Your No-Nonsense Guide to NCL Drink Packages
What are the NCL Drink Packages? In this guide, we’ll explore Norwegian Cruise Line’s beverage packages.
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Your cruise fare covers filtered water, regular coffee, tea, and buffet fountain juices. If you want soda, cocktails, wine, specialty coffee, or other drinks beyond that, that’s where NCL’s drink packages come in. The one most cruisers will see is the Unlimited Open Bar through Free at Sea, which includes many of NCL’s signature cocktails, along with beer, wine, soda, and other drinks.
I’ve also included a cruise drink calculator below so you can compare the cost of a drink package with what you’d realistically spend paying for drinks as you go. Sometimes the package makes sense, and sometimes it doesn’t.
Norwegian Beverage Packages Available
NCL has a few different drink packages and beverage options, depending on what you drink and where you’re sailing:
- Unlimited Open Bar Package: This is the drink package you’ll hear about most with Free at Sea. It includes cocktails, beer, wine by the glass, fountain soda, juice, non-alcoholic beer, and more.
- Free at Sea Plus: This is the paid upgrade to Free at Sea. It adds things the regular package doesn’t cover, including Starbucks, bottled water, Red Bull, fresh-squeezed juice, and a larger selection of premium wines and spirits.
- Hawaii Beverage Package: If you’re sailing on Pride of America, this replaces the regular Unlimited Open Bar and has its own list of included drinks.
- Unlimited Soda and Juice Package: Unlimited fountain soda and juice throughout the cruise.
- Unlimited Starbucks Package: Starbucks coffee, tea, Refreshers, and other drinks by the cup. You’re limited to one drink per visit.
- You generally need to be 21 or older to receive a drink package that includes alcohol. Rules differ for guests under 21, which I’ll cover below.
- The Free at Sea Unlimited Open Bar currently costs $32 per person, per day for cruises of 2–5 nights and $28.50 per person, per day for cruises of 6 nights or longer.
- Drink taxes and VAT may still apply. Depending on where you’re sailing, you may see local drink taxes or VAT charged even with a package.
- The Free at Sea drink package works at Great Stirrup Cay. It does not work at Harvest Caye.
- Tasty Itinerary is not affiliated with or employed by Norwegian Cruise Line.
NCL Drink Packages Explained
- Retail Value: NCL values the Unlimited Open Bar Package at $109 per person, per day.
- Free at Sea Price: $32 per person, per day on cruises of 2–5 nights and $28.50 per person, per day on cruises of 6 nights or longer. Gratuities are already included.
- Buying It Onboard: If you skip Free at Sea, NCL currently lets you purchase the package during the first two days of the cruise for $45 per person, per day, plus 20% gratuity, taxes, and fees.
- Included: Cocktails, wine by the glass, bottled and draft beer, fountain soda, juice, non-alcoholic beer, and select energy and sports drinks.
- Not Included: Bottled water, Starbucks, specialty coffee, fresh-squeezed juice, minibar purchases, room service, and drinks from the Connoisseur’s Collection.
- Who Gets It With Free at Sea: Eligible Guests 1–8 can receive the package. Guests 1–2 must be 21 or older. If either is under 21, they receive the Soda Package instead. Guests 3–8 under 21 do not receive a substitute beverage package.
NCL Unlimited Open Bar Package
The Unlimited Open Bar Package is the main drink package included with Free at Sea. It covers cocktails, beer, wine by the glass, soda, and other alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks priced up to $15 each. Gratuities are already included in the Free at Sea price.
How much does the NCL Unlimited Open Bar package cost?
With Free at Sea, the package currently costs $32 per person, per day on cruises of 2–5 nights and $28.50 per person, per day on cruises of 6 nights or longer. On a 7-day cruise, that comes to $199.50 per person.
NCL lists the package with a retail value of $109 per person, per day. If you skip Free at Sea, you can currently buy the Unlimited Open Bar during the first two days onboard for $45 per person, per day, plus 20% gratuity, taxes, and fees.
Can minors receive this package?
Eligible Guests 1–8 who are 21 or older can receive the Unlimited Open Bar through Free at Sea. If Guest 1 or 2 is under 21, they’ll receive the Soda Package instead. Guests 3–8 who are under 21 do not receive a substitute beverage package.
You can read the terms and conditions for the FAS Unlimited Open Bar.
Is bottled water included?
No. Bottled water is not included with the standard Unlimited Open Bar Package. It is included with Free at Sea Plus, or you can purchase water separately.
What happens if you order a drink that is over $15?
The Unlimited Open Bar covers included drinks priced up to $15. For drinks from NCL’s higher-priced selections, you’ll get a $15 discount and pay the difference, plus gratuity on the amount charged.
Example: If an eligible drink costs $18, you’d pay the remaining $3, plus 20% gratuity on that $3.
NCL Unlimited Soda and Juice Package
- Who it’s for: A simple option if you don’t drink alcohol but still want unlimited soda during your cruise. Guests 1 or 2 who are under 21 may also receive the Soda Package instead of the Unlimited Open Bar through Free at Sea.
- Standalone Price: $12.50 per person, per day + 20% gratuity.
- Included: Unlimited fountain soda and juice throughout the cruise.
- Not Included: Canned soda, bottled water, specialty drinks, minibar purchases, and room service beverages.
If you don’t drink alcohol and mostly want soda, the NCL Soda Package can make sense. At $12.50 per person, per day plus 20% gratuity, it works out to $15 a day, or $105 for a 7-day cruise. With fountain soda running around $3.50–$4 each, you’d need to drink roughly four to five sodas a day for the package to start paying for itself.
Compared with the Free at Sea Unlimited Open Bar, the difference on a 7-day cruise is $94.50 per person. The Soda Package costs $105, while the Unlimited Open Bar through Free at Sea costs $199.50. For that extra cost, you also get mocktails, fruity vacation drinks, beer, wine, cocktails, and other included drinks up to $15.
For me, it really comes down to what you’ll actually drink. Mostly sticking to soda? There’s no reason to pay more for the Unlimited Open Bar.
NCL Hawaii Beverage Package
- Where it applies: This package is only available on Pride of America sailings.
- Free at Sea Price: $28.50 per person, per day, with gratuities included.
- Included: Cocktails, wine by the glass, beer, fountain soda, fresh-squeezed juice, non-alcoholic beer, Vero water, and specialty coffee in the dining rooms.
- Vero Water: You can use the Vero still-water dispensers around the ship with your keycard. In restaurants, Vero water is available still or sparkling.
- Not Included: Specialty coffee outside the dining rooms, room service, minibar purchases, and vending machines.
- Who Gets It: Eligible Guests 1–8 who are 21 or older can receive the Hawaii Beverage Package through Free at Sea. If Guest 1 or 2 is under 21, they’ll receive the Hawaii Soda Package instead. Guests 3–8 under 21 do not receive a substitute beverage package.
- Two Drinks at a Time: You can order up to two beverages per person, per transaction.
- Hawaii Alcohol Laws Apply: Alcohol service may be restricted in some situations because the package follows Hawaii’s liquor laws.
The Hawaii Beverage Package is available on Pride of America and is the Free at Sea beverage package for Hawaii sailings. It includes drinks up to $15, along with fresh-squeezed juice, Vero water, and specialty coffee served in the dining rooms.
One thing that changed after Pride of America’s May 2025 dry dock is that bottled water is no longer included. Instead, guests with the Hawaii Beverage Package can use the Vero still-water dispensers around the ship.
What are Vero Water Dispensers?
Vero Water dispensers are self-serve stations on Pride of America that provide filtered still water. If you have the Hawaii Beverage Package, your keycard gives you access to the dispensers.
Unlimited Starbucks Package
- Price: $16.50 per person, per day + 20% gratuity.
- Included: Starbucks coffee, lattes, Frappuccinos, Refreshers, teas, and other drinks served by the cup.
- One Drink at a Time: You can order one Starbucks drink per person, per transaction.
- Individual Package: Guests 13 and older can purchase it, and you no longer have to buy the package for everyone in the stateroom.
- Not Included: Bottled and canned drinks, food, and merchandise from Starbucks.
- Where It Works: You can use the package at Starbucks locations onboard and at Great Stirrup Cay. It does not work at Harvest Caye.
Is the Starbucks Package worth it?
For a specialty coffee lover who usually orders lattes, Frappuccinos, or teas, the Starbucks Package can be worth considering. It costs $16.50 per person, per day plus 20% gratuity, bringing the total to $19.80 per day.
When we cruise on NCL and stop at Starbucks, two drinks can easily get us close to that total. So if you plan to grab Starbucks more than once a day, the package can make sense. For the occasional coffee stop, I’d just pay as you go.
Side-by-Side Comparison of NCL Drink Packages
|
Features |
Unlimited Open Bar |
Hawaii Beverage Package |
Soda Package |
Unlimited Starbucks Package |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Alcoholic Drinks |
Yes, up to $15 |
Yes, up to $15 |
No |
No |
|
Non-Alcoholic Drinks |
Yes, including soda, juice and non-alcoholic beer |
Yes, including soda, fresh-squeezed juice and non-alcoholic beer |
Fountain soda and juice |
Starbucks coffee, tea, Refreshers and specialty drinks |
|
Bottled Water |
No |
No bottled water; Vero water refills included |
No |
No |
|
Specialty Coffee |
No |
Yes in dining rooms only |
No |
Yes |
|
Fountain Sodas |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
|
Mocktails / Zero-Alcohol Drinks |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
|
Frozen Drinks |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
|
Free at Sea Price (Per Person, Per Day) |
$32/day for 2–5 nights; $28.50/day for 6+ nights |
$28.50/day |
$12.50/day for Guests 1–2 under 21 |
Not included |
|
Standalone Price |
$45/day + 20% gratuity, taxes and fees |
Not listed separately |
$12.50/day + 20% gratuity |
$16.50/day + 20% gratuity |
|
Exclusions |
Bottled water, Starbucks, specialty coffee, fresh-squeezed juice, Red Bull, minibar, room service, and higher-priced premium selections |
Bottled water, specialty coffee outside dining rooms, minibar, room service, and vending machines |
Bottled water, canned soda, specialty drinks, minibar, and room service |
Bottled and canned drinks, food, bottled water, and merchandise |
What about Free at Sea Plus?
Free at Sea Plus is a paid upgrade to the standard Free at Sea package, not a separate drink package. It upgrades the beverage package with premium wines and spirits, Starbucks, bottled water, Red Bull, fresh-squeezed juice, and more.
Drink Prices on Norwegian Cruise Line
One of the easiest ways to figure out if an NCL drink package is worth it is to compare the package price with what you’d actually order. Drink prices can vary by ship and menu, so I’d use these as rough estimates based on recent NCL bar menus.
- Cocktails: Typically $15
- Beer and hard seltzers: Usually $10
- Wine by the glass: Roughly $12.50–$25
- Spirits: Usually $15–$35, depending on the brand
- Mocktails: Typically $10–$15
- Fountain soda: About $3.50–$4
- Energy drinks: About $6–$7
- Specialty coffee and tea: About $3.50–$6
- Bottled water: About $4.50–$7
Most regular cocktails, beer, wine, and spirits priced at $15 or less are included with the Unlimited Open Bar. If you order something that costs more, NCL applies a $15 discount, and you pay the difference, plus gratuity on that amount.
Estimate Your Cruise Drink Costs
Not sure if the drink package will actually be worth it for you? Use my cruise drink package calculator to compare what you’d likely spend on drinks with the cost of the Free at Sea Unlimited Open Bar Package.
For Free at Sea, compare your estimated daily drink total with $32 per person, per day on cruises of 2–5 nights or $28.50 per person, per day on cruises of 6 nights or longer. Those rates already include gratuities.
You may find that the package saves you money. Or, if you only have a couple of drinks a day, paying as you go may make more sense.
Cruise Drink Package Calculator
Things to Know About Norwegian Cruise Line’s Drink Packages
Drinks on Norwegian Cruise Line Aren’t Exactly Free
Even though the Unlimited Open Bar Package comes with Free at Sea, it isn’t actually free. You’ll pay $32 per person, per day on cruises of 2–5 nights or $28.50 per person, per day on cruises of 6 nights or longer, with gratuities already included. On a 7-day cruise, that comes to $199.50 per person.
Gratuities Are Included in the Free at Sea Drink Package
The Free at Sea price for the Unlimited Open Bar Package already includes gratuities, so there’s no extra service charge added to the daily rate. Order a drink that costs more than $15, and you’ll pay the difference plus a 20% gratuity on that extra amount.
The NCL Drink Package Might Be Worth It Depending on How Much You Drink
This really comes down to how much you’ll actually drink on the cruise. If you regularly order cocktails, wine, beer, mocktails, or soda throughout the day, the Free at Sea rate can be worth it. With only one or two drinks a day, paying as you go may make more sense. That’s why I always recommend doing the math first.
How to Calculate Your Drink Costs:
Average drink price × number of drinks per day = estimated daily drink cost
Estimated daily drink cost × number of cruise days = estimated total for your cruise
The Free at Sea Drink Package Works at Great Stirrup Cay
Good news if Great Stirrup Cay is on your itinerary. The Free at Sea Unlimited Open Bar Package works on the island, including at the bars and restaurants. NCL had previously announced that the package would stop working there in 2026, but that is no longer the case.
The drink package still does not work at Harvest Caye.
VAT and Drink Taxes May Still Apply With a Drink Package
Having a drink package doesn’t always mean every drink will show up as $0 on your onboard account. Depending on where you’re sailing, NCL may still charge local drink taxes or VAT. This can happen while you’re in port and, on some itineraries, even while you’re at sea.
Frozen Drinks Are Included in NCL’s Main Drink Packages
Yes, frozen cocktails are included with both the Unlimited Open Bar and Hawaii Beverage Package, as long as the drink costs $15 or less. So your frozen margarita or piña colada can still be covered by the package.
Guests Under 21 May Get the Soda Package Instead
Guests 1 and 2 need to be 21 or older to receive the Unlimited Open Bar Package. When Guest 1 or 2 is under 21, they’ll get the Soda Package instead. Guests 3–8 under 21 do not receive a substitute beverage package.
You can still order up to two drinks per person, per transaction with the Unlimited Open Bar, but the package can’t be shared.
Before you set sail, here are some related articles you don’t want to miss:
- NCL Tips Not to Miss
- Frustrating Changes NCL Has Made Recently
- NCL’s Priority Access: Worth Adding or Not?
- 10 Things to Love About Norwegian Cruise Line
Kathy Ava
Meet Kathy Ava, a food, travel, and cruise writer based in Los Angeles/Pasadena, and the owner and main writer of Tasty Itinerary. With over 20 years of experience planning trips and logistics at her full-time job and for herself, she's become a pro at crafting unforgettable tasty itineraries. She's always on the hunt for delicious, fun travel destinations and cruise itineraries. She firmly believes that life is short and we must make the most of it, so always say yes to dessert.
Why is the “Plus” package not offered on Pride of America? The article mentions that the Hawaiian Package is comparable to the NCL Ultimate Beverage Package. Why don’t they also offer a comparable “Plus” Package? My wife and I enjoy fine wine and the Hawaiian Beverage Package limits us to glasses of wine of $15 or less. This is unfair and will ultimately cost NCL revenue as it encourages us to bring our own bottles, and incur the corkage fee, instead of purchasing them from NCL.
I understand the frustration. You will have to contact Norwegian Cruise Line to give them your thoughts. Hopefully, they are working on a special “plus” upgrade program for the Hawaiian Beverage Package. Meanwhile, I wish that the bottled water included in the Hawaiian Beverage Package was included in the Premium Beverage package without having to upgrade to Plus for an additional cost.
So here is our issue.
I drink strictly Starbucks, no sodas whatsoever. My husband only drinks Diet Coke. There are only two of us in the cabin. So do we have to get drink packages galore or what?
Hi Holly – That’s where it gets tricky. NCLs policy is that all passengers within the same cabin must purchase the same package. It is not helfpul in situations like this.
I can totally relate as my husband doesn’t drink alcohol and yet I do, this becomes an issue sometimes when cruising. I pay for alcohol as I go now. However, from personal experience we have been able to purchase a soda package just for him and not me once onboard NCL ship in the past. I’ve read others that have done similar, even with upgrades when one person upgrades a package and the other doesn’t, once onboard. You can try to go that route and wait to see if they’ll allow you to make these separate purchases on board, but it is not a guarantee.
The other dilemma is that I believe that the Starbucks package is sold online and not onboard, don’t believe that has changed. We do have an upcoming cruise on NCL and I’ll be on the lookout to see.
Thank you so much for all the incredible info! Headed out of NYC to Bermuda this summer with our giant family of 21 people ranging from 5 to 80 years old! Trying to manage the expectations of the 20-year old’s in the group in regards to the drinks package. A promotion that was included is the Ultimate Beverage Package for Groups. During a phone call with NCL they explained it as 2 drinks per person per transaction. So I assume that works great say at the pool bar or casino, but they said that would be 2 drinks per sit down meal. Do you know if that’s enforced or is it a little more open at the dinner table to order say a pre-dinner drink, 2 glasses of wine with dinner and then a cordial? Would tipping the waiter help or make things awkward? Sorry first cruise for all of us! Thanks again 🙂
Hi Catherine – NCL’s policy states, a passenger with the Unlimited Beverage Package can order 2 drinks per transaction. Meaning that you can order 2 pina coladas at a time, if you wish.
Perhaps when speaking to customer service, they are see dinner as one transaction and stating that you’ll only be able to have 2 drinks max. That’s not the case, I’ve never experienced any limits ordering multiple drinks at dinner, including a cordial.
What I have experienced at times is the waiter being so busy that I don’t get the chance to order another drink. You should be able to order unlimited drinks that are included in the package.
It doesn’t hurt to get a pre-dinner drink and bring that with you to dinner. Many passengers do this, especially during busy dinner times. There are bars usually easily accessible not far from the dinner venues.
Tips are always appreciated. We always tip at the end of our meal if the service was excellent. Of course, you can tip ahead when placing your drink order and whisper, “keep ’em coming.” I’m sure they’d be happy to oblige.
We have the beverage package and three specialty dinners on the Getaway this fall. Is the beverage package included when we are at one of the specialty restaurants?
Hi Claudia – Apologies for the late reply, we just got off an Alaskan cruise on Norwegian. To answer your question, the beverage package can be used in the dining room and are subject to the same guidelines and restrictions. So if you have a Premium Beverage Package, you can order cocktails and wine up to $15 (you can always pay the difference if you do order anything over $15). If you have the Premium PLUS Beverage Package then you can literally order anything from top shelf cocktails, expensive glasses of wine and even the specialty coffee.
Have a great cruise!
Why don’t any of these blog entries state how much a soda costs? If I knew how much a soda costs, I can determine if the ~$10/day is worth it for me. Thank you!
Hi Ann – Actually, yes, as stated above in the blog a cup of soda is around $3-4.
@Kathy, Thanks! I must have missed it.
No problem. Lots of info to absorb.
I am not a heavy drinker. I plan to only buy 2 beers a day. How much for a single can of say Bud or Miller light?
Hi Andy – A bottle of beer is around $7-8 each.
Currently on Pride of America and the drink package no longer includes bottled water. There are a lot of people complaining about it. Dumb decision on NCL’s part.
Thanks for the heads-up. That’s definitely frustrating—for you and for everyone else onboard. While NCL technically reserves the right to change package inclusions without notice, the least they could do is update their website. As of right now, it still says the drink package includes “fountain soda, freshly squeezed juice, bottled water (still and sparkling), non-alcoholic beer, and specialty coffee (limited to dining rooms).” If they’re going to pull bottled water, they should pull that outdated info too. Terms can be read here: https://www.ncl.com/terms/hawaii-beverage-package
I did some digging, and here’s what it really comes down to: NCL made changes at the corporate level, but they haven’t updated their website to reflect them. There’s no actual bottled water onboard anymore—just canned, boxed, or aluminum-bottled water—and none of it is included in the drink package. Now they’re claiming that because those aren’t technically “bottled,” they don’t count. It’s a frustrating game of semantics, and it leaves guests thinking they’re getting something that simply doesn’t exist on the ship anymore. And while I haven’t heard anything yet, I’m pretty sure that if you asked for a bottle of sparkling water—like Pellegrino—that’s no longer included either.
Bottled water isn’t included in the More at Sea package on other sailings either. NCL now only offers water in cans, boxes, or aluminum bottles—and none of that is covered. This change ties into their environmental push to eliminate single-use plastic bottles fleet-wide. That’s fair, but the problem is they haven’t updated the wording in their drink package descriptions, which makes it feel like they’re hiding behind the fine print—and passengers just want to know what they’re paying for.
Thanks for the info. That is pretty much what we ascertained from the staff. This is a change since the ship came out of dry dock in May.
You are correct by the way that sparkling water is likewise not included. Water of any type is also not included in the soda package.
To gain access to the new “filtered” water machines, you either need to buy the water package (which includes an aluminum thermos) or have the Hawaiian beverage package (which does not include the thermos).
I did find that NCL quietly updated the fine print under the More at Sea promotion terms here: https://www.ncl.com/about/terms-and-conditions/promotions
Does anyone know how frequently you can get a Starbucks drink if you have the package?
Starbucks drinks are unlimited with the package, but you’re limited to one drink at a time. You can order as many as you’d like throughout the day—just not all at once.
thanks but is there a certain amount of time you need to wait between ordering one drink at a time?
I’m the only adult in my room but if my kids want a fun drink, can i order it immediately after I get mine? (separate order)
There’s no official wait time listed between Starbucks drink orders with the package, but guests say they’ve been able to order again every 10–30 minutes, depending on how busy it is. Technically, you’re not supposed to share the package—even if you’re ordering for your kids—but that really depends on the staff and whether they’re enforcing it. I’d space it out just in case.
can you use the starbucks app to order ahead on the ship if you have the starbucks drinks package?
There’s no mobile ordering onboard, and if you have the Starbucks drink package, you’ll need to show your cruise card since the package is linked to it.