Drinks packages with children

[Caroian]

We're cruising on the Getaway this spring. I've cruised before, but not for some time, and this will be the first cruise for my husband and 8 year old son.

 

As one of our "free perks" at booking, we got the premium drinks package for the adults. We've just been looking at options for our son and can't really figure out how it works. The booking conditions state that everyone in a single cabin must have the same drinks package (makes sense) but obviously this cannot apply to a child. We can't see what is to stop us ordering soft drinks for him through our package but I'm guessing this not specifically allowed? Is it just an "honour" thing that you don't do this? We looked at booking the kids soda package for him (he doesn't usually drink soda - I'm a dentist! - but we're happy to allow it for a holiday). However this option is not available to book for him, so does this in fact mean that he is expected to share our adult packages? If we end up paying out of pocket for some drinks for him, can anyone point me to the costs for basic soft drinks e.g soda and juice? Any guidance from experienced NCL cruisers would be great!

 

Happy New Year!

[raitch]

You can buy him sodas with your drink package. You just need to ask for them at the same time, usually you can get two drinks per card.  If you go to the bar with your spouse’s card, 4 drinks.  Yes, technically it’s “wrong” to do but I’ve never heard of anyone being stopped from doing it or told not to do it.

 

the big difference is your kid won’t be able to get his own sodas without a card. My 11 year old likes going to the bar to order a Shirley temple. Not convinced an 8 year old would want to do this anyway!

[Caroian]

Thank you. Sounds like it may be one of those things that is not explicitly allowed, but doesn't cause an issue. To be honest, I'm unsure how they'd know who was drinking this drinks, and given that we're talking a few sodas, it's not really going to be a loss maker for them! 

 

He won't be bothered about getting a drink himself, or using a card - we struggle to get him to use a Magic Band at Disney! And at 8, the only times he won't be with us are when he's in the kids' club!

[Two_UW_Badgers]

We have a kid around the same age. Whenever I’d be ordering drinks for us and a soda for him, and make it obvious, they’d just give it without charge, whether at a restaurant or a bar. 

[sanger727]

You are definately not "allowed" to purchase him drinks on your drink package. Not to say that if you walk up to a bar and order an alcoholic drink for yourself and a soda for your child that they will charge you for it. But it's certainly not "allowed". 

 

The T&C's are quite confusing : Premium Beverage Package is applicable to all qualified sailings excluding Pride of America.
Applicable to guests 1-8 on the reservation. If 3-8 guest is under 21 years of age, Premium Beverage package does not apply and soda package will not be given as a substitution.
Guest 1-2 must be at least 21 years of age at time of sailing to qualify for the Premium Beverage Package. Guests under 21 will receive the soda package."

 

So, it appears that if he was an adult he would get the premium beverage package but as a child he won't get the soda package if he's the third in the room. I wonder what would happen if you made him guest number 2 and your husband guest number 3?

[Two Wheels Only]

Technically, it isn't allowed to get drinks/sodas for someone else.

Realistically, the bartender probably won't have a problem with giving the child a soda.

 

What NCL wants people to do is to either pay for soda a la carte (over $4 each) or buy the soda program ($5.95 + 20% per person per day).

 

8 hours ago, sanger727 said:

I wonder what would happen if you made him guest number 2 and your husband guest number 3?

 

In theory, the drinks wouldn't be a problem since everyone in the stateroom has a package but the dining promo (if applicable)  would get messed up. Guest 3 wouldn't have the SDP.

Edited January 1, 2020 by Two Wheels Only

[Sauer-kraut]

If you are taking the beverage package as a booking perk knly passengers 1&2 will get it, #3 won't be forced to take it.

[smplybcause]

25 minutes ago, Two Wheels Only said:

Technically, it isn't allowed to get drinks/sodas for someone else.

Realistically, the bartender probably won't have a problem with giving the child a soda.

 

What NCL wants people to do is to either pay for soda a la carte (over $4 each) or buy the soda program ($5.95 + 20% per person per day).

 

 

In theory, the drinks wouldn't be a problem since everyone in the stateroom has a package but the dining promo (if applicable)  would get messed up. Guest 3 wouldn't have the SDP.

 

So it'd depend on if they were going to buy the kid a package to eat with them. I know at 8 I wouldn't be happy with the kids menu. Hell on a cruise with my then 2 yo and 4 yo nieces and they refused to eat anything on the kids menu - and I don't blame them. 

[lovetrauma]

Normally the bar tenders let you get a soda for your child as a second drink. However on my cruise in November 2019. A lady did it in front of one of the “Bar Supervisors” and he said nicely you really can’t be doing that and she responded very nasty to him. He said and not sure if he did it that he was going to cancel her package and make her pay for her drinks for violating the terms and conditions. They were arguing for quite a while. So just be careful and don’t do it right in front of them.  

[esm54687]

1 hour ago, lovetrauma said:

Normally the bar tenders let you get a soda for your child as a second drink. However on my cruise in November 2019. A lady did it in front of one of the “Bar Supervisors” and he said nicely you really can’t be doing that and she responded very nasty to him. He said and not sure if he did it that he was going to cancel her package and make her pay for her drinks for violating the terms and conditions. They were arguing for quite a while. So just be careful and don’t do it right in front of them.  

Excellent advice as I've personally witnessed a package being cancelled...... and NCL cancelled the entire promo so it was the husband & wife that lost out because one was sharing beverages   

[tallnthensome]

I always cruise with my 10 and 12 year old daughters. I tip cash generously with every drink which the bar staff appreciates. They always give my daughters sodas and frozen drinks like virgin mudslides for free. I don’t know if they do that for everyone or because I’m one of the few people I ever see tipping a couple bucks cash. I don’t ask ......