Ordering beers for the cabin pre-cruise?

[Scotto97]

After researching what will be our first NCL trip, what seems to be mentioned with regularity is long wait times to get drinks at the bars.

 

So even though we'll have the drink package, we may suck it up and try to purchase some expensive beers to keep in our cabin fridge to enjoy on the balcony or when getting ready for dinner.

 

I've looked on the app to pre-order, but only see wine available. Can a 6-pack of beer also be ordered somehow pre-cruise?

 

Or will bartenders allow you to receive unopened beers to stock up?

 

[hawkeyetlse]

3 minutes ago, Scotto97 said:

Or will bartenders allow you to receive unopened beers to stock up?

Yes. Not all of them, because it's probably prohibited/discouraged officially, but ask around and you won't have a problem.

[fastpitchdad]

11 minutes ago, Scotto97 said:

After researching what will be our first NCL trip, what seems to be mentioned with regularity is long wait times to get drinks at the bars.

 

So even though we'll have the drink package, we may suck it up and try to purchase some expensive beers to keep in our cabin fridge to enjoy on the balcony or when getting ready for dinner.

 

I've looked on the app to pre-order, but only see wine available. Can a 6-pack of beer also be ordered somehow pre-cruise?

 

Or will bartenders allow you to receive unopened beers to stock up?

 

 

The long bar line complaints are way overblown. I guarantee that you will be able to find a bar with quick service. That being said, a bartender once gave me all the Guinness he had. 

Edited March 28, 2023 by fastpitchdad

[MCMC100]

Long drink lines are a CruiseCritic myth. Are some bars busy at certain times? Yep. Will you have to stand in long lines all the time to get a drink?  Nope. 
I have never waited 15 minutes for a drink….I doubt I have waited 5…ever. 

 

At dinner time the bars immediately adjacent to to the main dining room or popular specialty restaurants may have a bit of a crowd, just like any bar in a popular restaurant in your hometown. 

 

You will be “beer’ed” or “Margarita’ed” within minutes at every bar, every day, anytime. Don’t lose a moment worrying about it. 

[BirdTravels]

1 hour ago, Scotto97 said:

After researching what will be our first NCL trip, what seems to be mentioned with regularity is long wait times to get drinks at the bars

First and foremost, don’t believe everything you read on the internet. It is fake news. 
 

And don’t go wasting money on fake news. If a bar is busy, there is a not-busy bar in 1 minutes’ s walk. 
 

 

[Sea saw 56]

It is currently "spring break".  Has been for a couple weeks, will be for a couple weeks.

It does make a huge difference.  The ships are packed right now.

[Karaboudjan]

12 hours ago, Sea saw 56 said:

It is currently "spring break".  Has been for a couple weeks, will be for a couple weeks.

It does make a huge difference.  The ships are packed right now.

 

I was on a packed Prima around Christmas and I never found a long line at any bar.

[latebloomer56]

Not big drinkers so don't get the package on NCL, we do however get a bucket of beer and put them in the fridge. Not every trip just the ones with our sons.

[allyfrizzle]

When we get on the ship, we ask our room steward to empty our mini fridge and leave a few bucks as a courtesy.

 

My husband and I usually take advantage of being able to order two beers at a time w/NCL's drink package. We'll enjoy one and take the other (unopened) one to the room. Do this a few times and you've got a nice lil stash of beers for when you're feeling lazy and don't want to leave the room.

[Scotto97]

30 minutes ago, allyfrizzle said:

When we get on the ship, we ask our room steward to empty our mini fridge and leave a few bucks as a courtesy.

 

My husband and I usually take advantage of being able to order two beers at a time w/NCL's drink package. We'll enjoy one and take the other (unopened) one to the room. Do this a few times and you've got a nice lil stash of beers for when you're feeling lazy and don't want to leave the room.

So even if you have the drink package, the fridge is pre-stocked with items of which everything will have a (High) price to consume?

[allyfrizzle]

3 minutes ago, Scotto97 said:

So even if you have the drink package, the fridge is pre-stocked with items of which everything will have a (High) price to consume?

Yep, you got it. We ask the staff to take them out on day one so we have space for drinks/leftovers. 

[dbrown84]

4 hours ago, latebloomer56 said:

Not big drinkers so don't get the package on NCL, we do however get a bucket of beer and put them in the fridge. Not every trip just the ones with our sons.

I believe they no longer sell beer buckets.  

[mjkacmom]

1 hour ago, Scotto97 said:

So even if you have the drink package, the fridge is pre-stocked with items of which everything will have a (High) price to consume?

I didn’t realize they still stocked the fridge with minibar items, I guess we were lucky on out last cruise. If there are beers in there, you will be charged, if you order drinks through room service, you will be charged.

[Liljo22]

The pool bar is the one that is usually the long wait but I have also found that to be true on other cruise lines.  

[latebloomer56]

1 hour ago, mjkacmom said:

I didn’t realize they still stocked the fridge with minibar items, I guess we were lucky on out last cruise. If there are beers in there, you will be charged, if you order drinks through room service, you will be charged.

First thing I ask is they remove all for sale items. They generally stick these on the shelf someplace.

[julig22]

2 hours ago, mjkacmom said:

I didn’t realize they still stocked the fridge with minibar items, I guess we were lucky on out last cruise. If there are beers in there, you will be charged, if you order drinks through room service, you will be charged.

They don't, haven't post-covid.  What is in the fridge has been 3 large bottles/boxes of water that you can purchase.  Prices are on tags on the bottles.

[Number34]

How easy is it to get unopened drinks such as beers, sodas and mineral waters on NCL?

I like the idea of restocking the mini bar with “free” items.

[mjkacmom]

31 minutes ago, Number34 said:

How easy is it to get unopened drinks such as beers, sodas and mineral waters on NCL?

I like the idea of restocking the mini bar with “free” items.

My husband was able to get unopened beers at some bars, he’s also a good tipper. I think most sodas are served in glasses, you need the deluxe beverage package for waters.

[Number34]

Will have FAS+ so bottled water should be included. When I was on Epic a few years ago I seem to remember that some outside bars had cans.

[alexgtp]

Never had an issue getting up opened can/bottles of beer to take back to room. Always make friends with bartenders and tip well.

 

On a side note. On a particular sailing the ship had just com back from Europe so some of the bars had random Euro only beers. I inquired 1 day about them with one of our regular bartenders. Well he decided to go out of his way and rounded up about 6 different beers for me, and gave them to me the next day.  Talk about amazing aboave and beyond type of service! Totally unexpected and an amazing surprise.