Two Wheels Only

Nobody is "made" to buy anything. It is a choice. The alternative (that many take) is to pay for drinks à la carte. If the one drinker downs enough, taking the package for both is the better deal. If the one drinker only has 1 per day, going à la carte is the better deal.

NOW, it is all adults in the stateroom. It used to be only guests 1&2. Why do you think NCL changed it to all adults? NCL has gone back and forth between 1 per transaction and 2 per transaction. NCL must have figured that a high enough percentage of guests were honest vs. the percentage who were not. The price does have an impact on the total paid by the guest as a "service charge". When it was $59pppd and 15%, the promo service charge was $61.95 per person for a typical 7 day cruise. The same at today's prices would be $152.60 per person.

It's better than "...for your convenience..." 😉

Technically, the handing over would be a violation of the terms of your package.... "Packages may not be shared and are non-transferable and non-refundable." It might seem like no big deal or "...it's the same thing..." but if the friend with the soda package drinks something that isn't covered by his/her package, that friend should pay for it.

The act of sharing makes it easier for NCL to justify raising prices. The guest is 100% responsible for NCL's profit because that's where the money comes from. Sharing drinks is an added cost that the paying guest will (eventually) make up for. There is no valid reason to give a drink to someone when that someone can easily pay for it on their own.

If adults are in the same stateroom, they DO have the same package. It wasn't always that way but.... ...you should care because if more and more people share drinks with guests who don't have a drink package, NCL will adjust accordingly. When actions of guests cut into profit, NCL will adjust to make up for that loss. The drink package was $59pppd and the service charge was 15% when I started sailing with NCL. Only guests 1&2 would receive the package as a promo and would pay the 15%. Over the years, as people continued to share with guests 3&4, NCL adjusted by raising the cost of the beverage package, raising the service charge on the package to 18% then 20%, and requiring all adults in the stateroom to take the promo (and pay the service charge) if any adult in the stateroom took the promo. The people who don't/never share drinks are paying more because of the actions of those who do share drinks. When you walk into a store, you might never shoplift. If you see someone shoplift, you might not care, either. If someone else does shoplift, that store will have to make up for that loss. The store will make up for the loss by raising prices. The honest shopper (you) will pay more because of the actions of someone else. Then, you will care.

Of your choices, "3" is probably the main reason for the bad reviews. Some complaints are valid. Some complaints are exaggerated. Some complaints are not true. Being able to decipher reviews and being able tell what is legit and what is not takes time and experience.

Challenge Accepted.🤪

I didn't want the OP to get confused since the OP is asking about Meraviglia.

It's the smallest/least deep aft-facing Haven balcony. Breakaway/Getaway match as far as size and configuration. The person who made the video didn't know what "huge" really is. There's no real secret to get to the Haven. It's either forward then up or up then forward. I prefer to walk forward then go up via the forward elevators.

No numerical limit but the bartender will cut you off if you've obviously had too much. If you wake up at 8am and want a drink every 1/2 hour until midnight (or later), go for it.

NCL could revoke the beverage package without refund AND charge for ALL drinks that were ordered with the package...even the legit drinks that were NOT shared. This has been reported by different people on the forum who have witnessed the package being revoked. Nobody has posted a video of it happening but if I ever see it......I'll post it. 🤣 NCL could also kick the guest off of the ship at the next port without a refund. Someone could drive 50mph over the speed limit and end up in jail. Someone could drive 50mph over the speed limit and just get a ticket. Someone could drive 50mph over the speed limit and just get a warning. Someone could drive 50mph over the speed limit and not get caught. With NCL, something could happen but it is impossible to know what will happen no matter what other people have experienced.

Meraviglia doesn't have an Owner's Suite but the Royal Suite does have a separate tub in addition to a shower.

I prefer Bimini Beach (left side of the map image) to the lagoon. On one trip, I swam across the lagoon and back and I was exhausted....seriously out of shape and a bit dehydrated. ☹️ At certain times, there is a bit of seaweed in the lagoon so that's another reason why I prefer Bimini. A Yacht Club guest can easily travel to either location so it's probably best to explore and see which is better for them. There are still beaches on the island that I have never set foot on. I plan to explore more on my next trip.

Not far. The ocean view cabanas face the big rocks (the grey ring in the top left) but you can walk "down" to Bimini Beach.

I would book the ocean view Yacht Club cabana for the service but would walk to Bimini beach for the softer sand. Even when we've had an ocean front Yacht Club cabana, we've walked around and enjoyed Bimini beach.

Since you seem to have done your homework, I'm confident that you are booked on one of the better decks. Which deck and configuration did you pick?

At least with the game, one side will actually win.

Drink sharing? "NCL should let things slide..." Chair Hogging? "NCL should enforce their rules..."

On the NCL site, I can select the stateroom (3 people) before I enter the age of the guests. I can select either type of stateroom When booking on the NCL site, the age is assumed to be adult until otherwise corrected to a child's age. If adding the FAS promos, the amount is corrected after the ages are entered. Could that be why you were given different amounts?

https://www.msccruisesusa.com/manage-booking/before-you-go/service-charges Yacht Club or not is charged the same.

Here's as example of a walk-in. The floor can be slippery, though.

Are you trying to book staterooms that are next to each other? In many cases, a M4 (blue) is next to a MA (red). It has nothing to do with sleeping arrangements since either category can have the main bed split into 2 and the 3rd person can sleep on the sofa bed. The age of the guest doesn't matter. Which deck/stateroom(s) are you trying to get?

Which ship(s) are you considering?

^^ The ones that sleep 5 will look like this...possibly mirrored left to right.