First time with beverage package

[Elsammo46]

My next cruise (on NCL Getaway) will be my first time with the free at sea included beverage package. I was just wondering how the actual "transaction" works? Do you hand the bartender your card as if you were purchasing something? Or do they just know you have the package with a swipe? 

 

Also what are some can't-miss drinks yall would reccommend? Thanks!

[CaptainBazz]

They take your card and swipe it...it shows you have the drink package and shows your picture to prove it is you. You then get the drink. You can usually get two drinks at a time.

As for drinks...go through the menu and try them all 😜

[majmaj4]

The time I got the package I googled top cocktails and used that as a list to try those that I thought I would like.  One I remember on NCL was the aviation martini.

 

[tallnthensome]

There a plenty of threads recently about good drinks. Look it up with the search function.

[CILCIANRQTS]

2 hours ago, tallnthensome said:

There a plenty of threads recently about good drinks. Look it up with the search function.

OMG!!
Self-help on CC??
That’s blasphemy!!! 😉😎👩🏻‍🍼

[BirdTravels]

4 hours ago, Elsammo46 said:

My next cruise (on NCL Getaway) will be my first time with the free at sea included beverage package. I was just wondering how the actual "transaction" works? Do you hand the bartender your card as if you were purchasing something? Or do they just know you have the package with a swipe?  Also what are some can't-miss drinks yall would recommend? Thanks!

The package covers the first $15 of each drink. If you go over $15 (which is really hard to do), you would pay the difference in price plus gratuity on the difference. 

 

You can order two drinks at a time.

 

You can start as early in the morning as you want and end as late at night as you want. 

 

Try all of the foo foo drinks that you would never be caught dead ordering in your local bar. 

 

Go to the Mojito bar and start at the top of the menu and work your way down. When you get to the end, start over. 

[JustAPilot]

1 hour ago, BirdTravels said:

The package covers the first $15 of each drink. If you go over $15 (which is really hard to do), you would pay the difference in price plus gratuity on the difference. 

 

You can order two drinks at a time.

 

You can start as early in the morning as you want and end as late at night as you want. 

 

Try all of the foo foo drinks that you would never be caught dead ordering in your local bar. 

 

Go to the Mojito bar and start at the top of the menu and work your way down. When you get to the end, start over. 

Do this all on your first night then try to find your cabin afterwards, all part of the drink package initiation. 😜

[CILCIANRQTS]

25 minutes ago, JustAPilot said:

Do this all on your first night then try to find your cabin afterwards, all part of the drink package initiation. 😜

I get out of the people who ask “What do you do when you first board the ship?”

It seems that everyone with the drink package finds a seat at the nearest bar and starts to “ get their money’s worth”!! 😉🥃🤪🥳

[hawkeyetlse]

1 hour ago, BirdTravels said:

The package covers the first $15 of each drink. If you go over $15 (which is really hard to do), you would pay the difference in price plus gratuity on the difference.

It's really not hard to do if you're ordering brands by name. But the bartender will let you know before pouring it.

 

It happened to me once on my last cruise, because Grand Marnier is inexplicably over $15 a glass (!). They charged me $1.00, so apparently they don't (always) add the 20% gratuity after all? Unless the price of Grand Marnier is $15.833333333.

[sassycruiser]

Just know if you are sailing out of NYC the sales tax applies to all drinks until around 8 pm.  They had signs all over the Joy and every server asked us if we were okay with it before they put in our order.  It’s 9.9% on the price of the drink.  We paid 20-30 because we were trying to get those vacation vibes started and getting our monies worth.  
 

 

[The Shrike]

3 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

The package covers the first $15 of each drink. If you go over $15 (which is really hard to do), you would pay the difference in price plus gratuity on the difference. 

-snip-

Go to the Mojito bar and start at the top of the menu and work your way down. When you get to the end, start over. 

Seconded.  I love mojitos but only ever get them on vacation.  The ones at the mojito bar are all pretty good, even the jalapeno one.

Edited May 19, 2022 by The Shrike

[BirdTravels]

6 hours ago, The Shrike said:

Seconded.  I love mojitos but only ever get them on vacation.  The ones at the mojito bar are all pretty good, even the jalapeno one.

[cruiseny4life]

I was so disappointed with Sugarcane on Getaway. Apparently all the drinks are pre-mixed, including the alcohol. This means no virgin mojitos...you can always get club soda muddled with mint, but the bartenders wouldn't even do that. Very disappointing. 

[charlie murphy]

do you have to buy the package / up grade on day one? 

If you can and do buy the package on day two you pay for the whole cruise , so do they credit your day one perchase retroactively. I ask because if read on line that some of the top shelf is limited or not available. I also like nicer wines that would exceed 15$ price point but if not by the class or not available then the regular package will do. I would kind of like to shop before I buy. 

when does the package end. ie can you order drinks the with disembarkation breakfast on the last day. if that is the case am i paying the full day upgrade for one meal. 

[phillygwm]

On 5/19/2022 at 3:38 PM, sassycruiser said:

Just know if you are sailing out of NYC the sales tax applies to all drinks until around 8 pm.  They had signs all over the Joy and every server asked us if we were okay with it before they put in our order.  It’s 9.9% on the price of the drink.  We paid 20-30 because we were trying to get those vacation vibes started and getting our monies worth.  
 

 

Great point.  It applies to a number of other ports as well.  I remember the tax in LA.  I don't think it amounted to much, just wait until you're in international waters before ordering the Veuve 🙂