Premium Beverage Package

[pamelab]

Can you get drinks on sea days and port days? Are there any times when you can't use this package?  Trying to decide between NCL and RCCL.  TIA

[LaCal]

2 minutes ago, pamelab said:

Can you get drinks on sea days and port days? Are there any times when you can't use this package?  Trying to decide between NCL and RCCL.  TIA

Anytime and you can even order two drinks at a time 🍹🍹😜

[pamelab]

Woo hoo!! Hubby doesn't drink, so trying to decide the benefits of me drinking with the "free perks"

[BirdTravels]

47 minutes ago, pamelab said:

Can you get drinks on sea days and port days? Are there any times when you can't use this package?  Trying to decide between NCL and RCCL.  TIA

Any time you can find a bar open, you can order a drink. The package pays for the first $15 of every drink. If you go over (and that is hard to do), you pay the difference + gratuity. 

 

Start the day with mimosas and move upwards from there. 
 

Hubby can order all the Virgin cocktails he wants. Frozen drinks. Cocktails less alcohol. Sodas. 

Edited June 5, 2022 by BirdTravels

[tallnthensome]

What would make you think that you can't get drinks on sea days and port days with a drink package? Does that make any sense? 

[Named-Tawny]

2 hours ago, pamelab said:

Can you get drinks on sea days and port days? Are there any times when you can't use this package?  Trying to decide between NCL and RCCL.  TIA

The only thing to keep in mind is that, depending on the port, you may need to pay taxes on your drinks while you're in US waters.

[pamelab]

42 minutes ago, tallnthensome said:

What would make you think that you can't get drinks on sea days and port days with a drink package? Does that make any sense? 

Is there a restriction - can you use the package on sea days and port days.  I read somewhere that while you were in port you couldn't use it.

[casofilia]

@pamelab

 

There have been discussions of late of problems getting drinks in Greek ports especially after embarkation.

 

Otherwise I have never heard of a problem.

[BirdTravels]

3 hours ago, pamelab said:

Can you get drinks on sea days and port days? Are there any times when you can't use this package?  Trying to decide between NCL and RCCL.  TIA

The package gives you the opportunity to try all of the foo foo umbrella drinks you would t pay for at your local bar. Expand your drink horizon on a cruise. What happens on a cruise usually stays on the cruise. 

[BirdTravels]

1 hour ago, tallnthensome said:

What would make you think that you can't get drinks on sea days and port days with a drink package? Does that make any sense? 

there are ports like in Canada where the Canadian Govt limits the alcohol “sales”, and there are very limited availability of alcohol while in port. It is available, but you may have to hunt for it. 

[hallux]

12 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

there are ports like in Canada where the Canadian Govt limits the alcohol “sales”, and there are very limited availability of alcohol while in port. It is available, but you may have to hunt for it. 

When I was on the Bliss in 2019 they were only allowed to open one bar on each deck.  Some folks weren't happy as we sailed in to Vancouver at noon on the day BEFORE disembarkation!

[charlie murphy]

can on have on final mimosa or bloody Mary on the morning of disembarkation? on your drink package or are bars closed that morning. 

[smillerholmes]

You most certainly can.  I haven't indulged at a bar though, but both of those are definitely available for consumption with you breakfast.

[KeithJenner]

3 hours ago, tallnthensome said:

What would make you think that you can't get drinks on sea days and port days with a drink package? Does that make any sense? 

They have probably heard about the issues in Greece recently.

[tallnthensome]

4 hours ago, KeithJenner said:

They have probably heard about the issues in Greece recently.

Considering they are asking about choosing between NCL and Royal I doubt the question pertained to Greece issues.

[KeithJenner]

13 minutes ago, tallnthensome said:

Considering they are asking about choosing between NCL and Royal I doubt the question pertained to Greece issues.

As there have been posts in many places online saying that people have been unable to get drinks in port there is a chance that may be where the question originated from. Many of those posts don’t even mention Greece.

Edited June 5, 2022 by KeithJenner

[jkrislc]

20 hours ago, pamelab said:

Woo hoo!! Hubby doesn't drink, so trying to decide the benefits of me drinking with the "free perks"

Unfortunately, I think you'll still need to pay the gratuities for your husband towards the drink package. If I remember correctly, you can't choose it for one but not the other unless something has changed.

 

NCL has some weird policies. For example, my son, as a third passenger, is not eligible for a package as a minor. However, if he were the second passenger, then he would receive the soda package since he is a minor. Yet, if my wife was named as the third passenger, she'd be eligible for the "free" drink package as would any remaining guests in the cabin provided they were adults.

[cruiseny4life]

17 hours ago, jkrislc said:

Unfortunately, I think you'll still need to pay the gratuities for your husband towards the drink package. If I remember correctly, you can't choose it for one but not the other unless something has changed.

 

NCL has some weird policies. For example, my son, as a third passenger, is not eligible for a package as a minor. However, if he were the second passenger, then he would receive the soda package since he is a minor. Yet, if my wife was named as the third passenger, she'd be eligible for the "free" drink package as would any remaining guests in the cabin provided they were adults.

I have seen many posters (though not experienced) state you can purchase the drink package on board for one person in the cabin and decline it for the other person. Perhaps someone that has experienced this will chime in. 

[KeithJenner]

53 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

I have seen many posters (though not experienced) state you can purchase the drink package on board for one person in the cabin and decline it for the other person. Perhaps someone that has experienced this will chime in. 

I think that they are referring to upgrading to the premium plus beverage package. I’ve seen a few people mention being able to do that onboard for just one person.

The free at sea beverage package can’t be added onboard. It is part of your booking and the gratuity will be charged for both people. You have to either accept it or decline it for both. If declined then the only way to get the beverage package onboard would be to pay the full price. Even if they were to allow you to do that for just one person it would still cost much more than the gratuities for two (about three times as much).

 

[cruiseny4life]

1 minute ago, KeithJenner said:

I think that they are referring to upgrading to the premium plus beverage package. I’ve seen a few people mention being able to do that onboard for just one person.

The free at sea beverage package can’t be added onboard. It is part of your booking and the gratuity will be charged for both people. You have to either accept it or decline it for both. If declined then the only way to get the beverage package onboard would be to pay the full price. Even if they were to allow you to do that for just one person it would still cost much more than the gratuities for two (about three times as much).

 

Oooooops!!! You are so totally correct @KeithJenner! I stand corrected and appreciate you setting the record straight.

[jkrislc]

2 hours ago, cruiseny4life said:

Oooooops!!! You are so totally correct @KeithJenner! I stand corrected and appreciate you setting the record straight.

Even if your husband doesn't use the package, paying the gratuity for the two of you would still be cheaper than buying the package outright for just you once onboard. We nearly declined it and were going to just buy the soda package on our own. However, we figured that between non-alcoholic cocktails and one or two real cocktails we could justify the $20 per person per day gratuity fee.

[bowlinmoe]

On 6/4/2022 at 8:13 PM, LaCal said:

Anytime and you can even order two drinks at a time 🍹🍹😜

Is this true?

 

So I can get some whiskey and a beer without having to find a second place?

[oasisorbust]

On 6/4/2022 at 8:10 PM, pamelab said:

Can you get drinks on sea days and port days? Are there any times when you can't use this package?  Trying to decide between NCL and RCCL.  TIA

Are you possibly referring to when you are at one of the private islands owned by the cruise line? When we were in Harvest Caye last November we had to pay for drinks. I know with RCCL drinks are included on their private islands with a drink package- but the package itself is not free.

[LaCal]

6 hours ago, bowlinmoe said:

Is this true?

 

So I can get some whiskey and a beer without having to find a second place?

Yes or a beer and shot. 
 

I get 2 Grey Goose vodkas at a time and pour them in my Yeti 

[hallux]

6 hours ago, oasisorbust said:

When we were in Harvest Caye last November we had to pay for drinks

Harvest Caye is an odd-ball "private island".  While NCL seems to have exclusive rights to port there NOTHING on the island is actually included in the cruise fare (at least as far as food and drink is concerned).

 

That the beverage package is not valid at Harvest Caye should be no surprise, it's in the T&C's - https://www.ncl.com/about/terms-and-conditions/promotions

"Offer is not applicable at Harvest Caye bars, restaurants, or venues."

 

NCL has another private island, Great Stirrup Cay.  It's a stone's throw from Coco Cay.  Beverage package IS accepted there.