Ncl ubp

[Honestlee314]

Cruising on Epic in September. I like a few of what I call Cuba Libres, rum, coke and lime juice, especially with say Captain Morgans spiced rum. although they are not on the bar list will they be available?

 

I often get Rum and "coke", and the bartenders will make them however you specify. :) That being said, after visiting the Bacardi Factory, if you want a really good Cuba Libre, make sure you specify that they should squeeze the lime over the ice before they add the rum of your choice and coke! Enjoy! :D

[TifffanyD]

Well it could be worse. Carnival limits the number of drinks to 15 per day and the drink price to $10 per drink. And unlike Norwegian if the drink cost more than their $10 limit you have to pay the full price of the drink not just the difference. We enjoyed the Norwegian drinks package on our cruise in March. I just wish the bars would make all of the drinks. I don't like having to go to multiple bars to find one that can make my drink. Some might say a limit of 15 drinks per day is reasonable but I like to try new drinks and I like being able to throw them out if I don't like them.

 

Actually, Carnivals drink limit is $50. I don't consider that worse.

[TifffanyD]

Oops I see someone already posted that. Jana, I'm confused. First you say Carnival is no good because they "only" include 15 alcoholic drinks a day... but then you say you wouldn't spend $79 on the drink package. If you are drinking over 15 drinks a day then $79 is still a deal!

[ChrisNY2]

... I just wish the bars would make all of the drinks. I don't like having to go to multiple bars to find one that can make my drink...

 

Do you mean that the bars don't all stock all of the ingredients? Or that the bartenders don't know how to make what you order?

[erocrobro]

This ticks me off. I often drink cherry pepsi in the evenings (pepsi with cherry vodka) and now i can't get it without pay extra. I am really getting ticked off with NCL!

 

 

Just ask for a vodka and Pepsi with Grenadine. My kids ordered Shirley Temples and Roy Rogers all week long.

 

 

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[S.S.Oceanlover]

Oops I see someone already posted that. Jana, I'm confused. First you say Carnival is no good because they "only" include 15 alcoholic drinks a day... but then you say you wouldn't spend $79 on the drink package. If you are drinking over 15 drinks a day then $79 is still a deal!

 

I believe she said that she likes to try drinks she has never had before and if she doesn't like them just throw them out.

 

If you are restricted to 15 per day and you don't like half the drinks you try that day you are aren't going to get your moneys worth.

 

At lest that's how I interpreted it.:)

 

Bill

[Jana60]

Do you mean that the bars don't all stock all of the ingredients? Or that the bartenders don't know how to make what you order?

 

Not all of the bars have all of the drink ingredients. For instance the it's 5 o'clock somewhere bar does not have apple pucker liqueur. Another drink I like the mr. Worldwide requires mr. Pimms which is not available at all of the bars. All of the bartenders seem very knowledgeable and able to make all of the drinks they simply don't have all of the ingredients.

[Jana60]

I believe she said that she likes to try drinks she has never had before and if she doesn't like them just throw them out.

 

If you are restricted to 15 per day and you don't like half the drinks you try that day you are aren't going to get your moneys worth.

 

At lest that's how I interpreted it.:)

 

Bill

 

You understood me correctly Bill. I also don't like having to keep track of how many drinks I have had. I am not what most people would consider a heavy drinker however you would be surprised how many drinks a person can drink when on vacation if you start in the morning and have cold drinks or beers while sitting out in the sun at the pool. If you also end up drinking only a few sips from some drinks because you don't like them after you purchase them then you can go through 15 drinks pretty quickly. I tried some drink in the Teppanyaki restaurant that was very strong and really gross tasting so I only took one small sip and then ordered a glass of white zin. I didn't really count my drinks so I don't know whether I would have exceeded the 15 Allowed by Carnival or not but I enjoyed not even having to worry about it.

Edited August 6, 2016 by Jana60

[tinkr2]

This is a great post. Thanks so much for posting some of the new menus. Wow, 17.95 for a Dark n Stormy. I work in a theme park and I even think thats quite high. That Grey Goose is going to upset quite a few people. Thank heavens I am a Titos girl. I do not have any problem paying the difference in price if its a cocktail I want though. My fav cocktail on Oasis was not included in my beverage package but I still drank the heck out of it.

[TifffanyD]

Oh, I see. I like to try new things but I wouldn't want to throw out more than 1 or 2 drinks a day regardless. :)

[TifffanyD]

Just ask for a vodka and Pepsi with Grenadine. My kids ordered Shirley Temples and Roy Rogers all week long.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

I could... but grenadine isn't cherry and is kinda gross. I'll try it though. Thanks :)

[Jana60]

Oh, I see. I like to try new things but I wouldn't want to throw out more than 1 or 2 drinks a day regardless. :)

 

Well I don't go out of my way to order things that I know I won't like so if a drink has an ingredient that I already know I hate I don't order it. But if you never try new things you don't find out if you like them and I consider cruises my time to try new drinks, new foods, and new experiences to find out if I like them. Indeed it was on board a cruise ship many years ago that I discovered I love escargot. I also discovered on a cruise ship that I'm not too fond of frog legs. I guess it is sort of wasteful but how will I ever find out what I do like if I'm not open to trying new things.

[tinkr2]

I could... but grenadine isn't cherry and is kinda gross. I'll try it though. Thanks :)

 

The roses grenadine they use behind the bar is indeed a cherry flavored syrup. A small dash would create some of the taste you're looking for but not the same for sure. I also like flavored vodka with soda water but I can drink plain vodka just fine:D

[$hip$hape]

Not all of the bars have all of the drink ingredients. For instance the it's 5 o'clock somewhere bar does not have apple pucker liqueur. Another drink I like the mr. Worldwide requires mr. Pimms which is not available at all of the bars.

All of the bartenders seem very knowledgeable and able to make all of the drinks

they simply don't have all of the ingredients.

 

Nice post.

The bartenders would like tips, but are embarrassed that NCL bar managers are of no help.

Edited August 6, 2016 by $hip$hape

[$hip$hape]

Not all of the bars have all of the drink ingredients. For instance the it's 5 o'clock somewhere bar does not have apple pucker liqueur. Another drink I like the mr. Worldwide requires mr. Pimms which is not available at all of the bars. All of the bartenders seem very knowledgeable and able to make all of the drinks they simply don't have all of the ingredients.

 

Nice post.

The bartenders would like tips, but are embarrassed that NCL bar managers are of no help.

We were on the NCL Escape, when they ran out of Fireball.

Edited August 6, 2016 by $hip$hape

[TifffanyD]

The roses grenadine they use behind the bar is indeed a cherry flavored syrup. A small dash would create some of the taste you're looking for but not the same for sure. I also like flavored vodka with soda water but I can drink plain vodka just fine:D

 

Really? I will try it! Usually grenadine is pomegranate

[mom2tcdx2]

Just a heads up, as of 7/16 there has been a new price increase on supper premium brands. They now cost $16.95 per shot and are thus no longer fully included in the UBP. Also, many cocktail prices have also been adjusted to over $15. It used to be you had to search a bit to find drinks over $15, now the menu is full of them.

 

 

Does anyone know if the Sidecar Martini you used to get at LeBistro is still available? I am almost guessing if so it wouldn't be included with the UBP as I thought it had the VSOP in it

[tinkr2]

Really? I will try it! Usually grenadine is pomegranate

 

Grenadine is supposed to be pomegranate. Only craft bars make their own and not even that many. American mass produced grenadine is made with no actual fruit and is merely a cherry flavored cordial much enjoyed by all sweet drink consumers, whether it be a cherry coke or a pineapple upside down cake martini.

[triptolemus]

Grenadine is supposed to be li·queur. Only craft bars make their own and not even that many. American mass produced grenadine is made with no actual fruit and is merely a cherry flavored cordial much enjoyed by all sweet drink consumers, whether it be a cherry coke or a pineapple upside down cake martini.

 

It's not a cordial. It's just a flavored syrup. Cordial usually implies a liqueur, which obviously means alcohol. But you're right otherwise. Properly done, grenadine is a pomegranate juice and sugar reduction. The stuff in the bottle behind most bars is HFCS, tons of preservatives and other garbage.

 

Sorry to be pedantic! :)

[hawkeyetlse]

Does anyone know if the Sidecar Martini you used to get at LeBistro is still available? I am almost guessing if so it wouldn't be included with the UBP as I thought it had the VSOP in it

It is no longer listed on the Le Bistro menu (there are only two signature drinks now, "French Manhattan" and "Emperor's Nectar"). But you can ask and see if they will make it for you using Courvoisier VS, which is a "Premium" brand at $9.50.

[esm54687]

Some might say a limit of 15 drinks per day is reasonable but I like to try new drinks and I like being able to throw them out if I don't like them.

 

This practice alone is helping raise the cost of the UBP \ per drink cost... there are dozens of people that are responsible to make your "beverage sample" and that is an operations expense.... where do you think that expense is passed on to?

 

You are certainly not alone (as I have witnessed it also in the dining rooms with food) but at the end of the day..... no one should be shocked when prices go up when you pass dozens and dozens of 1\2 filled glasses during a week's cruise.

Edited August 12, 2016 by esm54687

[$hip$hape]

This practice alone is helping raise the cost of the UBP \ per drink cost... there are dozens of people that are responsible to make your "beverage sample" and that is an operations expense....

where do you think that expense is passed on to?

 

You are certainly not alone (as I have witnessed it also in the dining rooms with food) but at the end of the day.....

no one should be shocked when prices go up

when you pass dozens and dozens of 1\2 filled glasses during a week's cruise.

oh brother...

I just had a vision of NCL, now offering the "beverage sample" / bottom-half-glass special.:p

Edited August 12, 2016 by $hip$hape

[janvino]

I suspect my next cruise with NCL will be my last. So sad but it will be open season for my money. May the best cruise company win. Have 2 more cruise rewards and 2B2B booked for Jan2018 after that whatever.:D

Edited August 13, 2016 by janvino

[electro]

I can't believe some of those drinks are listed at $17.95 now, that is ridiculous.

Yeah, especially for a dark and stormy. Gosseling black run is Cheap:(

Edited August 13, 2016 by electro

[Jana60]

Yeah, especially for a dar and stormy. Gosseling black run is Cheap:(

 

While I agree that $17 is too much to pay for any drink it is true that the Gosling black seal rum costs twice as much as Bacardi rum which is their covered brand. They're covered premium brand is Bacardi Black. So maybe they could make the dark and stormy using that instead? If the Gosling black seal rum is stronger you can simply drink more of them if you have the drink mixed with a alcohol that is covered on the drink program.