Most cruisers receive a “free” drink package as a perk when booking their Norwegian Cruise Line sailing.
But it turns out there’s another option available to them, the Premium Plus Beverage Package, featuring a wider array of included drinks… including a few that might surprise you.
What does the NCL Premium Plus drink package cost? Read on, and we’ll tell you that, as well as the easiest way to figure out whether or not it’ll prove to be a worthy investment for you!
Is The Basic Drink Package Enough?
While NCL does sell a basic drink package at an outrageous price — as of this writing, $109 per person, per day plus an automatically-added gratuity/service charge — few people actually purchase the plan. Rather, those who want this particular package opt to receive it as one of their Free At Sea promotional perks. Of course, it’s not actually free, because even those opting for this perk still have to pay the 20% service charge.
MORE: Why NCL’s Drink Package Is So Expensive
As a general rule, the basic beverage package will more than likely be perfect for most cruisers. It covers alcoholic drinks which are priced at $15 or under — including wines-by-the-glass, soft drinks, juices, and beers — which covers a whole lot of boozy territory.
How is the Premium+ Package Different?
As its name implies, the Premium Plus package includes everything covered by the regular package, plus quite a bit more. This is designed for folks who love their top-shelf booze, pricier wines, and champagne. One thing a lot of people don’t realize is that this particular package also comes with unlimited Starbucks beverages. (There is actually a Starbucks package you can purchase for $12.95 a day, should you be interested.)
So how much is the Premium Plus drink package? Well, that one’s going to run you $138 per person, per day, plus the aforementioned 20 percent gratuity. However, if you got the basic beverage package as one of your perks and simply want to upgrade to Premium Plus, that’ll run you $29 per person, per day (plus the gratuity).
Is the Premium Package Worth the Money?
The No. 1 question people ask when it comes to drink packages — no matter the cruise line — is whether or not they’re a good value. Of course, this will depend on numerous factors, including how much you expect to drink and your personal cruise budget. Another factor? What you want to drink and whether or not it’s included in the package in question.
As an example, let’s look at gin and vodka offerings for each of the packages.
- Gins and Vodkas available with the basic drink package include: Bombay Dry Gin, Beefeater London Dry Gin, Tangueray Special Gin, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Avorza Ultra Premium Organic Vodka, Absolut Vodka, Belvedere Vodka, Grey Goose Vodka, Good Boy Vodka, Ketel One Vodka, Prairie Organic Vodka and Wheatley Craft Distilled Vodka.
- Gins and Vodka’s available with the Premium Plus package include: All of the above plus Hendrick’s Gin, Monkey 47 Gin, ’66 by Norwegian Gin, Absolut Elya Vodka and Chopin Potato Vodka.
Other popular alcohols which are only covered by the Premium Plus package include Patron Anejo, Avion Silver, and Cazadores tequilas, plus Cointreau, Chambord, Grand Marnier, and Absinthe.
While the above selections are currently listed on informational information provided by Norwegian, they can, of course, change, and not all will be available at all bars or on all ships.
Also, it’s worth noting that just because you have the lower-priced package does not mean you can’t order pricier drinks. You’ll simply be asked to pay the difference.
So if a cocktail costs $17 and your plan covers drinks costing $15 or less, the remaining $2 will be charged to your onboard account.
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