Drink upgrade

[GinaRz]

Does Norwegian allow you to pay the difference if you choose to upgrade to a top shelf liquor when you have the basic liquor package? One of the cruisers wants some upgraded options, but the other won’t use it. Doesn’t seem worth the $500 price difference.

[Liljo22]

Yes, you pay the difference plus 20% gratuity on the difference, ie a $17 drink would be $2.40 extra.  

[CAKEisgood]

Hello. It depends on how much you will drink and the quality of the spirits and wines you prefer. We have had the premium plus and the unlimited open bar packages on different cruises. My preference is the premium plus because there are more quality wine choices. However, my husband prefers the unlimited open bar becaise the whiskey he prefers is part of that beverage package. We compromise and get the unlimited open bar, and I order the wine I prefer, and pay the difference if it’s more than $15/glass. He orders the whiskey he prefers and there is no charge. 
 

enjoy your cruise! 

[mjkacmom]

57 minutes ago, Liljo22 said:

Yes, you pay the difference plus 20% gratuity on the difference, ie a $17 drink would be $2.40 extra.  

The gratuity is based on the price of the package, not each drink.

[zqvol]

19 minutes ago, mjkacmom said:

The gratuity is based on the price of the package, not each drink.

Not when you go over the $15 price with the unlimited package, you pay the difference in cost (amount over $15) plus 20%, you don’t pay on the package, you already did that

[BirdTravels]

14 hours ago, mjkacmom said:

The gratuity is based on the price of the package, not each drink.

No. When you exceed $15 for the price of a drink, you pay a gratuity on the difference in cost. The package gratuity does not cover overages. 

[jd1212]

Looking for the menu of alcohol choices in the regular (not premium) beverage package.  Have searched for such a posting, but unable to find.

Can someone post same?

Thanks

[CAKEisgood]

33 minutes ago, jd1212 said:

Looking for the menu of alcohol choices in the regular (not premium) beverage package.  Have searched for such a posting, but unable to find.

Can someone post same?

Hello. Here is a pic of the wine list from our Jan 2024 cruise on The Jade. It is the same wine list we had on the Escape in Nov 2023. The premium wines are part of the unlimited open bar, which means the wines are $15/glass or less. It also includes the Premium Plus wines, which are > $15/glass 

 

In reference to a “regular beverage package,” I believe this is the Premium wines, and it is the unlimited open bar/free at sea package  In regards to spirits, you can look here for a list of spirits https://www.ncl.com/sites/default/files/790164-BEV_Package_Flyer_UOBP_PPBP Update_V7_no_crops.pdf

[BirdTravels]

2 hours ago, jd1212 said:

Looking for the menu of alcohol choices in the regular (not premium) beverage package.  Have searched for such a posting, but unable to find.

Can someone post same?

Thanks

 

[jd1212]

Thank you both for the info.🍷🍹🍻

[Liljo22]

For their drinks on tap, I really like the Red Bubbles.  Also, if you are looking for Prosecco, the '66 by Norwegian brand was way better than the included one and worth the extra $2.40.   

[CAKEisgood]

3 hours ago, Liljo22 said:

'66 by Norwegian brand was way better than the included one and worth the extra $2.40

Completely agree. We love the 66 Prosecco, we bought a bottle to bring home. We are going on a cruise in 10 days on The Escape, and I’m going to buy 2 bottles to bring home. 

[CMOTO]

I am on the Jade in April.

 

I have the "free at sea"    If I want a Tito's vodka and red bull, would I have to pay?  Or would a drink like that be in my package for free?

[IAcruising]

5 hours ago, CMOTO said:

I am on the Jade in April.

 

I have the "free at sea"    If I want a Tito's vodka and red bull, would I have to pay?  Or would a drink like that be in my package for free?

 

Tito's is included, energy drinks are not. You pose an interesting question.

 

[Anoynmous Phoenix]

@GinaRz

 

Does Norwegian allow you to pay the difference if you choose to upgrade to a top shelf liquor when you have the basic liquor package?

 

My reading of this is that you are wondering about upgrading your "Free at Sea" Beverage package to the "Premium Plus" Beverage package.

If so look at https://www.ncl.com/nz/en/shorex/225902259/51599484/details/up-sell/PPBU

 

However I would imagine that everyone on your booking would have to pay for the upgrade not just one person.

 

Check directly with NCL.

[step78]

1 hour ago, Anoynmous Phoenix said:

However I would imagine that everyone on your booking would have to pay for the upgrade not just one person.

Thats true online. A nice request on the phone and only one can upgrade, as long as the others have „some Kind“ of Package. 

[wolft927]

7 hours ago, IAcruising said:

 

Tito's is included, energy drinks are not. You pose an interesting question.

 

You will be charged for the entire price of the Red Bull as it is not included I. The free at sea program. 

[Sailing12Away]

The links to the flyers seem to be 404, but maybe if you check back later they'll be fixed?

 

https://www.ncl.com/onboard-packages/beverage-packages

 

There's clickable links to the flyers under each package (the regular free at sea one vs the premium plus upgraded one) and they will usually tell you the specific brands of liquor included with each package for free.

 

Some folks are particular about the brand of liquor in their drinks, and for them it's 'worth it' to pay for the upgrade. Some folks love their Starbucks mochafrapamachiwhatever some they get extra value from getting 1-2 of those a day. Some folks realllllly love botted water and find value in having those free to them. Some folks don't want to have to think about any prices at all and want the convenience of getting what they want without extra fees. 

 

And then there's folks like me who when on a cruise tend to stick with cocktails because at home we're too lazy to whip out 3 different bottles and mixers and shakey shakey shake. If it's mixed in a cocktail, the choice of liquor isn't as important to me as when I'm having something neat or on a rock. And when the time calls for that rock, I'm fine paying the difference as I go.

[CMOTO]

4 hours ago, wolft927 said:

You will be charged for the entire price of the Red Bull as it is not included I. The free at sea program. 

WOW! I wonder if I get to keep the whole can since if i have to pay for it all.  Seems kinda silly that the alcohol is included but not the other when the whole drink wouldn't be over the 15 dollar limit.

Thanks for the answer!

[wolft927]

23 minutes ago, CMOTO said:

WOW! I wonder if I get to keep the whole can since if i have to pay for it all.  Seems kinda silly that the alcohol is included but not the other when the whole drink wouldn't be over the 15 dollar limit.

Thanks for the answer!

Red Bull is very expensive even at cost. The liquor is pennies, verse at cost I believe redbull is a little over a dollar a can. 

[Liljo22]

59 minutes ago, CMOTO said:

WOW! I wonder if I get to keep the whole can since if i have to pay for it all.  Seems kinda silly that the alcohol is included but not the other when the whole drink wouldn't be over the 15 dollar limit.

Thanks for the answer!

They don't use energy drinks as mixers.  I had the Premium Plus upgrade which included energy drinks and they give you the vodka on its own and the full can of Red Bull.  

[CAKEisgood]

On 2/8/2024 at 2:12 AM, Anoynmous Phoenix said:

However I would imagine that everyone on your booking would have to pay for the upgrade not just one person.

Hello.  We upgraded to the Premium Plus package in January on our first day of the cruise, and we had to upgrade both of us, not just one person.