Question re UBP vs. buying individual drinks and bringing sodas on board

[ranran87]

I am heading for my first cruise on the Jewel on January 3, and I am wrestling with whether I should buy the UBP. Knowing I can bring my own sodas on board makes me lean toward paying for individual alcoholic drinks and drinking my carried-on soda for free. However, I know I am going to want soda with breakfast, lunch, and dinner (I am a diet coke fiend). Is there any rule or social stigma against bringing my own Tervis tumbler filled with soda and ice from my room with me into the dining rooms, buffet area, bar, pool area, etc?

[Ilovesailing]

I am heading for my first cruise on the Jewel on January 3, and I am wrestling with whether I should buy the UBP. Knowing I can bring my own sodas on board makes me lean toward paying for individual alcoholic drinks and drinking my carried-on soda for free. However, I know I am going to want soda with breakfast, lunch, and dinner (I am a diet coke fiend). Is there any rule or social stigma against bringing my own Tervis tumbler filled with soda and ice from my room with me into the dining rooms, buffet area, bar, pool area, etc?[/quote

 

You wouldn't be the first as I take my thermal to breakfast as it's filled with espresso. I've seen others come in with drinks and sodas.

[papcx]

The real question is how many drinks will you buy onboard? If it's only a few, then you should probably pay-as-you-go.

 

Personally I nearly always buy a package, because I will consume close (or over) the break even point most days and by paying up front I've no bar bill onboard.

[trish1c]

I usually bring my own soda & walk around the ship with a can because the cruise line doesn't sell my preferred brand on board. The only thing anybody has every said to me was one cruise director who said, "OMG! I want one so bad!" So I went back to the cabin & gave him one. :)

[papcx]

I usually bring my own soda & walk around the ship with a can because the cruise line doesn't sell my preferred brand on board. The only thing anybody has every said to me was one cruise director who said, "OMG! I want one so bad!" So I went back to the cabin & gave him one. :)

 

 

I think he wanted a soda ;-)

[ncklhaus]

OMG! Too funny papcx.

Edited December 7, 2014 by ncklhaus

[matj2000]

I would think a couple 12 packs should last anyone a week.

 

Anything more then that.

 

Is another story.

 

You really should try to mix in some water some of the time...

[ColinIllinois]

I think he wanted a soda ;-)

 

 

Damn, you made me spit my coffee out. :D

[Hermiones parents]

There is no issue bring your soda to dinner. At the sit down restaurants, I just asked for a cup of ice. Sometimes I didn't ask they waiter would ask me if I wanted some ice.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[brikee]

I think he wanted a soda ;-)

 

Lol yes the last line does sound naughty.

[dolita22]

No worries on carrying your own tumbler with soda around! We generally do that or carry cans chilled in our fridge.

 

As for getting the UBP vs. not getting it: We do as you will be doing - bringing our own soda on board and buying drinks as we go. We found that we drink around 2 or 3 drinks per day each, and fewer on days we are in port, so it wasn't worth the money to us to have the UBP.

 

Enjoy your first cruise!

[LrgPizza]

FYI, there is no Diet Coke on board. You might want to bring your own, since you describe yourself as a "fiend". NCL has Pepsi products.

[nets33]

However, I know I am going to want soda with breakfast, lunch, and dinner (I am a diet coke fiend).

 

FYI, NCL has Pepsi products on board so if you will only drink Diet Coke and not Diet Pepsi you'll want to consider bringing some with you.

[GoofyCrew]

Tervis cups...great idea!

 

I know that buffets, etc. have free iced tea. Can you walk in there any time of day and just fill your own (Tervis) cup with iced tea or water? I don't drink soda so the soda portion of the package is pointless.

 

We did debate about the UDP for the beer, but we figured it out and think we will still come out ahead by just buying as we go. We'd really have to slam 'em back on port days otherwise to break even! :eek:

[sebas030]

Ok,

 

I WAS ( and I insist on "WAS" ) a UBP fan !

 

On my last 2 cruises I bought the UBP. I drink mainly martini, and they are between 8,5 and 10$, and I thought by drinking one or 2 mimosa in the morning, a couple of beer or frozen drinks by the pool and a couple of martini and a couple of wine glasses per day I would make it worth while....

 

I was ok with breaking even or being just under to prevent a "surprise" bar bill and the opportunity to go ahead and try new things without worrying about paying for a bad drink...

 

On our last cruise we didn't pre-buy the package so we paid 60$ per day per person...

 

So on the last cruise, my girlfriend and I forced ourselves to drink more to break even with the new price...it was ok for a few days but we couldn't handle it for 7 days....and here at home we drink a martini almost every night, have a couple of beers or wine with it...so we are kind of "used" to drink..and we couldn't do it for 7 days straight at that volume of alcohol.

 

We came up short by about 250$....that is too much to justify buying the UBP next time.

 

If you drink mostly beer...then I would not recommend the UBP, most beers are 5$ to 7$ and you would have to drink at least 10 beers per day INCLUDING day 1 which is embarkation day...for me it is just to much with port days...only sail days ? maybe

 

So next cruise we will drink what we feel like to drink and we know we will be under the UBP....

 

But that's just us....

[ranran87]

Thank you so much everyone for your input. I am now comfortable that I can swig my own soda at will throughout the ship without incurring any wrath.