium does not include bottled water or specialty coffee? Plus includes all bottled water, and premium coffee, which is Starbucks? Plus includes full bottles of wine at dinner and you can take remainder to your stateroom? Thanks for your help!

The bottles of wine is selected wines, not all wines.  Yes to the rest of what you said.

[fastpitchdad]

Most of the upgraded wine is still isn't very good (essentially moving from $10 bottles to $20 bottles), we just keep the basic package and bring several bottles of our own decent wine and pay the corkage fee.

Edited June 11, 2021 by fastpitchdad

[Trimone]

Everyone knows the quality wines are start just above the $15 mark, I have $600 on board spend in September and believe the upgrade is about $197 each, I won’t hesitate buying it, nothing is worse than a cheap nasty wine, or one that has been opened earlier….

Its about enjoying your holidays 

[fastpitchdad]

2 minutes ago, Trimone said:

Everyone knows the quality wines are start just above the $15 mark, I have $600 on board spend in September and believe the upgrade is about $197 each, I won’t hesitate buying it, nothing is worse than a cheap nasty wine, or one that has been opened earlier….

Its about enjoying your holidays 

 

They are not really quality wines and you can always pay the difference. I guess the question is whether or not you would pay $200 each in overages. Again, for us it is more economical to pay corkage fees. 

[Trimone]

40 minutes ago, fastpitchdad said:

 

They are not really quality wines and you can always pay the difference. I guess the question is whether or not you would pay $200 each in overages. Again, for us it is more economical to pay corkage fees. 

Corkage fees, I can’t be bothered to carry wine onto a ship, on our last voyage after dinner we would order a bottle of verve and drop it into the room for the next afternoon, the New Zealand Sauvignon was priced above the $15 budget, why go on holiday and drink something poor, your there to enjoy yourself. 

[Sthrngary]

I am enjoying this thread a great deal.  We all have to take a step back and look at what is most important to each of us.  All me to give some examples to highlight my point.  

1. I Drink Straight Vodka On the Rocks:  The kind of vodka I drink usually are infused with a fruit.  Orange, Raspberry, cherry or lemon. Not all vodkas are the same.  The ONLY brand I will drink of infused vodka is Grey Goose or Stoli. One or both might not be available on the Premium Drink Package.  This is just and example. 
2. Wines: If I had a wine I really liked and I was somewhat particular about my wines, I would absolutely bring the bottles onboard and pay a corking fee. 
3. The Right Kind of Glass: If I drink red wine, it must be in a red wine glass.  If it is whine wine, a white wine glass.  If I am having a high-ball, in a high ball glass.  

Eating and drinking is an event.  Anything we can do to improve the event is worth considering.  Sometimes as in my case, I am not looking for what is the most economically feasible outcome.  It is much more about the event, the day and the week.  What makes my cruise the best it can be is having options even if I choose not to use them.  

 

it is all the way you personally look at things.  I must add, we all go over the top sometimes and eat and drink to much.  We all kind of pay a price for those actions which usually stops us from doing it again the next day.  "Sure was fun while it lasted though".

 

Everyone, what ever decision you make; for what ever reason you make that decision.  Just make it count.  Love is to short so make it worth living. 

[complawyer]

17 minutes ago, Sthrngary said:

I am enjoying this thread a great deal.  We all have to take a step back and look at what is most important to each of us.  All me to give some examples to highlight my point.  

1. I Drink Straight Vodka On the Rocks:  The kind of vodka I drink usually are infused with a fruit.  Orange, Raspberry, cherry or lemon. Not all vodkas are the same.  The ONLY brand I will drink of infused vodka is Grey Goose or Stoli. One or both might not be available on the Premium Drink Package.  This is just and example. 
2. Wines: If I had a wine I really liked and I was somewhat particular about my wines, I would absolutely bring the bottles onboard and pay a corking fee. 
3. The Right Kind of Glass: If I drink red wine, it must be in a red wine glass.  If it is whine wine, a white wine glass.  If I am having a high-ball, in a high ball glass.  

Eating and drinking is an event.  Anything we can do to improve the event is worth considering.  Sometimes as in my case, I am not looking for what is the most economically feasible outcome.  It is much more about the event, the day and the week.  What makes my cruise the best it can be is having options even if I choose not to use them.  

 

it is all the way you personally look at things.  I must add, we all go over the top sometimes and eat and drink to much.  We all kind of pay a price for those actions which usually stops us from doing it again the next day.  "Sure was fun while it lasted though".

 

Everyone, what ever decision you make; for what ever reason you make that decision.  Just make it count.  Love is to short so make it worth living. 

well said and nicely spoken!

[DCGuy64]

This is definitely a good thread, I'm enjoying it, too. One thing I'm considering doing is asking NCL to remove the transfer fees that were automatically added when we did the BOGO air. Right there, we could save ourselves enough money to buy a quality champagne, stick it in our luggage (or get some when we arrive in Miami), and still pay less than we would onboard. I can buy Veuve Cliquot (which I like but also like other champagnes costing less) for $50 at home, pay the $15 corkage fee and I bet we'd get 6 glasses of champagne at $10 a pop. I notice that NCL sells it for $99 a bottle, but don't you pay a 20% gratuity on top of that? So that's $120 or double what I'd pay bringing it on myself. (you do get a 20% discount on bottles of wine with the regular package, but you're still paying $100 or so. With that said, we all know that taste is very subjective. I remember really enjoying a Robert Mondavi Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon on my last cruise. I really loved that wine. But months later, someone on one of these threads dismissed it as essentially undrinkable. Well, I liked it, and that's what matters to me. Nothing says we ALL have to drink the same things, or the same brands, etc.

[saltsandknit]

Thanks everyone for your input. I am finding this very informative. I’m enjoying the discussion. I think we will do this for our next cruise but it’s doubtful we would on every cruise. I can easily drink 30$ a day just in coffee and Sparkling water. I also want a better selection of Cabernets to drink. It’s also making me think about cruising priorities and  what I enjoy while cruising. Very thought provoking 

[nyc2pdx]

I will always book up to plus.  Why?  I don't want to think about "Will this be over $15?" and then checking my onboard account over and over.  I can afford it, but its my own neurosis.  I like to be able to go up to the Haven bar, and ask the Bartender for something new and top shelf.  It is how I started loving cognac after dinner, particularly Remy Martin VSOP.  At $35/a shot, I am very happy to pay up on the beverage plan.

 

I love never having to ask "Is this covered under the beverage plan?".  I just order what I want, and I do love my Veuve.

Edited June 12, 2021 by nyc2pdx

[DCGuy64]

If NCL included specialty coffee, fresh juice and bottled sparkling water, it’d be worth it for me. Many other lines do this with their unlimited beverage packages, not sure why NCL doesn’t. 
 

[Zippeedee]

28 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

If NCL included specialty coffee, fresh juice and bottled sparkling water, it’d be worth it for me. Many other lines do this with their unlimited beverage packages, not sure why NCL doesn’t. 
 

All of those items are included in the upgraded package.

[DCGuy64]

41 minutes ago, Zippeedee said:

All of those items are included in the upgraded package.

Right, but I meant the regular one. We’ve always gotten those items in the regular unlimited packages on other lines. That’s what I was referring to. In any case, considering the upgrade to Premium + is $243 on top of the $138.60 gratuities on the included Free Drinks package, that’s $381.60, so for me and my wife that’s $722.20. Not worth it for us. We’re fine with the included package, thanks. If we want the odd pricey item, we’ll just pay for it. For us, NCL’s included items list is more than enough. 
PS since many on this thread have said how the upgrade “isn’t that much more,” I’ll be happy to supply my booking number and you can just gift it to us. Thanks in advance! 😉 

Edited June 13, 2021 by DCGuy64

[Selion]

Back tracking a bit on what's included in the PPB.  The version @BirdTravels posted seemed to be the most up-to-date, as on NCL site it's named "premium-plus-beverage-package-2021.pdf."  Here's a link to the file:  https://www.ncl.com/sites/default/files/premium-plus-beverage-package-2021.pdf  If you look at the end of fine prints, you'll notice "05/21" printed.  If it's only by glasses, then the value of PPB is severely limited.

[Phil265]

19 minutes ago, Selion said:

If you look at the end of fine prints, you'll notice "05/21" printed.  If it's only by glasses, then the value of PPB is severely limited.

 It has always been only  “by the glass“. Why does that severely limit the value? 

[DCGuy64]

Does anyone have recent menus of what is included in the regular package? I’ve looked online and either they’re very old or completely illegible. Looking particularly for wines by the glass, including sparkling wines. Thanks! 

[Selion]

1 hour ago, Phil265 said:

 It has always been only  “by the glass“. Why does that severely limit the value? 

The discussion mentioned ordering bottles at lunch & dinner, then taking them back to staterooms.  The convenience of having bottles, even opened, in our own staterooms is quite significant, at least to me.

[Selion]

1 hour ago, DCGuy64 said:

Does anyone have recent menus of what is included in the regular package? I’ve looked online and either they’re very old or completely illegible. Looking particularly for wines by the glass, including sparkling wines. Thanks! 

Here it is:  https://www.ncl.com/sites/default/files/premium-beverage-package-2021.pdf

 

Edit: It doesn't list any wines though.  Probably varies by ship/itinerary.

Edited June 13, 2021 by Selion

[nyc2pdx]

Thats interesting-it notes bottles of NON-SELECT wine (including champagne and sparkling) are 40% off.  I don't recall that being there before. What is select wine?

[saltsandknit]

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2720967-newest-wines-by-the-glass-list/

this thread has the most current wine by the glass menu there are very few good options

[DCGuy64]

27 minutes ago, saltsandknit said:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2720967-newest-wines-by-the-glass-list/

this thread has the most current wine by the glass menu there are very few good options

Thank you, this is perfect! 

[DCGuy64]

59 minutes ago, Selion said:

Here it is:  https://www.ncl.com/sites/default/files/premium-beverage-package-2021.pdf

 

Edit: It doesn't list any wines though.  Probably varies by ship/itinerary.

Thanks, yeah I guess it makes sense that they might have different menus for different ships. This is still helpful to have, though. 

[kjquilts]

12 minutes ago, Selion said:

The discussion mentioned ordering bottles at lunch & dinner, then taking them back to staterooms.  The convenience of having bottles, even opened, in our own staterooms is quite significant, at least to me.

 

The bottles of wine on the PPB list you posted that have a * to the right of the name are available by the bottle with dinner and you are free to take bottles back to your stateroom.   The following wording is directly under the list of wines.  I bolded the section that answers your concern.

 

*These wines are also available by the bottle with dinner

**Wine by the glass availability by location

 

We did the PPB package on the Norwegian Bliss on the first cruise it was available.  We really enjoyed it, loved trying many different spirits.  We're wine lovers so some of the included wine offerings along with the availability of Veuve Cliquot by glass or bottle (see the bottle option has been discontinued for Veuve) added to our cruise enjoyment.  It is disappointing to see that The Botanist Gin is not on the updated PPB list ... wonder if NCL no longer carries it.  It is my gin of choice after the Bliss cruise.  I will say that Larry was able to try a couple of spirits that were not on the PPB list, not sure if it was just a cooperative bartender but if you have the PPB package and see something not listed it doesn't hurt to ask.

 

Due to the cost (we're retired) wouldn't do it on a very port intensive cruise like the Star from Venice to Barcelona we have booked for next May but would certainly consider it on other future cruises.

 

[Selion]

6 hours ago, kjquilts said:

The bottles of wine on the PPB list you posted that have a * to the right of the name are available by the bottle with dinner and you are free to take bottles back to your stateroom. 

Thank you!  Missed it on my first reading.

 

BTW, can't seem to find the PPB upgrade for my Pride of America booking.  Is it not offered for that ship?  I know PoA has a different beverage package, the Hawaii Beverage Package that includes bottled water, fresh juice & specialty coffee in dining room.

[Dreamcruiser2]

On 6/11/2021 at 7:02 AM, RaftingJeremy said:

To me it’s not worth the $. If I want something higher priced, I just buy it.  I typically don’t buy bottles but will enjoy a higher end scotch and cigar some nights. 

Us too.  We usually buy a bottle of Malbec at Cagney's, but that's it.  We don't really drink much champagne.  He's very picky about scotch...usually has to be at least 18 years old.  We rather pay the price difference.