Few questions re booze pkg etc on norwegian

[Kate45]

Thinking about this cruise in the fall 2024.... Vancouver to Alaska to San Francisco to San Diego. Wondering if the booze pkg is a good deal or not. Taxes and grats for the 12 nite cruise are $360 pp. What is the average price of say a beer or a crown royal. How many can you drink before you are ahead of the pkg price?

[wolft927]

3 hours ago, Kate45 said:

Thinking about this cruise in the fall 2024.... Vancouver to Alaska to San Francisco to San Diego. Wondering if the booze pkg is a good deal or not. Taxes and grats for the 12 nite cruise are $360 pp. What is the average price of say a beer or a crown royal. How many can you drink before you are ahead of the pkg price?

So $360 PP for 12 nights equal to $30 a day in drinks. Depending on what you are drinking let’s say each drink is $7 you would need to drink 4 per day to break even basically and everything else above that would be gravy. 
 

plus I believe a crown and coke is more then $7. So me personally, get the FAS drink package and never worry about having a bar bill at the end of the cruise. 

[Russiamomm]

Any liquor is likely at least $10 or $11.  If you buy it outright you’ll be paying a 20% service charge on top of the cost of the drink.  The FAS gratuities are $21.80 pp/pd.  As a general rule if you’re going to drink more than two drinks a day, the package is a no brainer.  Also, remember that soft drinks are also included.  If you don’t have the package, you will be paying for each soda, with a service charge.

 

I declined the drink package once.  Never again.  The convenience factor alone is worth it for me.  

[Two Wheels Only]

3 hours ago, Kate45 said:

Taxes and grats for the 12 nite cruise are $360 pp.

 

Are you combining different things to get that amount?

 

The 20% gratuity and beverage service charge is $21.80 per person per day when taking that promo.

[Liljo22]

For liquor, you are looking about 2 drinks a day being the breakeven point.  If you are a beer drinker, the breakeven is 3.  

[DCGuy64]

Remember also that when you have the package, if you buy a drink and don't like it, just get another one. If you don't have the package, you're stuck with a drink you don't like and will have to pay for the next one.

[schmoopie17]

56 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

Remember also that when you have the package, if you buy a drink and don't like it, just get another one. If you don't have the package, you're stuck with a drink you don't like and will have to pay for the next one.

And, similarly...if you get a drink you like, you can also get another one. And another one. And...

[BirdTravels]

6 hours ago, Kate45 said:

Thinking about this cruise in the fall 2024.... Vancouver to Alaska to San Francisco to San Diego. Wondering if the booze pkg is a good deal or not. Taxes and grats for the 12 nite cruise are $360 pp. What is the average price of say a beer or a crown royal. How many can you drink before you are ahead of the pkg price?

Like a Johnny Walker Black Scotch is $18 ($15 + 20% grats). A Corona is $9.60 ($8+grats).

 

You really don't want to be paying retail for drinks on a cruise. Just pay for the included drinks package. 

 

[sharonann24]

We always take the drink package and most recently the package that includes water and coffee. To me it is worth it to pay up front and not worry about settling up at the end.  I haven't purchased the extended package as yet for our cruise in October.  Waiting to do our final payment and then decide.  If you enjoy your beverages one of the nice perks is always having that option.

[IAcruising]

9 hours ago, Kate45 said:

What is the average price of say a beer or a crown royal. How many can you drink before you are ahead of the pkg price?

 

One double-Crown w/ a splash of Coke and I'm even with the cost of the package for the day. The next 7 or 8 are on the house. 🙃

 

[Menocchio]

9 hours ago, Kate45 said:

Thinking about this cruise in the fall 2024.... Vancouver to Alaska to San Francisco to San Diego. Wondering if the booze pkg is a good deal or not. Taxes and grats for the 12 nite cruise are $360 pp. What is the average price of say a beer or a crown royal. How many can you drink before you are ahead of the pkg price?

I think you might be looking at the upgraded Premium Drinks Package, rather than the basic Free At Sea package (which you might already have). It gets you more expensive drinks, Starbucks coffee, and bottled water. You may even be looking at the full Free at Sea Plus upgrade, which also gives you unlimited WiFi, discounts on excursions for the second guest, and more specialty meals.

 

I don't think the upgrade is worth it. I'd rather take the Free at Sea package and pay a few bucks here and there for the odd top shelf liquor (you only pay the price over $15) or latte if I want to splurge. If you have more expensive tastes in liquor and also want the specialty dining and WiFi you may disagree. But most beers and Crown Royal are included in the basic package. 

[Liljo22]

5 minutes ago, Menocchio said:

I think you might be looking at the upgraded Premium Drinks Package, rather than the basic Free At Sea package (which you might already have). It gets you more expensive drinks, Starbucks coffee, and bottled water. You may even be looking at the full Free at Sea Plus upgrade, which also gives you unlimited WiFi, discounts on excursions for the second guest, and more specialty meals.

 

I don't think the upgrade is worth it. I'd rather take the Free at Sea package and pay a few bucks here and there for the odd top shelf liquor (you only pay the price over $15) or latte if I want to splurge. If you have more expensive tastes in liquor and also want the specialty dining and WiFi you may disagree. But most beers and Crown Royal are included in the basic package. 

I upgraded to the FAS+ for the first time in December and I liked the almost all inclusive aspect of it.  Really didn’t have to worry about anything.  I prefer whiskey/scotch and my wife is a wine drinker.  We ordered $100-$120 bottles of wine at dinner and had a constant pour of Veuve Clicquot from our waiter in Le Bistro.  We also got our morning Starbucks free that we would be paying out of pocket for and went back to the cabin each night with a couple of 1L waters.  I was already planning to upgrade the Wi-Fi and it was great to have two additional dining credits.  Also got $100 out of the shore ex credit.  All that and it’s still cheaper than what ever dynamic pricing the drink package on RCCL turns out to be.  

[BirdTravels]

38 minutes ago, Menocchio said:

I think you might be looking at the upgraded Premium Drinks Package, rather than the basic Free At Sea package (which you might already have). It gets you more expensive drinks, Starbucks coffee, and bottled water.

 

The basic Free at Sea package is the Premium Beverage Package. The upgraded package is Premium PLUS. 

[Kate45]

Thanks for all the replies. Here's another one......how much are the mandatory tips and gratuities that are added to your account each day? I realize I can prepay these and I just might, but haven't cruised with NCL for a number of years and know that they have gone up. Just trying to get an idea of final dollar pricing 

[LadyBerard]

Daily gratuities for Club Balcony and lower categories are $20 pp per day.  The Haven or suites gratuities are $25 pp per day.

[DCGuy64]

15 hours ago, schmoopie17 said:

And, similarly...if you get a drink you like, you can also get another one. And another one. And...

Don't I know it! Thanks to this site, I've discovered the Rebellious Fish, the Mr. Worldwide, the Painkiller, and onboard I've made the acquaintance of the Lavender Patch, the Matador, and many others!

[DCGuy64]

10 hours ago, Menocchio said:

I don't think the upgrade is worth it. I'd rather take the Free at Sea package and pay a few bucks here and there for the odd top shelf liquor (you only pay the price over $15) or latte if I want to splurge.

We're very much alike. Since my wife doesn't drink much, the Premium+ is wasted on us because only one of us would use it (and even then, since I don't drink Scotch or super-fancy liquors, I'd probably only use it for the nicer wines). I'm fine with doing as you do, paying as I go for the odd top shelf stuff. The $15 already included makes it nice.

[schmoopie17]

3 hours ago, DCGuy64 said:

Don't I know it! Thanks to this site, I've discovered the Rebellious Fish, the Mr. Worldwide, the Painkiller, and onboard I've made the acquaintance of the Lavender Patch, the Matador, and many others!

Matador and Grass Clippings are my two favorites.

[DCGuy64]

3 hours ago, schmoopie17 said:

Matador and Grass Clippings are my two favorites.

Oh yeah, the Grass Clippings is another NCL favorite, thanks for mentioning it!

[camper49]

On 5/20/2024 at 9:50 PM, sharonann24 said:

We always take the drink package and most recently the package that includes water and coffee. To me it is worth it to pay up front and not worry about settling up at the end.  I haven't purchased the extended package as yet for our cruise in October.  Waiting to do our final payment and then decide.  If you enjoy your beverages one of the nice perks is always having that option.

If u have the FAS , how much more to add water?

[ggTexasGal]

14 minutes ago, camper49 said:

If u have the FAS , how much more to add water?

Packages:

https://www.ncl.com/onboard-packages/bottled-water-packages

[stellarose33]

so water does not count on FAS?

[jds2001]

6 minutes ago, stellarose33 said:

so water does not count on FAS?

Correct, bottled water is not included. Nor is Red Bull, if that's your thing.

[stellarose33]

so I buy water from the bar or just bring a refillable cup?

[jds2001]

6 minutes ago, stellarose33 said:

so I buy water from the bar or just bring a refillable cup?

yep, there are water dispensers in the buffet, and any bar will also give you a glass of water. Lots of folks bring refillable cups.