Weird beverage questions

[JeanfromBNA]

DH and I are DCL aficionados. Soda, (regular) coffee, tea, and juice is included in the cruise price. Disney has beverage stations set up around the buffet, similar to fast-food restaurants, and you'd get your own glass and fill it. In dining rooms, the servers would take your drink order as soon as you sat down. In about five minutes, you'd get your beverage. Refills came as needed, just like in good land-based restaurants. If you purchased anything chargeable, they had you sign a receipt at the end of the meal.

 

On Celebrity, half the time we wouldn't get our drinks until we were almost finished with our meals, and the rest of the time refills disappeared, sometimes even if you asked for them. The weird beverage rationing also occurred in specialty restaurants. I had a premium alcohol package, and DH, who doesn't drink, had a premium soda package. I've already decided not to purchase that again, because it led to some downright ugliness later.

 

How do you get your beverages at the buffet on NCL? Are dining room beverages handled like restaurants? I know that this is the NCL board, but how do other cruise lines handle beverages? I need to know if we should just bring our own soda, water, and tea to avoid problems.

[shof515]

It is always better to bring your own soda and others drinks. That is what i am going to do for my trip next week

 

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[jjikids]

DH and I are DCL aficionados. Soda, (regular) coffee, tea, and juice is included in the cruise price. Disney has beverage stations set up around the buffet, similar to fast-food restaurants, and you'd get your own glass and fill it. In dining rooms, the servers would take your drink order as soon as you sat down. In about five minutes, you'd get your beverage. Refills came as needed, just like in good land-based restaurants. If you purchased anything chargeable, they had you sign a receipt at the end of the meal.

 

On Celebrity, half the time we wouldn't get our drinks until we were almost finished with our meals, and the rest of the time refills disappeared, sometimes even if you asked for them. The weird beverage rationing also occurred in specialty restaurants. I had a premium alcohol package, and DH, who doesn't drink, had a premium soda package. I've already decided not to purchase that again, because it led to some downright ugliness later.

 

How do you get your beverages at the buffet on NCL? Are dining room beverages handled like restaurants? I know that this is the NCL board, but how do other cruise lines handle beverages? I need to know if we should just bring our own soda, water, and tea to avoid problems.

The buffet has lemonade, mango peach, strawberry kiwi, iced tea, hot chocolate, coffee and tea for lunch and dinner. For breakfast there is apple, orange and cranberry juice cocktail, milk, skim milk, chocolate milk, hot chocolate, coffee and tea in the buffet. In the MDR you can also get prune or grapefruit juice for breakfast. Fresh squeezed juices are available at an extra cost. We had no problems getting anything we wanted to drink.

[FreestyleNovice]

Haven't seen a lot of bar waiters in the buffet, I rarely see any "paid drinks" on tables. Did saw a couple dining at the buffet like it was Le Bistro or Cagney's, having a waiter opening a bottle of wine, ice bucket etc. Just seemed off, but it sure is freestyle. :)

 

Best way to get your drinks is by yourself at the "bar" in the buffet I think?

[allie182]

There is a bar that serves drinks right in the buffet. They can either pour your sodas in your souvenir cup or in a glass.

Edited May 25, 2014 by allie182

[kylenyc]

Drinks at the buffet are self serve as much as you want (coffee, tea, iced tea, milk, flavored drinks, fruit juices in the morning only). They serve the same in MDR and I've never had problems getting served any included beverages with the exception of green tea bags because they are very popular and run out. They are very low pressure to non-existent in asking you if you want any paid beverage at the buffet.

 

People bring soda and water on to the ship to save money or because their preferred brand is not available (NCL serves Pepsi beverages so some people like to bring Coke products. They also don't have caffeine free cola). However, it's not because there is a service issue or that NCL is pushing paid drinks or anything like that. Cruise Critic wrote any article about one cruise line making it inconvenient on passengers to get included beverages at dinner which many people mistook for being NCL. It was not NCL with the problem.

Edited May 26, 2014 by kylenyc

[Valen9]

It's pretty easy to bring SOFT drinks on board at most ports. When boarding in NYC, I have put a luggage tag on a 12-pack of soda and it was delivered to my cabin.

 

Most cabins have a refrigerator, but the cruise line fills it full of stuff. You can ask your steward to remove the items if you don't want anyone making an inadvertent purchase. Sodas in your cabin cost the same as a can of soda does anywhere else on the ship, generally $2.10.

 

Alcoholic drinks are a completely different story, though.

 

As for coffee, you can order regular and decaf in any restaurant for no charge, plus get it at the buffet. "Specialty" coffees will cost and might be delivered at odd times in a sit-down restaurant.

 

Looks like the drinks situation on Disney is much better than NCL!

Edited May 26, 2014 by Valen9

[JeanfromBNA]

How would my husband get an iced tea in the buffet? How would I get a Pepsi?

 

In the main dining room, how would my husband get an iced tea? How would I order and pay for a glass of wine?

[JeanfromBNA]

The buffet has lemonade, mango peach, strawberry kiwi, iced tea, hot chocolate, coffee and tea for lunch and dinner. For breakfast there is apple, orange and cranberry juice cocktail, milk, skim milk, chocolate milk, hot chocolate, coffee and tea in the buffet. In the MDR you can also get prune or grapefruit juice for breakfast. Fresh squeezed juices are available at an extra cost. We had no problems getting anything we wanted to drink.

 

Are the lemonade, iced tea, coffee, tea, etc. at the buffet included in the price of the cruise? Can you get them yourself, or do you have to ask somebody? On Celebrity, we'd ask a waiter who came to our table to take our beverage order in the buffet for an iced tea or a coke, and they'd disappear for 20 minutes.

[soaringfalcon]

How would my husband get an iced tea in the buffet? How would I get a Pepsi?

 

In the main dining room, how would my husband get an iced tea? How would I order and pay for a glass of wine?

 

They have iced tea dispensers. For a Pepsi, you would order it at the buffet bar. You can pay as you go or get a soda card.

 

In the main dining room, ask for it and they will bring it. The waitstaff will bring you a bill with gratuity added for the wine. If you order a bottle, they will keep it in the cellar for you and you can ask them to get it at your next meal.

 

Hope that helps!

[soaringfalcon]

Are the lemonade, iced tea, coffee, tea, etc. at the buffet included in the price of the cruise? Can you get them yourself, or do you have to ask somebody? On Celebrity, we'd ask a waiter who came to our table to take our beverage order in the buffet for an iced tea or a coke, and they'd disappear for 20 minutes.

 

Yes, all included and you get them yourself :)

[kylenyc]

How would my husband get an iced tea in the buffet? How would I get a Pepsi?

 

In the main dining room, how would my husband get an iced tea? How would I order and pay for a glass of wine?

Buffet - Any included beverage including iced tea just walk up to the beverage station, take a cup, fill your glass with iced tea. Pepsi and paid sodas, beer, wine, you'll need to flag down a server or go to the nearest bar. Some ships have a beer wine soda station in the buffet. Some also have a full service bar in the buffet such as the Great Outdoors which has a nice aft view. The pool side buffet has a bar right next to it.

 

Main dining room - Order from your waiter. Included beverages, tell your waiter your order. If it's a paid beverage (soda, wine, cocktail), then order from your waiter, hand them your cabin key card and they'll return with your drink and receipt.

Edited May 26, 2014 by kylenyc

[AweighToSea]

Sorry for the stupid question. I'm curious. I know NCL allows pax to take water and soft drinks on board but reading this thread it just occurred to me that I assume they drink them outside their cabins. So how so they handle that?

 

I assume they would just get a glass and ice in a self serve area in the buffet.

 

What about the MDR or a specialty restaurant?

[Demonyte]

Sorry for the stupid question. I'm curious. I know NCL allows pax to take water and soft drinks on board but reading this thread it just occurred to me that I assume they drink them outside their cabins. So how so they handle that?

 

I assume they would just get a glass and ice in a self serve area in the buffet.

 

What about the MDR or a specialty restaurant?

 

One just asks a waiter for a glass of ice, as simple as that.

[AweighToSea]

Considering half the cost of a soda would be the pop itself and the rest the service related cost it is generous of NCL to allow pax to bring on their own soda and then, in effect, serve it.

Seems obvious to just ask for a glass but just could not picture walking into say, Cagney's or the MDR, carrying a couple of cans of cola. Thanks for the reply.