Premium Plus Beverage Package - what would you order??

[Newfun4me]

We are on the Encore to Alaska on October 9.  I have upgraded to the Premium Plus Beverage package because I have a lot of FCC that will expire at the end of this year and I can't take another cruise after Alaska.  I love nice champagne and I'm looking forward to those options.  But, the other thing I'd like to do is take advantage of stuff I wouldn't normally drink.  I want to try new things that I might not otherwise order when I'm out and about (or mixing something at home).

 

For those of you that get the Premium Plus package, what do you order?  What's a must-not-miss for you?  

 

And for those that don't get that package, is there something you think is worth the extra payment?  

 

I'm planning to make a list and get my money's worth.

 

Thanks everyone!!!

 

Kim

[phillygwm]

I got Premium Plus for the first time on my most recent cruise.  I'll always get it going forward (not solely for the alcohol!)

 

In addition to the Champagne, I liked to upgrade my Margaritas (Cointreau instead of triple sec, nicer tequila...I think I used Patron Reposado but I might be mistaken.)

[KurtMo]

For red wine, get the Silverado Cabernet if they have it.

 

Tom Collins with Hendricks or The Botanist gin.

 

Bartender told me this one - get a foo-foo blended drink like Pina Colada but made with Zacapa 23 rum - game changer!

 

And my wife became addicted to drinking Aqua Panna water with her meals!

[PTC DAWG]

Whistle Pig…

[stefmaia]

Veuve Cliquot with Chambord. yum

[Deb and Jack]

The sparkling water and Starbucks multiple times per day. Regular container of water when getting off at ports

[gatorchinsky]

I have it for our upcoming September Getaway cruise.  I drink wine so it will be nice to have more choices when it comes to having glasses and also being able to get bottles at dinner and of course the Veuve.  I’m sure I will also use the high end for mix drinks.

[SpacemanSpiff]

My wife will likely use it for her Starbucks, which she drinks lo ts of and better grades of wine. Me, I might try one of everything, especially in rums.

[dbrown84]

Macallan 

[HBCcruiser]

We love wine so for lunch and dinner we ordered bottles of Veuve, Silverado Cab or La Crema Chard. With mixed drinks we ordered top shelf brands. 

[roxette]

I have hade the premium plus on my last five cruises. The bottles of Champagne and Chateauneuf du pape is almost worth it alone. San Pellegrino is, my opinion, the best sparkling water, and Acqua Panna is the only Still water that tastes still water.

 

More often than not the premium wine selection is very poor in most of the bars.

[thedarklord]

12 hours ago, HBCcruiser said:

We love wine so for lunch and dinner we ordered bottles of Veuve, Silverado Cab or La Crema Chard. With mixed drinks we ordered top shelf brands. 

I thought Veuve was only available by the glass, that it was only Moet that was available by the bottle - has that changed?
(Not that there's anything stopping you ordering a bottle's worth of glasses though of course!)

[weltek]

Agree with the premium margarita suggestion (I am not a tequila fan, but when made with premium spirits, a good margarita is sometimes just what I want). 

 

Aviation and Tom Collins with Hendrick's gin 
French gimlet with St. Germain with Hendricks and St. Germain
French 75 with Hendrick's and a premium champagne
Vodka 7s, Vodka Sodas and Vodka Cranberry with Ciroc vodka 
Reverse Manhattan (switches ratio of Rye to Vermouth) with Whistle Pig Rye
Bourbon Sour with Woodford Reserve or Booker's
Let's not talk about the amount of Veuve Clicquot I'd probably have.
I'd be happy to try all the wines!

Alas, it's not worth it to me, so you'll have to drink these all on my behalf. 🙂

Edited July 27, 2022 by weltek

[trivimp]

VEUVE ALL DAY 🥂

[HBCcruiser]

1 hour ago, thedarklord said:

I thought Veuve was only available by the glass, that it was only Moet that was available by the bottle - has that changed?
(Not that there's anything stopping you ordering a bottle's worth of glasses though of course!)

We just got off the Breakaway last week and the Sky the week prior. At lunch and dinner we were able to order bottles of Veuve. I think it may change based on availability, but on these cruises we were able to get it.  I think what our waiters did was consider the bottle as 4 glasses. We tipped very well. 😉

 

I did ask our Haven bartenders about the bottle vs glass situation. They told us that they prefer to sell the bottle vs just the glass because if other pax do not drink the same type of wine by the glass the bottle goes bad. (Waste) 

Edited July 27, 2022 by HBCcruiser

[Newfun4me]

On 7/26/2022 at 3:13 PM, phillygwm said:

I got Premium Plus for the first time on my most recent cruise.  I'll always get it going forward (not solely for the alcohol!)

 

In addition to the Champagne, I liked to upgrade my Margaritas (Cointreau instead of triple sec, nicer tequila...I think I used Patron Reposado but I might be mistaken.)

Thanks!  Great idea.  🙂

[Newfun4me]

On 7/27/2022 at 9:17 AM, trivimp said:

VEUVE ALL DAY 🥂

Definitely my plan!!

[Newfun4me]

On 7/27/2022 at 9:13 AM, weltek said:

Agree with the premium margarita suggestion (I am not a tequila fan, but when made with premium spirits, a good margarita is sometimes just what I want). 

 

Aviation and Tom Collins with Hendrick's gin 
French gimlet with St. Germain with Hendricks and St. Germain
French 75 with Hendrick's and a premium champagne
Vodka 7s, Vodka Sodas and Vodka Cranberry with Ciroc vodka 
Reverse Manhattan (switches ratio of Rye to Vermouth) with Whistle Pig Rye
Bourbon Sour with Woodford Reserve or Booker's
Let's not talk about the amount of Veuve Clicquot I'd probably have.
I'd be happy to try all the wines!

Alas, it's not worth it to me, so you'll have to drink these all on my behalf. 🙂

These are great!!  Thank you!!

[Newfun4me]

On 7/26/2022 at 5:10 PM, PTC DAWG said:

Whistle Pig…

This is one of the things I was trying to remember.  Thank you!

[Newfun4me]

Thanks, everyone!!!  Super helpful!

[Mike A]

On 7/27/2022 at 9:07 AM, thedarklord said:

I thought Veuve was only available by the glass, that it was only Moet that was available by the bottle - has that changed?
(Not that there's anything stopping you ordering a bottle's worth of glasses though of course!)

Thats exactly what I did on the Joy in May 😎

[cruiseny4life]

Ok y'all...I'm going to show my naivety for a moment - I'm not a wine drinker. Why is Veuve so popular amongst NCL'ers? 

[LGW59]

1 minute ago, cruiseny4life said:

Ok y'all...I'm going to show my naivety for a moment - I'm not a wine drinker. Why is Veuve so popular amongst NCL'ers? 

it's more of a status thing than anything else, it sounds better than just saying champagne

 

Edited July 28, 2022 by LGW59

[cruiseny4life]

5 minutes ago, LGW59 said:

it's more of a status thing than anything else, it sounds better than just saying champagne

 

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh it's champagne! That makes a bit more sense. 

[dbrown84]

3 hours ago, cruiseny4life said:

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh it's champagne! That makes a bit more sense. 

LOL.  I thought it was just me.  I had never heard of it too until reading cruisecritic.  so I googled it yesterday to see that it was champagne.