NCL Ultimate Beverage Package

[NancyL2]

If the two cabins are on separate reservations, I would imagine you only pay for the people on the one reservation.

 

That's how I'm reading it also.

I'm on the Jewel this September traveling with my sister and her husband. Adjoining cabins. Two separate reservations.

I plan on buying the UBP.

[Demonyte]

From NCL's website:

 

"Packages must be purchased by all qualifying individuals residing in the stateroom or additional staterooms under the same method of payment for the entire length of the cruise."

[peg013]

Darn - I thought I beat the system. We have two cabins and were only going to get the UBP for the DH. I don't drink enough to make it anywhere near being worthwhile.

 

Our reservations are not linked in any way.....even when I call NCL, to add something to the reservation, they don't even know I have 2 cabins. I keep begging them to link them and they won't/cant

 

If you have your DH and one child in one cabin as long as you use a separate credit card in your name for your cabin expenses, you should be okay. You will have to buy the soda package for the child in his cabin. If you use the same credit card as your DH, then both cabins must buy.

[Cruiser Who Knows Nothing]

Very interesting everyone. Thanks so much.

 

 

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[txjess]

I got my first drink package on an RCI ship. As a moderate drinker, I could not drink enough to make it worth while. Especially when you figure that you have to make up for the 3 days ashore.

 

I started my days with bloody Mary's or mimosas or poinsettias, a couple drinks by the pool in the afternoon, a cocktail before dinner and a couple of glasses of wine with dinner, with maybe a nightcap. This is a lot of alcohol for me, but typical vacation behavior. We always manage to get 4 bottles of wine on a ship.

 

Cost of drink package $350. My highest bar tab on a cruise ever $288. All depends on what you drink I guess.

[js]

You have to buy one for each adult on the same trip who is traveling with you, whether they are in the same cabin or not, and each child needs the soda package.

 

Hope this helps!

 

Hi.

We sailed in 4 BA cabins on the Breakaway in July. There were 10 of us, all family (my family of 4, my mom and my sister and her dh/3 kids.

My mom had my dd and my sister's 2 kids listed on paper in her cabin.

The only cabins that purchased the UBP were my sister's cabin and my cabin.

My mom's cabin did not have to purchase at all.

I had us eating in specialty restaurants together but there was not any problem on

her having to purchase the the package for that cabin. I made sure we were never "linked" but I believe we were since anytime I called to ask or do something they saw us all together.

 

To the poster that has two cabins and they are not linked, I would think that one cabin should be able to get while the other does not. At least that is how it worked for us.

[Demonyte]

To the poster that has two cabins and they are not linked, I would think that one cabin should be able to get while the other does not. At least that is how it worked for us.

 

You are missing the already mentioned point about the same payment method. With NCL there is no such thing as linked reservations like on other cruise lines.

[peg013]

You are missing the already mentioned point about the same payment method. With NCL there is no such thing as linked reservations like on other cruise lines.

 

My reservations are always linked on Norwegian. Each specifically notes the other reservation number(s) and the name of lead guest(s)....not sure why you think there is no such thing?

Edited April 2, 2014 by peg013

[Demonyte]

My reservations are always linked on Norwegian. Each specifically notes the other reservation number(s) and the name of lead guest(s)....not sure why you think there is no such thing?

 

I have never seen such thing on any of my NCL originated confirmations even though I've booked several cabins at the same time through the PCC. Only time I've seen anything resembling that are the confirmations from our current TA (their own confirmations, they do not send NCL's confirmations to end clients).

 

Also it's been discussed here several times that reservations can not be linked like it's done on other cruise lines - I'm sure that their CRM has fields where info about other reservations and other related things can be saved but based on my own experiences and threads here I still believe that what I said is true.

 

I'm happy to be proven wrong if somebody can do it. :)

[peg013]

I have never seen such thing on any of my NCL originated confirmations even though I've booked several cabins at the same time through the PCC. Only time I've seen anything resembling that are the confirmations from our current TA (their own confirmations, they do not send NCL's confirmations to end clients).

 

Also it's been discussed here several times that reservations can not be linked like it's done on other cruise lines - I'm sure that their CRM has fields where info about other reservations and other related things can be saved but based on my own experiences and threads here I still believe that what I said is true.

 

I'm happy to be proven wrong if somebody can do it. :)

 

I haven't seen any conversations about the inability to link reservations. Can you link some for us? Only ones I see are ones that want to complete online reservations for a linked reservation which cannot be done. All I know is when I call my PCC or shore excursions, etc, they can see my linked reservations......they must be magical.

Edited April 2, 2014 by peg013

[js]

I was told my four cabins on the Breakaway were linked both by Costco and NCL. Only one person paid for all 10 people/4 BA cabins, which was my mother.

 

I had to ask and was told by NCL to unlink my reservations so as not to have any trouble booking the UBP since my sister's cabin and my cabin were the only ones that wanted it.

The nice NCL person said to unlink my reservations. I am only telling you what happened and you can say it didn't happen LOL but it was I that it happened too as well as your hearing from others they have been "linked".

 

Either way, the poster was able to get the information they wanted so whatever.

[ottawa2009]

Just found out there is no Ultimate Drink Package for Apr 6 Breakaway Cruise! All that hip and advertising about upgrades. I guess I missed the small print about spring break restriction or do the Haven cabins get it as indicated in the advertising anyway. I hope they at least have buckets of beer. The funning thing is that NCL is offering the Ultimate Beer/Wine package at $44 each day on this cruise – why not then, for the $5 more each day, allow the 21 plus adults having the liquor access. Smells like an adult money grab if they are not allowing both.

[hawkeyetlse]

I hope they at least have buckets of beer.

They will.

The funning thing is that NCL is offering the Ultimate Beer/Wine package at $44 each day on this cruise – why not then, for the $5 more each day, allow the 21 plus adults having the liquor access. Smells like an adult money grab if they are not allowing both.

Are you absolutely sure about this? According to NCL's websites, the Spring Break blackout period applies to both packages. See ncl.com, ncl.co.uk, and ncl.eu. I don't recall reading any reports of someone being able to get the Corks and Caps (unlimited beer and wine) package on a sailing where the UBP was not offered. Edited April 4, 2014 by hawkeyetlse

[ottawa2009]

Yes that is what NCL told me today when I phoned using the number on this liink

 

http://www.ncl.com/freestyle-cruise/gifts-and-more#ultimate

 

I hope they surprise us and end up offering both packages on the ship.

Edited April 4, 2014 by ottawa2009

[triptolemus]

Yes that is what NCL told me today when I phoned using the number on this liink

 

http://www.ncl.com/freestyle-cruise/gifts-and-more#ultimate

 

I hope they surprise us and end up offering both packages on the ship.

 

Don't get your hopes up. Neither package is available during the blackout period.

 

http://www.ncl.com/promo/corks-and-caps-package/terms

 

The phone reps oftentimes get it wrong.

[CruiseNwill]

You are missing the already mentioned point about the same payment method. With NCL there is no such thing as linked reservations like on other cruise lines.

 

I think you are missing the point.... It doesn't matter how the rooms are paid for it's the credit card on file for room charges (when you check in you give them a credit card for all charges) if that card is the same for say 2 or more rooms then all must get ubp if every room has it's own cc then that is considered different payment methods.

[sebas030]

If the cruise starts February 28th is the package available for the week ??

 

 

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[LrgPizza]

If the cruise starts February 28th is the package available for the week ??

No. The terms state, "Also not available during blackout dates of March 1 – April 15, applies to sailings that includes these dates." Since some of the dates during your cruise fall in the blackout period, the entire cruise is blacked out.

[isdoo]

No. The terms state, "Also not available during blackout dates of March 1 – April 15, applies to sailings that includes these dates." Since some of the dates during your cruise fall in the blackout period, the entire cruise is blacked out.

 

Depends on the ship

[LrgPizza]

Depends on the ship

Of course. I guess I should've posted the entire terms instead of just the pertinent part, to ensure you didn't get confused. Sorry.

[isdoo]

Of course. I guess I should've posted the entire terms instead of just the pertinent part, to ensure you didn't get confused. Sorry.

 

I am never confused - but others might be.

 

Little point in replying if you can't give an accurate response :)

[sicness4x4]

No. The terms state, "Also not available during blackout dates of March 1 – April 15, applies to sailings that includes these dates." Since some of the dates during your cruise fall in the blackout period, the entire cruise is blacked out.

I've had the UBP on my last two Epic cruises out of Miami on 02/23/13-03/02/13 and 02/23/14-03/02/14. I guess it could be new t&c within the last month.

Edited April 4, 2014 by sicness4x4

[LrgPizza]

I am never confused - but others might be.

 

Little point in replying if you can't give an accurate response :)

My response was accurate, unless you are alleging the info in the NCL terms isn't accurate. It merely addressed a specific question at hand, and didn't answer a question that wasn't asked. Again, I apologize that this confused you. Even though it didn't. :cool:

[LrgPizza]

I've had the UBP on my last two Epic cruises out of Miami on 02/23/13-03/02/13 and 02/23/14-03/02/14. I guess it could be new t&c within the last month.

Doesn't surprise me. Like everything else NCL does, they don't always stick to their own written terms. Thanks for the info!

[happy cruzin]

For those interested, here is my review of the UBP from our last cruise. It was posted here when we returned but I don't know how to link it.

 

 

I thought I would give you an up dated review of the UBP on the Sky. We sailed on 9/20/13 on the Sky and ordered the UBP package as soon as we walked on the ship. They had a desk set up in Dazzles where you can make dinner reservation, buy wine packages, and purchase the UBP. Vey simple to find and purchase. Turn right when you walk inside the ship and you will run into it. Total price for two......$338.10

 

We were not turned down for any drink we ordered. We had beer, wine, drink of day, piña Coladas, Martinis, Irish mist, Bailey's, Bloody Mary's, and mimosas. There were plenty more choices but those were our favorites. The list that was linked on a pervious post was accurate.

 

Ordering drinks was no problem. Every where we went waiters were asking us if we wanted another drink. We only ever showed one card. We easily ordered two drinks at once. Sometimes they would place all four (ours and our friends) drinks on one card. Service was great! Drinks were never watered down, in fact, I was surprised to find floaters on my piña coladas. There was a price difference on the ones with floaters and ones without, but both were covered under the package.

 

I checked the bill and we were never charged for any drinks we ordered. The drinks were not itemized on the bill, just the charge for the package and any tips we added. We did tip a few waiters extra who went above and beyond to keep our drinks filled.

 

 

Let's just say we made money on the deal. My husband is a beer drinker and enjoys irish mist on the rocks. I am an occasional drinker. If I drink 5 glasses of wine a month, that is a lot. We figured we were with friends so I would be drinking more and and my husband would make up the difference. What we found was because we did not worry about money, we ordered things that we wanted but would not usually order. For example, 3 Bailey's on the rocks after dinner and 3 chocolate raspberry Martinis at Cagney's because they were just so good.

 

We found the drink package worth it for the 3 day cruise. On a 7day with just the two of us and the kids we most likely would not purchase it. I don't think my liver would be able to handle 7 days of that kind of drinking.

 

 

 

I want to add that at no time were we ever drunk and stupid. We are sailing again on the EPIC next month. It is spring break so no UBP. However, we did talk and had decided to only purchase for one adult. We do have 2 rooms this time and could have easily bought just one for an adult and the soda for the child in the one room. I would have paid for single drinks for myself. I just could not keep up that pace for 7 days.

 

 

Good info....sounds like you had an excellent experience!

Those with first hand experience - are the drinks in the UBP limited to the house brands? Can you order Captain or Absolute, etc.

What about martini's in the specialty restaurants or at the martini bar?? Are the included?? Under the 8.50 limit??

 

What about "doubles"? Due to the alcohol/mixer ratio - we usually order doubles. Can that be done with the UBP??

One last question....if you have on board credit and purchase the UBP once on board does the OBC get applied to that charge??

Thanks in advance!

Edited April 6, 2014 by happy cruzin