All the major mass-market cruise lines offer flat-fee drinks packages that, in some cases, can save you money when cruising. Soda Package. Passengers can receive the Premium Beverage Package for free through Norwegians Free at Sea promotion. CHEERS! Luckily, the cruise line runs the Free at Sea promotion so frequently that we dont really ever have to worry about this scenario. All lattes and cappuccinos incurred a charge. The Ultimate Guide to Cruise Drink Packages. So you would have to drink more than 10 of that price level drink, 30oz Blue Tumbler Stainless Steel Double Wall Vacuum Insulated Mug with Straw and Lid, Cleaning Brush for Cold and Hot Beverages, Hydrapeak Roadster 40oz Tumbler with Handle and 2-in-1 Straw Lid, Insulated Leak Proof Double Walled Stainless Steel Coffee Travel Mug - Keeps Cold for 34 Hours or Hot for 10 Hours (Ice), Beast 40 oz Tumbler Stainless Steel Vacuum Insulated Coffee Ice Cup Double Wall Travel Flask (Matte Black). This takes the place of paying for drinks one at a time. The package is not valid on Holland Americas private island, Half Moon Cay. Start with these stories: The credit card offers that appear on the website are from credit card companies from which ThePointsGuy.com receives compensation. What it includes: Beer, wine by the glass, mixed drinks, specialty cocktails, soda, juices, nonalcoholic cocktails, energy drinks, specialty coffees, teas and most bottled water. Other packages: Celebrity also offers a less inclusive classic drinks package that now is included in the fare for its sailings as part of its new Always Included fare structure. Cost per day: $128, not including a 20% gratuity charge (effective Jan. 1, 2023, pricing will rise to $138). As part of its drinks package price hike on Jan. 1, Norwegian will also raise the cost of a less-expensive drinks package it offers that has a $15 cap on the price level of drinks that can be ordered. That is the only reason I would think they would do that. Exclusive: Norwegian Cruise Line Free at Sea Deals. I know Carnival has the Party reputation and I have never gone on Carnival, but I surely would. So get ready to drink to your hearts content just dont go overboard on the alcohol (pun intended). Absolutely not! While the $99 per person per day base charge will be waved, you'll still be paying the 20% gratuity and beverage service charge on the full retail price of the package. That's not entirely true. Our opinions are our own, and have not been reviewed, approved, or endorsed by our advertising partners. Check your cruise itinerary to see if you are visiting any private islands or resorts. is one of the lowest-priced drink packages of the mainstream cruise lines. Is the Drink Package Worth it on a Cruise? Other packages: Princess also offers a less pricey Plus Beverage package that can be used for drinks priced up to $12. What it includes: A large selection of beers including craft beers, wine by the glass, mixed drinks, specialty cocktails, Coca-Cola products, juices, nonalcoholic cocktails, energy drinks, specialty coffees, teas and premium bottled water. Bringing alcohol onboard at embarkation: Beer and liquor is not allowed -- items will be secured until disembarkation day. This unlimited soda program le. How to get free or cheap drinks on a cruise, The 8 best drinks to order with a cruise ship beverage package, These 15 cruise ship bars are not to be missed when cruising, How to plan a cruise with points and miles. Other packages: Norwegian has two less-inclusive, less expensive alcoholic beverage packages. If you are only drinking a few drinks per day, it is probably cheaper for you to not choose the free at sea promos. Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. Amazing, Funny & Totally Awesome Cruise Photos, Click here to reload the page in order to enable certain features, Policy regarding COVID related Discussions, C858B0A9-6769-424D-B129-59363EDAC023.jpeg, B5073042-BF8A-4EEC-BD19-0938D8732763.jpeg. If youre planning on purchasing the drink package, the Princess Plus fare is an excellent way to save money. has written about cruising for more than 25 years and for many years oversaw USA Todays award-winning cruise site. As always, checking with your cruise line to understand what is included and excluded in their drink package is best. Limitations related to drink cost: Cannot be used for drinks priced over $18. don't-use-real-name 6.1k February 4, 2010 Bloomington MN USA #7 Posted July 4, 2019 There is no. The Corks and Caps Wine and Beer Package, priced at $65 per day, includes beer . Virgin Voyages will top up the amount when guests pre-purchase the Bar Tab before sailing. Take your tastebuds on a trip with free meals at our Speciality Dining venues. Have another, we won't tell.*. Once youve done the calculation, its time to decide whether or not the drink package is worth the investment. Although you need to be aware of the limit, we dont think most passengers will reach it. Of course, staff do have the right to refuse you bar service if you are intoxicated. While some companies (such as Norwegian Cruise Line) apply a sticker to your key card at check-in to indicate that you've purchased a drink package, Carnival handles things slightly. These have bubbles, but theyre not sparkling water. Most drinks packages have a unit cost upper limit of $12-$15 per drink, depending on the cruise line's policy. Heidi is a physical therapist by profession, cruise enthusiast at heart, and Princess all the time! Here are some of the risks. In cases where a line offers more than one drinks package, weve highlighted the most inclusive package in detail while also noting other packages cruisers can consider. The Unlimited Open Bar Beverage Package, priced at $99 per day, adds spirits and cocktails priced up to $15 (effective Jan. 1, 2023, pricing will go up to $109). While you might be able to consume enough drinks on sea days to make the package worth the price, youll have to consider the days that you will spend in port. A few friends of mine have, and really liked the food and the overall cruise. The maximum beverage price covered by the package is $15. You don't need a drinks package to be able to drink alcoholic beverages or any other type of beverage on a ship. Other packages: Oceania offers a less expensive House Select package that includes wine and beer with lunch and dinner. Earn 5X Membership Rewards Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. By These are: Premium Beverage Package (AKA Open Bar) - $99 per day Premium Plus Beverage Package - $128 per day Corks & Caps Wine and Beer Package - $65 per day Adult & Teen Soda Program - $7.95 per day Hawaii Beverage Packag e - $99 per day Cost per day: $79.99, not including an 18% gratuity charge. When you choose the UDP, the 18 percent of the cost of the package is added to the cost of the cruise. All Norwegian Cruise Line beverage packages are priced per person, per day. I believe that your account is debited the cost of the drink; then it is debited the 18% and finally the cost of the drink is credited. Other packages: The slightly less expensive Signature Beverage Package only includes drinks costing up to $11. The cruiseline has partnered with JUST Goods Water, replacing single-use plastic bottles with a plant-based carton. Some cruise lines, such as Carnival, limit the number of alcoholic drinks that any one person can order using a drinks package to 15 in a day. Rules vary among cruise lines, but generally, if one adult purchases the drink package, all adults sharing the cabin must also purchase the same beverage plan. 15 $ limit is nice for a free at sea. The cost of cruise line drinks packages varies widely by line. After all, at $109 a day plus a 20 percent gratuity, the Norwegian Ultimate Beverage Package only covers drinks which come in at under $15 (as opposed to the $50 cap on Carnival), and does. They also generally don't apply to drinks taken out of cabin minibars. Before deciding to purchase a drink package, we recommend doing a little math to find out if it will save money or be an unnecessary expense. *Based on a 7-night cruise, balcony & above. Norwegian Cruise Line Bahamas Cruise Deals. How much is a glass of wine on Norwegian cruise? If you pay outright for the, The gratuities for the free premium package are $13.80 per day. Your Cabin Mate Has Different Drinking Habits Than You. Available on: All ships except Pride of America. That said, many cruise lines will allow you to use the drink package on their private islands. Norwegian Cruise Line offers its Premium and Premium Plus beverage packages for $99 per person per day and $128 per person per day. Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the authors alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. In simple terms, you can get almost anything on the ship that's priced less than $15 per glass. The cruise line offers the Unlimited. If you decide to purchase the beverage package, booking online ahead of time is better. Several of the biggest cruise lines, including Carnival, Holland America and MSC Cruises, have a rule that if one adult in a cabin orders a drinks package, all adults in the cabin must order the package. These Are The Cruise Accessories Youll Absolutely Love! More Norwegian Cruise Line Redeployments Announced, Norwegian Cruise Drink of the Day on Norwegian Escape, 31 Cruise Embarkation Day Tips Every Cruiser Needs to Know, Complete Guide to Princess Cruises Drink Packages, Complete Guide to Drink Packages on Celebrity Cruises (2023), Royal Caribbean Drink Packages Guide (2023), Everything You Need to Know About Norwegian's Free at Sea in 2023, The Complete Guide to Popular Cruise Ships With Pickleball Courts, Complete Guide to Drink Packages on Carnival (2023). The cruise was 14 days and the package was called their Silver Spirts package. By proceeding, you agree to Cruise Critics. Whether you've been daydreaming of hiking to one of Alaska's pristine glaciers, touring ancient ruins in the Greek Isles or exploring one of our other top destinations, get more free when you cruise with NCL. For a simple estimation, figure out what drinks you will consume (beer, wine, soda, whiskey) and how many drinks you will consume daily. What it includes: Beer, wine by the glass, mixed drinks and cocktails (soda, beer and house wines by the glass ordered at lunch and dinner already are included in the fare at Viking; so are specialty coffees and teas at all hours). BIGGER & BETTER NEW HUGE 40oz BEAST has arrived! Based on this cost, if you and your cabin mate will drink on average at least 2 alcoholic drinks/day, then the Norwegian Cruise Line Drink Package is worth getting as a free perk. Some cruise lines also let you use your packages when visiting their private islands. Note that the pricing listed is per person, per day. We'll run a soft credit check to find special offers, but it wont affect your credit score. You can not purchase just select days. Cost per day: $59, not including a 15% gratuity charge. The majority of town beer shops are open before 8 p.m. or 6 p.m. on weekends. Book today and enjoy 50% Off all cruises! If your favorite tipple is a more expensive premium single malt Scotch, you will have to pay the difference in price. Non-Refundable. Infectious disease COVID and norovirus outbreaks are common on cruise ships. For example,Royal Caribbeans CocoCay islandand MSCs Ocean Cay allow you to use your beverage package for drinks on land. as long as the regular drink package is offered as the free at sea promotion,i find that this is sufficient for my wife and myself, by nature she is not a big drinker (although neither am I) but we will have a glass of champagne or mimosa at breakast and she will join me in a mojito during the afternoon. Cost includes $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. I can assume an 18 year old single malt scotch is well over $15but by how much? We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. Youll just have to pay the gratuities. Unlike some cruise lines, Norwegian doesn't currently have a limit on how many drinks you can have per day with any of their packages. Get $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection bookings, which requires a minimum two-night stay, through American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card. Princess Cruises is the only cruise line we know of that doesnt require all passengers sharing a cabin to purchase the drink package. If you decide to purchase a drink package on your cruise, you will have to purchase it for every day of the vacation. Of course, this number of drinks varies slightly based on your drink preferences. Some cruise lines will provide discounts on bottles of wine when you purchase a beverage package, but it is best to check with your cruise line as not every package provides discounts on bottles of wine. Thats the equivalent of 2-3 alcohol drinks per day for the couple depending on price. For the above reasons, we dont think drink package purchases make sense for most cruisers. The My Drinks package is included in the All Inclusive Rate and includes soft drinks, Draught Heineken, classic cocktails, soda, liquors, and spirits. The alternate package is the "Premium Plus Beverage Package." Priced at $138 per day, this is Norwegian's most expensive and highest-end package. Cost per day: $84, not including a 20% automatic gratuity charge, for passengers who have purchased a cruise-only rate. No actually it is what the UBP would cost for 16 days for two people (at the previous rate of $59/day).