NCL Free Beverage Package

[JohnLocke2012]

How can NCL afford to do this? Thinking of.doing the Epic.in February and see you get a free alcoholic beverage package for booking a balcony? I haven't been on NCL in a while, but I'm assuming the package costs around $50/day. The cabin itself a $699. Could they really be giving away a package worth half of the cost of the cruise? Am I misinterpreting the offer? Instead of the drink package we could also get either $200 OBC or the premium restaurant package, but both of those pale in comparison to unlimited free drinks :p any info would be appreciated. Can't wait to see the Epic!

[CruiserRob]

How can NCL afford to do this? Thinking of.doing the Epic.in February and see you get a free alcoholic beverage package for booking a balcony? I haven't been on NCL in a while, but I'm assuming the package costs around $50/day. The cabin itself a $699. Could they really be giving away a package worth half of the cost of the cruise? Am I misinterpreting the offer? Instead of the drink package we could also get either $200 OBC or the premium restaurant package, but both of those pale in comparison to unlimited free drinks :p any info would be appreciated. Can't wait to see the Epic!

 

Given that NCL buys alcohol in volume and probably duty free, the package costs them very little. They are filling the cabin and hope to make up the lost profit through shore excursions, casino, spa treatments, specialty restaurants etc.:D

If the ship sails with empty cabins, that profit opportunity is lost forever.

[Demonyte]

Also since the price of oil has dropped a lot in the last few months, even with their long term contract prices for fuel they have a lot more room to play with profits in the long run.

 

In addition, as CruiserRob said, even the retail price for a bottle of liquor is around $20, even less in bulk (and without taxes). One litre bottle makes over 20 drinks, so actual cost per drink is less than $1 even with retail prices - their regular markup on drinks is huge so they can easily afford to give the package for free without actually suffering that much.

[my_crib_too]

The new packages make booking a cruise more of an all inclusive type experience when you book a suite. Booking a non-suite is a great value for some too. I really like this promotion and think we will see more of this kind of promotion in the future.

[Rochesterboatingdotcom]

Celebrity has been doing the free drink package now for several years and they seem to be doing OK with it. We booked through CAS for this promotion and got the free drinks on top of a comped cabin. Gotta love NCL!

[cliffd64]

Most people who get the beverage package for free will not be trying to maximize their "cost" so they wouldn't consume more than $50 a day in drinks anyway. It's a simple promotion that probably will sell a bunch of cabins which is exactly what a cruise line wants to do. The cruiseline's cost for this promotion is a lot smaller due to the volume of beverage materials they purchase company wide. I'd be surprised if it cost them more than $5 a day per person to provide the beverages (on average of course).

[Keith.W]

We booked a suite yesterday, and getting all 3 offers made it a steel, only cruised twice both times in a studio, parents once in a mini suite :/ massive upgrade to be booking the Haven

[cliffd64]

We booked a suite yesterday, and getting all 3 offers made it a steel, only cruised twice both times in a studio, parents once in a mini suite :/ massive upgrade to be booking the Haven

 

Is certainly is a nice add on :) We are in a suite also for our next cruise :)

[cherylroslyn]

How can NCL afford to do this? Thinking of.doing the Epic.in February and see you get a free alcoholic beverage package for booking a balcony? I haven't been on NCL in a while, but I'm assuming the package costs around $50/day. The cabin itself a $699. Could they really be giving away a package worth half of the cost of the cruise? Am I misinterpreting the offer? Instead of the drink package we could also get either $200 OBC or the premium restaurant package, but both of those pale in comparison to unlimited free drinks :p any info would be appreciated. Can't wait to see the Epic!

Celebrity has been doing it for over a year with great results....the new packages are spin on the Celebrity 123go promo. Sit back and stay tuned though.... Because prices crept up when the company started offering the perks. Then they came up with a plan to offer three perks for rooms above the balcony (two classes that NCL does not have), those prices have skyrocketed for 2016 and 2017. In the end the cruise line really makes a killing by offering drink packages to non-drinkers or light drinkers. the perceived value is high, but most people cant drink enough to really get full value...but they feel like they got something worth over $350 each.

[Bocadude85]

We booked a European cruise the other day and got the UDP & UBP for free. We were going to buy both packages so it was a great deal for us.

[cliffd64]

On our next cruise, even though we got the package for free, I plan on saving all the receipts and comparing the costs to what it would have costed me had I purchased it to see if it would have been a break even or better value for us.

 

Free is wonderful, but assuming that's not available next time, this will allow me to see if its a value or not.

[JohnLocke2012]

Thanks for the replies guys! Guess that all makes sense based on cost for the company, but I wonder how it effects the bartenders. Guess since I'll be drinking free I'll bring some cash to tip, but I'd have to think drink packages offered on the major lines right now must be hurting the bar crew.

[Keith.W]

Is certainly is a nice add on :) We are in a suite also for our next cruise :)

 

Sure is, I have a feeling it will be hard to go back to a standard room now :)

[JohnLocke2012]

Celebrity has been doing it for over a year with great results....the new packages are spin on the Celebrity 123go promo. Sit back and stay tuned though.... Because prices crept up when the company started offering the perks. Then they came up with a plan to offer three perks for rooms above the balcony (two classes that NCL does not have), those prices have skyrocketed for 2016 and 2017. In the end the cruise line really makes a killing by offering drink packages to non-drinkers or light drinkers. the perceived value is high, but most people cant drink enough to really get full value...but they feel like they got something worth over $350 each.

 

That's true. For me to book a drink package and pay for it wouldn't be worth it. I only will have maybe 5-6 drinks a day. My girlfriend on the other hand is another story haha. She can certainly make the $50 a day worth it. I guess my point was out of the 3 free perks they are offering for the ocean view/balcony rooms, the retail value of the drink package far exceeds getting the $200 OBC or dining package.

[Kingmaker_inc]

Instead of the drink package we could also get either $200 OBC or the premium restaurant package, but both of those pale in comparison to unlimited free drinks :p any info would be appreciated. Can't wait to see the Epic!

 

I think it really depends on the individual. I just don't drink enough to make the $55/day (the value of the package) worth it. BUT I love the specialty dining, and would buy it without a thought about price.

 

I did book under this promotion, and due to category - I get all three options, but with $300 OBC. Overall, though, it would probably be cheaper to book during the Kids Sail Free promotion... Just due to personal preferences and the way the money flows.

[Kingmaker_inc]

We booked through CAS for this promotion...

 

I have seen this acronym lately, and I do not know what it means. Is it "Casino at Sea" or something like that? Can someone help me out? Thanks!

Edited January 13, 2015 by Kingmaker_inc

[DAYLILLY]

Since you only receive one drink package in the promotion, you'd have to purchase one. So the 200 OBC might be the better deal if you are actually trying to save money. No?

[JohnLocke2012]

Since you only receive one drink package in the promotion, you'd have to purchase one. So the 200 OBC might be the better deal if you are actually trying to save money. No?

 

You receive 2 beverage packages, the 3rd and 4h guest get the unlimited soda but not alcohol package. $700 value, granted it doesn't cost them that much, but still a stellar deal nonetheless on a $700 per person balcony.

[JohnLocke2012]

I have seen this acronym lately, and I do not know what it means. Is it "Casino at Sea" or something like that? Can someone help me out? Thanks!

 

Correct. Casino at sea.

[JohnLocke2012]

I think it really depends on the individual. I just don't drink enough to make the $55/day (the value of the package) worth it. BUT I love the specialty dining, and would buy it without a thought about price.

 

I did book under this promotion, and due to category - I get all three options, but with $300 OBC. Overall, though, it would probably be cheaper to book during the Kids Sail Free promotion... Just due to personal preferences and the way the money flows.

 

I don't either, but even if I just have 3-4 mixed drinks and a glass of wine at dinner it'll definitely be a better bargain than my half ($100) of OBC or unlimited specialty dining (average $20 per personl lets say). I personally eat in the MDR every night on almost every cruise although the Brazilian BBQ place might get out attention one evening. Either way kudos to NCL for an incredible deal.

 

On a side note, I've noticed NCL pricing is pretty much the same even via online TAs, is this a control they have over them? I booked a MSC cruise in December for a third of what MSC was charging via a TA

[DAYLILLY]

Thanks, John. I didn't realize it was 2 packages they were giving. That's a great value!

[schipke13]

First time posting here but I wanted to weigh in. I booked a cruise several months ago to go to Alaska this coming summer. I locked in the price. Once I saw the beverage package, on board credit, and dining offer on the website, I called my cruise consultant to see if we qualified for them (which I knew we did, we have a suite). If we wanted those "perks", we would have had to cancel our current reservation and rebook for $1,500 MORE for the exact same room. So those perks aren't free and the cruise line will get their money. Hope that helps.

[JohnLocke2012]

Thanks, John. I didn't realize it was 2 packages they were giving. That's a great value!

 

No problem! It is a great deal, especially for last minute cruises. Be sure to book by the 31st though!

[California Traveler]

First time posting here but I wanted to weigh in. I booked a cruise several months ago to go to Alaska this coming summer. I locked in the price. Once I saw the beverage package, on board credit, and dining offer on the website, I called my cruise consultant to see if we qualified for them (which I knew we did, we have a suite). If we wanted those "perks", we would have had to cancel our current reservation and rebook for $1,500 MORE for the exact same room. So those perks aren't free and the cruise line will get their money. Hope that helps.

 

Us too for our Med cruise in May, but $1,300 pp!

 

CT

[JohnLocke2012]

First time posting here but I wanted to weigh in. I booked a cruise several months ago to go to Alaska this coming summer. I locked in the price. Once I saw the beverage package, on board credit, and dining offer on the website, I called my cruise consultant to see if we qualified for them (which I knew we did, we have a suite). If we wanted those "perks", we would have had to cancel our current reservation and rebook for $1,500 MORE for the exact same room. So those perks aren't free and the cruise line will get their money. Hope that helps.

 

Still at $700/per person for a 7 night balcony is pretty cheap/close to bottom line for that catergory, so getting an almost $400 per person package is a pretty sweet deal.