Anyone else decline the open bar option?

[spanishguy1970]

On 6/8/2021 at 3:47 PM, CaptainWoody said:

Are the drink packages free? 

I don't know you tell me that

[spanishguy1970]

On 6/8/2021 at 11:27 PM, Nebr.cruiser said:

Well if you don't drink paying several hundred dollars in grats is a lot.  We don't even drink much pop.  And water, coffee isn't included.  I guess if we had to take the drinks package we might have a drink or two, but it's just not something either of us need/want.

 

We do like the specialty dining.  Probably for us we should just do the sailaway rate and pay ala carte for any specialty dinners we want.

Completely Agree.

[ClevelandCruisin]

On 6/7/2021 at 11:41 PM, sprint180 said:

We decline.  We don't use the restaurant offer either.

No restaurants either? Why not?

[ChiefMateJRK]

20 minutes ago, ClevelandCruisin said:

No restaurants either? Why not?

The gratuity add-on for our upcoming cruise is less than $8 per specialty restaurant dinner.  I understand non-drinkers refusing to pay the beverage gratuity, but I can't imagine wanting to avoid the $8 dinner gratuity.  Perhaps an aversion to having to make reservations?

[HowardK]

I just booked Alaska- think my deposit is due but spent all my money on Prime Day and Rebook sneakers yesterday.

By now they have a bundle of 4 items- the drink package, TWO whole meals (yes what sports! wasnt it 4 before), $50 port excursion credit and 250 minutes of internet.

They open up the internet office a few hours after people have enough free drinks so that they will get the premium internet package.

[Sailing12Away]

It's been 2 meals for as long as I've sailed with them.

[bkrickles1]

8 minutes ago, Sailing12Away said:

It's been 2 meals for as long as I've sailed with them.

It was 3 just last January on the Encore. 

[Sailing12Away]

1 hour ago, bkrickles1 said:

It was 3 just last January on the Encore. 

I guess I should have clarified... it depends on the length of your sailing.

 

For us, having never taken a cruise yet longer than 10 days, it's always been 2 freebies.

[bkrickles1]

1 minute ago, Sailing12Away said:

I guess I should have clarified... it depends on the length of your sailing.

 

For us, having never taken a cruise yet longer than 10 days, it's always been 2 freebies.

My Encore cruise was 7 days and the free at sea perk was 3 meals. January 19th 2020 

[ChiefMateJRK]

22 minutes ago, bkrickles1 said:

My Encore cruise was 7 days and the free at sea perk was 3 meals. January 19th 2020 

Was that back when the perks were limited?  (i.e. inside only got one, etc.)

[Two Wheels Only]

2 hours ago, Sailing12Away said:

It's been 2 meals for as long as I've sailed with them.

 

It went from unlimited meals (UDP) to 4 meals (2016) to 3 meals to 2 meals for the promo on a 7 night cruise.

 

Edited June 23, 2021 by Two Wheels Only

[KeithJenner]

For those discussing when the meals were limited to two, remember the relevant date is when you booked, not when you sailed.

[bkrickles1]

7 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Was that back when the perks were limited?  (i.e. inside only got one, etc.)

It might have been.

As someone else said here, it's when you booked not when you sailed, and I booked the Encore January 2019 for my January 2020 sailing and I had a balcony cabin.

All the other perks were the same as right now, except they've reduced the specialty meals from 3 to 2.

I just booked, last week, a sailing on Joy for this January and that was the only difference for me.

I bet the reduction makes it easier to get reservations as I bet most people won't purchase more meals. I know that I won't.

[ClevelandCruisin]

Maybe the reduction is due to limited capacity in restaurants? I'm sure they won't be full at first.

[4774Papa]

We dislike the bundled pricing of perks like the ridiculous drink package with the base fare the raise the cost of cruising NCL significantly.  We used to drink about $500 worth of alcohol for a typical 14 day cruise.   We drink mainly wine and always liked the 10 bottle wine deal on NCL.   Now, NCL's fares price it out of the competition with Royal C.

 

I have checked some cruises (we like transatlantics) and some have Sail Away rates that look better, but in several they are not available (SOLD OUT).  Please tell me why such rates would be sold out.

[MrsTocko]

On 6/6/2021 at 10:03 AM, Sailing12Away said:

If you take the drink package promotion, it works out to roughly 3 alcoholic beverages/day per person to break even. So if that is a lot for you, skip it and pay as you go.

 

For others like myself, challenge accepted! It's not to say that we plan on having a cocktail every hour of the day, but with the package you can try out those specialty drinks without worrying if you just wasted $12 on something you don't enjoy. You can have a mimosa at breakfast, a beer at lunch, and a glass of wine at dinner without having to keep track of your budget. You're on vacation, enjoy yourself.

Yes…this..and I can drink DH share as well, if I need to.  Do a pub crawl, no big.  Didn’t like that drink, I order something else.  I have done it where I am watching every penny, and decide at  noon if I want to drink with dinner or now.  Much prefer the drink package.  Comparatively. Carnival doesn’t include the drinks, their package is additional.  When I compare carnival, and add the cheers…it is roughly the same as ncl.  But it “feels” like I’m getting more for my $$$ because it is included.  I would NEVER pay full price for the drink package 100 per person per day…I can’t drink 200 worth per day…but the gratuity at 20 pp/pd…that is doable for sure

[Sailing12Away]

8 hours ago, 4774Papa said:

I have checked some cruises (we like transatlantics) and some have Sail Away rates that look better, but in several they are not available (SOLD OUT).  Please tell me why such rates would be sold out.

Because of people like you who don't want the inflated prices for a drink package they won't use. Supply and demand, and they only offer so many cabins at that rate. So if there's high demand, they sell out.

[4774Papa]

10 hours ago, Sailing12Away said:

Because of people like you who don't want the inflated prices for a drink package they won't use. Supply and demand, and they only offer so many cabins at that rate. So if there's high demand, they sell out.

It is a way to maximize revenue and ignore loyal passengers with modest drinking habits.   Supply and demand, yes, competition, so when cruise lines do this, other cruise lines become more competitive and gain the bookings.

[PhillyTravelBug]

I really wish they had the option of a non-alcoholic beverage package as a substitute for all of us that are in recovery.

[trivimp]

36 minutes ago, PhillyTravelBug said:

I really wish they had the option of a non-alcoholic beverage package as a substitute for all of us that are in recovery.

They have the "Adult & Teen Soda Package," something like that?  You can find it on the "Explore & Plan" page of your cruise.  

[Sailing12Away]

4 hours ago, PhillyTravelBug said:

I really wish they had the option of a non-alcoholic beverage package as a substitute for all of us that are in recovery.

Although I haven't tried it myself, I'm pretty sure that they would be willing to switch it from an alcohol package to a soda only for slightly less money. No harm in trying with a phone call.

[Lovecruise247]

On 6/7/2021 at 7:13 PM, Jamesatgsu said:

If not taking advantage of the offer, seems like you'd do the cheaper bare bones rate or book Carnival/MSC/RCL.

I would have done the barebones rate, but the offer of triple latitudes points was too attractive!  I did ask if I can get the extra points if I get the Guarantee Rate, I was told no.  We drink maybe one or two drinks a day, & not even that much on some days.  We do buy bottled water, & if that’s included, I would consider adding the drinks package back on; otherwise, its not worth it to us.

[4774Papa]

Drink packages are never good for us.  In the good old days, we purchased a wine package of say 10 bottles for a 14 day cruise.

[latebloomer56]

We are not doing the drink package in March they told me we had to all get the package in the cabin tax and tips came to 554.40 plus the only minor in the cabin needed the soda package (forget that additional cost). My husband doesn't drink our sons and myself do generally 1 maybe 2 so wasn't worth the cost for us. May have done the 3 of us if they let my husband take the soda instead, but they said nope.

For the meal package we did take this for the first two but it is only 2 dinners each not the 3 we got in 2019. We put the boys as primary because we get the 2 loyalty dinners and will just pay in full for our grandson.

[Sue Do-Over]

On 6/6/2021 at 12:25 PM, dbrown84 said:

the problem with just declining the drink package is you're only saving on the gratuities (about $20 a day).  NCL is still making out big because of the cost of the drink package is already included in your cruise fare.  Luckily, I cruise on casino comps so the price of the drink package is not a concern.  I still decline it though rather than pay the gratuities since I also get free drinks in the casino.  I'm limited to only the casino bar, but this has never been a problem for me. 

This is our situation, too.  We get PLENTY to drink in the casino.  Sure wish we could trade the drink package for a couple more dining credits, tho!