Ultimate Beverage Package - No Judging :)

[Demonyte]

You can buy the package with NCL before your cruise, just call or do it online. Or you can buy it on the ship. Probably faster to buy it on the ship, because I believe you will have to stand in line to get your sticker even if you have booked it ahead of time.

 

It's more expensive on the ship because of the taxes added to the price while in port in most embarkation ports - when you purchase it in advance, you only pay the package price plus gratuity.

[Demonyte]

#1 - We are on the 7 day Thanksgiving Epic sailing...I remember on our carnival cruise they actually even counted disembarkation day as a day on their beverage package - does NCL do the same? Anyone know the total for the Ultimate Beverage or the total for the Corks and Caps for a 7 day sailing?

 

#2 - I don't drink liquor, only beer and wine - but boyfriend does. Anyone know if you can do one ultimate and one corks and caps?

 

#3 - Are you able to bring on an "unlimited" number of bottles of wine on board? You just have to pay corkage if you open in a restaurant? (I say unlimited...but I'd probably bring no more than 4-6)

 

#4 - Assuming its better to purchase after we are at sea on Day 1 and don't have to pay taxes while docked in Miami - is this true?

 

1. I think NCL charges the nights onboard times the price, so for 7 night cruise it's 7 times $49+gratuity per person.

 

2. The T&C state that when one is buying UBP, all adults in the same cabin/portfolio must buy UBP also, no mention that the packages could be mixed - there have been speculations about mixing them here on boards but I don't remember having read anything definitive that it'd be possible.

 

3. You pay corkage for all bottles brought onboard, it doesn't matter where you drink it. No limit on the bottles other than boxed wines are not allowed and the corkage fee depends on the size of the bottle (starting from $15 for 750ml bottle and up).

 

4. Yes. If you want to avoid the taxes, buy it before the cruise by calling NCL or after departure wait until you are far enough from Miami that the taxes are no longer added to the bill.

[lyssa13]

Thank you!

 

If we buy it after we are far away in Miami do any of our drinks purchased before that get credited back?

[fabnfortysomething]

Thank you!

 

If we buy it after we are far away in Miami do any of our drinks purchased before that get credited back?

 

 

we bought UBP when still docked in New York and only had the 15% bar gratuity added-perhaps it depends when they actually apply the charge to your account

I wonder whether this may vary on ship or sailing

 

some drinks "bought" after buying package on first day were added as extra charges but when queried these were removed-check your bill with guest services for up to date bill before the last day as the tv monitor shows every single drink purchased

[Demonyte]

... the tv monitor shows every single drink purchased

 

Just to clarify to new NCL cruisers: account balance and other interactive services in cabin tv are available only on Gem and ships built after her (Epic, Breakaway, Getaway).

[Karysa]

At first I was a little skeptical about UBP's but after cruising on a couple of ships that had them and not noticing a difference in the amount of drunken behavior I don't care one way or another if I am on a ship with such a program available for purchase. I do however have a question.

 

Everyone talks about "getting their money's worth" from the program. If such a program was included in the cruise fare would you still be thinking this way?

 

The reason that I ask is that for the very first time our family is going on an AI vacation (flight, food, alcohol, rooms and activities included for one price) and I broke down the cost of what I would have to pay for the flight and lodging to see if I was getting an ok deal and checked reviews online to make sure that I picked a place with good food and activities and roughly added the costs of those up but I never gave a thought to the alcohol part of it.

 

I also booked a cruise and now after reading this thread I got to thinking. If DH and my cruise was $350 pp more, in other words, $1209 instead of $859 because alcohol was included I would be thinking about getting my money's worth of alcohol. I don't think that this would be possible in my case personally but I would be thinking that I am getting a bit ripped and would think of the wasted money that I spent on alcohol that I am not drinking.

 

Does this make any sense to any of you because I can't quite figure out my own thinking on this? :D

[triptolemus]

There's always discussion with the UPB about getting ones money's worth versus buying the package and simply ordering a drink when you want one without a further thought on the matter. The latter is how my wife and I treated it.

 

Some folks save the receipts from each drink and at some point toward the end of the cruise start adding stuff up. Others say they watch their folio closely to see all the charges racked up before they are reversed away.

 

It's become much like the topic of suite tipping. It's a personal preference and most folks on the forum can't really tell what's right for some random stranger.

 

Honestly, I thought about doing some of the above but a few days before sailing I abandoned all those ideas. I got my sticker and never gave it much more thought after that.

 

It is indeed wise to make sure that any purchase translates into a value for you, sure. But as for what other folks "think" - as always, take it with a grain of salt. Figure out the cost of the alcohol component (for the AI) or the cost of the UBP and do the math... divide total drinks consumed by an average of $7 per drink (a little more for wine) and see how it works out for you. If it's close, add the intangible "value" of having a pre-determined bar tab. It was pretty groovy not having to think about this either. If it isn't close, the UBP may not be for you and/or the AI's alcohol component could be an element that "de-values" the total package for you.

[Karysa]

There's always discussion with the UPB about getting ones money's worth versus buying the package and simply ordering a drink when you want one without a further thought on the matter. The latter is how my wife and I treated it.

 

Some folks save the receipts from each drink and at some point toward the end of the cruise start adding stuff up. Others say they watch their folio closely to see all the charges racked up before they are reversed away.

 

It's become much like the topic of suite tipping. It's a personal preference and most folks on the forum can't really tell what's right for some random stranger.

 

Honestly, I thought about doing some of the above but a few days before sailing I abandoned all those ideas. I got my sticker and never gave it much more thought after that.

 

It is indeed wise to make sure that any purchase translates into a value for you, sure. But as for what other folks "think" - as always, take it with a grain of salt. Figure out the cost of the alcohol component (for the AI) or the cost of the UBP and do the math... divide total drinks consumed by an average of $7 per drink (a little more for wine) and see how it works out for you. If it's close, add the intangible "value" of having a pre-determined bar tab. It was pretty groovy not having to think about this either. If it isn't close, the UBP may not be for you and/or the AI's alcohol component could be an element that "de-values" the total package for you.

 

If you are referring to my post I am a bit confused. No chance of me purchasing a UBP. I don't drink more than 3 drinks on any given day and DH less than that so I would not even contemplate purchasing it. Again, no issues at all with it being offered. Just wierd that for my AI I never thought about the value of the alcohol or what extra I may be paying for having it available to consume all I want but if $350 was added to my cruise I would really think about the cost. It's just interesting to me since I have both types of vacations planned in the upcoming year.

[KroozeKid]

Hey guys...some questions!

 

#1 - We are on the 7 day Thanksgiving Epic sailing...I remember on our carnival cruise they actually even counted disembarkation day as a day on their beverage package - does NCL do the same? Anyone know the total for the Ultimate Beverage or the total for the Corks and Caps for a 7 day sailing?

 

#2 - I don't drink liquor, only beer and wine - but boyfriend does. Anyone know if you can do one ultimate and one corks and caps?

 

#3 - Are you able to bring on an "unlimited" number of bottles of wine on board? You just have to pay corkage if you open in a restaurant? (I say unlimited...but I'd probably bring no more than 4-6)

 

#4 - Assuming its better to purchase after we are at sea on Day 1 and don't have to pay taxes while docked in Miami - is this true?

 

Thank you!!!

 

Corks and Caps and Ultimate Package can be combined if 2 adults are travelling together. Was done on Breakaway this September. No issues whatsoever.

[vacalover99]

Can someone please post a link to the ultimate UBP thread on NCL board? I tried looking and couldn't find it. Thanks in advance!

[KroozeKid]

Hey guys...some questions!

 

#1 - We are on the 7 day Thanksgiving Epic sailing...I remember on our carnival cruise they actually even counted disembarkation day as a day on their beverage package - does NCL do the same? Anyone know the total for the Ultimate Beverage or the total for the Corks and Caps for a 7 day sailing?

 

#2 - I don't drink liquor, only beer and wine - but boyfriend does. Anyone know if you can do one ultimate and one corks and caps?

 

#3 - Are you able to bring on an "unlimited" number of bottles of wine on board? You just have to pay corkage if you open in a restaurant? (I say unlimited...but I'd probably bring no more than 4-6)

 

#4 - Assuming its better to purchase after we are at sea on Day 1 and don't have to pay taxes while docked in Miami - is this true?

 

Thank you!!!

 

#1 - Breakaway Ultimate Beverage was $394.45 for 7 days and the Cork and Cap was $354.20

[lyssa13]

#1 - Breakaway Ultimate Beverage was http://mycrazyblessedlife.com/2011/10/03/relax-bottletime-out-timer/.45 for 7 days and the Cork and Cap was $354.20

 

You're all amazing, thank you!

[QuiGonJohn]

Everyone talks about "getting their money's worth" from the program. If such a program was included in the cruise fare would you still be thinking this way?

For me and my way of thinking, if I were to get the UBPs, I would drink more than I would otherwise and want to "get my money's worth". The flip side, and it's actually a good thing, is that if I don't get it, while I may have some drinks on some days, I will definitely drink a lot less, which is better for me in many ways, overall health, my weight control/diet, and to avoid a potential source of getting sick. When I drink to excess, I have gotten sick, from time to time. In my wife & I's case, not getting the UBP is much better. She might drink a little more if we had it, but would not drink much more than she otherwise would. I am sure the little we do drink will come in WAY UNDER what the UBP would cost us, for both of us, for a 7 day cruise. And we can easily go without drinking alcohol. On our recent 5 day trip to Boston, we only had alcohol on 2 occasions.

[tvguy72]

B6ConMe I agree with you 100%. But when you look at what how much one would have to consume to make the package cost effective. It's excessive.

 

Forget that package also include soft drinks. If you don't drink your money's worth, what's the point of the package. However, that exactly what the cruise lines want you to do with these beverage programs I guess.

 

Just my 2 cents. Which is worth about half of that anyway.

[QuiGonJohn]

And when you factor in days you spend in port, you are not drinking during the day, then to imbibe in the required number of brewskies, you have to consume as much or more in less time. If I were to drink 7 or 8 drinks in a day, (and the earliest I would probably start would be around lunch time), that'd probably be my max for a day. And I don't think I could or would do that day in and day out. Even if I did drink 7 to 8 a day, there is no way my wife would drink that much, maybe 3 or 4 a day, max.

[B6ConMe]

B6ConMe I agree with you 100%. But when you look at what how much one would have to consume to make the package cost effective. It's excessive.

 

Forget that package also include soft drinks. If you don't drink your money's worth, what's the point of the package. However, that exactly what the cruise lines want you to do with these beverage programs I guess.

 

Just my 2 cents. Which is worth about half of that anyway.

 

Very true and I think ppl need to be careful signing up for any package really. Our 1st cruise together, Feb 2012, we purchased a wine package, 6 bottles over a 7 day cruise. you only get 4 and a bit glasses of wine so shouldn't really be a problem with 2 ppl sharing, right? LOL, we had a hard time just finishing the wine so no more wine packages. We only paid $300 over 7 days for both of us last cruise and that included extra dining charges as well.

 

But having said that, as long as ppl are comfortable spending that much and drinking that much... let them enjoy subsidizing those of us who don't.

[onefishtwofish]

I know one attractive part to the package is not getting that tab at the end. Another idea I have seen done instead of buying the package (especially for those who don't drink a lot or if only 1 drinks etc.....) that I thought was a good idea was to "purchase" yourself an "on board credit" and buy what you think you may spend. It's like buying an on board credit for a gift for someone, but it's for you! ;) That way, you still have no worries about how much you are spending as it just comes off the credit and you have it paid for ahead of time.

Just a thought........:)

[QuiGonJohn]

Well we have a $50 OBC from our TA, and cannot use that for the DSC, (that's a whole other pet peeve, no sense getting into it now). Anyway, I am sure we will drink some and run up a tab over that $50, so no big worry. Even if it is $200 total, less the $50 OBC, I pay $150 on my credit card and still come out leaps and bounds ahead of (2) UBP's for 7 nights, (which would come to $788.90).

[Mooder]

How is 7 drinks in a 16 hour period a sign of someone with a drinking problem. For me it breaks down like this:

Mimosa with breakfast $7.50

Wine or Sparkling wine with lunch $9

Fruity Frozen drink or 2 around the pool in the afternoon $7.95 (x2)

Wine (2 glasses) with dinner $9 (x2)

martini or other after dinner drink at the evening show $7.50

 

Total for the day $57.90 and thats not even trying hard. My husband and I usually stay up fairly late 1-2am, so most of the time between the shows and going to bed we'll put back 3-4 drinks minimum each. Now we don't drink like this at home (most people think I'm a teetotaler), but we're on vacation and enjoy ourselves. We are not drunk, and most of the time not even buzzed. And during shore days we are quite active between scuba diving, exploring, and hiking.

 

We get the UBP more for the convenience of not having to watch our bar bill, basically having it completely paid before we step foot on the ship, and the fact I can try new things and not feel bad if I don't like it. If we even come close to what we paid for it I am happy, but if not *shrug* piece of mind is worth the price.

 

Exactly!

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[Karysa]

For me and my way of thinking, if I were to get the UBPs, I would drink more than I would otherwise and want to "get my money's worth". The flip side, and it's actually a good thing, is that if I don't get it, while I may have some drinks on some days, I will definitely drink a lot less, which is better for me in many ways, overall health, my weight control/diet, and to avoid a potential source of getting sick. When I drink to excess, I have gotten sick, from time to time. In my wife & I's case, not getting the UBP is much better. She might drink a little more if we had it, but would not drink much more than she otherwise would. I am sure the little we do drink will come in WAY UNDER what the UBP would cost us, for both of us, for a 7 day cruise. And we can easily go without drinking alcohol. On our recent 5 day trip to Boston, we only had alcohol on 2 occasions.

 

Maybe the reason that I didn't factor in the cost of having alcohol included in our AI vacation is because our bar bill is usually such a small part of our overall land and cruise vacations. I like the UBP better than an all inclusive cruise price if they are going to charge $700 per couple more for the cruise.