Only one beverage package per person? Minor complaint/question

[skittl1321]

So, if I want unlimited Starbucks and unlimited Soda, the only package available is the premium alcoholic one?  

 

I mean, obviously, I'll just go ala carte, but that's annoying.  Is there a nonalcoholic package I'm missing?

 

[Girr]

Cruise Beverage Packages | Bon Voyage Gifts | Norwegian Cruise Line (ncl.com)

 

[hawkeyetlse]

I’ve never heard of any one package per person rule. Is it the website that won’t let you add a second package, or did someone from Norwegian actually try and fail to add these two packages to your booking? 

 

On my last cruise I had the basic UOBP and I certainly had the option to add the Starbucks package on top of it. I didn’t do it, so I can’t say for sure that it would have gone through, but I’m pretty confident that you’re seeing a website/app or human glitch. 

Edited September 8, 2023 by hawkeyetlse

[Girr]

I'm thinking the OP doesn't want the alcoholic package, and just didn't know where to go for options.

[Sand and Seas]

I think they would sell you the second package on board.  I usually purchase the Soda package after boarding (using my OBC.)

Edited September 8, 2023 by Sand and Seas

[Agent999]

48 minutes ago, Girr said:

I'm thinking the OP doesn't want the alcoholic package, and just didn't know where to go for options.

 

Experience indicates that the trained professional handling your booking (the PCC or TA) would be the best place to start. After all, that is what they are being paid to do. Why not use them?

[cruiseny4life]

9 minutes ago, Agent999 said:

 

Experience indicates that the trained professional handling your booking (the PCC or TA) would be the best place to start. After all, that is what they are being paid to do. Why not use them?

The OP has not mentioned they are working with a PCC or TA. Maybe they are. Maybe they're not. But, we can't leap to that conclusion quite yet.

[Two Wheels Only]

2 hours ago, skittl1321 said:

So, if I want unlimited Starbucks and unlimited Soda, the only package available is the premium alcoholic one? 

 

Are you asking about getting those 2 instead of the Premium Beverage Package (PBP) via promo or are you just trying to purchase the Starbucks and Soda packages?

 

NCL will let you buy the additional packages but the system online might not let you add them both.

 

You might have to call or worst case scenario, purchase them onboard.

[skittl1321]

To clarify, the website will not let me add two packages. It says one beverage package per person when I try to add the second one to my cart. 

 

I am not working with a TA. I always book cruises direct myself. 

[skittl1321]

1 hour ago, Agent999 said:

 

Experience indicates that the trained professional handling your booking (the PCC or TA) would be the best place to start. After all, that is what they are being paid to do. Why not use them?

NCL allows consumers to book directly.  I can also modify my booking directly.  I am not using a PCC or a TA.  

When I go to add a second package to my cart, it tells me one per person.  

 

I was just wondering, from those experienced with NCL, if there is a way to get starbucks and soda together.  I do not want an alcoholic drink package. It seems like the only way to get the two, if I cannot purchase two packages, is to upgrade the free at sea option; which I don't want to do. I don't even want the FAS option, because it's tips are too expensive for what I would drink. It is much more cost effective to just get a soda package. I wanted to add starbucks as well, but the website doesn't allow it. 

[skittl1321]

3 hours ago, Girr said:

Cruise Beverage Packages | Bon Voyage Gifts | Norwegian Cruise Line (ncl.com)

 

That doesn't help. Unless you are indicating there is in fact a nonalcoholic package I missed, but since I missed it, linking me directly to it doesn't tell me anything.  I know what packages are available, and when I go to add them to my cart, once I add a soda package it won't let me add the starbucks one.

 

[skittl1321]

2 hours ago, hawkeyetlse said:

I’ve never heard of any one package per person rule. Is it the website that won’t let you add a second package, or did someone from Norwegian actually try and fail to add these two packages to your booking? 

 

On my last cruise I had the basic UOBP and I certainly had the option to add the Starbucks package on top of it. I didn’t do it, so I can’t say for sure that it would have gone through, but I’m pretty confident that you’re seeing a website/app or human glitch. 

 

When I made this post it was based on the website. I have since called and they have told me that you can get only one package per person. 

 

Maybe on board they can do something different, but I guess my starbucks will be ala carte. 

 

[skittl1321]

59 minutes ago, Two Wheels Only said:

 

Are you asking about getting those 2 instead of the Premium Beverage Package (PBP) via promo or are you just trying to purchase the Starbucks and Soda packages?

 

NCL will let you buy the additional packages but the system online might not let you add them both.

 

You might have to call or worst case scenario, purchase them onboard.

 

No, I never even thought to ask if they would give them to me instead of the promo.  That would be awesome to even just get the soda package!  Maybe I should call and ask that...

 

I just want to buy them both. Both online and when I called said no.  Guess I will have to cross my fingers for onboard.

 

(The cost of the starbucks package + soda package is the same as the cost of the tips with the FAS included package, which I declined. I am not interested in upgrading that and spending even more since I do not drink alcohol.)

[skittl1321]

For the record:

[Asawi]

Lots of people have both the alcohol package and Starbucks package, so there shouldnt be a limit of one package. But the app probably just can't handle two packages at the same time.

I would check out with one of the packages and then go back and see if I can't add the other. If that doesn't work, try the online chat!

[dbrown84]

I think I've seen reports of people using either the starbucks app or starbucks gift cards onboard.  You can load up on that for the trip, and get the soda package as your one package.

[destar]

Get the soda package, and Starbuck ala carte, now thats unlimited Starbucks.

[ChiefMateJRK]

1 hour ago, skittl1321 said:

To clarify, the website will not let me add two packages. It says one beverage package per person when I try to add the second one to my cart. 

 

I am not working with a TA. I always book cruises direct myself. 

Why are you trying to buy two packages that don't provide what you want?

[Two Wheels Only]

1 hour ago, skittl1321 said:

No, I never even thought to ask if they would give them to me instead of the promo.  That would be awesome to even just get the soda package!  Maybe I should call and ask that...

 

I'll save you some time. That'll almost certainly be a "no".

 

1 hour ago, skittl1321 said:

I just want to buy them both. Both online and when I called said no.  Guess I will have to cross my fingers for onboard.

 

With NCL having standard "soda",  "premium", and "premium plus" packages that overlap, I can understand why the reps and app are stating that you can only have one. I would imagine that you can purchase both on the ship but it could also be a system conflict to have the 2 that you want.

 

Good luck and let us know what happens onboard.

 

(You might want to ask a mod to delete the screenshot if you're concerned about personal info)

[debenson0723]

2 hours ago, dbrown84 said:

I think I've seen reports of people using either the starbucks app or starbucks gift cards onboard.  You can load up on that for the trip, and get the soda package as your one package.

This would be my suggestion.  Buy the soda package.  Load up your Starbucks app, use it onboard to buy your drinks and get the 'Stars' so when you get home, you will have a couple of free drinks waiting. And if you use up the funds on the app, you can download more while in port. 

[dbrown84]

1 hour ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Why are you trying to buy two packages that don't provide what you want?

but these two packages are exactly what the OP wants

[Agent999]

4 hours ago, cruiseny4life said:

The OP has not mentioned they are working with a PCC or TA. Maybe they are. Maybe they're not. But, we can't leap to that conclusion quite yet.

 

Well, either they are working with a trained professional, or they are knowledgeable enough to book on their own. If it is the latter, then the inability to take care of one's booking indicates that the former would have been a better choice. (You'll note that people who use a knowledgeable professional aren't in situations like this one).

 

3 hours ago, skittl1321 said:

I am not working with a TA. I always book cruises direct myself. 

 

Given that a TA/PCC has more training than you or I, and given that they can do things that we simply cannot, and given that their services come at no cost to you, just why would you handle it yourself when you run into issues like this?

 

3 hours ago, skittl1321 said:

NCL allows consumers to book directly.  I can also modify my booking directly.  I am not using a PCC or a TA.

 

 

Yes...knowledgeable consumers who don't need help. Consumers can also fix their own cars, but it isn't a recommended action for someone with a limited knowledge base for automobiles. If you really think you can modify a booking, try changing to another room in the same category using the website. Try cancelling or changing a dining reservation on the website.Try repricing your cruise when the price goes down on the website.

 

To paraphrase a line from Jurassic Park: Just because you can doesn't mean that you should.

[dbrown84]

6 minutes ago, Agent999 said:

 

Well, either they are working with a trained professional, or they are knowledgeable enough to book on their own. If it is the latter, then the inability to take care of one's booking indicates that the former would have been a better choice. (You'll note that people who use a knowledgeable professional aren't in situations like this one).

 

 

Given that a TA/PCC has more training than you or I, and given that they can do things that we simply cannot, and given that their services come at no cost to you, just why would you handle it yourself when you run into issues like this?

 

 

Yes...knowledgeable consumers who don't need help. Consumers can also fix their own cars, but it isn't a recommended action for someone with a limited knowledge base for automobiles. If you really think you can modify a booking, try changing to another room in the same category using the website. Try cancelling or changing a dining reservation on the website.Try repricing your cruise when the price goes down on the website.

 

To paraphrase a line from Jurassic Park: Just because you can doesn't mean that you should.

what does your argument have to do with the OP's question???  they called a "trained" professional and was told it couldn't be done.  Besides, why would that be motivation to work with someone to do something that you can easily do yourself???  A TA or CC don't offer anything in the booking process that you can't do yourself.  It's not like you lose the ability to get help making changes just because you booked yourself.

[skittl1321]

3 hours ago, Agent999 said:

 

Well, either they are working with a trained professional, or they are knowledgeable enough to book on their own. If it is the latter, then the inability to take care of one's booking indicates that the former would have been a better choice. (You'll note that people who use a knowledgeable professional aren't in situations like this one).

 

 

Given that a TA/PCC has more training than you or I, and given that they can do things that we simply cannot, and given that their services come at no cost to you, just why would you handle it yourself when you run into issues like this?

 

 

Yes...knowledgeable consumers who don't need help. Consumers can also fix their own cars, but it isn't a recommended action for someone with a limited knowledge base for automobiles. If you really think you can modify a booking, try changing to another room in the same category using the website. Try cancelling or changing a dining reservation on the website.Try repricing your cruise when the price goes down on the website.

 

To paraphrase a line from Jurassic Park: Just because you can doesn't mean that you should.

I have changed my dining reservations on the website.  You chat with an agent and they quickly cancel what you don't want. Easy. Done it many times as I've been super indecisive about my dining times and booked at least 12 but only need 2.

 

I also changed my room after booking.  That took a phone call. No big deal.

 

I'm not sure what you think cruise critic should be used for if not to ask questions.  Some people here suggest it can be done on board, which is more than NCLs customer service has told me.  

[skittl1321]

7 hours ago, Asawi said:

Lots of people have both the alcohol package and Starbucks package, so there shouldnt be a limit of one package. But the app probably just can't handle two packages at the same time.

I would check out with one of the packages and then go back and see if I can't add the other. If that doesn't work, try the online chat!

You can upgrade your alcohol package and the better one includes Starbucks, so that might be how people have alcoholic and Starbucks.  But that would be way more expensive .  (Starbucks + soda costs about the same as the tips on the lower alcohol package).

 

It's no big deal if I just buy Starbucks ala carte.  Just kind of annoying. I also wish there was a nonalcoholic FAS included option, because it's not really free, I know it was included in my booking and I declined it.  But the tips on the included package are more than my drink bill ever is, so I'm glad declining is an option.