Question on Free Drinks and Excursions

[CruzinSouth2]

We normally cruise with RCCL, but are considering booking a 14 day cruise with NCL. It’ll be our first time and wondered if someone could tell me what drinks are included with the free drink package. I thought they all would be included but then saw where you could upgrade. Would you need to upgrade to get a pina colada or other fruity drinks?  Also, it says free excursions, but then I read that you got $50 off excursions. Is that for every excursion or just for one?  Sorry, I just don’t know anything about NCL. 

[Two Wheels Only]

Premium Beverage Package

 

Premium PLUS Beverage Package

 

^links above for PDF

 

29 minutes ago, CruzinSouth2 said:

Would you need to upgrade to get a pina colada or other fruity drinks?

 

No. The standards such as Pina Colada, Strawberry Daiquiri, Miami Vice, Mango Meltdown, BBC, etc. can all be had with the standard promo beverage package.

 

 

[grozzy1]

Quick summary:

With the standard drinks package, you get unlimited drinks up to $15 value. More expensive drinks you pay the difference.

The $50 off excursions is per cabin. So for each excursion you get the $50 off the total regardless of the number of passengers.

[KeithJenner]

6 minutes ago, grozzy1 said:

Quick summary:

With the standard drinks package, you get unlimited drinks up to $15 value. More expensive drinks you pay the difference.

The $50 off excursions is per cabin. So for each excursion you get the $50 off the total regardless of the number of passengers.

Just a minor point. The excursion discount is actually for guest 1, so if they weren’t going on the excursion then technically you wouldn’t get the discount. Also if the excursion costs less than $50 per person then you only get that value off, not the full $50.

[PATRLR]

The "free excursion" is a joke.  As others have said you get a $50 credit in each port for use by one passenger.  It's a struggle to find an excursion that costs less than $50, especially if you want an excursion that's worth going on. 

[ggTexasGal]

6 hours ago, CruzinSouth2 said:

We normally cruise with RCCL, but are considering booking a 14 day cruise with NCL. It’ll be our first time and wondered if someone could tell me what drinks are included with the free drink package. I thought they all would be included but then saw where you could upgrade. Would you need to upgrade to get a pina colada or other fruity drinks?  Also, it says free excursions, but then I read that you got $50 off excursions. Is that for every excursion or just for one?  Sorry, I just don’t know anything about NCL. 

If you are looking for a more "All Inclusive" package, NCL added "Free at Sea Plus" in July.

* Attached is the break-down chart of inclusions. 

For a 14 day cruise, it would add additional $1372.00 for both of you.  However, for some people the convenience of the added items for a couple make this package a valuable addition.

 

*** Be sure to note: If you do NOT use NCL excursions, or do not want upgraded alcohol (and included Starbucks and bottled waters), added Specialty Dining, or unlimited WiFi, then the package is not valuable!

[Sixtytwo]

4 hours ago, PATRLR said:

The "free excursion" is a joke.  As others have said you get a $50 credit in each port for use by one passenger.  It's a struggle to find an excursion that costs less than $50, especially if you want an excursion that's worth going on. 

I have noticed that almost every excursion sponsored by the cruise line has gotten almost unaffordable. We normally like to go and explore on our own and use local transportation, if needed, so I am not too bothered by the costs.

[phoenix1181]

A few here consider the $50 excursion credit a joke but, as a solo traveler, I have no complaints.  I booked 4 excursions for my upcoming cruise and saved $200.   If you prefer to book through the cruise line, as I do, the credit does help!

[ClevelandCruisin]

11 hours ago, CruzinSouth2 said:

We normally cruise with RCCL, but are considering booking a 14 day cruise with NCL. It’ll be our first time and wondered if someone could tell me what drinks are included with the free drink package. I thought they all would be included but then saw where you could upgrade. Would you need to upgrade to get a pina colada or other fruity drinks?  Also, it says free excursions, but then I read that you got $50 off excursions. Is that for every excursion or just for one?  Sorry, I just don’t know anything about NCL. 

Pina colada and fruity drinks will be free. You have up to $15 which the plan covers. Restrictions do apply to top shelf liquor, etc.

 

If you don't use the shore excursion credit at each port, you lose it per cabin. Just an incentive for you to book with NCL. Some people think they automatically get this money. If you book an excursion, then the credit will show up on your room account.

[Two Wheels Only]

I didn't notice before but it looks like the price increase for the PBP and PPBP hasn't taken effect, yet. 

 

Currently...

PBP = $99 pppd + $19.80 pppd service charge

PPBP = $128 pppd + $ 25.60 pppd service charge

 

Increase...

PBP = $109 pppd + $21.80 pppd service charge

PPBP = $138 pppd + $27.60 pppd service charge

 

[PTC DAWG]

2 hours ago, phoenix1181 said:

A few here consider the $50 excursion credit a joke but, as a solo traveler, I have no complaints.  I booked 4 excursions for my upcoming cruise and saved $200.   If you prefer to book through the cruise line, as I do, the credit does help!

Of course it helps..calling it a joke is a joke. IMHO YMMV.

[PATRLR]

2 hours ago, phoenix1181 said:

A few here consider the $50 excursion credit a joke but, as a solo traveler, I have no complaints.  I booked 4 excursions for my upcoming cruise and saved $200.   If you prefer to book through the cruise line, as I do, the credit does help!

If NCL would call it what you called it, a "credit", I don't think I'd be calling it a "joke".  It's the fact that they call it "free excursions" that makes it a joke, IMO.

24 minutes ago, PTC DAWG said:

Of course it helps..calling it a joke is a joke. IMHO YMMV.

I wasn't joking.  I also didn't mean to imply that the $50 wasn't helpful.  I'll be using the credit on my upcoming cruise where we actually booked NCL excursions!

[PTC DAWG]

2 minutes ago, PATRLR said:

If NCL would call it what you called it, a "credit", I don't think I'd be calling it a "joke".  It's the fact that they call it "free excursions" that makes it a joke, IMO.

I wasn't joking.  I also didn't mean to imply that the $50 wasn't helpful.  I'll be using the credit on my upcoming cruise where we actually booked NCL excursions!

Fair enough, happy sailing. 

[GaryWT]

It definitely sounds better when booking. You do get the $50 off each excursion so it can add up to be $200-250 or so.  Most drinks you can get, I have been drinking BBCs, mudslides, spiked lemonade etc.  A friend did have to pay a dollar for a drink as it was listed at $16.  We did upgrade our wifi as 150 minutes would be gone in no time.  The dinners are good as well, we ate in the French restaurant at no cost and are eating at the steakhouse tonight which will be no cost. 

[BirdTravels]

14 hours ago, PATRLR said:

The "free excursion" is a joke.  As others have said you get a $50 credit in each port for use by one passenger.  It's a struggle to find an excursion that costs less than $50, especially if you want an excursion that's worth going on. 

We use the credit on every cruise. Worth $50 a port. Nothing to sniff at. 

[PATRLR]

16 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

We use the credit on every cruise. Worth $50 a port. Nothing to sniff at. 

Right, a "credit".  Agree, nothing to sniff at and not a joke.  I did not call the credit a joke.  What I called a joke is NCL's representation of "free excursion".

[BirdTravels]

21 hours ago, CruzinSouth2 said:

We normally cruise with RCCL, but are considering booking a 14 day cruise with NCL. It’ll be our first time and wondered if someone could tell me what drinks are included with the free drink package. I thought they all would be included but then saw where you could upgrade. Would you need to upgrade to get a pina colada or other fruity drinks?  Also, it says free excursions, but then I read that you got $50 off excursions. Is that for every excursion or just for one?  Sorry, I just don’t know anything about NCL. 

Since the package covers the first $15 of drinks, all of the drinks we would order (including frozen drinks) are free. 
 

 

[CruizinSusan70]

Calling the 50.00 per port credit per cabin  can be called a joke depending upon whether it is worth any value to you.  Since we rarely get off the ship while sailing the Caribbean since we have sailed that region almost 40 times, even if it was 100 per port, it would be considered a joke to us.  

[phillygwm]

19 hours ago, Two Wheels Only said:

I didn't notice before but it looks like the price increase for the PBP and PPBP hasn't taken effect, yet. 

 

Currently...

PBP = $99 pppd + $19.80 pppd service charge

PPBP = $128 pppd + $ 25.60 pppd service charge

 

Increase...

PBP = $109 pppd + $21.80 pppd service charge

PPBP = $138 pppd + $27.60 pppd service charge

 

But as a practical matter, nobody buys these packages.  They get the FAS and, possibly, upgrade.  So it's $19.80 for PBP and an incremental $34.80 for PP.  Of course, if the "value" of the packages increase, the gratuity add-ons will as well.  In this case, that's $2/day for PBP and presumably $4 for PP.

[Two Wheels Only]

13 minutes ago, phillygwm said:

But as a practical matter, nobody buys these packages.  They get the FAS and, possibly, upgrade.  So it's $19.80 for PBP and an incremental $34.80 for PP.  Of course, if the "value" of the packages increase, the gratuity add-ons will as well.  In this case, that's $2/day for PBP and presumably $4 for PP.

 

Even with FAS, some people complain about the $19.80pppd. After the increase, those same people will complain about the $21.80pppd.

 

When the DSC goes up by 50 cents, some people complain. When the "free drinks" promo goes up, the forum might explode. 😯

[phillygwm]

3 hours ago, Two Wheels Only said:

 

Even with FAS, some people complain about the $19.80pppd. After the increase, those same people will complain about the $21.80pppd.

 

When the DSC goes up by 50 cents, some people complain. When the "free drinks" promo goes up, the forum might explode. 😯

I totally agree.  For me, it's all about the best value.  Not the cheapest; then I'd be booking inside cabins on MSC.  Instead, weighing the experience against the cost.  To this point, that's pointed me to NCL but I'm always checking the alternatives, as should everyone else.

 

I'll just have to make the additional cost up by consuming an extra glass of Champagne each day 🙂

 

Edited September 15, 2022 by phillygwm