Free at Sea Open Bar

[Firehunter]

Bummed the Free at Sea Open Bar does not include Starbucks or bottled water. If I still choose this package do I just pay gratuities on the switched soda package for the kids or do I pay full open bar gratuities for them? Also is this just per cabin or if I choose it for me would it apply to the other cabin in our reservation too? The adults don't drink alcohol drinks in that second cabin.

[mjkacmom]

If you get the kids soda packages you will be paying for gratuities on the amount he soda package costs. The other cabin will not need to take the UBP.

[Isabella Benjamin]

If it makes you feel any better I was on the Encore this month and the water tasted exactly like the water out of my bathroom faucet.  

 

 

[dbrown84]

2 hours ago, Firehunter said:

Bummed the Free at Sea Open Bar does not include Starbucks or bottled water. If I still choose this package do I just pay gratuities on the switched soda package for the kids or do I pay full open bar gratuities for them? Also is this just per cabin or if I choose it for me would it apply to the other cabin in our reservation too? The adults don't drink alcohol drinks in that second cabin.

you can only substitute the soda package for a child that is listed as the 2nd passenger on the reservations.  any other children, you'll have to pay the full price for the soda package, plus the 20% gratuities 

[jimsig]

As an FYI the service charge on the soda package is $1.59 per day as of mid April.  As it was just  myself and my 13yo DD I got the Free At Sea she got the soda package

[Firehunter]

7 hours ago, mjkacmom said:

If you get the kids soda packages you will be paying for gratuities on the amount he soda package costs. The other cabin will not need to take the UBP.

 

Thank you. I had to book the cabins separately on NCL, Costco kept crashing and couldn't get through, and a PCC I emailed back last week never got back to me.

 

7 hours ago, Isabella Benjamin said:

If it makes you feel any better I was on the Encore this month and the water tasted exactly like the water out of my bathroom faucet.  

 

 

 

Ugh. How was your cruise?

 

5 hours ago, dbrown84 said:

you can only substitute the soda package for a child that is listed as the 2nd passenger on the reservations.  any other children, you'll have to pay the full price for the soda package, plus the 20% gratuities 

 

Ah, thanks. Wish I could get it for both at that free at sea price.

 

3 hours ago, jimsig said:

As an FYI the service charge on the soda package is $1.59 per day as of mid April.  As it was just  myself and my 13yo DD I got the Free At Sea she got the soda package

 

Thank you. That is just what I did for me and one, the other I will have to purchase full price separately.

 

[Isabella Benjamin]

14 hours ago, Firehunter said:

Ugh. How was your cruise?

 

It was fabulous except for my complete inability to get a single bartender to see me standing waiting to order a drink.  

[Firehunter]

6 hours ago, Isabella Benjamin said:

It was fabulous except for my complete inability to get a single bartender to see me standing waiting to order a drink.  

 

Oh no! I may have that problem too. Maybe I better read up on how best to get their attention.

 

Glad your trip as a whole was fabulous!

Edited June 1, 2023 by Firehunter

[ggTexasGal]

I'm short, so I get overlooked (literally) often!

I do, however, tend to wear bright clothing, a big smile, and have my key card visibly raised in my hand with a dollar, or more (barely showing)! 

[Travelling2Some]

35 minutes ago, ggTexasGal said:

I'm short, so I get overlooked (literally) often!

I do, however, tend to wear bright clothing, a big smile, and have my key card visibly raised in my hand with a dollar, or more (barely showing)! 

Yes, even if you are not short, have no bright clothing or big smile, this is a method known to succeed.  We usually zero in on the bar we will be using the most and tip a dollar a drink.  You don't have to do this, of course, but I like it anytime money changes hands without corporate or government interference:)

[mjkacmom]

2 hours ago, Firehunter said:

 

Oh no! I may have that problem too. Maybe I better read up on how best to get their attention.

 

Glad your trip as a whole was fabulous!

Tip on every drink, just like on land.

[RB9643]

1 hour ago, mjkacmom said:

Tip on every drink, just like on land.

 

Exactly. Find "your" bar, get to know the head bartender, tip early. They won't forget you.

 

 

Edited June 1, 2023 by RB9643

[Firehunter]

Thank you all for the advice. I never got a drink package before and by paying the service charge for the free at sea one thought it included tips, so would not have thought to tip for each drink. I will find a nice bar to go to everytime and make sure I have at least a dollar a drink for the tip. It says you can get 2 drinks each time, is that usual 

to do to save time?

 

Also does the same apply to the kids when they get sodas? Not sure yet were they need to go to get them.

[insidecabin]

18 hours ago, Isabella Benjamin said:

It was fabulous except for my complete inability to get a single bartender to see me standing waiting to order a drink.  

UK so not a tip every drink attention seeker.

 

I am a bar fly when there is seating, hang out at some quiet times to do the engagement, be nice you get remembered.

 

If no bar seating we try to avoid standing for drinks unless we know we get served quick, especially when bar staff are busy with orders for the wait staff.

 

Our strategy has changed for regular seating  in the venues,  try to find the spot where the floor staff will walk by to collect and deliver their orders, often near the bar area.

 

Easy to catch their eye as they walk back with empties to add your order to their trip

Often one will latch onto you and become your regular at that venue and see you are needing a top up.

[insidecabin]

4 hours ago, Firehunter said:

Thank you all for the advice. I never got a drink package before and by paying the service charge for the free at sea one thought it included tips, so would not have thought to tip for each drink. I will find a nice bar to go to everytime and make sure I have at least a dollar a drink for the tip. It says you can get 2 drinks each time, is that usual 

to do to save time?

 

Also does the same apply to the kids when they get sodas? Not sure yet were they need to go to get them.

I think the 2 drinks is to make it easy for couples, but also handy to double up if busy and wait times are up.

(We started that at home during lockdown when many venues were stretched)

 

The problem with the double up it does not work for many drinks that don't stand hot to sitting about(frozen, on ice, needs to be cold etc.)

Not an issue for the fast drinker.

 

When the parallel order won't work the other strategy when service is stretched is the serial order as you get a drink delivered order the next one.

 

Our last cruise on the Star the only place that was slow was atrium as the main service there is Starbucks getting alcohol only one server the one time we were there.

 

Our go to was Bliss and the floor team there were fantastic and attentive.

Bar staff were solid and did manage to fit in walk-ups even when super busy dealing with the floor orders.

 

easy to over analyse just go with the flow once on the ship.

 

[Sand and Seas]

14 hours ago, Firehunter said:

Thank you all for the advice. I never got a drink package before and by paying the service charge for the free at sea one thought it included tips, so would not have thought to tip for each drink. I will find a nice bar to go to everytime and make sure I have at least a dollar a drink for the tip. It says you can get 2 drinks each time, is that usual 

to do to save time?

 

Also does the same apply to the kids when they get sodas? Not sure yet were they need to go to get them.

Your kids (or you) can get a soda at any bar or restaurant.  They will usually let you get two at once.  The bartender just glances at the keycard saying 'SODA' and doesn't have to swipe it.