Upgrading drinks package

[mufcok]

We are going to upgrade our drinks package from Premium to Premium plus . My question is is Starbucks included in the premier plus package

[Trimone]

Yes.

[UKWildcatCruiser]

What made you decide to do this?  I’ve been thinking about it but I decided just paying the up charge when I wanted to would end up cheaper.  Unless I drank Vueve all day, which I could do.😂.  I also wondered if all the bars would even have it?  Would like to hear others thought processes regarding the upgrade. 

[complawyer]

unless you plan on doing a whole lot of drinking the difference in price absolutely doesnt seem woth it, especially just to  include starbucks coffee. i'd rather pay the single cost price for the starbucks. in the long run, it's gotta be a lot cheaper

[arpie05]

Yes, I agree - unless I'm going to spend $30 a day on coffee and water - I figured I would also pay per day for what I wanted.  I think interesting that Drink Packages for NCL ends up costing more than CCL when NCL tries to give for free - but have to upgrade NCL to get equivalent. Only difference is CCL is limited to one drink at time vs two And yes 15 day limit. (I am not drinking 15 alcoholic drinks even if I try!)   But if you have your partner's Folio number - they will  let you get two.

 

[complawyer]

28 minutes ago, arpie05 said:

Yes, I agree - unless I'm going to spend $30 a day on coffee and water - I figured I would also pay per day for what I wanted.  I think interesting that Drink Packages for NCL ends up costing more than CCL when NCL tries to give for free - but have to upgrade NCL to get equivalent. Only difference is CCL is limited to one drink at time vs two And yes 15 day limit. (I am not drinking 15 alcoholic drinks even if I try!)   But if you have your partner's Folio number - they will  let you get two.

 

maybe i can squeeze in 10 for the entire day,  since we're in a haven suite, i usually ask for a glass of champagne or a mimosa with breakfast.  maybe a chivas with lunch, a mojito in the middle of the day (can tbeat sugarcane).

 

another chivas (or 2) with dinner followed by a glass of port wine, then maybe some more chivas in the casino.  also,its nice to have a butler, coming back from an excursion, i give him a call, have him bring an ice cold heinekin, and chill out om the balcony.

 

i may also have a couple of cappucino's or  latte's during the day, and im addicted to pepsi.

 

i dont mind the charge for the free at sea drink package gratuities , but i think the upgrade is a waste of dollars, again, unless you plan on being sloshed the entire cruise

[BirdTravels]

On 1/31/2021 at 6:10 AM, mufcok said:

We are going to upgrade our drinks package from Premium to Premium plus . My question is is Starbucks included in the premier plus package

Please do the analysis of your break even point. You would have to buy a lot of coffee to break even with the outrageous upgrade price. For most people, it is [a lot] cheaper to just pay for the coffee and any drink costs over $15. 

[AstoriaPreppy]

People talk about NCL nickel and dime-ing all the time, but the NCL beverage package “upgrade” is the oddest cash grab in all of mass market cruising. $29 a day (plus gratuities!!!) is off the rails. 
 

Upgrading a Celebrity beverage package costs around $12 a day, *and* they don’t charge gratuities on your complimentary beverage package. For NCL’s $35 a day, I expect a lobster tail in each cocktail I order (just kidding I know NCL doesn’t do 🦞).
 

 

[mdempsey78]

It is hilarious how so many people assume that everyone drinks exactly way they themselves do, enjoy the things they themselves enjoy and find value only in the things they themselves value.

 

The up-charge on a glass of Veuve alone is $15.  I can drink more than 2 glasses I assure you...and that’s before lunch. Sometimes before the end of breakfast.  
 

We drink good wine and good scotch and a lot of it.  And while I expect we will be enjoying ourselves immensely each and every day, at no point will we be “sloshed.”  Well, not many points at least and even then, you’d never know it.
 

The upgraded beverage package is a no brainer for us.  Just as NOT getting it is a no brainer for others.  
 

What’s annoying is everyone who speaks so authoritatively about what “makes sense” for anyone other than themselves. 

[HowardK]

I tried doing the math on the upgrade. Essentially, it would make sense if I was drinking all upgraded products but not a mix. i.e. There is only so many dark and stormy's one can drink a day. Lets say 8- half kidding. If I am paying for the upgraded package then I mathematically need to cut down on the dark and stormys to factor in the other drinks.

[Named-Tawny]

The other advantage to it is that it's already paid for - which means less thinking about things when you're on your vacation.

Want a bottle of bubbly with dinner?  Have one!  Want a specialty coffee or a bottle of water?  Get it!

I know, at least with my personality, that if I don't get the package, I'll be thinking about 'do I want to spend this money' every time I think about getting something outside of the standard package.  But if that money's already been spent, then I can YOLO it up without the cost crossing my mind.

I still haven't decided if I'd upgrade, but if I do, that will definitely be part of the consideration - the extra value in not needing to think about it, even if it ends up costing a bit more.

[mdempsey78]

Exactly!  We’d also be much more likely to try an expensive glass of something that we’ve never had before - and maybe discover a new favorite.  Things like this are much more valuable to me than whether or not I come out $50 ahead or behind.  I don’t go on vacation to have a running tally in my head.

[complawyer]

3 hours ago, mdempsey78 said:

It is hilarious how so many people assume that everyone drinks exactly way they themselves do, enjoy the things they themselves enjoy and find value only in the things they themselves value.

 

The up-charge on a glass of Veuve alone is $15.  I can drink more than 2 glasses I assure you...and that’s before lunch. Sometimes before the end of breakfast.  
 

We drink good wine and good scotch and a lot of it.  And while I expect we will be enjoying ourselves immensely each and every day, at no point will we be “sloshed.”  Well, not many points at least and even then, you’d never know it.
 

The upgraded beverage package is a no brainer for us.  Just as NOT getting it is a no brainer for others.  
 

What’s annoying is everyone who speaks so authoritatively about what “makes sense” for anyone other than themselves. 

i dont think anyone responding to this thread was trying to annoy you ( i certainly wasnt) 

 

if you find value and enjoy a good wine and possibly a single malt scotch, then by all means go for it, enjoy, enjoy , enjoy.  i would never presume to tell anyone how to spend their money, and would expect the same from anyone else. while the upgrade is a no brainer for you, booking a haven is a no brainer for us. i believe we all have differing ideas, and desires about a vacation.

 

i was not trying to speak authoritatively, just my take on the subject.

 

i was merely answering the question, it's obvious you intend to make maximum use of the upgrade, so more power to you.

 

 

usually, on a cruise, i only drink to the extent i have indicated, and my wife even less. for the 2 of us, an upgrade is not at all necessary

[Ladesign]

4 hours ago, mdempsey78 said:

It is hilarious how so many people assume that everyone drinks exactly way they themselves do, enjoy the things they themselves enjoy and find value only in the things they themselves value.

 

The up-charge on a glass of Veuve alone is $15.  I can drink more than 2 glasses I assure you...and that’s before lunch. Sometimes before the end of breakfast.  
 

We drink good wine and good scotch and a lot of it.  And while I expect we will be enjoying ourselves immensely each and every day, at no point will we be “sloshed.”  Well, not many points at least and even then, you’d never know it.
 

The upgraded beverage package is a no brainer for us.  Just as NOT getting it is a no brainer for others.  
 

What’s annoying is everyone who speaks so authoritatively about what “makes sense” for anyone other than themselves. 

Absolutely correct my friend.  It is surprising how a simple question from my learned friend https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/profile/760378-mufcok/  bright out so many highly opinionated responses - I had already calculated that the package was worth it for my wife & I & had been told by NCL that Starbucks was included which is an added bonus.  The reference to Cekebrity upgrades being of comparison is at best naive and at worst shows a  high level of stupidity 

[Ladesign]

8 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

Please do the analysis of your break even point. You would have to buy a lot of coffee to break even with the outrageous upgrade price. For most people, it is [a lot] cheaper to just pay for the coffee and any drink costs over $15. 

Glass of Veuve is $35  couple of coffees $10 pays for the upgrade - as the Meerkat says “simples “. Not to mention a bottle of Veuve at lunchtime between us , fruit juices , bottled water & a nice port at end if dinner - let’s hope they have Stilton onboard

Edited February 4, 2021 by Ladesign

[Ladesign]

52 minutes ago, Ladesign said:

Absolutely correct my friend.  It is surprising how a simple question from my learned friend https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/profile/760378-mufcok/  bright out so many highly opinionated responses - I had already calculated that the package was worth it for my wife & I & had been told by NCL that Starbucks was included which is an added bonus.  The reference to Cekebrity upgrades being of comparison is at best naive and at worst shows a  high level of stupidity 

typo bright. Should have been ‘brings’

apologies 

[Trimone]

I have $600 on board spend, but can’t use it to upgrade until I’m on board, which the price then goes up.

[AstoriaPreppy]

It bears repeating: NCL is the only cruise line that charges you for a "complimentary" beverage package, and then charges 3-4 times what other cruise lines charge for a "upgrade" option. It's a really weird cash grab that no other line does, not a judgement on how anyone drinks or what they enjoy. 

 

For example, on a seven-day cruise, the NCL complimentary beverage package cost around $138, with the upgrade costing around $240. Compare that to Celebrity, where the base package is actually free, and the upgrade costs about $12 a day ($84 for the week). Thats $378 v $84 out of pocket for the top beverage package... a huge difference. 

 

Granted, the Celebrity package doesn't include guaranteed Veuve, but the scotch, rye, bourbon and whisky selection in the $12 a day upgrade is strong, and sommeliers seem to have a habit of "finding" bottles of higher end champagnes (Perrier-Jouët) in the cellars when the included sparkling wines "run out." 

[HoosierShipmate]

This is one of my main NCL complaints - the coffee drink inclusion. CCL of course includes in base plan, and there’s no way I’m gonna drink $30 worth of coffee to justify the upgraded package. I don’t care about 15 per day - I rarely if ever would reach that. Coffee costs are near nothing - maybe add a $5 upgrade or $10 upgrade middle package. I think plenty would pay $10 more per day for the coffee add on, and few would drink enough coffee not to make that profitable.  I’ll just buy my coffee a la carte and complain about it every time in my inner monologue lol

[sid_9169]

I can tell you that I was getting wayyy more than my moneys worth upgrading to the Premium Plus Package... All top shelf booze in every mixed drink, Starbucks, Red Bull, bottled water whenever I wanted, fresh squeezed juices, ect... 

Edited February 21, 2021 by sid_9169

[HBCcruiser]

On 2/3/2021 at 5:58 PM, mdempsey78 said:

It is hilarious how so many people assume that everyone drinks exactly way they themselves do, enjoy the things they themselves enjoy and find value only in the things they themselves value.

 

The up-charge on a glass of Veuve alone is $15.  I can drink more than 2 glasses I assure you...and that’s before lunch. Sometimes before the end of breakfast.  
 

We drink good wine and good scotch and a lot of it.  And while I expect we will be enjoying ourselves immensely each and every day, at no point will we be “sloshed.”  Well, not many points at least and even then, you’d never know it.
 

The upgraded beverage package is a no brainer for us.  Just as NOT getting it is a no brainer for others.  
 

What’s annoying is everyone who speaks so authoritatively about what “makes sense” for anyone other than themselves. 

 

I am 100% with you. PLUS you can drink a bottle (or 2) of Veuve at dinner -  So worth it to me. 

 

Edited February 23, 2021 by HBCcruiser

[DaCruiseBug]

On 2/5/2021 at 3:54 PM, AstoriaPreppy said:

It bears repeating: NCL is the only cruise line that charges you for a "complimentary" beverage package, and then charges 3-4 times what other cruise lines charge for a "upgrade" option. It's a really weird cash grab that no other line does, not a judgement on how anyone drinks or what they enjoy. 

 

For example, on a seven-day cruise, the NCL complimentary beverage package cost around $138, with the upgrade costing around $240. Compare that to Celebrity, where the base package is actually free, and the upgrade costs about $12 a day ($84 for the week). Thats $378 v $84 out of pocket for the top beverage package... a huge difference. 

 

Granted, the Celebrity package doesn't include guaranteed Veuve, but the scotch, rye, bourbon and whisky selection in the $12 a day upgrade is strong, and sommeliers seem to have a habit of "finding" bottles of higher end champagnes (Perrier-Jouët) in the cellars when the included sparkling wines "run out." 

 

The cost of the beverage package on NCL is actually higher than what you just stated. How? You have to pay a higher cruise fare in order to get that premium (that doesn't even include bottled water) beverage package. So you have to throw in at least another $100 in the cost of the premium package to the cost you just calculated. NCL specifically inflates the cost of the premium beverage package because the 20% service charge you pay goes directly into their pockets. Only part of it is used to fund "incentive" programs for workers. They're not tips that go directly to the staff onboard.

 

NCL is very good at "burying" charges and costs. They do the same thing with GSC. They make everyone think it's so great because your beverage package works on the island but they love going to GSC because they charge $60-70 per person in "port fees" just to dock there. That's a quarter million dollars for each ship that docks there. Cha-ching!!!

[BirdTravels]

On 2/3/2021 at 8:58 PM, mdempsey78 said:

It is hilarious how so many people assume that everyone drinks exactly way they themselves do, enjoy the things they themselves enjoy and find value only in the things they themselves value.

 

The up-charge on a glass of Veuve alone is $15.  I can drink more than 2 glasses I assure you...and that’s before lunch. Sometimes before the end of breakfast.  
 

We drink good wine and good scotch and a lot of it.  And while I expect we will be enjoying ourselves immensely each and every day, at no point will we be “sloshed.”  Well, not many points at least and even then, you’d never know it.
 

The upgraded beverage package is a no brainer for us.  Just as NOT getting it is a no brainer for others.  
 

What’s annoying is everyone who speaks so authoritatively about what “makes sense” for anyone other than themselves. 

But the OP wants to pay the $35/day upgrade to that they can get a Starbucks. 

[Named-Tawny]

2 hours ago, DaCruiseBug said:

 

 NCL specifically inflates the cost of the premium beverage package because the 20% service charge you pay goes directly into their pockets. Only part of it is used to fund "incentive" programs for workers. They're not tips that go directly to the staff onboard.

 

Is this something that you've confirmed, or just something that you're assuming?

[DaCruiseBug]

1 hour ago, Named-Tawny said:

 

Is this something that you've confirmed, or just something that you're assuming?

Its been confirmed and talked about on this forum many times.

 

The actual wording from NCL is that the service charges "support employee salary and incentive programs". So basically they're using that money to cover part of their payroll.

Edited February 24, 2021 by DaCruiseBug