CAS drink card is 18% added?

I am taking my first cruise with NCL with CAS program. I was told I was getting a drink card for the in the casino, but have saw lots and lots of posts about the added 18% on beverages and was curious to know if that applys to the drink cards as well. Another silly question..Are there waitresses serving drinks at the slot machines like on a land based casino, or just a bar? Also do you have to be playing at the casino to get a drink? I am hoping to not add the UBP and make the most of the free drinks...lol:)

I am taking my first cruise with NCL with CAS program. I was told I was getting a drink card for the in the casino, but have saw lots and lots of posts about the added 18% on beverages and was curious to know if that applys to the drink cards as well. Another silly question..Are there waitresses serving drinks at the slot machines like on a land based casino, or just a bar? Also do you have to be playing at the casino to get a drink? I am hoping to not add the UBP and make the most of the free drinks...lol:)

Even if it was added, 18% of a free (no cost) drink is still $0, so either way you are covered.

I am taking my first cruise with NCL with CAS program. I was told I was getting a drink card for the in the casino, but have saw lots and lots of posts about the added 18% on beverages and was curious to know if that applys to the drink cards as well. Another silly question..Are there waitresses serving drinks at the slot machines like on a land based casino, or just a bar? Also do you have to be playing at the casino to get a drink? I am hoping to not add the UBP and make the most of the free drinks...lol:)

You are supposed to be playing to get the free drinks in the casino. There is no 18% charged on the casino drinks, they're totally free, but normally tip the waiters/waitresses. They're wandering around just like on land.

Haha!! oh my..must have had one of those silly blonde moments..I guess 18% of 0 would be 0! Maybe I should leave the drinks alone..lol

The servers in the casino will take your room card and scan it but nothing will charge to you if you have the CAS 'free drinks' card. And they do love those tips but nothing is mandatory. If you haven't seen the server come by for a while we have taken our cards to the casino bar and gotten them ourselves. No one has questioned if we are playing when we walk up to the bar to get it ourselves. Also, this is the only place you can get free bottled water which is nice to take to the beach the next day. :cool:

I am taking my first cruise with NCL with CAS program. I was told I was getting a drink card for the in the casino, but have saw lots and lots of posts about the added 18% on beverages and was curious to know if that applys to the drink cards as well. Another silly question..Are there waitresses serving drinks at the slot machines like on a land based casino, or just a bar? Also do you have to be playing at the casino to get a drink? I am hoping to not add the UBP and make the most of the free drinks...lol:)

I have always got free drinks using my drink card at the casino bar. You don't have to be gambling at the time. If you're anything like me, your gambling enough on the cruise anyway lol.

Each casino has a bar, and you can go right up and order a drink. As stated above, they will swipe your card, but no charged fee.

Safe sailing....enjoy

It also depends on what level you are as to what kind of drinks you can get. The lowest level drink card gets beer and bottom shelf liquor and wine. The higher level cards get better quality alcohol. But you can order more expensive drinks and just pay a portion of the price.