It’s not often that I say you should never buy a cruise line’s drinks package, but with NCL I can say that with confidence. In fact, I’m not entirely sure it’s even possible to buy it now.
But that doesn’t mean I’m telling you not to enjoy all the drinks you want to onboard. It’s just that, with NCL, there’s a better way.
NCL’s drinks packages have often been the most expensive, and sometimes most confusing, of any. And while I can’t promise it’s all super-clear now, there is definitely a way you can save…
NCL Drink Package list
There are four different adult beverage packages available on Norwegian Cruise Line cruises. These are:
- Free at Sea Premium Beverage Package (AKA Open Bar) – Included when you pay for Free at Sea.
- Free at Sea Hawaiʻi Beverage Package – The equivalent package for Pride of America cruises, with some different inclusions.
- Unlimited Soda Package – $12.50 per person, per day, plus 20% gratuity.
- Unlimited Starbucks Package – $16.50 per person, per day, plus 20% gratuity.
There’s also Free at Sea Plus, which includes a wider selection of premium drinks, bottled water and Starbucks coffees, alongside other benefits such as WiFi and speciality dining.
However, that’s an upgrade to the whole Free at Sea package rather than a standalone drinks package, so I’ve covered that elsewhere.
Read more: Everything You Need To Know About NCL’s Free At Sea
Free at Sea Premium Beverage Package
Formerly known as the Ultimate Beverage Package, and sometimes referred to as the Open Bar, NCL’s main drinks package is now called the Free at Sea Premium Beverage Package.
It includes a huge selection of beers, wines by the glass, cocktails, spirits and soft drinks. There used to be a $15 limit on drinks, but that’s no longer the case for the standard selection.
There are still some exclusions, though. Drinks from the Connoisseur’s Collection and Signature Selection aren’t fully included, but you do get $15 off their usual price.
You get this drinks package included when you buy a Free at Sea fare. The drinks package used to cost $109 per person, per day and Free at Sea always costs less than this – so don’t even try to get the drinks package on its own.
Pay for Free at Sea and you’ll get the drinks plus a lot more included too – free WiFi minutes, shore excursion credit and speciality dining meals.
Cost: Included with Free at Sea
The Premium Beverage Package Includes:
- Cocktails – Over 100 to choose from
- Beers and ciders – Bottled and draught selections
- Wine – A wide selection by the glass
- Gin, vodka, rum, whiskey and other spirits – Including premium brands
- Liqueurs and cordials – A selection of brands
- Soft drinks, tonics and juices
- Non-alcoholic beer
You also get 20% off bottles of wine and Champagne, including sparkling wines, plus a 20% discount on certain tastings and drinks experiences.
It does NOT include:
- Connoisseur’s Collection and Signature Selection drinks (although you get $15 off)
- Certain super-premium spirits
- Bottled water
- Starbucks coffees and other speciality coffees
- Energy drinks and freshly squeezed juices
- Beer buckets
- Bottles of wine (although you get 20% off)
- Vending machines and self-service wine dispensers
- Minibar purchases and room service
- Tastings, flights and drinks experiences (although you get 20% off)
There’s no fixed daily limit on how many included drinks you can order, although you’re limited to two drinks per person at a time.
Free at Sea Hawaiʻi Beverage Package – Pride of America
Norwegian Cruise Line has a slightly different drinks package for Pride of America, which sails around Hawaii.
The Free at Sea Hawaiʻi Beverage Package is included when you choose Free at Sea, but there are a few differences compared with the standard package offered on NCL’s other ships.
One of the biggest benefits is that you get water and speciality coffees included, which you’d normally have to pay extra for with the standard Premium Beverage Package.
However, there’s an additional charge for the Hawaii drinks package, so it’s worth checking the total cost when booking.
Cost: Included with Free at Sea but $21.80 per person, per day gratuity applies
The Hawaiʻi Beverage Package includes:
- Cocktails, spirits and other alcoholic drinks
- Bottled and draught beer
- Wine by the glass
- Fountain soft drinks and juices
- Non-alcoholic beer
- Unlimited Vero water, including still water from dispensers around the ship
- Still and sparkling Vero water in restaurants
- Speciality coffees served in restaurants
You also get $15 off drinks from the Connoisseur’s Collection and Signature Selection.
It does NOT include:
- Starbucks coffees
- Speciality coffees outside restaurants
- Super-premium drinks that aren’t covered by the $15 discount
- Bottles of wine
- Beer buckets
- Energy drinks and freshly squeezed juices
- Minibar purchases or room service
- Vending machines and self-service wine dispensers
- Tastings, flights and other drinks experiences
You can order up to two drinks per person at a time, and the package can’t be shared.
One other thing to remember is that Pride of America sails entirely around Hawaii, so local alcohol laws apply. You must be at least 21 to qualify for the alcoholic drinks package.
Unlimited Soda
The soda package is a good option for kids or anyone who doesn’t drink alcohol but enjoys fizzy drinks. It gives you unlimited fountain soft drinks throughout your cruise.
It’s available for adults and children aged 3 and over.
Cost: $12.50 per person, per day, plus 20% gratuity ($15 in total).
The Soda Package Includes:
- Coca-Cola
- Diet Coke
- Sprite
- Ginger Ale
- Tonic Water
- Fanta
- Soda Water
Remember that this only covers fountain drinks, not bottled water, speciality coffees or other premium non-alcoholic drinks.
Unlimited Starbucks Package
Love your Starbucks coffee? You can get an unlimited fix with this package, including all the speciality coffees, teas, Frappuccinos and Starbucks Refreshers served at the onboard coffee shop.
It doesn’t include food, bottled or canned drinks, unfortunately!
Cost: $16.50 per person, per day, plus 20% gratuity ($19.80 in total).
The Unlimited Starbucks Package Includes:
- Classic teas and coffees
- Speciality coffees, including lattes and cappuccinos
- Frappuccinos
- Starbucks Refreshers
It’s worth noting a couple of important rule changes for the Starbucks package that came into effect in July 2026.
Firstly, not everyone in a cabin needs to buy this package. An individual can – so that’s good! Don’t share it though, as your package could be cancelled if you’re caught.
Secondly, the minimum age has dropped from 18 to 13, so teenagers who enjoy a Starbucks (don’t they all, these days?) can now get the package too.
You’re limited to one drink per transaction, although there’s no stated daily limit.
You can also use the package at Great Stirrup Cay, but not at Harvest Caye. And it’s not available on cruises lasting two days or less.
Discontinued drinks packages
Norwegian Cruise Line has changed its drinks packages quite a few times over the years, so you might still come across some older names when researching your cruise.
There used to be two main alcoholic drinks packages. The standard Premium Beverage Package covered drinks costing up to $15, while the more expensive Premium Plus Beverage Package included a wider selection of premium spirits, wines, bottled water and speciality coffees.
That changed in January 2025, when NCL introduced More at Sea. Many of the Premium Plus drinks were added to the standard package, and the $15 limit on the regular drinks selection was removed.
Then, in November 2025, NCL switched back to calling its promotion Free at Sea.
If you booked before 5 November 2025 and received More at Sea, don’t worry. You’ll still get the benefits that were included when you booked, unless you subsequently change your reservation in a way that brings it under the new terms.
There was also a package called Corks and Caps, which covered beer, wine and soft drinks but not spirits. This was discontinued back in 2022.
So, while you might still see these older package names mentioned online, they’re no longer available to choose when making a new booking.
NCL beverage service charge
When comparing Norwegian Cruise Line’s drinks packages, it’s important to remember that gratuities and service charges aren’t always included in the advertised price.
NCL normally adds a 20% gratuity and beverage service charge to drinks packages purchased separately. However, things work a little differently if you get your alcoholic drinks package through Free at Sea.
For UK bookings, the drinks package cost is covered by the Free at Sea upgrade price, so you won’t have another 20% added at checkout. US bookings have different pricing arrangements, with an additional daily charge for the Free at Sea drinks package.
There’s also an additional charge for the drinks package on Pride of America, so make sure you check the total before booking.
NCL Drink Package Prices Including Service Charges
| Drinks package | Cost per person, per day |
|---|---|
| Premium Beverage Package | Included in the UK Free at Sea upgrade price |
| Hawaiʻi Beverage Package | Included with Free at Sea, but an additional charge applies |
| Unlimited Soda | $12.50 + 20% = $15 |
| Unlimited Starbucks | $16.50 + 20% = $19.80 |
Remember that these are beverage package charges, not the standard daily crew gratuities.
Those are separate and aren’t included with standard Free at Sea. However, they are included if you upgrade to Free at Sea Plus.
NCL Free at Sea Promotion – a little more on what you get
Norwegian Cruise Line’s Free at Sea promotion gives guests a list of extra perks, including the Unlimited Open Bar drinks package.
- Premium Drinks Package
- Speciality Dining Package
- Free WiFi Minutes
- Shore Excursion Credit
Free at Sea will always – always – be cheaper than paying the old prices for a drinks package. So if you want all-inclusive alcohol on your NCL cruise, pay for Free at Sea. Don’t even ask about the drinks package on its own!
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So Is the Free at Sea Promotion a good deal?
If you’re considering getting a drinks package, then Free at Sea is absolutely a good deal. You’ll likely pay an average of around $40 or £50 per day, which is a lot less than the old drinks package prices.
Plus you’ll get at least one free speciality dining meal, some free WiFi minutes, and up to $50 off every shore excursion you book. Not bad at all!
However if you only want to stick to the non-alcoholic drinks packages then Free at Sea might cost you more, and may not be worth it – especially if you don’t really care about the speciality restaurants, or book excursions with a third party.
NCL drink prices
Here’s a rough breakdown of the prices you can expect to pay for your drinks on an NCL cruise if you don’t pay for the package.
- Cocktail: $15
- Glass of wine: $12.50–$25+
- Beer: $10
- Spirits: $15–$35+
- Soft drink: $3.50
- Energy drink: $6.25–$6.50
- Coffee: $3.50–$6
- Bottled water: $4.50–$6.50
These are typical prices, and some premium drinks will cost more. You’ll also need to add a 20% gratuity to drinks purchased individually.
As you can see, it doesn’t take long for your drinks bill to add up. One cocktail, a beer and two soft drinks would cost around $32 before gratuities, or $38.40 once the 20% is added.
That’s why Free at Sea can be such good value if you enjoy a few alcoholic drinks each day.
However, remember that most speciality coffees and bottled water aren’t included in the standard package, so you’d still need to pay for those separately.
Free drinks you always get with Norwegian Cruise Line
The following drinks are available free of charge on NCL ships:
- Tea and coffee
- Lemonade
- Iced tea
- Water and flavoured water by the glass
- Fresh fruit juices (at breakfast)
It’s important to note that these free drinks are only available in the buffet and restaurants. You won’t be able to get any free drinks at the bars aside from tap water.
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More useful info on NCL’s drinks package policies
Some extra things you might want to know…
Drinking age on NCL cruises
Being an American cruise line, the Norwegian Cruise Line drinking age policy states that the minimum age for drinking alcohol is 21 years. However, when the ship is at least 3 miles from the coast, guests aged 18 and over can consume beer or wine.
International waters
Guests who are 18 to 20 years of age can purchase and consume beer or wine when the ship is in international waters (3 miles from land). The parent or legal guardian must be on board the sailing with the young adult and present themselves at the Front Desk so they can sign the form allowing the consumption of beer and wine only.
Please note, that this only applies to beer and wine and that temporary guardianship for the purposes of sailing isn’t allowed; only a permanent legal guardian can sign the form.
Mediterranean cruises
On NCL cruises embarking in a country where the legal drinking age is lower than 21, those aged 18, 19 or 20 are generally not permitted to consume alcohol. However, there may be exceptions to this rule.
It all depends on the laws of each country and the agreements in place with the cruise line. Specific information for each cruise can be obtained from Norwegian Cruise Line.
Suggested read: How old do you have to be to drink on a cruise?
Bringing your own drinks onboard
Norwegian Cruise Line permits guests to bring unlimited bottles of wine onboard. This is subject to a corkage fee of $15. You may drink your wine wherever you like on the ship. No other drinks are permitted to be brought on board, with the exception of purified water for medical use.
Suggested read: Can you take drinks on a cruise ship?
Sharing drinks packages
NCL does not allow sharing of drink packages. If one person has a drinks package, all adults in the stateroom must have the same package and children must have a soda package.
If one guest cannot drink alcohol for any reason such as pregnancy, health or addiction, you should contact NCL to ask if they will waive their normal rules.
Where you can use the drinks package
You can use your drinks package in all bars, lounges, restaurants and on one of Norwegian Cruise Line’s private islands, Great Stirrup Cay, but not on the other island, Harvest Caye.
Taking drinks in the pools and hot tubs
On NCL cruise ships you are generally allowed to take drinks into the swimming pools and hot tubs as long as they’re in plastic glasses.
Final thoughts
Individual drinks are pretty expensive on Norwegian Cruise Line. And the old drinks packages that included alcohol used to be super-expensive – easily the most expensive at sea.
However, this is mostly irrelevant, as the Free at Sea programme allows you to get a free drinks package (plus other benefits like dining) at a much lower cost, when you consider everything included.
If you don’t drink much alcohol and prefer bottled water, tea, coffee and lemonade, you may be better off declining Free at Sea and just going for a cruise-only fare.
Hi If I take a free at sea package on my next cruise. Will it cover wine by the glass at the main dining room? From your experience how is the wine by the glass service? do you have to wait a long time to have the wine server attention and get your glass of wine or they usually very proactive in serving your refill?
It will be my main source of alcohol consumption and I do dot want to have to beg to get a second or third wine of glass.
Thank you
Just came back from a NCL cruise in the Canary Islands and I can now answer my question. I was globally very satisfied with the dring package. About 5 different white wines and around 6 different red wines were available. In addition port wine was available within the 15$ per glass limit of the drink package. The wines were good but not great (the white wines were a bit better in my opinion). It was not very cheap wines. At the dining room and restaurants it was easy to have wine by the glass and the waiters were very happy to offer another glass. In my case, I was happy with the package.
Hi Jenny
Interesting article. we are just back from our second cruise. we were on the Norwegian Sun.
A point on the gratuities, sorry if already covered, but they are optional. If you don’t pre pay then you can go to the onboard customer services and request they are removed. They did say that you can only do this 3 days before disembarkation (when asked why they said ‘you may change your mind !).
This took $560 off our bill !
We did the free on board and it was a no brainer for the 4 of us, we did drink our money’s worth 😁.
Also we filled water bottles up either from the cold water points at the buffet restaurants or from glasses we took back to the cabin.
Overall great experience with NCL, I am now a converted cruiser from being a sceptic and am looking at our next one.🛳️
Richard
Thanks for your comment, Richard. I’m glad to hear that you enjoyed your cruise. I’d just like to leave this link here for anyone who’s looking for more info about whether it’s a good idea to remove gratuities: https://www.cruisemummy.co.uk/refuse-pay-gratuities-on-cruise/
so you took the tips off and the crew that worked so hard got nothing?
Hi, great content. I have a question. We booked the balcony suite and it came with the “free-at-sea-package”. But we would have to pay about $450 for the 20% service charge.
If we decline that, would we still be able to get the drinks and pay only the 20% service charge individually for every drink we order?
Or would we then being charged the full price for every drink, same as if we would not not have “free-at-sea” package?
Steven
You can decline the Free at Sea package and pay for drinks individually if you prefer.
if you decline you are declining the free at sea. you are then on your own. each drink at full price plus 20%. is $450 really that much to tip?
we declined once on board and had them removed from bill at end of cruise Steven
I did read that if in Australia we do not pay the gratuities?
I’m just making sure this is correct. I have never paid gratuities on a drinks package prior to covid. But we all understand things change.
Your post was extremely helpful. We usually book with an agent from Vacations To Go. Unfortunately, friends that will be going with us made the arrangements. We thought she made them with our agent but did not. She went through Norwegian. We have found that they seem to charge more and the information is so confusing. You have done a wonderful job explaining everything. We had no idea that they charge 20% on top of drink package. We usually go on Carnival or Royal Caribbean. We will be traveling out of Tampa, Florida on the Pride.
Hi Jean. I’m glad you found this to be useful. I hope you enjoy your cruise. Thanks! Jenni
Going to Carribean in March and your comments have been so helpful. I was going to upgrade from premium to premium plus as I thought this was the only one that included the 20% service. I now know they both do so can save myself some money (although it was the inclusion of champagne in premium plus that lured me) thank you gorgeous your helpful unbiased answers. Janet UK
You’re most welcome. Enjoy your cruise! Jenni
Hi, if a book an NCL cruise with the free at sea drinks package and prepay my gratuities will i still be charged 20% beverage gratuities on every drink i order?
Hi Christopher. That depends on where you live. If you book in the UK or Australia, gratuities on the drinks package are included: https://www.ncl.com/uk/en/terms-and-conditions/promotions. However, if you book in the US, you will have to pay a 20% gratuity on the retail value of the Premium Beverage Package. This equates to $19.80 USD per person per day. https://www.ncl.com/termsandconditions/promotions. (I’ve put the links to the info in here, but you may only be able to view the link for the country you’re in currently.) Jenni
Hi, we have booked aboard NCL EPIC, for early next year (2021). My wife and I are travelling with my sister, so there’ll be three adults in a mini suite. When we booked our agent told us he was only able to allocate the premium drinks package, via “Free at sea” to the first two guests. Will we be able to add my sister to the Free at sea for $99 either onboard or before we sail. Many thanks. Paul.
Hi Paul. I would expect that you would have to pay the full drinks package price for your third guest rather than the $99 price. Your travel agent will be able to confirm that for you. Jenni
I’m going on my first cruise for my son’s wedding next May on the Joy. We all got the premium beverage package and 3rd/4th guests free package. I noticed when I logged in there is an option to pay in advance a $210 service fee. It says if you don’t pay in advance, this amount will be added to your room account on board the ship. I don’t quite understand this fee – it sounds like a mandatory fee but an option to pay it up front? I know my son and his fiance have many young friends going, some with young children and some barely scraping enough for the cruise. Are they going to be surprised by this fee? Are there any other surprises other than what is above for first time cruisers?
Hi Mary. Norwegian Cruise Line add a 20% service charge to beverage packages. There’s also a daily charge for gratuities which is currently $14.50 per person, per day. I haven’t cruised on-board Norwegian Joy myself, but I have been on the sister ship, Norwegian Encore and I found that some of the activities on-board such as the go-kart track, virtual reality arcade and laser tag had an extra charge. NCL is, unfortunately, one of the cruise lines that charges the most for these kinds of things. Jenni
As of Jan 2020, Premium Beverage Package seems to have been renamed to Adult Beverage Package – can someone confirm they are the same?
Yes, they are the same. They sometimes use the words ‘Adult Beverage Package’ on documents but it’s the same as Premium Beverage Package and Ultimate Beverage Package.
Your post was very helpful. I am booked for Pride of America in August 2020 and purchased the Free at Sea drink package for my husband and myself. However, I am now skeptical because I cannot seem to find what’s included. Do you have any idea? Thank you!
Thanks Sharon. Here’s the info I think you’re looking for: https://www.ncl.com/uk/en/terms/hawaii-beverage-package I hope this helps. Jenni
Hi I have a quick question about the free at sea packages. the name implies that it is only free when at sea. does that mean that you only get the packaged whilst sailing at sea or does it include the time in port. I ask as we often back on the ship by lunchtime and enjoy an afternoon drink by the pool.
Great question! Yes, drinks are also free when you’re in port. You’re probably not the only one to be confused by that.
Hi Jenni,
Thank you for your information. I have a question. We (4 adults) booked a cruise at NCL for 12 days. Because we booked a suite we were automatically upgraded for the free at sea getting the 5 perks.
Person 1&2 got the premium beverage package. Are persons 3&4 obliged to buy the same premium beverage package? It makes no sense for us to buy it since the whole party doesn’t drink alcohol. Whereas the drinks we prefer (fresh juice, coffeespecialties, bottled water) are not included. Furthermore we are only 5 days at sea, and 7 on the islands for the whole day.
What advice do you have for us?
The cruise: NCL Pearl from Miami to NYC
Looking forward to your advice.
Kind regards San
Hi San. Thanks for your question. Seeing as you got the 5 perks included for only two people, I wouldn’t think that they would be able to make you buy it for the other two. Did you book with a travel agent? They will be able to confirm that for you. Jenni
I have never been to a cruise and your article is very useful for me!
We usually drink water, cocktails and wine! Do you think NCL Premium Plus Beverage Package is what we need?
It totally depends on how much you drink. I like to work out how many drinks I’d need per day to break even and then decide. Jenni
Thanks for the information. Traveling on the Encore on January 5, glad to see all the vodkas and rims with the free at Sea program. Just will need to pay for water. What are the sizes of water? Can you order a jug for your room?
Hi. The large water is about 600ml. We were given bottles of water in our room in plastic-free packaging. I’m not sure if this is the same on every cruise. The tap water is fine to drink too. Jenni