The beverage (alcohol) package questions

Yes, I did a search and started scrolling through the numerous postings and started getting confused. So...

My daughter is thinking about picking this package for her upcoming cruise and had some questions.

Does this beverage package include drinks with Crown? He bf only drinks Crown and only wants the package if it includes that drink.

I think I understand that there's an 18% grat that you have to pay on top of that? I assume it's whatever the package would normally cost you pay the 18% for each person (persons 1 & 2) for the package? How much does this normally cost?

Are you required to purchase the soda package for everyone else in the room (she only has a 6 year old son in the room with her).

Are you limited to the amount of drinks you can get in 1 day?

Anything else I need to know?

Yes, crown is included. Yes, 18% is added to the purchase price when it's bought. Yes, all in the cabin over 21 must buy UBP, and all under 21 must have soda package. No limits on drinks per day.

Edit: I just realized you meant the package as promo. 18% on a 7 day cruise would be $68 per person. This will be added to the cruise cost and paid when final payment is made, or earlier if you choose.

This is what it will look like on her MyNCL: (Ours is a little higher, because the price is for 2 on a 10 day cruise.)

You'll find this helpful from the promo Terms and Conditions:

Ultimate Beverage Package:

Available for all stateroom categories on sailings through Dec 22, 2015; and for Oceanview category and higher for all sailings beyond Dec 22, 2015

Applicable to guests 1-2 on the reservation.

Guest must be at least 21 years of age at time of sailing to qualify for the Ultimate Beverage Package. Guests under 21 will receive the soda package.

Variety of spirits and cocktails, wines by the glass and bottled or draft beer up to $11. Includes fountain soda and juice, and non-alcoholic beer.

A 20% discount will be given on bottles of wine (champagne and sparkling included) purchased on board, Applicable taxes, US and VAT may apply based on certain destinations.

Does not apply to the Ice Bars.

Does not include room service, package sales, bottled water, ship specific promotions or beer buckets, designated super premium brands (subject to change), bottled wine, mini bar purchases, fresh squeezed juices, Lavazza coffee beverages, wine dispenser, energy drinks or vending machines.

Guest is responsible for 18% gratuities & service charges on the retail value of the Ultimate Beverage Package prior to cruise.

Edited to add: If you look at the T&C link it gives you the gratuity amounts for the UDP, UBP and Soda Package depending on how long the cruise is. Sorry, it wouldn't copy properly for me to paste.

If you are getting the UBP as a promo, you do NOT have to purchase the soda package for the child in the room.

I always think its strange when people only drink one brand of one type of alcohol, and are seemingly unable or unwilling to adapt to things which are approximate (particularly when we're talking about "drinks" as opposed to "straight" alcohol). I wonder if he'd actually realize if someone switched out his Crown for Seagrams or Canadian Club (not to mention any other whisk[e]y).

But that's neither here nor there.

Yes, crown is included. Yes, 18% is added to the purchase price when it's bought. Yes, all in the cabin over 21 must buy UBP, and all under 21 must have soda package. No limits on drinks per day.

 

Edit: I just realized you meant the package as promo. 18% on a 7 day cruise would be $68 per person. This will be added to the cruise cost and paid when final payment is made, or earlier if you choose.

Ok, that's what I was thinking with the 18% added. I thought I had read at one point though that you had a daily limit.

You'll find this helpful from the promo Terms and Conditions:

 

Ultimate Beverage Package:

Available for all stateroom categories on sailings through Dec 22, 2015; and for Oceanview category and higher for all sailings beyond Dec 22, 2015

Applicable to guests 1-2 on the reservation.

Guest must be at least 21 years of age at time of sailing to qualify for the Ultimate Beverage Package. Guests under 21 will receive the soda package.

Variety of spirits and cocktails, wines by the glass and bottled or draft beer up to $11. Includes fountain soda and juice, and non-alcoholic beer.

A 20% discount will be given on bottles of wine (champagne and sparkling included) purchased on board, Applicable taxes, US and VAT may apply based on certain destinations.

Does not apply to the Ice Bars.

Does not include room service, package sales, bottled water, ship specific promotions or beer buckets, designated super premium brands (subject to change), bottled wine, mini bar purchases, fresh squeezed juices, Lavazza coffee beverages, wine dispenser, energy drinks or vending machines.

Guest is responsible for 18% gratuities & service charges on the retail value of the Ultimate Beverage Package prior to cruise.

 

 

 

Edited to add: If you look at the T&C link it gives you the gratuity amounts for the UDP, UBP and Soda Package depending on how long the cruise is. Sorry, it wouldn't copy properly for me to paste.

Thanks for the info although I believe this is an older package info. I don't think the soda is included for the guest 3rd and up now? :confused: Also, the current special is for interiors as well.

So my oldest son, his gf, my youngest son and his gf are in another room.

If they pick the beverage package for that room (for the first 2 people) do the others have to purchase it too? Only 3 of them are over 21 in the room. :confused:

So my oldest son, his gf, my youngest son and his gf are in another room.

 

If they pick the beverage package for that room (for the first 2 people) do the others have to purchase it too? Only 3 of them are over 21 in the room. :confused:

No - if you're getting the package via the special offer no one else in the room has to buy a package. My mom, sister & I are traveling together & 2 of us got the package but we don't have to buy anything for the 3rd person.

also wanted to add:

- there's no drink limit for the day

- on the crown, be prepared in case they run out. My dh usually drinks capt. morgan when we were on Grandeur of the Seas, they ran out. He tried some other rums until he found one that he liked. With the drink package it's actually kind of convenient to try new types of alcohol since you can take a sip or 2 & decide if you like it or not, if you don't you get another drink with something else.

No - if you're getting the package via the special offer no one else in the room has to buy a package. My mom, sister & I are traveling together & 2 of us got the package but we don't have to buy anything for the 3rd person.

 

also wanted to add:

- there's no drink limit for the day

- on the crown, be prepared in case they run out. My dh usually drinks capt. morgan when we were on Grandeur of the Seas, they ran out. He tried some other rums until he found one that he liked. With the drink package it's actually kind of convenient to try new types of alcohol since you can take a sip or 2 & decide if you like it or not, if you don't you get another drink with something else.

Thanks for the info. Glad to hear everyone doesn't have to have the package.

Hopefully they don't run out of Crown because that's all he drinks. He's never had a problem so far running out. Then again, he normally just buys the entire bottle from the bar and continues to use it during the cruise. LOL

If you are getting the UBP as a promo, you do NOT have to purchase the soda package for the child in the room.

So my oldest son, his gf, my youngest son and his gf are in another room.

 

If they pick the beverage package for that room (for the first 2 people) do the others have to purchase it too? Only 3 of them are over 21 in the room. :confused:

Right. With the promo, the others in room don't have to purchase anything. Sorry about my original post which said otherwise. As my edit shows, I originally thought they were purchasing it. When I went back and edited it, I forget to update that part.

Thanks for the info. Glad to hear everyone doesn't have to have the package.

 

Hopefully they don't run out of Crown because that's all he drinks. He's never had a problem so far running out. Then again, he normally just buys the entire bottle from the bar and continues to use it during the cruise. LOL

I'm confused. How does he do that? I thought only suite guests could purchase bottles?

I'm confused about the 18% gratuity part when one has the package as a promo. A previous poster stated that it would be added when you made final payment. There was none added to my final payment. Will I be charged this on my daily account?

I'm confused about the 18% gratuity part when one has the package as a promo. A previous poster stated that it would be added when you made final payment. There was none added to my final payment. Will I be charged this on my daily account?

When did you book? The promo was free UBP for a while, and then switched to free UBP (but you pay the 18%). You may have booked under the former.

I booked last December.

I'm confused about the 18% gratuity part when one has the package as a promo. A previous poster stated that it would be added when you made final payment. There was none added to my final payment. Will I be charged this on my daily account?

Not only did I state it, I even showed a picture to prove it. :) If you did not have to pay the gratuities, then you booked under a previous promo, and you will not have to pay the 18%. If you booked after June 1 with the promo, your account will look like the picture I posted above.

Thank you for your answer. I did see the picture you posted...but as I stated I didn't pay anything at my final payment I wondered if this was a new charge NCL was instituting like the Room Service fee...and would show up on my onboard account. Looks like I lucked out of the 18%!

Thank you for your answer. I did see the picture you posted...but as I stated I didn't pay anything at my final payment I wondered if this was a new charge NCL was instituting like the Room Service fee...and would show up on my onboard account. Looks like I lucked out of the 18%!

Gratuities on beverages have been there since forever, and gratuities on the UBP price have been there since it started. They had always previously been included if you got it free as part of a promo, but they no longer are. That's the only change.

FWIW, one of our upcoming cruises has gratuities included on UBP and the other doesn't, based on when we booked. On our 2 cruises before that, we bought the package and paid the gratuities at time of purchase.

Also, the current special is for interiors as well.

The free UBP is only good for interiors booked prior to Dec 22 of this year (as stated in another thread) otherwise you have to book an ocean view or above.

Right. With the promo, the others in room don't have to purchase anything. Sorry about my original post which said otherwise. As my edit shows, I originally thought they were purchasing it. When I went back and edited it, I forget to update that part.

It's ok. I guess I should have made it a little more clear in my original post. Sorry about that pizza. :D

No worries, I got it all taken care of today and only the first 2 had to get it.

I'm confused. How does he do that? I thought only suite guests could purchase bottles?

He just walks up to any of the bars and purchases the entire bottle from them. He does it every cruise on every ship. :confused:

The free UBP is only good for interiors booked prior to Dec 22 of this year (as stated in another thread) otherwise you have to book an ocean view or above.

"Booked prior to Dec 22"...which pretty much includes anything and everything since it's only July 6th. :confused:

Or is this supposed to mean only for bookings made for sail dates up until Dec 22?