Cruise Line Launches Complimentary Beverage Package
MSC Cruises is launching a new “Drinks On Us” promotion which is a complimentary beverage package including a wide range of free drinks on Caribbean itineraries on two cruise ships.
MSC Cruises is launching a new complimentary beverage package on two of its cruise ships on Caribbean itineraries only and cruisers can get a wide range of drinks for free included in the cruise fare.
Is The Norwegian Cruise Lines Free At Sea Really Free
Some of Norwegian Cruise Lines Free at Sea perks are truly free while some are not.
In terms of the Free Open Bar, guests will still need to pay gratuity on this free perk. The 20% service charge for a 7-day cruise will cost each guest $138.60 for the Premium Beverage package. The Soda Package gratuity is $1.59 per person, per day. This gratuity is added to the total cruise fare at the time of booking.
While this is a great value, it is still a considerable amount to pay for a free perk. Thus, you can choose to opt out of the drink package if offered all 5 perks, or you could choose 2 alternate perks instead. This would also be true for guests who do not drink alcoholic beverages.
Further, if you enjoy specialty coffee or want bottled water, you will have to pay extra to upgrade to the Premium Plus beverage package.
Similarly, guests are responsible for paying gratuity on the specialty dining package as well. This 20% service charge is $15.80 per package for 6-8 day cruises. This does not include any additional tips that you would like to provide to your waitstaff.
In terms of the free shore excursions, the $50 credit per stateroom will not cover much. So, you will likely need to pay extra to cover the costs of shore excursions. Of course, if you planned on booking shore excursions anyway, this is free money. Although, if you are booking them just to utilize the credit, it will likely cost you extra.
Is There A Limit To How Many Drinks You Can Get Per Day With A Carnival Beverage Package
Youre allowed to drink an unlimited amount of non-alcoholic drinks with both Bottomless Bubbles and the CHEERS! package.
However, you can only have 15 alcoholic drinks per day. That sounds like a lot, but lots of cruisers can reach that cap. Bartenders and servers track drink orders on their POS system, so you can always ask how many drinks youre up to if you lose track!
Once you hit the 15 drinks, youre not allowed to order more alcohol, even if you try to pay out of pocket. The 24-hour period resets every morning at 6 AM.
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Princess Cruises Classic Soda Package
The Classic Soda Package costs $9.99/ £8.49 per person, per day, plus an additional 18% gratuity or service charge. The Princess Cruises Classic Drinks Package includes all fountain sodas, fruit juices, mocktails and smoothies. It also includes one souvenir tumbler based on availability and while stocks last.
New Grounds Coffee Package
The New Grounds Coffee Package allows you to purchase of a specified number of specialty coffees during the voyage of purchase. Guests are able to redeem their chosen number of specialty coffees purchased in their package in locations onboard where espresso is available. The coffee package is available to purchase onboard.
Does A Paid Premium Beverage Package Make Sense
If you arent getting an NCL beverage package for free, then it probably makes no sense for most people to actually pay for the Premium Beverage Package.
NCL currently charges $99 per day for its Premium Beverage Package, plus gratuities. The maximum beverage price covered by the package is $15. So six max-priced drinks would be $90, which is still less than the daily price of the premium package. You would only start to see a price break once you consumed your 7th max-price drink of the day. And that would have to be 7 drinks actually consumed on the ship itself. Drink packages dont apply when youre running around port or on shore excursions.
And again, thats if you are drinking the more expensive drinks and cocktails. Typical drinks are much less than that. As a comparison, on our cruise the featured cocktail of the day was $8.95. So you would have to drink more than 10 of that price level drink daily to start seeing any savings.
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Royal Caribbean Cruise Deals
With Royal Caribbean Cruise deals you won’t just see the world, you’ll explore it. Take the family on a fun trip to the Caribbean or travel in style in the Royal Suite Class, it’s up to you. Discover what cruising is all about on a Royal Caribbean cruise to exotic locations like the Arabian Gulf or European destinations like venice and all the worries and stresses of life will be behind you.
Royal Caribbean Cruises offers a wide variety of dining options that will keep the whole family happy as you travel to stunning locations. There are plenty of activities onboard for everyone to enjoy. At night, make your way into the exciting casinos on one of the outstanding ships in the Royal Caribbean fleet. Research and compare Royal Caribbean Cruise deals now and book the cruise of your dreams.
How Do I Buy Drink Packages
If you want to purchase one of the drink packages for your cruise, the best way is to either call your cruise line or go online to book through your reservation.
It’s usually better to book online ahead of time because there are often discounts for early purchases. For instance, we’ve seen discounts of 30-40% on some drink packages for booking early.
If you want the best rate, definitely do not wait to book once you are on the ship. Rates are often highest when purchasing on board. Even so, if you wait, you’ll find tables setup around the ship offering the package. You can also just head to the nearest bar and ask about buying it.
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Are Drink Packages Really Worth It
Are you toying with the idea of adding a drinks package to your upcoming cruise? Were here to tell you: it depends because there are several aspects youll need to consider. Fortunately, our parent company, Dreamlines have done the hard work for you, and have calculated whether a drinks package would really make economic sense on the specific cruise youre travelling on.
Before we kick things off, there are a couple of questions youll need to consider:
Norwegian Cruise Line Drink Prices
Before discussing the beverage packages options, it is essential to consider the prices of drinks on a Norwegian cruise. You can find the average drink prices below, based on recent menu prices:
| Drink | |
| Large Water Bottle | $6 |
When deciding whether to purchase the drink package, it is a good idea to run the numbers on how much you would be spending if you bought individual drinks. But, more on that later.
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Is There A Limit To How Many Drinks You Can Get Per Day With An Ncl Beverage Package
Unlike some cruise lines, Norwegian doesnt currently have a limit on how many drinks you can have per day with any of their packages. Obviously, you should be safe and drink responsibly! But no, as of right now theres no set limit. They do have a limit of two drinks per person per order, which is helpful to know when theres a long line at the pool bar.
How To Get Cheap Booze Delivered To Your Cabin On The Final Night
At some point during your cruise, go to the duty-free liquor store onboard and buy a bottle. This tax-free liquor is well-priced and you may even catch an additional sale on alcohol from time to time. Unfortunately, the duty-free shop will not allow you to take those bottles back to your cabin that is, until the last night. On the final afternoon of your cruise, any bottles that you purchased will be delivered directly to your stateroom.
Also on the final evening of the cruise, the duty-free store will, in fact, allow you to walk out of the shop with any liquor you purchase. On one cruise, we noticed that an entire liter bottle of vodka at the duty-free shop was actually priced less than two shots of the exact same vodka if you were to purchase it at the bar.
Additionally, any alcohol purchased while in port will also be delivered to your stateroom on the finalday of your cruise. So dont hesitate to buy that delicious Jamaican rum or snag that bottle of tequila while docked in Cozumel. When you return to the cruise ship, you can easily check the bottle with security. Then once the last night of your cruise rolls around, any bottles that youve purchased ashore will be delivered to your room.
So on your last night of a cruise, have a party in your stateroom and enjoy! Just be sure to schedule a late disembarkation time the next day.
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Enjoy Free Champagne At The Art Auction
If youd like to sip on a complimentary glass of champagne, then head on over to the art gallery. Nearly all ships will have multiple art auctions during the cruise, which usually extends a free glass of sparkling wine. Youre not required to bid. So just sit back, learn something about the art, and watch others fight for those limited release prints.
It can be an entertaining experience. But if you get bored, theres no shame in making a quiet exit. So perhaps be sure to pick an aisle seat in case you do want to leave early.
What Is Norwegian Cruise Lines Free At Sea
Norwegian Cruise Line frequently runs its popular promotion called Free at Sea. Norwegian Cruise Lines Free at Sea offer entitles guests to free perks like drink packages, specialty dining, WiFi, kids sail free, and more.
SCROLL DOWN TO WATCH OUR COMPLETE VIDEO REVIEW OF NORWEGIAN FREE AT SEA!
The number of perks that cruisers receive does vary based on the current sale and the stateroom category booked. Usually, guests receive up to 5 free perks with this sale, which is valued at up to $2,900. Occasionally, there are up to 6 perks if airfare is part of the current promotion.
For example, Norwegian Cruise Lines Free at Sea has recently offered guests who book Studio, Inside, Oceanview, Balcony, or Club Balcony Suite rooms the ability to choose 2 free perks. Guests who book Suites and the Haven will receive all 5 free perks. Sometimes, like right now, guests booking most cabin categories can receive all 5 free perks. Now, thats a good deal!
This promotion offers guests a more all-inclusive experience, where they will know the majority of their cruise costs upfront and not have to worry about the bill at the end of the cruise.
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Norwegian Cruise Line does reserve the right to change the terms of the promotion at any time, so it is important to read the fine print at the time of your booking. For instance, some categories like Studio and Inside have only qualified for 1 perk in the past.
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Who Can Get The Cheers Drink Package Free
Tubes of beer are not included with the CHEERS! beverage package.
Carnivals drink package which allows each guest up to 15 alcoholic beverages a day plus a slew of other options is incredibly popular. And unlike some other cruise lines, its very rare that Carnival actually offers it as a free perk.
Norwegian Cruise Line has for years offered a free drink package as a booking perk, and even Celebrity Cruises recently rolled a drink package into the overall cost of a cruise. But Carnival?
Its very rare indeed, says Becky Smith of Beckys Travel Biz. I honestly cannot recall a time in the past where a drink package has been included by Carnival as a rate code available that is associated with bookings. There have been a couple of times when theyve offered CHEERS! discounts, but even those have been rare.
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But now, an offer available for a limited time only includes the drink package. Whats the catch? Well, there are a few, actually. First, the offer is only available to certain members of the lines VIFP loyalty program. Its not available to the general booking public, says Smith.
You can purchase the CHEERS! package before your cruise or once onboard.
OVERVIEW: Carnivals VIFP Loyalty Program
To find out if you qualify, sign into your Carnival account and head to the VIFP section. Once there, check the offers available to you. You can also call and mention promotion code RU1 .
What Is Not Included
Even if you have the drink package, that doesn’t mean everything on the ship is available to you. While rules will vary among cruise lines, usually all the following are excluded from drink packages:
- Drinks in souvenir glasses
- Alcohol by the bottle
- Drinks offered at the gangway
- Room service alcohol or mini-bar drinks
Most drink packages also have limits on the cost of the drink they will cover.
So if there is a $15 per drink limit, it will cover drinks up to that amount. If you want a beverage that’s more than $15 per glass, then you’ll pay extra for the amount over $15. So an $18 drink would cost you $3.
The one outlier is MSC. At last check, your drink package only covers drinks up to the price limit. Anything above that and you have to pay for the entire drink. So if your drink package is only good for drinks up to $9, a $12 drink will cost you the full amount, not $3.
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How Much Are Drinks On A Carnival Cruise If You Buy Them Individually
If youre considering buying a drink package for your first Carnival cruise, youre probably wondering what the menu prices are if you buy drinks individually.
Here are typical menu prices for a variety of drinks on Carnival:
- Beer: $6 $8 per glass
- Wine $8 $14 per glass
- Mixed drinks: $7 $20
- Specialty soft drinks: $2 $5
- Bottled water: $1.25 $5
Common Questions About Carnival Cruise Line Drink Packages
If youve never cruised with Carnival before, or its been a while since your last cruise, you probably have some general questions about how the Carnival Cruise Line drink packages work. Ill answer the most common ones here. If you have a question that I havent answered, just drop it in the comments and Ill be happy to answer it.
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You Feel The Need To Get Your Moneys Worth
Its easy to go overboard if you are trying to get your moneys worth from the cruise ship drink package. Doing the math, you will likely need to drink around 5-6 alcoholic beverages a day to cover the cost of the package. However, you shouldnt feel like you need to order that extra drink just to break even for the day.
Truthfully, we do typically purchase a beverage package on a cruise because we like the convenience of them. However, we often see the value of a drink package in the bottled water and specialty coffee not the alcoholic beverages.
In conclusion, there are many pros and cons to purchasing a beverage package on a cruise. Knowing the facts, you will be better informed to make the decision if a cruise ship drink package is worth it for you.
Can You Share A Drinks Package
The same drinks package must be purchased for all travellers in the same cabin. The only exceptions are children under the age of 3 and passengers between the ages of 3 and 17 years old who in that case, must acquire the non-alcoholic drink package. With that being said, you need to calculate how many drinks your whole cabin will approximately consume for the duration of the cruise. If youre travelling with your husband, who, for example, doesnt drink that much, youll not be able to buy an alcoholic package for you and a non-alcoholic for him. In this instance, both passengers would have to purchase the same alcoholic package individually.
I know what youre thinking cant I just share a drinks package with people from another cabin? Unfortunately not this is strictly prohibited and enforced by all cruise lines. Some cruise lines even go so far to limit the amount of drinks orders to two drinks per order only. There goes your round at the bar.
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A Closer Look At The Free At Sea Beverage Package
This is how the Norwegian drink package option works.
The drink package promotion applies to the first two guests in the cabin. Guests who are 21 or over will receive a Premium Beverage Package. Guest under 21 will automatically receive a Soda Package.
The Premium Beverage Package includes most types of alcoholic beverages that cost $15 or less. That includes a range of wine, beer and cocktails. It also includes all fountain sodas and juices. Package privileges apply at every venue throughout the ship and also apply on Great Stirrup Cay .
The Soda Package includes all fountain drinks. The Soda Package also applies throughout the ship and on the private island.
New Princess Promotion Offers Free Beverage Package Wifi
Princess Cruises has brought back what it calls its Best. Sale. Ever. just in time for Christmas and wave season.
Available on all cruise and cruisetour bookings, the offer runs from now through March 2, 2022 and includes five perks:
- The Premier Beverage Package is applied to passengers who are 21 years or older, and includes hand-crafted cocktails, wine, beer, fountain soda, specialty coffee, and more. Those who are under 21 will receive the Premier Coffee & Soda Package.
- Unlimited Wifi: MedallionNet Wifi allows guests to make video calls from anywhere on the ship, share their experiences on social media, and stream sports, movies, music, and videos. The unlimited wifi will automatically apply when guests sign on to activate their device, and applies to all passengers in a cabin .
- Crew gratuities will be covered by Princess.
- Stateroom Location Upgrade: Offered on a first-come, first-serve basis, upgrades are subject to capacity and availability, and apply in like-to-like stateroom types This perk is not offered for suites, and cruises 66 days or longer are not eligible.
- Specialty Dining: Valid for all guests in the stateroom, vouchers will be delivered upon embarkation. Guests must dine at the same time in the same reserved seating.
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