Open Bar / Premium Beverage Package

[ASBJumper]

Hey guys,

 

Quick question - can someone please actually post a picture of a drink menu at any open lounge/bar on an NCL ship, so i can get an idea of prices?

My "free at sea" beverage package just says "anything under $15" or whatever, but if every cocktail that appeals to me is like 15.50, then basically i'm screwed and the package is useless... how much is a pina colada on NCL?? lol

[FLAHAM]

Package is hardly useless.  You would pay fifty cents for a $15.50 drink.  Lots of drinks $15 and under.

[PTC DAWG]

3 minutes ago, ASBJumper said:

Hey guys,

 

Quick question - can someone please actually post a picture of a drink menu at any open lounge/bar on an NCL ship, so i can get an idea of prices?

My "free at sea" beverage package just says "anything under $15" or whatever, but if every cocktail that appeals to me is like 15.50, then basically i'm screwed and the package is useless... how much is a pina colada on NCL?? lol

A PC, less than $15, unless you go ultra premium with your rum. 

[mjkacmom]

Most are $15 or under (including pina coladas), if you happen to find a drink you want over $15 you just pay the difference and the gratuity.

[JAFA13]

Pina coladas, daiquiris, Bahama mama’s etc are all under $15. If a drink it over $15 you pay the difference. 

[ASBJumper]

OHHHH..... allrighty then, that changes things!! lol.. I thought it was "if it's over $15 you have to pay for it".... as in, pay for the whole thing. Awesome!! Thx guys!

 

[BirdTravels]

47 minutes ago, ASBJumper said:

Hey guys,

 

Quick question - can someone please actually post a picture of a drink menu at any open lounge/bar on an NCL ship, so i can get an idea of prices?

My "free at sea" beverage package just says "anything under $15" or whatever, but if every cocktail that appeals to me is like 15.50, then basically i'm screwed and the package is useless... how much is a pina colada on NCL?? lol

[BirdTravels]

41 minutes ago, ASBJumper said:

OHHHH..... allrighty then, that changes things!! lol.. I thought it was "if it's over $15 you have to pay for it".... as in, pay for the whole thing. Awesome!! Thx guys!

 

Nope. If the drink is $16, you pay $1 + $0.20 grats = $1.20. 

[Turtles06]

In the event that wine is also of interest to you: last month on the Gem we found a very limited selection of wines by the glass at $15 or less. Even the domestic sparkling wine Domaine Chandon was an absurd $20/glass.   

[Tbird58]

We're booked on the Pearl - April 2024 & it's the first NCL we've done for years.  

Regarding water  with the FAS Bev package (not Premium -just regular)... can only get water in a glass?  NCL rep said we cannot get water in a bottle, can or container to take to our room unless it was offered when we booked, or if we upgrade the package.  I was shocked!!!  If that 's the case, is there water available through dispensers like ice or tea?  I can fill my Yeti for the room.  

 

We always upgrade the bev package on Celebrity since we nicer wines & hubs likes the varieties of scotches & whiskey's.  But I can't see upgrading hundreds of dollars for water!!!

[BirdTravels]

12 minutes ago, Tbird58 said:

We're booked on the Pearl - April 2024 & it's the first NCL we've done for years.  

Regarding water  with the FAS Bev package (not Premium -just regular)... can only get water in a glass?  NCL rep said we cannot get water in a bottle, can or container to take to our room unless it was offered when we booked, or if we upgrade the package.  I was shocked!!!  If that 's the case, is there water available through dispensers like ice or tea?  I can fill my Yeti for the room.  

 

We always upgrade the bev package on Celebrity since we nicer wines & hubs likes the varieties of scotches & whiskey's.  But I can't see upgrading hundreds of dollars for water!!!

Nothing to be shocked about. NCL has never included bottled water in their basic beverage package.

 

If you have your Yeti, you must take a clean glass at the buffet and dispense water into the glass (i.e., never place your bottle up to a dispenser). You can also ask a bartender to fill your bottle. 

 

To save you effort, you can buy water by the box or a package of boxes (6, 12, or 24 1-liter boxes of water). 

 

Does not include Wine and Spirit Experiences, tastings or flights, Starbucks, Ice Bars, room service, package sales, bottled water, ship specific promotions, Connoisseur Collection beverages, bottled wine, mini bar purchases, fresh squeezed juices, wine dispenser, energy drinks or vending machines.

Edited March 25, 2023 by BirdTravels

[Tbird58]

1 minute ago, BirdTravels said:

NCL has never included bottled water in their basic beverage package. If you have your Yeti, you must take a clean glass at the buffet and dispense water into the glass (i.e., never place your bottle up to a dispenser). You can also ask a bartender to fill your bottle. 

 

Does not include Wine and Spirit Experiences, tastings or flights, Starbucks, Ice Bars, room service, package sales, bottled water, ship specific promotions, Connoisseur Collection beverages, bottled wine, mini bar purchases, fresh squeezed juices, wine dispenser, energy drinks or vending machines.

Thanks!  The NCL rep said I could buy the Flow water if I wanted.  Just surprised there was a charge..I feel like I'm paying more & more with all FAS 'extra charges compared to other cruise lines.  But, this was the itinerary we wanted.  It will be fine I'm sure !  

Yes, I always use a clean glass to fill Yeti.  

[mjkacmom]

1 hour ago, Tbird58 said:

Thanks!  The NCL rep said I could buy the Flow water if I wanted.  Just surprised there was a charge..I feel like I'm paying more & more with all FAS 'extra charges compared to other cruise lines.  But, this was the itinerary we wanted.  It will be fine I'm sure !  

Yes, I always use a clean glass to fill Yeti.  

The UDP with free at sea is around $20 a day pp, cheaper than others that you pay for.

[ohio_cruiser]

On 3/22/2023 at 4:55 PM, Turtles06 said:

In the event that wine is also of interest to you: last month on the Gem we found a very limited selection of wines by the glass at $15 or less. Even the domestic sparkling wine Domaine Chandon was an absurd $20/glass.   

 

On 3/22/2023 at 4:55 PM, Turtles06 said:

In the event that wine is also of interest to you: last month on the Gem we found a very limited selection of wines by the glass at $15 or less. Even the domestic sparkling wine Domaine Chandon was an absurd $20/glass.   

We cruised on the EPIC in January of this year. Same thing, wine under $15 was slim to none. That hasn't been the case on any previous NCL cruise. Also many times the waiter would just pour "any" red  wine, not even close on what we requested. Many name brand liquors were also not to be found, like something as simple as Crown Royal.

 

We cruise on the Getaway starting May 11, 2023. Will be interesting if anything has improved.

Edited March 25, 2023 by ohio_cruiser

[Tbird58]

14 hours ago, mjkacmom said:

The UDP with free at sea is around $20 a day pp, cheaper than others that you pay for.

Is that the upgraded Drink package?  20.00 a day plus gratuities over what we've already paid in gratuities?  Thanks.

[KeithJenner]

12 minutes ago, Tbird58 said:

Is that the upgraded Drink package?  20.00 a day plus gratuities over what we've already paid in gratuities?  Thanks.

The $20 referred to Is the gratuities.

[Turtles06]

16 hours ago, ohio_cruiser said:

 

We cruised on the EPIC in January of this year. Same thing, wine under $15 was slim to none. That hasn't been the case on any previous NCL cruise. Also many times the waiter would just pour "any" red  wine, not even close on what we requested.

On the Gem, when we ordered Prosecco, which was on the wine list, often we would be given a cheap French sparkling wine instead. One wine steward even poured it into my wife’s glass without stating it wasn’t Prosecco. When I suggested to him that if he didn’t have what was ordered, he should let the guests know before he poured something else, he seemed not to understand the problem. 

[fastpitchdad]

18 hours ago, ohio_cruiser said:

 

We cruised on the EPIC in January of this year. Same thing, wine under $15 was slim to none. That hasn't been the case on any previous NCL cruise. Also many times the waiter would just pour "any" red  wine, not even close on what we requested. Many name brand liquors were also not to be found, like something as simple as Crown Royal.

 

We cruise on the Getaway starting May 11, 2023. Will be interesting if anything has improved.

 

The wine above $15 isn't that great either but the good news is that with any drink package there is no longer a corkage fee when you bring your own wine. 

[luv2kroooz]

Yeah, their wine selection leaves a lot to be desired. The beer menus on the non-District brewhouse ships is looking a bit weak, too. Aside from their ridiculous "Mickey Mouse" pricing on a few things like Crown Royal, Chambord, Baileys, there is a lot of decent liquor included. For us, we really don't enjoy the frozen sugary drinks...maybe one or two at most in a day. But we do enjoy Belvedere Vodka, Bombay Sapphire, Jack Daniels, and Patron so we are pretty much good to go.