Getaway going cheap - advice.

[Rob-Bob]

Just booked the Getaway in July.  Booked an inside room and no drink package.  This cruise is a replacement (kind of) of our cancelled Panama Canal cruise from March.  I will try to upgrade via bidding on room with minimum bid if they send us a bid email.

 

First cruise in a long time not being in a balcony room and having a drink package.  We figured we will save a bunch of calories with no "free" drinks and we can just buy a drink here and there if we want one.  My question is where do they offer free drinks on board?  Do they give them out at the CC meet and greet or at the Latitude welcome back party?

 

Not having the drink package will free us up to have a drink or two on the islands.  I always hated to buy any on land when we could have the same drink "for free" on the ship.

 

Any advice for my "on the cheap" cruise would be most appreciated.

[The Traveling Man]

49 minutes ago, Rob-Bob said:

Just booked the Getaway in July.  Booked an inside room and no drink package.  This cruise is a replacement (kind of) of our cancelled Panama Canal cruise from March.  I will try to upgrade via bidding on room with minimum bid if they send us a bid email.

 

First cruise in a long time not being in a balcony room and having a drink package.  We figured we will save a bunch of calories with no "free" drinks and we can just buy a drink here and there if we want one.  My question is where do they offer free drinks on board?  Do they give them out at the CC meet and greet or at the Latitude welcome back party?

 

Not having the drink package will free us up to have a drink or two on the islands.  I always hated to buy any on land when we could have the same drink "for free" on the ship.

 

Any advice for my "on the cheap" cruise would be most appreciated.

Yes, there usually are free cocktails at the Latitudes party, and sometimes also at the CC M&G.  If you have reached the Platinum Latitudes level you will receive two coupons for free specialty restaurants.  One of those will include a free bottle of wine with dinner.  If you have reached the Sapphire level, previously known as Platinum Plus, you will be eligible for dinner with a ship's officer.  The wine flows freely at those dinners, regardless of your beverage package status.  NCL discontinued these events during the COVID-19 suspension of cruising and has been slow to reinstate some of them.  We have sailed twice since the restart.  Neither time have they allowed dinner with an officer.  Once they skipped the CC M&G.  There have been reports on this forum that they are beginning to reinstate them, so you may be in luck by July.  Non-alcoholic beverages such as milk, tea, regular coffee (not specialty coffee concoctions), and fruit juice are available at no charge in the restaurants at meal times.  On one cruise about six years ago the General Manager, at that time called the Hotel Director, arranged a welcome aboard luncheon for Cruise Critic members.  Wine was available with lunch to everyone, even those without a beverage package.  I've never experienced that since then, so don't count on it.

[Rob-Bob]

I am gold currently and will become platinum after the cruise.  I see those extras that come with it.  Next cruise.

[JGmf]

Good luck on the upgrade and have fun on your cruise.

 

I'm sure you know this, but saying nonetheless: if you drink more than one drink a day ($10-$13), you should pay for the gratuities portion of the "free" drink package which is about $20/day.  A no-brainer.

[Rob-Bob]

Actually the extra cost is around $400.  $277 gratuities, $100 additional fare cost for the "free" drinks and $20 more for the insurance (I guess because you are in a higher cost level).  So if I do have a couple events with real free drinks that helps.  My wife doesn't drink much, 4-6 drinks on a 7 day cruise.

 

So it looks like 30-40 drinks over the 7 days to break even and if she drinks 4-6 it would be 26-33 drinks for me to break even.  I certainly do not "need" to drink that much and I probably wouldn't.  I will say it is nice to be able to try anything you want without thinking about it but purely from an economic standpoint it is pushing it for us.

 

If I get a couple $5 local beers on islands that will be nice.

[julig22]

There are a few things to consider, assuming that you mean you're booking sail away based on the $100 fare cost you mentioned.

Most cruises are giving 3x points right now - I don't think you get any bonus points with sail away.  You may or may not be eligible for bidding, there are mixed reports on that.  And no wifi.

As to free booze, besides what's already been mentioned, the art auctions, jewlery shows and some seminars provide drinks.

Lots of excursions have tastings, etc.  You do get the $50 discount for the 1st person.

[bluesea777]

OP - the title is rather misleading ... it should read as Going Cheap on Getaway not Getaway going cheap.

 

 

[Rob-Bob]

7 minutes ago, bluesea777 said:

OP - the title is rather misleading ... it should read as Going Cheap on Getaway not Getaway going cheap

Sorry you are right.  

 

18 hours ago, julig22 said:

And no wifi

We did get wifi - 150 minutes each.  We got the 3x points.  We got the $50 excursion credit.

 

Probably won't go to a show or seminar just to get a free drink.  Sometimes the art auctions are entertaining.  I actually bought a piece years ago.

[Travelicious]

I've never been to a Cruise Critic meet and greet that had complimentary alcoholic beverages.

[zqvol]

1 hour ago, Travelicious said:

I've never been to a Cruise Critic meet and greet that had complimentary alcoholic beverages.

I agree with this, they don't provide free alcoholic beverages at a M&G.

[Rob-Bob]

21 minutes ago, zqvol said:

I agree with this, they don't provide free alcoholic beverages at a M&G.

I could not remember on NCL.  I have been to M&G on MSC and they had a full open bar with anything you wanted.

[RunBikeCruiseDC]

There are always "drinks of the day" at reduced prices that will save some $$$.    Mmmm,  Rebellious Fish!!!  Also, there may be some shows that include wine/beer with dinner in the Supper Club (or whatever it's called).  We did "Wine Lovers, the Musical"  on a sea day, enjoyed it and sampled some wines that I ended up really liking!

Edited April 21, 2022 by RunBikeCruiseDC

[debenson0723]

6 hours ago, Travelicious said:

I've never been to a Cruise Critic meet and greet that had complimentary alcoholic beverages.

I have been to (and hosted) multiple M&Gs held in the District Brew House that included free beer and mimosas, all passed around via servers. Getaway M&G was held in Cagney's and those did not have alcohol.  

[Red-Sol]

11 hours ago, debenson0723 said:

I have been to (and hosted) multiple M&Gs held in the District Brew House that included free beer and mimosas, all passed around via servers. Getaway M&G was held in Cagney's and those did not have alcohol.  

 

I have been to a few of those as well. (They were great!) Sadly I think that practice of having them in the District Brew House has stopped (or at least the flights of beer have)

[The Traveling Man]

On 4/21/2022 at 2:40 PM, Travelicious said:

I've never been to a Cruise Critic meet and greet that had complimentary alcoholic beverages.

Back when Platinum and up got a bottle of so-so Champaign, several of us would bring them to the M&G and ask the host to arrange for the staff to provide OJ for mimosas.  That’s about as close to free alcohol at the M&G as I remember.

[The Traveling Man]

On 4/21/2022 at 9:18 PM, debenson0723 said:

I have been to (and hosted) multiple M&Gs held in the District Brew House that included free beer and mimosas, all passed around via servers. Getaway M&G was held in Cagney's and those did not have alcohol.  

Yep, forgot about those M&Gs.  I even hosted one last year!

[RD64]

This thread is starting to remind me of the father yelling at his wife/child in the streets of Cozumel because she spent $1 on a Coke -    it wasn’t in the budget. No offence to the original poster but if your concern pre-cruise is how to score free drinks, perhaps an All Inclusive might better meet your needs

[ClevelandCruisin]

The cheap route is to purchase a few drinks a day. Nothing will be given for free though unless it's juice from the buffet.