18-year-old - Beer/Wine with parental consent - Have to pay??

[cruise99991]

We plan on signing the consent for our 19-year-old to have beer and wine while in international waters.  My question is, since we can't purchase her the unlimited alcohol plan, how is this paid for?  Will she have to pay for each drink?  

[zqvol]

She pays for each drink individually. 

[cruise99991]

Well, that's a racket, lol.

[wolft927]

Yea, anyone under 21 can not have a drink package, personally we had our 20 year old son and his 20 year old girlfriend with us on a previous cruise, wife and I had drink package which allows 2 drinks per card, we simply got them the drinks they wanted and cost nothing. Some may say we are wrong for doing this but nobody cares as far as staff

[cruise99991]

Looks like this is what we'll be doing for our daughter too.  I'd gladly pay for a package for her wine and beer, but since they don't offer that, we'll be doing this too.  Thanks for the info.

[fabnfortysomething]

they used to have a corks and caps package which includes beer wine and soft drinks

is this no longer available? 

[cruise99991]

Looks like they discontinued the corks and caps package.  😞

[mjkacmom]

8 minutes ago, fabnfortysomething said:

they used to have a corks and caps package which includes beer wine and soft drinks

is this no longer available? 

They had that package on our last cruise, our 19 and 20 year olds were #2 in each cabin, had to pay for their drinks (they got the soda package).

[RocketMan275]

30 minutes ago, wolft927 said:

Yea, anyone under 21 can not have a drink package, personally we had our 20 year old son and his 20 year old girlfriend with us on a previous cruise, wife and I had drink package which allows 2 drinks per card, we simply got them the drinks they wanted and cost nothing. Some may say we are wrong for doing this but nobody cares as far as staff

 

27 minutes ago, cruise99991 said:

Looks like this is what we'll be doing for our daughter too.  I'd gladly pay for a package for her wine and beer, but since they don't offer that, we'll be doing this too.  Thanks for the info.

You do realize that the cruise line can shut down your access to the drinks package and retroactively charge you for all drinks.

BTW, I will report anyone I see sharing a drink package with someone who doesn't have one.  

Edited May 6, 2023 by RocketMan275

[Two Wheels Only]

12 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

You do realize that the cruise line can shut down your access to the drinks package and retroactively charge you for all drinks.

 

Many people don't realize that last part. Someone might figure "...it's the last day...if I get caught, it's only a few hours without a package..." but NCL is fully capable of charging for EVERY drink ordered on the ship from day 1 if the terms are violated by the guest. 

 

It's not worth the risk even if many get away with it. 

[RocketMan275]

3 minutes ago, Two Wheels Only said:

 

Many people don't realize that last part. Someone might figure "...it's the last day...if I get caught, it's only a few hours without a package..." but NCL is fully capable of charging for EVERY drink ordered on the ship from day 1 if the terms are violated by the guest. 

 

It's not worth the risk even if many get away with it. 

Not only that, it is the moral equivalent of saying I can steal this item for my relatives, it will cost nothing.

[mjkacmom]

27 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

Not only that, it is the moral equivalent of saying I can steal this item for my relatives, it will cost nothing.

Keep in mind, in this situation, if they were 21, they’d get the free drink package, it seems wrong that NCL will accept the waiver so they can drink beer and wine, but since they are under 21, they get the soda package. My daughter was 3 weeks from her 21st birthday, was allowed to order beer and wine, was #2 in the cabin, but had to pay for beer and wine.

[RocketMan275]

2 hours ago, mjkacmom said:

Keep in mind, in this situation, if they were 21, they’d get the free drink package, it seems wrong that NCL will accept the waiver so they can drink beer and wine, but since they are under 21, they get the soda package. My daughter was 3 weeks from her 21st birthday, was allowed to order beer and wine, was #2 in the cabin, but had to pay for beer and wine.

There is no 'free' drink package.  It's paid for in full.  The rules are quite clear that sharing isn't allowed.  Considering their age, one wonders if it would be cheaper just to pay as you go rather than paying for the 'free' package.

[BirdTravels]

3 hours ago, cruise99991 said:

Looks like this is what we'll be doing for our daughter too.  I'd gladly pay for a package for her wine and beer, but since they don't offer that, we'll be doing this too.  Thanks for the info.

Defrauding the cruise line. If caught, your package will be cancelled with no reimbursement. 

[Turtles06]

Thanks to folks who just plain cheat, or who rationalize their way to cheating because in their view a policy is "unfair," cruise lines like NCL require both adults in a cabin to get a drinks package even though only one might want it.  Thanks a lot, folks. 

[uneamie]

6 hours ago, RocketMan275 said:

 

You do realize that the cruise line can shut down your access to the drinks package and retroactively charge you for all drinks.

BTW, I will report anyone I see sharing a drink package with someone who doesn't have one.  

So tell me…how would you know? I am far too busy enjoying myself to ever take that much notice to what others are doing. 🙄

[Two Wheels Only]

2 hours ago, Turtles06 said:

Thanks to folks who just plain cheat, or who rationalize their way to cheating because in their view a policy is "unfair," cruise lines like NCL require both adults in a cabin to get a drinks package even though only one might want it.  Thanks a lot, folks. 

 

Actually, it's ALL adults in the stateroom (guests 1-8) if any other adult wants a package (promo or purchase).

[Aqualung22]

7 hours ago, RocketMan275 said:

BTW, I will report anyone I see sharing a drink package with someone who doesn't have one. 

Seriously???

[dbrown84]

6 minutes ago, Aqualung22 said:

Seriously???

I can't stop laughing thinking about this person trying to look at everyone's room card to see if they have the drink package.  I'm sure they were always "accidentally" given the wrong address to the party back in high school

[kitkat343]

8 hours ago, cruise99991 said:

Looks like this is what we'll be doing for our daughter too.  I'd gladly pay for a package for her wine and beer, but since they don't offer that, we'll be doing this too.  Thanks for the info.

It does seem like either NCL should  either 1) only allow guests to drink over the age of 21, or 2)  allow the drink package if they allow guests aged 18-21 to drink.  

 

I guess the fairest thing to do would be to pay for their drinks until you hit what you would have paid for their drink package and then sneak them drinks since you would have bought the alcohol package if you could have purchased it.

 

That seems like a lot of work, and I promise you I will be way too busy to notice or care if you are sneaking drinks.  

 

But it is a good thing to warn people that NCL can retroactively cancel your drink policy since I would imagine there could be people on the last day who are being a bit too obvious about violating this policy if they don't know they could be charged retroactively.

[phoenix1181]

Sharing a drink package means we all will eventually end up paying more because of you and others who break the rules.  You know the policy.  Pleae stop trying to justify breaking them!

[14ersco]

It is NCL that is ripping off the groups that have people in their cabin under 21 y/o.  NCL gives absolutely no drink package, non-alcoholic or alcoholic, to those under 21 y/o, but NCL still charges for "Free at Sea" if the 21 and overs in the cabin want their alcoholic drink package.

[BirdTravels]

4 minutes ago, 14ersco said:

It is NCL that is ripping off the groups that have people in their cabin under 21 y/o.  NCL gives absolutely no drink package, non-alcoholic or alcoholic, to those under 21 y/o, but NCL still charges for "Free at Sea" if the 21 and overs in the cabin want their alcoholic drink package.

You get a free package,,, so you're being ripped off. Hmmmm

 

Under 21s can drink with parent's permission and parent's money. 

[Two Wheels Only]

15 minutes ago, 14ersco said:

It is NCL that is ripping off the groups that have people in their cabin under 21 y/o.  NCL gives absolutely no drink package, non-alcoholic or alcoholic, to those under 21 y/o, but NCL still charges for "Free at Sea" if the 21 and overs in the cabin want their alcoholic drink package.

 

Those under 21 (guests 3-8) don't get charged anything for the FAS beverage promo. Initially, the system does add the service charges for the PBP but once the age of guests 3-8 is entered, the service charge disappears if anyone 3-8 is under 21 years-old at the time of sailing.  

Edited May 7, 2023 by Two Wheels Only

[UKstages]

the reason for NCL's policy regarding making "underage" patrons pay for individual drinks may have more to do with the bit about drinking in "international waters." adults can use their drink package while in port. if those under 21 can only drink in international waters, then how do you police that? it would seem to me that the only way is to force an interaction with bartenders and servers. if an 18 year old is given a drink package, NCL has no easy way of prohibiting drinks while in port. and that becomes especially problematic while in american ports.

 

just a thought.