Free at Sea

[VAbeach1]

Curious about free at sea alcohol, free anywhere on the ship at anytime? In port or specialty dinning ?  

[Nola26]

Full details are on NCL.com in the Terms & Conditions.

 

Here are the highlights for responses to your questions

1. Single serve beverages at bars and restaurants are included
   • The T&Cs will specify $ value limits, if you order something over the limit you'll be the overage + extra gratuity
2. Offer is not applicable at Harvest Caye bars, restaurants, or venues.
   Does not include: Wine and Spirit Experiences, tastings or Flights, Starbucks, Ice Bars, room service, package sales, bottled water, ship specific promotions or beer buckets, designated super premium brands (subject to change), bottled wine, mini bar purchases, fresh squeezed juices, Lavazza coffee beverages, wine dispenser, energy drinks or vending machines.

[shukapaw]

Generally speaking, yes. However, NCL does not allow you to use it on their private island. Also, if you've been around here long you know that "free" isn't free. You'll be responsible for paying the gratuities on the retail price of the beverage package.

 

Hope this helps,

 

Brian

[Two Wheels Only]

1 minute ago, shukapaw said:

However, NCL does not allow you to use it on their private island.

 

On GSC, you can.

On HC, you can't. 

[shukapaw]

1 minute ago, Two Wheels Only said:

 

On GSC, you can.

On HC, you can't. 

@TwoWheelsOnly, I stand corrected. Thanks for setting the record straight!

 

~Brian

[Two Wheels Only]

2 hours ago, VAbeach1 said:

In port?...

 

Just to add more info...

 

If you select the PBP promo, NCL will add a 20% "gratuity and service charge" based on the current price of the PBP. It is added to the fare before you even input your name/down payment. Since the current price is $99 per person per day, 20% is $19.80 pppd. 

 

Once on the ship, you will not be charged 20% per beverage that is covered by the plan. If you have 1 drink or 100, the promo service charge that you already paid will cover the service charge. If you do not have a plan, each individual drink has 20% added to it. 

 

If you have the PBP and purchase a drink that is over the $15 limit ($20 drink, for ex.), your on-board account will be charged the difference ($5) plus 20% of that difference as a service charge ($1) for a total of $6. 

 

In some ports, a tax is charged until the ship is in open water (I don't remember the distance).

 

Looking at a receipt posted by another forum member who had the UBP (as it was named back then...same idea)...

 

 

The drinks totaled $23.90. That was covered by the UBP.

The service charge would have been $4.78 (20%) if he was buying drinks without the UBP.

Since he had the UBP and paid the service charge on the UBP before boarding (currently 20%), the $4.78 is "covered" by the UBP promo service charge.

 

The Miami tax of $1.91 is the 8% tax on the $23.90 and is charged to the on-board account. 

Edited May 19, 2019 by Two Wheels Only

[BirdTravels]

11 hours ago, VAbeach1 said:

Curious about free at sea alcohol, free anywhere on the ship at anytime? In port or specialty dinning ?  

Within the terms and conditions of the promotion, you can get a drink any time of the day and a ship’s bars and restaurants, at sea or in port. Start with bloody Mary’s for breakfast and proceed from there. Two at a time. No daily limit. 

 

Has as mentioned above, it does extend to the Great Stirrup Cay private island which is run by the ship’s bartenders. 

[ggTexasGal]

10 hours ago, Nola26 said:

Full details are on NCL.com in the Terms & Conditions.

 

Here are the highlights for responses to your questions

1. Single serve beverages at bars and restaurants are included
   • The T&Cs will specify $ value limits, if you order something over the limit you'll be the overage + extra gratuity
2. Offer is not applicable at Harvest Caye bars, restaurants, or venues.
   Does not include: Wine and Spirit Experiences, tastings or Flights, Starbucks, Ice Bars, room service, package sales, bottled water, ship specific promotions or beer buckets, designated super premium brands (subject to change), bottled wine, mini bar purchases, fresh squeezed juices, Lavazza coffee beverages, wine dispenser, energy drinks or vending machines.

Only want to add this ...not with room service!

As noted in above text, room service drinks are NOT included in the drinks package.

(often, people fail to read the Terms and Conditions, or they miss that part)

[cruisewithbaby]

How does the bar tender know you Pre paid the grats before going onboard? Is it listed on their Computer so they don’t add it agin? The pic shows it added up, just wondering how it’s handled. We got the UBP and had to pre pay the grats already.

[FLAHAM]

3 minutes ago, cruisewithbaby said:

How does the bar tender know you Pre paid the grats before going onboard? Is it listed on their Computer so they don’t add it agin? The pic shows it added up, just wondering how it’s handled. We got the UBP and had to pre pay the grats already.

If the drinks package is listed on your sail card, the bartender or waiter will note it and will know that you paid the service charge (you can't buy the drinks package without paying the service charge).